I was thinking about how much of an exact science chemistry is. There isn't much room for theoretical crap(until you get high up in the table when everything is theoretical). Every elements always has the same properties and behavior so you can always tell how elements will react with each other. It's amazing how all the known elements can be arranged in such a simple to understand method. How they perfectly line up in order of similar properties and increasing reactivity.
Memorizing general chemistry stuff for my first quiz in an hour. You know, common polyatomic ions, naming molecules; polyatomic ions; and acids, greek prefixes, SI units.
Yeah once you have the basics down, you pretty much understand the whole of chemistry. Don't be fooled though, elements react a tad differently once you go down the groups. They start ignoring that whole Octet rule stuff, since they get 5 extra orbitals (
d orbitals) from the 3rd period down, and then 7 more extra orbitals (
f orbitals) from the 4th period down. I've seen compounds whit specific metals where the metals would have 5 covalent bonds all on some other metal, while having like 3 other covalent bonds going out towards stabilizing groups to keep the molecule from exploding.
But these exceptions make allot of sense when you have the basics down too, so it's really down to what you learn in high school and 1st year college really.
