Karen Timberlake is professor emeritus of chemistry at Los Angeles Valley College, where she taught chemistry for allied health and preparatory chemistry for 36 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Washington and her Master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Professor Timberlake has been writing chemistry textbooks for 30 years. During that time, her name has become associated with the strategic use of pedagogical tools that promote student success in chemistry and the application of chemistry to real-life situations. More than one million students have learned chemistry using texts, laboratory manuals, and study guides written by Karen Timberlake. In addition to Basic Chemistry, she is also the author of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry, Structures of Life, Second Edition and Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry, Ninth Edition with the accompanying Study Guide with Solutions for Selected Problems, Laboratory Manual, and Essentials Laboratory Manual.
Professor Timberlake belongs to numerous science and educational organizations including the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). In 1987, she was the Western Regional Winner of Excellence in College Chemistry Teaching Award given by the Chemical Manufacturers Association. In 2004, she received the McGuffey Award in Physical Sciences by the Textbook Author Association, awarded for textbooks whose excellence has been demonstrated over time. In 2006, she also received the Texty “Textbook” Excellence Award from the Textbook Authors Association for the first edition of Basic Chemistry. She has participated in education grants for science teaching including the Los Angeles Collaborative for Teaching Excellence (LACTE) and a Title III grant at her college. She often speaks at conferences and educational meetings on the use of student-centered teaching methods in chemistry to promote the learning success of students.

• Preface
• To the Student
• Using This Laboratory Manual
• Working Safely in the Laboratory
• Commitment to Safety in the Laboratory
• A Visual Guide to Laboratory Equipment
• Graphing Experimental Data
• Using the Laboratory Burner
• Using a Pipet

1. Measuring Length
2. Measuring Volume
3. Measuring Mass

1. Rounding Off
2. Significant Figures in Calculations
3. Equalities and Conversion Factors
4. Problem Solving Using Conversion Factors

1. Density of a Liquid
2. Specific Gravity
3. Density of a Solid
4. Graphing Mass and Volume

1. Temperature
2. Specific Heat of a Metal
3. Energy and Nutrition
4. Energy Values for Foods

1. A Heating Curve for Water
2. Graphing a Cooling Curve for Salol
3. Energy in Changes of State: Heat of Fusion

1. Elements and Symbols
2. The Periodic Table
3. The Atoms
4. Isotopes and Atomic Mass

1. Flame Tests
2. Electron Configurations
3. Atomic Radius

1. Nuclear Equations
2. Radiation Measurement
3. Radiation Levels from Radioactive Sources
4. Effect of Shielding on Radiation Level
5. Effect of Time on Radiation Level
6. Effect of Distance on Radiation Level

1. Ions: Transfer of Electrons
2. Ionic Compounds and Formulas
3. Metals in Ionic Compounds with Variable Charge
4. Polyatomic Ions
5. Molecular Compounds
6. Electron-Dot Formulas and Molecular Shape

1. Magnesium and Oxygen
2. Zinc and Copper (II) Sulfate
3. Reactions of Metals and HCl
4. Reactions of Ionic Compounds
5. Sodium Carbonate and HCl
6. Hydrogen Perioxide

1. Finding the Simplest Formula
2. Formula of a Hydrate

1. Boyle's Law
2. Charles's Law

1. Partial Pressures of Oxygen and Nitrogen in Air
2. Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere
3. Carbon Dioxide in the Expired Air

1. Polarity of Solutes and Solvents
2. Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes
3. Electrolytes in Body Fluids
4. Concentration of a Sodium Chloride Solution

1. Soluble and Insoluble Salts
2. Solubility of KNO3
3. Testing the hardness of Water
4. Purification of Water

1. Flames Tests for K+ , Ca2+ , and Na+ Ions
2. Tests for Ammonium Ion, NH4+ , and Iron(III) Ion, Fe3+
3. Tests for Negative Ions (Anions)
4. Writing the Formula of Your Unknown Salt
5. Testing Consumer Products for Some Cations and Anions

1. Identification Tests
2. Osmosis and Dialysis
3. Filtration

1. Factors That Affect the Rate of a Reaction
2. Chemical Equilibrium: Reversible Reactions
3. Changing Equilibrium Conditions: Le Châtelier's Principle

1. Reference Colors for pH Using Red Cabbage Indicator
2. Measuring pH
3. Effect of Buffers on pH

1. Acetic Acid in Vinegar
2. Titration of an Antacid

1. Comparison of Organic and Inorganic Compounds
2. Alkanes
3. Functional Groups

1. Types of Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
2. Addition Reaction: Bromine Test
3. Oxidation: Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4 ) Test
4. Identification of Unknown

1. Structures of Alcohols and Phenol
2. Properties of Alcohols and Phenol
3. Oxidation of Alcohols
4. Ferric Chloride Test
5. Identification of Unknown

1. Structures of Some Aldehydes and Ketones
2. Odor of Aldehydes and Ketones
3. Solubility, Iodoform Test, and Benedict's

1. Carboxylic Acids and Their Salts
2. Esters
3. Saponificiation

1. Preparation of Aspirin
2. Testing Aspirin Products
3. Analysis of Analgesics

1. Structure, Classification, and Solubility of Amines
2. Neutralization of Amines with Acid
3. Amides
4. Hydrolysis of an Amide

• Synthesis of Acetaminophen

1. Monosaccharides
2. Disaccharides
3. Polysaccharides

1. Benedict's Test for Reducing Sugars
2. Seliwanoff's Test for Ketoses
3. Fermentation Test
4. Iodine Test for Polysaccharides
5. Hydrolysis of Disaccharides and Polysaccharides
6. Testing Foods for Carbohydrates

1. Physical Properties of Lipids and Fatty Acids
2. Triacylglycerols
3. Bromine Test for Unsaturation
4. Preparation of Hand Lotion

1. Saponification: Preparation of Soap
2. Properties of Soap and Detergents

1. Amino Acids
2. Chromatography of Amino Acids

1. Peptides
2. Proteins
3. Denaturation of Proteins
4. Isolation of Casein (Milk Protein)
5. Color Tests for Proteins

1. Effect of Enzyme Concentration
2. Effect of Temperature
3. Effect of pH
4. Inhibition of Enzyme Activity