Chemistry: Its significance in daily life

Prof: Sardar Bux AbroDepartment of Chemistry

Everything is made of chemicals. Many of the changes we observe in the world around we see that caused by chemical reactions. Chemistry is very important because it helps us to know the composition, structure& changes of matter. All the matters are made up of chemistry. In our every day like various chemical are being used in various from, some of those are being used as food, some of those used clanging etc.

1. Element in the Human Body :

Body is made up of chemical compounds, which are combinations of elements. Probably know body is mostly water, which is hydrogen and oxygen,

2. Health Care and Beauty:

The diagnostic tests carried out in laboratories, the prognostic estimations, medical prescriptions, pills, the vaccines, the antibiotics play very vital role in health monitoring, control of diseases and in alleviating the sufferings of the humanity. Right from birth control to enhancement of life expectancy- all have been made possible using the unequivocal services of Chemistry. From simple sterilization surgical instruments with antiseptic solution to Chemotherapy and Genome sequencing are all nothing but applications of Chemistry. Injecting cows, buffaloes, goat and sheep with bovine some towrope Increases milk-production but it is indiscriminately being used by sportspersons to un-ethically enhance performance. Aging- a chemical change can only be checked chemically. Most beauty products are produced through chemical synthesis to clean, nurture and protect skins. However their certain ingredients are hazardous to our health in the long run.

3. Industries and Transport:

From cloth mills, lather factories, petro-chemical industries and refineries to metal industries- all use numerous fuels for power generation and chemical products for processing their product and improve the equality and simultaneously produce pollution. Now-a-days chemical effluent treatment plants use chemicals to control or neutralist he hazardous impact of pollutants produced by the industries. Aviation and shipping industries generate power through power plants which burn fuels. Petrol and diesel emit out green house gases dangerous for the survival on earth which damage the ozone layer that protects us from UV rays. As a result global warming has taken place which is a destroyer of the planet earth. But again Chemistry paves the way with bio-fuels.

4. Food Security and Agriculture:

The famous green revolution to increase agricultural produce so as to ensure food security was triggered by the advent of inorganic fertilizers. Since then fertilizers are extensively used by farmers to restore the fertility of soil in the fields. Pesticides are used to protect the crop during farming and preserve the grains from pests, rats and mice during storage. Genetically modified seeds which are used to enhance production and earn profits through export of food grains are agricultural applications of Bio-chemistry. Whereas refrigeration system for cold storage of vegetables and raw meat uses Poly Urethanes Foam (PUF) and the chemical properties of gases, the preservatives in packaged food products are known to have adverse impact on our body.

5. Science and Technology:

The destructive effects of Atom Bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Generations in Japan have suffered the devastation and there has-been no solace. The threat of weapons of mass-destruction (WMDs) like the Nuclear, Chemical and Biological weapons looms large on the Humanity. Terrorists are using RDX and other explosives to run currents of fear down the spines across the globe. Nuclear reactors which are going to serve the future generations through power generation leave us with the problem of Nuclear Waste Management. Whereas the destructive power is generated through chains of chemical reactions, we remain assured that Chemistry has facilitated the chain of counter measures too in the form of safety suites and NBC resistant bunkers. Forensic science- the comprehensive scientific analysis of material evidence in the context of the law uses principles of chemistry to facilitate crime investigation. Tele-communications, Information Technology and Space Missions- all bank on the chemistry of semi-conductor sand nano-tubes.

6.Cooking

Chemistry explains how food changes as we cook it, how it rots, how to preserve food, how our body uses the food eats, and how ingredients interact to make food.

7.Cleaning

Part of the importance of chemistry is it explains how cleaning works. We use chemistry to help decide what cleaner is best for dishes, laundry, yourself, and your home. We use chemistry when use bleaches and disinfectants and even ordinary soap and water. How do they work? That's chemistry!

8.Medicine

It is very need to understand basic chemistry so that we can understand how vitamins, supplements, and drugs can help or harm us. Part of the importance’s of chemistry lies in developing and testing new medical treatments and medicines.

