The Chemistry Portal

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Welcome to the chemistry portal. Chemistry is a branch of science. Modern chemistry focuses on the study of elements of the world and the bonds between elements. Chemistry also deals with composition, structure, and properties of substances and the transformations that they undergo. In the study of matter, chemistry also investigates its interactions with energy and itself. Because of the diversity of matter, which is mostly in the form of compounds, chemists often study how atoms of different chemical elements interact to form molecules, and how molecules interact with each other.

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Featured article - Selected picture - News - Selected biography - History and Philosophy - Techniques - Equipment - Chemistry in society - Chemistry in industry - Periodic Table - Resources - WikiProjects - Things you can do - Collaboration of the month - Related portals - Associated Wikimedia

Featured article

Antioxidants are molecules that slow or prevent the oxidation of other chemicals. Oxidation is a redox chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can involve the production of free radicals, which can form dangerous chain reactions. Antioxidants can terminate these chain reactions by removing radical intermediates and can inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols or phenols.

Although oxidation reactions are critical for life, they can also be damaging; hence, plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases. Low levels of antioxidant molecules or inhibition of these antioxidant enzymes causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.

As oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, the use of antioxidants in pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as treatments for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. In addition to these uses in medicine, antioxidants have many industrial uses, such as preservatives in food and cosmetics and preventing the degradation of rubber and gasoline.

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Selected picture

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Paclitaxel is an important drug used for the treatment of cancer. Its complex structure provided a challenging target for its total synthesis by the Nicolaou group. The colors indicate the approach they used.

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Categories

Fields of Chemistry (books)

• Analytical chemistry: Chromatography, Spectroscopy
• Biochemistry: Molecular biology
• Crystal Chemistry
• Environmental chemistry: Geochemistry
• Inorganic chemistry: Inorganic reactions
• Materials science: Nanotechnology, Glass, Ceramics
• Medicinal chemistry
• Nuclear chemistry
• Organic chemistry: Functional groups, Organic compounds, Organic reactions
• Organometallic chemistry
• Pharmacy
• Physical chemistry: Electrochemistry, Quantum chemistry
• Polymer chemistry
• Supramolecular chemistry
• Theoretical chemistry: Computational chemistry

History and Philosophy of Chemistry

Many chemists have an interest in the history of chemistry. Those with philosophical interests will be interested that the philosophy of chemistry has quite recently developed along a path somewhat different from the general philosophy of science.

Other articles that might interest you are:

• Superseded chemistry theories
• Alchemy
• Scientific method
• The central science

There is a Wikipedia Project on the History of Science and a portal for the philosophy of science.

Chemistry Resources

Wikipedia:WikiProject Chemicals/Data is a collection of links and references that are useful for chemistry-related works. This includes free online chemical databases, publications, patents, computer programs, and various tools.

Science is Fun University of Wisconsin–Madison Chemistry Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, shares the fun of science.

megaConverter The Web's best place to figure out what equals what.

General Chemistry Online Clear text and comprehensive coverage of general chemistry topics by Fred Senese, Dept. of Chemistry Frostburg State University

General Chemistry Demonstration at Purdue Video clips (and descriptions) of lecture demonstrations.

Intota Chemistry Experts A large online listing of real-world chemistry expert biographies provides examples of the many areas of expertise and careers in chemistry.

Chemistry Webercises Directory A large listing of chemistry resources maintained by Steven Murov, Emeritus Chemistry Professor Modesto Junior College.

MathMol MathMol (Mathematics and Molecules) is a good starting point for those interested in the field of molecular modeling.

Chemistry Educational Resources and Essential References from Wiley, the world's largest chemistry publisher

ABC-Chemistry A directory of free full-text journals in chemistry, biochemistry and related subjects.

The Element Song A goofy little song about all of the elements.

In the news

• 5-10-11 Dan Shechtman was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the discovery of quasicrystals".

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Selected biography

Freiherr Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) was a German chemist who made major contributions to agricultural and biological chemistry, and worked on the organization of organic chemistry. As a professor, he devised the modern laboratory-oriented teaching method, and for such innovations, he is regarded as one of the greatest chemistry teachers of all time. The vapor condensation device he popularized for his research is still known as a Liebig condenser, although it was in common use long before Liebig's research began. He is known as the "father of the fertilizer industry" for his discovery of nitrogen as an essential plant nutrient, and his formulation of the Law of the Minimum which described the effect of individual nutrients on crops. He also invented a process for silvering that greatly improved the utility of mirrors.

