Three Weeks for Dreamwidth: Chemistry
May. 11th, 2026 02:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis year during Three Weeks for Dreamwidth, I'm writing about reading as a way of becoming an expert in a given subject. Read Part 1: Introduction to Becoming an Expert, Part 2: Architecture, Part 3: Dance, Part 4: Music, Part 5: Painting, Part 6: Poetry, Part 7: Sculpture, Part 8: Conflict Resolution, Part 9: Cooking, Part 10: Coping Skills, Part 11: Gardening, Part 12: Relationship Skills, Part 13: Repairing, Part 14: Survival Skills, Part 15: Archaeology, Part 16: Biology.
Three Weeks for Dreamwidth Part 17: Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of studying matter, particularly how different substances interact with each other. Its subfields include astrochemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, and geochemistry among others. At home, kitchen chemistry is both amusing and useful. Aspects of chemistry include history, famous people, and famous discoveries. Here on Dreamwidth, check out![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
common_nature, environment, naturaldyes, science, and scienceworld.
Chemistry as material manipulation seems to go back as far as humans. It's just difficult to find early traces because most are too perishable. Neanderthals used a composite adhesive made of bitumen and ochre at least 40,000 years ago. The chemistry of Egyptian cosmetics goes back at least 5,000 years. Several different traditions and time periods of alchemy laid the groundwork for modern chemistry; despite a lot of wrong tangets, they converged on the idea of methodical experiments and (often coded and boobytrapped) recordkeeping. Modern chemistry dates to around the 1500s. New discoveries open up new possibilities in chemistry. Understanding how it works is not only helpful (how composite epoxies work) but also extremely relevant to safety (don't mix bleach and ammonia).
Chemistry ranges from fairly simple, accessible things like kitchen chemistry on up to complex things that require advanced equipment like archaelogists use to analyse their finds for trace elements. Most folks stick with the kitchen chemistry end of things -- who doesn't want to make an erupting volcano cake? -- but it's still fun to read about the fancy stuff. Chemistry is also useful knowledge when you are buying household products. Bookstores and libraries should have some books on chemistry, and check the cookbook section because there are more books on kitchen chemistry nowadays. Watch used book stores for textbooks from chemistry classes; they're often in the giveaway box. Chemistry classes are rarely available outside of schools, but occasionally you might find one at a community kitchen or nature center, so it's worth keeping an eye out.
Choosing three books about chemistry gives you several options. Because it's so complicated, feel free to pick three books on a subtopic that interests you, like exploring the recent books on kitchen chemistry or analyzing archaeological finds. Overview and two details will still work, but this is an ideal place for beginning-intermediate-advanced. Chronological works great with chemistry if you like delving into the history of science. You could also look up famous alchemists or chemists. Here are some possibilities...
General Chemistry
A Book List for Chemistry Teachers
https://adriandingleschemistrypages.com/books/a-book-list-for-chemistry-teachers/
Chemistry / Biochemistry LibGuides at South Dakota
https://libguides.sdstate.edu/chemistry/books
Chemistry: Library Resources
https://web.archive.org/web/20250424092047/https://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=536832&p=7173779
Chemistry Research Starter
https://lib-guides.letu.edu/c.php?g=1328278&p=9779501
Popular Chemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/chemistry
A Selected List of Chemistry Books
https://nmsu.libguides.com/c.php?g=206126&p=1360205
Top 15 Most Searched Chemistry Books in 2026
https://bookscouter.com/blog/top-15-most-searched-chemistry-books/
Top 20 Best-Selling Chemistry Titles
https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/top-20-best-selling-chemistry-titles-academic-best-sellers
Alchemy
Alchemical reading list
https://www.alchemywebsite.com/readlist.html
Alchemy
This digital collection features selected manuscripts, rare books, paintings, and ephemera relating to alchemical topics and experimentation. Materials in this collection include depictions of alchemists’ workshops and pursuits on philosophy, magic, medicine, spiritual wisdom, and the transformation of matter.