9.Environmental Issues

Chemistry is at the heart of environmental issues. What makes one chemical a nutrient and another chemical a pollutant? How we can clean up the environment? What processes can produce the things our need without harming the environment? We're all chemists. We use chemicals every day and perform chemical reactions without thinking much about them. Chemistry is important because everything you do is chemistry! Even our body is made of chemicals. Chemical reactions occur when we breathe, eat, or just sit there reading. All matter is made of chemicals, so the importance of chemistry is that it's the study of everything.

Positive and Negative Impact of Cell PhonesProf. Raham Ali AnsariDepartment of Physics

Cell phones or mobile phones have become a very important part of our daily lives. It is very difficult to imagine our live without a cell phone as most of our work is done using cell phones. Everything has its pros and cons and mobile phones too has its positives and negatives. If you are wondering what positives and negatives can be of cell phones, you are at the right place as today we will share these with you.

Positives of cell phones

Communication

The very first positive point of mobile phones is communication. With mobile phones you can communicate with anyone from anywhere at any time. Now days, the smartphones which are coming are small in size and light in weight which makes it very easy to carry them. You don’t need to sit beside the receiver as your mobile phone is not attached with anything.

Entertainment

Mobile phones have become a source of unlimited entertainment. The things which we never thought would be present in a mobile phone are now possible. Smartphones have come into existence which not only help you in making calls but also help you to stay entertained by allowing you to play games, listen to music and do lots of other stuff.

Mobile phone even come with special apps for kids to increase their brainstorming which is pretty good.

Beneficial in studies

If you are using a smartphone, you can take advantage of it in your studies or your business. The smartphones which come with Android, Apple iOS and Windows Phone operating system come with educational apps which can be used while you are in college. If you are into business you can install applications like Skype which will help you in communicating with your clients on the go.

Negative impact of cell phones

Let’s have a look at negative impact of cell phones.

Bad impact on studies

It is true that mobile phones can help students in studies but only if they use them wisely. Most of the students become additive to mobile phones and are found playing games, chatting with their friends and watching movies and other stuff. If students are busy keeping their eyes on their mobile phones at all times they won’t get time for studying which would lead to poor grades.

Heath issues and accidents

Mobile phones lead to a lot of accidents. A lot of people do their daily work, drive while taking on mobile phones. There is high risk of accident if you are talking on the mobile phone and driving as you are giving your half attention to the mobile call and are having half attention on the road.

Research studies have also claimed that mobile phones have a negative impact on health of an individual. If you are using mobile phone for long hours daily it might lead to serious health issues.

These were the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. In the end, it all depends on our usage. Cell phones are the most personal device to us and we should make an optimal use of them.

How Technology Effects our Society?Prof. Nisar Ahmed Sheikh

Department of EnglishThe technological growth taking place in the world today is doing so very rapidly and there are new advancements being made with each passing day and this is possible owing to the large number of extensive programmes of technological research currently being done by a large number of researchers working within non-profit research organizations, business and universities. The developments being made today are very strong and are very pervasive forces in the business environment today. Technology can easily be referred to as the scientific knowledge to the practical problems we are experiencing in the world today. There is no denying that the impact of technology in the world today is huge and can be categorized into how it affects our society today and how it influences the business activities and operations.

Impact of technology on society:

Technology has without doubt an impact on society. As a matter of fact, we experience this effect in our daily lives. It has an effect on the growth of the economy, our culture and our living standards. It is however important to note that the benefits are a double-edged sword with some being detrimental and other being beneficial. One should be very careful and get to know how the effects on society get to affect the business activities and operations.

Positive impact of technology:

Technology impacts on our daily lives. Our environments are all so full of technology to the point that most of the time we take it for granted and never actually notice the level of impact that it has on us until when we have no telephone, transport, water or electricity. Advancements in technology have greatly increased our living standards. Despite the fact that we are currently experiencing very high inflation rates and the rates of unemployment are very high, generally, people are feeding better, are dressing better and are as a matter of fact living more comfortable lives.

