A broad vista of chemistry

Chemistry: a molecular approach 

Nivaldo Tro 

New Jersey, US: Prentice Hall | 2007 | 1232pp | ?69.99 (SB) | ISBN 9780131000650 

Reviewed by Tom McCreedy

Deciding on the content for a general chemistry text book can be quite a challenge, with the authors faced by an ever expanding range of topics that could possibly be included. Chemistry: a molecular approach  offers a comprehensive coverage of general chemistry, from basic matter through organic and physical chemistry to inorganic chemistry and aspects of biochemistry. 

The book is split into 24 chapters, offering detailed coverage of the selected topics, and each chapter is relatively standalone. Good use is made of high quality tables, figures and diagrams, helping to explain the concepts and aid understanding. 

A particularly interesting feature of the book is the descriptions of how chemistry exists in the real world, demonstrating to students the relevance of chemistry to society. At the back of the book are the appendices containing mathematical operations in chemistry, selected answers to the example questions and other useful information. The index is comprehensive and useful to find relevant sections.  

I personally like this book; it is very readable and the level of detail in each chapter would make it useful to chemistry lecturers and undergraduate students alike. The book could be used by students to reinforce and expand lecture material or for independent study. A range of optional extras can be purchased to enhance the learning experience and assist the lecturer. 

Chemistry: a molecular approach  could certainly become the main text book for many undergraduate students where an introductory knowledge of general chemistry is required. My only concern is the price; for an undergraduate text, the ?69.99 price tag seems rather high, and this alone would make me think very hard before I recommended this book to an undergraduate student.