https://digital.sciencehistory.org/focus/alchemy?sort=oldest_date
Books About Alchemy
https://bookshop.org/lists/books-about-alchemy
Popular Alchemy Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/alchemy
Biochemistry
100 Best Biochemistry Books of All Time (Updated for 2025)
https://www.shortform.com/best-books/genre/best-biochemistry-books-of-all-time
Biochemistry Texts for Medical Students: Course Guide
https://libguides.tulane.edu/biochem_t1
Book list of Biochemistry
https://drklbcollege.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Book-list-of-Biochemistry.pdf
Popular Biochemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/biochemistry
Famous Chemists
Chemistry: Library Resources: Biographies & History
https://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=536832&p=3675157
Tutorials and Chemistry Resources: Important Chemists
https://libguides.georgetowncollege.edu/c.php?g=1449865&p=11087021
Geochemistry
16 Best Books on Geochemistry
https://web.archive.org/web/20240716101722/https://www.sanfoundry.com/best-reference-books-geochemistry/
BioGeoChemistry
https://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/biogeochem
Encyclopedias / Handbooks: Geosciences, Geochemistry, Geophysics
https://ucsd.libguides.com/geosciences/reference
Popular Geochemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/geochemistry
History
History of Science Secondary Sources by Topic: Alchemy & Chemistry
https://guides.ou.edu/c.php?g=671499&p=4726751
Popular History Of Chemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/history-of-chemistry
Kitchen Chemistry
Kitchen Science
https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/1496376069/2250784859
Mad Science Kitchen Chemistry
https://mymcpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/1150872447/1809576329
Popular Kitchen Science Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/kitchen-science
Free Books
Chemistry Book Collection
https://www.free-ebooks.net/book-list/chemistry-book-collection
Chemistry Textbooks from Center for Open Education
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry
Free Chemistry Books
https://www.e-booksdirectory.com/chemistry.php
Advanced inorganic chemistry
https://chemistlibrary.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cotton-wilkinson-advanced-inorganic-chemistry.pdf
Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects
https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/kitchen-chemistry.pdf
Analytical Chemistry, 7th Edition
https://kvmwai.edu.in/upload/StudyMaterial/Analytical-Chemistry-by-Gary-D_-Christian-Purnendu-K_-Dasgupta-Kevin-A_-Schug-z-lib_org_.pdf
Astrochemistry
https://www.astro.princeton.edu/events/spitzer_lecture_series/Lecture1.pdf
ATKINS' PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
https://nowgonggirlscollege.co.in/attendence/classnotes/files/1621583343.pdf
Biochemistry Fifth Edition
https://biokamikazi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/biochemistry-stryer-5th-ed.pdf
BOOKS OF EXPERIMENTS FOR THE HOME CHEMIST 1847-1994
https://homepages.uc.edu/~jensenwb/books/The%20Home%20Chemist.pdf
Chemistry
https://web.ung.edu/media/Chemistry2/Chemistry-LR.pdf
Chemistry: The Central Science
https://ghostwriter144.neocities.org/img/scienceChemistryTheCentralScience12th.pdf
Chemistry for Dummies
https://nibmehub.com/opac-service/pdf/read/Chemistry%20For%20Dummies.pdf
Clinical chemistry : principles, techniques, and correlations
https://library.uniq.edu.iq/storage/books/file/Clinical%20Chemistry_%20Principles%20Techniques%20Correlations/1671267766co.pdf
A cultural history of chemistry in antiquity
https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/58853/9781350251472.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Environmental Chemistry Fundamentals
https://www.chemistry.uoc.gr/xhm405/Environmental-Chemistry.pdf
Environmental Chemistry, Ninth Edition
https://web.archive.org/web/20250612073833/https://institutes.abu.edu.ng/idr/public/assets/docs/Environmental%20Chemistry,%20Ninth%20Edition%20(%20PDFDrive%20).pdf
Essentials of Chemistry
https://kosalmath.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/chemistry.pdf
Food Chemistry: Experiments for Labs and Kitchens
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=fnoer
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
https://www.choolsgroup.com/Best-Books/Books%20for%20Happy,%20Healthy%20Eating/The%20Food%20Lab_%20Better%20Home%20Cooking%20Through%20Science%20(%20PDFDrive.com%20).pdf
Fundamentals of Biochemistry: a Textbook
