Why do we need to study chemistry? Simply because chemistry is life. From its very first chapter, General Chemistry raises readers’ awareness of how chemistry permeates every aspect of daily life, from the attraction between two people to the role of kinetics in traffic. The book moves the study of chemistry past the purely scientific and abstract, making it fresh, relevant, and relatable. The material includes Dalton’s Theory of Atomic Matter and explorations of chemical reactions stoichiometry, and thermochemistry. Students will also learn about gases, quantum mechanics, electron spin, valence electrons, and the principles of molecular orbital theory.
General Chemistry motivates students to embrace chemistry by teaching them the many chemical reactions carried out in their own bodies. It shows links between physics and biology that explain the many processes of life. The book is suitable for introductory chemistry courses for both science majors and non-majors.
Narayan Hosmane has been teaching general chemistry for decades, beginning at Virginia Tech (1979-1982) and followed by Southern Methodist University (1982-1998). He has taught at Northern Illinois University since 1998 and currently teaches chemistry as it relates to daily life events. He is the Distinguished Research Professor and the Inaugural Board of Trustees Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Illinois University. After earning his Ph.D. from Edinburgh University, Dr. Hosmane was a postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His research interests include the synthetic and structural chemistry of polyhedron boron cage biomolecules. He is the recipient of numerous research grants, including funding from the National Science Foundation and the Petroleum Research Fund. Dr. Hosmane is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemists and the American Institute of Chemists. He was recently selected to receive a 2015 Distinguished Faculty Award by Northern Illinois University for his service, and the first to receive the award while still active in research, teaching, and service to the university.
