CHEM 1104 Chapter 1

Introduction to Chemistry – Chapter 1.1 – 1.5

Overview:

• What is Chemistry?
• Solving Problems using a Scientific Approach
• The Scientific Method
• Learning Chemistry

What is Chemistry

Read textbook section 1.1 and 1.2

Chemistry is the science that deals with materials of the universe and the changes that these
materials undergo.

Why is Chemistry Important?

• New materials
• New pharmaceuticals
• New energy sources
• Food supplies
• Environment protection
• Can you think of others?

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Solving Problems using a Scientific Approach

Read textbook section 1.3

You probably already use a scientific approach to solve problems. There are three mains steps:

• Recognize the problem and state it clearly

• Propose possible solutions to the problem or possible explanations for the observation

• Decide which of the solutions is the best, or decide whether the explanation proposed is
reasonable

How have you thought like a scientist?

The Scientific Method

Read textbook section 1.4

I love this video clip on the scientific method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7sSuhQ1_24

Scientists are always challenging our current beliefs about science, asking questions, and
experimenting to gain new knowledge. Chemist use the scientific method to solve problems:

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Observations (data) can be quantitative (involve numbers) or qualitative (does not include numbers).

Examples:
“Water is hot”
“Water is 95 oC”

“Our Easter turkey is burnt”

“The internal temperature of the turkey is 352 degrees Fahrenheit”

It is important to collect accurate data to formulate a good hypothesis.

Hypothesis is a possible explanation for the observation or possible solution to a problem.

Examples:
Water got hot because it has been heating on the stove
The turkey burnt because the oven temperature was too high

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Experiments test hypothesis to decide if the hypothesis is correct or incorrect.

Examples:
Try heating the water on the counter, in the fridge and on the stove and collect data

Try cooking the turkey at lower temperatures and observe the results

Once we have a set of hypotheses that agree with our observations, we assemble them into a theory
(model).

A theory is a set of tested hypotheses that gives an overall explanation of some part of nature.

Theories are subject to change because we continue doing experiments, making observations and
asking new questions (earth has always been round but it was once thought to be flat).

Theories are not the same as laws:

• A law is a statement (summary) about observed behavior (no explanation).

Example:

• A theory is an explanation of behavior.

Example:

Example:

Classify each statement as a law, a theory, an experiment, a hypothesis, an observation:

a. Ice always floats on liquid water.

b. Birds evolved from dinosaurs.
c. Hot air is less dense than cold air, probably because the components of hot air are moving
more rapidly.
d. When 10 g of ice were added to 100 mL of water at 25°C, the temperature of the water
decreased to 15.5°C after the ice melted.

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e. The ingredients of Ivory soap were analyzed to see whether it really is 99.44% pure, as
advertised.
f. Measured amounts of acid were added to a Rolaids tablet to see whether it really “consumes
47 times its weight in excess stomach acid.”
g. Heat always flows from hot objects to cooler ones, not in the opposite direction.
h. The universe was formed by a massive explosion that propelled matter into a vacuum.
i. Michael Jordan is the greatest pure shooter ever to play professional basketball.
j. Limestone is relatively insoluble in water but dissolves readily in dilute acid with the evolution
of a gas.

Complete the Getting Started with OWLv2 assignment on OWLv2: (~35 mins)

Complete the Getting Started with Mastery Assignments on OWLv2: (~10 mins)

Learning Chemistry

Read textbook section 1.4

There is not one way to learn chemistry, everyone learns differently. However, I have written down a
few things below that I hope will help you do well in this course.

Start out on the right foot and read all the general handouts about this course. There is a lot of
valuable information in these handouts.

Edgar Dale is very famous for his “Cone of Learning” and I think it is a good thing to keep in mind
when you are learning. He said that after two weeks we tend to remember:

• 10% of what we read

• 20% of what we hear
• 30% of what we see
• 50% of what we hear and see
• 70% of what we say
• 90% of what we say and do (message: DO your homework)

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Robert Leamnson from Dartmouth MA wrote a great article about learning and doing well in college.
Below, I have summarized what I thought was really important.

The first step in learning is making sure you understand the material and the second step is
remembering. Students tend to struggle with the second step more. However, if you practice what
you understand you will have a better chance of remembering what you learn. Make your own notes,
or write mine in your own words, review them often and again DO your homework!

Every week has 168 hours. Calculate what you spend on things that you need to do outside of
school. You need to sleep, eat, relax and many of you probably have to work. After you have
deducted those hours make sure you have time to devote to this course (my guess is that 10
hours/week would be a bare minimum).

Set a schedule to help you keep on track. Use the course calendar I provided to help you (it has test
dates and homework due dates). It is always better to do things “now” then save them for later!

Ask for help. The faster you get help the more on track you will stay. I am always happy to help;-)

Work with others. Peer to peer connections is very important for learning. The more discussions you
have and the more help you get or receive, the more you will understand the material and the more
you will remember it. If you can teach the material to others, it probably means you are ready for your
test.

Review often. Reviewing helps with the remembering part of learning.

Make sure you get enough sleep, especially before an exam.

Make learning your goal and your grade will take care of itself.

No one learns unless he or she want to. Learning is difficult and requires effort, but when it is done, it
is extremely satisfying!!!

Have faith, you can do it!

What is your plan?

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