Everything you can breathe, see, ingest or touch is made up of chemicals. All matter, including us, is made of chemicals. Chemistry is the study of the composition, structure, properties and reactions of matter.
Matter
Matter is everything around you – whether it’s solid, liquid or gas. Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are like individual LEGO blocks. They are the smallest unit that anything can be broken down into without doing something extreme (like taking a blowtorch to a LEGO block or smashing atoms in a nuclear reactor). These atoms, like LEGO blocks, can be bonded together in different ways to form a variety of structures. Matter has mass and volume.
Chemicals
Matter (anything made of atoms) can also be called a chemical. So if atoms are LEGO blocks, chemicals are the structures you can build with them. They can be in any form – liquid, solid or gas. Chemicals can be a pure substance or a mixture. For example, water (H2O) is a chemical. It’s a pure chemical because it is hom*ogeneous – pure water is the same throughout its structure. It is made up of the same molecules (H2O), each having the same combination and structure of atoms – the same ratio of hydrogen to oxygen, bonded in the same way. Other commonly found chemical substances in pure form are diamond (carbongold, table salt (sodium chloride) and refined sugar (sucrose).
We may think that a chemical substance is pure when in fact it is a combination of chemicals. For example, water may contain small amounts of dissolved sodium chloride and compounds containing iron, calcium and many other chemical substances.
Elements
An element is a chemical substance that is made up of only one type of atom. It cannot be broken down or transformed into a different element (though it may be transmutated into another element through a nuclear reaction). The elements are represented in the periodic table of elements.
As of November 2016, there are 118 known elements. Each is represented by a chemical symbol. Most elements are metals – for example, gold (Au), silver (Ag) and iron (Fe) – and others are non-metals, for example carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
Chemical compounds
A chemical compound is a pure substance made up of two distinct elements chemically combined. An example of a chemical compound is water (H2O). It is formed by chemically combining the elements hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O).
Mixtures
Often, elements and compounds are found in mixtures. A mixture is a combination of two or more substances in which each substance retains its identity. Generally, they can be separated out into the component substances. Soil and air are common examples of mixtures.
Naming chemicals
Every chemical substance has one or more systematic name, usually named according to rules set out by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). This federation represents chemists in individual countries. It is important that all countries recognise a chemical by the same name.
Many compounds are also known by their more common, simpler names, many of which pre-date the systematic name. For example, glucose (sugar) is now systematically named 6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol.
Manufactured verses natural chemicals
Manufactured chemicals are ones that have been made by people. They are often called synthetic chemicals. Natural chemicals are ones that are found in nature (produced by plants and animals). Some people think there is a fundamental difference between manufactured chemicals and natural ones. Actually, if a chemical is found in nature and the same chemical is manufactured, there is no difference between them. For example, vitamin C from fruit is exactly the same as synthetically made vitamin C.
Some people also think that manufactured chemicals are bad while natural chemicals are good. This also is a fallacy. Many toxic chemicals are found in nature – in fact, some of the most deadly compounds are found in nature.
FAQs
Bisphenols and phthalates are often called “everywhere chemicals” because they are used so widely and are continuously leaching into the environment.
What are forever chemicals found everywhere? ›
NIST scientists are helping reveal tiny amounts of 'forever chemicals' in our food, water, clothing and environment. They're called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a group of thousands of compounds that contain a chemical bond between fluorine and carbon.
Do chemicals make up everything around you? ›
Everything you can breathe, see, ingest or touch is made up of chemicals. All matter, including us, is made of chemicals. Chemistry is the study of the composition, structure, properties and reactions of matter.
Is everything made out of chemicals? ›
Far from it, chemists believe that everything is made of chemicals. Although there are countless types of matter all around us, this complexity is composed of various combinations of some 100 chemical elements. The names of some of these elements will be familiar to almost everyone.
What are forever chemicals called? ›
Facebook Twitter Email WhatsApp LinkedIn. PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), also known as the Forever Chemicals, are a large chemical family of over 10,000 highly persistent chemicals that don't occur in nature.
