Customer Reviews

Chemistry (4th Edition)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm currently working through this book now as it's the required text for my General Chemistry course(s). I have to say that I've had a harder time reading (and understanding) this text than usual. I would not begin to recommend this book for general study, but let's face it, the only reason you're likely to buy this book is because it's required.

So here's how to use it:

Plan to read only one or two sections (4-5 pages per Section) in a study session. Read it, work through the solved problems, skip to the problems covering that topic at the back of the chapter and see how well you do.

Buy the solutions manual - if you write out all your work (and you should, will particularly help if you forget how to solve something and your professor gives an open book/note exam), looking over the worked solutions will help.

Write down questions on specific problems and parts of the text/chapter you didn't understand. Ask a tutor or the instructor.

The text is a hard read, but you -can- get through it. If I can do it, so can you.

This is an interesting text for a one year general chemistry course. While all general chemistry texts form major publishers have some convergence so they all cover similar basic material, they all have different organizing ideas. What I enjoyed about this text is that it has a clear organizing principle: the periodic table of elements.

The authors not only do the best job I have seen of explaining the origin, evolution, and principles of the periodic table, they also use the properties of groups of elements to illustrate all the principles discussed in the course of the text. This helps the student organize his or her thinking about the ideas discussed in each chapter and section.

In addition to the information imparted in each chapter, the text has many illustrations, use of color in the text itself, a key concept summary (which is a helpful chart that can help the student memorize the ideas and check through their understanding of the principles discussed), key words, understanding key concepts, additional problems (with the red numbered problems having their solutions at the back of the text - most helpful for self study), general problems, and multi-concept problems (involving principles learned in previous chapters and multiple steps). The book also comes with its own CD that has information, animations, and presentations to aid the student in learning the material in each chapter. I particularly like the emphasis in the text on real world applications and processes. The articles the authors call "interludes" are quite interesting and informative.

The authors are correct in urging the student to not simply start reading the material left to right, but to look through the chapter and begin absorbing what is going to be discussed before starting to read. This helps orient the student into how to begin thinking about the material they will encounter. The pictures, illustrations, graphs, and so forth also help one to grasp the concepts that will be discussed.

I think this is an excellent text that is clearly written and thoughtfully presented.

I've taken AP Chemistry in high school, and took chemistry again in college, so I am familiar with a few chemistry texts. This book astounded me. It was much simpler, more organized, and was full of helpful illustrations, graphs, etc. It's one of the best science texts I've ever used.

This text emphasizes conceptual understanding of chemical principles by providing many conceptual example and end-of-chapter problems. It will greatly help those who know what meaningful study is and how to do it. Trying to memorize formula, facts, and procudures of solving different types of problems is not study and will result in poor grades in college chemistry classes.

As for the price, all textbooks nowadays are very expensive. I'm not sure if there is anything we can do about it.

I'm amazed at the diversity of reviews for this textbook. Usually, I can spot an exceptinal science textbook and usually the reviews are petty much in agreement but this one is an exception. Oh well - we all have our own opinions, and that's a good thing.

I'm currently into studying Biochemistry and Physics. I bought this book after seeing a pdf version that was part of a "Great Science Textbooks..." collection. As I started browsing the file I found myself being captivated by just about any section I skipped into. That is, I was learning and re-learning some of the fundamentals which I thought I already knew (and probably should've, but didn't), and it was like an "AHAH!" experience when the light would go on. This was great fun! I enjoyed that so much I immediately ordered the book. I began referring back to it to help me with my Biochem studies (via Lehninger and a couple other texts). The last chapter of this textbook is on Biochemistry and actually does a better job at introducing many of the key aspects of that subject than my Biochemistry textbooks. I still find myself frequently consulting this textbook and its resources for a large variety of issues that would otherwise remain subtle points of confusion or mystery. So, I have to give it 5 stars and a hearty recommenation.

No chemistry textbook can be used exclusivly to learn chemistry. A student must attend the lectures and show up for recitation in order to understand the concepts more fully. Chemistry is not an easy subject; it involves math and an imaginative mind in order to picture what one cannot see. If your instructor has not required it, you should consider buying the solutions manual. Let's face it- how do you know your answers are right? It may cost a good amount, but you can always resell it when you're done with the course. This text actually provides more diagrams than any other text I have seen thus far and I believe it is easier to read and comprehend than other texts. This is a text for someone who can sit down and study. Although, this is coming from a chem major, so I sometimes find myself wondering why people find it hard, just like you may find it hard for people to understand something you are interested in.

If you are buying this book, bear in mind that it is very, very long. And I completely understand where people say that the text is explained very well. But for me, the text is explained so well that it turned into rambling. The whole basis of the lesson seemed to be lost in the overly done explanation. It would have been easier, or at least in my case, if they just had the pure text that I need to learn, without all of the extra words.

This book is good, depending on what kind of learner you are. If you need a lot of explanation, this book is nice. But if you are someone who gets drained by a lot of text, maybe another book would do.

Purchased this edition because I am taking a refresher course in Chemistry and didn't want to pay the higher price for the 5th Ed. It is easy to read and has a lot of problems to work and a CD to access for extra help. Not much difference in the 5th Ed.

I think this book is great. It has lots of pictures and graphs help you understand the content.

I have bought this book many times for my students ... this is a very good book on this topic for Grade 12 students. It covers the topics very well. It is well illustrated ... easy to follow ... concepts are simply explained, properly covering the depth knowledge required for that level.

One the best textbooks on the market for this subject.