ALCHEMY TO ATOMS

by ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 11, 1961

What is a chemist and what the elements with which he deals? This book answers those questions and traces the history of chemistry from alchemy to atoms. The groundwork is laid with focussing on those factors in everyday life with which chemistry deals then turns back to the generations when unity of matter seemed a common goal. And then by high lighting accomplishments of the founders of modern chemistry (Boyle, Hooke, Black, Priestley, Cavendish, Lavoisier, Dalton) the history of 200 years' achievements are traced. Finally, with modern chemistry, the role of the spectroscope, the chemical revolution with Wohler, followed by Perkins' discovery of the first aniline dye and Faraday's isolation of benzene, Ehrlich's discovery of salvarsan, the field of chemo-therapy was launched. The sulfa drugs and the antibiotics were a matter of time. The 19th century brought three great steps forward:- x-ray, radio activity and the electron. The final chapter suggests the future role of chemistry. Good background for beginning chemical studies.

Pub Date: Jan. 11, 1961

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1960

Categories: NONFICTION