How to get rid of PFAS in body? ›
How are PFAS excreted from the body? Some PFAS leave the body slowly over time, mostly through urine. People who have kidney disease may not excrete as much PFAS from their body through their urine as healthy individuals. Some PFAS routinely leave the body in blood during menstruation.
Why are forever chemicals being banned? ›
PFAS are associated with a range of harmful health effects, including multiple types of cancer. “California has led the nation in addressing PFAS, including banning forever chemicals in food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foam, children's cribs and playpens, and other products.
What chemical turns you on? ›
Testosterone and estrogen drive lust; dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin create attraction; and oxytocin and vasopressin mediate attachment.
What chemicals are in our everyday life? ›
5 Most Common Chemicals in Everyday Life
- Water – (H2O) Water is a fundamental chemical in everyday life due to its essential role in sustaining all living organisms. ...
- Salt – Sodium Chloride (NaCl) ...
- Sodium Bicarbonate – Baking Soda (NaHCO₃) ...
- Ethanol – (C₂H₆O) ...
- Carbon Dioxide – (CO2)
Figure 3 - The three main neurotransmitters associated with emotions are dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Dopamine is the “reward and pleasure” neurotransmitter. Serotonin is the “satisfaction and self-confidence” neurotransmitter. Norepinephrine is the “attention and reaction to stress” neurotransmitter.
Everything in the world is made of chemicals which encompass everything from simple elements like gold to incredibly complex molecules like DNA. There are over sixty million known chemicals, both naturally occurring and synthetic.
Will we run out of chemicals? ›
Of the 118 elements that make up everything—from the compounds in a chemist's arsenal to consumer products on the shelf—44 will face supply limitations in the coming years. These critical elements include rare earth elements, precious metals, and even some that are essential to life, like phosphorus.
Are humans full of chemicals? ›
The average 70 kg (150 lb) adult human body contains approximately 7×1027 atoms and contains at least detectable traces of 60 chemical elements. About 29 of these elements are thought to play an active positive role in life and health in humans.
What chemicals stay in your body forever? ›
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)2, PFAS are chemicals that break down extremely slowly in the environment and build up in the body. There are thousands of forever chemicals, many of which have been used since the 1940s because they are resistant to grease, oil, water, and heat.
What foods have forever chemicals? ›
The paper identified a range of foods to be among the drivers of high PFAS levels, including teas, pork, candy, sports drinks, processed meat, butter, chips and bottled water. The research also pointed to higher PFAS blood levels among those who consumed more carryout or food prepared at restaurants.
Does bottled water have forever chemicals? ›
Scientist investigated over 100 labeled water bottle products in the USA for PFAS and related factors. They have screen specifically for 32 target chemical compounds, half of which were detected. These forever chemicals were detected using SPE-LC-MS/MS, and were found in 39 out of 101 tested products.
What foods contain forever chemicals? ›
The paper identified a range of foods to be among the drivers of high PFAS levels, including teas, pork, candy, sports drinks, processed meat, butter, chips and bottled water. The research also pointed to higher PFAS blood levels among those who consumed more carryout or food prepared at restaurants.
What are the forever chemicals in 99% of Americans? ›
PFAS chemicals have been found in 99% of the humans tested and are known to cause a long list of cancers, birth defects, infertility, thyroid disease and more. This group of chemicals are “forever chemicals” because they never go away, not from the environment and not from our bodies.
What products have the most PFAS? ›
Personal care products like shampoo or floss and cosmetics like nail polish and eye makeup. Some grease-resistant paper, fast food containers or wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, and candy wrappers. Stain-resistant coatings on carpets, upholstery, and other fabrics. Water-resistant clothes.
What chemical stays in your body forever? ›
Scientists suspect PFAS are in every American's bloodstream — and they stay there. That's how these substances earned the "forever chemicals" nickname. They don't break down.
