The new academic year has already begun in many parts of the world, but it’s never too early to start planning for next year. Time to get your hands into the best general chemistry textbook for your situation!
Whether you are a chemistry instructor at the university or high school level, or a student looking for some guidance, we’re here to help!
This guide for chemistry instructors and students will help you choose the best chemistry textbook for your particular course.
Choosing a Chemistry Textbook as an Instructor or Student
In this guide, we’ve put together detailed reviews of some of the best general chemistry text books and related resources, along with handy quick comparison tables to help you make the best decision. But first, a few tips for both instructors and students on picking the right book.
We have previously covered reviews for the best textbooks for organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. It was about time that we reviewed also the best books for general chemistry! On the other hand, if you are looking for help to learn chemistry in high school, check some of these other books.
In a perfect world, instructors would consider the quality and relevance of the content and the needs of their student population.
Unfortunately, textbooks are often assigned to classes by department heads and not by the professors who actually teach the class.
When teachers and professors are given the freedom to choose their text, the most diligent will ask questions such as those posed by Dr. Robert Sherman of Miami University:
Does the book match our course content, and is the overall organization reasonable? Is the material at a level at which I plan to teach? Is the information accurate? Is it well-written, with good illustrations?
A dilemma emerges when it comes to the writing style of science textbooks. Students value clarity above all else, and lots of technical jargon can be an obstacle for them in understanding a text. However, instructors will sometimes view terminology-dense writing as being indicative of the author’s expertise in the field.
As for students, they will usually choose the chemistry textbook that appears on their professor’s syllabus, especially if it is listed as a required material for the class. However, they may want to choose another title if the instructor allows it or supplement the required textbook if it doesn’t adequately meet their needs.
Some books are written more clearly than others, and every student’s learning style is different; a visual learner may prefer a text with plenty of illustrations, while a hands-on learner might benefit from a book bundled with interactive content and practice problems. There’s a best tool to learn chemistry for everyone.
The Best Chemistry Textbook: Our Top Choice
With that out of the way, we can get straight to business and talk about our top choice for what is, in our opinion, the best general chemistry textbook that will suit the needs of most college professors and students. It would also be appropriate for an AP chemistry course in high school taken for college credit.
However, in this review guide, we actually have two top choices depending on the student’s budget. First, the more economical option, which is Brown et al.’s Chemistry: The Central Science. This textbook is in its 14th edition, which speaks volumes for the quality of the material. Its biggest strengths are the student-friendly explanations of the most essential concepts for general chemistry 1 and 2 and, its helpful practice problems, and emphasis on practical applications.
The other candidate for best overall general chem book is Tro’s Chemistry: A Molecular Approach.
Although this is a more expensive option. Of all the textbooks in this review guide, this seems to be the most universally student-friendly one. It is especially ideal for visual learners and students who like to work through practice problems to master the material. The sample exercises are much more helpful than in an average chemistry textbook because they run the gamut from basic conceptual questions to more complex problems so that you’re prepared for anything.
Quick Comparison Chart of the Best Chemistry Textbooks
Before we get into the detailed reviews of each item on the list, here is a table with the most important information:
The Best General Chemistry Textbooks
Now for the meaty stuff: detailed chemistry textbook reviews to help you choose the best book for your students, if you are an instructor, or for personal use as a student. The first two items on the list are our top picks for economy and premium textbooks, respectively.
Chemistry: The Central Science
Brown et al.’s Chemistry: The Central Science is our top economy pick and an overall great textbook.
Chemistry: The Central Science
We rate this the best general chemistry book for students on a budget, but even if you aren’t strapped for cash, it is an excellent option. It has made it through 14 editions so far, and they wouldn’t keep printing new editions if it wasn’t top quality.
The book’s main strengths are:
- Core concepts are explained very clearly
- Shows practical applications for chemistry in everyday life
- Practice exercises help students understand the material and improve problem-solving skills
- One book will get you through both semesters of college or university general chemistry
The main drawback is that, while most chapters are engaging, easy to understand and explained very well, some parts are a bit dry, which may make it more difficult for students to grasp these specific concepts.
Chemistry: A Molecular Approach
We rate Chemistry: A Molecular Approach by Nivaldo J. Tro as the best chemistry textbook overall on our list and easily one of the best general chemistry books for undergraduates you can find.
Chemistry: A Molecular Approach
Just like the first title, this text contains all the relevant material with logical organization and clear explanations.
What makes Chemistry: A Molecular Approach stand out, though, is how obvious it is that everything was written and put together with students in mind. The many visual aids provided alongside the text excel at helping students understand tough concepts.
Another point in its favor are the high-quality practice exercises with scaling levels of difficulty to deepen students’ understanding of each concept and give them opportunities to apply that knowledge.
The main advantages of this book are:
- Written with students in mind
- Excellent visual aids
- Lots of sample problems with difficulty ranging from basic to cumulative
- Contains all the material you need for general chemistry 1 and 2
Apart from the more premium price point, the only negative thing we can say about this chemistry textbook is that the various topics are not always given equal weight or consideration. In some chapters, students may feel they are inundated with information, while other chapters may not provide a suitably in-depth explanation.
