A Guide to the Elements

The chemical elements and the basic principles of chemistry are the foundations of all scientific study, and this award-winning book provides a focused, comprehensive, and engaging survey of all 114 elements. A Guide to the Elements begins with an introductory section that explains some of the basic concepts of chemistry and traces the history and development of the periodic table of the elements. In clear, nontechnical language, noted science writer Albert Stwertka makes complex ideas and terms accessible.

Brought to life with historical anecdotes and everyday examples, each element is discussed in a separate article. Readers learn the history of the element's discovery, its properties, and its practical uses. A Guide to the Elements is enhanced with color illustrations and references such as web sites and a glossary. This new edition brings the periodic table into the 21st century with an article about ununquadium, the latest element to be discovered, and an epilogue about the ongoing search for the "island of stability."