Summary

From astronomy to computer science to energy innovation, several scientific fields of research rely on understanding the elements of the periodic table and how they relate to and interact with each other as well as other particles such as electrons, protons, and photons. Some of the most important concerns of the public—including agriculture, health care, and national defense—cannot be addressed without up-to-date scientific knowledge about phosphorus, mercury, and plutonium.

The Periodic Table of the Elements set provides a fascinating look at the chemical elements by group, as well as the past, present, and future impact on the scientific community and general world. The full-color books go beyond explaining how the elements were discovered and what their most prominent chemical and physical properties are, to also focus on new discoveries and uses in fields ranging from astrophysics to material science. Students, teachers, and the general public seldom have the opportunity to keep abreast of these new developments, as journal articles for the non-specialist are hard to find. This set communicates new scientific findings simply and clearly, in language accessible to readers with little or no formal background in chemistry or physics as well as scientists who wish to update their understanding of the elements of nature.

Coverage includes:

• The discovery and naming of the element, including its role in history, and some of the important scientists involved
• The basics of the element, including such properties as its atomic number, atomic mass, electronic configuration, melting and boiling temperatures, abundances, and important isotopes
• The chemistry of the element
• New developments and dilemmas regarding current understanding
• Past, present, and possible future uses of the element in science and technology.

Specifications

For each title: Full-color photographs and line illustrations. Index. Chronology. Glossary. Further resources.

About the Author(s)

Monica Halka, Ph.D., an experimental physicist specializing in the interaction of light with atoms, is committed to the improvement of physics teaching at the high school and college levels. In addition to many publications in professional research journals, she writes and presents on physics education, was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate, and has received education grant funding from the National Science Foundation. She has given invited talks on physics education in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and the United States, and participated in the Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers. She currently serves as associate director of the University Honors Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, where she regularly teaches an undergraduate course on energy and society.

Brian Nordstrom, Ed.D., a physical chemist, received an A.B. in physical science and an M.S. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, and an Ed.D. from Northern Arizona University. His interests include chemical kinetics, environmental chemistry, chemical education, and the history and philosophy of science. He is professor of chemistry at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.