General Chemistry: Atoms First, Fourth Edition

Summary

This Fourth Edition of McQuarrie’s classic text offers a thorough revision and a quantum-leap forward from the previous edition. Taking an atoms first approach, it promises to be another ground-breaking text in the tradition of McQuarrie’s many previous works. This outstanding new text, available in a soft cover edition, offers professors a fresh choice and outstanding value.

NEW for 2021: Customized ACHIEVE Online Homework. This next generation of Sapling in HTML 5 uses the most advanced online system available to help students draw Lewis formulas, write and balance chemical equations, produce orbital diagrams, interact with 3D molecules, and much more, while sending professors feedback on student performance. Please contact Felicity Henson at fhenson@aip.org for more Online Homework information or a demo.

Key features

• Guaranteed retail print price: $104.00.
• No “fake” new editions designed strictly to kill the used book market.
• An authentic atoms first approach — not just a rearrangement of chapters.
• An elegant, extremely readable and student friendly soft-cover book, assuming only algebra.
• Nearly one third of the book is comprised of problems and worked out examples of the kind that make McQuarrie’s books beloved by faculty and students alike.
• Color illustrations throughout, including micro to macro images to enhance understanding, and molecular views of reactions.
• “Going beyond” topics are covered in a series of short, brilliant Interchapters, all online, that can be covered readily or assigned as reading.  If you wish to cover nuclear, organic or biochemistry, it’s there for you.
• Accompanying customized Sapling Learning Online Homework, using the most advanced online system available to help students draw Lewis formulas, write and balance chemical equations, produce orbital diagrams, interact with 3D molecules, and much more, while sending professors feedback on student performance.
• Also available with WebAssign Online Homework, offering a high-quality online instructional system at affordable prices.
• Ancillaries include a Student Solutions Manual, an Instructor’s Manual, and a CD of the book’s art, tables and equations, complete testbank with Diploma software, in addition to online homework.  This title is also available as a RedShelf eBook.

Translated into French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

Resources

List of Adoptions
Preface
Solutions to Practice Problems
Errata
Interchapters Online
Sample Syllabus and Accompanying Lab Activities
Supplemental Chapter

Table of Contents

1. Chemistry and the Scientific Method

2. Atoms and Molecules

Interchapter A: Elemental Etymology
3. The Periodic Table and Chemical Periodicity

Interchapter B: A Brief History of the Periodic Table

4. Early Quantum Theory

5. Quantum Theory and Atomic Structure

Interchapter C: Hydrogen and Oxygen

6. Ionic Bonds and Compounds

Interchapter D: The Alkali Metals

7. Lewis Formulas
Interchapter E: Nitrogen

8. Prediction of Molecular Geometries

Interchapter F: Saturated Hydrocarbons

9. Covalent Bonding
Interchapter G: Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

10. Chemical Reactivity

Interchapter H: Aromatic Hydrocarbons

11. Chemical Calculations
Interchapter I: The Main Group Metals

12. Chemical Calculations for Solutions
Interchapter J: Sulfur

13. Properties of Gases
Interchapter K: The Noble Gases

14. Thermochemistry
Interchapter L: Sources of Energy

15. Liquids and Solids
Interchapter M: Carbon and Silicon

16. Colligative Properties of Solutions
Interchapter N: Phosphorus

17. Chemical Kinetics: Rate Laws
Interchapter O: Radiochemistry

18. Chemical Kinetics: Mechanisms
Interchapter P: Alcohols, Aldehydes and Ketones

19. Chemical Equilibrium
Interchapter Q: The Halogens

20. The Properties of Acids and Bases
Interchapter R: Carboxylic Acids

21. Buffers and the Titration of Acids and Bases
Interchapter S: Synthetic Polymers

22. Solubility and Precipitation Reactions
Interchapter T: Biochemical Polymers

23. Chemical Thermodynamics

24. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

25. Electrochemistry
Interchapter U: Batteries

26. The Chemistry of the Transition Metals

Appendices A-I

Index

Reviews

“Instructors looking for a no-nonsense yet comprehensive and pedagogically balanced general chemistry textbook need look no further than General Chemistry, 4th edition by McQuarrie, Rock, and Gallogly.”
-Journal of Chemical Education

“What was true for McQuarrie’s Quantum Chem, Stat Mech, Chem Thermo and Phys Chem is now true for McQuarrie’s Gen Chem. If you want to learn (or teach) the subject, the “McQuarrie Brand” isn’t a question — it’s the answer.”
-James Vivian, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

“McQuarrie is a genius.”
-Harry Gray, Caltech

“An overwhelming majority of our students thought that the McQuarrie text and its accompanying online homework promoted their learning. Even though only a minority in the class were chemistry majors, nearly three quarters thought that the course material was intellectually stimulating! The engaging writing style and logical presentation of McQuarrie’s GEN CHEM text clearly resonates with students.”
-W.C. Trogler, UC San Diego

“McQuarrie’s atoms-first approach is a well-structured and accessible survey of the fundamental principles — and, more importantly, their hierarchy — by which modern chemists understand their discipline.”
-Steve Miller, Gustavus Adolphus College

“I love the text and have no intention of giving up my relationship with one of the brightest lights in the chemistry text universe.”
-Steven H. Parkin, Copper Mountain College

“McQuarrie and Rock have been mainstays in the diet of every student studying the physical principles of chemistry. It is with this insight and understanding that they have written a tremendously useful and clear text for students entering the study of chemistry. This, combined with a publisher bucking the trends of current publishing practices, makes the field of chemistry and the students thereof the beneficiaries.”
-Michael R. Salazar, Union University

“My students absolutely love this text. It’s not encyclopedic, but a readable text. We covered 16 chapters in the first semester and they understand the material. Now we have the time to cover special topics.”
-Richard Squire, West Virginia University

“Atoms First seems to be the flavor of the year in chemistry textbooks, but many of them seem to be little more than rearrangement of the chapters. It takes a master like McQuarrie to go back to the drawing board and create a logical development from smallest to largest that makes sense to students.”
-Hal Harris, University of Missouri-St Louis

“Because I have long appreciated McQuarrie’s writing style and straightforward approach in his classic Physical Chemistry text, I naturally jumped at the chance to use his General Chemistry text in my classes. The new book does not disappoint; McQuarrie’s elegant, yet step-by-step manner permeates the text.”
-Tom Kuntzleman, Spring Arbor University

“McQuarrie’s book is extremely well-written, the order of topics is logical, and it does a great job with both introductory material and more advanced concepts. Students of all skill levels will be able to learn from this book.”
-Mark Kearley, Florida State University

“Just as McQuarrie led intimidated seniors through the depths of physical chemistry, he now guides freshmen through the snares of general chemistry in this brilliantly written text.”
-J. W. Barr, Freed Hardeman University

“Recommended!”
-Choice

“We absolutely love this book.”
-Tiffany Maher, Northeastern State University

“Teaching Gen Chem with McQuarrie is great. In this course, we do a fair bit of nuclear, organic and biochemistry, so we are making good use of the interchapters.”
-John Magyar, Barnard College