Chemistry from the Ground Up

This textbook covers chemistry topics typically found in a middle school science curriculum. However, it does so by grounding those topics in a deep, fundamental understanding of particles and motion. It is intended for students who enjoy grappling with scientific concepts and constantly asking themselves: why?

Chapter 1: Particle Theory of Matter

• Conservation of Matter
• States of Matter
• Misconceptions About Temperature and State
• Molecular Attraction
• Molecular Speed Distribution
• The Liquid State
• Evaporation
• Condensation
• Dynamic Systems and Equilibrium

Chapter 2: Properties of Matter

• Mass and Measurement
• Measuring Volume
• The Volume of Water and Alcohol
• Density and Pure Substances
• Temperature, Heat Transfer, and Thermal Equilibrium
• Intermolecular Forces and Potential Energy
• Boiling and the Heat of Vaporization
• Thermodynamics of Phase Transitions
• Characteristic Properties of Pure Substances

Chapter 3: Atoms and Molecules

• Subatomic Particles and Atomic Structure
• Using the Periodic Table to Diagram Atoms
• Energy, Stability, and Probability
• Valence Electrons and Chemical Properties
• Forming Chemical Bonds
• Molecules and Compounds
• Chemical Reactions
• Physical and Chemical Change
• Catalysts and Basics of Biochemistry

Chapter 4: Solubility

• Mixtures and Compounds
• Solutions and Measures of Solubility
• Factors Affecting Solubility
• Solubility of Polar and Nonpolar Molecules
• Colloids, Soaps, and Surfactants
• Acid-Base Equilibrium
• Cell Membranes and More Basics of Biochemistry