A crisis of confidence.
Nov. 19th, 2002 03:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baratronHrm. With all the media going nuts over a possible terrorist attack featuring cyanide gas, I've been looking in my inorganic chemistry books. Simply because I have a chemistry degree, therefore people are going to expect me to know about this stuff. Or something. Apparently while Scotland Yard is refusing to comment that the alleged plot involves cyanide, the government are busy making posters to tell people what to do in the event of this sort of attack. Read into this what you will.
Well, I am now having a major crisis of confidence. Looking through my inorganic chemistry books, I am reminded that I wasn't very good at inorganic chemistry. I was absolutely terrible at organic chemistry, and not even very good at physical or analytical chemistry. That would be me not being very good at... all of the major classes of chemistry, then. And I call myself a chemist? Erk.
Anyway, this This is London article about cyanide is almost accurate - surprisingly so for a science article in a major newspaper. It even explained away my confusion about hydrogen cyanide being liquid at room temperature by explaining that the attacks on the Japanese underground mixed together two other chemicals to form HCN (exothermically - hence it would be released as a gas). And I am extremely amused by the poor Disaronno Amaretto people's failed advertising campaign.
But worry about the chance of dying horribly on the Tube? Nah. I'm far more concerned about the fact that I am apparently completely crap at my chosen subject...
Well, I am now having a major crisis of confidence. Looking through my inorganic chemistry books, I am reminded that I wasn't very good at inorganic chemistry. I was absolutely terrible at organic chemistry, and not even very good at physical or analytical chemistry. That would be me not being very good at... all of the major classes of chemistry, then. And I call myself a chemist? Erk.
Anyway, this This is London article about cyanide is almost accurate - surprisingly so for a science article in a major newspaper. It even explained away my confusion about hydrogen cyanide being liquid at room temperature by explaining that the attacks on the Japanese underground mixed together two other chemicals to form HCN (exothermically - hence it would be released as a gas). And I am extremely amused by the poor Disaronno Amaretto people's failed advertising campaign.
But worry about the chance of dying horribly on the Tube? Nah. I'm far more concerned about the fact that I am apparently completely crap at my chosen subject...
no subject
Date: 2002-11-19 05:42 am (UTC)I have a friend who has just graduated with a First in chem, but does she like it? I think she hates it, so much so she's trying to avoid permanent jobs cos she doesnt' wanna work as a chemist....
when I did chemistry, the people who were 'good' were not necc good at everything. I was vaguely good at inorganic, shit at organic, and physical? That was just maths using archaic formulae and conventions....
I think at the end of the day thats what we have chem books for, so we can understand what they say when we've done some chem. The fact you understand the meaning of the words exothermic, and production of a gas which will by equillibrium doodahs go toliquid at room temp is more than many ppl can cope with...
I miss chemistry labs, they were cool. I satisfy my mourning with nuking grim things with NaOH, and using acid to kill the CaCO3 here.
Maybe I should build myself a lab and teach myself chemistry again - shame the only tome i could do it was when i was either drunk or tired at 3am.
Hugs
Natalya