Help Choosing Chemistry Textbook

[raptridge75]

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Hello, i am going to read a few books on sciences- including chemistry before i take college courses. I am choosing a book on chemistry to read but don't know which books are good. Can you suggest a textbook to read? and from the two textbooks below, which would you choose? and if you used it, is the 5th edition of this book the same as the 6th edition?

Chemistry and chemical reactivity- 5th edition
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Chemical-Reactivity-CD-ROM-John/dp/003033604X

Chemistry and chemical reactivity- 6th edition
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Chemical-Reactivity-General-ChemistryNOW/dp/053499766X

 

[TamarMD]

Well I haven't taken chem yet. My first semester is the one coming up. And the book I'm using is chemistry and chemical reactivity...its by kotz right? I'd suggest buying fifth edition or even fourth edition if you can. You can try textbooks.com they sell them cheap. The reason I'm saying that is cause the head of the chem department told me there is no big difference btwn them. Also you didn't say that you needed it for your chem class so then that would be a complete waste of 160 bucks to get the sixth edition

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Out of the two, I would certainly get the 5th edition.

In our chemistry class, we used this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Mol...f=sr_1_10/103-8021368-6844618?ie=UTF8&s=books

We used the newer version though (4th ed.) I believe.

Anyway, I suggest the book posted above for the following reasons:

1. The book I use is pretty good in my opinion, and it is used frequently from what I hear. It has higher reviews than the one you posted.

2. When it comes to self-studying, almost always I will suggest to get a used copy of the previous edition....you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on how many books you get using this strategy.

Case in point: The 4th edition now costs upward of 150 dollars, while you can get a used edition of the 3rd edition for 10 dollars (if you don't believe me, check the URL).

Unless you have a teacher who specifies an edition to use, always go for the previous one.

Best of luck,
-Dr. P.

 

[rox1co]

Chemistry by Silberberg is very good.

Chemistry: The Central Science by Brown isn't bad either.

 

[emttim]

Honestly, I have Chemistry & Chemical Reactivity 6th edition by Kotz and I haven't looked through it too much, but so far it looks like the textbook has piss poor explanations and is a POS. Try to get a different book if you can, or at least a different version.

 

[PsychEpathic]

I liked the McMurry text. Buy a used one on half.com! General chem doesn't change too much over the years...

 

[Meatwad]

How'd you dig this thread up?

 

[Adradr]

McMurry is an organic chemistry text, so probably not what the OP is looking for - even if it is my FAVORITE textbook ever 😍.

I liked Chemistry: The Central Science by Brown (used the 10th edition for class, and both 9th and 10th have a 4-star rating on Amazon). But would it make the most sense to just by the next-oldest edition of whatever your college actually uses? Most textbooks frame concepts in different ways, and while they'll all give you a foundational understanding of the material, changing frameworks might be frustrating.

Good luck!

 

[JackieTreehorn]

Chemistry by Zumdahl. Was my AP book

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

If you know where you want to go to college go there and buy the book they are currently using. It will give you a head start.

I did Silberburg and it was alright- I never went to lecture in Chem 1 and got an A so I would say the book is good...but get the answer book if you plan on working problems while reading.

 

[geneticclone]

If you know where you want to go to college go there and buy the book they are currently using. It will give you a head start.

I did Silberburg and it was alright- I never went to lecture in Chem 1 and got an A so I would say the book is good...but get the answer book if you plan on working problems while reading.

How the hell did you do that man. I got a c and i went to EVERY lecture.😡

 

[jochi1543]

I did Silberburg and it was alright- I never went to lecture in Chem 1 and got an A so I would say the book is good...but get the answer book if you plan on working problems while reading.

You're my twin. I also had Silberberg for a book, never went to class, and got an A. Lots of people in class struggled. To be fair, I did a ton of practice problems and used the solutions manual, unlike the rest of my peers.👍 Turned out that was more important than attendance.

 

[ZacharyMD]

Silberberg.

 

[JackieTreehorn]

Heh, nevermind, looks like the OP was banned. 13 posts that has to be a record 😆

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

How the hell did you do that man. I got a c and i went to EVERY lecture.😡

I dunno- I really understood the basic chem stuff after a good course in high school (which I taught to myself since I was home educated)...sadly grades in chem went down after Chem 1...chem is my least favorite subject