ANAND CLASSES Study Material and Notes to learn the Importance of Chemistry in daily life, industry, medicine, and environment. Learn its key applications, role in national development, and future scope for JEE, NEET, and Class 11 students.
Importance of Chemistry-Class 11 Notes
1. What is the central role of chemistry in science?
Answer:
Chemistry plays a central role in science as it connects and overlaps with many other branches like physics, biology, environmental science, and geology. It provides fundamental principles that are applicable in understanding weather patterns, brain functions, computer operations, and biological systems.
2. In which areas is chemistry widely applied?
Answer:
Chemistry is applied in a wide range of fields, such as:
- Chemical industries
- Manufacturing of fertilisers, acids, alkalis, salts, dyes, polymers, metals, alloys, soaps, detergents
- Healthcare, including drug development
- Agriculture, for producing pesticides and insecticides
- Environment, to tackle issues like ozone depletion
- Technology, for synthesizing materials with special magnetic, electrical, and optical properties
3. How does chemistry contribute to the national economy?
Answer:
Chemistry contributes significantly by:
- Establishing industries that produce useful materials
- Generating employment
- Enhancing industrial productivity
- Promoting economic growth through exports and technological innovations
4. How does chemistry help in fulfilling human needs?
Answer:
Chemistry helps in:
- Producing food and fertilizers for agriculture
- Developing life-saving drugs, such as cisplatin and taxol (for cancer treatment), and AZT (used for AIDS)
- Creating healthcare products and household materials
- Improving quality of life
5. How has chemistry impacted drug discovery and medicine?
Answer:
Chemistry has made it possible to:
- Isolate natural drugs from plants and other natural sources
- Synthesize effective medicines like cisplatin, taxol, and AZT
- Improve treatments for serious diseases like cancer and AIDS
6. What are some new materials developed with the help of chemistry?
Answer:
Chemistry has enabled the design and synthesis of new materials such as:
- Superconducting ceramics
- Conducting polymers
- Optical fibers
These materials have special magnetic, electrical, and optical properties important in modern technology.
7. What role does chemistry play in environmental protection?
Answer:
Chemistry helps by:
- Developing safer alternatives to harmful chemicals, e.g., replacing CFCs to protect the ozone layer
- Managing greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide
- Understanding biochemical processes and using enzymes for eco-friendly chemical production
8. What challenges does chemistry face today and in the future?
Answer:
Current and future challenges include:
- Managing environmental problems like global warming
- Designing sustainable chemicals and materials
- Large-scale enzyme-based chemical production
- Synthesizing exotic and advanced materials
These require talented and creative chemists, especially in developing countries like India.
9. Why is it important to study the basic concepts of chemistry?
Answer:
Studying the basics helps in:
- Building a strong foundation for advanced studies
- Understanding and solving real-world problems
- Becoming a skilled and innovative chemist
It all begins with understanding the nature of matter.
Here are some MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) based on 1.1 Importance of Chemistry, suitable for CBSE Class 11, NEET, and JEE level:
MCQs on Importance of Chemistry
Q1. Which of the following is NOT a product of the chemical industry?
A. Fertilizers
B. Polymers
C. Optical fibers
D. Gravitational waves
✅ Answer: D. Gravitational waves
🧠 Gravitational waves are a concept from physics, not a product of the chemical industry.
Q2. Which of the following drugs is used in the treatment of AIDS?
A. Cisplatin
B. Taxol
C. AZT (Azidothymidine)
D. Penicillin
✅ Answer: C. AZT (Azidothymidine)
🧠 AZT is an antiretroviral drug used for AIDS treatment.
Q3. Chemistry contributes to agriculture by producing:
A. Semiconductors
B. Pesticides and insecticides
C. Optical lenses
D. Antibiotics
✅ Answer: B. Pesticides and insecticides
🧠 These are chemically synthesized to protect crops and increase yield.
