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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.

Dalton and the Atomic Theory

This is one of the 18 Background Books published for Stage II of the Nuffield Chemistry Sample Scheme. The books were highly illustrated and designed to be attractive. This book describes early thinking about atoms that led, in time, to modern chemistry.

There are two parts to this book:
*Part 1: The quiet genius
This part describes how Dalton’s interest in gases and meteorology led him to his atomic theory.

*Part 2: Atoms and atomic weights
This part deals with quantitative aspects of atomic theory covering the work of Gay Lussac and Avogadro as well as Dalton.

The book was first published in 1967. Both parts of the book tell good stories appropriate for exploring aspects of how science works today. Part 2 is more appropriate for giving some historical background to a post-16 course.

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