Introduction to Freshman Organic Chemistry - How Do You Know?

Explore the foundations of Freshman Organic Chemistry in this 47-minute lecture from Yale University. Delve into the course's central question "How do you know?" as Professor McBride outlines acceptable and unacceptable approaches to scientific inquiry. Discover the importance of experimentation and logic through historical examples, including the rise of science in the 17th century and Isaac Newton's crucial light experiment. Learn valuable attitudes and habits for success in scientific study, inspired by Samuel Pepys. Gain insight into the course's initial focus on understanding the Force Law describing chemical bonds. The lecture covers logistics, course goals, the significance of experimentation over philosophy, success strategies, and an introduction to atoms, molecules, and Hooke's Law.