Chemistry

As a subject matter, the physical sciences integrate all previous learning with our life experiences in the world. What makes the physical sciences distinct, however, is that they take each experience, examine their core components, and, from those, make some assumptions about our world. The physical sciences, as a general statement, require that students be reflective about their experiences and have a strong background in mathematics.

Much of modern society needs the skill sets of chemists to keep society functioning, and, if society does not use the experience of chemists directly, then it uses the discoveries of chemists to their advantage. In fact, we wouldn’t even have computers (semiconductors), toothpaste (sodium fluoride), tap water (water purification), modern antibiotics (drug companies), or enough food (Haber-Bosch process) without the diligent work of chemists!

But chemistry does not exist in a vacuum, it relies on the work of physicists (numerous theories), biologists (numerous discoveries), and mathematicians (innumerable benefits) to assist it with its own new discoveries. More importantly, chemistry relies on English teachers to relate a sound knowledge of language to effectively communicate discoveries, and a fundamental skill of logical thinking (Philosophy) to develop questions and arrive at their answers.

In this course, students investigate matter and its changes through which hands-on laboratory experiments are used to demonstrate and reinforce the concepts taught through classroom lecture.