Provides students and researchers with an easy-to-understand introduction to the fundamentals of chemistry, from elements and molecules to chemical reactions and properties of matter. This new resource introduces students and researchers to the fundamentals of chemistry. Entries are written in easy-to-understand language, so readers can use these entries as a solid starting off point to develop a thorough understanding of this often confusing subject matter. This reference work begins with a comprehensive introduction to the field, starting with man's earliest understanding of the primary substance of life and concluding with a discussion of chemistry as the "central science" and touching on the exciting contemporary research being conducted around such fascinating material as grapheme and buckyballs. Principles of Chemistry includes 128 entries ranging from Acid Anhydrides to Zone Refining. All entries are arranged in an A to Z order, making it easy to find the topic of interest. Each entry includes: related fields of study to illustrate the connections between the various branches of chemistry; a brief, concrete summary of the topic and how the entry is organized; principal terms that are fundamental to the discussion and to understanding the concepts presented; illustrations that clarify difficult concepts via models, diagrams, and charts of such key topics as the relationship between acid and bases, molecular structures, bonds, and reactions; equations that demonstrate how chemical formulas are written, how equations are balanced, and other important functions; photographs of significant contributors to the study of chemistry; sample problems that further demonstrate the concept presented; and further reading list that relates to the entry. Source other than Library of Congress.

Acid anhydrides -- Acid chlorides -- Acids and bases -- Acids and bases: Br²nsted-Lowry theory -- Actinides -- Activation energy -- Active transport -- Acyl cation -- Algorithmic chemistry -- Alkali metals -- Alkali earth metals -- Alkanes -- Alkenes -- Alkyl halides -- Alkynes -- Allotropes -- Alloys and intermetallics -- Allylic alcohols -- Amines -- Amino acids -- Ammonium ion -- Anions -- Aromaticity -- Atomic number -- Atoms -- Benzene and other rings -- Biochemistry -- Black holes -- Buckyballs -- Carboxylic acids -- Cations -- Cell communication -- Cellular respiration -- Chalcogens -- Chemical bonding -- Chemical buffers -- Chemical energy (non fossil fuels) -- Chemisorption -- Crystal growth -- Debye-Hückel theory -- Decomposition reactions -- Dehydration -- Diffusion -- Digestion -- Diols -- Displacement reactions -- DNA computing -- DNA/RNA synthesis -- DNA/RNA transcription -- Ductility -- Electrons -- Endocytosis and exocytosis -- Endoergic and exoergic reactions -- Epitaxy -- Esters -- Ethers -- Exothermic and endothermic reactions -- Functional groups -- Half-life -- Halogens -- Hydrolysis -- Hydrophilic and hydrophobic -- Interstellar molecules -- Ion implantation -- Ions -- Isotopes -- Ketones -- Lanthanides -- Lewis structure and diagram -- Litmus test -- Malleability -- Man-made elements -- Melting point -- Metalloids -- Metals -- Molarity and molality -- Molecular formula -- Molecular orbital theory -- Monomers and polymers -- Multiple valences -- Naming organic molecules -- Neutrons -- Nitriles -- Noble gas compounds -- Nonmetals -- Nucleosynthesis -- Orbitals -- Osmosis -- Pericyclic reactions -- pH -- Phenols -- Phosphine -- Physiosorption -- Point defects and their equilibria -- Polymerase chain reaction -- Precipitation -- Properties of matter: Composition -- Protein synthesis -- Proteins/enzymes.carbohydrates/lipids/nucleic acids -- Protons -- Radioactive decay -- Radioactive elements -- Reactants and products -- Reaction calculations: Avogadro's Law -- Reaction calculations: Balancing Equations -- Reaction calculations: Conservation of Mass -- Reaction calculations: Definite Proportions -- Reaction calculations: Molecular Formula -- Reaction calculations: Multiple Proportions -- Reaction calculations: Percentage Composition -- Reaction calculations: Stiochiometry -- Reaction mechanisms -- Reaction rates -- Redox reactions -- RNA/protein translation -- Salts -- Spectroscopy -- Sublimation -- Substitution reaction -- Surface chemistry -- Synthesis -- Thiols -- Toxins, poisons, and venoms -- Transition metals -- Triple point -- Valence bond theory -- Valence shell -- Zone refining.