Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, and Biochemistry 8th Edition

Book Preface

The Image of Chemistry

We, as authors, are pleased that the acceptance of the previous seven editions of this textbook by students and their teachers has made it possible to publish this eighth edition. In the earlier editions, we expressed our concern about the negative image of chemistry held by many of our students, and their genuine fear of working with chemicals in the laboratory. Unfortunately, this negative image not only persists, but seems to be intensifying. Reports in the media related to chemicals or to chemistry continue to be primarily negative, and in many cases seem to be designed to increase the fear and concern of the general public. With this edition, we continue to hope that those who use this book will gain a more positive understanding and appreciation of the important contributions that chemistry makes in their lives.

Theme and Organization

This edition continues the theme of the positive and useful contributions made by chemistry in our world.

This text is designed to be used in either a two-semester or three-quarter course of study that provides an introduction to general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. Most students who take such courses are majoring in nursing, other health professions, or the life sciences, and consider biochemistry to be the most relevant part of the course of study. However, an understanding of biochemistry depends upon a sound background in organic chemistry, which in turn depends upon a good foundation in general chemistry. We have attempted to present the general and organic chemistry in sufficient depth and breadth to make the biochemistry understandable.

As with previous editions, this textbook is published in a complete hardcover form and a two-volume paperback edition. One volume of the paperback edition contains all the general chemistry and the first two chapters of organic chemistry from the hardcover text. The second volume of the paperback edition contains all the organic chemistry and biochemistry of the hardcover edition. The availability of the textbook in these various forms has been a very popular feature among those who use the text because of the flexibility it affords them.

The decisions about what to include and what to omit from the text were based on our combined 75-plus years of teaching, input from numerous reviewers and adopters, and our philosophy that a textbook functions as a personal tutor to each student. In the role of a personal tutor, a text must be more than just a collection of facts, data, and exercises. It should also help students relate to the material they are studying, carefully guide them chemistry in their lives, and become a reference and a resource that they can use in other courses or their professions.

New to This Edition

In this eighth edition of the text, we have some exciting new features, including Case Studies, which begin each chapter, and Ask an Expert boxes written by CNN health expert Dr. Melina B. Jampolis. We have also retained features that received a positive reception from our own students, the students of other adopters, other teachers, and reviewers. The retained features are 23 Study Skills boxes that include 5 reaction maps; 4 How Reactions Occur boxes; 45 Chemistry Around Us boxes, including 14 new to this edition. The 13 At The Counter boxes reflect coverage of both prescription and non-prescription health-related products. There are 25 Chemistry and Your Health boxes, with 5 new to this edition. A greatly expanded feature of this eighth edition is the Allied Health Exam Connection that follows the exercises at the end of each chapter. This feature consists of examples of chemistry questions found on typical entrance examinations used to screen applicants to allied health professional programs. In addition, approximately 20% of the end- of-chapter exercises have been changed.