Recommendations on Intro Chem Texts

[Astronuc]

Besides texts by Charles H Corwin and Stephen Zumdahl, what texts are recommended for Introduction or Fundamentals of Chemistry.

My texts are at least a couple of decades old.

 

[GCT]

The best out there, in my humble opinion...Principles of Chemistry by Raymond Chang.

 

[Joel]

I cannot recommend anything, but I've read Zumdahl and Housecroft & Constable as a student, and I do not recommend the later. Compared with Zumdahl, Housecroft & Constable goes into more depth, but doesn't have the clarity of Zumdahl. As complementary material or at later stage in studies I could recommend Housecroft & Constable, but not as a first contact to chemistry.

 

[Astronuc]

Gentleman, thank you for your comments.

 

[nakomus]

If I can interject a question into here…
I’m going to be taking a General Chemistry sequence starting in the fall out of Chang’s book. I’m thinking about getting the Dover edition of Linus Pauling’s General Chemistry book to get started on over the summer and have as a secondary source. I’m wondering if anyone here has any experience with the book. Would it make a good secondary source? Or would it be better to just wait for my class rather than try to learn some on my own?

I have a pretty good math background (first year Calculus, ODEs, Linear Algebra), and General Physics, so I’m not expecting to have trouble with the math / calculation parts of the course…

 

[GCT]

It'll be better if you started early. If Chang is what you're using then you should review it.

 

[Astronuc]

I searched for Raymond Chang's book and found http://catalogs.mhhe.com/mhhe/viewProductDetails.do?isbn=0073016527.

TOC
1 Introduction
2 Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
3 Stoichiometry
4 Reactions in Aqueous Solutions
5 Gases
6 Energy Relationships in Chemical Reactions
7 The Electronic Structure of Atoms
8 The Periodic Table
9 Chemical Bonding I: The Covalent Bond
10 Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Geometry and Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals
11 Introduction to Organic Chemistry
12 Intermolecular Forces and Liquids and Solids
13 Physical Properties of Solutions
14 Chemical Kinetics
15 Chemical Equilibrium
16 Acids and Bases
17 Acid-Base Equilibria and Solubility Equilibria
18 Thermodynamics
19 Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry
20 The Chemistry of Coordination Compounds
21 Nuclear Chemistry
22 Organic Polymers: Synthetic and Natural
Appendix 1 Units for the Gas Constant
Appendix 2 Selected Thermodynamic Data at 1 atm and 25 degrees Centigrade
Appendix 3 Mathematical Operations
Appendix 4 The Elements and the Derivation of Their Names and Symbols

How is this different from the previous book Principles of Chemistry?

 

[Astronuc]

And then there is this one -

http://vig.prenhall.com/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0130143294,00.html
by Ralph H. Petrucci, William S. Harwood, Geoffrey Herring, Geoffrey Geoffrey Herring

General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Matter - Its Properties and Measurement 2
2 Atoms and Atomic Theory 32
3 Chemical Compounds 64
4 Chemical Reactions 96
5 Introduction to Reactions in Aqueous Solutions 128
6 Gases 162
7 Thermochemistry 202
8 The Atmospheric Gases and Hydrogen 240
9 Electrons in Atoms 270
10 The Periodic Table and Some Atomic Properties 314
11 Chemical Bonding I: Basic Concepts 344
12 Chemical Bonding II: Additional Aspects 386
13 Liquids, Solids, and Intermolecular Forces 418
14 Solutions and Their Physical Properties 466
15 Chemical Kinetics 504
16 Principles of Chemical Equilibrium 544
17 Acids and Bases 580
18 Additional Aspects of Acid-Base Equilibria 620
19 Solubility and Complex Ion Equilibria 654
20 Spontaneous Change: Entropy and Free Energy 688
21 Electrochemistry 724
22 Main Group Elements I: Metals 764
23 Main Group Elements II: Nonmetals 794
24 The Transition Elements 830
25 Complex Ions and Coordination Compounds 864
26 Nuclear Chemistry 896
27 Organic Chemistry 928
28 Chemistry of the Living State 962
App. A Mathematical Operations A1
App. B Some Basic Physical Concepts A11
App. C SI Units A15
App. D Data Tables A17
App. E Glossary A31
App. F Answers to Practice Examples and Selected Exercises A47
Index I1

Any comments?

 

[heman]

thanks Astronuc but it seems that both os these cover topics on overall chemistry
but the topics which i need are mostly of organic chemistry but i think in a way general organic chemistry..

 

[Astronuc]

Ah, say no more, nudge, nudge,

That's a different thread.

 

[heman]

i forgot its urs thread...Sorry

 

[Astronuc]

It's an open thread. I just initiated it.

I am hoping members will comment on the texts - strengths and/or weaknesses.

 

[dwilkerson]

Raymond Chang's Chemistry is probably the best I have found. I think it's the most used college general chemistry book on the market, at least that's what my prof said!

 

[Pyrrhus]

When i took Inorganic Chemistry I, i was taught with Raymond Chang's book, but for Inorganic Chemistry II, i was taught with Chemistry - The Central Science by Theodore Brown et al, i found it much better than Chang's which i used as my reference textbook for the rest of the course.