A Guide to the Elements [Hardcover]

Albert Stwertka (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195080831 | ISBN-13: 978-0195080834 | Publication Date: December 12, 1996

The chemical elements and the basic principles of chemistry are the foundations of all scientific study, but this is the first book devoted to making information about the elements easily available and understandable. A Guide to the Elements begins with an introductory section that explains some of the basic concepts of chemistry and traces the history and development of the periodic table of the elements. In clear, nontechnical language, using historical anecdotes and everyday examples, noted science writer Albert Stwertka makes complex ideas and terms easily understandable. Each of the 112 elements is discussed in a separate article accompanied by photographs--many in full color--of practical applications of the elements.
Middle school and high school students will find this a welcome reference, as will adults with no background in chemistry. An excellent "look-it-up" resource as well as a superb introduction to chemistry, A Guide to the Elements is a good beginning step on the road to chemical literacy.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Written for the secondary school student or inquisitive lay reader, this reference book offers a succinct introduction to the chemical elements. Stwertka (physics, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy) has written or coauthored many books that explain scientific concepts at the middle or high school level. He begins his book with a general introduction to the history, theory, and arrangement of the periodic table, then offers a brief (one- to seven-page) article on each of the 112 elements that details its history, chemical and physical properties, and modern applications. The volume concludes with a short glossary and a chronology. Though most of the information can be found in a good encyclopedia set, this one-volume reference is a handy compendium that will complement the science collection of any school or public library.?Wade Lee, Univ. of Toledo Libs., Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

There is a real need for resources about the elements for secondary students. A Guide to the Elements is on the right track. In the introduction, Stwertka explains the periodic table, its history and layout. He does so in easy-to-understand language without oversimplifying key concepts. Each element, in order of its atomic number, is discussed in one to seven pages, with illustrations, sometimes in color. The book is current through element 112, created in early 1996. Each entry includes the atomic number, chemical symbol, and group in a box, followed by a description of the element's discovery and applications, including its use in consumer products. For example, under nitrogen, the discussion covers the use of nitric acid in fertilizer and explosives. The periodic table is reproduced for each entry, with the element being discussed highlighted. A glossary, a chronology of the discovery of the individual elements, a short further reading list, and an index complete the book. The further reading list consists of 18 books published from 1961 to 1996, some of which may be found in YA collections. A comparison of the guide's entry for neon with those in Encyclopedia Americana and McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology found more detailed information, the kind needed at report time, in the two encyclopedias, but it was not as attractively presented. High-school and public libraries will want to consider purchase, perhaps for the circulating collection.

As for the CD-ROM, boring is the first adjective that comes to mind. It provides very brief information about an element's history and properties. The CD-ROM is easy to install and use, but information is scanty. Audio excerpts include Liverpool poet Roger McGough reciting his poems and Tom Lehrer's humorous song about the elements. There are video clips from the TV series The Elements. The periodic table is shown as gray and red tiles, but the white font makes it hard to read the element number. Again, an encyclopedia will provide more in-depth information in less time than it takes to put the CD in the drive and click on the necessary icons and boxes.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 12, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195080831
• ISBN-13: 978-0195080834
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,353,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide to the Elements, May 10, 2000

By 

Diane Gerlach - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Guide to the Elements (Hardcover)

A Guide to the Elements by Albert Stwertka is an excellent source of information about the history, origin of name, and important/interesting uses of the elements up to atomic number 112. A chronology of the discovery of the elements and many contemporary as well as historical illustrations enhance the information in the text. Information about physical and chemical properties is not included. An excellent companion for the chemistry classroom is Exploring Chemical Elements and their Compounds by David L. Heiserman which has information about chemical and physical properties as well as abundance, allotropes, and isotopes.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great informational book, August 23, 2001

By 

J. Gittins "chemistry student" (Pinconning ,MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Guide to the Elements (Paperback)

I love chemistry and the elements, and this book didn't let me down. It is very interesting to ready and covers most areas about each of the compounds. It also lists the major uses and even some of the health problems associated with the elements. The pictures are also very good. The pictures represent the elements themselves or the uses of the elements. This helps a lot. There are only two small things I don't like about the book. First, it doesn't give much basic information. I would recommend "Exploring Chemical Elements and their Compounds" by David L. Heiserman. The two books together create a treasure trove of information. The other problem is just a small one. The author focues a lot on the uses in radioactive procedures. I guess that doesn't interest me too much. Otherwise this is a great book! I would suggest you get this book for personal use or even for schooling purposes.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect small guide to chemistry for a student or layman, October 10, 2003

By 

Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Guide to the Elements (Oxford) (Paperback)

There are at least 112 chemical elements, all of which but a few comprise the entire world as we know it. This book covers each element seperately, in order, from hydrogen to the various transuranium elemnts that only exist for mere seconds in laboratories. Each element's atomic weight, valence(s), and various uses are given. Also given is the human history of each element, including its discovery and the origin of its name.

I suspect that any reader, outside of a chemistry instructor, perhaps, will learn something from this endlessly fascinating, well- written and organized book. Many general principles of chemistry rub off as well, and for the student or interested layman, this is a highly useful, easily readable, and understandable book about chemistry. A true jewel, and I rate it highly.