Eight physical science textbooks were analyzed for coverage on acids, bases, and neutralization. At the level of the text, clarity and coherence of statements were investigated. The conceptual framework for this topic was represented in a concept map which was used as a coding tool for tracing concepts and links present in textbooks. Cognitive demands placed by the textbooks on the reader were considered. Results indicated that although textbooks are readable, they fail in making explicit connections to important, underlying themes such as chemical change and physical properties. Cognitive demands placed on the reader include concurrent spatial and proportional reasoning. Furthermore, results suggest that conceptual frameworks which the students are exposed to in textbooks might be deficient not only in terms of content but also in terms of how content is weaved into a broader framework. (Contains 11 figures, 3 tables, and 58 references.) (Author)