Technology also has a great impact on all the fundamental aspects of all our cultures including laws and how they are enforced, language, art, health care, mobility, education and religion. For instance the great technological improvements in health care have given a chance to doctors to treat their patients in an environment that is virtual through the use of mediums such as video conferencing which has also greatly benefited the legal environment as it allows the judges to still listen to the cases of hard core criminals who cannot be allowed to get into the court rooms due to security reasons.

Negative impacts of technology:

With every advancement that is made in the technological world, creative destruction results. For example, television impacts negatively on the movies and synthetic fibers

impact the cotton fibers negatively. The coming in of new types of technology also results in a negative impact on the growth of the economy at times; television at times consumes all the productive hours that a man has in a day. Every new form of technology gets into the market together with long term consequences that are most of the time not foreseeable. For instance is there really a justification for nations coming up with bombs, nuclear weapons and missiles to maintain security?

Despite the fact that we cannot really ignore that there are a number of ways in which technology negatively impacts our society, for the better part it has greatly helped to make out lives better. Technology has greatly helped us to become more efficient thus increasing our productivity. It has also helped us a great deal to be able to save on many resources such as time and money and these are great benefits that cannot be ignored. It has also worked well in bringing unity into the world by turning it into a global village which has in turn helped people to more easily overcome their cultural, racial and continental barriers.

Solar Power: Basics & AdvantagesProf. Hafizullah Dahar

Head of Chemistry Department

Solar energy is the new source of energy used in most of the developed countries. The solar system technology has started to gain popularity in developing countries too. Use of gasoline and other natural resources as sources of energy are harmful for the environment; therefore, developed countries are trying to put more reliance on solar energy for industrial usage in general and domestic usage in particular. Use of solar energy for industrial and domestic purpose is likely to increase in the future due to its benefits and multipurpose usage.

When your electricity bills escalate, power outages become frequent and you are looking for alternatives, then solar power can indeed come to your rescue.

Solar power

Solar power is energy from the sun. "Solar" is the Latin word for "sun" and it's a powerful source of energy. Without it, there will be no life. Solar energy is considered as a serious source of energy for many years because of the vast amounts of energy that is made freely available, if harnessed by modern technology.

It is considered 'Renewable Energy' because...

The technology used to convert the sun's power into electricity does not produce smoke (carbon dioxide and other air pollutants).

Tapping the sun's energy does not usually destroy the environment.

Unfortunately, the sun does not available in the night, and in some days, clouds and rains and other natural conditions prevent the sun's powerful rays from reaching us. This means that it is not always available. This is why we cannot rely on solar energy alone.

What are Solar panels?

Solar panels are devices that convert light into electricity. They are called "solar" panels because most of the time, the most powerful source of light available is the Sun, called Sol by astronomers. Some scientists call them photovoltaics which means, basically, "light-electricity."

A solar panel is a collection of solar cells. Lots of small solar cells spread over a large area can work together to provide enough power to be useful. The more light that hits a cell, the more electricity it produces.

How does a solar cell turn sunlight into electricity?Solar (or photovoltaic) cells convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Whether they’re adorning your calculator or orbiting our planet on satellites, they rely on the photoelectric effect: the ability of matter to emit electrons when a light is shone on it.

Silicon is what is known as a semi-conductor, meaning that it shares some of the properties of metals and some of those of an electrical insulator, making it a key ingredient in solar cells. Let’s take a closer look at what happens when the sun shines onto a solar cell.

Sunlight is composed of miniscule particles called photons, which radiate from the sun. As these hit the silicon atoms of the solar cell, they transfer their energy to loose electrons, knocking them clean off the atoms. The photons could be compared to the white ball in a game of pool, which passes on its energy to the coloured balls it strikes.

Freeing up electrons is however only half the work of a solar cell: it then needs to herd these stray electrons into an electric current. This involves creating an electrical imbalance within the cell, which acts a bit like a slope down which the electrons will flow in the same direction.

Creating this imbalance is made possible by the internal organisation of silicon. Silicon atoms are arranged together in a tightly bound structure. By squeezing small quantities of other elements into this structure, two different types of silicon are created: n-type, which has spare electrons, and p-type, which is missing electrons, leaving ‘holes’ in their place.

