Laboratory Experiments (9th Edition) [Paperback]

John H. Nelson (Author), Kenneth C. Kemp (Author), Bursten (Nelson/Kemp) (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130097977 | ISBN-13: 978-0130097972 | Publication Date: May 20, 2002 | Edition: 9

This manual includes 41 finely tuned experiments chosen to introduce students to basic lab techniques and to illustrate core chemical principles. It contains pre-lab questions and detachable report sheets. This new edition has been revised to correlate more tightly with the text. Safety and disposal information has also been updated. Also available in our Catalyst custom lab program.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Presenting a total of 41 finely tuned experiments that have been tested by thousands of students, this comprehensive manual teaches students basic laboratory techniques, reviews chemical concepts, helps students identify different chemical substances, and helps students learn to think like scientists.

Each experiment:

• States learning objectives
• Lists apparatus and chemicals needed for that particular experiment
• Describes what the experiment will prove
• Highlights and safety disposal information
• Provides step-by-step procedures
• Poses preliminary questions and emphasizes important take-away points
• Concludes with report sheets for answering questions and tabulating results

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Most students who take freshman chemistry are not planning for a career in this discipline. As a result, the introductory chemistry course usually serves several functions at various levels. It begins the training process for those who seek to become chemists. It introduces nonscience students to chemistry as an important, useful, and, we hope, interesting and rewarding part of their general education. It also should stimulate those students who are seeking the intellectual challenges and sense of purpose they hope to obtain from a career.

This manual has been written with these objectives in mind and to accompany the ninth edition of the text Chemistry: The Central Science by Theodore L. Brown, H. Eugene LeMay, Jr., and Bruce E. Bursten. Each of the experiments is self-contained, with sufficient background material to conduct and understand the experiment. Each has a pedagogical objective to exemplify one or more specific principles. Because the experiments are self-contained, they may be undertaken in any order; however, we have found for our General Chemistry course that the sequence of Experiments 1 through 7 provides the firmest background and introduction.

To assist the student, we have included review questions to be answered before the experiments are begun. These are designed both to help the student understand the experiment and as an incentive to read the experiment in advance. As a further incentive, answers to some of these questions are provided in Appendix J.

We have made an effort to minimize the cost of the experiments. We have at the same time striven for a broad representation of the essential principles while keeping in mind that many students gain no other exposure to analytical techniques. Consequently, balances, pH meters, and spectrophotometers are used in some of the experiments. A list of necessary materials is given at the beginning of each experiment.

Each of the experiments contains a detachable report sheet that is easily graded, and most experiments contain unknowns. Very few of the experiments may be "dry-labbed."

In this ninth edition we have:

• carefully edited all experiments for accuracy, safety, and cost
• expanded experiment 1 to include a density measurement
• added more instructions about waste disposal
• added more helpful hints to instructors in the Annotated Instructor's Edition (AIE)
• modified many of the review questions

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 9 edition (May 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130097977
• ISBN-13: 978-0130097972
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,456,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 43 experiments that are clearly laid out for student learning, September 13, 2006

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chemistry the Central Science, Laboratory Experiments (10th Edition) (Paperback)

Lab work has been a standard part of the study of chemistry since people have been studying chemistry. In fact, it was the practical experimentation that led to the learning that is written in the texts and taught in lectures. The experiments that chemistry students execute are not designed to discover presently unknown aspects of chemistry. It is essential that students be given clearly defined procedures that elucidate specific points that are related to the text they are studying in lecture. The purpose of lab work is to give the student a visceral connection to the material, to see in reality what they are reading about, and to develop their technique in working with precision, in detail, and in making correct and relevant observations.

This book provides 43 experiments that relate well to the 25 chapters of the main textbook. Each experiment lists clearly everything that will be needed for the experiment, discusses the point of the experiment and what is going to transpire during its execution, the exact procedure to be followed, the questions that need to be answered for the report (these are observations, calculations, deductions, equations, and so forth), pre-lab questions, and relevant diagrams. There are also appendices of useful information that will be needed during the experiments.

These experiments have been tested and tried and are geared to minimize the work of the instructor in refitting the lab when adopting the text and lab experiments. Since it is the 10th edition, I would expect that most things will work as expected. But in reality, one should always be prepared for the unexpected and work carefully around chemicals, flame, and other people.

A sound and interesting text and program of experiments.

5.0 out of 5 stars Got exactly what I needed, August 10, 2011

By 

DNicole - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chemistry the Central Science, Laboratory Experiments (10th Edition) (Paperback)

I'm reviewing Chemistry since I haven't taken it since highschool and am taking a college course this fall. The book arrived quickly and in like new condition. There was a coffee mark on the front of the book but was easily wiped away. Other than that, the book was in great condition, and an easy read. Very thorough and walked me through a good review of the basics of chemistry.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars satisfied, October 10, 2010

By 

Jakely - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chemistry the Central Science, Laboratory Experiments (10th Edition) (Paperback)

It arrived in a timely fashion despite a problem USPS (the book was returned to sender, but sender reshipped for free). Upon using it in lab, I realized I was supposed to have gotten the 11th edition, and I had gotten confused because I needed the 10th edition of my lecture book. In any case, all of the pages were there, and there are only minor differences between he 10th and 11th edition (some slightly altered questions, corrected typos,etc.), so this ended up working well for me.