https://labalbaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/fundamentals-of-biochemistry.pdf
General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts
https://repo.upertis.ac.id/1914/1/Raymond_Chang-General_Chemistry__The_Essential_Concepts-McGraw-Hill%282008%29.pdf
Geochemistry
https://www2.irsm.cas.cz/materialy/oddeleni/2/Geochemistry-book.pdf
The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments
https://www.dancrean.com/BookChemistry.pdf
Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments
https://zookeepersblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/illustrated-guide-to-home-chemistry-experiments.pdf
Introductory Chemistry
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/textbooks/article/1002/&path_info=Introductory_Chemistry.pdf
Materials Chemistry, Second Edition
http://www.iqytechnicalcollege.com/Materials%20Chemistry.pdf
Organic Chemistry
https://theswissbay.ch/pdf/Books/STEM/Organic_Chemistry_J_Clayden_N_Greeves_S_Warren.pdf
Principles of Soil Chemistry, Fourth Edition
https://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/pdf/Principles%20of%20Soil%20Chemistry,%20Fourth%20Edition%20by%20Tan,%20Kim%20H.pdf
The story of chemistry
https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/storyofchemistry.pdf
Textbook of Biochemistry For Medical Students, 6th Edition
https://dl.icdst.org/pdfs/files4/ab802f071e937dd633e22c804931bb0f.pdf
A TEXT-BOOK OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY VOLUME IX. PART I: COBALT, NICKEL, AND THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLATINUM GROUP
https://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ATBOIC/atboic_ix_i_CoNiPt.pdf
Extras
American Chemical Society Online Journals
https://www.plu.edu/chemistry/useful-links/library/acs-journals/
Chemistry: Databases & Journals
https://library.gordon.edu/chemistry/databases
Chemistry Documentaries
https://www.documentaryarea.com/category/Chemistry/
Databases: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
https://www.chemistry.harvard.edu/pages/databases
List of chemical databases
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemical_databases
List of chemistry journals
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemistry_journals
ReAction! Chemistry in the Movies: Movies from Chapters 8 - 9
https://unl.libguides.com/c.php?g=51683&p=334061
Three Weeks for Dreamwidth Part 17: Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of studying matter, particularly how different substances interact with each other. Its subfields include astrochemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, and geochemistry among others. At home, kitchen chemistry is both amusing and useful. Aspects of chemistry include history, famous people, and famous discoveries. Here on Dreamwidth, check out
common_nature, environment, naturaldyes, science, and scienceworld.Chemistry as material manipulation seems to go back as far as humans. It's just difficult to find early traces because most are too perishable. Neanderthals used a composite adhesive made of bitumen and ochre at least 40,000 years ago. The chemistry of Egyptian cosmetics goes back at least 5,000 years. Several different traditions and time periods of alchemy laid the groundwork for modern chemistry; despite a lot of wrong tangets, they converged on the idea of methodical experiments and (often coded and boobytrapped) recordkeeping. Modern chemistry dates to around the 1500s. New discoveries open up new possibilities in chemistry. Understanding how it works is not only helpful (how composite epoxies work) but also extremely relevant to safety (don't mix bleach and ammonia).
Chemistry ranges from fairly simple, accessible things like kitchen chemistry on up to complex things that require advanced equipment like archaelogists use to analyse their finds for trace elements. Most folks stick with the kitchen chemistry end of things -- who doesn't want to make an erupting volcano cake? -- but it's still fun to read about the fancy stuff. Chemistry is also useful knowledge when you are buying household products. Bookstores and libraries should have some books on chemistry, and check the cookbook section because there are more books on kitchen chemistry nowadays. Watch used book stores for textbooks from chemistry classes; they're often in the giveaway box. Chemistry classes are rarely available outside of schools, but occasionally you might find one at a community kitchen or nature center, so it's worth keeping an eye out.
