This book challenges the perception of chemistry as
too difficult to bother with and too clinical to be any
for. Cathy Cobb and Monty L Fetterolf, both professional
chemists and experienced educators, introduce readers to
the magic, elegance, and, yes, joy of chemistry. From
the fascination of fall foliage and fireworks, to the
functioning of smoke detectors and computers, to the
fundamentals of digestion (as when good pizza goes
bad!), the authors illustrate the concepts of chemistry
in terms of everyday experience, using familiar
materials. The authors begin with a bangs colourful
bottle rocket assembled from common objects you find in
the garage - and then present the principles of
chemistry using household chemicals and friendly,
non-technical language. They guide the reader through
the basics of atomic structure, the nature of molecular
bonds, and the vibrant universe of chemical reactions.
Using analogy and example to illuminate essential
concepts such as thermodynamics, photochemistry,
electrochemistry, and chemical equilibrium, they explain
the whys and wherefores of chemical reactions.Hands-on
demonstrations, selected for their ease of execution and
relevance, illustrate basic principles, and lively
commentaries emphasise the fun and fascination of
learning about chemistry. This delightful and richly
informative book amply proves that chemistry can appeal
to our intuition, logic, and - if we are willing to get
down and dirty - our sense of enjoyment too. |
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