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Techniques used by chemists

Catalysis - Chromatography - Combustion - Crystallization - Decantation - Distillation - Electrolysis - Extraction - Filtration - Fractionation - Reflux - Spectrometry - Sublimation - Titration - Standard addition - Isotope dilution

Equipment used by chemists

Aspirator - Beaker - Boiling tube - Büchner funnel - Bunsen burner - Burette - Calorimeter - Colorimeter - Conical measure - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance - Mass Spectrometer - Liquid Chromatography - Gas Chromatography - Crucible - Cuvette - Laboratory flasks (Büchner, Erlenmeyer, Florence, Retort, Round-bottom, Volumetric) - Fume hood - Gas syringe - Graduated cylinder - Perkin triangle - Pipette - Reagent - Separating funnel - Spectrophotometer - Schlenk flask- pH indicator - Litmus papers - Tongs - Soxhlet extractor - Stir bar - Static mixer - Test tube - Thistle tube - Viscometer

Chemistry in society

Acid rain - Air pollution - Anabolic steroids - Asbestos - Aspartame - Aspirin - CFCs - Cholesterol - Carbohydrates - Carbon dioxide - Chemical warfare - Enzymes - Fat - Fatty acid - Free radicals - Fuel cell - Gasoline - Green chemistry - Hormonal contraception - Insulin - Nuclear fuel - Nuclear fusion - Nylon - Ozone - Paracetamol - Penicillin - Plastic - Psychoactive drugs - Radioactive waste - Smog - Soil contamination - Sugar - Tamiflu - Viagra - Vitamins

Chemistry in industry

Types of chemical industry: Agrochemicals - Chemical industry - Organometallic chemistry - Oleochemicals - Paints - Petrochemicals - Pharmaceuticals - Polymers
Companies: AstraZeneca - Bayer - BP - BASF - Bristol Myers Squibb - Degussa - Dow - DuPont - ExxonMobil - GlaxoSmithKline - The Linde Group - Mitsubishi - Monsanto - Nestlé - OSI - Shell - Sigma-Aldrich - Total

WikiProjects

Chemistry - Chemicals - Elements - Isotopes - Physical Chemistry - Polymers - Rocks and minerals - Glass - Science - Spectroscopy

