The Inorganic Chemistry of the Non-metals is a 60 page primer designed for students. It starts with a discussion of the covalent bond, which is the unifying theme, and discusses aspects such as bond lengths, bond energies, electron distribution, and molecular structures, before discussing the individual non-metals themselves and the compounds they form.

• Published: 1971
• Publisher: Methuen
• ISBN: 0423861204 (pbk)

Did you know?

This was my first attempt at commercial writing. I had written research papers, but these are only read by a small group of similar researchers who understand the technical language that is being used. Now I was trying my hand at writing for students, again I could assume some prior chemical knowledge. This book was part of a series of short paperback books aimed at chemistry students, and each book dealt with a specific topic in the curriculum. It was my first venture into science writing, and I was rather flattered to be asked to write it, and I was even more pleased when it was also translated into Italian. It is now out of print.

Table of Contents

• Preface
1. The non-metals in the periodic table
2. The covalent bond
3. The structure of molecules
4. Hydrogen
5. Boron
6. Carbon and silicon
7. Nitrogen and phosphorus
8. Oxygen, sulphur and selenium
9. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine
10. The rare gases
• Bibliography
• Index