Why Is Chemistry Important to Biology?
Biology overlaps with chemistry in studying the structure and functions of activities at the molecular level. The principles of chemistry are useful in cell biology because all living cells consist of chemicals and various chemical processes take place in many living organisms.
An understanding of biology requires some background of chemistry; the converse is also true. Biology teaches about organisms and their properties. Organisms are alive because of their chemical composition. Many sciences in biology, including microbiology, plants and animal science, are based on chemistry. Understanding chemical reactions, which are important in sustaining life that take place in organisms, helps in understanding life. For instance, when an organism takes in food with sugar, the cells in the body break down the sugar into energy that helps in the movement of muscles. Similarly, the human body consists of more than 60 kinds of chemicals that facilitate body processes, including thinking, breathing and digestion.
Biology is the science of life. It studies the structure, function, physiology, behavior, origin, evolution and distribution of living things. Chemistry is the science of the composition, properties, structure, functions and reactions of matter. It deals with the identification of substances that matter is made of, and the study of their properties and the ways in which they associate, combine and alter. Chemistry also explores the application of these reactions to yield new products.
