What are the contributions of chemistry to agriculture, medicine, nutrition, and geology? Explain please. Thank you :)
Answers
Chemistry deals with compounds, both organic and inorganic, and agriculture deals with the production of organic products using both organic and inorganic inputs Thus Chemistry forms an integral part of agriculture from molecular to organ level. It plays a role from the basics of photosynthesis to the utilization of agricultural produce. The advancements in this practice is only because of active research carried out in chemistry and then its applications to cause the land to produce more abundantly and at the same time to protect it from deterioration and misuse. Role of Chemistry in agriculture can be classified as follows:
Photosynthesis: This natural process provides the basic building block for all the agricultural products. The overall process is best shown by the net equation. 6CO2 + 6H2O ==> C6H12O6 + 6O2 . No chemical process is more important to life on Earth than photosynthesis.
Fertilizers: Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use.
Pesticides and Insecticides: In order to minimize the damage of the crops by pests a large variety of chemicals known as pesticides are used. Subclasses of this are herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, pediculicides, and biocides depending on its target. With active research in this field safer and greener pesticides are being developed