MyScience Prep

Short description of MyScience Prep's podcast on chemistry and physics (Season 2).

Arguably known as the "Father of Chemistry", the English chemist, physicist, and meteorologist John Dalton is discussed with regards to his fundamental contributions to atomic theory. In this episode, Mark and Jack lead listeners down the path of understanding matter from a particle perspective while also looking at the life of this humble man. Click here to view show notes.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the general notion of a physical property. They then focus on the physical property called time and how difficult it is to define and measure. To gain a practical understanding of this important idea, the evolution of the calendar is described. This is followed by an overview of Einstein's concept of spacetime and his famous claim that time is just an illusion. Click here to view the show notes.

Not given credit for his contributions to molecular chemistry for half a century, Amedeo Avogadro was eventually recognized for his work and now holds the honor of having his name attached to the ubiquitous chemical quantity that all high school chemistry students know well; the mole (Avogadro's number). In this podcast, Avogadro's ideas are discussed and the classification of matter from a particulate perspective is described. Listeners will come to see why Avogadro's work was so important and why he deserves his name on the unit used most commonly in chemical calculations.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the amazing scientific contributions of Lise Meitner and her escape from Nazi Germany. Meitner was the first scientist to explain the physical process she called "nuclear fission" while simulataneously dealing with the difficulties of sexism and World War II. Not given the credit she deserved for this important work, Meitner lived a life of integrity in the midst of difficult personal circumstances and under the mistaken attribution of as the "mother of the atomic bomb." Click here to view the show notes.

Listeners to this podcast will take away an appreciation for two great illuminators in science; one a candle and the other Michael Faraday. Although known for innumerable contributions to chemistry and physics, Faraday's efforts to educate the public are discussed, particularly with regards to his famous lectures series on the chemical history of the candle. Those intrigued by candles should find their intellectual curiosity satisfied as Mark and Jack discuss the chemistry and physics of candles along with Michael Faraday and the Famous Royal Institution where he did his greatest work. Click here to view the show notes.

Jack and Mark talk about how certain "big ideas" in physics, called conservation laws, are built upon deep symmetries that are found in nature and in the laws that describe nature. This connection was first discovered by German mathematician Emmy Noether. Listeners will hear how symmetry and violations of symmetry help scientists understand the universe, perhaps explaining why there is more matter in the cosmos than antimatter. In other words, the assymmetry may be related to the the question, "Why is there something rather than nothing." Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, the goal of all chemical processes is discussed; equilibrium. More than just the establishment of chemical equilibrium, this episode considers the perturbation and response of an equilibrium chemical system when a disturbance is placed upon it which is known as Le Chatelier's Principle. Henri Le Chatelier's educational/professional life, which is strangely similar to that of Mark and Jack's (but with a much higher degree of success!) is also discussed by the twins. Click here to view the show notes.

In this episode, Jack and Mark talk about the concept of a physical interaction. They discuss Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion as fundamental for students of physics to understand. The Third Law explains how physical interactions work. Namely, that forces always occur in pairs with equal magnitude and in opposite directions on the two objects of an interaction. The audience is invited, along with Mark, to test their understanding of this concept through a series of scenario-based questions posed by Jack. It's through these types of examples that most students come to be proficient at identifying forces found in interactions. The podcast concludes with discussion of the impact Newton's ideas had the science of his day and how they continue to be important in today's world both practically and philosophically. Click here to view the show notes.

Short description of MyScience Prep's podcast on Chemistry and Physics (Season 1).

In this podcast, Mark and Jack discuss the great American chemist, Linus Pauling. With an emphasis on his life and work, listeners will catch a glimpse as to what it takes to be a successful scientist as well as gain an understanding concerning one of the fundamental "big ideas" in chemistry -- chemical bonding. Spanning 7 decades, Pauling's prolific career had impacts both scientifically and socially. Learn why Linus Pauling has the historical distinction of being the only person to ever win two unshared Nobel Prizes: one for chemistry and one for peace. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark review the concept of inertia and it's modern conceptual introduction by German scientist, Johannes Kepler. Kepler's life was a fascinating blend of interests, including astronomy, mathematics, and astrology. Learn about the overlap between the ordinary, everyday use of the concept of inertia (particularly in a very famous movie released in 1999) and the specific way it is defined in science. Along the way, you will also hear about the ideas Aristotle, Galileo, and Newton. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, Mark and Jack share stories about the "hard-luck" Swedish chemist, Carl Scheele. Not given the accolades of scientists like Antoine Lavoisier and Joseph Priestly (the two scientists generally given credit for the discovery of oxygen) Scheele's contributions can be shown to be perhaps even more significant in the discovery of this life-giving element. Discussions concerning the role of oxygen in burning add to the story told so that listeners will come away with a good understanding of the chemical process called combustion. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the scientific meaning of the term "energy". Although it is a commonly used concept in everyday language today, its clear definition in physics took many years to develop and was associated with the work of a large number of scientists. However, the contributions of James Joule stand out as an example of how science makes progress even though there are formidable obstacles in the way. We owe our understanding of the relationship between motion and heat to the amazing insights and hard work of this nineteenth century British scientist. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast Mark and Jack have a conversation about the Dutch chemist Jakobus van't Hoff. His contributions toward a swath of foundational chemical principles is so noteworthy that it should be of no surprise that he received the very first Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1901. Listeners to the podcast will learn about his efforts in both the organic and inorganic chemical fields. In organic chemistry, he pioneered the branch now called stereochemistry. In inorganic chemistry, he developed significant theories shedding light on the properties of solutions. Although his name may not be as familiar as other famous scientists, his influence compares to any. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the contributions that Benjamin Franklin made to our understanding of lightning as a discharge of static electricity. While seemingly obvious to contemporary students, the scientific insights that Franklin provided in the mid-1700's are lasting testaments to the power of creativity, ingenuity, and the importance of community service. Franklin is arguably the best example in American history of the social benefits of a single curious mind. Click here to view the show notes.

In this "explosive" podcast, Mark and Jack discuss nitroglycerin and the man responsible for inventing dynamite, Alfred Nobel. Listeners will get a bang out of learning what differentiates high explosives from low explosives and how these molecules "do what they do" from a chemical and physical perspective. So sit back and have a blast listening about why Nobel founded the prestigious international prizes that bear his name. Click here to view the show notes.

In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the idea that unbalanced forces in the nucleus of an atom cause radioactivity, a phenomena first explored by the great Polish scientist, Marie Curie. Her life was a testament to the value of persistence and hard work. She not only had to spend countless days manually refining uranium ore, but also dealing with the systemic sexism of the scientific community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately, that marginalization still exists today...but hopefully to a lesser extent, due, in part, to the accomplishments of Marie Curie and her daughter, Irene. Click here to view show notes.