Chemistry is one of the oldest sciences that humans have been studying. Early records dating from more than 3000 years ago suggest that our ancestors already had a grasp of some of the chemical reactions that rule our world.
From obtaining metal from ores to extracting perfumes from plants and transforming fat into soap, brewing beer and wine or blowing glass, chemistry is the science that explains it all.
Primitive chemistry, called alchemy, has long been the source of many legends and fictional works. But as science progressed, the mysticism behind simple chemical reactions was replaced by practical knowledge and the results of empirical experiments.
From the Bronze Age to the Renaissance, many chemists studied the rules that defined life on Earth. From Aristotle in ancient Greece to Robert Grosseteste in medieval England, chemistry went from discovery to discovery until Antoine Lavoisier, a French Chemist, set the foundation for modern chemistry as we know it today.
Every year in Canada, roughly 50,000 students take an A-level in chemistry, but less than three out of five students manage to get a B or above grade.
What most of the students taking chemistry lessons have in common is a love of science and a thirst to understand the world that surrounds us. Chemistry is one of the three main science fields, along with physics and biology. More importantly, it is the link between physical phenomena and what happens in every animal or vegetal cell.
Given the current climate changes on Earth, many chemists have been focusing on finding new ways to produce clean energy and eco-friendly packaging; these are the challenges facing the chemical industry.
However, chemistry is not the easiest of subjects, and you might find that you need some help; it might be to understand the periodic table or because you struggle to understand the stoichiometry of molecules; in any case, let's see what your options are.
10 Great Reasons to Take Chemistry Courses
There are probably more than ten reasons you should take at least some basic chemistry lessons or follow chemistry classes, but we tried to sum things up for you.
- It will help you understand the world that surrounds you
One way to better comprehend your surroundings and the world is to educate yourself on the chemical reactions in nature. If you have this information, you can make better nutrition, lifestyle, and overall health choices.
You may not be aware of this, but the universe is defined by the interactions of molecules, and every substance you can sense through your sense of smell, taste, or touch is a chemical. Biology and medicine are built upon chemistry.
- It will help you in your everyday life
Chemistry could improve the quality of living with the correct application. Even with minimal knowledge, you could use the knowledge of chemistry in cleaning processes in your home and office. Chemistry could also make you make better buying decisions and save costs during shopping. For instance, by looking at a product in a mall, you can tell its benefits quickly from its constituents if you understand chemistry.
- Chemistry offers a lot of job opportunities
There is so much you could do with a chemistry degree. Even a diploma in chemistry from a college has a lot of potential in the job market. If you could gain some experience through internships, you are better positioned for opportunities after completing your chemistry degree program.
- It is a practical science
Because of its many practical applications, chemistry is seen as a discipline emphasizing practicality. Numerous disciplines rely on it, including health, food production, materials research, the environment, etc.
To be qualified for job opportunities within the field of chemistry, most employers will require you to have hands-on experience and undergo on-the-job training.
- Chemistry is fun
Not everyone thrives in a scientific setting, but those who do often describe chemistry as both fascinating and challenging and take tremendous satisfaction in the bachelor's degree they receive.
Studying chemistry could be enjoyable if you immerse yourself in the concepts of chemistry.
- It will help you understand current events
As a scientific discipline, chemistry teaches students to be diplomatic, systematic, and problem-solving. Gain a better grasp of current events by reading up on petroleum, recalled products, pollution, environmental issues, and technical breakthroughs.
By unravelling the ambiguity around life's trivial enigmas, chemistry helps you better understand your surroundings.
- It will help you understand the medication you take
Understanding a drug's chemical makeup requires the knowledge of chemistry. We can learn about substances other than the active drug component from the label on the packaging of pills or other medications. The medical staff can understand the composition's function, proper usage, etc., with a knowledge of chemistry.
- It will make you a better cook
As all food is made of chemical compounds, cooking is merely changing chemical bonds, using the properties of matter and playing around with combustion, oxidation, reduction, solubility and chemical reaction to make ingredients as tasty as possible.
- Be part of a better future
A chemistry degree could open doors in the food tech and materials science industries. Problems with energy and climate change, water and food production, and health are anticipated to place a greater emphasis on the chemical sciences in the future.
Biochemistry, infrastructure development, the pharmaceutical sector and maintenance, and chemistry will play more prominent roles in the future.
Possibilities to apply your knowledge to enhance people's lives and benefit society may arise in this context.
Here's why you should take chemistry lessons.
How to Find a Chemistry Tutor?
Superprof has all your tutoring needs covered. On our online platform, you can easily choose your level of study and your location to narrow the list down to the tutors who suit your profile. With more than 12,000 registered tutors, we are sure you will find a tutor near you or a teacher who will help you by webcam.
We also advise checking with your school teacher or university professors. It will be doubtful that you are their first student to need a hand studying chemistry, and often, school teachers can refer you to university undergraduates who are happy to tutor for a fee.
University professors are more likely to refer you to postgraduate and PhD students who need help paying back their tuition fees.
How to Choose the Right Chemistry Tutor?
Whether you are lost in a hexagonal haze of organic chemistry, sinking deep in a hodgepodge of Boyle's law, left distraught after a class on biochemistry, confused by the covalent bonding of a molecule or frustrated because you can not reconcile the kinetic equation you were presented with during your chemistry course, you should get help as soon as possible in order to not fall behind the rest of the class.
Choosing a tutor can be a daunting experience. With so many supposedly qualified private teachers online, it is hard to make a choice you can be 100% certain.
These few pointers should help you make an informed decision and get the tutors that fit your needs and goals the best.
- Know your goals
It is crucial to identify the level of help that you need. Do you just need help with homework, or have you fallen behind dramatically?
