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| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | This comic is a classic example of taking an absurd premise, and applying correct science to it, to see how different the conclusion is to the real world.
| + | {{Incomplete|Rough draft. Need to explain why Hydrogen forms a crystal structure, the origin of "Mydrane", and title text, along with general improvements and proof reading.}} |
| | + | Chemical bonding is a well-known subject which involves the formation of compounds from elements. In this comic, three elements in particular are used: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O). In actual chemistry, the formation of bonds between elements often relies on the amount of valence electrons an element has, and how easily those electrons can be used for a bond. The comic, however, jokingly replaces the valence electron system with a system that bases the number of bonds an element can form with the amount of open ends that the chemical symbol of the element has. Hydrogen, for example, has the chemical symbol of H, and has 4 open ends. This is shown in the comic by the four half-circles placed at each open end of the H. Thus, by the comic's logic, elemental hydrogen can form 4 bonds. Oxygen, however, has the chemical symbol O, which is essentially a circle and has no open ends. Thus, it cannot bond to anything, and is inert. |
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| − | The idea of Typographic Chemistry presented in this comic is a play on Douglas [[Hofstadter]]’s {{w|Typographical Number Theory}} and [http://smallshire.org.uk/sufficientlysmall/2013/05/12/typogenetics-in-f-part-i/ Typographical Genetics], which are featured in {{w|Gödel, Escher, Bach}}. While Hofstadter's typographical systems are designed to model aspects of real genetics and number theory, Randall abuses this notion by inventing a typographical system which bears no resemblance to real chemistry. | + | The title text points out that this only applies to sans-serif text. Serif text usually caps open ends with shorter, perpendicular lines. This confuses the system even further, as H would be able to form 8 bonds and would be, accordingly, far more reactive. |
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| − | Chemical bonding is a well-known subject which explains the formation of {{w|molecule}}s from {{w|atom}}s. This comic refers to three {{w|chemical element}}s: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). In real chemistry, the formation of bonds between atoms depends on the number of valence electrons each atom has, and how accessible those electrons are for bonding. The comic jokingly replaces valence electron theory with a theory that the number of bonds an atom can form depends on the number of {{w|Leaf vertex|leaf vertices}} possessed by the chemical symbol's letter. A leaf vertex is a vertex having only one edge connecting to one other vertex. "H" for example, the chemical symbol of hydrogen, has 4 leaf vertices. This is shown in the comic by the four half-circles placed at each leaf vertex of the "H". Thus, in the comic's theory, elemental hydrogen can form 4 bonds. Oxygen, however, having the chemical symbol "O", has no leaf vertices, and according to the comic's theory should not bond to anything, and is therefore inert.
| + | It is not merely the explanation of bonding (typography) in the comic that is inconsistent with reality, but also the result. Hydrogen has 1 bond, Carbon 4 and Oxygen 2. For example, the comic says oxygen is inert and forms no bonds. In reality, lone oxygen atoms are very reactive and readily form compounds with other atoms. Diatomic oxygen, O<sub>2</sub>, makes up about 20.9% of Earth's atmosphere, and is essential for all aerobic life, including humans. Similarly, water consists of only oxygen atom terminated by two hydrogen atoms. |
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| − | Of course, the theory is completely inconsistent with observed chemistry. While the comic declares oxygen is inert and forms no bonds, this is not really the case: the two unpaired valence electrons in a lone oxygen atom make oxygen reactive, and oxygen atoms readily form molecules. Diatomic oxygen, O<sub>2</sub>, makes up about 20.9% of Earth's atmosphere, and is essential for aerobic life, including human life. Similarly, a water molecule consists of an oxygen atom tightly bonded to two hydrogen atoms.
