AI: Gilbert N. Lewis, Linus Pauling, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, Robert Burns Woodward, and Ahmed Zewail Compared: Modern Chemists
“Thermodynamics predicts the possibilities, not the probabilities.” – Gilbert N. Lewis. This view reflects his understanding that thermodynamics determines whether a reaction can occur spontaneously (possibility/feasibility) but not how fast it will occur (probability/rate).
“Facts are the air of scientists. Without them, you can never fly.” – Linus Pauling
“I don’t feel that there are any particular difficulties about being a woman in science… except for the interruptions.” – Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
“It has seemed interesting to me that the human mind, looking only at the structure of the molecule, could create such a complex sequence of reactions.” – Robert Burns Woodward. Reflects his awe and intellectual satisfaction regarding the power of organic chemistry to construct intricate natural products through logical, multi-step reaction sequences designed purely from understanding structure.
“Just as geographical exploration enriched humankind’s knowledge of the world, chemical exploration using femtosecond lasers is enriching our knowledge of the world of molecules.” – Ahmed Zewail. Draws an analogy to exploration, highlighting how femtochemistry opened up a new frontier for observing the previously unseen molecular world during chemical reactions.