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THE PHASE RULE AND ITS APPLICATIONS
Alexander Findloy. Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen. Revised hy A. N. Campbell, Professor of Chemistry, the Univez.sity of Manitoba and N. 0. Smith, Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry, Fordham University. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1951. xii 494 pp. 236 figs. 57 tables. 14 X 20 cm. $1.90.
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IT IS probably an easier task to write an acceptable text on a broad suhjeet, encompassing a whole field, than to write a book dealing with a restricted portion of a technical field. The potential customer, examining the offering of the specialized authors, will note, if it is indeed a good book, that there is a wealth of detail on matters that are of minor concern to him; and this same critic will quickly observe that his a m particular interests have been treated lightly. This book does not cover, in any detail, the applications of the phase rule to prahlems in mineralogy, geology, and ceramics. The outstanding omission, however, is the lack of emphasis on thermodynamics. To be sure, this tool is used, particularly in Appendix I, which treats of the graphical thermodynamic deduction of temperaturecomposition diagrams. However, the thermodynamic treatment is not used as much as it could have been in other sections. For exsmple, the derivation of the phase rule follows the semi-quantitative, arithemetical method frequently found in elementary physical chemistry texts A reference is cited to a more sophisticated, Gibbsian derivation. The authors claim, correctly, that this edition has been largely rewritten. A rough check indicated that approximately 75 per cent of the mdmial, counted by pages, was wholly or partially revised, including new additions. New material on binary and ternary liquid-vapor equilibria, solid solutions in ternary systems, and phase changes occurring in the cooling of ternary melts has been added. The treatment of quaternary systems of salts and water, critical phenomena in binary systems, salting-out, soap systems, fuming liquids, and the free-energy basis of binary and ternary condensed systems is also new. But in a few instances the authors stopped short of the desirable point in their revisions. For example, on page 208 we find: "The study of the formation of minerals. . .is now attracting considerable attention". . .." Item 37 lists 19 references, the mast recent one dated 1935. This quoted sentence was taken from the previous edition (1938), at which time the fact that work was currently being conducted was substantiated by the references cited. The general impression gained upon examination of this book is that this new edition was well conceived, executed well initially, but t h t in thelaatpangsof birth toomuchhastewaa made. To cite the many fine features of this book with as much detail as has been used in considering the few weaknesses would make this review too lengthy. This book is well organized. After a twc-chapter introduction, syatems of one component are discussed, two chapters; then two-component systems, eight chaptem; then three-component systems, six chaptem; and finally two chapters are devoted to four, five and six-component systems. There are two appendixes, one discussed above; the second appendix describes the experimental determination of binary solid-liquid equilibria. The authors make liberal use of examples from the literature in discussing each subordinate topic. In a sense, this book wnuld make an admirable reference for the inorganic chemist because of this feature alone. However, the most favorable feature of the book, only slightly dimmed by the use of a poor type face, is the fact that the book is 4€i
technically correct, readable, and interesting. No graduate student or professional man in chemistry, physics, or metallurgy, worthy of his M e , can fail to be interested in this book. Almost every sentence is loaded with food for studious meditation and the reading pace is therefore slow. But the style is sufficientl.~ interesting to induce the reader to turn the pHge, see what comes next, and therefore almost without any unpleasant effort learn 2. about the wonderful imnlications of F -- C - P The copy received for review was paper-bound, thereby, according to the publisher, lowering the cost to approximately 40 per cent of the also available cloth-bound edition. Both editions are identical in content. The lowwost binding is similar to, but somewhat better than the binding used on the popular pocket-hook reprints available almost everywhere. With care, the paper-bound edition would probably stand nine or ten months of textbook use. There is certainly a definite need for good low cost technical text books. The publisher is to be commended for his partly successful effortsin this regard.
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A SOURCE BOOK IN CHEMISTRY: 1400-1900
Henry M. Leicester, College of Physicians and Surgeons of San Francisco, and Herbert S. Klickstein, Edgar Fahs Smith Library in the History of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania. 554 pp. McGraw-Hill B w k Co., Inc., New York, 1952. xvi Illustrated. 15.5 X 23.5 om. $7.50.
