Role of Chemistry in the Society

Roles of Chemistry in the Society

Introduction

Chemistry is a science that embrace the concept of creation of molecules and the manipulation of atoms and dealing with microscopic and nanoscopic scales. It covers interactions with plants, animals through agriculture, biology and medicine and with physical world through electronics, new building materials and new sources of energy.
Everything that we hear, smell, see, taste and touch involves chemistry and chemicals. The knowledge of chemistry in society is therefore important because;

1. Chemistry is vital to our society because it impacts us on the knowledge of good health and maintenance of it. When applying to study medicine, applicants are expected to have thorough knowledge of chemistry before even beginning their degree. Chemistry is vital for the study and development of medicine as it allows to find out how illness and diseases can be cured with minimal effects on the patient i.e. it helps to prevent pain and live longer, happier and healthy lives.
2. Through the knowledge of chemistry, it has been possible to explore space i.e. space exploration by scientist. Through it, there is invention of liquid oxygen a key component in rocket fuel. The space race would not have happened and the related technologies society gained from it such as the internet and satellite television would not exist.
3. The concepts in chemistry e.g. extraction of medicine from trees etc. have improved the people’s health in society. Humans would still be plagued by illness such as small pox and polio and penicillin would not be available to fight bacterial infections.
4. Today, people have prolonged their lives using medicine i.e. they can live rather healthy and rely on medicines, drugs and vaccines from birth to death.
5. Chemistry is the integral part of society and environment. The battery we use in torch, music player etc. are working by the principle of electrochemistry and without the knowledge of chemistry, it could have been difficult to produce such batteries. 
6. Knowledge of Chemistry is useful in production of soaps and detergents-by esterification of fatty acids with base like sodium hydroxide etc. Without the knowledge of chemistry, it could have been difficult to produce this products.
7. Chemistry is important in nutrition i.e. without the knowledge of Chemistry, we cannot determine that the food that we are eating is expired, we do not know how to analyses the composition of certain substances to formulate new products and develop better manufacturing process.
8. Knowledge of chemistry is important in agricultural production. It has led to manufacturing of better chemical fertilizers in accordance with the soil type which consequently increases the agricultural production. It has also make it possible to interbreed genetically close species in biology through extraction of DNA from the parents e.g. polyploidy in wheat which have increased the wheat production.

Conclusion

In the longer run, Chemistry is going to create materials with extraordinary properties which will dramatically improve communications, health care, environmental monitoring and transport. Chemistry will stimulate and support innovation in all of the other branches of science and technology.