The Living Clock: The Orchestrator of Biological Rhythms

Book Description

This book is an introduction to a basic property of life, one mostly unknown to science and the public until the latter half of the last century: Humans, plants, and animals have within their bodies a kind of clock that synchronizes much of what they do throughout their lives to the time of day and the seasons, and in the case of the sea-dwelling organisms, the tides. This timepiece performs its service autonomously - it rules silently within us without us giving a thought to it. Three chapters are devoted to the human clock: its disruptive action in transmeridional travel and shift work, its oversight in most every aspect of our physiology, and how doctors being aware of its action can save lives. Other major subjects describe the role in piloting birds in homing and migration, guiding the seasonal reproduction of plants and animals, and its influence on shore dwellers. The book closes with a description of the clockworks' escapement.

Customer Reviews:

Fairly entertaining book about scientific discovery........2003-07-18

Palmer explains that he wrote this book because so many people he encountered were interested in what he does as a marine biologist. In truth it is a book about scientific curiosity and the process of discovery. I won't give away the ending, found in the last chapter. Had Palmer's objective been an exposition on biological clocks, the last chapter would have been first. Unfortunately, I already knew what was in the last chapter, so my appreciation for the book was somewhat dulled. Still, it is a short, well written, fairly entertaining book. Palmer does an excellent job in describing experiments and making them interesting, and in showing how often a verification of the obvious led instead to new paths of discovery. Not least, while Palmer's sense of humor is not terribly creative, he can be fun.

Book Description

John Suchocki's Conceptual Chemistry: Understanding Our World of Atoms and Molecules makes chemistry come alive for the nonscience reader through an engaging writing style, fun and easy-to-perform experiments, and a multimedia package that is as uniquely integrated as it is extensive. Building on the success of the First Edition, this revised book provides a fresh, insightful, and welcoming look into the concepts of chemistry. Twelve core chapters cover basic chemical concepts including atomic models, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions. These are followed by seven chapters organized around applied chemistry topics such as nutrition, drugs, agriculture, water resources, the atmosphere, modern materials, and energy sources. For college instructors, students and readers interested in chemistry.

Customer Reviews:

Conceptual Cemistry text review.......2005-05-01

Well, it looks like I'm giving yet another one of my college textbooks a less than stellar review. This particular book was the required text for Chemistry 1010 at my college. Extremely expensive is how I feel about this book, since unlike my intro Psych book, which cost just as much, I find this one to be both confusing and patronizing. I had a slave driver for a Honors Chem teacher in high school, so I expected Chemistry to be easy, since I later found out that in high school I had taken the equivalent of a Chemistry class required of college level Chemistry majors. My professor was fairly good. He made it a point of explaining all the math and all the other mumbo-jumbo in this text. He had to do that a lot. Why, you ask? Because, this book, I swear, was written for a sixth grader. It comes across as such, especially in the first few chapters, where they talk about atoms and molarity, elements and compounds. It isn't until the later chapters, when you get to learn about things I still cannot even spell, that the author finally becomes serious. But still, the weird jokes about the neutron who went to the bar, the pictures of the author's wife and family members strewn about, and the corny cartoon characters trying to make Chemistry equations "fun" are just that-sappy and VERY corny. I had to repeatedly look at the cover of the book to make sure I was not reading a child's Chemistry text. And, come the day of the final, most of my classmates are more than willing to get rid of this text, which for most of us has served us well as a paperweight. I didn't even get to use it for that-my roommate is a Chemistry major and had an even bigger Chemistry book to use for that purpose. I spent $102 on this thing that masquerades as a college level Chemistry text, but in reality reads like it was meant for an uneducated 12 year old. The vast majority of us in this class did not use this book. We had a fairly decent professor whose lectures proved far more useful than this text, althought his tests were quite confusing. This book has no real purpose. Save your money and look for the copy on reserve at the library. It is better than being reminded that in the scope of the author, that you are not worthy of being treated like a college level adult because you did not take the intro Chemistry class aimed at Chem majors. This book is horrible, and the worst part is that I only got $45 back for it at textbook buyback this last week. Ugh.

The Physics of Polymers: Concepts for Understanding Their Structures and Behavior

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A comprehensive polymer physics book!
A Decent, Instructive Book for Serious Students

The Physics of Polymers: Concepts for Understanding Their Structures and Behavior
Gert R. Strobl
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3540632034

Book Description

Polymer Physics is one of the key lectures not only in polymer science but also in materials science. Strobl presents in his textbook the elements of polymer physics to the necessary extent in a very didactical way. His main focus lays on the concepts of polymer physics, not on theoretical aspects or mere physical methods. He has written the book in a personal style evaluating the concepts he is dealing with. Every student in polymer and materials science will be happy to have it on his shelf.

