Friday, October 17, 2008

What are two ways that technology is changing chemistry?

Technology is easing the lives of chemistry researchers and is not only speeding up the work, but is also opening new horizons for them. I will take two examples of technology: computers and microscopes. 


Computational chemistry and biochemistry are two branches of chemistry that have gained immensely from advances in computers. Use of high-end computers allows faster processing of data and also enables modeling of complex chemical systems (especially the multiscale systems). An example of computer application could be speciation of heavy metals in subsurface. 


Microscopes are of significant interest to material chemists, researchers who are trying to come up with new materials with certain desired properties. Materials like nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes can be more easily studied, understood and engineered if we can look at them and study their surfaces. An example of microscope's application could be surface characterization of a new material, in order to study its fouling potential, etc.


Thus, technology is making significant changes in how we learn and apply chemistry.


Hope this helps. 

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