Short description 'A Philatelic Ramble through Chemistry' is a light-hearted historically based survey of chemistry and some related topics in physics. It is illustrated with nearly 1000 beautiful color reproductions of postage stamps and covers. Many stories and anecdotes have been included. The book provides delightful personal reading and may be useful for courses on the history of chemistry. It is a source of numerous anecdotes which instructors can use to enliven their lectures.
From the contents I. THE BEGINNINGS Greek Chemistry Chinese Chemistry and Alchemy II: ALCHEMY, THE CHEMISTRY OF THE MIDDLE AGES Overview A Brief History of Alchemy Our Alchemical Inheritance Alchemists in Literature and Art Named Alchemists on Stamps III. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY The Development of Inorganic Chemistry The Discovery and Naming of the Elements IV: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY Introductory Remarks The Emergence of 'Organic Chemistry' Benzene and the Aromatic Compounds Chirality Organic Chemistry After 1880 Polymers Biochemistry V: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL PHYSICS Introductory Remarks Thermochemistry: Temperature and Heat Capacities Chemical Equilibria and Chemical Kinetics Thermodynamics Properties of Gases Electrochemistry Theoretical Chemistry, a Comment VI: SPECTROSCOPY The Experimental Techniques Understanding the Electromagnetic Spectrum and its Interaction with Matter VII: X-RAY STRUCTURE ANALYSIS Crystals X-Rays and their Diffraction by Crystals X-Ray Structure Analysis Examples of X-Ray Structure Determination VIII: TECHNICAL CHEMISTRY Some Preliminary Comments Beer Sugar Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals Polymers Paper Minerals Petroleum Metals Glass Photography IX: MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS Chemical Education The Anonymous Chemist Tools of the Chemist Chemical Formulae Chemical Societies and Meetings Chomical Errors on Chomical Stamps
