From a physical chemistry point of view
346096
This book is good as it is very detailed about how each chemical equation is derived, however it is from more of a physics perspective so if your not big on formulas or number and more of a understanding through examples this is not the book for you.
1189558
The usual approach to explaining Chemistry as a discipline or branch of learning is to launch into the current "state of knowledge" presentation; i.e. the known physical laws, the mathematical reltionships,  etc.  Some of us think more along historical lines and the development of  patterns.  This book, by concenctrating on the historical development of  the thought allows those of us who think this way to "ooze into"  the subject, gain some understanding of the problems that were solved,  understanding of the experiments that solved them and thus gives us a  better understanding of the problems to be solved today.
3057373
A classic.

I find the ontology of liquids chapter a bit dated.  It takes a 'macroscopic' view of liquids.  But today, with so much attention to the biomedical science, issues of solutes, flow through cell  membranes, low Reynolds numbers, percolation, etc.,  need to be included to round out any discussion of liquids.  Not to mention liquid Helium!
3673
Professor Frank Close OBE is a particle physicist at Oxford University with several books already to his credit. In the 1990s his book The Cosmic Onion was a popular best-seller and is now in a new edition - needed as more is uncovered about the structure of the atom. This relatively short text in the Oxford Press' VSI Series is a relatively easy read, given the potential complexity of the subject matter.

The author first gives us a quick guide to the most important sub-atomic particles that make up the structure of the atom - now fundamental course material in high school science classes. These first chapters are mainly about protons, neutrons and electrons. There is an interesting figure comparing temperatures with wavelengths of e.m. waves and their energies. Close gives us some idea of how these properties have been determined. Then we move on to the properties of the trios of quarks that make up protons and neutrons and we are introduced first to the neutrino and radioactivity and then to the particles of antimatter. There are whole chapters presenting summaries of both the particle accelerators used to produce various kinds of nuclear reactions and the equipment used as detectors.

Chapter 7 takes us into the four forces of Nature and the subatomic particles - some real, some virtual - that are regarded as carriers of these forces. We read of the familiar-sounding yet, in this context, exotic terms used to describe these particles - strangeness, charm and colour. Finally the author describes current views on the origin of the ninety-two natural elements and challenges remaining for physicists to resolve in this century.

If you are intimidated by things scientific, this book is probably not for you. If, on the other hand, you have some grasp of basic science, preferably though not essentially to university entrance standard, this little book is a veritable goldmine of information, lucidly presented.

Howard Jones is the author of The World as Spirit
4202134
I had great service from this seller. As a senior Chemistry major, I found this book easy to digest. I saw other reviews for this book which were very negative, this is for a physicals chemistry course, it is not 100 level, this is a great book for people with a firm background understanding of general chemistry. I would recommend this book to students taking physical chemistry in upper level undergrad or graduate school.
1946474
A well written introduction, if too short. There is very little detail here so the amount of technical material one needs to absorb is small. But, the book does an excellent job of creating a framework under which to hang further chemistry knowledge if the reader decides to learn more.
I understand little of chemistry, limited as I am to the mandatory high school chemistry course and one course in college, some 50 years ago, having learned chemistry mechanics without any chemistry concepts. The book gave me several ahah moments, and concepts. Enthalpy vs entropy vs energy. That if a chemical formula begins with H, it's an acid. An acid transfers protons. Where the terms oxidation and reduction come from. The framework of only four kinds of chemical reactions: acid-base, redox, radical reactions, and Lewis acids. When an electron cloud is pulled to another atom it may bring along the rest of its atom. The other framework is the few basic techniques that go on in the chemical laboratory.
The book is certainly worth more than the few dollars being asked for. The silliness of the first review can be safely ignored.
2118440
This short introduction does a very good job of explaining both the relevant physics and the history of superconductivity.  The author begins by tracing back to the roots of low temperature physics and explains how advances led to the discovery of superconductivity.  This historical approach of tracing the ideas as they happened is used throughout the book, and is very helpful in guiding the discussion about what superconductivity is, and the possible mechanism through which it works; it allows you to understand the evolution of physicists' thoughts on superconductivity and have an idea of the progress made in the past century (and of the amount of progress that still needs to be made). This approach also works to bring the human element into the picture, often talking about the physicists who made the discoveries (giving some attention to two-time Nobel Prize winner John Bardeen).

