Chemical Achievers

This book was designed to help teachers supplement science curricula with human stories of discovery in the chemical sciences. Chemical Achievers presents the lives and work of two types of achievers. First are the historical greats, those chemical scientists most often referred to in introductory courses. Second are those scientists who made contributions in areas of the chemical sciences that are of special relevance to modern life and the career choices students will make. The human faces summarized in this book range from Robert Boyle to Glenn Seaborg and Stephanie Kwolek. In this lively and comprehensive collection of photographs and biographies, Bowden illuminates how much the chemical sciences owe to the individual achiever. Over 150 images can be easily reproduced as overhead transparencies or other visual teaching aids.

Modern chemistry is the scientific study of the composition of the natural world. From the atomic theory of matter to the development of the first periodic table of elements to the explanation of the nature of chemical bonding, Chemistry examines 10 people who made some of the most progressive steps in the field. Each chapter contains relevant information on the scientist's childhood, research, discoveries, and lasting contributions to the field and concludes with a chronology and a list of print and Internet references specific to that individual.

As 2019 has been declared the International Year of the Periodic Table, it is appropriate that Structure and Bonding marks this anniversary with two special volumes. In 1869 Dmitri Ivanovitch Mendeleev first proposed his periodic table of the elements. He is given the major credit for proposing the conceptual framework used by chemists to systematically inter-relate the chemical properties of the elements. However, the concept of periodicity evolved in distinct stages and was the culmination of work by other chemists over several decades. For example, Newland’s Law of Octaves marked an important step in the evolution of the periodic system since it represented the first clear statement that the properties of the elements repeated after intervals of 8. Mendeleev’s predictions demonstrated in an impressive manner how the periodic table could be used to predict the occurrence and properties of new elements. Not all of his many predictions proved to be valid, but the discovery of scandium, gallium and germanium represented sufficient vindication of its utility and they cemented its enduring influence. Mendeleev’s periodic table was based on the atomic weights of the elements and it was another 50 years before Moseley established that it was the atomic number of the elements, that was the fundamental parameter and this led to the prediction of further elements. Some have suggested that the periodic table is one of the most fruitful ideas in modern science and that it is comparable to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, proposed at approximately the same time. There is no doubt that the periodic table occupies a central position in chemistry. In its modern form it is reproduced in most undergraduate inorganic textbooks and is present in almost every chemistry lecture room and classroom. This first volume provides chemists with an account of the historical development of the Periodic Table and an overview of how the Periodic Table has evolved over the last 150 years. It also illustrates how it has guided the research programmes of some distinguished chemists.

You know that you need oxygen to breathe, that neon can glow and chrome shines? But did you know that your cell phone contains arsenic, your spectacles contain rhodium and that the tin pest is not a disease? And can you name just three researchers whom we have to thank for all these results? Here, Professor Quadbeck-Seeger, a long-serving member of the board at BASF, goes in search of these and other questions. Based on the periodic table, the key reference source for any natural scientist, he explains the criteria that define an element's position in the table and are responsible for its particular characteristics. In a clear and concise manner, he describes for each element the story behind its discovery, its physical and chemical properties as well as its role in our everyday lives. Enriched by a wealth of interesting details, this beautifully designed book in full color represents not only varied reading, but also a treasure trove of surprising facts. Ideally combined with the "Historical Periodic Table" poster, this book is aimed at younger audiences and is thus particularly suitable for schools, lectures and other courses.

An introductory guide that is designed particularly for teachers and their students, but is useful in many other contexts. This new edition lists reference works; histories of science and technology; histories of the chemical sciences and industries including company histories; autobiographies and biographies; edited classical texts; and journals.

This biographical collection highlights individuals who made outstanding achievements in the arenas of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Pharmaceutical Achievers presents chronologically the major directions of pharmaceutical research and, in their historical context, the breakthroughs in treating various diseases. It concludes with a look at tomorrow's medicines. This work is particularly useful in the classroom, where its accounts of challenges and triumphs may inspire students to consider careers that support pharmaceutical research and development.