The Language of Chemistry

Download or read book The Language of Chemistry written by Habeeb Tijani and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-04-18 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABOUT THE BOOK This book, "the Language of Chemistry," is self-introducing as Chemistry comes more often in symbols and structures. Chemical symbols and structures are the language of Chemistry. This is akin to what scientists' say of Mathematics; that it is the language of science in symbolic forms. In this book, the author present Chemistry in a simple way, as a web of ideas and tries to remove some hidden barriers in order to reach proper understanding of some important concepts in the Subject; such concept like oxidation number, mole concept, IUPAC nomenclature, writing and balancing of chemical equations and many more. It can therefore be seen as a book of ideas; the strong and stimulating ideas which underlie Chemistry in this era when there is dwindling interest among students to study science, particularly Chemistry. All ideas in Chemistry are more practical than theoretical. Even when a chemical idea is presented in a theoretical way, the end result is in the laboratory where ideas are converted to reality. In the same way, the language of Chemistry in this book is the language of the laboratory. The dwindling fortune in the sciences in developing Countries is because less emphasis is laid on practical aspects when compared to the theoretical aspects. The usefulness of a book, which contains scientific ideas, can only be judged by results. In this book is a list of some hundreds of balanced chemical equations as well as chemical formulas with their IUPAC nomenclatures. It also contain names of chemical elements with their properties, date of discovery, name of discoverer and some interesting facts about them. This book would be most useful to the following categories of people: 1. The science teachers who wish to keep abreast with developments in the field. 2. The science students at Secondary Schools and higher institutions. 3. Researchers in Chemistry and related fields. 4. Those who believe in being practical. I recommend this book for both beginners and those who have had some experience in Chemistry. To the beginner, the book can delight the mind. To the experienced, it can fire the mind. The ideas in this book are, therefore, not just for people wanting to pass one examination or the other, but for those who want to use Chemistry as a career and a hobby. I do see people write "reading" as a hobby but what they read is often left back-stage. This book offers the opportunity to include the "Language of Chemistry" in that list. The book is timely. It has come at a point when there is emphasis on the teaching and learning of science at all levels to catalyze development. I recommend the book to all those who do not mind the "English of Chemistry" but the language of it.