Mathematics in Chemistry
Isn't Math just Math?
Well...yes, and no. Pure mathematics concerns itself with describing the nature of numbers and spatial concepts. Math concepts and relations can describe both theoretical, abstract things (pure math - real and imaginary numbers, ideal functions, ideal spaces and shapes, etc.), as well as real-world data (applied math - like tracking your bank balance, describing the results of an opinion poll, or modeling nature). As a result, the symbols developed for mathematics tend to describe universal patterns, rather than a specific context. That's why we use x and y for our graphs and equations in math, while in science we use specific variable symbols (like time, force, position, mass).
In math, we're typically not specifying the context, but rather describing the kind of relation that can exist between two non-specific variables. Yet, in science we are typically describing the actual relation between two specific variables found in nature.
In science, we work primarily with quantities (measurable amounts of something) rather than pure numbers like a mathematician. As a result, when scientists use math symbols to describe nature's observed, quantitative patterns, the individual math symbols have a more specific meaning than you might consider in a pure math setting. We are constrained by how nature actually behaves. The context really matters when interpreting the math symbols used to describe nature. For example:
So, in science classes like chemistry, we will need to keep these nature-based meanings (or, context) in mind when we use mathematical symbols to model nature. We will begin by describing common symbols and words from mathematics that have more specific meanings to scientists.
Science Math
As we discussed in class, there is a difference between a quantity and a number. We realized a quantity describes an actual amount of something we can measure. When we discuss a quantity, we have to describe both the size (using a number) and the thing we're counting (using a unit) before we know what the quantity is. To say "I have 3" doesn't give my any useful information. Neither does saying "I have pencils." However, to say "I have 3 pencils" is very clear - it is a measurable amount of something (a quantity).
But what does the number 3 in this quantity mean?
Consider the example here:
Links for further reading or reference
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