CHAPTERS 2 & 7: ATOMIC THEORY AND PERIODICITY
Chapter 2: AToms, Molecules & Ions
Where does one star in learning chemistry? Clearly we must consider some essential vocabulary and something about the origins of the science before we can proceed very far. Thus, while Chapter 1 provided background on the fundamental ideas and procedures of science in general, Chapter 2 covers the specific chemical background necessary for understanding the material in the next few chapters. The coverage of these topics is necessarily brief at this point. We will develop these ideas more fully as it becomes appropriate to do so. A major goal of this chapter is to present the systems for naming chemical compounds to provide you with the vocabulary necessary to understand this book and to pursue your laboratory studies. However, before we can discuss reactions, we must consider some fundamental ideas about atoms and how they combine.
Chapter 7: Atomic Structure and Periodicity
In the past 200 years, a great deal of the experimental evidence has accumulated to support the atomic model. This theory has proved to be both extremely useful and physically reasonable. Once we came to "believe in" atoms, it was logical to ask: What is the nature of an atom? Does an atom have parts, and if so, what are they? In Chapter 2, we considered some of the experiments most important for shedding light on the nature of the atom. One of the most striking things about the chemistry of elements is the periodic repetition of properties. As we saw in Chapter 2, these similarities led tot he development of the periodic table of the elements. However, before we examine atomic structure, we must consider a radical new theory called quantum mechanics was developed to account for the behavior of light and atoms. Throughout this chapter, we will see how the atomic theory has evolved to its present state.