Experiments in General Chemistry

Kobrak’s Experiments in General Chemistry provides a complete first-year laboratory curriculum for students in scientific and pre-medical chemistry. The experiments represent a balance of synthesis and analysis experiments that meets the American Chemical Society’s curriculum guidelines for breadth without sacrificing depth. The procedures are easy to implement, reliable and inexpensive. Compared to other books on the market, the experiments are environmentally benign. In particular, the book includes a qualitative analysis scheme that avoids the use of lead, mercury, and other heavy metals.

Perhaps the most valuable feature of the work is the careful theoretical introduction to each experiment. This makes it easy for students to connect the experiment to the underlying theory, and to reference their lecture textbook to help address questions in the laboratory. The preamble of each experiment provides a list of keywords that students can use to find relevant passages in their lecture text, helping them to bridge the gap between theory and application.