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The joy of chemistry the amazing science of familiar things

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...

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Main Author: Cobb, Cathy.
Other Authors: Fetterolf, Monty L.
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus, 2010.
Subjects:
Stein, Sylvia tribute.
Chemistry.
Summary: 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 --- Product Description.
Physical Description: 393 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (p. 349-353) and index.
ISBN: 9781591027713 (pbk.)
1591027713 (pbk.)
Author Notes: Cathy Cobb is the highly acclaimed author of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks: The Spirited History of Physical Chemistry and coauthor of Crime Scene Chemistry for the Armchair Sleuth with Monty L. Fetterolf and Jack G. Goldsmith and Creations of Fire: Chemistry's Lively History from Alchemy to the Atomic Age with Harold Goldwhite. She is currently an instructor of calculus and physics at Aiken Preparatory School and an adjunct professor of chemistry at the University of South Carolina at Aiken.
Monty L. Fetterolf is professor of Chemistry at the University of South Carolina at Aiken.

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