Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis of Everyday Phenomena

by Kerry K. Karukstis and Gerald R. Van Hecke

One of the greatest challenges facing chemists and chemical educators today is conveying the central importance and relevance of chemistry to students and society at large. The new edition of Chemistry Connections highlights the fundamental role of chemical principles in governing our everyday experiences and observations.

Introductory chemistry students and educators as well as laypersons with an inquisitiveness about the world around...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0124001513
• ISBN13: 9780124001510
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.6" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An excellent way to bring chemistry into the everyday

Have you always been somewhat fascinated by chemistry? In college was a chemistry minor, and thought it was very exciting. It explans the many whys and hows behind basic everyday chemistry. Is this book super technical, no. Does it have enough science in it to make it credible, definately. Some of the topics that are included are: Why are Opals and Pearls Iridescent? Why are Ice Cubes Cloudy on the Inside? What Makes a No-Tears Champoo? How do Sutures Dissolve? Why do Lightsticks glow? Are Flamingos Naturally Pink? There are almost 100 of these types of questions. This book might make a great reference for a teacher, or a student in a science fair. The book covers some basic chemistry, and does a great job in building up some excitement around a subject that some may think is dull. I really enjoyed the book because it is broken up into sections: gases, solutions, solids, thermodynamics, and then into the questions that apply to those subjects. The book is a fairly easy read, and thankfully isn't too techincal for those of us who may not be so fresh on some of our chemical understanding.

An absorbing intermediate to advanced level chemical text

Now in an updated second edition, Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis Of Everyday Phenomena is an amazing volume with chapters based around answers to questions such as "What causes an egg to crack if it's boiled too rapidly?"; "Why do carbonated drinks go flat as they warm?"; "Why do lightsticks glow?"; "How does a timed-release medicine work?"; and much, much more. The collaborative effort of Kerry K. Karukstis (Professor of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College) and Gerald R. Van Hecke (Professor of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College), Chemistry Connections is an absorbing intermediate to advanced level chemical text that makes learning chemistry a lot of fun in some unique but quite effective ways.

Great teacher resource

I found Chemistry Connections very interesting and informative. I am a high school science teacher and I already have a strong background in chemistry. The format presents infomation on each question at multiple levels of sophistication, from introductory information accessible without much knowledge of chemistry to in-depth information on specific molecular structures and interactions. This book would be a great resource for chemistry teachers. My only critisism is that the writing style could be a bit more engaging.