The Uncertainty of Theories
And why that is the beauty of science
Do you remember those dot-and-cross diagrams from your school days? You know, the ones where little electrons hopped between atoms ?
Maybe you also came across Lewis structures — those minimalist sketches of molecules that explained atomic bonding (any distant bells ringing yet?):
Then things got a bit more complicated from there, right ?
Some of y’all with better memory may remember the existence of quantum numbers such as the s,p,d,f numbers and the idea of “spin” for electrons. (I am probably losing half of y’all here already)
You will have been introduced to the VSEPR model to explain the shapes and structures of molecules and their properties.
Lastly, to those who went even further in your chemical studies, maybe with advanced organic chemistry, you would realize that beyond VSEPR, we now have the Molecular Orbital theory.
And I truly believed that was the current satisfactory pinnacle of our understandings of chemical bonding.
So imagine my shock-mingled-with-happiness, when I found this on YouTube:
(For the curious, as it turns out, Charge Controlled Structures are just a variation of the current MO theory that prioritizes charges over frontier orbitals)
Here’s the point of my chemistry rabbit hole: this is science’s greatest charm.
Every theory I mentioned — dot-and-cross diagrams, VSEPR, MO theory — has its strengths and flaws. None of them are perfect, nor are they meant to be. The beauty of science lies in its constant evolution.
Every new model isn’t just a correction of old ideas but a celebration of humanity’s relentless quest to understand the universe.
It is an evolution in its own sense — a development of humanity’s collective knowledge.
And some people fail to appreciate that fully — theories are often scoffed at for being “just theories”.
But scientists make distinctions between theories and axioms because of the very intelligent realization that it is impossible to truly know everything or be fully perfect in our mathematical models.
The reason why many theories are covered and explained in our studies (even if we fail to use them in our daily lives) is to culture our appreciation of the ever-changing face of science, and how research is never-ending.
Science isn’t static, and neither is our understanding of the world.
So, the next time you hear someone grumble about “scientific uncertainty,” remind them: uncertainty is the heart of discovery.
