Chapter 1 What Is Chemistry?
Opening Essay
If you are reading these words, you are likely starting a chemistry course. Get ready for a fantastic journey through a world of wonder, delight, and knowledge. Chemistry is everywhere; indeed, you would not be alive if it weren’t for chemistry because your body is a big chemical machine. If you don’t believe it, don’t worry. Every chapter in this book contains examples that will show you how chemistry is everywhere, and important to life and health. So enjoy the ride—and enjoy chemistry.
What is chemistry? Simply put, chemistryThe study of the interactions of matter with other matter and with energy. is the study of the interactions of matter with other matter and with energy. This seems straightforward enough. However, the definition of chemistry includes a wide range of topics that must be understood to gain a mastery of the topic or even take additional courses in chemistry. In the first few chapters of this book, we will lay the foundations of chemistry in a topic-by-topic fashion to provide you with the background you need to successfully understand the basics of chemistry. Then, the material will cover organic chemistry and biochemistry topics to provide you with the chemical knowledge you need.