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Informationen zum Autor STEVEN FARMER, Ph.D., has worked as a chemistry instructor at California State University, Sacramento and at University of California, Davis. Currently, he holds the position of Professor of Chemistry at Sonoma State University (SSU). Dr. Farmer is a seasoned teacher with over a decade of experience teaching general chemistry, organic chemistry, and advanced organic synthesis courses. He has earned six teaching awards, including the Sarlo Excellence in Teaching Award, which is given to only one of the over 500 SSU faculty each year. He performs research involving chemical education and is actively involved in giving outreach lectures to the public. Klappentext This book opens the audience's eyes to the extraordinary scientific secrets hiding in everyday objects. Helping readers increase chemistry knowledge in a fun and entertaining way, the book is perfect as a supplementary textbook or gift to curious professionals and novices.* Appeals to a modern audience of science lovers by discussing multiple examples of chemistry in everyday life* Addresses compounds that affect everyone in one way or another: poisons, pharmaceuticals, foods, and illicit drugs; thereby evoking a powerful emotional response which increases interest in the topic at hand* Focuses on edgy types of stories that chemists generally tend to avoid so as not to paint chemistry in a bad light; however, these are the stories that people find interesting* Provides detailed and sophisticated stories that increase the reader's fundamental scientific knowledge* Discusses complex topics in an engaging and accessible manner, providing the "how" and "why" that takes readers deeper into the stories Zusammenfassung This book opens the audience s eyes to the extraordinary scientific secrets hiding in everyday objects. Helping readers increase chemistry knowledge in a fun and entertaining way, the book is perfect as a supplementary textbook or gift to curious professionals and novices. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii 1 If You Do Not Know Any Chemistry, This Chapter Is For You 1 Representing Atoms and Molecules in Chemistry 1 Neurotransmitters 7 Intermolecular Forces 11 2 The Only True Aphrodisiac and Other Chemical Extremes 15 Death Is ItsWithdrawal Symptom! 15 What Is the Number One Cause of Liver Failure in the United States? 18 The Most Addictive Substance Known 21 40 Million Times DeadlierThan Cyanide 24 The Most Abused Drug in the United States 27 What Is the Only Known Aphrodisiac? 28 The Most Consumed Psychoactive Substance 30 40,000 Tons of Aspirin 33 How Bitter Is the Bitterest? 34 $62.5 Trillion per Gram 36 What Is the Most Abundant Source of Air Pollution? 39 Where DidThat Rash Come From? 41 ItWould Take an Elephant on a Pencil 43 The Largest Industrial Accident inWorld History 46 What Is the Most Important Chemical Reaction? 49 Further Reading 53 3 The Poisons in Everyday Things 63 Why Is Antifreeze Lethal? 63 Aqua Dots:What a Difference a Carbon Makes! 66 How Can Visine Kill You? 68 Death by BENGAY 70 It Is in 93% of People in the United States 72 The Dreaded...Apricot Pits? 75 Honey Intoxication 79 The DMSO Patient 81 Deadly Helium Balloons 82 The 2007 Pet Food Recall 83 Mercury in Vaccines and Eye Drops? 87 TheWorld's Deadliest Frog 88 Leaded Candy 89 Why not Drink "Real" Root Beer? 90 The Killer Fog 92 Nail Polish or Nail Poison? 93 Game Board Danger 94 What Molecule Killed "Weird Al" Yankovic's Parents? 96 Deadly Popcorn 98 EvenWater Can Be Poisonous 99 Further Reading 101 4 Why Old Books Smell Good and Other Mysteries...
