Any easy chemistry books?

thethedev

Hi
I never sat my leaving cert and my education has massive holes in it.
Now I'm in University and I'm supposed to be learning the equivalent of Leaving cert hons chemistry.
The book that was recommended is way over my head and assumes alot of prior knowledge.
Can anyone recommend a chemistry book for absolute beginners?
Thanks

El Siglo

Chemistry for Dummies - excellent book if you're an absolute beginner. Also have a look at the current books for the leaving cert, one of my friends in college was in the same boat and she got the current leaving cert texts and she found them okay, filled in a lot of missing links for her etc... I would also talk to any grinds teachers, explain what you're doing and ask them for tips etc... maybe a grind or two because it'll get hairy quickly, especially if you're learning it on your own.

Fad

El Siglo wrote: »

Chemistry for Dummies - excellent book if you're an absolute beginner. Also have a look at the current books for the leaving cert, one of my friends in college was in the same boat and she got the current leaving cert texts and she found them okay, filled in a lot of missing links for her etc... I would also talk to any grinds teachers, explain what you're doing and ask them for tips etc... maybe a grind or two because it'll get hairy quickly, especially if you're learning it on your own.

I'd avoid the leaving chem books tbh, they're just full of lies!

El Siglo

Fad wrote: »

I'd avoid the leaving chem books tbh, they're just full of lies!

Doesn't the op not want the basic stuff? Some of us still cling to those lies!;) God I miss the simplicity of titration!:rolleyes:

Podge_irl

Fad wrote: »

I'd avoid the leaving chem books tbh, they're just full of lies!

Simplifications are not "lies"

SOL

but simplifications may cause you to fail your exams if they aren't accurate enough or they flatly ignore or contradict what you are supposed to be learning...

Kevster

hehe, i'm in a similar situation: I just started a PhD in Chemistry, but I did Biology for the Leaving Cert, and my undergrad degrees are Computer Science and Industrial Biology!

magneticimpulse

i find the Organic Chemistry Clayden book very good for chemistry. Its the bible for organic chemistry. There should be lots of general chemistry books in your library and a lot come with CDs nowadays. I didnt do so well in my chemistry leaving cert and now doing a phd. so i wouldnt worry about not having studied it before. in fact i would take it as a blessing. as 10 years ago, the chemistry books were complete rubbish for leaving cert. ive since seen my brothers leaving cert chemistry book and it has come on a long way. but i would stick with looking at some general 3rd level books in the library

Kevster

Can I just change subject here a little to software? What modelling software do you use? I currently use Wavefunction's SPARTAN software to build molecules computationally. It seems to be well-regarded in research as being a good tool.

pfishfood

I never did leaving cert chemistry. And i found asking the lecturer for book suggestions in the library helped. Any book that does general chemistry is probably best for beginners.

Also keep away from books that specialise in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry as these may be too advanced for beginners. I hope this is of help to you.

jumpguy

I'd say Chemistry For Dummies would be your best bet from what I read about it. http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Chemistry-For-Dummies.productCd-0764554301,navId-322494,descCd-tableOfContents.html

From reading the table of contents it covers alot of the basics, but remember it is the basics. At 384 pages though, you shouldn't be long getting through it.

mcrdotcom

Can i just say that Junion Cert chemistry is taking the p*ss out of everyone! And the Leaving Cert is just simplified so that your head doesnt explode:D

magneticimpulse

mcrdotcom wrote: »

Can i just say that Junion Cert chemistry is taking the p*ss out of everyone! And the Leaving Cert is just simplified so that your head doesnt explode:D

at the time i did my leaving cert, '98, i found all the topics on the course to be badly explained and did not understand anything. in my 1st year of college I found the lecturers had a way of explaining chemistry that made it interesting and im glad i stuck with it. if i had based my thoughts purely on the leaving cert chemistry course, i would never have touched chemistry again.

mcrdotcom

magneticimpulse wrote: »

at the time i did my leaving cert, '98, i found all the topics on the course to be badly explained and did not understand anything. in my 1st year of college I found the lecturers had a way of explaining chemistry that made it interesting and im glad i stuck with it. if i had based my thoughts purely on the leaving cert chemistry course, i would never have touched chemistry again.

To be honest, I still think its badly explained. I think thats a combination of books and teachers! Im top of my class and I find it easy but looking around the rest of them find it quite difficult and I doubt they will give it any chance!

sponsoredwalk

I don't know how anybody can claim chemistry is well explained, period.

I mean, I've even read teachers & professors say that the method of teaching chemistry is very poor, they make you learn stuff, then re-learn it another way, and relearn stuff you previously only half learned.

I can't remember the quotes but I'm sure a google search or a flick through an intro chem book will satisfy any doubters

My personal experience was to be absolutely flabbergasted that they make you solve equations in stoichiometry without knowing wtf you're doing.

You're balancing equations & the only way I could understand it was by using knowledge they hadn't taught me in my books.

I would balance via my basic knowlegde of orbital shells etc... that I'd gained from other sources.

I also got pretty far into a book without knowing why sugar dissolves in my morning coffee, I actually learned that from a biology book - not a chem book! You'd think the basic chemistry involved would be told to you in a chemistry book!.

Anyway, I quit out of frustration and am now re-attempting via http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Introduction-Organic-Inorganic-Physical/dp/0131275674 which looks to me to be the best after some hell.

I hope you don't all feel alone when reading those leaving cert books on chem (or physics or math for that matter! jeepers!) they are a nuisance to be burned asap!

fox65

Kevster wrote: »

Can I just change subject here a little to software? What modelling software do you use? I currently use Wavefunction's SPARTAN software to build molecules computationally. It seems to be well-regarded in research as being a good tool.

I've used Gaussian, and have had very good experiences with it. Interface is a little tricky but once you put some work in it it is very good

OxfordComma

What book was recommended for you? I'd also recommend steering clear of LC Chem books - they're dull and explain things poorly. My whole experience of Chemistry for the LC was rather off-putting.

Chemistry for Dummies might be a good option - once you've gotten a grasp of the basic stuff and learned to think like a chemist, you'll be better prepared to tackle more complex topics. Try and stick with this subject and keep working hard - it gets progressively easier as you get used to thinking logically (at least in my opinion).

Jokesetal

My 2 cents: Zumdahl has several straight forward texts.
Also has a good CD with experiments explained etc.
Used this text and the accompanying solutions texts when writing 1st year lectures in a former career. Available in most libraries...

sponsoredwalk

I came across this amazing resource that might help the OP.

http://www.learner.org/resources/series61.html?pop=yes&pid=793#

There are also worksheets to accompany it;

http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/chemistry/exchange/topics/WOC/

seeing as my chemistry is in no rush I think these things are great, and to boot they are very retro 90's style :cool: You'll spot the "car of the future" among other amazing chemistry related things

They seem very similar to that bastion of inspiration "The Mechanical Universe" which is on the same site, from the same company and in that same 90's style

Also, my opinion on chemistry for dummies is that it is too easy. I almost finished that book in about 7 sittings, I didn't even bother with the end, if you can master that book quick enough I'd say things aren't so grim