When these two materials are placed side by side inside a solar cell, the n-type silicon’s spare electrons jump over to fill the gaps in the p-type silicon. This means that the n-type silicon becomes positively charged, and the p-type silicon is negatively charged, creating an electric field across the cell. Because silicon is a semi-conductor, it can act like an insulator, maintaining this imbalance.

As the photons smash the electrons off the silicon atoms, this field drives them along in an orderly manner, providing the electric current to power calculators, satellites and everything in between.

In basics about solar power and solar electricity we will talk about the basic things behind this power. Here are the main things you need to know: AC-DC system, Volt, Current (Ampere), Power (Watt), Resistance, Series and Parallel connecting.

AC-DC system Ac stands for Alternative Current. Alternative current is almost that we found in wall outlet or electric outlet. DC stands for Direct Current. In solar panels it is used 12 volt dc system. DC is that current we can find in cells, batteries, and using adapters or regulators.

VoltVoltage is the electromotive force (pressure) applied to an electrical circuit measured in volts (E).

CurrentCurrent is the flow of electrons in an electrical circuit measured in amperes (I).

PowerPower is the product of the voltage times the current in an electrical circuit measured in watts (P).

ResistanceResistance is the opposition to the flow of electrons in an electrical circuit measured in ohms (R). Increased resistance gives higher voltage and higher power(watt).

Parallel Connecting - 12V System

Parallel Connecting solar panels gives higher current. And voltage will remain the same. Parallel Connecting is best. Because we do not need high voltage. Normal battery is 12v. And by selecting high voltage require higher voltage charge controller. To connect solar panels in parallel we have to connect plus + to plus and minus - to minus.

Solar Power and its Advantages

Over the years, solar power has turned to be very economical with advances in the technology behind it. Sunlight available, of course, decides the amount of solar electricity generated. But, with novel innovations taking place on the technology side, it is possible to harness enough electricity from the sun even when the sky is cloudy!

Solar power can be described as an inexhaustible source of energy as there is never a day without the sun shining. On bright days, you may even be able to generate enough and more energy left to sell.

Solar energy is associated with no emissions into the atmosphere, while thermal and hydroelectric sources of electricity cause pollution.

Setting up solar power equipment is relatively flexible. The huge number of solar panels needed to heat up the whole of your house can be mounted on roofs. Relatively lesser number of solar panels is needed for gardens.Solar power can not only be used for homes, but also for running industries. Solar energy is becoming more economical and practical by the day and even solar-powered cars have been manufactured.

Where there are no running power lines, as in remote areas, solar power is ideal. Also, governments are offering tax exemptions to homeowners for installation of solar power equipment.

Thus, we are advancing towards novel sources of energy. This is not only economical, but also contributes to safeguarding our environment from pollution.

Sufi Murad Faqeer Zangejo: Life and Selected Poetry

Prof. Tariq Hayat LashariDepartment of English

The land of Sindh has seen many notable figures that left deep impact on the society socially, morally and religiously. Among them, Sufi Murad Faqir was one of the gems who professed love and fraternity through his poetry. His exact date of birth is still not known due to unavailability of reliable documents. But it is assumed that he was born in 1743. He came from Baloch tribe “Zangejo” and was originally an inhabitant of Umerkot. In his life he made his living by serving in court of Kalhora rulers along with his cousin Rohal Faqeer who also attached with the royal court as a treasurer. Both of them became the renowned Sufi poets of Sindh in Hindi, Sindhi and Seraiki.

Rohal Faqeer and Mureed Faqeer during their official visits travelled extensively to Barmer, Jaisalmir, Jodhpur, Jaipur and many other places. In the prime of age when Rohal Faqeer renunciated the worldly affairs and became disciple of Sufi Izzatullah Shah of Jhoke Sharif. At that time Murad Faqeer accompanied his cousin. Sufi Murad Faqir happened to be the first person who was influenced by Rohal Faqeer’s spiritual teachings.

