Chemistry: Exploring How It Works

[Ashu2912]

How Chemistry Works?

Hey friends, I was just giving it a thought about how the science of (inorganic) chemistry works. Are all the theories formulated just in order to explain the chemical phenomena, such as bonding? Do these theories hold place for creation of new compounds based on the possible permutations satisfying the theory (that is if they are feasible thermodynamically, energetically and so on...). Or we only build theories to account for what already occurs in nature? Pls. give your opinions. Thank You!

 

[Borek]

Usual way is to build a theory explaining known phenomena and then check if it can be used to predict something new. That's not just in inorganic chemistry, that's how the science works.

 

[Ashu2912]

You mean to say, we should ask "Why this happens" and not "why this does not happen". Not to synthesize something new based on the theory?

 

[Fun Value]

Hey friends, I was just giving it a thought about how the science of (inorganic) chemistry works. Are all the theories formulated just in order to explain the chemical phenomena, such as bonding? Do these theories hold place for creation of new compounds based on the possible permutations satisfying the theory (that is if they are feasible thermodynamically, energetically and so on...). Or we only build theories to account for what already occurs in nature? Pls. give your opinions. Thank You!

Then question seems unclear. I wonder if I understand because it seems like the last question might be the same as the first.
It would probably be wrong to say all the theories are intended to explain phenomena.
I would say that some of the theories do suggest that new compounds of the same elements can be created.
It would probably be wrong to say that we ONLY build theories to account for naturally occurring phenomena.

 

[Borek]

You mean to say, we should ask "Why this happens" and not "why this does not happen". Not to synthesize something new based on the theory?

"It doesn't happen" is a phenomena just like "it happens".

I have a piece of sodium metal that fizzles when put in water, I have a piece of gold that doesn't change when put in water. Good theory should be able to explain both cases. And such theory exists and explains both cases in terms of activity series.