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.