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Single Idea 15263

[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 1. Chemistry ]

Full Idea

Modern chemistry is not, as chemistry, purely structural. ...Thus CO2 is a different substance from SO2.

Gist of Idea

Chemistry is not purely structural; CO2 is not the same as SO2

Source

Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 6.II)

Book Ref

Harré,R/Madden,E.H.: 'Causal Powers: A Theory of Natural Necessity' [Blackwell 1975], p.103

A Reaction

I don't think I ever thought the chemistry was purely structural, but if you go in for the idea that reality is essentially geometrical (inspired by physics, presumably, like Ladyman) then you might make this mistake.

Related Idea

Idea 17482 Compounds can differ with the same collection of atoms, so structure matters too [Hendry]

The 20 ideas with the same theme [general ideas about behaviour of molecules]:

23185 In chemistry every substance pushes, and thus creates new substances [Nietzsche]
15259 Chemical atoms have two powers: to enter certain combinations, and to emit a particular spectrum [Harré/Madden]
15263 Chemistry is not purely structural; CO2 is not the same as SO2 [Harré/Madden]
14098 An acid is just a proton donor [Rosen]
20651 The shape of molecules is important, as well as the atoms and their bonds [Watson]
17482 Compounds can differ with the same collection of atoms, so structure matters too [Hendry]
17483 Water continuously changes, with new groupings of molecules [Hendry]
17392 How can poisonous elements survive in the nutritious compound they compose? [Scerri]
17391 Periodicity and bonding are the two big ideas in chemistry [Scerri]
17404 Chemistry does not work from general principles, but by careful induction from large amounts of data [Scerri]
17407 The electron is the main source of chemical properties [Scerri]
17409 Does radioactivity show that only physics can explain chemistry? [Scerri]
17415 A big chemistry idea is that covalent bonds are shared electrons, not transfer of electrons [Scerri]
17468 Over 100,000,000 compounds have been discovered or synthesised [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17469 'H2O' just gives the element proportions, not the microstructure [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17470 Water molecules dissociate, and form large polymers, explaining its properties [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17473 It is unlikely that chemistry will ever be reduced to physics [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17474 Quantum theory won't tell us which structure a set of atoms will form [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17475 For temperature to be mean kinetic energy, a state of equilibrium is also required [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17604 We are halfway to synthesising any molecule we want [New Sci.]