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Welcome to Chem 1001Chemical Fundamentals

Professor Paul Russo242 Choppin Hallchruss@LSU.edu

578-5729http://macro.lsu.edu/chem1001/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMHqxkRYt64

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The course objectives reflect a mix of the usual desirable qualities, our interest in chemistry and the special requirements of general education.

Exemplify rational and critical thought processes. Emphasize the importance of truth.

Provide a sound introduction to chemistry for those who

never had it or forgot everything. Some may eventually

choose science or technology majors.

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Continued….let’s look at this video (contrails)

For people who are definitely non-science & non-technical majors—enough science to appreciate what technical people do, vote intelligently, etc.

Mental exercise, new ways of thinking critically.

More practice at judging good vs. bad things.

Recognize & cherish excellence, beauty and

quality.

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• “God created humans in present form”– 55%

• “Humans evolved, God guided the process”– 27%

• “Humans evolved, God did not guide the process”– 13%

• “Favor schools teaching creationism and evolution”– 65%

• “Teach creationism instead of evolution”– 37% CBSNEWS.com, November 2004

How Americans think about science—and particularly about the limits of science—can be illustrated by the results of a CBS poll concerning evolution/creationism debate.

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What is science?A way of thinking that is based in

observation, experimentation, and reason.

Here’s a bad experiment, but a scientific one nonetheless.

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Times to jog a 1.3-mile loop

Hypothesis: lower temps = faster times

Is hypothesis testable?

Does this protocol test it?

Can we exert controls?

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Mechanics use scientific reasoning all the time. Their activities are based on

testable hypotheses. Hypothesis: the car is running rough because of a vacuum leak.

Test: replace all vacuum lines and see if car runs smoothly.

Does anyone have a headache today?

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Hypothesis: a pressure change is causing my headache.

Is this hypothesis testable?

http://www.addamsfamily.com/addams/f_headache.jpg

Aspirin

C9H8O4

Salicylic acid

a.k.a. 2-acetoxybenzoic acid

Tylenol

C 8H9NO2

N-acetyl-p-aminophenol

a.k.a. acetaminophen

Chemistry treats a headache with simple, safe (?) molecules.

Or you could take the home-town favorite? Anyone know

what that is?

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http://www.albemarle.com/_filelib/FileCabinet/Literature_Library/Fine_Chemistry_Literature/Pharmaceuticals/ibuprofen.pdf

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An interesting read, no matter what your political perspective.

Yes, that Cheney.

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Situational Science1. Science welcomes doubters.2. Science is often controversial.3. Science relies on hypotheses

that people can test.4. Science never proves anything!

http://www.pudgybunny.com/images/spongebob.gif

Proof is for mathematics; science cannot even prove Pythagoras’ theorem.

But scientists can (and did) make it ridiculous to keep experimenting about Pythagoras’ theorem. No sensible being, looking at the weight of evidence, would want to study that further. 15

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Theory in science is not the same as theory in the English language. English: a theory is a hunch (guess).Science: a theory is an attempt to explain WHY. It is

informed by experiments designed to test hypotheses. Good theories can be used to predict what will happen.

So, when scientists make a hypothesis, it’s just a guess that most people would call a theory in plain English; however, scientists are greatly concerned with whether an experiment can be designed to test their hypothesis. And they try to remain dispassionate about the outcome. None of that is required for a non-scientific theory.

After awhile, a scientific theory may emerge, but these are not absolute. Theories are still tested, too. To do that, we let the theory predict something. If it happens, the theory is strengthened (still not absolute…never absolute).

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Law in science is not the same as law in other human affairs. It’s against the law to cross a street outside the

crosswalks. This kind of law is made by a city council, legislature, etc. Whether it’s enforced depends on whether someone (the police chief, maybe) deems it worth doing.

New energy cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. This is called the first law of thermodynamics, but nothing enforces it. Calling it a law just means that many people have looked into the creation of energy. No one found it. Most people have given up looking for creation of new energy by chemical means.

