Chemical Chaos

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Chemical Chaos

Chemical Chaos
Author: Nick Arnold
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Product: Book (158 pages)
Ages: 10 and up
Cost: $4.99 (CDN)

Part of the Horrible Science series, Chemical Chaos introduces you to the science—and the stories—behind chemistry. Read about curious experiments, meet strange scientists, and try some simple chemistry at home.
Did you know that the double-walled container we now know as a thermos was invented to keep chemicals cold? Or that tracing paper owes its invention to a worker who put too much starch in a vat of wood pulp? Or that the element phosphorous was discovered by an alchemist while he was examining the contents of his own urine? Gross anecdotes aside, Chemical Chaos’ fact files, teacher tests, and comical cartoons will have you looking at chemistry in a whole new—and curious—way.

Reviewer: Monica Hoy
Age: 14

Chemical Chaos was a very well-designed book. The book was filled with cartoons, timelines, and interesting facts. The book was a general introduction to chemicals and was very interesting and held my attention. I loved the wacky stories and corny jokes in this book. The illustrations and cartoons were also excellent.
This book was exploding with facts. Did you know that the first margarine contained beef fat, skimmed milk, ice, and pig’s stomach juices, or that the first toilet cleaners were created from explosives? This book was fun and easy to read. The vocabulary used was not too difficult, and the cartoons and jokes were a blast. I would rate the book ten out of a possible ten and would recommend it to all.

(Originally published in the Fall 1999 issue of YES Mag.)