Chemistry 101
A witty, narrative-driven history of chemistry from alchemical dreams to atomic theory, told through the people and reactions that shaped our understanding of matter.
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Chapters
14 total- 01Prologue
- 02Chapter One - Fire, Smoke, and Magic
- 03Chapter Two - The Gold, the Dream, and the Stone
- 04Chapter Three - Weigh It or It Didn’t Happen
- 05Chapter Four - What Is Stuff Made Of?
- 06Chapter Five - Mendeleev’s Masterpiece
- 07Chapter Six - Acids, Bases, and Blown-Off Eyebrows
- 08Chapter Seven - Molecules and the Shape of Life
- 09Chapter Eight - Chemistry Goes Atomic
- 10Chapter Nine - The Bomb and the Fallout
- 11Chapter Ten - Chemistry of Life
- 12Chapter Eleven - Synthetic Everything
- 13Chapter Twelve - The Future Table
- 14Chapter Thirteen - The Mirror
Edition notes and short pages
Chemistry 101
Chemistry 101
A History of Reactions
by James Johnson
Dedication
For the spark.
The one that didn’t just light the fire, but asked what it meant.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
SHOUTOUT TO EVERY kid who lit something on fire in the name of curiosity.
To the teachers who didn’t call the fire department, just handed you goggles.
To the scientists who chased gold and found better things instead.
And as always, to the readers.
The ones who know that learning how the world works is just the first step in rewriting it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JJ IS THE author of over 250 books across history, science, culture, power, and religion. Known for turning complex ideas into sharp, readable storytelling, he writes for the curious, the hungry, and the wide-awake.
You can find his more of his catalog at jjarchives.com
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 JAMES JOHNSON. All rights reserved.
This book is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Every effort has been made to ensure factual accuracy at the time of publication, but this is not a substitute for professional scientific or academic consultation. The author disclaims any liability for injury, explosion, existential crisis, or sudden obsession with polymers resulting from the use or misuse of information herein.
Chemistry is dangerous. Curiosity is worse.
Handle both responsibly.