Given the retina v pupil fiasco I did not want to get into a discussion either.
In replies to Pete I have said just what you have, but in layman's terms, with a
few fewer words.
It is important to understand the principles to be able to make full use of the
process. But non chemists just do not understand the technical jargon of the
professional and if one were to express it in the terms that you and Peter
Marshall have, then it would be difficult to stop students running screaming to
the exits.
Your explanation is pretty much as I understood it but we should remember that
nobody really seems to know.
Terry King