[alex_hitchins]

As someone who didn't apply themselves to Chemistry at school, what is the best way to get a decent understanding of the basics. I love the physics I can understand and would like to know more than nothing about chemistry.

[ItsMe000001]

I recommend not just any chemistry course but specifically this one:

MITx 3.091 "Introduction to Solid State Chemistry"

https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-solid-state-chemistr...

It's "archived" - good enough, everything is accessible, you just won't be able to get a "grade".

It's the gateway to "materials science" too. It is more at the edge of chemistry, towards physics and engineering. Not to mention that the teaching in this course is pretty good. Also, it is not dumbed down, you can go to MIT, take the same course and feel right at home. It's about properties of materials as a consequence of the chemical/physical properties of the components (atoms/molecules) and how they are structured (example: diamond and graphite are both made of carbon, then why are they so different).

If you want to get up to speed on "just chemistry" try Khan Academy, their explanations are pretty good and you can easily select what interests you because it is broken down into many small pieces.

[alex_hitchins]

Some very good suggestion there, thanks for taking the time to reply. I'd not even thought about something like the MIT course or indeed Khan Academy but looks like a good route to a better understanding.

Thanks again!

[majjam]

You could try this: http://www.geekityourself.com/files/The-Golden-Book-Of-Chemi... it was written a bit before health and safety became and thing though.

[alex_hitchins]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't fancy any practical stuff, I am dangerous enough with a soldering iron! Looks like a good resource though to get the fundamentals in, thanks!

I really enjoy Cody's Lab on YT and would like to have more background on some of the processes he undertakes.