An approachable introduction to what chemistry is, how it works and why it is vital to everyday life. Topics include: the periodic table, atom structure, radiation and the scientific method, all illustrated with humorous illustrations and diagrams. Simple experiments are provided to aid learning and internet links to recommended websites are provided so readers can find out more. This is a highly illustrated ebook that can only be read on the Kindle Fire or other tablet.
Chapters in this book include:
Introduction
- What's chemistry all about?
- How have chemists changed the world?
What's the world made of?
- What's an atom?
- What's what?
- Getting in a state
- Molecules in the air
- Knowing your properties
- Sorting out substances
How does it all work?
- What's inside an atom?
- The Periodic Table
- How do shells work?
- Sticking together?
- Nuclear reactions
- A brief history of atoms
Lets make things happen!
- Reactions: the basics
- Ready, steady, react!
- Writing down reactions
- Weird and wonderful reactions
- All kinds of reactions
How is chemistry useful?
- Carbon chemistry
- All about metals
- Using gases
- What about non metals?
- Chemical Curiosities
- How to tell what's what
Our chemical Universe
- Where did the elements come from?
- Rocks are chemicals too
- What's up in the air?
- Living chemistry
- How does your body work?
More about chemistry
- Chemistry through the ages
- How does chemistry work?

Alex Frith has been writing Usborne books since 2005. His diverse output covers such titles as 'See inside Your Head', 'Stories of Thor' and 'Politics for Beginners'. He has spoken at multiple festivals about his book '100 Things to Know About Space'. Alex can be found in London.