Unsolved Problems in Chemistry

Hmm, when to Wiki for fun, then chanced upon these unsolved problems in Chemistry. Hmm, who says there is nothing to solve or create in Chemistry? Hope I can solve them in the future. LOL. So here are the questions. (Courtesy of WikiPedia) =)

Solvolysis of the norbornyl cation: Why is the norbornyl cation so stable? Is it symmetrical? This problem has been largely settled for the unsubstituted norbornyl cation, but not for the substituted cation.

What is the electronic structure of the high temperature superconductors at various points on the phase diagram? Can the transition temperature be brought up to room temperature?

On-water reactions: Why are some organic reactions accelerated at the water-organic interface?

Better-than perfect enzymes: Why do some enzymes exhibit faster-than-diffusion kinetics?

Feynmaniums: What are the chemical consequences of having an element (137) whose electrons must travel faster than the speed of light? Problem actually occurs at Element 139 (eka-actinium/dvi-lanthanum), since “A complete analysis involving relativity reduces the speed of electrons, therefore allowing stable 1s orbits in the element 138 (Uto).”

Protein folding problem: Is it possible to predict the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a polypeptide sequence based solely on the sequence, and environmental information? Inverse protein-folding problem: Is it possible to design a polypeptide sequence which will adopt a given structure under certain environmental conditions?

What is the origin of homochirality in amino acids and sugars?

Do sterics (electronic repulsion) or electronics (electronic polarization) have a greater effect on chiral induction in stereospecific and stereoselective chemical reactions?

How can electromagnetic energy (photons) be efficiently converted to chemical energy? (E.g. splitting of water to H2 and O using solar energy.)

What are the chemical origins of life? How did non-living chemical compounds generate self-replicating, complex life forms?

How does the flow of elements, energy, and electrons (oxidation states) drive the structure of local and global ecosystems?

What is the origin of the bond rotation barrier in ethane, steric hindrance or hyperconjugation?

Can the macroscopic properties of a substance be explained by forces and energies on the atomic scale? What at the macroscopic scale can be determined by the microscopic?

What is the nature of bonding in hypervalent molecules?

Motivations

Ok, now some studious feeling is back, so I think I will be studying. I want to get better grades than before. Yup. Yea, perhaps I can use my own motivation to motivate others? Hmm..

So here's a song, More Than Fine by Switchfoot, which is also my blog song now. The song is quite nice, it's about everything that is fine. More than fine. Yea. The lyrics is below, and some of the lyrics that I think is applicable I've bolded it. Yea!

More Than Fine by Switchfoot

When I wake in the morning,
I want to blow into pieces.
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.

When I'm up with the sunrise
I want more than just blue skies.
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.

I'm not giving up, giving up, not giving up now.
I'm not giving up, giving up, not backing down.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

When I'm wet with the sunshine.
I want more than just a good time.
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.

I'm not giving up, giving up, not giving up now.
I'm not giving up, giving up, not selling out.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

More than oceans away from the dawn.
More than oceans away from the dawn.
More than oceans away from who we are
More than oceans, more than oceans, yeah.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

NAPFA Test

Today did my NAPFA test. Oh man, I did ok for the 5 stations. But 2.4km run I can't seem to get a momentum, so I failed 2.4km, which means I failed the whole NAPFA test!!!

Oh my God! I got 'A' for Chin-up (11 times), 'A' for Sit-ups (43 times), 'A' for Shuttle-run (10.0sec), 'B' for Sit-and-reach (45cm), 'D' for Standing Broad Jump (223cm). It's quite above average la. Grrr... Someone teach me the best method to run 2.4km please.

Hmm, this term I did quite badly for my tests. Chemistry:'A', Maths:'U', Physics:'S', Econs:'D', GP:'U'. What can I say? Very pathetic. I want to be an all-rounder. It is ok if I sacrifice some of my Chemistry so that I can do well for the rest of my subjects, especially Maths, GP and Physics, er, practically all of my subjects.

