An Annotated Asimov A Resource Bibliography for Chemistry Teachers Edward L. Waterman Rocky Moun!aln High School, 1300 West Swallow Road. Forl Collins. CO 80526 Isaac Asimov is one of the most prolific science writers of our time. He has published more th& two hundred books and a myriad of articles on science, science fiction, and other topics. Of particular interest to the high school chemistry teacher are his collections of short essays on science (I-l4).l These essays encompass a variety of topics in the areas of physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, mathematics. general science, and science speculation. They contain a wealth of useful information including little known historical anecdotes, excellent explanations of scientific principles, and speculative ideas about future scientific advancements based on current knowledge. Presented here is a partial annotated bibliography of Asimov science articles of special interest to chemistry teachers and their students. Although all the essays are written for a popular audience having little science hackground, I have grouped them according to commonly taught topics a t the high school level which suggest their most beneficial use.' Elements and Compounds "The Symbol Minded Chemist" (6.82-94). Origin and explanatioluofehemirnl symbols.
"Recipe for a Planet" (2,177-188). Theclementnl cammilion of the earth.
"The Ocean Mine" (13,124-129). ~ h &men$al c cornmitian of the w a n ; the extraction ofminsral.. r a w i s l l y Mg and , . .. -.
... ..-... . .. .
"A Pinch of Life" (13,76-80).
"The Seventh Metal" (7,173-185). Proprlieofmcrcury, a n d o t a a h o u l d c h e m y and the infancyofehcmi~try.
"The Mispronounced Metal" (11.173-188). Thepmpniraofnlvminumand itsrnmpoundsasrweI1~hirtoriesllndotnmnarning theoriain of many ehcmieal word*.
"The Element of Perfection" (2,63-75). Thedireovsryend proparliesol the Nobl.gaao..eap.rially
helium.
"Welcome Stranger!" (4,186198). The physical and chemical pmprtier ofthc Nobleg-.
"The Smell of Electricity" (12,107-119). The prowrtieanf ozone, ita rxeumne. m d urns.
Perlodlc Properties and the Periodic Table "Bridging the Gaps" (8,142156). Mendclewand lhcc~riginoflhspriodie tabla
"The Predicted Metal" (7. 186197). Mmdtleev's prediction of gallium and ita p r o p r t i ~ .
"Surprise! Surprise? (14,12-25). The rfruetvre of the periodic table end ita ma in p d i c t i n g proprtirs o f u n h a m rlr. menta.
"The Multiplying Elements" (8,131-142). nirroveryand prapeniesdthe
rantanha
"The Third Liquid" (12.81-93). Propertiesof the Croup I A (alkali) me(al%originorsome chamiul words
Chemlcal Bondlng "The Thalassopens" (9.83-96). Fundsmentnlsor;hemical hondina.
"Hot Water" (9.97-110). Periodit pmprt*s, proprrieaofwatcr.snd hydmgsn bonding.
"Cold Water" (9,111-123).
The rlemm(al make up the human body. bioladcal functionaoftheelemml
"Life's Bottleneck" (I,11-20). Phasphnrusar the limiting laclorto life in the snvimnmenL
Descrlptlve Chemistry of the Elements "The Flaming Element" (13. 103-Ill). 'The o,.r.nerv i.!l~r.lrwen. ,la p w p r r i e a n d urn. M e t a l " 17. . Propertier ofthe rsven melalsof the ancitnta
"The Fmt
826
. 1.59-1721.
Journal of Chemical Education
' Reference is made only to paperback books, which were all pub lished by arrangement with Doubleday and Co., Inc., New York. N.Y., the publishers of the original hardcover versions. Most of the chemistry articles in references (1-5) have been published ina single volume: Asimov. Isaac. "Asimov on Chemistry." Doubleday 8 Company. Inc.. New York. 1974.
"The Unlikely Twins" (10,9&109). Cumparing t h c a t r u n u r e a n d pruprties u f ~ r a p h i t e and diamond.
"The One and Only" (10,85-97). Cmparilun of the b n d e n e q i n o f c ~ r b lo n ~ h o ~ e o f o t hnon.meuls er and their impli. eationx~bout(he rhemicel hnris hrr lih.
Properties of G a s e s and t h e Kinetlc Molecular Theory "Slow Burn" (3. 125-136). The r i x a n d fall 01th. nhlwi%tantheory.
"Thin Air" ( 1 , 3 4 4 5 ) . ~ i ~ l o r i rno~lr o u n t othe r d i a m n r i n o r the v a r i v v s p m w r t i n o f ~ n e e ~ .
"Order! Order!" (2,125-138). E n ~ r o p y m di h e K i ~ t i MolecularThsory. c
"The Mudern Demonology" (2,139-151). The entropy concept npplied tu literature knowlcdgc. wolution.and w i e t y .
"The Height of UP" (2. 152-164). Thc nmcept oftemwraturc b r e d on the Kinetic M o l m l a r T h w r y . h'iataricsldevelopmen, OF ihc various tmnerature r d p a . thmrctiral maximum and minimum tempomtYIOI.
"Hot StufP' (2,165-176). 'The tempersturnat the center o f s u m and its relationship tonutrinm.aupemmru,snd alomicevolution.
"Our Evolvinr Atmosphere" (13.129-140). The evolutLm ortha ~anhSiatmoaphcrn including the mle life plays.
"Survival bf the Molecular Fittest" (13.61-66). The struetvrcand runnion ofcnzvrne,and m i h l s wolulionary im~lications.
