Product Description

When this innovative textbook first appeared in 1984 it rapidly became a great success throughout the world and has already been translated into several European and Asian languages. Now the authors have completely revised and updated the text, including more than 2000 new literature references to work published since the first edition. No page has been left unaltered but the novel features which proved so attractive have been retained. The book presents a balanced, coherent and comprehensive account of the chemistry of the elements for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This crucial central area of chemistry is full of ingenious experiments, intriguing compounds and exciting new discoveries. The authors specifically avoid the term `inorganic chemistry' since this evokes an outmoded view of chemistry which is no longer appropriate in the final decade of the 20th century.

Accordingly, the book covers not only the 'inorganic' chemistry of the elements, but also analytical, theoretical, industrial, organometallic, bio-inorganic and other cognate areas of chemistry. The authors have broken with recent tradition in the teaching of their subject and adopted a new and highly successful approach based on descriptive chemistry. The chemistry of the elements is still discussed within the context of an underlying theoretical framework, giving cohesion and structure to the text, but at all times the chemical facts are emphasized. Students are invited to enter the exciting world of chemical phenomena with a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject, to approach experimentation with an open mind, and to assess observations reliably. This is a book that students will not only value during their formal education, but will keep and refer to throughout their careers as chemists.


Completely revised and updated
Unique approach to the subject
More comprehensive than competing titles

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #164773 in Books
• Published on: 1997-12-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1600 pages

Review
'Presents a balanced, coherent and comprehensive account of the
chemistry of the elements.'
THE CHEMICAL ENGINEER, FEB '98

' The innovative and successful textbook presents a balanced coherent and comprehensive account of the elements for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.'

Documentation Journal
' Completely revised and updated'
' Gives a balanced, coherent and comprehensive account of the chemistry of the elements for undergraduate and postgraduate students'
' The authors use descriptive chemistry to discuss the Chemistry of the Elements

Booknews
"...should be aquired by all serious chemistry undergraduates and graduate students...and is good value for money."

"The second editiion continues the good work of the first and should be acquired by all serious chemistry undergraduates and graduate students (and inorganic chemistry staff)..it is good value for money..all chemists should buy this new edition, and use it."
APPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMIST -- Review

Review
"Excellent encyclopedic reference.
Bibliographic sections are very well-done
Information in margins for supplement text."

From the Publisher
Accordingly, the book covers not only the 'inorganic' chemistry of the elements, but also analytical, theoretical, industrial, organometallic, bio-inorganic and other cognate areas of chemistry. The authors have broken with recent tradition in the teaching of their subject and adopted a new and highly successful approach based on descriptive chemistry. The chemistry of the elements is still discussed within the context of an underlying theoretical framework, giving cohesion and structure to the text, but at all times the chemical facts are emphasized. Students are invited to enter the exciting world of chemical phenomena with a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject, to approach experimentation with an open mind, and to assess observations reliably. This is a book that students will not only value during their formal education, but also will keep and refer to throughout their careers as chemists.

Customer Reviews

Fascination with elements
Although I have some formal chemistry training, I am not a professional chemist, nor teacher. However, since childhood I have been fascinated by the chemical elements. I suppose this is similar to the fascination for prime numbers, Platonic solids, or elementary particles.

I suspect there are many others "out there" sharing this fascination. If so, and you are interested in any of the following, this book might be for you:

1) why are most elements metals? 2) why are there so few liquid elements? 3) why are there no gaseous metals? (Well actually there is: hydrogen) 4) why is there an island of super-dense elements centered about osmium? 5) why is carbon unique in that it is the progenitor of a vast family of compounds (the subject of organic chemistry)? 6) why do carbon's two nearest neighbors, silicon and boron, not have similar empires? (Silicon does have an empire -- rocks! -- but it is obviously quite different)7) what makes "heavy metals" heavy, and why are they so toxic? 8) why is there virtually no technetium in the Earth, though it is a relatively light metal, and not a member of the "heavy" radio-active series? 9) why is deuterium virtually a distinct elements (rather than just a form {isotope} of hydrogen)?

The book is "friendly" enough so as not to intimidate non-specialist, but at the same time it contains sufficient details and technical information to interest the expert. A special asset is the grouping of elements according to the periodic table. The mysteries of the transitions elements are especially well covered.

The book is enhaced by excellent graphics.

The price, while high for say a novel, it quite reasonable for a technical book.

Happy browsing!

excellent, practical, thorough, good reading!
For years I have enjoyed the previous edition as a source of information and reference. It is a good adjunct to many of the courses in Chemistry to give additional background. The authors seem to anticipate what you will need to learn. The inset boxes are excellent in that they call attention to practical industrial chemistry and I know of no other text that so successfully stresses applied chemistry while most texts give no insight into the real world of the practical side of Chemistry. Do you know how a match is made? Chemistry of the Elements will educate you! Harry Persinger

Excellent resource and text on the chemistry of elements
Greenwood and Earshaw is an excellent inorganic chemistry text as well as a valuable reference for the chemist or geochemist. Their systematic treatment of the elements by group within the periodic table makes for a coherent treatment of periodic properties.

Besides the almost encyclopedic coverage of element chemistry, they cover the sources and uses of the elements and their compounds, making the chemistry much more relevant to everyday life.

This is a good text for a university level inorganic class, but has enough general information that would be digestable for lower level students as well. An excellent resource for chemistry instructors at all levels.