andre178 - 28-12-2012 at 12:14
Hi, I've been a beginner and probably always will be, over the years I've done a few syntheses that went rather well (beginners luck).
I was wondering if you guys came across any books that bring the laws of chemistry, esp inorganic, into a 'generalized' form.
For example, explaining in more logistical terms why dissociation and element recombination happens to some elements but not to others.
I still don't feel like I have an intuitive feel for the elements, no matter how many basic reactions I've done.
Hexavalent - 28-12-2012 at 13:22
A good book for beginners is Robert Bruce Thompson's "Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments". As well as providing detailed instructions for
numerous experiments in several fields of chemistry, I find that it also explains all the concepts very well and clearly.
Slightly more advanced is 'The Periodic Table at a Glance' by Beckett (head of chem at my local uni!) & Platt. It's slightly more advanced,
perhaps A-level or undergraduate, but is a very good book nonetheless.
Finally, one last resource which I often recommend to beginners are revision guides for GCSE/lower chemistry levels. If you don't remember everything
from when you did your exams, they serve to re-cap, or, if you didn't complete them in chemistry, they present key concepts in easily-understood,
often humorous, manners.
[Edited on 28-12-2012 by Hexavalent]
andre178 - 28-12-2012 at 13:26
brilliant! just the stuff needed!
hissingnoise - 28-12-2012 at 13:29
You could take a look at the texts in the site library while you're at it . . .
Vargouille - 28-12-2012 at 14:07
Personally I like "Chemistry: The Central Science". It's the textbook I used for AP Chem, and it does a good job at going through inorganic, organic,
and coordination chemistry, and does a good job of presenting the mathematics behind it. It even does well at explaining the introductory things too,
and comes with lovely pictures and inserts. You can probably get a used copy for $20, shipping included.