Chemistry: The Central Science

Authored by Theodore Brown, H. Lemay, Bruce Bursten, Catherine Murphy, Patrick Woodward, and Matthew Stoltzfus, Chemistry: The Central Science, 14th Edition provides an authoritative textbook designed for students and instructors in two-semester general chemistry courses. The volume establishes essential principles of chemical science, quantitative analysis, and molecular structure required throughout introductory undergraduate study.

The core coverage moves systematically from matter, measurement, and atomic structure to chemical stoichiometry, aqueous reactions, and thermochemistry. The text then investigates electronic structures, periodic properties of elements, chemical bonding, molecular geometry, intermolecular forces, and modern materials. Additional chapters cover chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base equilibria, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, transition metals, and organic chemistry.

A defining feature of this text is its incorporation of real student performance data from Mastering Chemistry, which the author team uses to refine clarity and directly address widespread student misconceptions. This empirical refinement supports standard learning objectives across both terms of the general chemistry sequence.