Why Chemistry?
Chemistry is the study of the smallest pieces of the world to understand their characteristics and properties. Only then can we understand their larger interactions as matter and energy, in chemical reactions, in biological systems, in our own bodies, as materials or technology engineered for bettering our lives, and in the universe at large.
Chemistry is foundational to the rest of the sciences - biology, medicine, physics, materials science, engineering, and many others. It also is foundational to your world, whether you recognize it or not. The car you drive, the food you eat, the house you live in, to name a few, are all dependent on our understanding and use of chemical concepts and theory and make the modern age possible.
Now, more than ever, chemistry has also become political. Movements like the banning of dihydrogen monoxide have shown the far-reaching negative effects and havoc that a lack of basic research and scientific understanding can cause. Issues like the oil crisis and global warming are being presented to this current generation in pressing importance, requiring the common voter to understand the science behind the proposal in order to make an informed decision that has the potential to affect our entire world.
For you, the student, the onus of taking a chemistry course is two-fold: your academic success in chemistry as well as applying what you know to real life situations. Just by attending a chemistry class, you know far more than the average citizen on the street and have a positive, needed voice in our society. Have confidence in yourself!
Chemistry is a daunting subject, but it can also be very rewarding. It is, by far, hands-on: meaning that the more you work at it, the better you will understand it and the easier it will become. This requires large amounts of time and effort on your part, so be prepared to spend many hours on an arduous journey that will lead you into the heart of your very own world - into the strange, new, and unexpected phenomena that happen each and every moment but are noticed only by the observant eye.
You are not, however, setting out on this journey alone. If you begin to feel the least bit uncertain or slightly behind or confused, immediately utilize the resources available. Visit me during office hours. Contact me via e-mail. Set up tutoring at the Learning Resources Center. Form study groups with your fellow classmates. Use the Internet to supplement lecture and your textbook. Take the proactive approach and you will not be disappointed; there are numerous tools at your disposal that want you to not just survive chemistry, but truly master it.
Chemistry is foundational to the rest of the sciences - biology, medicine, physics, materials science, engineering, and many others. It also is foundational to your world, whether you recognize it or not. The car you drive, the food you eat, the house you live in, to name a few, are all dependent on our understanding and use of chemical concepts and theory and make the modern age possible.
Now, more than ever, chemistry has also become political. Movements like the banning of dihydrogen monoxide have shown the far-reaching negative effects and havoc that a lack of basic research and scientific understanding can cause. Issues like the oil crisis and global warming are being presented to this current generation in pressing importance, requiring the common voter to understand the science behind the proposal in order to make an informed decision that has the potential to affect our entire world.
For you, the student, the onus of taking a chemistry course is two-fold: your academic success in chemistry as well as applying what you know to real life situations. Just by attending a chemistry class, you know far more than the average citizen on the street and have a positive, needed voice in our society. Have confidence in yourself!
Chemistry is a daunting subject, but it can also be very rewarding. It is, by far, hands-on: meaning that the more you work at it, the better you will understand it and the easier it will become. This requires large amounts of time and effort on your part, so be prepared to spend many hours on an arduous journey that will lead you into the heart of your very own world - into the strange, new, and unexpected phenomena that happen each and every moment but are noticed only by the observant eye.
You are not, however, setting out on this journey alone. If you begin to feel the least bit uncertain or slightly behind or confused, immediately utilize the resources available. Visit me during office hours. Contact me via e-mail. Set up tutoring at the Learning Resources Center. Form study groups with your fellow classmates. Use the Internet to supplement lecture and your textbook. Take the proactive approach and you will not be disappointed; there are numerous tools at your disposal that want you to not just survive chemistry, but truly master it.
