Chemistry

“ Chemistry is, in fact, the science which treats of the composition of all material bodies, and of the means of forming them into new combinations, and reducing them to their ultimate elements, as they are termed; that is, bodies which we are unable to split up, as it were, or separate into other bodies. To take a common substance as an illustration; water, by a great number of processes, can be separated into two other substances, called oxygen and hydrogen, in the proportion by weight of 8 parts of the first to 1 of the second ”

“ Nature’s Chemistry—Changes produced by Chemical Combination—Atomic Constitution of Bodies—Laws of Combination—Combining Equivalents—Elective Affinity—Chemical Decomposition—Compound Character of Chemical Phenomena—Catalysis or action of Presence—Transformation of Organic Bodies—Organic Chemistry—Constancy of Combining Proportions—The Law of Volumes, the Law of Substitutions, Isomeric States, &c.
All things on the earth are the result of chemical combination. The operations by which the commingling of molecules and the interchange of atoms take place, we can imitate in our laboratories ”

“ After becoming acquainted with the constituent elements of all the substances within our reach and the mutual relations of these elements, the remarkable transmutations to which the bodies are subject under the influence of the vital powers of plants and animals, became the principal object of chemical investigations, and the highest point of interest. A new science, inexhaustible as life itself, is here presented us, standing upon the sound and solid foundation of a well established inorganic chemistry. ”

“ INTRODUCTION. WHAT CHEMISTRY IS—THE ELEMENTS—METALLIC AND NON-METALLIC—ATOMIC WEIGHT—ACIDS—ALKALIS—BASES—SALTS—CHEMICAL COMBINATION AND STUDY.
Chemistry is the science of phenomena which are attended by a change of the objects which produce them. We know that when a candle burns, or when wood is burned, or even a piece of metal becomes what we term “rusty,” that certain chemical changes take place. There is a change by what is termed chemical action. Rust on iron is not iron; it is oxide of iron. The oxygen of the air causes it. ”

“ So, when chemistry shall have reached the splendid future which I have ventured to suggest, it will only find itself possessed of materials with which to start for a grander future far away in the dim distance. We may expect that an exact knowledge of the laws governing the physical properties of substances will enable us to foresee just what compounds are possible, and by what reactions they may be obtained. Throughout the science, accurate calculation will be substituted for much abortive experiment, and both time and labor will be saved. ”

“ But these are chemical truths: Chemistry is a systematized collection of such facts, ascertained with precision, and so classified and generalized as to enable us to say with certainty, concerning each simple or compound substance, what change will occur in it under given conditions. And thus is it with all the sciences. They severally germinate out of the experiences of daily life; insensibly as they grow they draw in remoter, more numerous, and more complex experiences ”

“ It is not easy to define what chemistry is in a few words, but it may be described as the science which has for its object the investigation of all elementary bodies which exist in the universe, with the view of determining their composition and properties. It also seeks to detect the laws which regulate their mutual relations, and the proportions in which these elements will combine together to form the compounds which constitute the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, as well as the properties of these various compounds. ”

“ THEORETICAL chemistry is based upon the molecular theory, according to which all matter is made up of molecules, and these molecules of atoms. The physical state of bodies depends upon the arrangement and motions of the molecules; the other physical and chemical properties depend upon the kind and number of the atoms in the molecule, upon their arrangement and relative motions. Every action which causes a change in the internal structure of the molecules is a chemical action. ”

“ The study of the structure of molecules naturally leads to the study of their stability, and of the conditions which determine chemical changes, and thus opens the recently explored field of thermo-chemistry. To be able to predict the order and results of possible conditions of association of materials, or of chemical changes under all circumstances, is now the highest aim of our science, and we have already made very considerable progress toward this end. ”

“ Now composition and decomposition are the subjects of Chemistry; and thus we find that we are insensibly but irresistibly led into the domain of that science. The highest generalizations to which we can look, in advancing from the elementary facts of electricity and galvanism, must involve chemical notions; we must therefore, in laying out the platform of these sciences, make provision for that convergence of mechanical and chemical theory, which they are to exhibit as we ascend. ”

“ When the student of chemistry desires to effect the transformation of one definite substance into another, he is told to determine, by quantitative experiments, what are the elements, and what the quantities of these elements, which compose the compound which he proposes to change, and the compound into which he proposes to change it ”

“ PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI.
WHAT are the so-called chemical elements? Are they really elements, or only compounds of remarkable stability? It would be hard to find in physical science a question which has been oftener asked than this. It has furnished all sorts of investigators with abundant food for speculation. Men of the highest scientific ability have grappled with the problem, and left it still unsolved; others have constructed elaborate theories, which claimed to settle everything. ”

“ Chemistry and physics, however, meet on common ground in a well-defined branch of science, named physical chemistry, which is primarily concerned with the correlation of physical properties and chemical composition, and, more generally, with the elucidation of natural phenomena on the molecular theory. ”

“ The present tendency of chemical research is evidently towards a still greater development of organic chemistry, and an increased application of physics and mathematics to chemical theory and practice. ”

“ The leading discoveries of the century which have done so much to aid Chemistry in its giant strides are the atomic and molecular theories, the mechanics of light, heat, and electricity, the correlation and conservation of forces, their invariable quantity, and their indestructibility, spectrum analysis and the laws of chemical changes. ”

