Editorial

The first time we entered a real chemistry laboratory, the processor told us - "feel it, touch it, see the-colour, smell it and taste it if I allow you to do so". It was quite interesting of course during practicals when a thin white precipitate was obtained, we were told that it is only turbidity due to impurities. We were later confused that a similar thing was a precipitate of low concentration.

Now an analytical chemistry laboratory looks different. Spectroscopic analysis - optical, ultraviolet, infrared, X- rays, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spectroscopy rule the roost. One can call this a chemistry laboratory or a physics laboratory depending on who is the chief of the division.

The father and son Bragg made the study of diffraction and X-ray spectroscopy, Pauling, Herzberg and Mulliken have been equally handling chemistry and physics. While physicists will do well to know more of chemistry, a good chemist cannot survive without a good knowledge of nuclear and atomic physics.

Integrated courses such as chemical physics and applied mathematics could attract more students towards pure research, not to mention biochemistry and molecular biology which will need a high dose of physics. In chemistry, more than senses, +1, the instrumental analysis, using objective techniques is becoming more important.