Rutgers Learn and Go

Subject: AI

This episode introduces artificial intelligence (AI), differentiating between strong AI (general, human-level intelligence) and narrow AI (focused on specific tasks like image recognition). It contrasts traditional programming, rule-based and manual, with machine learning, which involves training models on vast datasets. The document then explores building AI solutions using pre-trained models, automated machine learning, or creating custom models from scratch, highlighting the various approaches and challenges involved in each method. 

[AI Generated]

Subject: Organic Chemistry

This deep dive explains relative and absolute configurations in stereochemistry, focusing on how to determine them. Relative configuration compares a molecule to a reference molecule, while absolute configuration describes a molecule's exact 3D structure using the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog (CIP) priority rules to assign R or S descriptors. The deep dive also covers E/Z nomenclature for alkenes, which uses CIP rules to describe double bond geometry. Finally, it describes Fischer projections, a 2D representation of molecules simplifying visualization of chiral centers.

[AI Generated]

Subject: Organic Chemistry

Configurational isomers, unlike conformational isomers, require bond breaking to interconvert. The deep dive focuses on two main types: enantiomers, which are nonsuperimposable mirror images with identical properties except for optical activity, and diastereomers, which are not mirror images and possess distinct properties. Chirality, or handedness, is central to understanding these isomers, with chiral centers (sp3 hybridized atoms with four different substituents) being key identifiers. A special case, meso compounds, possesses chiral centers but is achiral due to internal symmetry, exhibiting no optical activity. Finally, cis-trans isomers are a specific subtype of diastereomers.

[AI Generated]

Subject: Organic Chemistry

Isomers, molecules with the same formula but different atom arrangements, are classified into structural and stereoisomers. The focus of this deep dive, conformational isomers, a type of stereoisomer, arise from rotations around single bonds, resulting in various spatial arrangements with different energies. Cyclic conformations, a subset of conformational isomers, involve ring-shaped molecules and their unique three-dimensional structures determined by minimizing strain. Understanding these conformations is crucial because they significantly impact a molecule's physical and chemical properties, particularly its reactivity and interactions with other molecules.

[AI Generated]

The IUPAC naming convention (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) is a systematic method for naming chemical compounds to ensure consistency and clarity worldwide. Here is an overview of the rules and guidelines for naming organic compounds:

IUPAC Naming Procedure

1. Identify the Longest Carbon Chain (Parent Chain)

• Choose the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms as the parent chain.
• If multiple chains have the same length, select the chain with the greatest number of substituents attached.

2. Number the Carbon Chain

• The carbon numbered 1 will be the one closest to the highest-priority functional group
• If the functional groups have the same priority, numbering the chain should make the numbers of the substituted carbons as low as possible
• The more oxidized the carbon is, the higher its priority in the molecule
• Oxidation states increases with more bonds to heteroatoms (atoms besides carbon and hydrogen, like oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, or halogens) and decreases with more bonds to hydrogen
• Rings are also numbered starting at the point of greatest substitution, and continues in the direction that gives the lowest numbest to the highest-priority function groups
  • Double bond takes precedence over a triple bond if there is a tie in priority 

3. Identify and Name Substituents

• To clarify, substituents are functional groups that aren’t part of the parent chain
• Name substituents (side chains) as prefixes.
• Common substituents include:
  • Alkyl groups (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl).
  • Halogens (e.g., fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo).
• For multiple identical substituents, use prefixes such as di-, tri-, tetra-.
• Carbon chain substituents are names like alkanes,with the suffix -yl replacing -ane. 
• The prefix n- indicates that  the alkane is normale (straight chain)

4. Assign Locants to Substituents

• Indicate the position of each substituent using the corresponding carbon number in the parent chain.
  • Multiple substituents of the same type will get di-, tri, and tetra- prefixes
• Separate numbers from each other with commas and separate numbers from letters with hyphens.

5. Assemble the Name

• Substituents are listed alphabetically, ignoring prefixes like di-, tri-, and tetra- (but not iso- or neo-).
• Combine the substituents, parent chain name, and functional group (if any).
• Numbers are separated with each other with commas, anf from words with hyphens
• We end the name with the backbone chain, including the suffix for the functional group of highest priority

6. Include Functional Groups

IUPAC Functional Group Priority Table

Priority | Functional Group  | Suffix                 | Prefix
1             | Carboxylic acid     | -oic acid             | Carboxy-
2            | Anhydride               | -oic anhydride | —
3            | Ester                         | -oate                  | Alkoxycarbonyl-
4            | Acid halide             | -oyl halide         | Halocarbonyl-
5&

This deep dive uncovers the process of digestion, exploring the roles of various organs involved. This deep dive also goes over how things can go wrong in the abdomen and how to improve digestive health.

[AI Generated]

This deep dive of the elbow provides an examination of elbow anatomy and the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels involved in the elbow.

[AI Generated]

In this deep dive, we'll look through the rate laws and compare zero order, first order, and second order reactions.

[AI Generated]

Subject: Biology

This discussion focuses on water-soluble messenger pathways. We examine different types of receptors for water-soluble messengers. 

Article Version: https://medium.com/@amt303/water-soluble-messenger-pathways-episode-4-360fddcaa59a 

Host: Hello, my name is Ashish Thomas. I'm a Biomedical Engineering student on the premed track at Rutgers University. I'm very passionate about engineering, and I hope to use my skills to contribute to technological advancements in medicine. I have studied the human body in detail as I have obtained various personal training and health certifications. I have used my knowledge to educate others through fitness courses and my podcast. I hope to continue learning about the fascinating field of health and medicine.

Subject: General Chemistry

This discussion focuses on intermolecular and intramolecular forces. We start by going over intramolecular forces by examining covalent and ionic bonds. We then shift our discussion to the different types of intermolecular forces and their properties. 

Article Version: https://medium.com/@amt303/intermolecular-and-intramolecular-forces-episode-3-0e5d9b4a6f57 

Host: Hello, my name is Ashish Thomas. I'm a Biomedical Engineering student on the premed track at Rutgers University. I'm very passionate about engineering, and I hope to use my skills to contribute to technological advancements in medicine. I have studied the human body in detail as I have obtained various personal training and health certifications. I have used my knowledge to educate others through fitness courses and my podcast. I hope to continue learning about the fascinating field of health and medicine