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Title: Chemical Magic
ISBN: 0486676285
Author:
Leonard A. Ford
Publicate Date: 1993-07-27
Publish: 1993-07-27
List Price: $6.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.41
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $2.98
Amazon Merchant Price: $6.95
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| Customer Review: |
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1: chemical magic
I am a professional magician working on an elementary school assembly program. I needed a way to have liquids change colors. This book had exactly what I needed. It also had a lot of other chemical effects that could certainly be used by science teachers covering a wide range of chemical topics. It is easily understood, and even gives ideas for the presentation.
good book
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2: Excellent ! The first one for many chemists.
Excellent book !. For many chemistry students it has been the first book in order to see chemistry as a beautiful and funny science. Dr. L. A. Ford is no longer living but this masterpiece will remain for many years as an element for motivation in teaching and learning chemistry.
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3: Amazing Experiments ...that you can't do.
This book reminds me of how we've gone a society of educational discovers to one that irrationally sees harm in a simple chemistry set.
There are experiments that I've heard told and retold, some of which I seriously attributed to exaggeration. For instance, a glass beaker submerged in a liquid that has the same refractive index as glass, rendering the beaker completely invisible. Or, another, volumes of smoke made as if by magic.
It turns out they're all in here! Don't let the physical size fool you, because this book is chalked full of some of the most amazing and impressive chemistry experiments you've ever seen.
The problem, however, is that the typical home reader won't be able to get their hands on these chemicals anymore. So while you can read about them, you can't conduct the experiments yourself.
About the only people who'd get practical benefit out of this book would be college chemistry professors who want to lure students into the profession. This would be an impressive way to do it.
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4: Proceed with Caution
This book gives lots of chemical demonstration ideas. However, some are entirely too dangerous to do. You must use a lot of common sense when considering doing any of these demonstrations. Some are not safe at all. Mercury and CCl4 are EPA regulated. It's not advisable to put ethanol in your mouth to spit out in front of students... This only demonstrates bad lab techniques. Make sure you do the first experiment in the book outside or in a fume hood. It releases a strong odor and an acid vapor. Definitely not something you want your students breathing!
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5: Not organic but entertaining!
Each experiment first explains the "action" or the effect intended to produce. Secondly, necessary elements are listed along with their appropriate quantities. Thirdly, a very fortunate addendum to each experiment explains why the reaction occurred and how it did. Finally, most experiements are augmented by a primitive diagram, whose descriptive efforts vary according the action(s) of the chemist, but nevertheless aid the reader with some significance to visualize where certain items should be oriented.
Anyone interested in this book will understand it is not for anarchy or extremely plexiform experiments to uncover the human genome. Mad scientists, this book is unfortunately not for you, but anyone intrigued by paradoxical chemical experiments, such as fire submerged in water, a burning bush that is not consumed by its flames, and other such fascinating elements, will be pleased with its contents.
These experiments usually do not require manifold ingredients so they are ideal for high-school chemistry classes, introductory college chemistry, or entertainment during a meal. A waiter who can perform such legerdemain at events will not remain a waiter long, and those of you who are addicted to gambling and teasing friends certain things are impossible will immediately recognize the value of this book.
I have rated this book 4-star primarily because the majority of the experiments are prosaic or have no genuine purpose to belong the the publishment. However, those experiments that really are "chemical magic" scintillate like stars amid the black heavens, illuminating their observers and imparting them joy at a further comprehension of experimental chemistry.
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