Murad Faqir also took the same path and name of his own. Murad Faqir was ten years younger than Rohal faqir. Later both were instructed by spiritual guide to move from Umerkot to Northern side. Talking of Sufi Murad Faqeer’s becoming a Sufi, It was Rohal, however, who throughout Murad Faqeer’s life, urged and guided his irrepressible power and divine quest. Eventually just like his cousin, Murad Faqeer also renounced all worldly pleasures and possessions and wandered in quest of his Divine Charmer.

After the end of Kalhora rule, they both along with their family members migrated to Kotli in District Khairpur. It is a rugged, hilly region where they step up their houses. The turning-point in Murad’s life came when once some cattle of a neighbouring Syed (religious preceptor) trespassed in Murad’s lands repeatedly even after Murad had brought this to the Syed’s notice. He then complained to Rohal saying that in case the Syed would not arrange to stop that nuisance, he (Murad) would curse the Syed which would indeed be deplorable for a descendant of the Holy Prophet. Thereupon, Rohal exclaimed that speaking to the Syed would not avail; better he who was excited by anger should, slay his ‘self’. These words pierced Murad’s consciousness like a sharp-pointed spear. There and then, covering himself with a sheet of cloth, this ‘wounded one’ lay down till he was blessed with the Sufi’s mystic vision of Oneness with his Maker and His Creation. His death is believed to have taken place in 1796 A.D. His poetry, unlike that of Shah Latif, is tinged with an unadulterated Sufi touch. His Sindhi and Seraiki poetry was published in a book “Kandiri Waran Jo Kalam”. His Hindi poetry in form of Doha, Chand, Choupai, Hori has not been published yet. His works in Persian go under the name of “Diwan-i-Murad”.

Translation of selected poetry of Sufi Murad Faqir

1.

I have neither the features, nor the colour, nor have I any sense;Neither have I smeared the rouge, nor have I applied the antimony;

Neither have I rubbed, nor have I braided the hair. Neither have I parted my hair, nor have I laboured,But the One, who is beloved of her Lord, she is, Oh Murad, a real bride.

2.

The lovers came to sell themselves in the market of love;Buoyant within, Oh Murad, they ramble about without like languishing birds.None but he who has felt the pinch can value the wounds of the wounded.The candy or the eater thereof alone knows the taste of the candy.

3.The pill of pain, administered by the physician, Love, leaves not a speck of disease.Not the slight illness remains within, it drowns all doubt and suspicion;It tears the veil. It shows the Real to the eyes Murad, the Beloved is beside the heart, only if you would peep within.

4.Know the I, that you may have Me, because I reside in the I;Do not look for Me in the deserted places but meet Me in the I; I am in you and you in Me; do live thus; give up thy doubts;The man, Oh Murad, thou must know and in Me and to Me you must bow.

5.Don’t carry thy head with yourself if you want to meet the Beloved;Divest yourself of reason and then step in;Renounce all the dirty desires of self and rule it into obedience;No place is there for the living, Oh Murad, for the dead alone can enter.

6.If union be your goal, make haste to meet,Place your foot in the field before others enter;None but the “headless” * can enter the bargainTo die alive, Murad, is useful. All else is useless.

7.Everyone styles himself a lover, but to be a lover is not easy,The first symptom of love is to die when alive and then live,To drink draught divine from the hands of the Cup-bearer every breath of your life,Then alone is it befitting, Murad, to call oneself a lover.

8.Where the necked ones set their love, there exists naught but nothing; These divines divulge not the secrets to any one; Those that escape understanding they do not lisp through the mouth; They alone please their God in their soulswho have, O Murad, taken up the rosary of silence.

References1. Sabir, Shams (October 2007). "Kandri Je Kabiley Ja Shair". World Peoples Review 1 (8): 10.2. Muhammad, Sufi Taj (1999). Sartaj-e-Kandiri. Lahore: Aijaz Publishers, Urdu Bazar

3. Hamayoni, Niaz (2007). Aao Kanga Kar Galh. Jamshoro: Sindh Adabi Board.