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The Basics of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry, 2011

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Chapter 1<br />

<strong>Chemistry</strong>, Matter, <strong>and</strong> Measurement<br />

Opening Essay<br />

In April 2003, the US Pharmacopeia, a national organization that establishes quality<br />

st<strong>and</strong>ards for medications, reported a case in which a physician ordered “morphine [a<br />

powerful painkiller] 2–3 mg IV [intravenously] every 2–3 hours for pain.” A nurse<br />

misread the dose as “23 mg” <strong>and</strong> thus administered approximately 10 times the proper<br />

amount to an 8-year-old boy with a broken leg. <strong>The</strong> boy stopped breathing but was<br />

successfully resuscitated <strong>and</strong> left the hospital three days later.<br />

Quantities <strong>and</strong> measurements are as important in our everyday lives as they are in<br />

medicine. <strong>The</strong> posted speed limits on roads <strong>and</strong> highways, such as 55 miles per hour<br />

(mph), are quantities we might encounter all the time. Both parts <strong>of</strong> a quantity, the<br />

amount (55) <strong>and</strong> the unit (mph), must be properly communicated to prevent potential<br />

problems. In chemistry, as in any technical endeavor, the proper expression <strong>of</strong><br />

quantities is a necessary fundamental skill. As we begin our journey into chemistry, we<br />

will learn this skill so that errors—from homework mistakes to traffic tickets to more<br />

serious consequences—can be avoided.<br />

<strong>The</strong> study <strong>of</strong> chemistry will open your eyes to a fascinating world. Chemical processes<br />

are continuously at work all around us. <strong>The</strong>y happen as you cook <strong>and</strong> eat food, strike a<br />

match, shampoo your hair, <strong>and</strong> even read this page. <strong>Chemistry</strong> is called the central<br />

science because a knowledge <strong>of</strong> chemical principles is essential for other sciences. You<br />

might be surprised at the extent to which chemistry pervades your life.<br />

1.1 What Is <strong>Chemistry</strong>?<br />

LEARNING OBJECTIVES<br />

1. Define chemistry in relation to other sciences.<br />

2. Identify the general steps in the scientific method.<br />

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books<br />

Saylor.org<br />

5

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