Chemical Chaos

Horrible Science

by Nick Arnold, Tony De Saulles (Illustrator)

An entertaining introduction to the world of chemistry presents a variety of hands-on experiments that help young scientists discover what makes a stink bomb stink, why glass eyes are not made of glass, and other chemistry facts. Original.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Childrens, Humor, Chemistry, Middle Grade, Collections

158 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 1997

About the author

Nick Arnold is the author of the award winning series, Horrible Science and Wild Lives. Arnold's first published works appeared as a result of a project he was working on at the University of North London, when he was trying to teach young children. A positive review was written about him, and he started to write the "Horrible Science" books. His books are illustrated by Tony De Saulles.

Reviews

[Nazanin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't really count how many times I've read this book while growing up. This book is the reason I'm a chemical engineer today. Reading all books in this series was a goal that I had when I was 10 and I read about 6 or 7 books but not all so I'm gonna finish them now. Honestly I've enjoyed this book and others in this series so much.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never liked these Horrible Histories/Science books that much but this has to be my favourite. It was engaging all the way through and the quizzes and experiments were interactive and fun. There were tons of topics I recognized from my Chemistry GCSE, plus it had lots about the history of famous scientists and discoveries which was really interesting, so it's definitely educational too. A great book for kids interested in chemistry!

[Atlas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Çocukluğumun favori yazarı be... Çok eğlenirdim kitaplarını okurken

[Gourang Ambulkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for kids of all ages.

[Zaheer Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wanan read

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes a stink bomb stink? Why aren't glass eyes made of glass? Bubbling over with chaotic chemistry facts, this book also reveals the secrets of some very strange scientists, offers experiments to try at home, and much more!

I always enjoyed chemistry in school, sadly we hasn't allowed to do the more high level experiments, then burning small magnesium foil pieces on a bunsen burner, which was fun and amazing, but because i was in bottom set and the others i was with couldn't be trusted, but oh well i probably wouldn't of been a good chemist, i would just mix all the chemicals together to see what happens, i have made a cure for the common cold, or a create a new poison gas, i don't think the odds would be in my favour! But as many of the chemists here in this book prove that most of our modern medical achievements and element discoveries where mostly discovered by accent, like champagne, someone tried to make wine and i believe the alcohol carbonised and the end result was champagne, or something like that. The point is alchemy is more than just fantasy, it's what keeps up alive when we are ill, and gives us the things we take for granted (perfume, platstic, any metal, any glass, colours, jeans, the components that make your phone) it's truly fascinating, its more than brewing potions like in fairytales, we have discovered many elements, and there's most likely billions more to be discovered in this universe, and you better believe that there will be a chemists there ready to catalogue and test every last one of them.

4/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐
85/100 GingerPoints 🔥🔥🔥

[Lai Long Ka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about chemicals and where they are found in daily life. This book also talks about what the things you see every day are made of and how chemistry and alchemy differentiate. This book also talks about historical inventions and how they work. I think this book is very good because it teaches you about chemistry and history in a fun way. This book is also very entertaining as it applies abstract scientific terms to our daily life.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really serves as an entry point to chemistry for children. The way chemistry information is presented is interesting but also done in a very surface level way. This book was made to encourage children to become intrigued by chemistry. All in all it’s a solid book. Some of the info is quite dated though as it was written in 1997.

[Leo Margetts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was overall really great and funny. The authors of this book underline all the gross bits to make children and everyone else laugh. My favourite parts of this book were also the gross bits about stink.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

184 - 2019

[Megan ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why couldn't science lessons be like this? Then maybe I wouldn't have hated them so much...

[Belle Meade School]

540

[Thảo Nhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đọc cũng không có gì làm khơi dậy mình cảm giác là thấy hoá học thú vị hết, mặc dù cảm thấy mấy vụ ngẫu nhiên khá hài. Rút ra đc mỗi cái là nên cà phê vô sữa hay sữa vô cà phê là khác nhau. 🤭🤭

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some pseudoscientific stories about an unlucky diamond. Rest is good

[Nimansh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was informative but very hard too understand for me

[Nihal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is funny and informational. Because of Nick Arnold's humorous writing and Tommy de Saulles' illustration, this book is fun, easy-to-read, and good for kids of all ages

[Vanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Любопитно и забавно!

[rebecca (taylor's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amo tutti i libri della collezione brutte scienze, ma tra tutti questo è il mio preferito

[Tsmarques · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the book that first sparked my interest for science and engineering

[James Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite interesting and had me laughing at some parts.

[Andrew1020 · Rating 4 out of 5]

giống mấy cuốn khác, hay

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to my 9-year-old.

If you don't want mum to correct the mistakes (of which there weren't many), don't have her read a book about chemistry...

[Vin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading it as a kid. Highly recommended for all kids and even for adults

[John Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread this as a throwback its got pretty accurate information tbf

[pedronhat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually quite boring compared to its title

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

83 - 2017

[Rainier · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book. Maybe a couple things you don't know..kind of funnels, beakers, flasks, thermometers, test tubes, filter paper, hot plates, droppers, spectroscopes, gas chromatograph. Then we find out how Perkin made the dye, not the dye you use to make somebody die like the word death, actually the things that you color with. I think that artificial limbs should be made of metal not plastic. I learned that they are plastic in this book, and that if you bury one underground it will rot, so will drumheads, drink cartons, false eyes, spray paint, artificial limbs, lipstick and water butts. Democritus said, "Cut a piece of cheese in half... the cheese in half again and again. Eventually you will get a piece that is too small to cut in half. That's an atom!" Here is a good thing for eggs you will want to make cookies with:You need an egg and vinegar, and cover the egg in vinegar, put it back in the box, do it to the other 12, and use them to make cookies! Because the vinegar softens the egg's shell and then it's much more easier to crack!

I would recommend this book to chemists, great scientists, anyone who likes science or chemistry.

(Typed by mom)

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did not have a plot. It had a bunch of plots referring to history about how idiotic scientists came to achieve outstanding discoveries, or made items that endangered the race of man. Chemical Chaos was really a funny way to feature biology and science because there were clear explainations and funny of all, it had comics to explain the specific effect of that chemical. All towards this present day, we have science in our lives. This book explains many things that we use in real life and take it for granted.

[Mao Mao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chemicals are dangerous, but also interesting. This book tells about liquids, solids, gases, acids, bases, and chemical reactions. I like the part of the solids (metals) because they are interesting. One part is very confusing. It says that a baby boy is carbon. Who would believe that piece of rubbish? We are not only made of atoms. There are some loose electrons inside us. Otherwise, we will have no brain. I need to know what atoms everyday needs are made of.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great fun to read with interesting little titbits and plenty of things to try...although I would probably not go for the making a diamond turn into a cloud of carbon dioxide as this may upset a few people...namely the owner of said diamond. A well targeted and fun read, even at my age