Chemistry is a fundamental science that underpins much of the world around us.
It is also a practical subject. Although much of what we have learnt so far may
have seemed conceptual or theoretical in nature, the basis for it has all come about
through centuries of experimental laboratory work performed originally by
individuals in their own homes, but nowadays by chemists - technicians,
undergraduates, postgraduates and advanced researchers. None of the chemistry that
you have learnt so far would have been known without these skilled experimentalists.
The aim of this book is to introduce you to many of the skills and techniques that
are required by the modern chemist, such as how to perform a reaction, how to
purify the products and finally how to prove your results - that you have actually
made what you set out to make.