IDEAL GAS EQUATION!

Chemistry wasn’t my favourite subject back then in secondary school. I loved the aspects that had to do with change in matter, the simple laws and other uncomplicated ones.

Amongst the laws, there was one that stuck. Not because it was simple or anything. But because I felt it applied not just to nature, but to life. It was the ‘ideal gas law’. I won’t go into the science details but I remember my chemistry teacher further explaining that “An ideal gas’ reactions are totally predictable due to its ideal nature. But there is no ideal gas as under certain conditions, even inert gases can behave in a manner contradicting their unreactive nature...”.

You could look it up for additional information.

Why did I say it applied to life? It’s very easy to tell others, ‘Why did you do that...’ ‘But you should’ve known that...’ ‘Couldn’t you have seen that...’ ‘You shouldn’t have talked back like that...’ ‘ That was so immature...’ et cetera. As onlookers, we most times tend to see how much better someone else should’ve handled a situation, done something, replied someone and so much more. We tend to spot the seemingly IDEAL path that should’ve been followed. But even in nature, there is no ideal gas. The same oxygen we need to live also fuels fire that kills.

The biggest room is the room for improvement – Yes, but improvement should not be equalled to perfection. It is a process. We undergo inelastic collision as humans with humans. All having different energies and never bouncing back with the same energy after certain interactions (sorry for the science). We will not always say or do the right things. We are bound to making mistakes. It is not to excuse all actions but to serve as a reminder that we are not ideal but simply human. An idealistic approach to life will most likely end in frustration and hurt.