Customer Reviews:

A comprehensive polymer physics book!.......2003-01-02

This is a comprehensive polymer physics book, each chapter is well written with adequate depth of coverage. Most definitely the book one must pick to delve into dynamics, thermodynamics, scattering and crystallization, and get to the level of appreciating the complexity and beauty of current research and understanding in the field of polymer physics. Highly recommended!

A Decent, Instructive Book for Serious Students.......2001-05-26

I'm no expert on polymers, but I've been exposed to a little on the subject through my work and classes, so I picked this up on sale. The beginnings of the chapters seem informative for one who wants a soundbite rather than the full meaty treatment. On a handful of occasions I've found a few numbers and figures from the book useful.

However, this is not a book for a beginner who wants to gain a little familiarity of the subject without serious study (not like, say, Saleh and Teich's optics book, where one can pick a topic and learn a little about it). When he decides to delve into theory the derivations can only be understood by sitting down and going through them by hand. It's not that steps are skipped or any other such atrocious practice, but simply that this is a book for people working hard to understand and join the field, not outsiders who want to gain some familiarity with it.

Book Description

Understanding Mass Spectra: A Basic Approach, Second Edition combines coverage of the principles underlying mass spectral analysis with clear guidelines on how to apply them in a laboratory setting. Completely revised from the first edition, an updated and unified approach to mass spectral interpretation emphasizes the application of basic principles from undergraduate organic, analytical, and physical chemistry courses.
A detailed overview of theory and instrumentation, this useful guide contains step-by-step descriptions of interpretative strategies and convenient lists and tables detailing the information needed to solve unknowns. Other features include real-world case studies and examples, skill-building problems with clearly explained answers, and easy-to-follow explanations of the important mathematical derivations.

Download Description

More than a decade ago, Dr. James Balch published Prescription for Nutritional Healing, the first major popular guide to the heal" "The Dictionary of Auditing is a one-stop resource for key auditing terminology, concepts, and processes essential to auditors and of increasing interest to those that work with them.

Customer Reviews:

Figure out what you're looking at........2004-02-07

I just completed a three day course with Marty with his text as the outline. Absolutely helpful! Training in controlled substance analysis often only includes pattern recognition for comparison of unknown samples to standards. The information in this book will get you well on your way to recognizing what is going on in the spectra you already know and will help provide information when no standard matches. Thanks Marty, this book is a great reference assistant!

Understanding Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Average customer rating:

Good primer to reaction mechanisms but very elementary.
Making Predictions about Mechanisms

Understanding Organic Reaction Mechanisms
Adam Jacobs
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Nuts and Bolts of Organic Chemistry: A Student's Guide to Success

ASIN: 0521467764

Book Description

This book describes the principles that govern chemical reactivity, and shows how these principles can be used to make predictions about the mechanisms and outcomes of chemical reactions. Molecular orbital theory is used to provide up-to-date explanations of chemical reactivity, in an entirely nonmathematical approach suited to organic chemists. A valuable section explains the use of curly arrows, vital for describing reaction mechanisms. An entire chapter is devoted to exploring the thought processes involved in predicting the mechanisms of unfamiliar reactions. Each chapter is followed by a summary of the important points and a selection of problems to help the reader make sure that the material in that chapter has been assimilated. The book concludes with a comprehensive glossary of technical terms. This text will be of interest to first- and second-year chemistry undergraduates studying organic chemistry.

Customer Reviews:

Good primer to reaction mechanisms but very elementary........2005-09-21

Jacobs has written an excellant text INTRODUCING the context of most chemical reactions; focussing on the primary elements pertaining to most common organic reactions.

It is an ELEMENTARY TEXT; first discussing the basics of reactions, from the molecular paradigm (i.e. resonance, bonding, acid/base and kinetics). However the actual reactions themselves occupy only one chapter one chapter; this, I think is unsatisfactory.

The book does not go into great depth when elucidating on substitution and elimination reactions, like back-side attacks and its impacts on synthesis, variations in SN reactions are not fully discussed. Specific reference to reagents, temperature and the rationale of using respective reagents are not fully discussed.

Reaction mechanisms are not well outlined in this book. Individual reaction thermodynamics and kinetics per mechanism are not mentioned, primary and secondary yields are not discussed; nor are their relative ratios and the rationale behind such yields are not mentioned in detail either.

In essence the central ideas pertaining to reaction mechanisms have been condenesed into one chapter, whereas there are a multitude of chapters relating to the mere basics which are of no direct consequence when pragmatically discussing reaction mechanisms.

