Uh-Oh, the "organic" fanatics forgot that EVERYTHING is made up of "Chemicals"

[Odin2005]

:banghead:

[Orrex]

1. I'll go one further and state that everything that humans can manufacture is "natural"

Humans are a subset of the natural world, after all. As such, I don't see how we could call anything we do unnatural, since that would require us to judge from an objective position outside of the natural/unnatural dichotomy.

[uriel1972]

2. bot h of those are personal bugbears of mine

guaranteed to have me frothing at the mouth within 3 seconds :evilgrin:

[TZ]

3. When that shit starts I post my favorite site

the one about the dangers of DHMO...Some of them do fall for it...;)

[Orrex]

7. Out of curiosity, why isn't it referred to as "hydrogen hydroxide"

I haven't had a chemistry class in 18 years, but can't the formula be written as HOH?

[TZ]

8. It can be

I think that either is actually acceptable but structurally H2O is more accurate? Not sure. Been awhile since I've reviewed my chemical naming rules... It might have to do with the common ions that form in water H30+ and OH- along with H20. (we have de-ionized water in the lab to keep the pH as close to neutral as possible)

[Orrex]

9. But surely that de-ionized water remebers what it was like to be chock full of ions, right?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. De-ionized water is also full of ions.

^-OH, H₃O^{+, and so on in that fashion.}

[Orrex]

12. Spare me your witchcraft

De-ionized water may be full of ions, but unionized water can strike for a better benefits package.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. You can call it Shirley, but chemists just call it water.

Some things are so common even IUPAC doesn't bother dicking around with a new name.

[semillama]

4. This was illustrated to comic effect at Notalwaysright.com recently:

http://notalwaysright.com/the-building-blockheads-of-life/2255

Customer: “I’m looking for some school books.”

Me: “Alright, what sort of books are you looking for?”

Customer: *sigh* “Some chemistry guides, I guess.”

Me: “Alright, let’s head over and look at a few different guides.”

(I take her to the chemistry section of the bookstore.)

Customer: “I’m just not excited to be taking this course.”

Me: “Are you’re worried that it will be too difficult?”

Customer: “Oh, no! I just don’t want to be forced to learn about something I don’t believe in.”

Me: “Er…sorry? What’s your degree program?”

Customer: “I’m in vet school. I’ve already done all of my bio classes, and i really loved them, but I’m really not interested in learning about chemicals and how they harm the Earth and stuff.”

Me: “That’s not really what chemistry is about, you know.”

Customer: “What do you mean? Just look at the name: CHEM-istry. Like, CHEM-ical. As in, harmful to all life!”

Me: “But you said you enjoyed your biology courses, so why not your chemistry? They’re both really important sciences, especially for your major.”

Customer: “I just don’t get why I have to learn about chemicals and stuff! biology is different - that’s Mother Nature! Not some science that was made up in a lab.”

Me: “Well, think about what life is, when you break it down. What helps build life?”

Customer: “Biology.”

Me:” Right! Back up some now.”

Customer: “…Atoms?”

Me: “Now come back up a bit. After atoms, but before biology.”

Customer: *blank stare*

Me: “Chemistry! What happens when different atoms come together? chemical reactions. That’s all part of chemistry. You can’t have biology without chemistry - it’s a natural part of life.”

Customer: *brightens up* “I had no idea! Now I can’t wait to take chemistry!”

[Q3JR4]

6. Hehe,

also :banghead:

Q3JR4

[Warpy]

5. Occasionally when I run into some real silliness

I take perverse pleasure in reminding them that salt is the combination of a combustible metal with a poisonous gas.