# A Mole of Chemists **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697 "2012-03-13T23:07:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/1 "2012-03-13T23:07:11Z")
So - this may as well serve as my first thread ever. Getting bolder I guess. The other day I was walking down the hallway at work and I just happened to be walking about 20 feet behind my supervisor. So I say, “Hey! It’s a parade of chemists!” Because I’m just that funny. This led me to the obvious compulsion to come up with a term for groups of scientists (and branching out into other areas) with the following results: A Mole of Chemists A Detail of Engineers A Conglomerate of Geologists A Gallery of Artists A Reserve of Bankers A Case of Lawyers A Stand of Foresters A School of Teachers A Galaxy of Astronomers An Infestation of Entomologists A Series of Mathematicians A Body of Physicians A Quantum of Physicists A Colony of Microbiologists A Stack of Librarians A Crop of Farmers An Aquifer of Hydrologists Have I left anyone out? Please don’t tell me this has been done before, because you will ruin my pride in my sense of creativity. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/2 "2012-03-14T09:45:16Z")
> [@Crab\_Rangoon](#): > > A Quantum of Physicists A single physicist (is there any other sort?) would be a _Quanta_. A group of physicists would be an _Interference_. You can figure out what a _Superposition of physicists_ would be 😉 Si ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/3 "2012-03-14T15:34:33Z")
I knew I’d get a correction on that one - Thanks! Right? Quanta = plural of Quantum… rusty Latin. Let’s go with Interference! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/4 "2012-03-14T15:59:08Z")
A scribble of writers. A panel of cartoonists. An opinion of editorial columnists. A blurb of publicists. A legend of mapmakers. A manual of technical writers. An easel of painters. A roller of house painters. A board of drywallers. A nail of carpenters. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/5 "2012-03-14T16:02:01Z")
Possibly I’m a bit too literal-minded, but I looked at the thread title and wondered how many millenia it would be until the number of human chemists ever reached [Avogadro’s number.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avogadro_constant) ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/6 "2012-03-14T16:05:21Z")
> [@Crab\_Rangoon](#): > > I knew I’d get a correction on that one - Thanks! > > Right? Quanta = plural of Quantum… rusty Latin. Let’s go with Interference! Right, and why would you want the plural? You don’t have several collections of physicists. You have only one collection of physicists. You had it right the first time- “quantum”. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/7 "2012-03-14T16:35:00Z")
A structure of architects A panda of creationists A cell of biologists A consciousness of psychologists A mischief of rodeo clowns A cube of mimes A walk of zombies A trample of jockeys ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/8 "2012-03-14T16:42:59Z")
An organ of biologists A ledger of accountants A magazine of shooters A truckload of drivers A basket of weavers A bundle of knitters ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/9 "2012-03-14T16:53:26Z")
> [@Crab\_Rangoon](#): > > So - this may as well serve as my first thread ever. Getting bolder I guess. > > The other day I was walking down the hallway at work and I just happened to be walking about 20 feet behind my supervisor. So I say, “Hey! It’s a parade of chemists!” Because I’m just that funny. > > This led me to the obvious compulsion to come up with a term for groups of scientists (and branching out into other areas) with the following results: > > A Mole of Chemists > A Detail of Engineers > A Conglomerate of Geologists > A Gallery of Artists > A Reserve of Bankers > A Case of Lawyers > A Stand of Foresters > A School of Teachers > A Galaxy of Astronomers > An Infestation of Entomologists > A Series of Mathematicians > A Body of Physicians > A Quantum of Physicists > A Colony of Microbiologists > A Stack of Librarians > A Crop of Farmers > An Aquifer of Hydrologists > Have I left anyone out? > > Please don’t tell me this has been done before, because you will ruin my pride in my sense of creativity. A Pride of First-Time Threaders ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mr.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Me)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/10 "2012-03-14T16:56:20Z")
A nitpick of pedants. A query of survey takers. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/11 "2012-03-14T17:55:57Z")
A pack of dog trainers. A payload of rocket scientists. A crapload of candidates for office. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/12 "2012-03-14T17:57:32Z")
> [@Mr.Me](#): > > A query of survey takers. A transit of surveyors. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/13 "2012-03-14T18:06:59Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > A panda of creationists I just have to let you know that this is awesome. A clinic of veterinarians A flight of pilots ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/14 "2012-03-14T18:12:34Z")
I learned from my grandfather (an eminent mathematician and logician) that the proper collective noun for mathematicians is: A sum of mean squares. And for prostitutes it’s: An anthology of prose. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/15 "2012-03-14T18:38:24Z")
Collective nouns are a lot of fun. There was a [blog post](http://justserved.onthetable.us/2010/06/wreck-of-hesperus-with-apologies-to.html) about collective nouns for plants which inspired a [segment on a radio show](http://feeds.waywordradio.org/~r/awwwpodcast/~5/LpO5MeaaO9o/110808-AWWW-A-Roberta-of-Flax-rebroadcast.mp3)(mp3 link) about language, which had a follow up [thread on the show’s forums](http://www.waywordradio.org/discussion/episodes-1/a-roberta-of-flax-full-episode/). Some of my favorites. A buddy of holly A labyrinth of maize A wrath of grapes An eddy of currants And one of the most fun A isle of yew Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_Johnny_Gentle)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/16 "2012-03-14T18:53:11Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Possibly I’m a bit too literal-minded, but I looked at the thread title and wondered how many millenia it would be until the number of human chemists ever reached [Avogadro’s number.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avogadro_constant) Extrapolation using a model by Gurevich and Varfolomeyev gives 2341, believe it or not. A simple exponential model gives 4826. To quote Mark Twain: “There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.” ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/17 "2012-03-14T19:02:41Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > … > A bundle of knitters A skein of knitters ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/18 "2012-03-14T19:46:57Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I learned from my grandfather (an eminent mathematician and logician) that the proper collective noun for mathematicians is: > > A sum of mean squares. > And for prostitutes it’s: > > An anthology of prose. Oooooh, I’ve got some math friends who will appreciate this. Well, the first one anyway - everyone can appreciate the second. ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/19 "2012-03-14T19:50:05Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > A Pride of First-Time Threaders Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697/20 "2012-03-14T20:03:48Z")
A packet of network administrators A turing of computer scientists A volt of electrical engineers A green of environmentalists A logic of computer programmers A gigax of D&D enthusiasts A greed of Republicans A bleed of Democrats a wrench of plumbers a warp of trekkies [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mole-of-chemists/615697.md?page=2)