About this book
A fascinating look back at the state of the art of chemistry 100 years ago, this book by James C. Philip, PhD, an assistant professor of chemistry at The Imperial College of Science and Technology, Kensington, provides a "description in non-technical language of the diverse and wonderful way which chemical forces are at work, and their manifold application in modern life" in 1910. Professor Philip relates many of the key chemical discoveries of early academic researchers in the context of the practical uses to which these discoveries were applied in the early 20th century. (summary by J. M. Smallheer)
Chapters (30)
1The Dawn of Chemistry
2Alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone
3Nature's Building Material
4Invisible Substances, and How We Know of Their Existence
5Elements with a Double Identity
6Metals, Common and Uncommon
7Where Two Metals are Better than One
8Acids and Alkalis
9Natural Waters, and What They May Contain
10Chemical Changes which Produce Light and Heat
11How Fire is Made
12Nature's Stores of Fuels
13More About Fuel
14Flame: What is It?
15Explosions and Explosives
16Below Zero
17Chemistry at High Temperatures
18Chemistry of the Stars
19Chemistry of Agriculture
20Sugar and Starch
21Fats and Oils
22How Man Competes with Nature
23The Adulteration of Food
24The Value of the By-product
25Valuable Substances from Unlikely Sources
26Chemistry and Electricity
27Some Interesting Facts about Solutions
28From Solutions to Crystals
29Great Effects from Small Causes
30How Trifling Observations Lead to Great Discoveries
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