Chemistry letter indicator

[Chris Clemens]

Hi Betty! I've a difficult with the use or not use of letter indicator. I'm transcribing a Chemistry book for the first time, I sent you in attachment the examples and my questions. Do I use Nemeth Code or Chemistry Code.
Thanks in advance!
edited by jymico on 6/6/2012

[Chris Clemens]

Hello. Thank you for attaching the file with your questions. Yes, you must follow the rules of the Chemistry Code for this table in Appendix 3. If the book is not using Chemistry Code in the entire transcription, you simply state that you are following that code for this Appendix 3.

Chemical SYMBOLS are not treated like braille abbreviations nor are they treated like braille single letters. For example, N for nitrogen is simply "cap n" and is punctuated mathematically. The SYMBOLS are not treated differently within narrative. In other words, do NOT use an English letter indicator for the SYMBOL N for nitrogen. Read Section 3.5 in the Chem Code. Two-letter chemical SYMBOLS always show the second letter in lowercase. If you see two capital letters in a row, such as CO, that is two elements -- carbon and oxygen -- "cap c cap o" with a dot 6 math comma--no spaces unless print shows a space.

Physical states (solid, liquid or aqueous, gas, crystalline) are in parentheses -- do not retain the italics, do not use English letter indicators. See Chem Code Sec.9.2 for a discussion of physical states.

Superscripts and subscripts follow the usual Nemeth Code rules. Follow print spacing for example S(rhombic) has no space (and no ELI). Same goes for P(white) and P(red).

Your question about g/mol is out of context and so I cannot give a definitive answer.
Scientific abbreviations in a chemistry transcription follow the rules of the Nemeth Code EXCEPT they are spaced as in print and they are punctuated mathematically. So .. g/mol uses an ELI for the g as long as there is a space before the g and as long as this is in the context of an abbreviation. If the g is an abbreviation and is unspaced from what precedes it, no ELI is needed. If g/mol is being used as a variable, no ELI is used. (Variables are usually printed in italics so they are easy to identify -- study the book to see how the printer has been identifying variables throughout.) Section 9 of the Chem Code covers abbreviations in a chemistry transcription in more detail.

The organic molecular formulae shown at the bottom of page 3 of your file are simple to do in Chem Code. You do not separate the letters. Section 4.1.3 of the Chem Code shows a simple molecular formula for benzene as an example. Your first formula: CH3COOH is straightforward cap c cap h Nemeth 3 cap c cap o cap o cap h, all unspaced, no subscript indicator for the numeral. Fun. It will be another matter formatting the wide table!

Take some time to learn what you are looking at, finding out what it is called, and then researching it in the Chemistry Code. Keep asking questions if you are uncertain.

Appendix 4 in the attached pdf document is back to math, not chemistry. The two functions you have pointed out follow rules of the Nemeth Code for functions (Rule XVII). Your specific question about dots 56 in "log B" is answered in Sec. 27.a of the Nemeth Code which is discussing nonuse of the English letter indicator: the letter B does not use an ELI. The letters A and B have individual identities in "Log AB" and so are individually capitalized.

I'm not familiar with the term "stuck symbol."

[Chris Clemens]

Thanks Lindy!
On section 9 of chemistry code the general rules said Do not use contractions So in the example 9.1-1: acyl-S-CoA
Why we use the ELI before the S if we don't use the contraction.

I sent you in attachment an other example of ELI. I've difficult with the use.
for the word stuck means join, attach
Sorry for my poor english i'm french Quebecker!

Thanks!

[betty.marshall]

I am so glad you brought up this example. (Example 9.1-1 acyl-S-CoA on page 121 of the Chemistry Codebook.) This is the first example in Section 9 which discusses abbreviations and acronyms. When examples are taken out of context, unless you are familiar with the topic it is sometimes hard to know exactly what you are looking at. In this case, the letter S is not representing the element sulfur. It is an abbreviation (something to do with left hand/right hand orientation in organic molecules, within the subject of stereochemistry) and so --as an abbreviation-- it carries the English letter indicator because it is a single letter. You are correct that *if it represented sulfur, there would be no ELI.

The elements in the Periodic Table are *not abbreviations. They are chemical symbols. When following the Chemistry code, do not use ELIs with chemical symbols, in any context (narrative, structure, table).

The trick here is to know whether the letter is an abbreviation or an element. In the context of a textbook, you will probably know. If you don't understand the material, find someone --a chemist, a chemistry teacher-- who can tell you what you are looking at. Sometimes the internet can help, too.

I send greetings to la Belle Province!

[Lindy Walton]

I neglected to mention that --in this case-- S is the abbreviation for "sinister" which means "situated to the left" in this context.

[Lindy Walton]

Hi Lindy, I've some questions about Nemeth with dots 56.
If I've m/cm2 (2 = superscript) does the letter m takes dots 56?
If I've m/cm does the letter m takes dots 56?
If I've m/m2 (2 = superscript) Do the two letters m take dots 56?
If I've this sentence: change it to g/cm, do I uncontracted the to? Does the letter g takes dots 56?
If I've 3 m+7 m Does the first m takes dots 56 before the mathematical sign?

Thanks and have a good day!

[Lindy Walton]

Hi, this is Betty replying instead of Lindy.
See Rule VIII, Section 51 of the Nemeth Braille Code. Since the abbreviation, m, is not followed by a period (that applies to it)it must be preceded by the English-letter indicator (dots 56). The same applies to the abbreviation, g, for grams. Even when a superscript is applied to the abbreviation, you must still use the letter indicator.
See also Rule IX, Section 55c.ii. for the use of contractions to, into, and by with abbreviations.
Hope this clarifies your questions.
Betty

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