ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Green chemistry metrics

Green chemistry is like making toys that are fun to play with but without making a mess or hurting anyone. Scientists who work on green chemistry think about ways to make toys and other things using materials that are safe and good for the environment.

To make sure they are doing a good job, they use something called metrics, which are like special tools that help them measure how well they are doing with green chemistry. These metrics can help them see what they are doing right and what they need to improve.

For example, one metric they might use is the "atom economy." This is like counting how many toys you can make with all the different pieces in your toy box. If you can use almost all the pieces to make toys, that is a good atom economy. If you have leftover pieces that don't get used, that is not as good.

Another metric they might use is "reaction time." This is like how long it takes to build a toy. If it takes a long time, that might not be as good because it uses up a lot of energy and resources. So, scientists try to find ways to make toys quickly and efficiently, without wasting energy or resources.

Overall, green chemistry metrics are like tools that help scientists make toys, medicines, and other things in a way that is good for the environment and safe for people.