Chemistry (DK Eyewitness Books Series)

by Ann Newmark

Overview

Chemical processes have always been a part of life. They enable our bodies to function and are the basis of countless substances and processes we take for granted. This intriguing book explores the world's natural chemistry and how we understand and exploit it.

From the first use of fire, people have practiced chemistry to produce food and drink, tan leather, make dyes for clothes and cosmetics, work metals, and produce glass and pottery. Today, chemicals help to purify our water, improve agriculture, and manufacture drugs, synthetic fabrics, and plastics. Our growing knowledge of the Earth's elements, the properties of atoms and DNA, and how substances interact, has resulted in many new technologies, products, and scientific advances.

The most trusted nonfiction series on the market, Eyewitness Books provide an in-depth, comprehensive look at their subjects with a unique integration of words and pictures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780756613853
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	09/05/2005
Series:	DK Eyewitness
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	448,720
Product dimensions:	8.81(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.47(d)
Lexile:	1040L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Dr. Ann Newmark worked as a curator, writer, and researcher at the Science Museum in London. She helped to revamp the chemistry galleries as a research assistant in the 1970s, became senior curator of the Experimental Chemistry branch in the 1980s, and was promoted to head of documentation in the 1990s. Newmark wrote the DK Eyewitness book Chemistry in 1993, using photographs of many of the museum's unique items to help illustrate the subject for young readers.

Table of Contents

	What is chemistry?	6
	Chemistry in nature	8
	Chemistry in ancient worlds	10
	The first chemists	12
	Investigating mixtures	14
	Atoms and molecules	16
	The elements	18
	Investigating compounds	20
	The periodic table	22
	Looking at metals	24
	Discovering nonmetals	26
	Looking at air	28
	Burning reactions	30
	The noble gases	32
	Chemical reactions	34
	What drives a reaction?	36
	Rates of reactions	38
	Oxidation and reduction	40
	Acids and bases	42
	Forming salts	44
	Electricity and chemistry	46
	The chemistry of carbon	48
	The chemistry of life	50
	Organic synthesis	52
	The first plastics	54
	Making synthetic materials	56
	The story of chemical analysis	58
	Monitoring materials	60
	The chemical industry	62
	Did you know?	64
	Timeline	66
	Find out more	68
	Glossary	70
	Index	72