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Classic Chemistry as a Catalyst to Human Life
(The Wonder World of Elements)
New disciplines have continued to form within philosophy of science,
including philosophy of physics, biology, psychology, social science and economics. One
notable exception until recently was the philosophy of chemistry. New disciplines have
continued to form within philosophy of science, including philosophy of physics, biology,
psychology, social science and economics. One notable exception until recently was the
philosophy of chemistry
The language of chemistry and the question of representation in
chemistry are areas which continue to exercise the minds of reflective chemists. In
addition there are questions of chemical evolution, of environmental concern, of
industrial application, of the very essence of chemical thinking and of the social aspects
of chemistry’s professionalism. Others are interested in the nature of modeling or
the role of instrumentation in chemistry, the nature of the molecule and the function of
chaos and order in molecular substance. Techniques for predicting therapeutic effects of
chemical compounds are gaining in prominence as are studies on molecular complexity and
interstellar chemistry as a guide to life elsewhere. All these apparently diverse areas
would benefit one way or another in our day to day lives. When novel thoughts were
crystallized out to invent the practical usage of various elements known in nature in
conjunction with diverse array of other elements in specific orders, utilities were
broadened in human life. Several things that we use in our day to day life or materials
that we see everyday in our normal life are comprises of elements that we have studied in
chemistry classes from periodic table. You may be surprised to realize how closely we
associate with chemistry in this world on a daily basis.
The Classic Touch of Chemistry that Make One’s Life Easier are:
Elements as
Constituent (Symbol of the element) |
Examples of
materials that make human life environmentally friendly and comfortable |
Hydrogen (H) |
Rocket fuel,
water etc. |
Lithium (Li) |
Pacemaker
batteries |
Sodium (Na) |
Kitchen salt,
batteries, Soda glass |
Potassium (K) |
Glass lens, Gun
powder, Fertilizer |
Cesium (Cs) |
Atomic clock,
Gamma radiation |
Beryllium (Be) |
Watch springs,
Spark-free tools |
Magnesium (Mg) |
Chlorophyll,
Airplanes |
Calcium (Ca) |
Concrete,
Plaster of Paris, Bones, Fertilizer |
Strontium (Sr) |
Fireworks
(crimson color) , Nuclear batteries |
Barium (Ba) |
Fireworks (green
color), Magnetic recording tapes, Fluorescent lamps |
Radium (Ra) |
Antique glow in
dark paint, Neutron source |
Scandium (Sc) |
Large screen
TV’s, Stadium lights |
Yttrium (Y) |
Color TV screen,
Radar Lasers |
Lanthanum (La) |
Camera Lens,
battery electrodes |
Titanium (Ti) |
Airplane motors,
Bone pins, In paints |
Zirconium (Zr) |
Catalytic
Converters, Furnace Bricks, Gem stones |
Hafnium (Hf) |
Nuclear
submarines |
Vanadium (V) |
Tools, Jet
engines |
Tantalum (Ta) |
Weights for
weight lifting |
Chromium (Cr) |
Stereo tapes,
Plating, knives |
Molybdenum (Mo) |
Rocket motors,
Lubricants |
Tungsten (W) |
Light filaments,
Rocket nozzles, Welding |
Manganese (Mn) |
Batteries, Axes |
Rhenium (Re) |
Thermocouples,
Jewelry plating |
Iron (Fe) |
Magnets, Tools,
Automobiles |
Ruthenium (Ru) |
Fountain pen
points, Eye treatment |
Osmium (Os) |
Fountain pen
points, Compass needles, Clock bearings |
Cobalt (Co) |
Razor blades,
Permanent Magnets, Catalytic converters |
Rhodium (Rh) |
Head light
reflectors, Telephone relays, Airplane sparkplugs, Catalytic converters |
Iridium (Ir) |
Hypodermic
needles, Sparkplugs |
Nickel (Ni) |
Coins, Forks 7
spoons, Crucibles |
Palladium (Pd) |
Dental,
Antitumor, Catalytic converters |
Platinum (Pt) |
Antitumor agent,
Dental crowns |
Copper (Cu) |
Statue of
liberty, Cable wire, Water pipes, Coins, sculpture |
Silver (Ag) |
Silverware,
Mirrors, batteries, Photographc films |
Gold (Au) |
Jewelry, Dental
Crowns, Electrical contacts |
Zinc (Zn) |
Corrosion
resistant coatings, Water and gas valves |
Cadmium (Cd) |
Rechargeable
batteries, Pigments, Bolts |
Mercury (Hg) |
Thermometer,
Barometer, Dental, Seed protection |
Boron (B) |
Heat resistant
glass, Eye disinfectant |
Aluminum (Al) |
Planes, cars,
Rockets, Window frames, Door knobs, Cables, Fireworks |
Gallium (Ga) |
Infra red night
vision, Computer memory, Transistors, Quartz thermometers |
Indium (In) |
Transistors,
Solar cells, Mirrors, Photo cells |
Thallium (Tl) |
Insecticides,
Infrared detectors, Thermometers |
Carbon (C) |
Pencils,
Diamonds, Steel, Plastics, Tire Industry |
Silicon (Si) |
Micro chips,
Solar cells, Silicon rubber, Oil, Quartz glass, cement |
Germanium (Ge) |
Fiber Optics,
Wide angle lens, Infrared vision, Semiconductors |
Tin (Sn) |
Enamel, Cups ,
Plates |
Lead (Pb) |
Radiation
protection, Roof covering, Batteries |
Nitrogen (N) |
Refrigerant,
Coolant, Rocket fuel, In surgery |
Phosphorus (P) |
Matches,
Fireworks, Detergents, fertilizers, Toothpaste, Pesticides |
Arsenic( As) |
Shotgun pellets,
LEDs, Mirrors, Lasers |
Antimony (Sb) |
Ceramics, Lead
batteries, Fir retardant |
Bismuth (Bi) |
Antacids,
Antidiarrheals, Fuses, Fire sprinklers |
Oxygen (O) |
Life support,
Steel production, Water purification |
Sulfur (S) |
Matches,
Fireworks, batteries, Vulcanization |
Selenium (Se) |
Copy machines,
Shampoo, Solar cells |
Tellurium (Te) |
Vulcanization,
Electrical resisters |
Polonium (Po) |
Film cleaner,
Antistatic agents, Neutron source |
Fluorine (F) |
Toothpaste,
Coolant, Teflon |
Chlorine (Cl) |
Bleach, Water
purification, Plastics, Stain remover |
Bromine (Br) |
Photographic
film, tear gas, Disinfectant |
Iodine (I) |
Photographic
film, Ink pigment, salt additive, Halogen lamps, Disinfectant |
Helium (He) |
Balloon blimps,
Leak detector, Nuclear plant coolant, Lasers |
Neon (Ne) |
Lights, TV
tubes, Lasers |
Argon (Ar) |
Lasers, Light
bulbs, Welding blankets |
Krypton (Kr) |
Atomic clocks,
Fluorescent bulbs, UV lasers |
Xenon (Xe) |
Sun lamps,
Projection lamps, Electric flashes |
Radon (Rn) |
Earthquake meter |
** Some of the less useful elements are not
includes
*BY HARI KOCHAT (This article is dedicated to my mentor Professor Sukhdev,
who is one of the pioneers of natural Product Chemistry ¤tly the National
Professor of India)
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