Chemistry for Dummies
- ISBN13: 9780764554308
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
Includes examples of chemistry in action in everyday life
See how chemistry works in everything from soaps to medicines to petroleum
Whether you’re taking a chemistry course or you’re curious about what chemists do, this fun and easy guide will get you up to speed in matter and energy, elements and atoms, acids and gases, and much more. You’ll understand the basic concepts and discover how chemistry affects our day-to-day lives – from the home to the environment.
The Dummies
Rating: 
(out of 32 reviews)
List Price: $ 19.99
Price: $ 8.00
[wprebay kw=”chemistry” num=”0″ ebcat=”all”] [wprebay kw=”chemistry” num=”1″ ebcat=”all”]
Review by Daren C. Swanick for Chemistry for Dummies
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I’ve tried to read various “beginner” books on chemistry since coming back from a twenty-one year science sabbatical. This one is by far the best.The author takes you from the very basic “what is an atom” and “how to read the periodic table” to more advanced concepts such as Nuclear Chemistry, with consumate ease. The book throughout is structured for the (nearly) absolute beginner, with few assumptions being made about your beginning level of knowledge.My only gripe is that he doesn’t quite explain chemistry symbology in as clear a manner as he does most topics – hopefully this can be rectified for the reprint.In short: an excellent book for the beginner. The only “pre” knowledge you’ll need is the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. If you can’t do that what are you doing trying to learn chemistry?I’ve yet to take General Chemistry I at college but this will probably act as a good primer. I’d expect you’ll need to do some more work and look at a textbook before going onto studying at college. This book will, however, give you the basic information you need to get going.
Review by Bonnie A. Mccue for Chemistry for Dummies
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I am a nursing student, and I wish I had purchased this book earlier in the semester, instead of waiting for it to become available at the public library. After reading, what I am studying makes so much more sense. Chemistry is less of a black hole now. I like the quirky way it’s written. The author does a good job of making the information feel a lot more friendly. My chemistry textbook this term does a fairly good job of explaining things, but I was still lost. Chemistry for Dummies was the ‘lightbulb’ I needed to make everything clearer. I am algebra-challenged and this book was quite a helpful adjunct to the class. As an aside, it’s true… you will almost never need this much chemistry unless you are a chemistry major. And this is just the baby stuff! I have queried nurses and they tell me they simply don’t use it. Very frustrating, and a huge mental stumbling block for me, especially since schools in my area which are geared toward two year RN degrees don’t require Biology I & II, which is far more applicable to nursing than chemistry. Now I just have to figure out a good book to help me muddle through the next level of chemistry (required for a master’s degree). .. General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis. Gack!!!!
Review by Benjamin Britton for Chemistry for Dummies
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First of all, of course this isn’t going to cover everything in your Chemistry I class, or it would be a textbook!
This adjunct is a good supplement to Chemsitry I. It often explains ideas in a different way which increases your chances of actually understanding the material. It covers quite a bit, given what it actually covers.
************Note update 7/2007***********************
Someone asked me a question about The teaching company video series, if it is college level. Well, no. It is High school chemistry. However, having never had high school chemistry, after going through the course, I passed chem I with an A… and I really didn’t notice an educational level difference. The material presented was pretty much what you go over in College Chemistry I, so taking chem I once, getting an F, watching the teaching companies Chemistry set over Christmas break, and then getting 1 of 2 A’s in the class the next semester speaks for itself :).
Pros: A good adjunct for first semester General Chemistry I. Good ideas and superior explanations of ideas. Often explains topics in many different ways.
Cons: Like most For Dummies books, the second semester isn’t covered. I guess they assume you fully understand all concepts the first semester. This book covers (barely) maybe 1 topic from Chemistry II.
Worth buying for Chemistry I, the ideas will be helpful for Chemistry II, but another or more complete book that includes the 2nd semester would be helpful.
Other adjuncts you may find helpful: The Standard Deviants 3VHS set. The Teaching Company’s ‘High School Chemistry’ video set by Frank Cardulla. This (the teaching co video) is the reason I was 1 of 3 A’s in my class.
Review by sloppy for Chemistry for Dummies
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Whether or not you should buy this book really depends on what you need it for.If you’re interested in learning more about how chemistry is used in everyday life, this book is excellent. It does a very good job of explaining how chemistry is used in a variety of consumer and industrial situations. This is an interesting book in this sense, and very complete.However, if you’re taking a chemistry class, this is not such a good book. The explanations of chemical topics are a little fluffy, and certainly not what anybody would consider complete. While well-written and lively, it’s just not “chemical” enough to give the serious student any real help when studying.My conclusion: If you’re looking for a fun book about chemistry, buy this one. If you’re a student who needs help, go elsewhere.
Review by K. Lynch for Chemistry for Dummies
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I bought this book as a supplement to my Chemistry 101 textbook. I was really looking for a more complete explanation of electron configuration, which I didn’t find this book to be that helpful with. Overall, I thought this book helped to reinforce some of the basic concepts, but didn’t really have much of an impact on my grade. I would recommend this book to someone who wants an overview of chemistry before taking the course or to someone who needs to brush up on basic chemistry before taking a more advanced course. It can also be helpful if you’re having trouble with a particular topic. I did enjoy the supplemental information in the book having to do with chemistry of everyday life.