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Loading... The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Familiar Things (edition 2005)by Cathy Cobb (Author)
Work InformationThe Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Familiar Things by Cathy Cobb (Author)
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This book challenges the perception of chemistry as too difficult to bother with and too clinical to be any fun. 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 bang--a colorful bottle rocket assembled from common objects you find in the garage--and then present the principles of chemistry using household chemicals and friendly, nontechnical 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 emphasize 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're willing to get down and dirty--our sense of enjoyment too. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)540Natural sciences and mathematics Chemistry ChemistryLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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I don't have a whole lot to say about this one; co-authored by two chemistry experts, one of whom is also a veteran of general-interest guides to the subject, The Joy of Chemistry is what the authors call a childlike overview of that world but written specifically for adults, taking an A-B-C approach to the actual issues at hand but written an an engaging grown-up style that never insults. As such, then, it's pretty much what it advertises itself to be, and will be of enormous interest to those who are specifically seeking to learn more about chemistry, even as it can be easily skipped by the majority of you who aren't. It comes recommended today to those looking exactly for such a thing.
Out of 10: 8.5 ( )