Dipolar

I have a few favorite chemistry t-shirts. One has a Texas Ranger badge with the five sub-disciplines listed one each arm of the star. Another has a classic joke: “Protons have mass? I didn’t know they were Catholic.” The one that seems to describe the way I have felt this past week is also the one least clear to non-chemists, eliciting the most odd looks and questions when worn. It simply says “I’m having a δipole moment.”

A brief chemistry lesson is necessary to explain this statement.

You know that molecules are surrounded by a cloud of electrons, just as a single atoms are. These electrons don't just stay in the same place and evenly separated all the time; they move around... a lot. Therefore, at any one time there could be more electrons over one side of the cloud than the other. This would give that side of the cloud a slightly negative charge and the other side a slightly positive charge (but only for a very short time). This change in charges is due to the dispersion of electrons. The slightly negatively charged side of the cloud will cause the electrons in a neighboring molecule's cloud to move away from it because like charges repel. This gives the neighboring molecule a slight positive charge on the side that is next to the original molecule's slightly negative charge; thus inducing a dipole. A permanent magnet (like the one’s one your fridge) owes its magnetism (“north” and “south” poles) to the intrinsic magnetic dipole moment of the electron.
A neutrally charged molecule, with no dipole develops a dipole moment when a charge particle or molecule with a dipole comes close enough. And dipole moments are represented by the Greek symbol delta δ (i.e. δ+ and δ-) (the fraction of a unit charge on each atom in a molecule).
Any questions class?

This week felt like a molecule of water, wich has a positive induced dipole on the Oxygen flanked by Hydrogens each bearing a partial positive charge. The week started off well, fairly typical happenings. Then Wednesday struck and I felt oppressed by the world. Nothing seemed to go right for the rest of the work week—the boss was in a tizzy over something for which I cannot provide a perfect solution; apathetic students; late for a workshop. Friday evening things started looking brighter again. Some of my favorite Sisters were visiting for the weekend--visiting parishes to promote vocations, speaking on the Feminine genius at the university, and witnessing a Jesuit priest’s final vows. The days were brighter and warmer, and I could see the positive more easily.

Hydrogen: Talking the long-way home by walking around the lake in the park and still getting home before sunset
Oxygen: Trying to communicate effectively (and calmly) with some collaborators on a long-overdue project with which I never wanted to become involved; Feeling pulled in several directions and unable to concentrate
Hydrogen: Witnessing my favorite SJ’s profession of final vows while he knelt in front of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar (Beautiful!)

Sweet dreams.