“ Analyze the atomic theory of modern chemistry and you will find that all that makes it significant for chemical practise is expressible in this way: If any two substances unite with each other chemically, they do so in such a manner that there are no particles of them so small as not to follow the same law of combination that holds for the substances in bulk. ”

“ The attempt is historically interesting as being the first systematic endeavour to gain an insight into the constitution of chemical compounds—that is, to determine the manner in which the constituent atoms are grouped or arranged with respect to one another, or, in other words, to distinguish between the empirical and the rational composition of substances, which is the ultimate aim of modern chemistry. ”

“ Since that time chemistry has progressed at a rate and to an extent unparalleled at any period of its history. Not only have the number and variety of chemical products—inorganic and organic—been enormously increased, but the study of their modes of origin, properties, and relations has greatly extended our means of gaining an insight into the internal structure and constitution of bodies. This extraordinary development has carried the science beyond the limits of its own special field of inquiry, and has influenced every department2 of natural knowledge. ”

“ The theme of National Chemistry Week this year is, "Chemistry--It's Elemental", which was chosen to raise public awareness about the importance of chemistry and the chemical sciences by emphasizing that the elements, forming the basis of the universe, play an integral role in daily life. ”

“ Besides, my dear, chemistry is by no means confined to works of art. Nature also has her laboratory, which is the universe, and there she is incessantly employed in chemical operations. You are surprised, Caroline, but I assure you that the most wonderful and the most interesting phenomena of nature are 3 almost all of them produced by chemical powers. ”

“ The fundamental task of inorganic chemistry is still connected with the classification of elements and compounds. The investigation of the classification of carbon compounds forms the field of organic chemistry; while general or physical chemistry deals with the laws of reaction, and the influence of various forms of energy in furthering or hindering chemical change. ”

“ Numerous phenomena of even a more striking character than those selected, are exhibited in every department of chemistry; but within the limits of this essay it is impracticable to speak of any beyond those which directly explain natural phenomena.
The chemical elements, which actually exist in nature as simple bodies, are probably but few. Most of the gases are in all probability compounds of some ethereal ultimate principles; and with the advance of science we may fairly hope to discover the means of reducing some of them to a yet more simple state. ”

“ On the chemical side we have witnessed the discovery of new elements in the atmosphere and the introduction of an entirely new branch of chemistry called physical chemistry. With such examples ready to our hands, who can say what further discoveries will not shortly be made, even in such well-worked fields as chemistry and physics? ”

“ From the conflict of ideas the truth gradually emerged, and a new system of chemical philosophy was developed. The theory of compound radicles, the nucleus theory, the theory of types, the conception of conjugated compounds, followed rapidly one after the other, until in the discovery of valence all discrepancies were reconciled, structural chemistry came into existence, and a single doctrine, applicable alike to organic and inorganic substances, had possession of the field. ”

“ The subject of Organic Chemistry is that to which, at the present day, the eyes of all thinking members of the profession are directed, and upon which their hope of progress mainly depends,—the relations of chemical action to the functions of organized matter, the application of chemistry to physiology and pathology, are to be treated of as fully as present knowledge extends. ”

“ The object of chemistry is to obtain a knowledge of the intimate nature of bodies, and of their mutual action on each other. You find therefore, 7 Caroline, that this is no narrow or confined science, which comprehends every thing material within our sphere. ”

“ It is very important, too, if the pupil has not already studied chemistry, that he should be led to some comprehension of the nature of chemical union and of the difference between a chemical compound and a mechanical mixture. ”

“ Although we may assume that many of our readers have sufficient knowledge of chemistry to attach distinct ideas to such few chemical terms as we shall have occasion to use, yet it may be of advantage to others to have some preliminary notes of the character of the chemical actions, and of some properties of the substances that will have to be referred to. ”

“ Physical Chemistry explains processes, formulates laws for these processes, and is divided within itself again into electro-chemistry and thermo-chemistry, etc. One branch of physical chemistry in which great strides have been made, is the study of the general properties of gases. ”

“ Scientists talk of electrons and protons as the two elemental forces and of the mechanics of the atom. In chemistry, investigation follows the problems of applied chemistry, while organic chemistry or biochemistry opens continually new fields of research. ”

“ Introduction to general inorganic chemistry. *$2.25. Century.
The work of one who understands the psychology of teaching. The first four chapters deal in an introductory manner with the general characteristics of chemical phenomena. The remainder of the text treats elements and their compounds. “These chapters deal largely with the simpler physical properties of matter and include a brief and clear exposition of the utility of scientific method; following closely are the usual methods of determining equivalents, use of symbols and various simple calculations.”—Bookm. ”

“ Thus, even in Chemistry, limits are set to the successful adoption of the purely mechanical point of view, by the fact that chemical combination is regularly productive of new qualities in the compound which could not have been predicted from a knowledge of the properties of its constituents, but have to be ascertained a posteriori by actual experiment. ”

“ The mention of physical chemistry brings me to what I may term the second head of my discourse, the second striking characteristic of modern chemical physiology: this is the increasing importance which physiologists recognize in a study of inorganic chemistry. The materials of which our bodies are composed are mainly organic compounds, among which the proteids stand out as preeminently important; but every one knows there are many substances of the mineral or inorganic kingdom present in addition. ”