This is book is excellant only as a introductory to reaction mechanisms and as a supplementary to introductory organic chemistry. It is not a good source of information when delving into further synthesis; the book is no different to what the fundamentals series of organic chemistry textbooks offer.

The book has good ideas, however chapters are not synergistically organized. As such, the book has a lot of lackings when it comes to discussing reaction mechanisms at levels higher than the introductory organic chemistry class.

A more rigorous but more cost effective book is March's Advanced Organic CHemistry or Organic chemistry, an intermediate text by Hoffman.

Making Predictions about Mechanisms.......2000-08-19

Ever wonder why organic reaction mechanisms go the way they do? How do you know if reaction is first- or second-order, or concerted? This book provides a clear perspective on different factors that determine reaction mechanisms: molecular orbitals, acids and bases, thermodynamics and kinetics, roles of carbocations, carbanions, carbene, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, etc. It can accompany any undergraduate text and would be perfect reference and/or supplement for an advanced course treating reaction mechanism. It addresses topics like pericyclic reactions, Hammett equation and techniques for investigating mechanisms.

Homogeneous Catalysis: Understanding the Art

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Homogeneous Catalysis: Understanding the Art
P.W. van Leeuwen
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Metals, 4th Edition

ASIN: 1402019998

Book Description

Homogeneous catalysis using transition metal complexes is an area of research that has grown enormously in recent years. Many amazing catalytic discoveries have been reported by researchers both in industry and in academia. Homogeneous Catalysis: Understanding the Art gives real insight in the many new and old reactions of importance. It is based on the author's extensive experience in both teaching and industrial practice. Each chapter starts with the basic knowledge and ends with up-to-date concepts. The focus of this book is on concepts, but many key industrial processes and applications that are important in the laboratory synthesis of organic chemicals are used as examples. The full range of topics is covered, such as fine chemicals, bulk chemicals, polymers, high-tech polymers, pharmaceuticals, but also important techniques and reaction types among other aspects. For a few reactions the process schemes, environmental concerns and safety aspects are included, to encourage catalyst researchers to think about these topics at an early stage of their projects and to communicate with chemical engineers, customers and the end-users. Homogeneous Catalysis: Understanding the Art provides a balanced overview of the vibrant and growing field of homogeneous catalysis to chemists trained in different disciplines and to graduate students who take catalysis as a main or secondary subject. This book is an invaluable tool for practising professionals and academia, including: Chemists in academia with an inorganic, organic, catalytic, etc., chemistry background; PhD-students in these fields, and advanced students; Research Institutes of Petrochemical industries; Fine-chemical industries; Pharmaceutical industries; Chemical Laboratories of Universities for Organic, Industrial, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry, and Catalysis; Graduate schools. There is no other book available that gives insight into so many reactions of importance, while the field of homogeneous catalysis is becoming more and more important to organic chemists, industrial chemists, and academia. This book will provide this background to chemists trained in a different discipline and graduate and masters students who take catalysis as a main or secondary topic.

Organometallic Ion Chemistry (Understanding Chemical Reactivity)

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Organometallic Ion Chemistry (Understanding Chemical Reactivity)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Organometallic Ion Chemistry features eight chapters, written by acknowledged authorities, covering the gas-phase chemistry of organometallic ions. Topics covered include: periodic trends in gas-phase thermochemistry of transition metal-ligand systems; ab initio calculations to determine electronic structure, geometric structure, and thermochemistry of metal-containing systems; electronic state effects on metal ion reactivity; organometallic ion photochemistry; applications of gas-phase electron transfer equilibria in organometallic redox thermochemistry. Also included are state of the art mass spectrometric instrumentation used in such studies. Finally, the book features - for the first time in one place - a comprehensive list (containing over 1500 entries) of metal ion-ligand bond energies, obtained from theory and experiment. An invaluable reference source for ion chemists, organometallic chemists and surface chemists, at both expert and graduate student levels.

Chemical Approaches to Understanding Enzyme Catalysis (Studies in organic chemistry)

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Chemical Approaches to Understanding Enzyme Catalysis (Studies in organic chemistry)

Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0444420630

Contemporary Theory of Chemical Isomerism (Understanding Chemical Reactivity)

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Contemporary Theory of Chemical Isomerism (Understanding Chemical Reactivity)
Zdenek Slanina
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A guide to understanding basic organic reactions (Concepts in chemistry)

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A guide to understanding basic organic reactions (Concepts in chemistry)
Richard C Whitfield
Manufacturer: Longmans
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

New Theoretical Concepts for Understanding Organic Reactions (NATO Science Series C:)

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New Theoretical Concepts for Understanding Organic Reactions (NATO Science Series C:)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 079230151X

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