Keemia

Keemia is the Estonian term for the scientific discipline known in English as chemistry. It studies matter, its composition, properties, and the changes substances undergo. Keemia seeks to understand the structure of atoms and molecules, the forces that hold them together, and the energy absorbed or released in chemical reactions. It links with physics, biology, and materials science and underpins numerous industrial processes and everyday products.

Historically, chemistry evolved from alchemy into a modern science. Important milestones include Antoine Lavoisier’s emphasis on measuring mass, John Dalton’s atomic theory, and Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table, which organized elements and predicted new ones. The field has since diversified into multiple branches and subfields.

Key branches include organic chemistry (carbon-containing compounds), inorganic chemistry (non-organic compounds), physical chemistry (thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum principles), analytical chemistry (identification and quantification of substances), and biochemistry (chemical processes in living organisms). Subfields such as materials chemistry, electrochemistry, and theoretical chemistry address specialized questions. Chemists use a range of experimental and computational methods—titration, distillation, chromatography, spectroscopy (UV–Vis, IR, NMR), mass spectrometry, crystallography—and computer simulations to study substances and predict behavior.

Core concepts include atoms and molecules, chemical bonds, stoichiometry, thermodynamics, kinetics, catalysis, and chemical equilibrium. Reactions are described by mechanisms and energy profiles, with rates influenced by temperature, concentration, catalysts, and environment.

Applications of keemia span health, energy, environmental stewardship, agriculture, polymers, and nanotechnology. It enables drug development, the design of sustainable materials, energy storage solutions, and quality control across industries. Education in keemia emphasizes safety, rigorous experimentation, data interpretation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.