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THIS compilation of 123 significant publications or parts of publications written by 82 famous men is a recent addition to s. notable series called, "Source Books in the History of the Sciences." Chemists who are interested in the past records of their own field should welcome it, for there is a wealth of well-selected original material whieh contributed to the advancement in chemical theory. These writings are those which are generally considered most influential for contemporary thought and subsequent development of chemistry. Yet they are not necessarily the &st to be printed on the subject. English tran~nslations,where needed, are those made near to the time the material was &st published in order to emphasize the meaning rhich the material had when it wss &at recognieed. The first two excerpts were by Biringuccio and Agrieola, and the last three by Gomberg, Werner, and Madam Curie, oonclude this extensive collection from the works of many distinguishedinvestigators. Each selection is introduced by a few paragraphs written by the compilers, whieh include the dates of the author's life, the ideas which lead up to his contribution, and additional significant canoeptions for whioh the author is famous. Not only is the exact reference for the selection given but also occasional references to reprints which might he more accessible to the reader. The lack of biographicd information is owing to lack of space. There is. however. a. biblioeraohv of bioeraohies at the end of the hook
enormous value and great benefit. For the undergraduate courses i t is a long-needed reference book because thia source material bas been for the most part either scattered or not readily available in English. There is nothine com~arableto the stimulus which students receive when the; read the original records of famous men whioh show the steps by whieh they reached their conelusicns
JANUARY, 1953
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from experiments1 evidence. The volume is informative, good training in logic, presents examples t o emulate, and indicdes the mobility of thought required in a science. For smsll or selected classes with a close relationship between instructor and student or for the seminar type of presentation, this book would be excellent and adequate for a text. The chronological arrangement shows the trend in theoretical chemical thought in such a way as t o be fascinating for any chemist. VIRGINIA BARTOW
MODERN CHEMICAL PROCESSES. VOLUME II
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By the Editors of Industrial a n d Engineering Chemistry and technical staffs of cooperating organirntions. Reinhold Publishing Cop., New York, 1952. v 299 pp. Illustrated. 21 X 2 9 cm. $5.M).
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SWCEFebruary, 1948, one of the editors of industrial and Engineering Chemistry has cooperated with the technical staff of an industrial organization to describe comprehensively a new plant or process, replete with excellent illustrations and flowsheets. In Volume I of this series were collected the 23 articles appearing in 1948 and 1949. In Volume I1 are the 24 articles appearing in 1950 and 1951. Of these, six describe inorganic processes and 18 describe organic processes (of which four are biochemical processes). The processes range from "reagent grade chemicals" through "pioneer surfactant" to "brewind' and "modern winemaking!' Some articles, like "calcium cyanamide," represent the first authoritative description given of an older industry and its moderni~ation. Others, like "magnesia-base sulfite pulping," are the &st complete technical description of a new process seeking ta revolutionize the industry. Because of the close cooperation between the editorial representative and the company representatives the articles are always well written, well illustrated and authoritative. The articles in the book are not arranged in the sequence in which they appeared in Indust~ial and Engineering Chemistry. I t would be helpful to have beneath the title the I.E.C. reference for those who wish to quote the reference. "Modern Chemical Processes" will save much wear and tear on I.E.C. and for itself merits n place among the texts on chemical technology. EENNETR A. KOBE U ~ ~ v m ; a sor mT ~ sxm AOBTIN. TEXU
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UNIT PROCESSES IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS
Editor-in-Chief. Chemical Eoineer. U. S. Department of Agriculture. ~ourthEdihon. ~ c ~ ; a w . ! &Book U Co.. Inc., New York, 1952. xiii T 937 pp. ILlusbated. I 5 X 2 3 cm. $12.50.
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TIIEa p p w m w of B fourth edition of thii book ouly five ycwa after the third crlition atteets to lboth tllc importunre of drvcl
