Contemporary Chemistry: The Physical Setting is an introduction to the study of chemistry, which follows the New York State Core Curriculum. With this book, you can gain a firm understanding of the fundamental concepts of chemistry—a base from which you may confidently proceed to further studies in chemistry, or simply to a deeper appreciation of the world of science in which you live. Although the theoretical aspects of chemistry are emphasized in this book, the concepts are presented whenever possible within a laboratory-based context and applied to industrial processes and to experiences in everyday life. Thus, the author has sought a useful and realistic balance among the theoretical, descriptive, and practical aspects of chemistry.