| + | Each element's description in this comic actually applies to a different element in reality. Hydrogen is analogous to carbon, which in reality forms four bonds and can form lattices when it combines with itself to form graphite or diamond. Carbon in the comic is analogous to oxygen, which in reality forms two bonds and combines with carbon (H in the comic) to form CO<sub>2</sub> or with itself to form O<sub>2</sub>. Oxygen in the comic is analogous to a noble gas such as helium. |
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| − | By observing real chemical compounds, chemists have deduced that hydrogen atoms really have 1 valence electron, carbon 4 and oxygen 6, allowing hydrogen to have up to 1 bond, carbon up to 4, and oxygen up to 2. Thus carbon can have up to four bonds, and really is {{w|graphite|often found}} in {{w|diamond|crystalline form}} in nature (diamonds and coal are {{w|allotropy|allotropes}} of carbon); oxygen can have up to 2 bonds, and can combine with carbon to form CO<sub>2</sub> (instead of C<sub>2</sub>H in the comic). [[Randall]] thus gives to "typographic" hydrogen qualities that belong in real-life to carbon, since "typographic" hydrogen can have 4 bonds. Similarly, "typographic" carbon is ascribed properties belonging to real-life oxygen. "Typographic" oxygen takes on the properties of the real-life noble gases (like helium, neon, and argon), which form no bonds and are inert.
| + | ==Transcript== |
| | + | [The symbol for Hydrogen is shown.] |
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| | + | Hydrogen can form four bonds. It readily bonds with itself, and often exists as a crystal. |
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| | + | [A diagram with several 'H's is shown. The 'H's are connected in a pattern.] |
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| − | While the {{w|ethynyl radical}}, which has the structure ∙C≡C–H, does have the formula C<sub>2</sub>H, there is no molecule with the C–H–C structure in nature. The word "mydrane" is a whimsical neologism for this fictional substance: the "hydr-" prefix for hydrogen is changed to "mydr-" (a prefix which does not exist) and combined to the "-ane" suffix for {{w|alkane}}s (simple hydrocarbon molecules). Perhaps Randall named this compound "mydrane" to declare ownership of it ("my-" as in "mine"). Another reasonable assumption is that the word is a portmanteau of methyl (Me- is the prefix for 1 carbon chains attached to a functional group) and hydrogen with the -ane suffix for alkanes; the nomenclature stems from (di-)m(ethyl) (h)ydr(ogen) -ane, which would form mydrane. Technically, the nomenclature would be "dimethyl" since there are two "methyl" groups attached to the functional group (i.e. hydrogen in this case). It would, however, not be uncommon to drop a di- from a compound name if it's redundant (only one possible compound, e.g. dimethyl ether which sometimes is referred to as methyl ether) or makes a clumsy name ("dimydrane" could make it sound as if there are two mydrane groups).
| + | Crystalline Hydrogen |
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| − | The title text points out that the theory as presented only applies to sans-serif text. A {{w|serif}} is a small line across the end of each stroke. "<span style='font-family: "Liberation Serif", "Nimbus Roman No9 L Regular", Times, "Times New Roman", serif;'>H</span>", for instance, has four serifs, each with two leaf vertices. Thus hydrogen in a serif font would be able to form 8 bonds making it, according to the comic's theory, "more reactive". | + | [The symbol for Carbon is shown.] |
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| − | ==Transcript==
| + | Carbon can only form two bonds. It readily bonds with Hydrogen to form C2H (Mydrane) or itself. |
| − | :[A large capital letter "H", with faint gray circles drawn on the ends of each of the four legs.]
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| − | :Hydrogen can form four bonds. It readily bonds with itself, and often exists as a crystal.
| + | [Two diagrams, one with two 'C's connected and one with two 'C's and an 'H' connected are shown.] |
| − | :[A lattice of several H's, all "bonded" together at the ends of their legs in a crisscross, meshlike pattern, labeled:]
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| − | :Crystalline hydrogen
| + | [The symbol for Oxygen is shown.] |
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| | + | Oxygen is inert, forming no bonds... |
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| − | :[A large capital letter "C", with faint gray circles drawn on both ends of the arc.]
| + | [A diagram of several 'O's is shown. None are connected to anything.] |
| − | :Carbon can only form two bonds. It readily bonds with hydrogen to form C<sub>2</sub>H (mydrane) or itself.
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| − | :[Image of a C and an inverted C, linked at their endpoints, labeled:]
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| − | :C<sub>2</sub>
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| − | :[Image of two C's linked with an H between them, labeled:]
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| − | :C<sub>2</sub>H
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| − | :[A large capital letter "O".]
| + | Monoatomic Oxygen gas. |
| − | :Oxygen is inert, forming no bonds...
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| − | :[Image of several lone O's, none connected to anything, labeled:]
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| − | :Monatomic oxygen gas.
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| − | :[Caption at bottom:]
| + | Typographic Chemistry |
| − | :Typographic chemistry
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| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
| − | [[Category:Chemistry]]
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