The Disappearing Spoon Chapter 1

Chapter 1:Geography Is Destiny

 Summary:

       In the chapter “Geography is Destiny”, the author explains how the periodic table is organized in a particular way, so a location of the element can say a lot about its chemical properties and its interaction with other elements. Helium and oxygen are both similar in that they are both gases at room temperature. However, the great distinction between the two is their interaction with other elements. Because helium is a member of a group called the noble gases, it doesn't interact with other elements as it is already stable. There is no need for him to interact with other elements; they are perfect as they are. On the other hand, oxygen is quick to interact with many other elements despite being a stable gas at room temperature. At the beginning of the chapter, the author compares the periodic table to a map and I totally find this metaphor effective since the periodic table has groups and periods as sort of coordinate points of an element's location. The location of an element can show its interactions with other elements, for example, halogens and alkalis are close to each other, which leads to common interactions like the sodium chloride (table salt); especially since of halogens have 7 electrons in the outer layer and alkalis have only 1 in its outer layer.

       In addition, the reactivity of an element is determined by the number of electrons that are present in the outermost shell of an atom. The chapter also mentions an interesting point about the pH scale. If you go up or down by one on the pH scale, you've changed by a factor of ten. So an acid with a pH of 3 is a thousand times stronger than an acid with a pH of 6. Furthermore, the chapter talked about Gilbert Lewis, who spent most of his life studying how an atom's electrons work; especially how they work in acids and bases. He had a theory which elaborated that acid isn't  a proton donor, but rather is an electron thief.  On the other hand, bases would be called electron donors. Through this, he changed the definition of an acid. His ideas explain the behavior of electron which created a huge impact. Additionally, the chapter also mentioned Maria Goeppert- Mayer, who struggled to find a way to be accepted in serious science work just because she was a woman and not a man. She was able to explain how oxygen, helium, and calcium are alike because of their filled shells.

Reflection:

       I really enjoyed reading chapter one of the book since it made me look at the periodic table in a different perspective. The author connected the periodic table with the image of a castle where the elements were in a way like bricks made from different substances. Analogies such as these throughout the chapter really did help improve my understanding about the periodic table and its elements. I also really enjoyed the joke that the author stated because it kept me thinking about it as I read. Before reading this chapter, I didn't know about some past uses of certain elements like antimony, which was used as mascara by Egyptian woman. I also learned about Gilbert Lewis and Maria Goeppert- Mayer;  it was particularly interesting when their struggles were mentioned like Goeppert -Mayer's struggle as a woman interested in science.