Customer Reviews

Chemistry for the Utterly Confused (Utterly Confused Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found that this book was much easier to understand than my textbook. It clarified "the big picture" for me while laying out the details as well. There are sample questions for every chapter, and advice on what teachers might ask for quizzes or tests. I bought this halfway through the semester, and it saved my grade! I only wish I had found it sooner.

I just checked this book out from the library, along with two other chem review books, and this is my definite favorite. Even though I would still recommend looking through several study guides, in addition to lectures to study for exams, I just don't have time to read the textbook, it's been really helpful, and it is for REVIEW not to learn solely from this text.

It has great review, short and concise descriptions, important concepts/equations/terms and sample problems. I prefer this over cliff notes for chem because all they have are practice problems. And in contrast to what another reviewer says, this isn't just for chem 101, I am preparing for my final in the second quarter of inorganic chem, it's perfect, and its got basic organic chemistry too! I'm gonna buy it to review for my PCAT exam next year : )

This little review text weighs in just over 350 pages (a little longer than the custom textbook my undergraduate university uses). It does include everything a first year / two-semester chemistry course would cover but it does so in a very superficial manner. It appears that the book is intended for students who are struggling with their lectures and/or reading the major textbook for their course. The problem is that the language in this book is really no different-- its just shorter. In fact, I found Silberberg's Chemistrytextbook to be a little more satisfactory in the explanation department.

If this book were really going to get the "utterly confused" on the right track, it would need to do away with some of the chemistry jargon in favor of everyday language and analogies. For students who are indeed on the right track and want a concise version of a 1000+ page text, this may be the book for you-- but you might find it lacking just a bit in depth. The cover is absolutely correct in asserting that this book should be used with CH101, it won't cut it for anything higher level. For that reason, I'd suggest you take a look at some of the alternatives. Overall: C+

I'm sorry, I bought 3 books, chemistry homework helper it gets an A. This book gets a C and solving all chemistry word problems gets a D.


I was hoping this would cover stoicheometry more but it has not. If you have an iPad iPhone or iPod touch. Look at an app called chem pro it has 32 hrs of video lecture, and while I might not agree with all his ways of solving problems, it has served me much better than this book at 1/2 the price.

I didn't like the plug and chug nature of this book. Instead of starting with the structure of atoms and explaining how they fit together to make compounds, the book starts with balancing equations. Lots of techniques, but light on explanation.

Granted, I've only begun using this book, but already it's helping me a lot with my chem 101 class. I never took chemistry in high school, and I have to take basic chemistry for the degree program I'm in. Unfortunately, my professor (and the textbook he chose) assume you know a bit of chem from high school, which I don't. So far, this book has done an awesome job explaining concepts in a basic, plain english manner, which helps tremendously. I couldn't tell you whether or not it will help you with any courses beyond chem 101 stuff, but it's definitely been a huge help with the basics, and getting me up to speed with the rest of the class! And if you have an Android phone like I do, it's even better when you download the kindle version of the book, and can bring it with you to school, without having to lug two books around for just one class!