High School Chemistry (Volume I)

Translated from 高中化学（甲种本）第一册
by Dr. Chen with Claude Code

English translation of 高中化学（甲种本）第一册 (1983), a Chinese high school chemistry textbook by People’s Education Press.
Author

People’s Education Press Chemistry Division

Published

2026

Preface

This is an English translation of High School Chemistry (Advanced Track), Volume I (高中化学（甲种本）第一册), originally published by the People’s Education Press (人民教育出版社).

This textbook was compiled by the Chemistry Division of the People’s Education Press, based on the halogen and alkali metal chapters from the Junior High School Chemistry Textbook and the sections on sulfur, sulfuric acid, the mole, reaction heat, atomic structure, and the periodic law from the Senior High School Chemistry Textbook (Volume I). It incorporates teaching experience and feedback gathered over several years of trial use across China.

How to Use This Book

This book is intended for first-year senior high school students, with 3 class periods per week. The content covers:

  • Chapter 1: The Mole — The mole as a fundamental SI unit, molar mass, molar volume of gases, molar concentration, and reaction heat.
  • Chapter 2: Halogens — Chlorine gas, hydrogen chloride and hydrochloric acid, redox reactions, and the halogen family.
  • Chapter 3: Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid — Properties of sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxides, industrial production of sulfuric acid, ionic reactions.
  • Chapter 4: Alkali Metals — Sodium and its compounds, properties of alkali metal elements.
  • Chapter 5: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Law — Atomic nucleus, electron configuration, electron arrangement, periodic law, and the periodic table.

The book also includes:

  • Appendix A: Laboratory Experiments — Nine experiments and two sets of laboratory exercises covering basic techniques, solution preparation, recrystallization, halogen properties, sulfuric acid, alkali metals, and periodic trends, plus an optional experiment on measuring Avogadro’s constant.
  • Appendix B: Reference Tables — Solubility table of common acids, bases, and salts; periodic table of the elements.

About This Translation

This English translation was produced by Dr. Chen with the assistance of Claude Code, Anthropic’s AI coding assistant. The translation aims to faithfully convey the content and pedagogical approach of the original 1983 Chinese edition while making it accessible to English-speaking readers.