Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Summary- In the first chapter of this book, the author opens up with the periodic table. They compare the table as a whole to an asymmetric castle. They compare each individual element to a brick that cannot be interchanged with another brick without causing the entire structure to collapse. They explain that different sections of the castle are made up of varying elements with diverse properties. The majority of the table is made up of by metals, the right hand columns are made up of gases, and the area in between is reserved for more amorphous elements that do not quite fit into either category. They state that all scientifically relevant data about an element can be drawn from its placement on the table.
      The author ventures further into the periodic table, introducing the noble gases. Among these, is Helium. Helium is singled out as a model element for its metaphorical purity. They introduce and explain the concept of electrons, subatomic particles that determine an element's reactivity. Because Helium only has one electron shell, a full one, it has no need to give nor recieve electrons. This is the reason it does not react to other elements under normal circumstances. The author identifies the rest of the eighteenth column as having the same trait.
      Gilbert Lewis, a frequent Nobel Prize nominee, is mentioned as helping to broaden learning about the characteristics of acids and bases in order to better understand chemical reactions. Acids, solutions with a pH level below 7, were seen largely as proton donors before Lewis redefined them as electron thieves. The pH scale functions on a scale of tens. Each jump from one value to another results in a change by a factor of ten. Similar to the Richter scale, which measures the magnitudes of earthquakes. An acid with a pH of 3 would be one thousand times more potent than an acid with a pH of 6.

Reflection- I liked that the chapter explained many things that are usually taken as facts, without questioning, and helped me to better understand how and why they are the way they are. It used reasoning and history to give background to many aspects of chemistry. I liked that it was candid and utilized metaphors and storytelling to its benefit. I did not like that the chapter was an absolute behemoth, or at least it felt like so. I also did not enjoy the fact that there was no mention of a disappearing spoon anywhere.
      I learned that noble gases have full electron shells and do not feel the need to give or take from others because they are perfect just the way they are. I also learned that women had historically been brushed aside in the chemistry field despite Marie Curie being an inspirational chemist on her own. What about Uranium? I also learned that only two elements are liquids at room temperature. But what exactly is room temperature? Apparently, it's about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If I had a bae to tell something to, I'd tell them to not expect an actual disappearing spoon and that positioning on the periodic table is crucial to understanding the characteristics of the elements presented in it.