So why should you learn chemistry in high school? We all remember taking classes we thought weren’t necessary in high school. In hindsight there is practical use to a lot of these classes that we just didn’t get at first. One such class that many students try to avoid is Chemistry. Unless you plan on being a chemist, it may seem weird that you need to take it. Well I want to give you some reasons why Chemistry is a great class to take, regardless of what you plan on doing with your professional life after school! To start, Britannica.com defines Chemistry as:

Chemistry, the science that deals with the properties, composition, and structure of substances (defined as elements and compounds), the transformations they undergo, and the energy that is released or absorbed during these processes. Every substance, whether naturally occurring or artificially produced, consists of one or more of the hundred-odd species of atoms that have been identified as elements.

In essence, Chemistry helps us understand the world around us. It tells us the building blocks of how things work. There are a number of applications as well that Chemistry as a subject teaches us:

1. Introduction to STEM and Complex Topics

For many, your chemistry class will be your first foray into the world of STEM outside of mathematics in high school. The class will teach you important problem-solving skills that are necessary for everyday life. Even if you’re considering a life outside of STEM, chemistry is still a great course to take! The problem-solving skills you develop will follow you long into your adult life and will better prepare you for the journey ahead. In addition to this, the class has a heavy emphasis on being hands-on! It can be a lot of fun getting to see reactions with your own eyes too.

2. How to Preserve and Cook Food

Chemistry also teaches you how chemical reactions work inside the kitchen. This gives you a better understanding of how food is cooked and preserved at home! While it’s not necessary to have taken Chemistry to cook, it can make the process itself a lot easier! Also Chemistry prepares you to follow recipes as the process is very similar for many of the experiments you’ll do in class. In class you’ll learn the importance of following directions and the impact it’ll have, which is essential when cooking.

3. Understanding the World Around Us

Another reason why you should learn Chemistry is that it sheds light and understanding on the world around us. It can teach us many things about the weather, climate change, nature, and much more! These are important understandings for anyone to learn and can help us become more knowledge on the ever changing world we live in!

What To Expect When Taking Chemistry

Chemistry can be a difficult class. While it may seem easy to some, the majority of students will be confused at first as they learn how the class works and the new concepts. Chemistry actually has a lot of math! Not a lot of students know this before taking it. In fact, Chemistry uses a lot of higher level math concepts found in Algebra, Calculus, and even statistics! Don’t let this scare you though! While it may seem daunting, it’s not as much math as you’d expect if you were taking those classes instead.

Conclusion

So why learn Chemistry? There’s a number of benefits for doing so! Even if you’re not planning on going into STEM it’s a great opportunity to try something new and meet new people. Who knows you could love it and end up going on to study it in college! We recommend checking out our Chemistry tutors, as they can help you prepare and give you an idea on what to expect while taking the class. Even if you’re doing well in the class, a tutor can better reinforce concepts for you too! You can see our full list of available tutors HERE.