Ashhash - 15-12-2003 at 02:07
Hey all,
This is my first ever post here 
Great site, I wish i'd found it much earlier!
Anyways I am an absolute beginner and I really need some good books to read through.
Any recommendations as to what I should be looking at? (freely available material is always good 
)
Cheers,
Ash
DDTea - 15-12-2003 at 19:14
When you say "absolute beginner," what do you mean? Do you have ANY background in Chemistry- as from a High School Class? Do you have any
experience from forum loitering?
As for me, I've found High School Chemistry to be the greatest aid to me. But, if that will require too much time (should you be in 8th grade,
for example, and Chem is not offered until 10th), there are several resources (free!) online. I can't think of any off the back of my had, but
I've come across a few good ones. Look up "High School Chemistry" or "Chemistry Curriculum" or something of that sort.
On these forums, we deal mostly with Organic Chemistry. Some of the concepts of Organic Chem, the fundamental and perhaps the most useful, are easy
to grasp. Learn the nomenclature (naming system) of different Organic Molecules, so you will at least understand our language.
Beyond that, I can give you some general topics you will want to look into:
-The atom-- its structure and components. Pay close attention to the electron cloud. This can be boring, but it is vital to understanding of
Chemistry.
- The mole, molarity, molar mass, balancing equations, etc. If you don't understand moles, it's very difficult to go on.
- The Periodic Table, its arrangement & patterns, its elements, their symbols and properties.
- Bonding-- Ionic and Covalent ( paying close attention to the nonmetals )
- Thermodynamics/Calorimetry ( keep it simple, because this can get very complicated! )
- Reactions in Solution: Acid/Base, Single Replacement, Double Replacement
- Acids and Bases
- Gas Laws ( forget the useless garbage: the big things here are the Combined Gas Law and the equation PV = nRT (whose name i don't remember))
- Oxidation / Reduction Reactions ( take some time on these: it may be difficult to understand without the help of a teacher, but it will be
invaluable )
- Organic Chemistry: nomenclature of the different kinds of Organic molecules, bonding, and some fundamental reactions (Halogenation, Dehydration,
Esterification and others that have slipped my mind at the second).
I hope this will at least get you started. Much of the stuff is up to you, and to your own research. But now you know what to look for.
[Edited on 12-16-03 by Samosa]
Chemistry Newbie
Turel - 15-12-2003 at 19:56
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0471121207/qid...
Buy this book if you want to learn the basics of introductory chemistry, and learn them right the first time. Chemistry is a vast science; and even
so, it is more than just science: It is an entire method of thinking. In my opinion, this book does a wonderful job of presenting the material in the
true fashion it is meant to be thought of in.
Not as answers to test questions, but as scientific observations of our environment, and the simple physics responsible for these observations. The
book assumes zero prior knowledge, and quite literally starts with the basic, "This is the basic structure of an atom. Atoms are composed of
elementary......"
A great place to gain foothold in this way of life. Apart from this, any high school chemistry textbook will suffice as an introductory text.
Welcome to Science Madness.
-T
The_Davster - 15-12-2003 at 20:44
Hey, I have that book too. would anyone here who has that book care to give me a simplified explanation of s p d and f subshells, I got this book
years ago and I still havent learned this.
Ashhash - 16-12-2003 at 16:26
I have some knowledge from high school and some ebooks ive gotten off the net.
Short answer is that I had difficulty with Chem at school so I ditched it and didnt go (Not due to lack of interest or brainpower but a prick of a
teacher!)
Im not usually one to quit on things so I want to beat my nemesis and learn this stuff.
Sorry if that sounds a bit gay or cliche (im sure it does 
) but thats the story.
Ill get some of these books anyway and see how it goes.
Cheers,
Ash
learning chemistry
Magpie - 16-12-2003 at 21:56
Ashhash-
I going to offer a little advice while trying not to patronize:
You can learn a lot of chemistry by reading books and ScienceMadness, there are some real experts here. However, to get a thorough grounding in the
fundamentals you really need to take a basic chemistry course. High school chemistry will give you this, including all about spdf electron subshells.
It is also a tremendous bargain, as the taxpayers have already paid for it. - Just trying to help; and no I doin't think you are being gay.
Iv4 - 16-12-2003 at 22:53
Here's a prety good site explaining basic atomic states and simple things like that.
That an dont pay atention to me I'm just here as a testement to the dagers of pissing of bombshock!
blip - 19-12-2003 at 16:24
Ah, I love <a href="http://www.chemguide.co.uk/" target="_blank">this one</a>, it's so easy to read for several
hours straight! Lately, though, I've been quite busy. With this lovely holiday around the corner, I may get the chance to finish reading
everything that the site has to offer along with <i>Solomon's Organic Chemistry</i> (something like that) that I recently found at
the public library. 