Objectives    1.1 What Will I Learn In Chemistry    1.2 How Do Scientists Approach Chemistry?    1.3  How Do I Learn Chemistry

1.1 What will I learn in Chemistry?

1.2 How do scientists approach Chemistry?

1.3 How do I learn Chemistry?

Mardela Chemistry Homepage: https://chemistry19.tripod.com/

1.1 What will I learn in Chemistry?

A. Basic Definitions

1. Matter: Anything that has mass and occupies space.

2. Chemistry: Study of Matter

3. Major branches of chemistry:

a. Organic Chemistry: The study of carbon compounds.

1) Organic compounds: Contain the element carbon.

b. Inorganic Chemistry: The study of non-carbon compounds.

1) Inorganic compounds: Do not contain the element carbon.

c. Nuclear Chemistry: The study of nuclear reactions.

1) E = mc² Was developed by Einstein

2) E = Energy, m = mass, c = speed of light

3) Demonstrates that energy can be turned into mass and mass can be turned into energy.

4) Two types of nuclear reactions:

a) Fission: break down of the nucleus.

b) Fusion: build up of the nucleus.

4. Physics: Study of energy

5. Biology: Study of life

6. Earth Science: Study of physical Earth & the solar system.

7. Environmental Science: Study of living and non-living interactions on Earth.

8. Symbols for elements: The first symbol is always a large case letter, and the second and third letters are always small case (if there are other letters).

9. Chemical Reaction: The rearrangement of atoms.

10. Reaction symbols: Þ Means produces or forms over time, does not mean equals.

a. Reagent: a chemical used to convert one substance into another substance in a chemical reaction.

b. Reactant: The substances before they are changed in a chemical reaction.

c. Product: What is formed after a chemical reaction.

B. Chemical Industry

1. Infrastructure: The underlying foundation or basic framework of a system.

2. See Table 1-2 on page 10 for Top 25 Chemicals in the U.S. (Overhead)

3. See Table 1-3 on page 11 for Top 25 Chemical Producers in the U.S. (Overhead)

C. Government Regulation of Chemicals pg 12 & 13

1. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

a. Purpose: Develops and enforces regulations regarding impurities and other hazards in foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

b. Related to Chemistry:

1) Approves new drugs for public release.

2) Sets labeling standards for drugs and foods (except meat and poultry).

3) Inspects food manufacturers for sanitary conditions.

4) Validates product claims.

2. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

a. Purpose: Works with state and local governments to enforce laws enacted by Congress regarding control of air and water pollution, solid wastes, pesticides, radiation, and toxic substances.

b. Related to Chemistry.

1) Sets limits for pollutants.

2) Sets restrictions on use of hazardous substances.

3) Sets tolerance levels for pesticides in foods; monitors those levels in humans, animals, and food plants.

3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

a. Purpose: Develops and enforces regulations regarding safe and healthy work environments.

b. Related to Chemistry:

1) Conducts site inspections to ensure safe conditions.

2) Imposes citations and penalties for noncompliance.

4. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

a. Purpose: Works with state and federal agencies to collect and disseminate information regarding adverse health effects of hazardous substances in storage or of accidental release of hazardous substances through fire, explosions, or transportation accidents.

b. Related to Chemistry:

1) Maintains list of areas closed because of toxic contamination.

2) Assists in treatment of individuals exposed to hazardous substances.

5. Consumer Product Safety Commission

a. Purpose: Evaluates the safety of consumer products.

b. Related to Chemistry:

1) Enforces labeling of hazards on products.

2) Bans highly hazardous products.

6. Department of Agriculture

a. Purpose: Works to maintain and improve agricultural productivity while protecting natural resources; ensures quality of food supply.

b. Related to Chemistry:

1) Analyzes foods for contaminants and pesticides.

2) Provides information on nutrient values in foods.

7. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS): Chemists are expected to know about the dangers of the materials they are working with. Employers are required to have these MSDS sheets as reference materials for all chemicals used on the facility. (MSDS sheet for Mineral Oil Handout)

1.2 How do Scientists approach problems?

A. Basic Definitions:

1. Scientific Method: A system of finding logical answers to questions based upon repeatable experiments.

2. Hypothesis: a possible explanation for a set of observations (it predicts the outcome).

3. Theory: An explanation of the outcome of an observation or experiment (it explains the outcome).

4. Law: a statement or mathematical expression of some consistency about the behavior of the natural world (it is broad explanation of many various outcomes).

B. Principles of the Scientific Method:

1. Based upon evidence: Two types of descriptions of evidence:

a. Quantitative Measurement: Describes evidence in terms of numbers and units.

b. Qualitative Measurement: Describes evidence in words.

2. Repeatability: The experiments must be repeatable by others.

3. Logic: Two basic types of logic.

a. Inductive Logic: to obtain a general principle from a multitude of data.

b. Deductive Logic: to infer specific conclusions from a general principle.

4. Uncertainty: Always at least two types

a. Uncertainty of outcome: Since we are using evidence and cannot see directly the principles involved we cannot assume we understand fully any one principle. Scientific principles are never assumed to be proven. It is always assumed that they can be improved upon.

b. Uncertainty of measurement: No matter how accurate our measurements, we could always measure more accurately.

5. Objective: The conclusion should be not be subject to the personal bias of the person doing the experiment.

a. Subjective: To draw a conclusion based upon personal judgment or beliefs. This is the antonym of objective.

6. Define the problem.

a. Research the problem

1) Make observations about the problem

2) Find out what others think about the problem.

3) Look for relationships between the data.

b. Be specific with the problem. Limit it to a dependent and independent variable. Identify the independent and dependant variables.

1) Independent Variable: Is controlled (changed) by the experimenter.

2) Dependent Variable: Is the variable under study. How is the dependent variable affected by the independent variable?

c. State the problem in question form. It is usually better not to ask why questions because they are hard to prove. What questions are usually better. The best way to state this is as follows: What is the relationship between (independent variable) and dependent variable.

7. State the hypothesis:

a. The hypothesis is an educated guess.

b. This should be stated in the "If . . . then . . ." format.

c. The hypothesis should be stated in terms of the independent variable versus the dependent variable. Examples:

1) If the temperature is changed then the volume will change in direct proportion, when pressure is held constant.

2) If an object is dropped in a vacuum then the size of the object will not effect the acceleration due to gravity.

8. Design Experiment

a. Develop a standard set of definitions for words used in the procedure.

b. Develop group of constants. Describe in the procedure how you are accounting, controlling, or otherwise managing these factors which could effect the outcome of the experiment.

c. The only variables should be the independent and dependant variables.

d. Identify the data to be collected.

1) How will the data be collected?

2) How will the data be recorded?

e. State explicitly the procedures for the experiment. Remember that the experiment will only be valid if another experimenter can repeat it.

f. Types of Experiments

1) Direct Experiment: independent variable is changed during the experiment causing a change to the dependent variable.

2) Control Experiment: The experiment is run once without any changes, then is run after applying changes.

a) Control group: population being studied that has not had the independent variable changed.

b) Experimental group: population being studied where the independent variable was changed.

9. Run Experiment.

10. Collect Data

11. Analyze the Data

a. Math Analysis

b. Graph Data if possible.

c. Look for mathematical relationships in the data.

12. Draw Conclusions

a. Compare and contrast conclusion with hypothesis.

b. Make suggestions to improve the experiment. Propose changes to the procedures, a different way to approach the problem, or even a new hypothesis or problem!

c. If the hypothesis is supported, then try to design another experiment to test the hypothesis.

C. Things Science does not study.

1. One-time events.

2. (Classic) Ideas that cannot be quantified.

3. Religion

A hypothesis predicts the outcome of an experiment.

A theory explains the outcome of an experiment.

A law is a broad explanation of many various outcomes.

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Last modified: December 08, 2001