A freshman chemistry laboratory manual (Sen, Buddhadev) - Journal

A freshman chemistry laboratory manual (Sen, Buddhadev). Wilma K. Meckstroth. J. Chem. Educ. , 1975, 52 (7), p A358. DOI: 10.1021/ed052pA358.1...
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book reviews students without prior preparation in calculus and physical chemistry are serious ones. In general, he has succeeded in presenting a large number of instrumental techniques and separations in an understandable manner. The treatments are necessarily brief and lack depth. In the opinion of this reviewer instructors will not find this a satisfactory text. David J. Curran

Universjfy01 Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, 01002

A Freshman Chemlsiry Laboratory Manual

Buddhodeu Sen, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Burgess Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1914. Figs. and tables. vi 146 pp. 28 X 22 em. $5.00.

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This manual has been designed for students who are not majoring in chemistry hut have had high school algebra and a t least one semester of general chemistry. The exneriments were initiallv written as short h a n d ~ u t sand later rompiled into a manual According to the author the furmat provides rubrtnntial seupc fur teaching by graduate assistants. In Chapter l'the author points out the two basic differences between this and other laboratory manuals. First, this manual contains very few figures. Second, topics such as "glass work, weighing, common lahoratory operations, equipment, etc." are not included. According to the author students seldom read such topics because "this material is boring to read, although it is essential for intelligent work in the lahoratory." The author indicates that the figures are to be replaced hy overhead projection transparencies, and the topics such as glass work are to he covered by the instructor during lectures with "liberal" use of ~rojeetiontransparencies and film loops. The obvious question arises as to how these materials are to he ohtained. The suthor notes that "excellent film loops are now available;" so these would have to be purchased. Regarding the transparencies the author indicates in the Preface that he has prepared many overhead transparencies t o accompany the lectures and experiments, hnt no mention is mndp ccmcernlng their nvailabdity T h e same holds true far "A Gtride t u the instrucrorr." Another confusing point is that the author says nothing whatsoever about anv slides. which are frequently referred to through