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Physics and Chemistry

Discussion in 'Science and Nature' started by yeshli2nuts, May 14, 2010.

  1. So this year in college I took both general physics and general chemistry. I know there's a shit ton more of both subjects than what's taught in the intro classes but its enough for now. Now, I haven't taken either of them since 10th and 11th grade (5 and 6 years ago), and really, I wasn't giving a shit about high school science classes.

    But now, maybe it's the weed smoking, maybe its the few times I've done acid and mushrooms but it's so crazy and cool. Everything that exists, you, the computer in front of you, the food you eat, the air your breathe, the planet you live on, the billions of stars in the sky. All of those things solely exist and continue to exist simply because of two things: physics and chemistry. We're going to keep discovering more and more but what we basically know now is what it is. The basics I mean. Almost 500 years ago, Galileo and Newton figured out how the universe works. What they discovered are laws of the universe that have always existed and will continue to exist forever, no matter what. Then chemistry, we have discovered the inner world of EVERYTHING. Every single piece of everything is exactly the same. Think about that, its ridiculous, EXACTLY the same, just different amounts of the same things (protons, neutrons, electrons), which in essence are all the same things anyways (quarks).

    We will keep discovering deeper and deeper into these two subjects but at the end of the day, it all still comes down to physics and chemistry. I don't know, is it me, or is this stuff crazy to think about?
     
  2. no sir its not just you
    and indeed crazy it is to think about
    utterly crazy simply because the human mind was not meant to fully comprehend the true mechanisms of the universe
    which is why you find it so crazy to ponder
    simply because you are driving yourself mad in the process of trying to comprehend fully these concepts with your mind alone
    trust me friend
    you can't ever fully understand

    all you can do is learn to honor the temple that was given to you
    and spread the love throughout nature
     
  3. I agree. I find it incredible that every thing in our universe is just a hodgepodge of particles.
     
  4. I agree with everything you said, but you gotta show love for biology too!
     
  5. Crazy to think about, indeed...
    However Chemistry and Physics are not what keep gravity a constant acceleration nor how many non-bonding pairs are in a molecule. Rather Chemistry and Physics are an attempt to figure out our reality. The ultimate goal is to find what exactly it is that gives our reality those features, as described by the sciences.
    So indeed, Chemistry and Physics describe why things happen, but they don't give cause to such happenings. :smoking:
     
  6. Everything in the universe comes down to numbers.

    Biology doesn't exist without chemistry and physics, and chemistry and physics don't exist without the specific numbers involved (math). As in every water molecule has 2 Hydrogen atoms and one Oxygen atom, and the bonds have very specific energies and the geometry of the molecules are always the same, etc. The numbers have values attributed to them only by us, but they are always consistent.
     
  7. Biology is cool and all, but Chemistry and Physics are definitely more interesting.

    For example, an electron can exist in 2 places simultaneously. Boggles the mind.
     
  8. awesome thread and great responses...jus wanted to add that the mind=biology:p
     

  9. The topic of biology is definitely up there but its not quite the same as chemistry and physics. In our universe, nothing would exist without chemistry and physics. Both of them are a must or the universe would be completely different. Biology on the other hand is not needed for existence. It is needed for the comprehension of existence, but if all biological matters ceased to exist, the laws of chemistry and physics would continue on. If the laws of either chemistry or physics ceased to exist, biology would cease to exist. But not the other way around. Biology (on Earth) is dependent on the laws of physics and chemistry.
     
  10. I disagree about the prevalence of reductionism is physical sciences being indicative of things all consisting of identical particles.

    Some theorists look at the philosophical notion that there are things unknowable by their nature which are beyond the scope of our perception.

    Optics is a field which is ripe w/ the kinds of examples, when it comes to determining the observer effect, (or the effect that the lens itself has on what's viewed) in empirical science.

    Some people think that things like atoms, quarks, strings or whatever are actually NOT identical physical entities, (for one because they lack identity in their relational properties of space and time, as it's impossible for 2 things to occupy the same place and time), but instead are just uniform quantifiable descriptions of the processes of matter.


    AM I MAKING ANY SENSE HERE!!!????
     
  11. Yeah man I was thinking the EXACT same thing about how everything is physics and chemistry. Its really amazing when you think about it.
     
  12. this makes me excited for these classes. i'm taking general bio and general chem and then eventually physics in college :D
     

  13. Oh hell yeah. Chemistry and Physics may describe our natural universe, but without biology who cares. We are biology, and it affects us more directly than its harder science auntie and uncle. I've always said that if I were more intelligent, I'd probably want to be a physicist, but I've always loved biology, and my life will certainly center around it.
     
  14. Only relevant to this reference frame.
     
  15. I agree that biology wouldn't exist without the laws of Physics and Chemistry. (Wouldn't the laws of Chemistry also boil down to physics at a fundamental level?)

    But biology is about life. I'm doing Biology and Physics atm but prefer Biology because it's happening everywhere all the time. Physics is too, obviously, but I'd rather learn how we function than learn equations and totally abstract concepts.


    I still like physics though.
    IMO a lot of people only get excited about physics when it poses big questions about the universe, or states something crazy (like quantum superposition, entanglement etc).
     
  16. I think it's cool you plan on studying science, however in the general classes, they hardly even touch thought provoking topics.
     
  17. I also applaud you for studying the sciences! I'll never forget the day I saw what you are describing. All the phenomena we take for granted, piggy-backed down to the nuts and bolts of process after process of energy balance, of thermodynamics, motion, and metabolism. From electrons being ripped from water so plants can make other chemicals, to water-fearing lipids lining our cells so they can carry water within and diffuse materials in and out. Oh my, I am floored just thinking about it. Those who call it reductionism, simply have not gazed deep enough. Science is goddamn psychedelic!
     

  18. Yeah I know what you mean. When I had physics in high school, I had this nerdy teacher that knew a LOT about physics, but the way he was nerdy he was really funny. Anyway, when me and my buddy smoked a bowl before physics sometimes, my teacher would get off topic and start talking about the physics of the universe and like you said quantum superposition. At the time, we barley could comprehend what he was saying, as it was only high school but, the looks on me and my friends faces after these classes were priceless.
     

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