Burdge/Overby, Chemistry: Atoms First, 2e FM | Page 7

Preface
The second edition of Atoms First by Burdge and Overby builds on the innovative approach
established in the first edition—focusing on helping students construct the “story of chemistry,”
beginning with the atom. Changes are intended to make the story flow even better, while maintaining
and expanding the student-centered pedagogical features that have made this book so popular with
professors and students alike.

Worked Examples

ChAPTeR 1

Each Worked Example is now followed by three Practice Problems: Attempt, Build, and
Conceptualize.
Practice Problem A (now called “Attempt”) asks the student to apply the same Strategy to
solve a problem very similar to the Worked Example. In general, the same Setup and series of steps
in the Solution to the Worked Example can be used to solve Practice Problem A.
Practice Problem B (now called “Build”) assesses mastery of the same skills as those required
for the Worked Example and Practice Problem A, but everywhere possible, Practice Problem B
employs a slightly different perspective and cannot be solved using the same Strategy used for the
Worked Example and for Practice Problem A. This provides the student an opportunity to develop
a strategy independently, and combats the tendency that some students have to want to apply a
“template” approach to solving chemistry problems.
Practice Problem C (called “Conceptualize”) provides an exercise that probes the student’s
conceptual understanding of the material. Practice Problems C are new to this edition and
most employ concept and molecular art. Some Practice Problems Attempt and Build have been
incorporated into the problems available in McGraw-Hill Connect and can be used in online
Chemistry: homework and/or quizzing.
The Science of Change

Worked example 1.8
An average adult has 5.2 L of blood. What is the volume of blood in cubic meters?

Strategy There are several ways to solve a problem such as this. One way is to convert liters to
cubic centimeters and then cubic centimeters to cubic meters.
Setup 1 L = 1000 cm3 and 1 cm = 1 × 10–2 m. When a unit is raised to a power, the corresponding
conversion factor must also be raised to that power in order for the units to cancel appropriately.

Solution

(

)

3

1000 cm3
1 × 10–2 m
5.2 L × ________ × __________ = 5.2 × 10–3 m3
1L
1 cm

Think About it

Based on the preceding conversion factors, 1 L = 1 × 10–3 m3. Therefore, 5 L of blood would be equal to
5 × 10–3 m3, which is close to the calculated answer.
Practice Problem A t t e m p t The density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3. What is its density in kg/m3?
Practice Problem b u i l d The density of mercury is 13.6 g/cm3. What is its density in pounds
per cubic foot (lb/ft3)? (1 lb = 453.6 g, 1 in = 2.54 cm)
Practice Problem c o n c e p tuA l i z e
Each diagram [(i) or (ii)] shows the objects
contained within a cubical space. In each
case, determine to the appropriate number of
significant figures the number of objects that
would be con F??VBv?F???7V&?6?76P???v??6?F?R?V?wF??bF?R7V&^( ?2VFvR?0?W?7F?f?fRF??W2F?B?bF?R7V&R6??v????F?RF?w&???????????????????????f????6V7F????b&Wf?Wp??W6??rV??G2?B6??f??r&?&?V?0?'W#?E?d???????FBp???b???6??fW'BC2?6?2F??FW'2????2#?#???