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50 Cosas Que Hay Que Saber Sobre Quimica
Chemistry is at the cutting ege of our lives. How does a silicon chip work? How can we harness natural products to combat human disease? And is it possible to create artificial muscles?
Providing answers to these questions and many more, 50 Chemistry Ideas You Really Need to Know is an engaging guide to the world of chemistry. From the molecules that kick-started life itself to nanotechnology, chemistry offers some fascinating insights into our origins, as well as continuing to revolutionize life as we know it.
In 50 short instalments, this accessible book discusses everything from the arguments of the key thinkers to the latest research methods, using timelines to place each theory in context - telling you all you need to know about the most important ideas in chemistry, past and present.
Contents include: Thermodynamics, Catalysts, Fermentation, Green Chemistry, Separation, Chrystallography, Microfabrication, Computational Chemistry, Chemistry Occurring in Nature, Manmade Solutions: Beer, Plastic, Artificial Muscles and Hydrogen Future.
Providing answers to these questions and many more, 50 Chemistry Ideas You Really Need to Know is an engaging guide to the world of chemistry. From the molecules that kick-started life itself to nanotechnology, chemistry offers some fascinating insights into our origins, as well as continuing to revolutionize life as we know it.
In 50 short instalments, this accessible book discusses everything from the arguments of the key thinkers to the latest research methods, using timelines to place each theory in context - telling you all you need to know about the most important ideas in chemistry, past and present.
Contents include: Thermodynamics, Catalysts, Fermentation, Green Chemistry, Separation, Chrystallography, Microfabrication, Computational Chemistry, Chemistry Occurring in Nature, Manmade Solutions: Beer, Plastic, Artificial Muscles and Hydrogen Future.
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First published November 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 11, 2021
A scattershot of facts with little depth. The book really should use more non-technical diagrams to explain things such as atomic structure, or use photos to immediately put into mind what each chemistry idea is practically used for. The book moves on too quickly while neglecting to explain many scientific terms. For example, there's an entire chapter for CFC, but the author never mentions its full name as chlorofluorocarbon, and also doesn't explain what process refrigerants go through in directly affecting the ozone layer.
The publishing of the book is also frustrating. There are breakout boxes that interrupt paragraphs mid-sentence, and the thin sans serif type is annoying to read on the grey backgrounds.
I do like the condensed form of ideas at the end of each chapter. But the book needed to focus on fewer facts for each concept, and cut straight to why each thing is a must-know chemistry idea.
The publishing of the book is also frustrating. There are breakout boxes that interrupt paragraphs mid-sentence, and the thin sans serif type is annoying to read on the grey backgrounds.
I do like the condensed form of ideas at the end of each chapter. But the book needed to focus on fewer facts for each concept, and cut straight to why each thing is a must-know chemistry idea.
October 5, 2015
Прекрасная книжка как раз для таких дебилов, как я (кому на выпускных экзаменах четверку еле натянула химичка по кличке Молекула, спасибо ей огромное).
Внутри — материал для множества сюжетов:
Например, в лесах Кореи под корнями сосен сидят такие бактерии, вырабатывают тирский пурпур. Приходят ученые, видят это дело и говорят:
— Ух ты!
Бактерии молчат. Ученые чешут репу, не понимают, потом спрашивают:
— Бактерии, а вам, мы извиняемся спросить, это тирский пурпур — он вообще зачем?
А те надулись, жуют и говорят только:
— Надо.
— Нет, мы понимаем, что, наверное, надо, но — зачем он вам?
— Надо.
— Нет, мы все равно не понимаем.
— Надо.
— А делаете вы с ним что?
— Надо.
— А вот еще в моллюсках он есть — его родня ваша там производит? Там он зачем?
— Надо.
— Ну, блин… — разводят руками ученые.
— Надо. Чего пристали? Надо нам — и все.
…Вот так вот у нас в химии со всем, куда ни плюнь. Надо.
Внутри — материал для множества сюжетов:
Например, в лесах Кореи под корнями сосен сидят такие бактерии, вырабатывают тирский пурпур. Приходят ученые, видят это дело и говорят:
— Ух ты!
Бактерии молчат. Ученые чешут репу, не понимают, потом спрашивают:
— Бактерии, а вам, мы извиняемся спросить, это тирский пурпур — он вообще зачем?
А те надулись, жуют и говорят только:
— Надо.
— Нет, мы понимаем, что, наверное, надо, но — зачем он вам?
— Надо.
— Нет, мы все равно не понимаем.
— Надо.
— А делаете вы с ним что?
— Надо.
— А вот еще в моллюсках он есть — его родня ваша там производит? Там он зачем?
— Надо.
— Ну, блин… — разводят руками ученые.
— Надо. Чего пристали? Надо нам — и все.
…Вот так вот у нас в химии со всем, куда ни плюнь. Надо.
October 6, 2015
Милый, хорошо придуманный обзор по химии с сильным креном в материаловедение, привет "Химии и жизни".
Пожалуй, в ряду "Будущее", "Архитектура", "Математика", "Мозг" и "Химия" этот текст самый развлекательный и юзер-френдли. Хотя я, возможно, рассказала бы больше про поразительные штуки в самой химии, а не в ультрамодной сверхсовременной науке о материалах. Но это я бухчу с позиций химфаковской методологии преподавания.
Пожалуй, в ряду "Будущее", "Архитектура", "Математика", "Мозг" и "Химия" этот текст самый развлекательный и юзер-френдли. Хотя я, возможно, рассказала бы больше про поразительные штуки в самой химии, а не в ультрамодной сверхсовременной науке о материалах. Но это я бухчу с позиций химфаковской методологии преподавания.
July 5, 2023
There are better introductions to chemistry out there. However, given that this is one of the better "50 ideas you really need to know" books, I think the average reader would get a lot out of reading it.
Critical topics like stoichiometry, solutions, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, and chemical kinetics are missing. There are questionable inclusions like artificial muscles, synthetic biology, future fuels, the lab on a chip, and CFCs.
You really should cover the basics, like functional groups, nomenclature, and basic reactions, before talking about things like chirality.
The lack of useful diagrams and grayscale printing are also hindrances in a technical topic like this. It's fine as a book but if you're interested in the topic there are many better ones you can read.
Critical topics like stoichiometry, solutions, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, and chemical kinetics are missing. There are questionable inclusions like artificial muscles, synthetic biology, future fuels, the lab on a chip, and CFCs.
You really should cover the basics, like functional groups, nomenclature, and basic reactions, before talking about things like chirality.
The lack of useful diagrams and grayscale printing are also hindrances in a technical topic like this. It's fine as a book but if you're interested in the topic there are many better ones you can read.
March 15, 2024
Bastante interesante e informativo. Sin embargo, toca temas muy densos con explicaciones muy cortas y casi incompletas. No es solo de química, indaga mucho en las demás ramas de la ciencia que están vinculadas con la química en cuestión de experimentos en invenciones.
Me costó mucho terminarlo pero si lo recomiendo…
Me costó mucho terminarlo pero si lo recomiendo…
January 14, 2022
Interesante, pero en ocasiones tedioso para terminar. El diseño editorial no me gustó. Hay que estar yendo y viniendo a las páginas y diferentes secciones para leer por completo el contenido del libro.
December 10, 2017
Un libro que me ha ayudado mucho a comprender la importancia de la química en todos los ámbitos de la vida y cómo funciona.
December 19, 2018
Excelente libro para desempolvar un poco los conocimientos de química basicos.
February 11, 2021
Un libro repleto de ejemplos interesante sobre la importancia de la química y su campo de acción, presenta algunos problemas de traducción pero nada del otro mundo.
March 27, 2024
Não agregou muito conhecimento ao que eu já estudei sobre o assunto. Quer ter uma visão interessantíssima sobre a química? Leia Os botões de Napoleão.
January 16, 2025
Dios mío, me encanta la química
October 3, 2025
um livro de fato fenomenal, só fui conhecer ele no meu cursinho em mim um real amor pela química, depois disso aqui qualquer seção de estudo de química se tornou mais uma forma de divertimento, igual biologia ou história
June 16, 2016
This covers a wide and comprehensive range of concepts from the most fundamental (states of matter, atomic and covalent bonds) to the more recent and cutting edge (nanotechnology, green chemistry) in a brief and educational way. One commendable point is the fact that the divisions are are wise and made with the reader in mind. It presents the basic rules of chemistry necessary for an understanding of specialised jargon and processes, before moving on to more complex topics that rely upon that knowledge to be comprehended in their fascinating entirely.
