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Why so few chemistry books in libraries?

TomF

If you go into any non-academic library, you will find bookshelves crammed with books on physics and popularizations of the subject. But the same library will have very, very few books on chemistry. Why is that? Is it because chemistry is inherently more difficult to understand than physics?

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Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

because physics books have words like "quantum" and "mega" in their Titles.

stereo_steve

What library were you at? My local library in Dundrum is excellant! I'm not sure about Chemistry books mind you. I hadn't been there for years but I went just before Christmas and its all computerised! Everybook from the six local libraries is listed on the computers. The staff were really helpfull and you can take out up to six books at a time!

Cake Fiend

Originally posted by TomF
Is it because chemistry is inherently more difficult to understand than physics?

Ahahahah
Quite comical

bonkey

I think the rise in popularity of physics is that much of it is "intellectual science" - in that an awful lot of the areas which have been popularised (quantum theory, cosmology, etc.) are largely based on concepts which can be grasped with only a diagram illiustrating the issue. A lot of the information is presented in a "light" manner which doesnt involve heavy theory - witness Hawkings et al writing oh-so-many books where the theories may be complex, but the reader can be kept from formulae.

I dont htink chemistry has the same breadth of "intellectual" interest to the lay-person. I also dont think it covers quite as wide a spectrum. This, of course, is a personal opinion. I used to be reasonably versed in chemistry, but found physics more intellectually stimulating. Perhaps its my mathematical background.

Ultimately, for right or wrong, I think physics is viewed as more exotic - dealing in scales from the sub-atomic to the galactic. IT rarely deals in "normal" scales.

Also, physics is more grounded in speculative theory. I have had discussions with my mates about black holes, their gravitational effect, challenging the constant-speed-of-light model and so on. I know of very few areas in chemistry where there is scope for such speculative discussions - it seems for more "reality" based.

Just my 2c.

jc

Toulouse

Ya think?

bonkey

Originally posted by Toulouse
Ya think?

Yes, I do, which is more than I can say for you apparently.

jc

Toulouse

MEE_OW!!! Saucer of milk....