In the end, superconductivity remains to be thoroughly understood, and the author does a good job explaining in a non-technical manner what is understood about superconductivity, and, perhaps as importantly, what is not fully understood.  The author also points to the very important applications of superconductors in the modern world and possible future uses.

If you are interested in physics, condensed matter in general is an underrepresented subject for popular audiences, and this book does an excellent job of not only remedying this, but showing that this branch of physics can be just as interesting as particle and astrophysics.
4375473
The "handbook" is really 3 volumes. The cost of it strongly suggests that the main buyers will be libraries, rather than individuals. With over 100 papers, the book is very up to date. Its theme is one intersection of physics and chemistry. At a level where the molecules are being modelled with quantum mechanics.

There is an extensive and detailed explanation of how one goes about building the electronic structure of the molecules. Essentially, the book is mostly about computational quantum chemistry. For all the practical cases involve the extensive use of computers to find the eigenfunctions or orbitals.

From these, we see a buildup into a resultant spectroscopy. Where the latter might be used as diagnostic tools to infer molecular structure.

There is also discussion how, at a higher level [ie. larger length scales], the quantum mechanical modelling can be averaged out into a classical molecular dynamics approach. Where the latter retains enough realism to be useful. And with the advantage that more molecules can be modelled.
4331714
The book presents the three laws of thermodynamics:  the first law (conservation of energy)in chapters 1-4, the second law (dispersal of energy) in chapters 5-9, and the third law (low temperature behavior) in chapter 14.  Other chapters apply thermodynamics to light, chemistry, biology, geology, and cosmology.  The authors present thermodynamics using both classical and statistical mechanical arguments.  References are listed for further study of topics.

  Although the book is intended for a general audience, the book will be interesting even to a reader who already has some familiarity with thermodynamics because the book probably treats at least a few applications with which he is unfamiliar.  The book also makes a number of refreshing admissions about the limits of thermodynamics; for example, thermodynamics can't be strictly applied to living organisms (p. 297), and in general relativity, energy need not be conserved (p. 370).

  The book requires a knowledge of simple algebra and logarithms; however, a tutorial on these subjects is presented in an appendix.
3999793
I am a chemist and a woman, so of course felt an immediate connection to Mary Sherman Morgan- and I'd never heard of her, either.  Others here have talked about the story etc, so I want to mention the chemistry.  One thing I particularly enjoyed in this book were the chemical details.  I did not check every one for accuracy, but the ones I knew were spot on.  I would have enjoyed even more explanation of the requirements of the rocket fuels, but I was satisfied with what detail there is.  Students of organic chemistry would enjoy learning at least one use for the chemistry they've been studying.  I also enjoyed the personal story of Mary, and only wish there was more to it.  We are left, like the author, feeling that we didn't know Mary Sherman Morgan as well as we might.
3977122
This is an excellent and thorough book about the origin of life.  It begins with some historical material on the subject.  Then there's a some characteristics of the consitituents of cells.  Lahav points out that one property of life is that all its fundamental constituents are non-living.

After that, there is a brief but important discussion of general thermodynamic considerations, including free energy, entropy, information content of DNA, and autocatalysis.  From there, we go to a chapter on biochemical molecules and processes.  And we see Martynas Ycas' definition of a biochemical system ("a system of catalysts regulating the transformation of other compounds so as to make available the system energy and matter for its further increase and maintenance").  In addition, there's a chapter on biological life, with four pages just to compile various definitions of life.

Now we're ready to take on the main problem.  The basic assumptions are that the physical laws are applicable and that evolution takes place at the molecular level.  The strategies include cosmogeochemical (characterizing the environments in which the first living entities formed), biological (looking for the oldest actual life forms), and biogeochemical (looking at the synthesis of biopolymers).

Lahav supplies some clues from biology about the origin of life, including chirality, multiplicity of steps to generate life, temperature at which life originated, common origin for RNA, the citric acid cycle, and "evolutionary clocks."  Then we get into some specific lines of attack.  The first is that ribose has a stability problem and adenine hydrolyzes.  That gets us to look at a PNA (peptide nucleic acid) world and template-directed reactions.  And we see Hartman's theory that the original code began with glycine, alanine, arginine, and proline.  And we look at the issue of the "error threshold" of a copying process.

