John T. Moore, EdD, is Regents Professor of Chemistry Emeritus and Coordinator of STEM Activities at Stephen F. Austin State University. He is the author of Chemistry For Dummies and coauthor of Biochemistry For Dummies.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Where to Go from Here 3Chapter 1: Matter and Energy: Exploring the Stuff of Chemistry 5Knowing the States of Matter and Their Changes 6Solids, liquids, and gases 6Condensing and freezing 7Melting and boiling 8Skipping liquids: Sublimation 9Pure Substances and Mixtures 9Pure substances 10Throwing mixtures into the mix 11Measuring Matter 12Nice Properties You’ve Got There 13Energy Types 14Kinetic energy 14Potential energy 15Temperature and Heat 15Chapter 2: What’s in an Atom? 17Subatomic Particles 17Centering on the Nucleus 19Locating Those Electrons 21The quantum mechanical model 21Energy level diagrams 26Isotopes and Ions 30Isotopes: Varying neutrons 31Ions: Varying electrons 32Chapter 3: The Periodic Table 35Repeating Patterns: The Modern Periodic Table 35Arranging Elements in the Periodic Table 38Grouping metals, nonmetals, and metalloids 38Arranging elements by families and periods 41Chapter 4: Nuclear Chemistry 43Seeing How the Atom’s Put Together 43Dealing with a Nuclear Breakup: Balancing Reactions 44Understanding Types of Natural Radioactive Decay 46Alpha emission 47Beta emission 48Gamma emission 48Positron emission 48Electron capture 49Half-Lives and Radioactive Dating 49Calculating remaining radioactivity 50Radioactive dating 51Breaking Elements Apart with Nuclear Fission 51Mass defect: Where does all that energy come from? 52Chain reactions and critical mass 52Coming Together with Nuclear Fusion 53Chapter 5: Ionic Bonding 55Forming Ions: Making Satisfying Electron Trades 55Gaining and losing electrons 56Looking at charges on single-atom ions 58Grouping atoms to form polyatomic ions 61Creating Ionic Compounds 63Making the bond: Sodium metal + chlorine gas = sodium chloride 63Figuring out the formulas of ionic compounds 64Naming ionic compounds 66Bonding Clues: Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes 68Chapter 6: Covalent Bonding 69Covalent Bond Basics 69Sharing electrons: A hydrogen example 69Comparing covalent bonds with other bonds 71Dealing with multiple bonds 72Naming Covalent Compounds Made of Two Elements 73Writing Covalent Compound Formulas 74Empirical formulas 74Molecular or true formulas 75Structural formulas: Dots and dashes 75Electronegativities: Which Atoms Have More Pull? 81Predicting the type of bond 81Polar covalent bonding: Creating partial charges 83Attracting other molecules: Intermolecular forces 84Chapter 7: Chemical Reactions 87Reactants and Products: Reading Chemical Equations 87Collision Theory: How Reactions Occur 88Hitting the right spot 89Adding, releasing, and absorbing energy 90Types of Reactions 92Combination reactions: Coming together 92Decomposition reactions: Breaking down 93Single displacement reactions: Kicking out another element 93Double displacement reactions: Trading places 95Combustion reactions: Burning 97Redox reactions: Exchanging electrons 97Balancing Chemical Equations 97Balancing the Haber process 98Balancing the burning of butane 99Knowing Chemical Equilibrium Backward and Forward 100Matching rates of change in the Haber process 101Constants: Comparing amounts of products and reactants 102Le Chatelier’s Principle: Getting More (or Less) Product 103Changing the concentration 103Changing the temperature 104Changing the pressure 104Chemical Kinetics: Changing Reaction Speeds 105Seeing How Catalysts Speed Up Reactions 107Heterogeneous catalysis: Giving reactants a better target 108Homogeneous catalysis: Offering an easier path 108Chapter 8: Electrochemistry: Using Electrons 111Transferring Electrons with Redox Reactions 111Oxidation 112Reduction 113One’s loss is the other’s gain 114Oxidation numbers 115Balancing Redox Equations 116Exploring Electrochemical Cells 120Galvanic cells: Getting electricity from chemical reactions 121Electrolytic cells: Getting chemical reactions from electricity 122Having it both ways with rechargeable batteries 123Chapter 9: Measuring Substances with the Mole 125Counting by Weighing 125Moles: Putting Avogadro’s Number to Good Use 127Defining the mole 127Calculating weight, particles, and moles 128Finding formulas of compounds 129Chemical Reactions and Moles 130Reaction stoichiometry 131Percent yield 132Limiting reactants 133Chapter 10: A Salute to Solutions 135Mixing Things Up with Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions 135How dissolving happens 136Concentration limits 136Saturated facts 137Understanding Solution Concentration Units 138Percent composition 138Molarity: Comparing solute to solution 140Molality: Comparing solute to solvent 143Parts per million 143Chapter 11: Acids and Bases 145Observing Properties of Acids and Bases 145The Brønsted-Lowry Acid-Base Theory 146Understanding Strong and Weak Acids and Bases 147Strong: Ionizing all the way 147Weak: Ionizing partially 149Acid-Base Reactions: Using the Brønsted-Lowry System 151Acting as either an acid or base: Amphoteric water 152Showing True Colors with Acid-Base Indicators 153Doing a quick color test with litmus paper 153Phenolphthalein: Finding concentration with titration 154Phun with the pH Scale 155Chapter 12: Clearing the Air on Gases 159The Kinetic Molecular Theory: Assuming Things about Gases 159Relating Physical Properties with Gas Laws 162Boyle’s Law: Pressure and volume 163Charles’s Law: Volume and temperature 164Gay-Lussac’s Law: Pressure and temperature 165The combined gas law: Pressure, volume, and temp 166Avogadro’s Law: The amount of gas 167The ideal gas equation: Putting it all together 168Chapter 13: Ten Serendipitous Discoveries in Chemistry 171Archimedes: Streaking Around 171Vulcanization of Rubber 172Molecular Geometry 172Mauve Dye 172Kekulé: The Beautiful Dreamer 173Discovering Radioactivity 173Finding Really Slick Stuff: Teflon 173Stick ’Em Up! Sticky Notes 174Growing Hair 174Sweeter than Sugar 174Index 175

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