Q4. Which of the following is a synthetic drug used in cancer treatment?
A. Cisplatin
B. Aspirin
C. Paracetamol
D. Ibuprofen
✅ Answer: A. Cisplatin
🧠 Cisplatin is widely used in chemotherapy for various cancers.
Q5. Which of the following is an example of a material with special electrical properties developed through chemistry?
A. Cotton
B. Conducting polymer
C. Leather
D. Paper
✅ Answer: B. Conducting polymer
🧠 These are used in flexible electronics and advanced devices.
Q6. CFCs are harmful because they cause:
A. Global warming
B. Acid rain
C. Ozone layer depletion
D. Water pollution
✅ Answer: C. Ozone layer depletion
🧠 CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) break down ozone in the stratosphere.
Q7. The role of chemistry in the national economy includes:
A. Reducing the population
B. Developing mathematical models
C. Creating industries and generating employment
D. Preventing earthquakes
✅ Answer: C. Creating industries and generating employment
🧠 Chemistry-driven industries boost economic growth and job opportunities.
Q8. Optical fibers are an example of:
A. Traditional materials
B. Natural materials
C. Chemically engineered materials with specific optical properties
D. Agricultural by-products
✅ Answer: C. Chemically engineered materials with specific optical properties
🧠 They are developed using advanced chemical techniques for data transmission.
Quiz: Importance of Chemistry
🧪 Worksheet: Importance of Chemistry
Subject: Chemistry
Class: 11
Topic: 1.1 Importance of Chemistry
Level: CBSE | NEET | JEE
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)
Q1. Which of the following is not manufactured by the chemical industry?
A. Fertilisers
B. Dyes
C. Satellites
D. Polymers
Q2. AZT (Azidothymidine) is used for treating:
A. Cancer
B. AIDS
C. Malaria
D. Diabetes
Q3. Which of these is a contribution of chemistry in agriculture?
A. Bioinformatics
B. Pesticides
C. Lasers
D. Satellites
Q4. Cisplatin is used in the treatment of:
A. Cold
B. Tuberculosis
C. Cancer
D. AIDS
Q5. Which of the following causes ozone depletion?
A. CO₂
B. CFCs
C. CH₄
D. NO₂
Part B: Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks each)
Q6. State any three ways in which chemistry is useful in daily life.
Q7. Write the names of two life-saving drugs developed using chemistry and their uses.
Q8. How does chemistry contribute to the national economy?
Q9. Mention any two environmentally significant roles played by chemistry.
Part C: Long Answer Questions (5 marks each)
Q10. Describe the importance of chemistry in medicine, agriculture, and industry. Support your answer with suitable examples.
Q11. Explain how chemistry helps in developing materials with special magnetic, electrical, or optical properties. Give examples.
✅ Answer Key (for Teachers)
Part A: MCQs
- ✅ C. Satellites
- ✅ B. AIDS
- ✅ B. Pesticides
- ✅ C. Cancer
- ✅ B. CFCs
Part B: Short Answers
Q6.
- Used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, and medicines
- Helps in food preservation and production of fertilizers
- Used in cosmetics and household cleaning products
Q7.
- Cisplatin – used in cancer treatment
- AZT (Azidothymidine) – used to treat AIDS patients
Q8.
- Chemistry-based industries generate employment
- Contribute to exports
- Boost industrial production and GDP
Q9.
- Development of eco-friendly refrigerants to replace CFCs
- Management of greenhouse gases through chemical methods
Part C: Long Answers
Q10.
- In medicine: Synthesis of drugs like taxol, AZT
- In agriculture: Fertilisers, insecticides, improved crop yield
- In industry: Production of metals, polymers, dyes, acids, which help in economic growth
Q11.
- Chemistry allows the design of materials with specific properties
- Superconducting ceramics – used in magnetic levitation
- Conducting polymers – used in electronics
- Optical fibers – used in high-speed data transfer