Another Chem update

Chem continues to go quite well. This past weekend we had two tests; a Lab test which was minimalist and effortless, and the usual biweekly test. The biweekly tests are stout; 50 multiple choice problems, most of which involve some prolonged calculations to find the answer, and then four longer “show all work” problems. He gives us 90 minutes for the test, and I tend to use just about all of that. I’d say 75 minutes for the first pass through the test, and then another 10 looking it over and trying to catch silly mistakes. You definitely feel drained afterwards.

As you turn in the longer questions and the scantron for the multiple guess, he hands you an answer key, so you can immediately get a pretty good idea how you did. So, I’m pretty comfy that I got an A, and in fact, I might have gotten a 100. Sweet! However, it does mean I need to send the instructor an email. See, after the last test he was quick to point out to the class that I had gotten the high score. Which would normally be fine, but this is the same instructor who, on the very first day of class, said, “… and I will grade these tests on the curve. So, if you find someone in the class who is especially bright, it’s in your own best interests to drive them away and make them drop out.” Cute. Humorous. But man, don’t follow that up by announcing who the class brain is. As it is, I’ve already stopped answering questions in class. I can just hear Tom Lehrer saying, “Now let’s not always see the same hands.”

So, thus concludes the first month of this class. Which is supposed to be equivalent to a semester of college chem, uncompressed. And it’s geeky to admit, but I’m actually enjoying it. If nothing else, it’s making a certain type of techno speak slightly less opaque. For instance, I drank a bottle of some “sports drink” yesterday. And the label on the bottle talked about replacing electrolytes in the body and had a little picture of a body with floating bubbles of “Na+” and “Cl-” and “K+” flowing into it. And I am happy to report I know what electrolytes are, why the body needs them, and what those little symbols are all about. Or last night, when I took a bath in epsom salts, and noticed the box referred to the contents as “magnesium sulfate”. Ahh, now I know why it’s called a “salt”. And I know that when the salts are dumped into the bath water you get magnesium cations (2+) and sulfate (SO(4)) anions (2-). Now, I still don’t know why that makes sore tired muscles feel better, but I suppose something has to be saved for Organic Chem. Hmm, and I notice the box mentions that taking a bit of epsom salts orally is a treatment for constipation, and I’m remembering the product “milk of magnesia”, so I’m guessing the active goodness in both cases are those Mg cations. Still don’t know how it works, but at least I’m following the lingo.

The reason for the sports drink and the epsom salts will be revealed in a post later today. Stay tuned.