Chemistry at Home - by John Emsley (Paperback)

About the Book

This accessible book aims to de-mystify the part chemicals play in the products we have in our home and what benefits they bring.

Book Synopsis

Ever wondered what was in the toothpaste you were cleaning your teeth with or the low-fat spread you were eating? How glue sticks or what's in insect repellent? This accessible book aims to de-mystify the part chemicals play in the products we have in our home and what benefits they bring. Written in an appealing style, the reader will be taken on a journey of discovery around the house gaining information on and explanation for the chemistry we have in our everyday existence.

From the Back Cover

Hand cream, detergent, shower gel, toothpaste, toilet cleaner, air freshener, lipstick, perfume, low-fat spread, painkiller, diet drink, insect repellent... hundreds of everyday products that make our lives so much better than those of our forebears. And yet most of us know little about the ingredients they contain and why they deliver the benefits we enjoy.
Some people find it worrying when they examine the list of ingredients on a packaging label, because all they read may be unintelligible names or E numbers. It appears to be just chemicals, chemicals, chemicals. The aim of this book is to examine the ingredients more closely and explain the reasons for their being used.
Start reading and stop worrying.
Chemistry at Home has been written by award-winning popular science writer and chemist, John Emsley, using non-technical language. The book has 12 chapters, each devoted to the kinds of products we are likely to find around the home, including in the garage and the garden shed. Chemistry at Home also includes a glossary which gives more technical information about the molecules mentioned in the book.

Review Quotes

'an outstanding book by British chemist John Emsley'

-- "CJAD 800 radio"

This book is highly recommended, not least to teachers, and is an anidote to smear stories in the media

-- "Chemistry World"

We should all have a copy on our shelves - it is very browsable, and you never know when some of the many bits of information it contains will come in handy

-- "Chemistry World"