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sargent1015
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Why did you get into Chemistry?
I know this topic has been covered before, but those threads are rather old and I noticed plenty of new faces around here. It is always nice to
remember where we started and what keeps us going, even in the despair of dropping our favorite condenser or failing a reaction one too many times.
My own experience:
Senior year of high school, my AP Chemistry teacher gave me a much looser leash to experiment and further expand upon our in class labs. This lead to
my love for chemistry demonstration, as I undertook numerous "gigs" to perform experiments for the younger chemistry classes. Deciphering the
incredible reactions to these young minds was not only fun, but rewarding.
This passion for science opened up a door for a job the following year as an intern at a pharmaceutical lab, where I fell in love with organic
chemistry. That was also when I became motivated to do experiments in my dorm room  (Thank you NurdRage if you are still actively reading this forum)
This hobby is becoming a career, which is the most amazing feeling in the world. I get paid to be in a lab synthesizing, purifying, and analyzing and
I would not have it any other way.
So ScienceMadness, why do you spend countless hours on this hobby?
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Random
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Honestly I don't know, when I was 12 I saw some cartoon with a guy who was alchemist and I wanted to do some chemistry experiments myself, being
interested in them even before. Unfortunatelly I didn't know almost anything and started doing it more at 14. Same time when I joined this site. To me
it seems very interesting manipulating the blocks of nature. Especially organic chemistry, that's the most interesting to me.
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bfesser
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I could try to give a complicated explanation for myself, but it really distills down to one factor.
<img src="http://cdn0.meme.li/instances/300x300/23652816.jpg" width="150" />
[Edited on 7/1/13 by bfesser]
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plante1999
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I always loved rocks, and there composition even if I didn't understand much about it. I was about 7 back then, I learned the periodic table by heart
at that time. When I was about 10-11, I started wanting to plate metals with others metals, but I saw I knew not enough in chemistry, so I started
learning it. And I got back to my mineralogy hobby with chemistry skills now.
I never asked for this.
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amazingchemistry
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I got into it because:
1. Solving qualitative analysis puzzles stimulates me
2. Synthesis makes me feel sort of like I guess a farmer would feel, making something awesome out of nothing, with just your knowledge and your
ingenuity
3. Learning how and why the world works the way it does, everything from why plants are green to why my beer makes such a nice foam, has always
fascinated me.
In short, I got into it for the same reason I think most people on this forum did, because is damn awesome 
Always remember to check your pride at the door and ask that "stupid" question. Learning comes from having your "stupid" questions answered.
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The_Davster
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Models and Bottles.
and explosives.
[Edited on 2-7-13 by The_Davster]
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bfesser
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Yes, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome" target="_blank">Asperger's</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />.
[Edited on 7/9/13 by bfesser]
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Funkerman23
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No shame meant or implied,please forgive my epic blunder.I too have AS.
With chemistry it started from trying to dig deeper holes& tunnels when I was a kid to my current assorted projects ranging from Synthetic
petroleum research to the total synthesis of many reagents. Suffice to say from energetics to synthetic fuels to simply learning to make what everyone
else buys it's been an experience that is without equal. It It has become a huge part of my life and I thank God for that.It is the central science.
EDIT: removed my rude question.
[Edited on 2-7-2013 by Funkerman23]
" the Modern Chemist is inundated with literature"-Unknown
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sonogashira
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For the glamour, the excitement, the....!
(What's aspergers when it's at home? Can non-Americans have it too? I've never heard of it in all my life... )
[Edited on 2-7-2013 by sonogashira]
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DrSchnufflez
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I got into it because of my mothers uni
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DrSchnufflez
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Sorry for the double post, I accidentally hit post instead of I (I'm on an iPod touch)
I got into it because I started to read my mothers uni chem textbook called "general chemistry a systematic approach" second edition at about 13. I
got hooked and the fascination has developed.
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sonogashira
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Reading Faraday's "Chemistry of the Candle" got me into chemistry. Royal institute Christmas lectures!
(Did you hear there's a new VLC player for iPod touch coming soon? I'm excited...)
[Edited on 2-7-2013 by sonogashira]
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bfesser
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Do you mean <em>The Chemical History of a Candle</em>—a series of lectures given by Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution,
which was later published from transcripts? <em>The Chemistry of a Candle</em> is a fictional story based on Faraday's lecture, but
written by Percival Leigh and Charles Dickens.
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sonogashira
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Yes indeed. Have you read it? I like the lecture where he makes himself electrical to ignite the balloon with his finger! http://www.bartleby.com/30/
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bfesser
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Yes, I have read it a few times, and highly recommend it to all who are interested in chemistry and the history of chemistry.
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hyfalcon
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Started out as a pursuit of black powder, moved on to other various oxidizers and the processes behind them.
Chemistry is but one facet in the jewel of my knowledge.
Incomplete gem thought that it is.
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annaandherdad
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My father was a chemistry major in the 1930's with some graduate work. My parents gave me a Chem Craft chemistry set when I was about 12. I read
my father's old textbooks and learned chemistry that way, so my chemistry education in many ways dates from the thirties. The organic book was a
text by James B. Conant, who later became president of Harvard. I was quite passionate about chemistry for a year or two, then my interests turned to
mathematics, astronomy and physics. In those days a teenager like me could order anything by mail (sulfuric and nitric acid, carbon disulfide, even
white phosphorus) and it would just arrive. I've recently become interested in amateur chemistry again, initially because my daughter got fascinated
with the Nurdrage videos. Now I'm just having fun, and she looks over my shoulder.
