The Periodic Table: A Very Short Introduction
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Overall this stylish and snappy book will entertain and enlighten you, and its convenient size means it can do so when you're on the go (Chemistry World )
Product Description
Here, Eric Scerri looks at the trends in properties of elements that led to the construction of the periodic table, and how the deeper meaning of its structure gradually became apparent with the development of atomic theory and quantum mechanics, so that, as Scerri puts it, one science, physics, arguably came to colonize another, chemistry, although such a view is resisted by chemists. Scerri shows that quantum mechanics is absolutely central to chemistry, as it underlies the behaviour of all of the elements and their compounds, and therefore underpins the structure of the periodic table. Concluding with an overview of the huge variety of periodic tables that have been proposed in the print media and on the Internet, he explores the debated question of whether there is an optimal periodic table and what form it might take.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Periodic table of elements is one of the most famous and recognizable scientific icons. It is a distillation of many centuries of work and insight into the nature of fundamental substances, and it is a particularly elegant formulation of the deep unity of all matter. Its discovery has been rightly attributed to Mendeleev, perhaps the greatest Russian scientist of all time, although many of its essential features have already been anticipated in the years preceding its official discovery. Even after the discovery, the periodic table has continued to evolve, both in terms of the new elements that have been discovered, as well as in terms of how they are best visually included in the table.
This very short introduction tells the story of discovery of the periodic table. It is in equal measure a historical account as well as an introduction into the scientific principles that have been crucial for our understanding of the elements. It also reflects on important philosophical issues that most active scientist often don't appreciate enough, but that are in fact important in deciding what are the crucial features of the laws and relationships that the periodic table embodies.
This book is bound to offer a lot of new and interesting information, even to those who think that they know pretty much everything that there is to know about the atomic structure and the elements. (As a physicist, I was surprised to find out that we still don't have a completely quantum mechanical understanding of the orbitals, and the fact that relativistic effects become important for the heavier atoms.) It is an up to date account, and anyone who is curious about the basic science will greatly appreciate its content. The book is also very well written, and it is a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.
This very short introduction tells the story of discovery of the periodic table. It is in equal measure a historical account as well as an introduction into the scientific principles that have been crucial for our understanding of the elements. It also reflects on important philosophical issues that most active scientist often don't appreciate enough, but that are in fact important in deciding what are the crucial features of the laws and relationships that the periodic table embodies.
This book is bound to offer a lot of new and interesting information, even to those who think that they know pretty much everything that there is to know about the atomic structure and the elements. (As a physicist, I was surprised to find out that we still don't have a completely quantum mechanical understanding of the orbitals, and the fact that relativistic effects become important for the heavier atoms.) It is an up to date account, and anyone who is curious about the basic science will greatly appreciate its content. The book is also very well written, and it is a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Periodic Table is perhaps the greatest scientific icon, and Dr Scerri must be one of the chief authorities on the subject, having written the highly acclaimed, more in-depth "The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance".
Despite its small size this book covers a lot of ground, dealing with the history of the Periodic Table's development and its different manifestations, the background atomic structure, and the most modern issues relating to the extension of the Periodic Table to the super-heavy post-lawrencium elements and the curious physics associated with these elements.
Given its scope, this book should offer interesting new insights to professional chemists as well as students and the general reader. I would enthusiastically recommend it to all these groups.
Despite its small size this book covers a lot of ground, dealing with the history of the Periodic Table's development and its different manifestations, the background atomic structure, and the most modern issues relating to the extension of the Periodic Table to the super-heavy post-lawrencium elements and the curious physics associated with these elements.
Given its scope, this book should offer interesting new insights to professional chemists as well as students and the general reader. I would enthusiastically recommend it to all these groups.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Enjoying this little book thoroughly, and good links to further information.
There is an unfortunate error in the long-form tables on p18 and p126 - there are only 13 columns in the f-block. There should of course be 14, but promethium and neptunium have been omitted between Nd/Sm and U/Pu in both tables.
There is an unfortunate error in the long-form tables on p18 and p126 - there are only 13 columns in the f-block. There should of course be 14, but promethium and neptunium have been omitted between Nd/Sm and U/Pu in both tables.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
s'alright
I've come to this as someone who did not do chemistry at school, but is world-wisely enough to understand alot of the ideas. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Al
Is what it says in the title - a very short introduction
Short it may be but nevertheless very infomative.
Concentrates on the history of the development of the Periodic Table and therefore of interest to those of us who have used... Read more
Concentrates on the history of the development of the Periodic Table and therefore of interest to those of us who have used... Read more
Published 28 days ago by merv goosec
Entertainingly historical
I reviewed this book when it first came out for Chemistry World magazine (See: [...]) Here's the first part of it:
Although entitled A very short introduction, this book... Read more
Although entitled A very short introduction, this book... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Josh Howgego
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