"Newly updated throughout, and now covering 118 elements, this crystal-clear guide to the periodic table illuminates the basic concepts of chemistry as it traces the history and development of our knowledge of the material world. Albert Stwertka makes complex ideas and terms easily understandable, drawing upon engaging historical anecdotes and everyday examples to clarify the text. Since the second edition, many new elements have been discovered,...

"The elements in the periodic table are the ingredients that make up our world. Explore elements such as carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, and learn why they are essential to our survival. See how precious gold protects astronauts in space, and why the metal mercury can be both a solid and a liquid. Find out about man-made elements, which the smartest chemists are busy figuring out how to use. Learn about scores of other elements, including silver, the...

In the spirit of A Short History of Nearly Everything comes Periodic Tales. Award-winning science writer Hugh Andersey-Williams offers readers a captivating look at the elements-and the amazing, little-known stories behind their discoveries. Periodic Tales is an energetic and wide-ranging book of innovations and innovators, of superstition and science and the myriad ways the chemical elements are woven into our culture, history, and language. It will...

"The periodic table of elements, first encountered by many of us at school, provides an arrangement of the chemical elements, ordered by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. In this Very Short Introduction, Eric Scerri presents a modern and fresh exploration of this fundamental topic in the physical sciences, considering the deeper implications of the arrangements of the table to atomic physics and quantum...

"A book of fun chemistry experiments has fallen into the wrong hands. Only Mel can use her knowledge of the periodic table to put an end to a maniacal madman's evil schemes. The periodic table helps us quickly understand the 118 elements, those tiny substances that make up everything in the world. By using the periodic table, we can recognize how these building blocks behave, find trends and patterns in the universe, and make predictions about elements...

"Do you confuse boron with barium or chlorine with fluorine? Fear not! This book comes to the rescue by mixing science and art to create the most unique periodic table you've ever seen."--Publisher's web site.

Profiles every element on the periodic table and describes their properties, when they were discovered, and how they are used in household materials.

"From the table to the lab to our bodies, this interesting and informative book introduces young readers to the element sodium. Easy-to-understand explanations, colorful illustrations, and examples children can relate to make this a fun way to learn about one of Earth's most abundant elements. Historical information gives the subject context, while discussions of the common uses of sodium, such as in soap making and food preservation, keep it relevant."--...

"Oxygen is essential to life on Earth, but what is this tasteless, colorless, element? From how oxygen was discovered to how it supports life, this book answers all your questions about element we all depend on. Readers will learn about atoms, molecules, and how oxygen fits in the Periodic Table. Discussions of photosynthesis, combustion, and oxygen compounds explore the role of oxygen in our world. Interesting and accessible explanations of chemistry...

This book on the four elements and the periodic table shows the scientific method at work, proves, and disproves the subjects at hand. It explores a branch of modern science or a major scientific milestone, comparing and contrasting it with an older idea that has been proved wrong or fails to meet the strict and studied standards of science. A robust index, glossary, science content, and bibliography accompanies the descriptive and concise text while...