Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, (5th Edition) (Repost)

Some years ago, a question occasionally heard was ''Why study chemistry?''— but no longer. At the core of the natura sciences, chemistry is crucial to an understanding of molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology, ecology, atmospheric science, nuclear studies, materials science, and numerous other fields. Because chemistry is so central to understanding these fields, it is a core requirement for an increasing number of academic majors. Some major societal issues also have chemical principles at their core, including climate change, energy options, materials recycling, diet, nutrition, exercise, and traditional vs. alternative medicine. Clearly, the study of chemistry as an integral part of our world is essential.

To respond to numerous modern challenges, chemistry is evolving in new directions to design “greener” plastics and fuels, monitor atmosphere and oceans to model global warming, determine our genetic makeup to treat disease and synthesize nanomaterials with revolutionary properties among many others.

Nevertheless, as the applications change, the basic concepts of chemistry still form the essence of the course. The mass laws and the mole concept still apply to the amounts of substances involved in a reaction. Atomic properties, and the periodic trends and types of bonding derived from them still determine molecular structure, which in turn still governs the forces between molecules and the resulting physical behavior of substances and mixtures. And the central concepts of kinetics, equilibrium, and thermodynamics stil account for the dynamic aspects of chemical change.

The challenge for a modern text surveying this enormous field is to present the core concepts of chemistry clearly and show how they apply to current practice. The fifth edition of Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change has evolved in important ways to meet this challenge.