Hi everyone. 😁 How are you? I hope you are all doing fine. Allow me to share my experience and the learnings I have gained from the subject Chemistry for Engineers during my 1st year in college.

To my fellow aspiring engineers out there, I would really be glad to read your experiences on this subject.

To my fellow writers here on read.cash, I hope you'll also take some time to appreciate the beauty of chemistry and how big its contribution is to the world.

What is Chemistry for Engineers?

“Chemistry for Engineers deals with the study of composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter which aid engineers in choosing the right materials for a particular application and which give them the right knowledge about different substances and matter which they will need as they pursue their engineering profession”, that is how the subject Chemistry for Engineers is usually defined. But as I take up the subject, I realized that it is way more than that typical definition. For months, I have learned so much from it, to the point that it exceeded my expectations from the subject. It gave me knowledge not just on the composition and properties of matter, not just on the structure of different substances and the reactions taking place between them which was the typical lessons being taught in high school, but, I was able learn something new and more practical lessons. The subject has showed me the bigger picture of chemistry; the real life applications of every reaction between substances, and the appropriate uses of every matter or substance depending on its composition and classification. And more than that, the subject has showed me the importance of Chemistry to my chosen profession which is the field of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, which before, I’m not aware of.

What have I learned?

I gained a lot of new lessons which my high school education has failed to give. The subject gave me a better understanding on the rules of oxidation numbers, and the different chemical reactions especially redox reaction. Although a part of it was already taught in high school, it was not really explained well. It is the subject chemistry for engineers which really gave me a clear picture of what these reactions look like, and where do these occur in real-life situations.

In addition, the subject also taught me the principles behind thermochemistry, if what is thermochemistry, what is specific heat, what is heat capacity, what is the difference between these two, and how to compute solving problems involving heat (heat gain and heat lost).

Aside from that, I have also learned some of the important concepts of oxidation-reduction chemistry of natural waters, particularly: dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, decomposition of organic matter in water, sulphur compounds in water, purification of water, and contamination of ground water and remediation.

From these concepts, I have learned that dissolved oxygen is affected by altitude, the higher the altitude is, the lesser the oxygen which can be dissolved.

Moreover, I have also gained knowledge about the decomposition of organic matter in water and the different ways to purify or disinfect a polluted water. Aside from the chemistry of water, I have also learned about the chemistry of the atmosphere, chemistry of air pollution, chemistry of the soil, soil pollution and how to mitigate it, crystal structures, the difference between amorphous solids and crystalline solids, the different bonding in solids, band theory of metals, metallurgy, metal properties and reactions, and the different polymers which comprises almost all widely used products and materials being sold in the market. The learnings which I have just mentioned are just a summary or a brief overview of all that I have actually learned during our 6-hour lecture, discussions, and laboratory activities every week.

However, among all the learnings which I have gained from the subject may it be academically or in terms of real-life applications, I think the most significant which it embedded in me is the application of chemistry to my chosen career, if how important chemistry is in engineering, and how will I utilize my learnings from the subject if the time comes that I’ll be working as an engineer.

What is the Significance of Chemistry to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering?

What is really the significance of chemistry to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering? That is my biggest question just before the subject Chemistry for Engineers gave me the answer.

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering is defined as the application of engineering science and designs to the processes and systems involved in the sustainable production, post production and processing of safe food, feed, fiber, timber and other agricultural and biological materials and the efficient utilization, conservation, and management of natural and renewable resources in order to enhance human health in harmony with the environment. Agricultural and biosystems consist of crops, forestry and other plants, poultry, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture resources and other animals, wildlife and other living things. Meanwhile, 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 an important role starting from the photosynthesis to the utilization of agricultural products. The advancements in this practice is all because of the active research carried out in chemistry and its applications in making agricultural lands more productive and at the same time protecting it from deterioration and misuse.

Furthermore, chemistry also play an important role in irrigation which is one of the specializations of ABE. The plastic pipes being used in irrigation engineering was actually derived from chemistry. This has developed irrigation massively which results in a better environment for the crops to prosper in. Chemistry is also part of storage and preservation of agriculture products - sulfur dioxide is used to keep grain fresh and useable for a longer period of time, food preservatives like sodium benzoate and salicylic acid are also used for longer shelf life and new generation of refrigerators have been developed.

Even in food processing which is part of food engineering – another specialization of ABE, we can find chemistry, it is the branch of science which is responsible for the development of Saccharin and sweeteners, Vitamins and minerals. Food packaging has also advanced due to the material produced by advancements in chemistry. Agricultural chemistry has increased the diversity of the human diet and has led to a greater overall availability of food. Consumers have benefited from new technologies that have enhanced the flavor, appearance, availability, and nutritional value of their food.

The advancement in Chemistry has also resulted in the development of technologies to produce a variety of chemicals from agricultural waste products. Indeed, chemistry does not only play a significant role in the works of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, but it also helps in reducing and recycling the amount of agricultural wastes being produced by agricultural farms and facilities.

Chemistry has indeed been and is still closely linked to the progress in the agricultural field. It provides innovative new ways to widen the boundaries of agriculture and to combat potential problems and thus increasing productivity and quality of agricultural products.

P.S. My special thanks to @Ashma for inspiring everyone here on read.cash to write more quality articles and to continue in improving ourselves everyday. Keep helping and motivating people ❣

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