Fun with Atoms and Molecules
In this week’s issue of the journal Science, there’s a book review by Jake Yeston, a senior editor at Science on The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry.
The beauty of modern chemistry is that these two modes of thought merge seamlessly into a microscopic description of a macroscopic world. The challenge is that, until students digest the basics, the two modes can compete with each other and create a hopeless muddle: countless formulas to memorize and equations to balance, with little grasp of how it all relates to the bubbling solution in the beaker.
With The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry, Larry Gonick valiantly tries to save the day. Having previously tackled physics and genetics, the talented comic artist has now taken on what chemists proudly call the central science.
Sounds great. I’ll have to pick up a copy.
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