Junior Chemistry Page
Why Chemistry?
By Alicia Armstrong
Every morning when I wake up, I get out of my bed and I walk across my room over my wooden floor, over to my dresser. When I get to my dresser I step off my wooden floor onto my padded rug for better comfort. Then it hits me like a tidal wave of “duh.” Why is it that a padded rug is so much more comfortable than hard wood? What is in the padding of the rug that makes my feet feel more balanced and relaxed? I then proceed in my daily morning routine and I pick up my daily intake of Biotin, which is a vitamin that is made to make your skin, hair, and nails stronger. I wonder to myself why is it that the vitamin Biotin is only supposed to help your skin, hair, and nails? Why doesn’t it help other regions of your body? Such as eyes, nose, water intake, or even bone structure? After I take my Biotin I go to the bathroom and I wash my face with my new face wash that is supposed to help my skin feel more refreshed. Why? Why is it that a face wash is so much better for your facial skin then regular hand soap? Why doesn’t it dry out your skin like most soaps, or even water for that matter? I read the bottle it says it has salicylic acid, acid? Why on earth would anyone use acid? Let alone on their face. When I think about acid I think of a burning substance that removes skin from the bone in the most inhumane ways, of course I only get this knowledge from the movies such as “Let Me In.” I dry my face with a face towel, while I’m patting the fabric gently on my face I think what is it that makes a towel so different from other fabrics in the sense that towels are more absorbent and yet they also dry quicker then most other fabrics? And how is it that a towel can consume every bit of water on your skin and if hung up it’ll dry in a matter of minutes? As I think of this I’m faced with yet another puzzling question, tomorrow I have to go to chemistry class, why? Why is chemistry so important? I mean when will I ever need chemistry? Last I checked I’m not a huge science freak who can memorize the whole periodic table of elements, and its not like I’m some crazy person addicted to blowing things up. So again I ask when will I ever need chemistry? Its not like it’s going to answer my most puzzling questions? I think if I study U.S history more then maybe somewhere in the civil war I’ll find the answers I need as to why in the world would anyone put acid in a daily face wash?