General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications
General Chemistry by Ralph H. Petrucci is a perfectly acceptable general chemistry textbook, and a little cheaper than the top two books in its hardcover edition. It is well written and logically organized, and it has everything you will need for gen chem 1 and 2.
General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications
There’s just one issue that has disappointed several customers on Amazon, and that is that the digital edition of the textbook for Kindle and e-reader has major formatting issues. The text itself is readable, but mathematical equations and formulae are sometimes nearly indecipherable.
Despite the very low price of the digital edition, we recommend you choose the print version instead to avoid frustrating formatting errors.
General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts
For anyone who just has a casual interest in the subject, Chang’s condensed book of essential concepts in chemistry might be the best chemistry textbook for self-study.
General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts
It is also a fine choice for students in a formal class, because it is designed to cover all the material taught in two semesters of general chemistry as concisely as possible, without weighing you down with topics your professors will never lecture on.
According to the editors, these qualities make the book 200 to 300 pages shorter than an average chemistry textbook, which, naturally, makes it a more affordable option as well.
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
This book by Karen C. Timberlake offers an introduction to three of the major fields of chemistry. Therefore, this book could be described as the only introductory chemistry text you’ll ever need.
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
Designed with allied health students in mind, it is the best chemistry textbook for college students who plan to take one-semester courses in these different chemistry disciplines.
It provides plenty of examples of real-life applications of chemistry, with a focus on health care and environmental science.
Introductory Chemistry Essentials
This introductory chemistry book is written by the same author as our top pick (Nivaldo J. Tro), which gives you a clue as to its level of quality.
Introductory Chemistry Essentials
It is truly an excellent textbook for preparatory or introductory chemistry courses, but not in-depth enough for two semesters of gen chem.
With its clear explanations that make tough concepts easy for students to understand, we would rate this as the best chemistry textbook for high school of all the titles included in this guide. It may also be appropriate for remedial or introductory chemistry courses at the college level.
All in all, a high-quality text that is easy to use and ideal for students who are new to chemistry.
Chemistry for Dummies
As you can guess from the name, this is not a textbook, but it can be an extremely helpful supplemental resource for a better understanding of core concepts.
Chemistry for Dummies
It can be used at practically every level of basic chemistry, from undergraduate general chemistry to high school chemistry and even middle school science. Chemistry for Dummies covers all the essential concepts and skills you need to succeed in chemistry, but in language that is simpler and more straightforward than most textbooks.
Chapter topics include: chemical calculations and units, matter and energy, atomic structure, the periodic table, gases, chemical reactions, the mole, solutions, thermochemistry, acids and bases, quantum theory, ionic bonding, covalent bonding, molecular geometry, periodic trends, intermolecular forces, environmental and nuclear chemistry, and other fun sections such as “Ten (Or So) Great Chemistry Nerds” and “Ten Terrific Tips for Passing Chem I”.
Summary of Our Best Chemistry Textbook Guide
So, there you have it! Our roundup of the best chemistry books includes several general chemistry texts, a more expansive allied health text, and a great study aid, all of which cater to just about every level.
The first two spots on this list correspond to our top two picks. If you have the option to choose your own textbook or want a supplemental resource because you don’t like the one your professor assigned, either of these would be perfect. Our choice for best overall, Tro’s Chemistry: A Molecular Approach, falls at the higher end of the price range—it’s what you would expect to pay for a new, hardcover college textbook these days.
A more budget friendly option is Brown’s Chemistry: The Central Science. This is another excellent textbook, but a quick note on editions: the “Global Edition” is priced significantly below the standard “A La Carte Edition”. Most American colleges and universities recommending this textbook will be referring to the a la carte edition, and this may be what your professor is expecting if they consider the book a required material.
However, students who have used the global edition in their classes say that the chapters themselves are essentially the same as in the a la carte edition, but the end of chapter questions are different. So, you can save money by choosing the global edition, just keep in mind that if your teacher asks for those questions to be worked out as part of an assignment, you might not have direct access to them.
Further Options for the Best Chemistry Textbook
With those two clear winners, assigning third place is a bit more complicated because of the different focus each of the remaining books has. For a traditional general chemistry book, that spot would go to #3 on the list, Petrucci’s General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications because it is most likely to meet the needs of most gen chem students as a main course textbook.
However, if you already have your professor’s required textbook but aren’t happy with it, and you don’t have a ton of cash to spend on an additional book this semester, Chang & Goldsby’s General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts would be a perfect supplement without weighing you down with drawn-out explanations or extraneous information.
Every chemistry professor has different expectations and teaching style, just like every student has a different learning style.
Use the reviews in this guide to help find the chemistry textbook that fits your needs best.
And remember to get a cool chemistry gift to your teacher!
Whichever you choose, you’ll be one step closer to understanding how chemistry affects every aspect of our lives!
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