REGARDING CHEMISTRY

In the last two years we have noticed that a surprisingly high demand for tutoring in chemistry manifested itself - especially the basics seem to baffle students again and again.

This may be partly due to didactic reasons - overburdened teachers and poorly designed textbooks.


 

We are personally aware of a case from Augsburg, in which a first year chemistry teacher bored his students to death through the first 24 lessons - reciting all kinds of topics without making any connections (as prescribed by and faithfully following the book) - including sermons on (for beginners) rather exotic topics like catalysis and the complex chemistry of metalloid halogenes. In the 25th lesson he began to address the crucial question: "What is an atom?". The class had long switched off into disregarding the queer subject and its proponent - which moved the teacher to fail 10 of the 15 students by year's end. That is not how it's supposed to work.

Hence we decided to compose a small compendium on the basics of chemistrsfor all beginners of chemistry, which presently stands at some 130 pages. It covers the contents of the two first school years and is also suitable as a refresher course.

It is richly illustrated with graphics and directly linked to Wikipedia and other chemical web sites, so that each of those who need more specific instruction about an issue get quick relief by simply clicking on the next hyperlink. It's also avaiable for purchase (€ 15) and is delivered as a PDF file by email.

A corresponding script for organic and synthetic chemistry is now emerging.