Notes on CHEM110 - General chemistry for those not majoring in science
Petr Vanýsek
In fall 2003 we are using the book by Russo and Silver, 2nd edition: Introductory
Chemistry.
Here are some notes pertaining to the class, some mentioned in the class, some occurring
as newsworthy items, interesting to a chemist.
1. I will be skipping chapter 11 - The Ideal Gas. The problem with this chapter is that it introduces concepts too misleading for the typical student in this class, concepts that are not even relevant. The introduction of the relationship pV=nRT is very important and to do calculations with this equation, solving for one of the five unknowns from the remaining four values is a good practice.
However, the book introduces also at this point units of measure with which the students so far had no experience, i.e., atmospheres and millimeters of mercury, or torrs. We cannot use mercury in class to do the barometer experiment, so the mercury based units are hardly helpful. There is simply no need to introduce such units in this chemistry course. To keep everything simple, the metric pascal should be used. Even though it is not a mainstream unit in the USA, it has as much meaning to the students, if it were introduced in this chapter, as does atmosphere or a torr. For the sake of calculations simplicity it would be only minor infraction to teach that the "normal atmospheric pressure" is a neat 100 kPa (rather than 101.325 kPa).
The other confusion will eventually come from the value of R, which is given in units based on liters and atmospheres and the numerical value is 0.0821. In later courses this value suddenly becomes 8.314, when it becomes based on cubic meters and pascals. It is hard to explain why a constant has different values. (To the credit of authors one must say that they stayed away from the value of 1.98588 which requires the use of calories. The other positive thing on this chapter, considering the level, is the fact that the laws leading to the pV=nRT are not given the traditional names: Boyle's Law (pV), Charles' Law (VT), Gay-Lussac's Law (pT) and Avogadro's Law (Vn).)
2. Junk Science
'Junk science' hurts nation's bottom line, Argonne director tells business group
from Argonne News October 13, 1997
To stay competitive, America's business managers must pay attention to the costs of
"junk science" as well as follow current developments in real science, said
Argonne Director Dean Eastman in a keynote address at the Illinois State University
business school.
"Essentially," Eastman told the audience of students, professors, and business
people, "in business you must be concerned with two types of science: real science
and perceived science." Perceived science, or junk science, consists of myths or
incorrect ideas that many people believe are true.
Citing the financial impact of perceived science in the fast-food, energy and real estate
industries, Eastman said, "Do not make the mistake of scoffing at perceived science.
Public beliefs affect American businesses every day, whether those beliefs are based on
what we would call real science or not.
"Perceived science can increase yours costs, decrease your market and damage your
image."
As an example, Eastman noted that even though plastic fast-food containers consume fewer
resources and are easier to recycle than paper containers, a widespread belief that paper
is more environmentally friendly than plastic has limited the use of plastic containers.
Eastman blamed what he called "the dismal state of scientific literacy in
America" for the widespread acceptance of junk science, and said the problem cuts
across all educational levels.
He noted that many Americans, including college students, do not understand even simple
science and also believe in "Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, space aliens visiting
earth, and that some people can accurately predict the future using psychic powers."
Business has a financial interest, Eastman said, in working to improve scientific literacy
in the United States, just as it has a competitive need to improve its own links with real
science.
"What is being developed by scientists in labs such as Argonne today will be among
the products and services offered by business tomorrow," Eastman said, adding that
customers have come to expect the latest technology in products.
To continue to provide such cutting-edge technology while remaining price-competitive
worldwide, business is opting "for a rapid, incremental improvement of their
products, and this prompts a time-based division of labor in research and
development," he said.
Corporations increasingly focus on shorter-term research and development, Eastman told the
group, and buy longer-term research services from other companies, from universities and
federal labs such as Argonne. Eastman said he believes such research "melding"
will be one of the dominant trends of the 21st century.
To demonstrate that such a trend is under way, Eastman cited Argonne's present and growing
working relationships with corporations such as Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, duPont,
General Electric, Abbott Labs, Procter & Gamble and Dow on products ranging from fuel
cells and locomotive engines to pharmaceuticals and manufacturing technology.
"Those among you who seek business opportunities in the 21st century could do far
worse than follow the example of these leading corporations," Eastman said.
"When we get right down to it," he added, "I expect that by 2020 the
intertwining of industry, university and government research and development will be far
greater, to the point where it may be all but impossible to 'peel the onion' and separate
the science and technology behind any one product into its industry, university or
government origins."
3. (25 August 2003) Chemistry uses calculations that fluidly enter into the
lectures and problems. The following is an example, even though not chemical, of a word
problem, that you should be able to solve:
John is today three times as old as Frank. In three years, John will be
twice as old as Frank. How are John and Frank today? [You need to set up a set of
linear equations and solve them.]
Inception: 22 August 2003
Last revised: 27 February 2008 16:42
© Petr Vanýsek
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