Throughout their everyday lives, individuals perceive the world around them in a variety of ways; walking on ground which seems solid and smooth, despite being quite uneven on a microscopic scale, or making measurements which seem to be effectively exact, but, again, show a high degree of inaccuracy on a microscopic scale. Indeed, the concept of scale is one that humans have attempted to defeat throughout their entire history. However, the current radius of the visible universe is roughly 1.3 × 1028 meters, while that of a proton is about 8.25 × 10-16 m. Since both of these scales are effectively impossible to observe, humans attempt to use tools and machines to achieve further knowledge, despite the inherent uncertainty present in them. This, in conjunction with theories and models, is used to explain worldly phenomena. However, as direct observation and measurement is impossible, these models do not represent an objective truth; they are subject to change upon the discovery of new phenomena, as the existence of a phenomenon precedes the existence of a theory used to describe it. Furthermore, recent scientific theories and deductions challenge the very capability of human knowledge, such as the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to know the position of a particle and its momentum simultaneously with very high accuracy. Similarly, in terms of the universe, humans have encountered the 3-body problem; simultaneous interactions between many objects affect each other, rendering it difficult for humans to quantitatively predict the reactions of such systems (like the helium atom, which features two electrons, two protons, and two neutrons.)
As such, the human quest for an objective truth and determinacy is ultimately fated to fail, for we are trapped between the layers of a world beyond ours, as shown by the different layers of the poster. Although the “universe” is seen to possess an infinite list of data describing everything in the universe, this mythical list, an objective truth, is shown to be far beyond the reach of humans. Furthermore, this sort of inherent indeterminacy in the world is shown by the drawing of all natural things – the universe, the human, and even matter( though our view of it is artificial ) in oil pastel, a rather murky drawing tool. The lack of clarity in the depictions of natural things indicate the uncertainty of all natural things, whereas the pencil markings on white poster background indicate man-made constructs; the flawed representations which mankind creates to explain the worlds outside of its reach due to the difference in scale, shown by the magnifying glasses around each layer. The inability of the scientists to accurately understand what precisely occurs within the molecule is also shown when the scientists attempt to break molecular bonds by physically forcing an oversized molecule apart.
Furthermore, the project relates to chemistry in particular through its depiction of several of Peter Atkins’s “Big Ideas”, incorporating the atomic model, molecular bonding, molecular shape, and the conservation of energy. Though the existence of the atom is a fundamental concept that lies at the core of chemistry, the artwork emphasizes the models used to describe such a structure. The aforementioned scientists are seen attempting to pull a ball-and-stick molecule apart, but they fail to see the orbital model that is said to exist, allowing an atom to form and bond with other atoms (though this, again, is a model; orbitals were chosen to represent the “reality” of atomic structure.) From there, one can observe that the electrons, not visible by the scientists trapped in a two-dimensional plane between the inner and outer boards, pair within the two bonding elements, showing that chemical bonds form between two atoms when their electrons pair. Furthermore, the scientists’ struggle to separate the bonded atoms illustrates another important idea – the conservation of energy. As energy was released from the substance when the aforementioned bonds were made, it is shown that energy must be added to the molecule to separate the atoms, returning them to the initial state. Finally, the upper magnifying glass demonstrates another essential component of chemistry: molecular shape and its cause, intermolecular force. The structure of graphene, a planar allotrope of carbon featuring sp2 bonds, is depicted in the fly’s eye as a series of interconnected hexagons. (This is made in contrast to an actual fly’s compound eye, which has a similar structure,) Furthermore, boric acid, H3BO3 (aq), has a similar structure, featuring sp2 bonds to hydroxide groups, which then interact with other hydroxide groups from other boric acid molecules via hydrogen bonding, demonstrating not only a molecular shape but also the importance of intermolecular forces within a substance.
Works Cited
Internet:
Boric acid, intermolecular forces
Definition and information on progress (only partial solutions) to 3-body problem