Freaky Flashback
So, we're getting ready to embark on a discussion of the Doctrine of Equivalents in my patent law class. My professor recites the facts of the case -- an inventor had created a flux that made it much easier for people who weren't trained welders to weld pipes; the plaintiff's flux contained magnesium, and the defendant's flux contained manganese. "Manganese? Magnesium? They sound pretty similar; are they equivalents? Let's ask some of the chemists in the room. Dr. Frese?"
"Well, I'm no doctor, but yeah, they're pretty different elements."
"Really? How many electrons does magnesium have in its outer shell?"
"Two."
"And how many does manganese have?"
"Seven."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Frese. That'll be all for today; we're out of time. We'll resume our discussion of the doctrine of equivalents in next class."
Immediately following class, I had eerie flashbacks of being quizzed about how many d electrons were in the outer shell of a Rh2+ ion. Some things change, some things stay the same, I suppose.
"Well, I'm no doctor, but yeah, they're pretty different elements."
"Really? How many electrons does magnesium have in its outer shell?"
"Two."
"And how many does manganese have?"
"Seven."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Frese. That'll be all for today; we're out of time. We'll resume our discussion of the doctrine of equivalents in next class."
Immediately following class, I had eerie flashbacks of being quizzed about how many d electrons were in the outer shell of a Rh2+ ion. Some things change, some things stay the same, I suppose.