Yup. So erm, I think that I shouldn't be so emo at times. It brings nothing but harm, I feel like I am sick when I am emo-ing. Hmm, and furthermore, I today read about some nutrition stuffs in a Chemistry textbook, so I think I will have to eat more Vitamins, especially those B-something (eg. B12, B6, pathetonic acid etc) as their deficiency will cause us to be irritated easily and also cause depression. So if I have more of those vitamins, my spirits will be lifted and stay happy.

So that's all. Saturday will be my GP midyear. So all the best to me and all my friends! =)

Affirmative?

Ok, the night's sleep hasn't given me the answer. I can say I am procrastinating now. But I am now feeling much much better.

But I can't delay long. Major exams coming, so quick, Marvin, be decisive!!!
Take a stand!

Let me consider for a while. Not a long while but just a while.

Good VS Evil

I am feeling so confused right now.

I feel like quitting, yet feel like perservering.

I regretted going home straight after Physics, yet I felt that staying in school will not be fruitful either.

I am hurting everyone and myself, yet I can't seem to help it.

I am sick and tired of being like these, yet I am beginning to get used to it.

Tons of thoughts went through me while I went home just now, on bus 169.
With so many friends being there for me, I wondered whether I should just break out from this cloud of uncertainty and make a choice.

Hmm, hope this night's sleep will give me the answer. And the psychological war in my head will end. Hmm.

Into the Sky

I hate this person.
He thinks the world revolves around him and thinks that he has the right to always feel so depressed and making everyone worry about him. Some even given up hope on him. He is a hypocrite, a liar, faking everytime. Never truthful to others and even himself. Sometimes he said he is going to be a better person, but it won't last. He is back to the lousy old self again. Inconsiderate and rebellious, if he continues, he will soon lose ALL his friends. What the hell is wrong with him? Even I don't understand him. Nobody will. But perhaps you can try. He never shares his problems with anyone, he dare not tell people his problems in person. Timid. Weakling.

And this person is me, myself, Marvin.

Another Sunday

Another day's been laid to waste.

My mind has lost direction.

Could this all be just a dream?

When I woke up I can do it all again.

Enemy

I am now my worst enemy. Man, ZERO for Maths Test.
Perhaps I am not cut-out for studying.
I create my own destiny, and I can destroy my own destiny too.
Good or bad? No one really knows.

Hmm, somehow I think that my mood is really like the weather-unpredictable and everchanging. I can be crappy and funny at times and also emo and depressed at times.

Just hope that I will be more of the crappy and funny side.

I don't know what to take
Thought I was focused but I'm scared
I'm not prepared
I hyperventilate.
Looking for hope somehow somewhere
And no one cares

What am I?

I can be my worst enemy or my best ally, it's all up to me.

I control my own destiny.

Minutes To Midnight

Yea, I finally bought Minutes To Midnight by Linkin Park! Yea! I am so happy! Got a free double-sided poster too! Yea!

Hmm, today on my way back after buying the CD, I saw Jun Wei! He's my primary school classmate! He's now in IJC. Haha. Hoping that there will be a Class Gathering soon. =)

Ok, off to watch Brainiac le. Yea, nice show, must watch, about everyday science. 10pm on Arts Central at every Tuesday. =)

Truth

WARNING: The following will be deemed as unreadable if
1. You want to still live in deceit that I am a good person.
2. You become emo or sad easily, especially after reading things that other people wrote.

Yup, so scroll below if you wanna read.


