We then are introduced to another question: did the origin of life entail the use of minerals as scaffolds, adsorbents, catalysts, or information carriers?  That includes a discussion of Wachtershauser's "iron-sulfur world."  And there is a look at where on Earth life could have started: volcanoes, hot springs, bulk ocean water, bubbles, atmospheric water drops, lagoons, ocean floor, ocean surface, or hydrothermal vents.

The final chapter is about computer modeling of some biogeochemical scenarios.  The book ends with a fine list of references.

I strongly recommend this book to those genuinely interested in the fascinating question of the origin of life on Earth.
1222400
Basic Chemistry is a very clear presentation of basic chemistry.  The text is appropriate and well written for an introduction to the composition of matter and how we understand materials made up of atoms.  The text includes excellent contemporary examples and discussions.  The problems are well chosen to reflect the chapter topics;  they are very helpful in actually practicing the concepts.  The major topics of materials and reactivity are covered without the burden of academic clutter found in many chemistry texts.  While suitable historical details are provided, this book presents chemistry without the detailed history lessons of "how science evolved" -which is a problem with many science texts.  This is an excellent book to learn the basics about composition, reactivity, and the science of chemistry.
1899215
Thermodynamics is one of the foundations of physical science and, by extension, of our understanding of the physical work. This new book provides a comprehensive approach to thermodynamics from a physical chemistry approach. It includes the basics (energy, temperature, entropy), statistical approaches, multicomponent systems, surfaces and interfaces, chemical equilibrium, electrolytes, solids and non-equilibrium systems.

The text does not shy away from a mathematical treatment of the subject, and includes examples, exercises and end-of-chapter problems (with solutions). Although printed in black and white, the diagrams are clear and instructive. It is highly informed by Jacobs decades of research in related areas.

This book aims to provide the fundamental thermodynamics that chemists, as well as physicists and engineers, need in their second, third and fourth years in an undergraduate program, and in that it succeeds. The book will be an especially useful resource for those who teach thermodynamics or who need a thermodynamics resource for their research.

Mary Anne White
Dalhousie University
4551686
What troubles me with a book like this, as I flip through its pages and its index, is that nowhere does it take anything in consideration other than the psychology and the chemistry. In this day and age, to write about the brain, and not include the study of the electromagnetic fluctuations of the endocrine system and the rest of the human body, is like trying to understand what a light bulb does by only analyzing the molecular structure of its composite materials!

We need to raise our level of understanding to acknowledge that for every chemical reaction there is an equal electrical reaction, all electrical current produces an electromagnetic field. It is that life force, the physical manifestation of that conduit, that guides the path of our relationships, our growth into this world, we are all solar creatures using the energy from the sun to manifest our presence.

This is just another book looking under the hood, telling you where the wires are, what they are made of, and what color they are, kind of clueless as to what happens when you turn the key in the ignition. I no longer pay attention to brain books like these that don't also take into account the electricity of the body, the radiation of the heart, and how the dance of electrons articulate our chemistry. The author is only looking at one side of the coin, the dark side, and needs to climb out of her materialistic fantasy.
2908359
A well organized examination of thermodynamics from an entropic point of view. Develops a clear conceptual appreciation for entropy and its significance.
4285370
I think Dr Bejan may have discovered something profound here that could be as significant as the established fundamental laws (first principles) of thermodynamics and physics. The constructal law seems better suited for application to continuum-scale out-of-equilibrium flow processes, irreversible chemical reactions, and evolvable biotic (living) systems than other statements such as the MaxEnt or MinEnt. Recently, I have interpreted some theoretical modeling results on frustrated tumorigenesis and homeorhesis using the constructal law [...]. That said, The Physics of Life is a very readable account of some applications of this principle  ranging across the sciences  written in laymans style. It may also provide a much-needed theoretical peg to reformulate an evolutionary, ecological, and equitable economics on the global scale, and inform policy-makers on the nature of transnational migrant flows.
3801597
I am a graduate student in physical chemistry.  I came over 2 year ago from Germany.  I plan on utilizing the proposals suggested in this book to improve my ability to speak English.