1.1

Week 1 Overview

• Course Title: General Chemistry I

• Instructor: Michael Stogsdill

• Term: Winter 2021

• Resource: openstax™

Section 1.1: Chemistry in Context

Learning Objectives

• Outline historical development of chemistry.

• Provide everyday life examples of chemistry's importance.

• Describe the scientific method.

• Differentiate among hypotheses, theories, and laws.

• Illustrate macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic domains.

Importance of Chemistry

• Chemical substances/processes are essential for:

  • Sustenance: food production, nutrition.

  • Hygiene: cleaning agents, health products.

  • Technology: fabrication of electronics and devices.

  • Transportation: fuels and materials.

Defining Chemistry

• Chemistry: The study of composition, properties, and interactions of matter.

• Subfields:

  • Composition and properties of substances (e.g., iron chemistry).

  • Chemical processes in organisms (e.g., blood chemistry).

  • Interpersonal interactions termed as chemistry (beyond scientific scope).

Chemistry's Role in History

• Historical context spans over 2,500 years.

• Ancient pursuits: understanding and manipulating matter for better living.

• Ancient Greek philosophers proposed the four elements: earth, air, fire, water.

• Alchemists aimed to transform base metals into noble metals using the philosopher's stone.

• Alchemy laid groundwork but lacked modern scientific rigor.

The Central Science

• Chemistry is referred to as the central science due to connections to other STEM disciplines.

• Understanding chemistry is pivotal for comprehending various scientific fields (diagram reference).

Chemistry in Daily Life

• Chemical processes occur everywhere:

  • Digestion, oxygen absorption, rust formation.

• Modern products influenced by chemistry include:

  • Disinfectants, soaps, automotive fluids, plastics, medicines.

The Scientific Method

1. Observation of a natural phenomenon.

2. Formulation of a hypothesis: a tentative explanation.

3. Experimental design for hypothesis validation.

4. Publication of results for peer review.

5. Iterative process: revise hypothesis as necessary.

The Scientific Method Process

• Illustrated in a diagram showing key components and the non-linear nature of scientific inquiry.

Laws and Theories in Science

• Post-review, three outcomes may arise from testing:

  • Inconsistent results: work is rejected.

  • Consistent observations, inconsistent hypothesis: leads to a Law.

  • Consistent observations and hypothesis: leads to a Theory.

Differences between Laws and Theories

• Laws answer: Who? What? When? (describes phenomena).

• Theories address: Who? What? When? How? Why? (explain mechanics and underlying reasons).

Summary of Laws vs. Theories

• Theories provide deeper insights beyond Laws, allowing explanation of natural phenomena.

Domains of Chemistry

• Three domains that chemists study:

  • Macroscopic Domain: Everyday items observable by sight/touch.

  • Microscopic Domain: Molecules and atoms, often visualized through imagination or microscopes.

  • Symbolic Domain: Language and symbols (e.g., chemical symbols) representing the other two domains.

Examples of Domains

• Macroscopic: Air moisture, icebergs, ocean water.

• Microscopic: Molecular arrangement in gases, solids, and liquids.

• Symbolic: Chemical formulas (e.g., H2O).

Changes in Matter Reactions

• Example: Decomposition of water shown across macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic levels.

• Macroscopic: Liquid water separates into hydrogen and oxygen gases.

• Microscopic: Battery's electric current facilitates decomposition.

Future Content Overview

• Exploration of changes in matter's composition and structure.

• Classification and understanding of these changes.

• Investigation of energy changes linked with chemical transformations.

• The course concludes with applications such as Benzylpenicillin's role in treating bacterial infections.