- Know all the options available to you
Before hiring a tutor, talk to your school teacher and make them aware of your difficulties. Some schools offer support classes, and at university, you could join a study group.
- Stay within your budget
It is essential as tutoring is a medium to long-term process. It is also important to reassess your needs now and then. It might be that you've improved in one area to the detriment of another or that you've caught up with the rest of the class and that the methodology you learn with your tutor will help you cope from now on.
Improve yourself with a chemistry tutor Calgary here on Superprof.
How Much Does Chemistry Tuition Cost?
Private tuition is a lucrative business. In Canada,, it represents a $2 billion market and makes Great Britain one of the top spenders in the world for tutoring.
At least 25% of all students receive private tuition at some point through their school journey. With demand often surpassing the offer, it puts tutors in a position to raise prices, sometimes beyond reason.
What you should pay will vary significantly depending on various factors: where you live, the level of help you need, your level of study, etc.
One-on-one tutoring is the most expensive option, but arguably it should also be the most efficient form of education as the teacher will be entirely focused on you during your lesson. Most chemistry private tutors will charge between $15 and $50. Be ready to pay a premium if you live in Toronto, where the demand is very high (44% of students receive private tuition at home).
Online Chemistry tuition is also an excellent option. It can take two different forms. You either join an education platform or have a private lesson through Skype.
When you join an online tuition website, you will have access to extensive and comprehensive chemistry resources, including lessons, flashcards, exercises and practice tests. Most of these platforms also have 24/7 teachers and tutors available to answer questions and help you with anything you may not understand.
If you choose to have a remote lesson, your tutors will often offer you a discounted rate as you saved him the time and money it would take to commute. Just as in a regular one-on-one lesson, you will practice with chemistry exercises, and your chemistry tutor will answer all the questions you might have.
What Kind of Job Can You Do With a Chemistry Degree?
If you are not sure that chemistry is the right choice for you, you might want to stop for a minute and consider the possible careers that a chemistry degree would make possible.
Studying general chemistry, understanding the atomic structure, being able to explain the rules of thermodynamics and thermochemistry or grasping the concept of acids and bases composition and the intermolecular forces at play in an ionic solution is what being a chemist entails.
Chemists are in high demand everywhere in the world. From agrochemical and petrochemical industries to pharmaceutical companies, chemistry is one of the most innovative science fields you can work in. What does a career in chemistry look like?
With global concern regarding fossil fuel usage and its effects on the environment of the planet, many chemists are working hard to develop alternative fuel sources. The same goes for plastic products derived from the petrochemical industry. More and more money is poured into research for more bio-degradable and eco-friendly packaging.
Environmental consultants are also part of the change the world is facing, and their main qualification is chemistry. But a chemistry degree can lead to much more than that. There is more to a chemistry degree program than you probably think. See some career options below.
- Chemical technician
Most chemical engineers and chemists rely on chemical technicians for assistance when working with chemicals. These technicians may perform experiments, test compounds, and analyze data and substances in laboratories or industrial plants. Chemical technicians are also skilled in writing reports and resolving equipment issues.
Chemical technicians are needed to guarantee that research chemists can conduct lab experiments effectively and efficiently. Some of the things they may do include keeping an eye on machinery or employing practical methods in specific research projects.
Most chemical technicians work in the lab and conduct various lab tests and research processes to assist in projects and scientific discoveries.
- Quality control chemist
The primary responsibility of a quality control chemist (QC chemist) is to measure and test laboratory materials and products by industry-specific standard processes. The duties of a quality control chemist and a laboratory assistant usually overlap.
Getting employment as a quality control chemist requires specific requirements, including a bachelor's degree in chemistry or biochemistry. The ability to operate in a controlled laboratory setting is also essential. A quality control chemist's job is easier with experience, so having some lab experience under your belt is a good start.
- Chemical engineer
Manufacturing facilities, pilot plants, and plant facilities are familiar places for chemical engineers to work. They have to get their heads around big, heavy machinery and solve problems that require their expertise. Consequently, it is common practice to mandate that they wear protective gear.
Chemical engineering is most commonly associated with large-scale factories, where engineers work to optimize processes for maximum output with minimum waste.
Chemical engineers create and enhance technological goods for many industries, including healthcare, transportation, aerospace, the environment, electronics, and the military.
A first degree in chemical engineering may be enough to become a chemical engineer in Canada. Postgraduate education is a common choice for many would-be chemical engineers. It is possible to get a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering in as little as five years at certain schools.
- Pharmacologist
Pharmaceutical researchers are known as pharmacologists. A possible job for them would be to research cell and tissue samples in a lab to see how well a medicine works. They could be involved in research using willing participants in clinical trials.
Clinical pharmacologists research to establish appropriate drug dosages and identify potential side effects, advantages, risks, and unfavourable effects of certain chemical elements. Toxicology pharmacologists study drug safety and counsel pharmaceutical firms on proper medication labelling and administration.
A pharmacologist's fascinating career journey usually begins with a bachelor's degree. The majority of chemists hold doctoral degrees in pharmacy or medicine.
- Chemistry teacher
Chemistry teachers perform a variety of roles to enable students to understand chemistry better. They use different approaches, tools and scenarios to explain the properties of chemicals, such as atoms, ions, molecules, and chemical reactions. They teach and motivate students at the high school level as part of their job description.
In addition to creating lesson plans, chemistry instructors may serve as lab supervisors and go on field trips with their students.
To teach chemistry in a high school, you need a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate. In most cases, students finish both requirements simultaneously and a semester of student teaching.
Chemists are needed in medicine, nanotechnology and forensic science, too. You could be helping to cure cancers or to solve a crime.
You get the gist of it; chemistry graduates have a broad scope to use their knowledge once out of university. My online chemistry courses clued me into all of these and more discoveries!
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