Essential Chemistry: Acids and Bases

Acids and bases are essential components of the natural world that play key roles in medicine and industry. They are used in the manufacturing of such everyday items as carbonated soft drinks, salad dressings, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and fertilizers. These compounds can have a dramatic impact, too, as in the sulfuric acid clouds of Venus and in grave wax, a basic substance in soil that mummifies animal and human bodies. Acids and Bases uses concrete, real-world examples and colorful illustrations to take a closer look at these fascinating substances.

Children's Literature

This book is from the ten-volume set titled "Essential Chemistry." If the other volumes in this series are at least equal to this volume, this series is worth purchasing in its entirety. The reservations we have about this book, and the series as a whole, derive from the tone, format and organization. The tone is conversational and personable. By focusing on cool' examples that entice the reader rather than principles and a big picture,' this book qualifies as a companion volume rather than a text. An example of a missing textbook' element would be a listing of acid-based reactions in the appendix. While the youngest readers might find the discussion of Kipp's gas generator interesting, the format of chapter five might be more logically presented if the first three pages were placed elsewhere and the chapter began with the discussion of acids in industry.' The publisher sites these volumes as being appropriate for the sixth to twelfth grader. We feel, however, that the nine to eleven year old contingent would find much to absorb in this set. By beginning with familiar, household products, the author draws the chemistry novice in without overwhelming him/her. Information is presented in a clear, relevant manner. Throughout the book are little snippets of information—the cool' examples previously mentioned—about stinging insects and the effect of exercise that will fascinate and amuse the reader, and, hopefully, keep them engaged. If the more chemistry literate reader—i.e. the ninth to twelfth grader—skips the first chapter, he/she will find the rest of the book to be of great benefit for review or remediation, in spite of the format of the book. The same fourpages constitute the appendix unmodified or augmented throughout the series rather than being volume specific. The list of references and websites is top notch and the index is thorough. Worth purchasing for a middle school library. Reviewer: Mary Ashcliffe and Thad Ashcliffe