Call this as immature or childish in thinking but I don't care. Man, today I wasn't really late unintentionally for school, I purposely did not switch on my alarm, to see whether will people know of my absence or not. Sadly, only a few sort of note my absence during Physics Lecture. Then after Chemistry Lecture, Zhiyi and I went out of school to see if Minutes To Midnight was released. Till now, nobody asked about us. These thoughts seems immature and childish but what I am actually doing is just making do for the world. Somehow I think that ever since I gone into JC, I have been feeling sad and emo for like almost infinite number of times. Except for during last year's Orientation 1 and being the OGL of OG 26 this year, I am never happy during these 2 years. Ok, perhaps last year's 1st three months I am still happy. But after that, especially during last year's 2nd Orientation, I became sad and emo. All my laughters and smiles are just perfunctory. All those crappings and lamings are just some desperate attempts to lift my mood up. Perhaps I have depression, I am not too sure about that either. Man, my brain sucks, I've forgotten what more else I wanted to write. Oh well. It can't be forced out. School sucks, class sucks, therefore my life sucks. I am just so childish and I can't wait to bash myself up.

By the way, like I said, I am very childish and immature in my thoughts, so I don't think all of your preachings will help. So leave me to be.

Lazy

Today bought a new bag! It's those backpack and it is black in colour. Hope it matches me. =)
Thanks to all who accompany me to buy bag, especially Jo'An, who is like my mother, helping me to check the bag for any faults when I am buying the bag. Haha!

Hmm, I am now still a little lazy, so far I only done the tuition homework. The rest still bits and pieces done. Hmm, so hope the studious mood will come back again then I can study and show the "non-mugger" or "anti-mugger", ZHIYI.

Hmm, another stuff. We must be happy with what we have. Even if we strive so hard as though there is no tomorrow, but nothing much came out of it, we must still rejoice as there is still that something little from that nothing much that came out. Do not let what others judged affect you, it is how you judge yourself. If you think that you did well, then you did well, congrats. If you think that you suck, think about why it suck and also find ways to improve it, think about what worked and what does not work, congrats as something good came out of it, and that is the experience.
Remember: Being 1st is better than 2nd, being 2nd is better than 3rd, being 3rd is better than 4th, ... ... ... , being last is better than not participated at all.

If you all felt nothing, or not that inspired, oh well. But I will try to improve on my motivating skills. So yea, off to sleep. Good night everybody! =)

Double-sided

Hmm, tempted to blog again. Haven't done ANY homework. Maybe later I try the Deductive Questions? Other subjects are boring.

Somehow I think that my motivation to study is like a sinusoidal curve or something like cyclical. Now it is at the trough, so uh-uh, no homework doing for now.

This thinking/action seems childish, immature. But somehow I feel that it is I who prefer it that way. Maybe being childish/immature will make me feel more like being here, on Earth.

Maybe there's a missing part in my life, and I am not talking about those lovey dovey relationships, but just this missing important part, sort of like an ignition key. And till now I still can't find out what is it, even doing so much thinking and having some revelations. What is it? What really is it?

I don't know. And I do want to find out.

Blog

Hmm, today's a little boring.
Actually, I have many things to lament about but I won't as it will put me in a bad light. Ego? Perhaps. But if I lament about everything I would sound like a wimp. Hmm, should be about ego bah I don't know, but someone once said that I actually do not have much confidence about myself. Which is true?

Oh yea, on my way home just now, I got some kind of 'revelation' or some sort-- Am I only used for Chemistry, and without Chemistry would I end up a loner? Hmm, I think I will stop here. It is getting to personal. If this blog is not public, I would gladly write what I want, but no, any stuffs that I write will be open to all. So I might as well keep mum.

This seems that blogs are redundant. Maybe I won't be blogging much anymore since I feel that I am so fake in my blog.

I Blog

Ok, long time never blog le. So I blog.

Hmm, I think I have a special ability, or perhaps some anchestral cavemen ability. During the night, about 2-3am or so, just when it is about to rain, I will wake up automatically and close the windows before I go back to sleep. It happens not once, not twice, but 4 times within these few weeks. Hmm, have my cavemen ability awaken? Or is it that this is a special ability? Hmm...

Yup, so that's all.