What Is Chemistry?

A workshop held at the Variety in Chemistry Education conference at Keele, UK, in 2005 discussed the question: "What Is chemistry?"

The workshop discussions proved to be really quite enlightening: the trick was to get the participants to write their ideas down on Post-It notes. This page gives a bullet point version of the discussion that followed.

Different groups require different explanations as to what chemistry is:

The general public
11-14 year old school students
17 year old college & university candidates
The taxi driver
Scientifically literate lay person
Professional engineers & scientists
The press
Politicians

Some different statements that Chemistry Is:

The study of matter and its changes
Chemical principles
Chemical science
Knowledge of structure and properties of matter at the molecular level
Chemists make and analyse chemicals
Synthesis: chemists synthesise – make – new types of chemical
Creating molecules
Experimentation
Structure: scale range from atomic to nano
Experiential: scale range from atomic to nano to bulk
Quantitative science
Chemists cure cancer
Doctors don't cure ill people, chemists do
What chemists want students to study
What chemists do or want to do
What chemists are taught
The way chemists think
The coverage of chemical abstracts
Google search

Heartland chemistry topics include:

Periodic table
The mole concept
Change
Chemical thermodynamics
Rates and mechanisms of reactions
Organic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Main group chemistry

Boundary areas, including: "stolen from chemistry" and "smuggled into chemistry":

Food science (stolen from chem)
Thermodynamics (smuggled into chem)
Engineering: corrosion, materials, etc. (smuggled into chem)
Atomic structure (physics, smuggled into chem)
Medicinal chemistry
Nanotechnology
Chemical information (data)
Physical chemistry vs. chemical physics
Materials and materials science
Systematic nomenclature (heartland chemistry)
Acronyms: DNA, asp, HASP, etc.: biochemistry
Chemists average out and ignore structural defects
Defects are crucial to physicists and material scientists
Phase space complexity: chemists – and physicists – want to fully understand a material's structure [phase], whereas biologists, geologists and materials scientists are [only] concerned with a material's function, even when the phase may be too inherently complex to fully understand.

A subtle one this:

Chirality: R/S (heartland chemistry)
Optical activity: D/L = biochemistry

Some areas where chemistry is important:

Spectroscopic analysis
Fuel cells
Solar cells
Chemical lasers
CDs/DVDs
Alternative fuels
Novel batteries
Dyes
Computer displays
Nanotechnology
Molecular aspects of taste and smell
Biosensors
Drug design
Photochromic materials
Corrosion
Chromatography
Enzymes
Semiconductors
Group theory
Catalysis
Metals & alloys

Some positive images of chemistry (because we sure don't need any more negative ones):

Chemistry is Life
Chemistry is Exciting
Chemistry is Rewarding
Chemistry is Essential
Chemistry is Useful
Chemistry is Molecular
Chemistry is Practical
Chemistry is Beautiful
Chemistry is Wondrous
Chemistry is Tangible
Chemistry is Creative
Chemistry is Challenging
Chemistry is Energetic
Chemistry is Elemental
Chemistry is Stimulating
Chemistry is Everywhere
Chemistry is Versatile
Chemistry is Art
Chemistry is Left-brained
Chemistry is Positive
Chemistry is Valuable
Chemistry is Lucrative
Chemistry is Organic
Chemistry is Wicked
Chemistry is Colourful
Chemistry is Fascinating
Chemistry is Amazing
Chemistry is Lifesaving
Chemistry is Life enhancing
Chemistry is Comfortable
Chemistry is Cuddly
Chemistry is Life changing
Chemistry is Construction (industry)
Chemistry is Communication (the kit)
Chemistry is Horny
Chemistry is Colourful
Chemistry is Fun
Chemistry is Green
Chemistry is Cool
Chemistry is Hot
Chemistry is Fab
Chemistry is Spectacular
Chemistry is Awesome

An interesting contribution from Prof. Jacob Zabicky to the Philosophy of Chemistry Internet discussion list discussing how "fizzy" any definition of chemistry can be:

Question the following fields:

Understanding the embrittlement of steel by hydrogen inclusions. I haven't heard of many chemists taking up this challenge.
In The Nature of the Chemical Bond Linus Pauling complained that chemists take little interest in intermetallic compounds, while physicists, materials scientists and engineers deal with them at all levels.
Do the intermetallics belong within chemistry?
Official regulations, for example: Sox and Nox emissions by power plants, transportation of peroxides and use of azo dyes in consumer products. The substances are well defined chemicals, the forensic methods are known, as are the chemical reactions. However, the target communities, both on the engineers and consumers know little about the chemistry.

Electronegativity Paper

Literature References

Queries, Suggestions, Bugs, Errors, Typos...

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please contact Mark R. Leach, the author, using mark@meta-synthesis.com

This free, open access web book is an ongoing project and your input is appreciated.