Chemistry and Spirituality

As I was writing notes for my General Chemistry class today there were so many terms I wrote that made me think of how easily they can be applied to our spiritual lives.  Yes...chemistry is related to life – in so many ways.  I have studied all these terms many times before but suddenly I am seeing them with a different perspective.

SURFACE TENSION

This is evaporation of the molecules from the surface but because of not enough energy and more intermolecular forces the surface molecules are not able to leave thus causing a film on the surface of the liquid.  The elasticity of this film is called surface tension.  It is dependent directly on intermolecular forces and indirectly on temperature.

1) This got me thinking about how children in a family are like those surface molecules, ready to leave but not able to because of the familial intermolecular forces, but energy gained from education and jobs makes them want to leave their container (home).  This creates the tension in the container, and the children are left in this tension where they sometimes are not able to belong either to home or to the outside world.  This is apparent when kids have very few friends or are sometimes not able to be successful in life for some reason or another.

One can view this in different ways:

One is that a molecule sometimes needs to leave the container to be able to go places….and the other point of view is that if the intermolecular forces are strong then one can have a good family life since everyone stays together.  Depending on one’s circumstances one can view from either point of view.  Of course in the former case if all molecules start leaving the container, there comes a time when there are no molecules left in the container.  There is also this little equilibrium on the surface of a liquid where molecules keep leaving and coming back.  That could be the best kind of situation, where an equilibrium is maintained, where the molecule is allowed to leave and come back.

2) The other aspect of surface tension is “us” individually.  We have this inner self which is in perfect equilibrium within us, however there is a whole surface personality that comes out when we deal with other people.  Our inner values (intermolecular forces) create the tension with the outer world (maya).  During the times of stress, if we have low intermolecular forces (values) then we lose to the outer world and vaporize.  But strong values give us the depth and stability we need in this world of high temperature.

VISCOSITY

The ability of a liquid to flow. It is also dependent on intermolecular forces and temperature.

We as human beings are in constant motion in this world.  Our basic nature is to keep moving, how fast or slow depends on our intermolecular forces: our attachment to family and our values.  The more we have of those two the slower we will move.  Slow here does not necessarily mean bad.  When we move slowly we can see where we are going and how we are getting to where we are going.  The faster we move the more the chances that we might go the wrong way or lose our way.  Speed makes you lose control (as in a car).Moving slower also means we have more control over our actions.  

Higher temperature decreases viscosity i.e. a liquid moves faster.  In human beings high temperature can be anger, temperamental nature etc., and those might lead to a person's molecules moving faster than normal, and then he tends to lose control.  So I think high viscosity is good for a human being.

VAPOR PRESSURE

This is the evaporation of molecules from a substance which then exert pressure on the substance.  Vapor pressure also increases with temperature, as more molecules would evaporate. High intermolecular forces cause the vapor pressure to be less.

Here again we have to think about our nature and values (intermolecular forces).  How volatile are we? Do we lose our molecules (cool and values) at the slight increase temperature of a situation?  And suppose the vapor pressure does increase due to some reason, do we start boiling and lose total control of ourselves then? 

So keep your intermolecular forces high and hold on to your molecules.

CRITICAL TEMPERATURE

The temperature at which no amount of pressure can turn a vapor back to its liquid state.

One can view this from two points:

1) One is where you reach such a point in your life that no matter how much pressure the world exerts on you, you are at a different level of life where nothing can affect you and you remain in your state you choose to be in. 

2) The other view is that you are so far gone in your bad habits that no amount of knowledge or education can bring your back to your normal self. 

You decide where you want to be!

TRIPLE POINT

The temperature and pressure at which all three phases: gas, liquid and solid exist.

I think this point is the bliss point! We can exist in our fullest potential at this point.  This would be where the world (maya), the divine and the mortal coexist in perfect balance and harmony then that would be bliss.  This is not an easy point to reach but once reached would make anyone to want to be in that balance all the time.