scientific terminology in bio/chem

[mollykins]

How come biology and chemistry has a different terminology for the same word?

I even got told that giving the answer hydrophobic on my chemistry test was wrong because it was a biology word not a chemsitry word! But they both meant the same thing, and I used hydrophobic because I knew that meant the same thing but couldn't think what my chemistry teacher had told me, and still can't now.

Maybe factor could shine some light onto this . . .

[ABerrant]

Nothing wrong with the use of hydrophobic and hydrophilic as terms in chemistry.

Did you perhaps use Hydrophobia aka Rabies?

[mollykins]

No I specifically used the word hydrophobic, to be told tht it's a biology word, and not a term chemists like to use!

[ABerrant]

Perhaps the IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology (Gold Book) is outdated?

http://goldbook.iupac.org/H02907.html

...although the Royal Society of Chemistry, a learned society for "advancing the chemical sciences", appears to have no qualms with the use of the term.

http://www.rsc.org/

[jomifl]

when I was at school the chemistry master told us that oxygen was insoluble in water, the same week the biology teacher told us that frogs absorb oxygen dissolved in water through their skin. Why couldn't they talk to one another. It can be confusing at times.

[theprof]

mollykins, your chemistry teacher is very mistaken. Hydrophobic is a word that is used in both chemistry, biology and biochemistry. While it's probably used more in biological sciences, the concept is something that is taught to chemistry "A" levels students as well as those undertaking a chemistry degree.

I think you and I have discussed before the shortcomings of your teachers and to my mind, this is another one. Where is your school getting them from? These people should really make every effort to get their facts right.

Here's what we'll do: the next time your chemistry teacher tells you that hydrophobic is inappropriate to use in chemistry, ask your teacher "then can you explain to me what these hydrophobic colloids I've read about really are?" A "hydrophobic colloid" is a term that all chemistry graduates should know about.

You can also tell him/her that you've read on the internet that iron (iii) hydroxide Fe(OH)3 forms a hydrophobic colloid in water. Ask if it's true and watch the reaction..

[theprof]

jomifl, funnily enough I also had a chemistry master that said that oxygen was insoluble in water. I once had a nightmare a few years back in which I went to the cemetery, dug him up and gave him a good talking to!

[theprof]

ABerrant, The IUPAC Gold Book is continuously updated and id the gold standard for chemists all over the world. I've sat on more than one IUPAC committee over the years.

The RSC is absolutely right. As a senior FRSC, I should know!

[airam]

Hydrophobic is used both in science and physiology. A person that is hydrophobic does not like water, just like particle molecules that repel water as a result of their charge.
<a href="http://www.iscid.org/encyclopedia/Hydro
phobic">An
hydrophobic molecule is repelled by water</a>

[mollykins]

This is a teacher from the high school i've only started going to from this September. Most my lessons are at that school but i still have a few at my old high school and have to go there for tutorial on wednesdays.

[mollykins]

Thanks prof. I could actually do that. I have another teacher at my old high school for inorganic chemistry on fridays and this other guy who doesn't like the word hydrophobic on tuesdays. next tuesday I could ask him 'about someone that the other teacher confused me about . . .'

[theprof]

That's a great idea mollykins. I don't encourage provoking a teacher but when the teacher misinforms a student over factual issues, I think the teacher should be challenged.
In recent years, academic staff at universities are having to literally re-educate undergraduate students as they often have a misunderstanding of some key concepts due to poor quality teaching at school or insufficient grounding in a subject..

[mollykins]

I was at my 'homr base' high school this morning which meant I had registration which my form tutor, a physics teacher. I asked him and he was shocked and said 'well that's ----- (the name of the other school) for you!' And said that hydrophobic/philic are used mroe in chemistry than biology!!!!!!

[jomifl]

Prof.. in the context of identifying common gases by their physical characteristics my chemistry teacher was sufficiently correct. Having over my career spent many happy hours calibrating oxygen probes I can only say although oxygen has limited solubility in water it does what little it can do, very well and very frustratingly.