This is a good candidate book for the impulse to refresh one's knowledge on what one used to know, covering everything up to a pre-university knowledge of chemistry. It (re)introduces atomic structure, bonds, chemical equations and redox reactions with enough clarity for flickers of recognition. Thus it serves as a good starting point. (However what it offers is a concise, skimmed summary, so the exact technicalities and 'how-to's are still best answered by revisiting a high school textbook.)
Given the above, someone reading this without prior knowledge might find the information a tad overwhelming. Regardless of knowledge level, this book is best read slowly, one topic at a time, and at one's own leisure, letting the information sink in. As chemistry books are, this is fun, and Birch regularly presents information in a light-hearted, humorous way, but its subject matter renders it not entirely easy. As such trying to absorb all of it in one sitting may prove tedious and too much to handle.
This is a good candidate book for the impulse to refresh one's knowledge on what one used to know, covering everything up to a pre-university knowledge of chemistry. It (re)introduces atomic structure, bonds, chemical equations and redox reactions with enough clarity for flickers of recognition. Thus it serves as a good starting point. (However what it offers is a concise, skimmed summary, so the exact technicalities and 'how-to's are still best answered by revisiting a high school textbook.)
Given the above, someone reading this without prior knowledge might find the information a tad overwhelming. Regardless of knowledge level, this book is best read slowly, one topic at a time, and at one's own leisure, letting the information sink in. As chemistry books are, this is fun, and Birch regularly presents information in a light-hearted, humorous way, but its subject matter renders it not entirely easy. As such trying to absorb all of it in one sitting may prove tedious and too much to handle.
June 17, 2016
El libro cumple mis expectativas de un libro de divulgación que actualice mis conocimientos científicos, en este caso de química. En este sentido, muy bien.
PERO debo decir que la edición y la traducción son mejorables. Sobre lo primero añadir que por lo menos el formato Ebook es muy pobre, por ejemplo en los gráficos, pero también falla la corrección.
En cuanto a la traducción tenía mis dudas, al fin y al cabo no estudié inglés en Oxford precisamente, y además tampoco me he molestado en consultar el texto original, pero mis sospechas se confirman con esto: "Se completa el primer cromosoma sintético de un organismo eucaristía" (un organismo de este tipo debe ser la hostia ;-).
En fin, si lo sé leo el original en English,que hasta aquí ya puedo ;-)
Una estrella menos por la edición y la traducción.
PERO debo decir que la edición y la traducción son mejorables. Sobre lo primero añadir que por lo menos el formato Ebook es muy pobre, por ejemplo en los gráficos, pero también falla la corrección.
En cuanto a la traducción tenía mis dudas, al fin y al cabo no estudié inglés en Oxford precisamente, y además tampoco me he molestado en consultar el texto original, pero mis sospechas se confirman con esto: "Se completa el primer cromosoma sintético de un organismo eucaristía" (un organismo de este tipo debe ser la hostia ;-).
En fin, si lo sé leo el original en English,que hasta aquí ya puedo ;-)
Una estrella menos por la edición y la traducción.
June 2, 2016
This is a really great series to just dip your toes into a field and catch up on what they're up to, maybe refresh your memory on things you learned in high school. While it never gets "complicated" it does cover some relatively advanced parts of the field (while still completely understnadable for the layperson). I would recommend it as a gift for maybe a high schooler about to start studying the subject, preventatively making sure he doesn't think chemistry is boring.
July 18, 2016
Really enjoyed this book. Though I already forgot what I read. It is not easy remembering all those different 50 chemistry ideas :P
So will be rereading it again sometime in the future :)
So will be rereading it again sometime in the future :)
July 25, 2016
Quite interesting
January 22, 2017
Semplice ma efficace. Forse mancano delle illustrazioni a colori... avrebbero più impatto del solo bianco e nero.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews