• Question: what is chemistry

    Asked by winniezhang to Clare, Mariana, Pedro, Robert, Susanne on 9 Nov 2012.
    • Photo: Robert Insall

      Robert Insall answered on 9 Nov 2012:

      Heh. Tell me if you find out. I need to know.

    • Photo: Susanne Muekusch

      Susanne Muekusch answered on 10 Nov 2012:

      Hi winniezhang,
      I had the same question when I was 12, but as your other posted question was that quite advanced spin-spin thing, I am pretty sure you are after a different answer than I was back then.
      Why are you asking? Do you want to become a chemist?
      Here is a short attempt to answer: Chemistry is a natural science investigating the bonds in or between molecules and how new bonds form or brake down. However, there is no strict boundary between chemistry and other natural sciences. There is biochemistry, dealing with the molecules and chemical reactions in living beeings and as mentioned in my answer to your other question there is “physical chemistry”. During my studies I even had to take courses in “biophysical chemistry”. Please don’t ask what it is 😉

    • Photo: Clare Taylor

      Clare Taylor answered on 12 Nov 2012:

      Chemistry is something I used to do a long time ago and now have to check in a textbook when I try and remember something! Lucky for me, one of my good friends is a chemist and I can just ask him!

      Seriously though my friend does amazing things with chemical reactions to create new compounds but of course in order to do that he has to understand the interactions between atoms and work out which chemical bonds will react with each other. Chemistry is amazing because it drives life – we are basically walking bags of chemistry filled with billions of microbes which themselves are microscopic bags of chemistry!

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