Sustainable Development: The Roles of Carbon and Bio-Carbon; An Introduction to Molecular Sciences

Details about Sustainable Development: The Roles of Carbon and Bio-Carbon; An Introduction to Molecular Sciences:

Due to overconsumption of fossil carbon, humanity faces four major problems: global warming, decrease of biodiversity, pollution of the biosphere, and the degradation of agriculture soils. It is not enough to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by stopping the consumption of fossil carbon; it is also urgent to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In order to understand the challenges outlined above, a minimal knowledge of the most important carbon compounds and their transformations is an asset. This textbook is therefore an introduction to the molecular sciences and shows how we depend on carbon compounds, what they are and how they are transformed.

Plant biomass, including agricultural, forestry and urban wastes, is the source of bio-carbon that can replace fossil carbon. In addition, we will always need carbon-containing substances for our comfort and health. These important topics are covered in this textbook.

Life begins with water, carbon dioxide, and the sun. Carbon dioxide is not a waste, but a starting material for a better life. Biomass and carbon dioxide are our best allies in sustainable development (circular economy). This textbook explains why.

This book contains 100 problems and solutions; more than 180 colour pages; and bibliographical sketches of most important scientists and inventors.

Contents:

• Foreword
• Preface: Why Take an Interest in Carbon?
• Remarks on the Nomenclature of Organic Compounds and Physical Quantities
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Molecules and Their Structure
• Elemental Carbon: Modern Materials
• Mineral Carbon
• Natural Gas and Biogas
• Heat and Entropy of Reaction
• Strong Bonds, Weak Bonds
• Fossil Carbon: Source of Energy and Modern Materials
• Fossil Carbon: A Source of Medicines
• Chirality
• Plant Biomass: Our Greatest Asset
• Syngas and Its Transformations
• Epilogue
• Answers to Problems
• Index

Readership: Students and teachers interested in sustainable development and wishing to learn about the roles of the most important carbon-containing compounds; pre-university and undergraduate students.

Key Features:

• All living things are made up of molecules containing carbon (C). It is organic matter that is intimately linked to mineral (or inorganic) matter thanks to photosynthesis. In this space human beings seek to understand the miracle of life. To do so, one begins by taking an interest in carbon and its compounds. One penetrates into the intimacy of the molecules and their behavior by studying the molecular sciences
• In this textbook, the most important carbon-containing compounds of everyday life (fuels, plastics and other materials, popular medicines) are chosen and the following are described: their structures, how they are made, how they are transformed and the role played by energy in these processes. The molecules of living systems (amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids) are also presented. With that knowledge one realizes how bio-carbon can substitute fossil carbon and that gives a chance to our planet to stay hospitable
• Although the number of molecules presented is quite limited, the textbook gives a first introduction into organic and physical chemistry. The theories retained are modern and describe fundamental properties of molecules and their transformation. They rely upon quantitative data of thermodynamics and thermochemistry
• The rigorous presentation of selective topics will be useful to all who are interested in sustainable development
• The reading of this textbook does not require mathematical knowledge outside of calculus: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Nor does it require knowledge of physics beyond simple concepts such as volume, weight, density, temperature, pressure, electrical charge, electric current and magnetism
• Problems and solutions are provided in this textbook