Periodic Table

v t e Periodic table
Group	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
	Alkali metals	Alkaline earth metals													Pnicto­gens	Chal­co­gens	Halo­gens	Noble gases
Period 1	Hydro­gen 1 H																	He­lium 2 He
2	Lith­ium 3 Li	Beryl­lium 4 Be											Boron 5 B	Carbon 6 C	Nitro­gen 7 N	Oxy­gen 8 O	Fluor­ine 9 F	Neon 10 Ne
3	So­dium 11 Na	Magne­sium 12 Mg											Alumin­ium 13 Al	Sili­con 14 Si	Phos­phorus 15 P	Sulfur 16 S	Chlor­ine 17 Cl	Argon 18 Ar
4	Potas­sium 19 K	Cal­cium 20 Ca	Scan­dium 21 Sc	Tita­nium 22 Ti	Vana­dium 23 V	Chrom­ium 24 Cr	Manga­nese 25 Mn	Iron 26 Fe	Cobalt 27 Co	Nickel 28 Ni	Copper 29 Cu	Zinc 30 Zn	Gallium 31 Ga	Germa­nium 32 Ge	Arsenic 33 As	Sele­nium 34 Se	Bromine 35 Br	Kryp­ton 36 Kr
5	Rubid­ium 37 Rb	Stront­ium 38 Sr	Yttrium 39 Y	Zirco­nium 40 Zr	Nio­bium 41 Nb	Molyb­denum 42 Mo	Tech­netium 43 Tc	Ruthe­nium 44 Ru	Rho­dium 45 Rh	Pallad­ium 46 Pd	Silver 47 Ag	Cad­mium 48 Cd	Indium 49 In	Tin 50 Sn	Anti­mony 51 Sb	Tellur­ium 52 Te	Iodine 53 I	Xenon 54 Xe
6	Cae­sium 55 Cs	Barium 56 Ba	*	Haf­nium 72 Hf	Tanta­lum 73 Ta	Tung­sten 74 W	Rhe­nium 75 Re	Os­mium 76 Os	Iridium 77 Ir	Plat­inum 78 Pt	Gold 79 Au	Mer­cury 80 Hg	Thallium 81 Tl	Lead 82 Pb	Bis­muth 83 Bi	Polo­nium 84 Po	Asta­tine 85 At	Radon 86 Rn
7	Fran­cium 87 Fr	Ra­dium 88 Ra	**	Ruther­fordium 104 Rf	Dub­nium 105 Db	Sea­borgium 106 Sg	Bohr­ium 107 Bh	Has­sium 108 Hs	Meit­nerium 109 Mt	Darm­stadtium 110 Ds	Roent­genium 111 Rg	Coper­nicium 112 Cn	Unun­trium 113 Uut	Flerov­ium 114 Fl	Unun­pentium 115 Uup	Liver­morium 116 Lv	Unun­septium 117 Uus	Unun­octium 118 Uuo
* Lantha­nides			Lan­thanum 57 La	Cerium 58 Ce	Praseo­dymium 59 Pr	Neo­dymium 60 Nd	Prome­thium 61 Pm	Sama­rium 62 Sm	Europ­ium 63 Eu	Gadolin­ium 64 Gd	Ter­bium 65 Tb	Dyspro­sium 66 Dy	Hol­mium 67 Ho	Erbium 68 Er	Thulium 69 Tm	Ytter­bium 70 Yb	Lute­tium 71 Lu
** Acti­nides			Actin­ium 89 Ac	Thor­ium 90 Th	Protac­tinium 91 Pa	Ura­nium 92 U	Neptu­nium 93 Np	Pluto­nium 94 Pu	Ameri­cium 95 Am	Curium 96 Cm	Berkel­ium 97 Bk	Califor­nium 98 Cf	Einstei­nium 99 Es	Fer­mium 100 Fm	Mende­levium 101 Md	Nobel­ium 102 No	Lawren­cium 103 Lr
Color of the atomic number shows state of matter (at 0 °C and 1 atm): black=Solid green=Liquid red=Gas grey=Unknown Border shows natural occurrence of the element: Primordial From decay Synthetic Background color shows subcategory in the metal–nonmetal range: Metal Metalloid Nonmetal Unknown chemical properties Alkali metal Alkaline earth metal Inner transition metal Transition metal Post-​transition metal Other nonmetal Halogen Noble gas Lan­thanide Actinide

Things you can do

Here are some things you can do:

• Wikify: Countercurrent chromatography - Protein tyrosine phosphatase - Phase Boundary Catalysis - Lauryl methyl gluceth-10 hydroxypropyl dimonium chloride - Smart polymer - Chempol - Tube ice
• Copyedit: Integrin - Chempol
• Update: Podophyllin - Santonin
• Style: Cocaine - Heroin - Cortisol - more...
• Cleanup: Ketamine - Nicotinamide - Folic acid - more...
• Articles needing an expert: Electrolysis - Ethyl nitrate - Iodobenzene - Zwitterion - more...
• Expand: Absorption (chemistry) - Johannes Thiele (chemist) - Azo coupling
• Merge:Carbonate hardness → Carbonate alkalinity - more...
• Stubs: Radon difluoride - Uridine - Xanthine oxidase - more...
• Notability: Iron(II) fluoride - Pamoic acid - Scandium(III) sulfide - more...
• Peer Review: Uranium - Distillation - Palladium - Alkane - more...
• Collaborate: Sodium hydroxide
• Article Requests: Lyophobic colloid - Potentiometric analysis - Strontium chromate - more...
• Image requests: more...
• Accuracy disputes: Uranium trioxide - Calcium carbonate - more...

Collaboration of the Month

The current Chemistry Article Improvement Drive is Sodium hydroxide.

Every month a different chemistry-related topic, stub or non-existent article may be picked. Please improve the article any way you can.

Related portals

Medicine	Molecular and Cellular Biology

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