Any other SF Bay chemists?
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Metacelsus
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Yet again, Asperger's! Although, my father was instrumental in helping me set up my basement lab while I was homeschooled and learning chemistry.
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weiming1998
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I got into chemistry when I was 12. I first electrolysed water with a lantern battery, some wires and a crude electrode (a small sheet of copper)
after I saw a diagram of the electrolysis of water in a chemistry textbook. After many unsuccessful attempts, I finally collected some hydrogen gas
from the apparatus. Then I thought to myself, "What other cool stuff can I make?" and thus I started to search around various shops for interesting
chemicals that I can play with, while looking up things like "how to make sulfuric acid by electrolysis" on the internet. This marked the beginning of
my journey into chemistry.
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sargent1015
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Quote: Originally posted by annaandherdad  | | I've recently become interested in amateur chemistry again, initially because my daughter got fascinated with the Nurdrage videos. Now I'm just
having fun, and she looks over my shoulder. |
That is adorable and awesome, I truly hope I get to share that experience when I have kids someday. 
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MrHomeScientist
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My interest in general chemistry started with a more specific interest in creating a periodic table collection. I've always liked collecting things
(rocks & minerals, coins, etc.), and there's something very satisfying to me about having all of the building blocks of the universe! It's also
amazing to me that one single proton makes the difference between gold (solid, yellow, and inert) and mercury (liquid, silver, and toxic). Some of my
very first home chemistry experiments were thermites, to produce elemental metals for my collection. From there, I got more and more interested in
inorganic chemistry and all the amazing experiments and things you can do with it. Many of my experiments still have the ultimate goal of isolating an
element for the collection, but I've branched out considerably to do lots of neat reactions and demos for my own enjoyment
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skeletal-clown
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I've just always been curious. That and I get bored easily and absolutely HATE it, so I'll do just about anything to prevent it.
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Vargouille
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Back when I was in middle school (which seems like ages ago), I had a friend who was in high school. We rode the same bus because of stuff that isn't
germane to why I got into chemistry. One day, she told me a story about how her chemistry teacher had been dropping various metals into water to show
what would happen. You can probably tell where this is going already. Anyway, her teacher was dropping the various metals, and nothing much was
happening. Then, he took a lump of sodium and dropped it in, backing up quickly. Apparently, nothing much happened at first, but then it "exploded".
Needless to say, I was quite excited to see this wondrous material. Haven't seen it in person yet, but I'm still young. Bit of a bait-'n'-switch
there, but it's been fun enough so far.
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Intergalactic_Captain
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I have AS too! Probably, who knows... I have always outright refused any psychological/psychiatric analysis - Once that marker is placed, you must
tread hell and high water to change it... For those who hail from the USA, I live in NY - there's probably something legally wrong with me, but
nothing on file with the state (I'm an upstanding citizen in the eyes of the SAFE act)... Just wait until the DSM-V is ratified and published - lots
of new psychiatric disorders, and AS will be nothing more than a number in the Autistic Spectrum scale... I don't mean to be crude here, but things
are about to change in less than a year...
...For me it started with pyrotechnics... I remember being at a very young age, unraveling strands of ladyfingers to be used as shell inserts...
Then helping build the shells, then planning, then trying to figure out just how it all worked.... Then arguing with the guys above me as to just how
a particular effect was made...
This really sparked my earliest research into chemistry - Anyone can follow a cookbook style formula - But trying to figure out how it all worked and
how to work with what was available to achieve the effects I desired is what really drew me in. From there, it's pretty much standard - HE's, drugs,
back to HE's, back to drugs, then something clicks and you realize that mechanisms are what you should really be focusing on... So then there's
college, writing papers for five different people, running a graduate research lab as an undergrad, and so on and so forth....
...Long story short, when I grew up, and i'm not that old, I could get away with nurturing my hobbies - my little sister, 10 years younger, can't do
that... Curiosity, dumb luck, and a rural location worked for me - And now that I've got most of that back, perhaps a 5 year hiatus can be upturned.
. . research only goes so far before one simply must experiment...
If you see me running, try to keep up.
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subsecret
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I don't even know how I became interested in chemistry...
It probably roots back to my childhood, as I was practically born with a wrench in my hand. I never went to Toys-R-Us, I preferred Lowe's. My dad
taught me a lot about mechanical and electrical engineering.
Between 5th and 6th grade, my school was getting a new science teacher. He decided to have a little bit of a "summer camp" for those who were
interested in science and electricity. There were few people in the group (I go to a small school), thus allowing lots of fun. We launched several
rockets, did some forensic testing, and messed around with some chemicals...
After this, YouTube became one of my main educational resources for chemistry. During the start of my chemistry hobby, I mainly watched videos that
demonstrated techniques such as filtration and distillation. Soon thereafter, I bought some beakers and Erlenmeyer flasks online.
When I became interested in the actual "interactions" part of chemistry, I was ready. I knew how to recrystallize, filter, distill, and perform other
tasks.
At this point, I'm a somewhat proficient chemist. I moved recently, and my new house has a very nice basement to do experiments. I tucked my lab table
and shelves away in a corner, and I installed a sink to provide a source of running water.
And that is how I got started.
Fear is what you get when caution wasn't enough.
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