Choosing three books about chemistry gives you several options. Because it's so complicated, feel free to pick three books on a subtopic that interests you, like exploring the recent books on kitchen chemistry or analyzing archaeological finds. Overview and two details will still work, but this is an ideal place for beginning-intermediate-advanced. Chronological works great with chemistry if you like delving into the history of science. You could also look up famous alchemists or chemists. Here are some possibilities...
General Chemistry
A Book List for Chemistry Teachers
https://adriandingleschemistrypages.com/books/a-book-list-for-chemistry-teachers/
Chemistry / Biochemistry LibGuides at South Dakota
https://libguides.sdstate.edu/chemistry/books
Chemistry: Library Resources
https://web.archive.org/web/20250424092047/https://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=536832&p=7173779
Chemistry Research Starter
https://lib-guides.letu.edu/c.php?g=1328278&p=9779501
Popular Chemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/chemistry
A Selected List of Chemistry Books
https://nmsu.libguides.com/c.php?g=206126&p=1360205
Top 15 Most Searched Chemistry Books in 2026
https://bookscouter.com/blog/top-15-most-searched-chemistry-books/
Top 20 Best-Selling Chemistry Titles
https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/top-20-best-selling-chemistry-titles-academic-best-sellers
Alchemy
Alchemical reading list
https://www.alchemywebsite.com/readlist.html
Alchemy
This digital collection features selected manuscripts, rare books, paintings, and ephemera relating to alchemical topics and experimentation. Materials in this collection include depictions of alchemists’ workshops and pursuits on philosophy, magic, medicine, spiritual wisdom, and the transformation of matter.
https://digital.sciencehistory.org/focus/alchemy?sort=oldest_date
Books About Alchemy
https://bookshop.org/lists/books-about-alchemy
Popular Alchemy Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/alchemy
Biochemistry
100 Best Biochemistry Books of All Time (Updated for 2025)
https://www.shortform.com/best-books/genre/best-biochemistry-books-of-all-time
Biochemistry Texts for Medical Students: Course Guide
https://libguides.tulane.edu/biochem_t1
Book list of Biochemistry
https://drklbcollege.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Book-list-of-Biochemistry.pdf
Popular Biochemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/biochemistry
Famous Chemists
Chemistry: Library Resources: Biographies & History
https://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=536832&p=3675157
Tutorials and Chemistry Resources: Important Chemists
https://libguides.georgetowncollege.edu/c.php?g=1449865&p=11087021
Geochemistry
16 Best Books on Geochemistry
https://web.archive.org/web/20240716101722/https://www.sanfoundry.com/best-reference-books-geochemistry/
BioGeoChemistry
https://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/biogeochem
Encyclopedias / Handbooks: Geosciences, Geochemistry, Geophysics
https://ucsd.libguides.com/geosciences/reference
Popular Geochemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/geochemistry
History
History of Science Secondary Sources by Topic: Alchemy & Chemistry
https://guides.ou.edu/c.php?g=671499&p=4726751
Popular History Of Chemistry Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/history-of-chemistry
Kitchen Chemistry
Kitchen Science
https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/1496376069/2250784859
Mad Science Kitchen Chemistry
https://mymcpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/1150872447/1809576329
Popular Kitchen Science Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/kitchen-science
Free Books
Chemistry Book Collection
https://www.free-ebooks.net/book-list/chemistry-book-collection
Chemistry Textbooks from Center for Open Education
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry
Free Chemistry Books
https://www.e-booksdirectory.com/chemistry.php
Advanced inorganic chemistry
https://chemistlibrary.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cotton-wilkinson-advanced-inorganic-chemistry.pdf
Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects
https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/kitchen-chemistry.pdf
Analytical Chemistry, 7th Edition
