Elementary Chemistry

* This document provides a survey of elementary chemistry, with an emphasis on history and practical applications. It uses metric notation, and assumes a knowledge of elementary physics and a little knowledge of elementary quantum physics. Readers who want to learn about these subjects may be interested in the companion documents:

• Elementary Classical Physics
• Elementary Quantum Physics

[1.0] The Era Of Alchemy

• [1.1] DIM BEGINNINGS
  
• [1.2] THE ALCHEMISTS
  
• [1.3] THE RISE OF SCIENTIFIC IDEAS
  
• [1.4] FOOTNOTE: BASIC DEFINITIONS IN PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY
  

[2.0] Lavoisier's Chemical Revolution

• [2.1] PHLOGISTON / ISOLATION OF METALS AND GASES
  
• [2.2] LAVOISIER & THE FALL OF PHLOGISTON
  
• [2.3] LAVOISIER'S IMPACT
  
• [2.4] FOOTNOTE: EXPONENTIAL NOTATION & METRIC PREFIXES
  

[3.0] Discovering Atoms

• [3.1] DALTON'S ATOMIC THEORY
  
• [3.2] NEW TECHNIQUES / BERZELIUS & ATOMIC WEIGHTS
  
• [3.3] ORIGINS OF ELECTROCHEMISTRY / MICHAEL FARADAY
  
• [3.4] FOOTNOTE: CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
  

[4.0] Discovering Molecules

• [4.1] ORIGINS OF BIOCHEMISTRY
  
• [4.2] MOLECULAR STRUCTURAL DIAGRAMS
  
• [4.3] THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES / NEW TOOLS
  
• [4.4] THE RISE OF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
  
• [4.5] FOOTNOTE: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  

[5.0] The Periodic Table / Physical Chemistry

• [5.1] MENDELEYEV & THE PERIODIC TABLE
  
• [5.2] ADJUSTING THE PERIODIC TABLE: RARE EARTHS & NOBLE GASES
  
• [5.3] ORIGINS OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY / LAW OF MASS ACTION
  
• [5.4] GIBBS & CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS / OSTWALD & CATALYSIS
  
• [5.5] PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY IN EUROPE / SVANTE ARRHENIUS & IONIZATION
  
• [5.6] PHYSICS OF GASES / CRYOGENICS
  
• [5.7] FOOTNOTE: THE MODERN PERIODIC TABLE
  

[6.0] Chemistry In The Modern Era

• [6.1] PROBING THE ATOM
  
• [6.2] THE QUANTUM REVOLUTION
  
• [6.3] THE NUCLEAR REVOLUTION
  
• [6.4] LEWIS OCTET RULE / BRONSTEDT'S THEORY OF ACIDS & BASES
  
• [6.5] LINUS PAULING & QUANTUM CHEMISTRY
  
• [6.6] THE RISE OF MODERN BIOCHEMISTRY
  

[7.0] Biochemistry

• [7.1] THE CELL
  
• [7.2] PROTEINS
  
• [7.3] LIPIDS & CARBOHYDRATES
  
• [7.4] NUCLEIC ACIDS
  
• [7.5] METABOLISM / PHOTOSYNTHESIS
  
• [7.6] VITAMINS & OTHER MISCELLANEOUS BIOMOLECULES
  
• [7.7] FOOTNOTE: THE ORIGINS OF LIFE
  

[8.0] The Chemistry Of The Environment

• [8.1] EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH'S ENVIRONMENT
  
• [8.2] ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
  
• [8.3] THE OZONE HOLE
  
• [8.4] GREENHOUSE GASES & GLOBAL WARMING
  

[9.0] Energy & Fuels

• [9.1] THE EVOLUTION OF FUEL SOURCES
  
• [9.2] COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS
  
• [9.3] PETROLEUM PROCESSING
  
• [9.4] NATURAL GAS / THE END OF THE PETROLEUM ECONOMY
  
• [9.5] ALTERNATIVE FUELS
  
• [9.6] THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY?
  
• [9.7] FOOTNOTE: OTHER INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
  

[10.0] Traditional Materials

• [10.1] COPPER, BRONZE, & BRASS
  
• [10.2] IRON & STEEL
  
• [10.3] ALUMINUM, MAGNESIUM, & TITANIUM
  
• [10.4] ELECTROPLATING
  
• [10.5] GLASS, CERAMICS, BRICKS, CONCRETE, & BLACKTOP
  

[11.0] Plastics

• [11.1] NATURAL POLYMERS
  
• [11.2] CELLULOSE-BASED PLASTICS: CELLULOID & RAYON
  
• [11.3] BAKELITE (PHENOLIC) / POLYSTYRENE & PVC / NYLON
  
• [11.4] SYNTHETIC RUBBER
  
• [11.5] PLASTICS EXPLOSION: ACRYLIC, POLYETHYLENE, & ETC
  
• [11.6] PLASTICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT / SILICONES
  

[12.0] Batteries

• [12.1] BATTERY (STORAGE CELL) FUNDAMENTALS
  
• [12.2] CARBON-ZINC & ALKALINE CELLS
  
• [12.3] MERCURY, ZINC-AIR, & SILVER OXIDE BUTTON CELLS
  
• [12.4] LEAD-ACID, EDISON, NICAD, & NIMH CELLS
  
• [12.5] LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY / SODIUM-SULFUR CELLS
  
• [12.6] STORAGE CELL SUMMARY
  

[13.0] Fuel Cells

• [13.1] FUEL CELL FUNDAMENTALS
  
• [13.2] FUEL CELL TYPES
  
• [13.3] FUEL CELL OUTLOOK
  
• [13.4] FOOTNOTE: FLOW BATTERIES
  

[14.0] Explosives

• [14.1] DEFINITIONS
  
• [14.2] BASIC PRINCIPLES
  
• [14.3] LOW EXPLOSIVES: BLACK POWDER
  
• [14.4] COMMERCIAL HIGH EXPLOSIVES
  
• [14.5] MILITARY HIGH EXPLOSIVES / EXPLOSIVES TAGGING
  
• [14.6] DETONATORS & PROPELLANTS
  

[15.0] Incendiaries, Miscellaneous Pyrotechnics, & Fireworks

• [15.1] INCENDIARIES
  
• [15.2] MISCELLANEOUS PYROTECHNIC DEVICES
  
• [15.3] FIREWORKS
  
• [15.4] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY