Book excerpt: Written in a straightforward style, and tailored to majors and non-majors alike, Chemistry: A Fundamental Overview of Essential Principles gives readers a comprehensive introduction to contemporary topics in the discipline. The book is directed to the development of analytical, problem-solving and quantitative reasoning skills in a manner that is accessible to a variety of students from various courses of study. Students will learn about the structure of matter, compounds and formulas, the mole, chemical equations, and stoichiometry. The first half of the book covers solutions and aqueous chemistry, gases, atomic structure, and molecular geometry. Later chapters take a deeper dive into essential topics necessary for STEM majors such as intermolecular forces, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, thermochemistry, electrochemistry, and kinetics, as well as organic chemistry and biochemistry. Additionally, comprehensive homework problem sets allow students to reinforce and apply the concepts covered in each chapter. Chemistry is a highly effective instructional text that meets the needs of a broad student population. Its expansive coverage of the subject matter and inclusion of specialized topics make it appropriate for general chemistry I and II. However, it is also ideal for one-semester introductory or survey courses.