From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table. Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time. Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.

Climate change is a major challenge facing the modern world. The chemistry of air and it's influence on the climate system forms the main focus of this monograph. The book presents a problem-based approach to presenting global atmospheric processes, evaluating the effects of changing air composition as well as possibilities for interference within these processes and indicates ways for solving the problem of climate change through chemistry. The new edition includes innovations and latest research results.

th th The 20 International Conference on Chemical Education (20 ICCE), which had rd th “Chemistry in the ICT Age” as the theme, was held from 3 to 8 August 2008 at Le Méridien Hotel, Pointe aux Piments, in Mauritius. With more than 200 participants from 40 countries, the conference featured 140 oral and 50 poster presentations. th Participants of the 20 ICCE were invited to submit full papers and the latter were subjected to peer review. The selected accepted papers are collected in this book of proceedings. This book of proceedings encloses 39 presentations covering topics ranging from fundamental to applied chemistry, such as Arts and Chemistry Education, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chemical Education for Development, Chemistry at Secondary Level, Chemistry at Tertiary Level, Chemistry Teacher Education, Chemistry and Society, Chemistry Olympiad, Context Oriented Chemistry, ICT and Chemistry Education, Green Chemistry, Micro Scale Chemistry, Modern Technologies in Chemistry Education, Network for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Education, Public Understanding of Chemistry, Research in Chemistry Education and Science Education at Elementary Level. We would like to thank those who submitted the full papers and the reviewers for their timely help in assessing the papers for publication. th We would also like to pay a special tribute to all the sponsors of the 20 ICCE and, in particular, the Tertiary Education Commission (http://tec.intnet.mu/) and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (http://www.opcw.org/) for kindly agreeing to fund the publication of these proceedings.

Explores the world of chemistry, including its structure, core concepts, and contributions to human culture and material comforts.

Don't be mixed up about chemistry! Simplify the complex chemical reactions that take place everywhere in our lives with this engaging, easy-to-follow, question-and-answer guide! Where would we be without atoms and compounds? Gas, liquids, solids, and plasma? Acids and bases? Bonds and reactions? Matter and energy? The Handy Chemistry Answer Book covers the building blocks of life and the universe. The secret life of atoms, how polar bears aren’t actually white, why oil and water don't mix, and much, much more are revealed and explained. This informative guide covers the basics of chemistry (history, atomic structures, chemical bonds and reactions, organic and inorganic chemistry) to more advanced material (nuclear chemistry, biochemistry, physical and theoretical chemistry) by answering nearly 1,000 common chemistry questions, including ... What causes lightning? How does photosynthesis work? What are hard and soft Lewis acids and bases? What makes a fabric “waterproof”? What are the twelve principles of green chemistry? When did alchemists finally abandon trying to make gold? What is Le Chatelier’s principle? What do the different octane ratings mean at the gas pump? What is genetic engineering? Why is calcium important for strong bones? What is the 18-electron rule? Why does chocolate turn white as it ages? Chemical reactions that rule the world; their properties, structure, composition, behavior, and history are tackled and explained in plain English in The Handy Chemistry Answer Book. With many photos, illustrations, a few formulas, molecular diagrams, and other graphics, this fun, fact-filled tome is richly illustrated. A history of chemistry timeline, appendices on Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners, a bibliography, further reading section, glossary of terms, a table of physical constants, a table of conversion factors, and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Uses hands-on demonstrations with familiar materials to illustrate the concepts of chemistry in terms of everyday experience. The original edition was selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association.