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JWHooper
Jul22-08, 03:10 AM
Okay, I just bought a new Chemistry textbook a week or two weeks ago (it's called Chemistry - Eighth Edition by Whitten, Davis, Peck and Stanley). Also, at the beginning of the textbook, it says:
"Chemistry - eighth edition, is intended for use in the introductory chemistry course taken by students of chemistry, physics, engineering, and related subjects. Although some background in high school science is helpful, no specific knowledge of topics in chemistry is presupposed. This book has self-contained presentations of the fundamentals of chemistry."

Here's my situation. I didn't took any chemistry courses in high school (except a short introductory one that is half semester long in freshmen year...). I took physics class, though. So, here's my question: will I be okay studying my new chemistry book? Please let me know!

P.S. Moderators, please don't move this post, or do anything to it that will not make this post noticable!!! This post is important for me!!!!!! :(

JGK
Jul22-08, 08:02 AM
From what is written there , I would say it is designed for those with little or no previous chemistry, so you should be OK.

However, a failure to becone a brilliant chemist may not be the fault of the book

buffordboy23
Jul24-08, 09:43 AM
If it is an introductory chemistry book, you should be fine. With your high school physics background, you should have already a good ability in applying dimensional analysis to obtain quantities in a specified form. This is used extensively in introductory chemistry courses (e.g. determining the number of molecules present from a given number of grams). If you are still concerned, work through the first couple of chapters and solve some problems, since for most students school doesn't start until the end of August.

Howers
Jul25-08, 10:49 AM
No idea. I had firm HS chemistry before doing intro chem. And from experience, these books that claim "blah blah is reccommended but not really neccessary" flat out lie. You should be okay, because the material is pretty easy, but you might need to spend extra time on it, especially the first few chapters.