Barriers Quote by Roald Hoffmann
“One day I discovered that one could get the barrier to internal rotation in ethane approximately right using this method. This was the beginning of my work on organic molecules.”
About This Quote
A breakthrough in modeling ethane’s internal rotation sparked a broader research program on organic molecular structures.
In simple terms: A small insight launched a larger scientific pursuit.
Key Takeaway
Minor discoveries can seed major research.
Themes
chemistry
research methodology
scientific curiosity
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
scientific anecdote
research reflection
When to use this quote
- designing new catalysts
- teaching molecular geometry
- computational chemistry projects
Key Concepts
modeling of
incremental innovation
Practical Applications
- use simplified models to explore complex systems
- document early observations for future work
Questions to Reflect On
- When does a modest finding merit deeper investigation?
- What criteria justify expanding a research focus?
A Different Perspective
Early models may oversimplify, risking inaccurate predictions if not validated.
![“I was working with these very long-chain ... extended-chain polymers, where you had a lot of benzene rings in them. ... Transforming a polymer solution from a liquid to a fiber requires a process called spinning. ... We spun it and it spun beautifully. It [Kevlar] was very strong and very…” quote by Stephanie Kwolek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b09/stephanie-kwolek-65494_benzene_i-was-working-with-these-very-long-chain_2604573.jpg)
