Inorganic Chemistry [Paperback]

Catherine E. Housecroft (Author), Alan G. Sharpe (Author), Catherine Housecroft (Author), Alan Sharpe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0582310806 | ISBN-13: 978-0582310803 | Publication Date: January 15, 2001 | Edition: 4th

This book's fresh writing style—combined with up-to-date coverage, numerous examples, worked exercises, and real-life applications—provides a critical introduction to modern inorganic chemistry. It offers superior coverage of all key areas, including descriptive chemistry, MO theory, bonding, and physical inorganic chemistry. Chapter topics are presented in logical order and include: basic concepts; nuclear properties; an introduction to molecular symmetry; bonding in polyatomic molecules; structures and energetics of metallic and ionic solids; acids, bases, and ions in aqueous solution; reduction and oxidation; non-aqueous media; and hydrogen. Four special topic chapters, chosen for their currency and interest, conclude the book. For researchers seeking the latest information in the field of inorganic chemistry.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"To put it short, this is THE BOOK, that I would like to use in Inorganic Chemistry. The book contains all the information needed. Furthermore, it is well and logically presented. The problems related with each chapter are good; and the suggestions for further reading are highly relevant." Markku Sundberg, Helsinki University, Finland "I've had one of my students take a look at the book and I virtually had to tear it from his hands in order to get it back!" Professor Nikolaus Korber, University of Regensburg, Germany "Housecroft--Sharpe has been the far most superior contemporary inorganic chemistry textbook there is. It was the case of the 1st edition and it remains so for the 2nd edition. The book is also a very good comprehensive text for chemists in general, PhD students and researchers. Clearly, students may prefer the more colorful 2nd edition, and so will their teachers for pedagogical reasons." Pavel Karen, Oslo University, Norway "My tutorial group students... thought that the addition of colour was a major improvement relative to the 1st edition. I thought that the section on Group Theory and symmetry is much better handled in the 2nd edition." Mary Mahon, Bath University, UK "Undoubtedly, the new colour format makes the book seem more attractive to the reader; I noted that the descriptive chemistry has been updated also. It is pleasing that the authors continue to provide a broad coverage of chemistry throughout the Periodic Table while maintaining a reasonable size of book. One of the most important features (and one that recommended the book to us as a text) is that topics are presented in a straightforward manner, making them accessible to the less able students." Professor John Winfield, Glasgow University, UK --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

This book's fresh writing style—combined with up-to-date coverage, numerous examples, worked exercises, and real-life applications—provides a critical introduction to modern inorganic chemistry. It offers superior coverage of all key areas, including descriptive chemistry, MO theory, bonding, and physical inorganic chemistry. Chapter topics are presented in logical order and include: basic concepts; nuclear properties; an introduction to molecular symmetry; bonding in polyatomic molecules; structures and energetics of metallic and ionic solids; acids, bases, and ions in aqueous solution; reduction and oxidation; non-aqueous media; and hydrogen. Four special topic chapters, chosen for their currency and interest, conclude the book. For researchers seeking the latest information in the field of inorganic chemistry.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 832 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4th edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582310806
• ISBN-13: 978-0582310803
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Detailed Enough, November 7, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Inorganic Chemistry (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I realize that this is supposed to be an introductory book, however it does not provide enough detail to be very useful in my 2nd year inorganic chem class. I am extremely disappointed by this since the book costs so much money. I wonder how much more it would cost if it was hardcover.

It does have a good layout and bright pictures and colors though. I guess this is supposed to stimulate the brain or something.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Who is this book for?, February 12, 2010

By 

Billy Wayne Mccann - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Inorganic Chemistry (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I find this book frustrating.

The presentation is very poor. Topics are broached willy-nilly with paltry discussion. Sometimes it's just plain laughable. For example, Box 1.3, discussing the particle in the box: "There is one further restriction that we shall simply state: the boundary condition for the particle in the box is that [the wavefunction] must be zero when x=0 and x=a." Instead of a simple statement of this and expecting the student to take it on authority, why not give the *reason* for these boundary conditions, which can be summarized in a single sentence, i.e. 'the wavefunction must be continuous with the region outside the box, which is also zero'? Another example from the first chapter: the section "Ground state electronic configurations: experimental data". After I read this section I couldn't help but think to myself "where's the experimental data? what was the point of this section?"

Which leads to my second criticism: who is this book for? It's too advanced for undergraduates and not advanced enough for graduates. This book attempts to be all-things-to-all-people, in my opinion, which makes it good for no one. It's as though the authors took an undergraduate text and added a few more bits here and there, sporadically, without rhyme or reason. This may or may not be the reason that this book weighs SIX pounds. The authors tried to shoe-horn too much into this book.

Finally, the aesthetics of the book are atrocious. The color scheme used is distracting and hard on the eyes. Dark primary colors and light pastels on the same page?!? On some pages you can count up to six different colors used for separate things. I feel like my eyes are being pulled every direction and find it difficult to concentrate on the text.

However, I do feel like this book may be a good review book. Do you need to freshen up on a wide variety of inorganic chemistry topics without going too much into detail on every topic? This text may indeed suite that purpose very well.

But, being a grad student and having been assigned this book, I have found that in reading it I'm viewing material that is either far too basic and general and therefore a waste of my time or I'm given insufficient details for true understanding when it comes to advanced material. This is why I find this text frustrating and have given it two stars. If it weren't for the encyclopedic nature of the text, it would have received only one star.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still Have Mine, August 21, 2009

By 

LordStryker (JAX, FL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inorganic Chemistry (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

Housecroft and Sharpe do an excellent job writing this Inorganic Chemistry book. Its tough writing one of these that will please everyone. I used this book for both Inorganic and Advanced Inorganic chemistry classes. Simplified approach, bright/easily organized layout, plenty of diagrams, pictures, and tables. The LGO approach (as mentioned earlier) was a bit murky. Also, its written by British people so you'll see minor spelling inconsistencies with that of English (people actually had a pet peeve about this but whatever, I found it to be amusing). This book makes such a good source for reference material as well. I never sold this one back and its sitting right above my desk here ready and waiting.

Side Note: I'm using Miessler's Inorganic Chemistry text this semester (for Graduate level Inorganic Chemistry) and looking through it I cringe at all the convoluted ways he presents even some of the most simple concepts. Thank goodness I kept my Housecraft and Sharpe version.