Most people remember chemistry from their schooldays as largely incomprehensible, a subject that was fact-rich but understanding-poor, smelly and so far removed from the real world of events and pleasures that there seemed little point, except for the most introverted, in coming to terms with its grubby concepts, spells, recipes and rules. Peter Atkins wants to change all that. In this Very Short Introduction to Chemistry, he encourages us to look at chemistry anew, through a chemist's eyes, in order to understand its central concepts and to see how it contributes not only towards our material comfort, but also to human culture. Atkins shows how chemistry provides the infrastructure of our world, through the chemical industry, the fuels of heating, power generation and transport, as well as the fabrics of our clothing and furnishings. Salient Features: First published as the hardback What is Chemistry? The infrastructure of the modern world A lively authoritative introduction, celebrating the importance of chemistry Explains its basic structures, principles and applications Demonstrates the vital place chemistry plays in cutting-edge developments, such as nanotechnology and smart materials Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over seven million copies sold worldwide Table of Contents: Preface 1: Its origins, scope and organization 2: Its principles: atoms and molecules 3: Its principles: energy and entropy 4: Its reactions 5: Its techniques 6: Its achievements 7: Its future Further reading Glossary Index

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