chapter 1 chemistry: an introduction

here we will: understand the importance of learning chemistry define chemistry recognize the general steps scientists use in solving problems illustrate the scientific method develop successful strategies for learning chemistry

1.1 The importance of learning chemistry not just chemists use chemistry! so do doctors, lawyers, mechanics, firefighters, forensic scientists, detectives… chemists help produce new materials & sources of energy even if you don’t become a chemist, chem influences your life every day

there’s a dark side, too chemicals aren’t bad or good, but they can be used in good or bad ways, and… chemists can be shortsighted, driven by greed, and very stubborn in their ways - like a lot of humans!

A real-world chemist make sure and read this section for an idea of how a typical chemist works just a few of many fields in chemistry:

freon demonstrates a real world chem example real-world chemistry freon demonstrates a real world chem example when first synthesized was a wonder could be used as a non-corrosive, stable refrigerant; was safer than ammonia then discovered that freon (a CFC) was actually destroying ozone now banned!

learning chemistry you will learn in this class how to be a better problem solver (which is what employers look for!) is often not easy, but is never impossible this course is also designed to help you understand what chem is, how it works, and emphasizes how it applies to your life

1.2 what is chemistry? the science that deals with the materials of the universe, and the changes these materials undergo often called the central science, b/c a LOT of what happens around us involves the changes of chemicals

as we go on through chem, we’ll understand better the nature of these chemicals and how we can manipulate them

we’ll see things in the big world, the everyday view, and refer to this as the macroscopic world we’ll also look into the unseen microscopic world

chem will look at the macro, then try to explain using the micro

1.3 solving problems using a scientific approach everyday we encounter a “problem,” an unexpected event that needs explaining we all go through several steps to find an explanation…

1 recognize the problem and state it clearly called in science making an observation

2 propose a possible solution to the problem or possible explanation called formulating an hypothesis

3 decide which solution is best, or which explanation is most reasonable use old info or experience or new insights or new info searching for new info called performing an experiment

1.4 using scientific thinking to solve a problem this whole section is a great example of how to use the sci prob solving but you can think of personal experiences… why did the light go out? why did my car stop? why did I take chem? why didn’t I sign up for wildlife biology? what is this thing on my shoulder!!!???…

1.5 the scientific method the whole process of solving problems is called the scientific method…

The Scientific Method Slide 1 1. Select Layout that looks like 2. Add text to the Title. Use the Formatting toolbar to: Change the Font Change the Size Change the Style (Bold, Italic, Shadow) Use the Draw toolbar to pick a color for the text: 3. Add text to the Body: Use Alignment buttons on the formatting tool bar to center the text. Also change the Font, Size, Style and Color of the text

we have to repeat the process many times once our hypotheses start working we can develop a theory theory (model) = set of hypotheses that gives an overall explanation of some phenomenon a good theory should be able to predict what may happen

big difference between observation and theory observations can be witnessed or measured or recorded (the begininng) theories are just best explanations of what happened (the end) humans are fallible, so are their explanations and interpretations!!!

a law is a summary of observed behaviors, not an explanation e.g. the law of gravity says things fall; it tells what happens the theory of gravity tries to explain why things fall (gravity = warp in spacetime?)

remember the scientific method is immersed in humanity… \ can have many problems, but it works well - a lot!

1.6 learning chemistry need to learn to think small need to learn a new vocabulary need to get used to being wrong in a good way need to learn to examine need to be patient!!!

learning chemistry: it’s your job