Understanding Chemistry

This book is meant for students from senior school and graduation and is intended to bring out the excitement of chemistry and encourage more students to pursue this subject further.

It explains the Hows and Whys of chemistry to whet the appetite of a good student.

Table of contents:

Preface

CHEMISTRY IN A CAPSULE - What is matter made of?; What are we made of?; Let us observe chemical changes; Let us prepare a few element gases; Atomic and molecular nature of substances; Laws of chemical combination; Man and metals; Classification of substances; Electrolysis; Carbon compounds; States of substances; Materials; Similar looks but different properties; Pure and impure; Explosions and fireworks; The food we eat; Our atmosphere; Water; Conclusions

ELEMENTS AND THE PERIODIC TABLE - Modern concept of elements; The modern atom; Arranging elements; The modern periodic table; Periodic table and properties of elements; Coming back to the story of elements; Conclusions

THE CHEMICAL BOND - How are chemical bonds formed? ; Ionic bond; Covalent bond; Bond distances and bond energies; Resonance; Coordinate bond; Metallic bond; Conclusions

STRUCTURE AND SHAPES OF MOLECULES - What are the factors that determine the shapes of simple molecules?; Hybridization; Shapes of simple molecules; Isomers; Some complex structures and shapes; The hydrogen bond; Molecules of life; Man-made polymers; Conclusions

CHEMICAL ENERGY - Energy changes in chemical reactions; Nature of energy; Heat of reactions; Energy storage; Energy from the sun; Future options; Conclusions

CHEMICAL REACTIONS - Which reactions occur?; Chemical equilibrium; Rates of reactions; Factor that affect reaction rates; How reactions occur; Some reactions; Redox reactions; Catalysis; Chemical synthesis; Supermolecular Chemistry; Conclusions

TWO CHEMISTS - Michael Faraday; Linus Pauling / Some Chemical Records / Index