Chemistry: From the Periodic Table to Nanotechnology (How the World Works)

Chemistry cast the building blocks of civilization. The exploitation of fire, the development of pigments, and the smelting of metals all triggered huge human developments and led us from the stone age into the technological era.

How the World Works: Chemistry is a wonderful introduction to this intriguing discipline, tracing the story of chemical exploration through some of its central breakthroughs. Discover how an iron dagger was found in a Bronze Age tomb, how alchemists pursued the transformation of base metal into gold and the how the nature of the atom was discovered.

This book also features:
• Accessible explanations of fascinating concepts and processes, including spectroscopy, fractural distillation and radioactivity.
• Profiles of famous chemists, including Dmitri Mendeleev, Marie Curie and Antoine Lavoisier
• Quirky facts, anecdotes and quotations
• Useful diagrams to accompany complex theorems

Intended for science enthusiasts and layman alike, this wonderfully illustrated, full-color guide brings clarity to some of chemistry's biggest mysteries.