Chemistry- The Central Science- Ninth Edition Description:

Chemistry: The Central Science, Ninth Edition review:
1 stars (Not for beginners) - This text makes chemistry complicated! There is a constant need to flip back and forth through the book to collect information needed for problem solving, and that includes the periodic table. The table in the front of the book does not even have the charges of elements. This book was written by professors for professors and not new students to chemistry. $ 150.00 of worthless
4 stars (Easy to read, excellent problems, solutions manual valuable) - I bought the book to review General Chemistry that I took many years ago because I am taking Organic Chemistry this Fall. The book covers General Chemistry quite well. It is highly readable and develops ideas progressively. The reader is never faced with a term or concept that has not already been explained. The back references interspersed throughout will save the reader many hours of looking into the index to find a topic that was covered earlier in the book. I also purchased the solutions manual and was generally pleased. Apart from the occasional error , the manual provides solutions to EVERY problem which is an enormous help. The book does have a weakness which is relatively unimportant to most readers including this one. Chapters 24 and 25 are devoted to Coordination Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. In these chapters, it almost seems as if the text was written ( or edited ) by a person or group other than those who produced the first 23 chapters. The book no longer serves the reader and you will be forced ( without too much consternation ) to purchase a proper Organic Chemistry text. The authors might have done better to lighten the load in every undergraduate's backpack and simply delete Chapters 24 and 25.




5 stars (Simple and Straightforward) - This book gives a great overview of freshman chemistry. I bought it as a reference to use teaching high school chemistry. I love the illustrations and the way the author makes complex issues simple while providing just enough material to ramp-up lessons for AP students.

I picked up this used for $20! What a deal!