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Stop here: Day 1

Another example of a law: 2nd law of Thermo

Basically, it says the quality (accessibility) of energy decreases, even though we never lose the energy (which is the first law).

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http://www.metacafe.com/watch/44666/like_no_other/

This movie from Sony illustrates the point.

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Where does Chemistry fit into the Science/Engineering pantheon?

Most textbooks offer another view; everyone is entitled to their own!

Biomedical Materials

Science, Medicine & Engineering

Chemistry & a bunch of other aging, traditional departments, such as:Biology, Physics, Computer, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Earth

Geology, Civil Engineering, Ag. Engineering, Forestry, etc.

Interdisciplinary Links

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Louisiana: 25% of USA’s chemical output…but very little of the profit.

LSU Department of Chemistry•Member of the Dirty Dozen “Pillars of Excellence” Departments •Ranked #1 in any subject, all-LSU, all-state by the

National Academy of Sciences (Woo-hoo!)•National ranking: 66th (out of ~185)•Ranked 27th in chemistry research funding

(similar schools: Notre Dame, U. Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins)

•Widely known for teaching initiatives. •Most LSU Chem majors do research; they

may have better researchopportunities than students at, say, Duke University.

•LSU Chem majors easily get into the very best grad schools: Berkeley, Rice, Florida State, U. Washington Seattle.

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Chemistry is the science of “Fairly Small Stuff”

Thursday (8/25/2011) is the 402nd anniversaryof Galileo’s telescope. Astronomy = the opposite of chemistry?

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At least 7 main chemical fields exist. •Analytical: very quantitative. What chemicals and how much.

•Inorganic: elements > 21 on the Periodic Table. Synthesis and characterization. Theory of bonding, crystals, metals, etc.

•Macromolecular: Large molecules. Can be biological or synthetic,

physical or analytical.

•Materials. Can include macromolecules, but also ceramics, films, optical devices, plastic wire, etc.

•Organic: chemistry of Carbon. Mostly synthesis of new chemicals.

•Physical: Asks why? Experiments, computer simulations and theory.

•Chemical Education

Many other subfields of chemistry:  pharmaceutical, geo, agro, environmental. And don’t forget Chemical Engineering….ooops…Chemical and Biological Engineering.

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Chemists do OK. Engineers do better.

Average B.S. Salary: $75,000Starting Salary with B.S. degree: ~ $45,000

(this is ~ $20,000 less than Chemical Engineers and ~$40,000 less than Petroleum Engineers)

Paid to attend graduate school: $19,000 - $30,000Starting Ph.D. in industry: $60,000 - $95,000 Nobel prize-winner in university: >$30,000

per month!Longer-than-average lifespan.Traditionally low stress compared to many other careers.As with any other discipline, we all need to learn Chinese!

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Well, the food is good anyway. And the people are nice. (Some of the disparity is cost of living, too.)

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Let’s talk chemtrails conspiracy

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http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chemtrails&view=detail&mid=CAE5CFC87BDC4EC801E6CAE5CFC87BDC4EC801E6&first=0&qpvt=chemtrails

Chemtrails 1 http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=V.4678096440131695&pid=2.1&w=186&h=105&c=4&rs=1

WW II Memphis Belle video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor

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Let’s explore these websites today.

http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/contenthttp://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content

http://chemistry.LSU.eduhttp://chemistry.LSU.edu

http://macro.lsu.edu/saacshttp://macro.lsu.edu/saacs

http://macro.lsu.edu/russo/Courses http://macro.lsu.edu/russo/Courses

Course website!

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chemtrails&view=detail&mid=CAE5CFC87BDC4EC801E6CAE5CFC87BDC4EC801E6&first=0&qpvt=chemtrails Chemtrails 1

Occam’s razor = one “dude’s” opinion of what to do when you don’t have evidence: choose the simplest explanation (the one requiring the fewest assumptions) .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor

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And now, it being a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l day, let’s go look for some contrails…on the

way home.

Happy MLK Day & see you Wednesday next week.