https://kvmwai.edu.in/upload/StudyMaterial/Analytical-Chemistry-by-Gary-D_-Christian-Purnendu-K_-Dasgupta-Kevin-A_-Schug-z-lib_org_.pdf
Astrochemistry
https://www.astro.princeton.edu/events/spitzer_lecture_series/Lecture1.pdf
ATKINS' PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
https://nowgonggirlscollege.co.in/attendence/classnotes/files/1621583343.pdf
Biochemistry Fifth Edition
https://biokamikazi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/biochemistry-stryer-5th-ed.pdf
BOOKS OF EXPERIMENTS FOR THE HOME CHEMIST 1847-1994
https://homepages.uc.edu/~jensenwb/books/The%20Home%20Chemist.pdf
Chemistry
https://web.ung.edu/media/Chemistry2/Chemistry-LR.pdf
Chemistry: The Central Science
https://ghostwriter144.neocities.org/img/scienceChemistryTheCentralScience12th.pdf
Chemistry for Dummies
https://nibmehub.com/opac-service/pdf/read/Chemistry%20For%20Dummies.pdf
Clinical chemistry : principles, techniques, and correlations
https://library.uniq.edu.iq/storage/books/file/Clinical%20Chemistry_%20Principles%20Techniques%20Correlations/1671267766co.pdf
A cultural history of chemistry in antiquity
https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/58853/9781350251472.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Environmental Chemistry Fundamentals
https://www.chemistry.uoc.gr/xhm405/Environmental-Chemistry.pdf
Environmental Chemistry, Ninth Edition
https://web.archive.org/web/20250612073833/https://institutes.abu.edu.ng/idr/public/assets/docs/Environmental%20Chemistry,%20Ninth%20Edition%20(%20PDFDrive%20).pdf
Essentials of Chemistry
https://kosalmath.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/chemistry.pdf
Food Chemistry: Experiments for Labs and Kitchens
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=fnoer
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
https://www.choolsgroup.com/Best-Books/Books%20for%20Happy,%20Healthy%20Eating/The%20Food%20Lab_%20Better%20Home%20Cooking%20Through%20Science%20(%20PDFDrive.com%20).pdf
Fundamentals of Biochemistry: a Textbook
https://labalbaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/fundamentals-of-biochemistry.pdf
General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts
https://repo.upertis.ac.id/1914/1/Raymond_Chang-General_Chemistry__The_Essential_Concepts-McGraw-Hill%282008%29.pdf
Geochemistry
https://www2.irsm.cas.cz/materialy/oddeleni/2/Geochemistry-book.pdf
The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments
https://www.dancrean.com/BookChemistry.pdf
Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments
https://zookeepersblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/illustrated-guide-to-home-chemistry-experiments.pdf
Introductory Chemistry
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/textbooks/article/1002/&path_info=Introductory_Chemistry.pdf
Materials Chemistry, Second Edition
http://www.iqytechnicalcollege.com/Materials%20Chemistry.pdf
Organic Chemistry
https://theswissbay.ch/pdf/Books/STEM/Organic_Chemistry_J_Clayden_N_Greeves_S_Warren.pdf
Principles of Soil Chemistry, Fourth Edition
https://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/pdf/Principles%20of%20Soil%20Chemistry,%20Fourth%20Edition%20by%20Tan,%20Kim%20H.pdf
The story of chemistry
https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/storyofchemistry.pdf
Textbook of Biochemistry For Medical Students, 6th Edition
https://dl.icdst.org/pdfs/files4/ab802f071e937dd633e22c804931bb0f.pdf
A TEXT-BOOK OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY VOLUME IX. PART I: COBALT, NICKEL, AND THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLATINUM GROUP
https://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ATBOIC/atboic_ix_i_CoNiPt.pdf
Extras
American Chemical Society Online Journals
https://www.plu.edu/chemistry/useful-links/library/acs-journals/
Chemistry: Databases & Journals
https://library.gordon.edu/chemistry/databases
Chemistry Documentaries
https://www.documentaryarea.com/category/Chemistry/
Databases: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
https://www.chemistry.harvard.edu/pages/databases
List of chemical databases
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemical_databases
List of chemistry journals
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemistry_journals
ReAction! Chemistry in the Movies: Movies from Chapters 8 - 9
https://unl.libguides.com/c.php?g=51683&p=334061
