Chemistry For Dummies

John T. Moore

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781119297284
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Sciences physiques
• Subtopic: Chimie physique et théorique

Chemistry For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781119293460) was previously published as Chemistry For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781118007303). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.

See how chemistry works in everything from soaps to medicines to petroleum

We're all natural born chemists. Every time we cook, clean, take a shower, drive a car, use a solvent (such as nail polish remover), or perform any of the countless everyday activities that involve complex chemical reactions we're doing chemistry! So why do so many of us desperately resist learning chemistry when we're young?

Now there's a fun, easy way to learn basic chemistry. Whether you're studying chemistry in school and you're looking for a little help making sense of what's being taught in class, or you're just into learning new things, Chemistry For Dummies gets you rolling with all the basics of matter and energy, atoms and molecules, acids and bases, and much more!

• Tracks a typical chemistry course, giving you step-by-step lessons you can easily grasp
• Packed with basic chemistry principles and time-saving tips from chemistry professors
• Real-world examples provide everyday context for complicated topics

Full of modern, relevant examples and updated to mirror current teaching methods and classroom protocols, Chemistry For Dummies puts you on the fast-track to mastering the basics of chemistry.

Part 1

The Basic Concepts of Chemistry

IN THIS PART …

If you are new to chemistry, it may seem a little frightening. I see students every day who’ve psyched themselves out by saying so often that they can’t do chemistry. The good news: Anyone can figure out chemistry. Anyone can do chemistry. If you cook, clean, or simply exist, you’re part of the chemical world.

I work with a lot of elementary school children, and they love science. I show them chemical reactions (vinegar plus baking soda, for example), and they go wild. And that’s what I hope happens to you when you read this book and find out how interesting and important chemistry can be.

The chapters of Part 1 give you a background in chemistry basics. I show you how to do calculations and introduce you to the metric system. I tell you about matter and the states it can exist in, and I also talk a little about energy, including the different types and how it’s measured. I discuss the microscopic world of the atom and its basic parts and explain how information about atoms is conveyed in the periodic table, the most useful tool for a chemist. And I cover the world of gases. This part takes you on a fun ride, so get your motor running!

Chapter 1

What Is Chemistry, and Why Do I Need to Know Some?

IN THIS CHAPTER

Defining the science of chemistry

Finding out about science and technology

Working out the scientific method

Checking out the general areas of chemistry

Discovering what to expect in a chemistry class

If you’re taking a course in chemistry, you may want to skip this chapter and go right to the area you’re having trouble with. You already know what chemistry is — it’s a course you have to pass. But if you bought this book to help you decide whether to take a course in chemistry or to have fun discovering something new, I encourage you to read this chapter. I set the stage for the rest of the book here by showing you what chemistry is, what chemists do, and why you should be interested in chemistry.

I really enjoy chemistry. It’s far more than a simple collection of facts and a body of knowledge. I was a physics major when I entered college, but I was hooked when I took my first chemistry course. It seemed so interesting, so logical. I think it’s fascinating to watch chemical changes take place, to figure out unknowns, to use instruments, to extend my senses, and to make predictions and figure out why they were right or wrong. The whole field of chemistry starts here — with the basics — so consider this chapter your jumping-off point. Welcome to the interesting world of chemistry.

Understanding What Chemistry Is

This whole branch of science is all about matter, which is anything that has mass and occupies space. Chemistry is the study of the composition and properties of matter and the changes it undergoes, including energy changes.

Science used to be divided into very clearly defined areas: If it was alive, it was biology. If it was a rock, it was geology. If it smelled, it was chemistry. If it didn’t work, it was physics. In today’s world, however, those clear divisions are no longer present. You can find biochemists, chemical physicists, geochemists, and so on. But chemistry still focuses on matter and energy and their changes.

A lot of chemistry comes into play with that last part — the changes matter undergoes. Matter is made up of either pure substances or mixtures of pure substances. The change from one substance into another is what chemists call a chemical change, or chemical reaction, and it’s a big deal because when it occurs, a brand-new substance is created (see Chapter 3 for the nitty-gritty details).

So what are compounds and elements? Just more of the anatomy of matter. Matter is pure substances or mixtures of pure substances, and substances themselves are made up of either elements or compounds. (Chapter 3 dissects the anatomy of matter. And, as with all matters of dissection, it’s best to be prepared — with a nose plug and an empty stomac...