"Enzymes and Metaphor" (13,6676). Various analqies dcwrihing
~ h function c ofcaMmIsand m w m n .
"The Inevitability of Life" (11.123-138). T h e evidence fur the chemical evolution 01 lih: erptiments with primordid soupa. metmritesconfsiningoqanic cumpounds,and molecules i n intemtellarspsea
"That's Life" (2,35-48). T h c d ~ s n i t i u n o f l i f eand an h'iloriedsemunt ollhcd-rvofrrlkvinwandnucl~ic acid*.
"Not As We Know It" ( 2 , 4 9 6 1 ) . 1'~m~iblcchernieal ban; for lifeofher thancarbon.
"The Egg and We" (2.23-341. The S~NP~UID and function o f a living rrll.
"Seeing Double" (9,41-54). Plane polarized light and aptieal activity.
"The 3-DMolecule" ( 9 , 5 5 4 7 ) . ~nsteur'rdi~cuvery end the nstumofoptirally miveeompaunds.
"The Asymmetry of Life" (9.68-80). The sienilirane ofoptical activity tolife.
"Through the Microglass" (10, 113-124). P m m r and the germ theow ofdiseax.
"Down from the Amoeba" (10,125-136). 'The nature dmrcmorganirms: cells, bacteria, and viruan;.
"The Cinderella Compound" (10.137-147). Atomic Structure "The Weighting Game" ( 2 , 7 6 4 7 ) . The atowulJohn Dalton and stamicweiah*
"The Hridge of the Gods" (12.67-XOL
The diamuc" of DNA. itr nature m d imrmrlann.
"Doctor, Doctor. Cut My Throat" (10,151-161). d he nature of hormunenand the functionofthe thyroid gland.
"The I.ieht Fantastic"
General Interest "The Haste Makers" (4,199-211).
"LetThere be a New Light" (13,111-124).
"C for Celeritas" (4,162-173).
T h r naww f r h n l l l ght. 1.m N e ~ t n n ' s x ~ r k v i r h n p l ~ o . 13. 11.1-124). The nature of light and the elecaomagnaticaprtrum. Theprinciple and wid oapa oflessn.
"A Piece of the Action" ( 4 . 174-1853. M ~ 1X ~ 1and ~ the ~ ~ d e kv e ~ o p m ~of n t~ h ~ q u a n t u m ~ h w r y
"The Certainty of Uncertainty" ( 5 , 142-155). ~ ~ i s ~ nlineertainty h p ~ r Principle i l l ~ u t r a t e dthrough "thought c r p r i m m t a " and pramplempmitionof K.40 tn AT-40 and ita implica~maa b u t themoon's lack (31 atmosphere.
"As Easy as Two Plus Three" (11,261-276). The naturcofnuclsar lurinn.
"The Magic Isle" (14,2637). On the rfnbilily ,,rradi"aetive nudidps.
"Behind the Teacher's Back" (5,156168). ~
~
ntrueture, ~ i predictions ~ ~ ofthet nuclear ~ f o r e~a n d disrovewofths i ~ pion.
Organlc and Blochemistry "Yuu, t w , can speak Gaelic" (3,137-147). Nnmcnclature ofurvaniccompounda.
"All Gall" (12.94-106). The n D t u r e d ~ h u l n t e r onnd l i u p a i t i v e a n d n r g a l i v c e o l t s on hvmnn health.
"Blood Will Tell" (13.49-56).
"Time Travel: One-Wag" (13.164-173). The ' T h w r y d Rclalivily illualrsted with "lhouahlsxwrimenls."
"The Double-Ended Candle" (11,245-259). A r p r u l a t i v e thmry or thecnrm0i8is.
"Changeof Air" (12,133-145). of hdaesrbns and lasainted environmenul problsm?i including frems ru 'The aarmol propellsnrs nnd chlnrinated h y d r a r r b n a a s pstiridps.
"Those Crazy Ideas" (1. 173-1831. Analysis of the factam a f f e l i n r ntativiwoaing Darwin as an example.
"My Built In Doubter" (1,184-194). Examplrs d ~ i e n t i f i c s r r u t i n ywiuh a n d o l a a b u t Arrhenila Newon. Einstein.Cdilm. and .them.
Literature Cited 111 Arimov. Inaac."Faetand Faney."Avon Ilcmka. New York. 1962. (21 Arjmov. Iraae."VinufmmA Height." A w n Rooka.New York. I%J. 181 Armov. Iraac."Addinl!A Dimennnn."Avon 8mlra.NewYork. I % & ( 4 , Arim"". Isaac. "Of Tim.. space, and OtherThing.." A""" Rook%.New Yolk. 1965. 151 Earlhto Heaven." A v m Hmks. New York. 1966. . Arimnv. . ~~, Imad'From . I61 Arimov. Isaac. "SFience. Numbersand I."Ace Hooks. NeuYork. 1968. 171 Asirnov. Iraac."7hcsnlar syrtem and Raek.",\von Rmks. N c u Y s r k . 1970. (8) Asimov. 1sasc:'TheStnm i~l.hrirCourwr."AceHmkr.New Ymk. 1971. lcfLHsndoltheRleetmn."D~ll Pnhl#shinrCu..Ine..NewYork. (91 Arirnnu. 1raar:'Thr 1972. (10) Asimov. Iraae. "The Tragedy of the Moon," &I1 Publishing Co.. In
