This text introduces you to the thriving discipline of inorganic chemistry. Inorganic chemistry deals with the properties of over a hundred elements, ranging from highly reactive metals such as sodium to noble metals such as gold; it deals with aggressive nonmetals such as fluorine and unreactive gases such as helium. This variety is one of the great attractions of the subject, but we have to admit that it causes some difficulty to the newcomer. To master and appreciate the broad sweep of the subject you should focus on trends in reactivity, structure, and properties of the elements and their compounds in relation to their position in the periodic table. These general periodic trends provide a foundation for an initial understanding. As you go deeper into the subject it will be apparent that the elements also have their characteristic chemical personalities, which again may be associated with their position in the periodic table.