Advances in chemical physics. Volumes 4 and 5 (Prigogine, I., ed.)

All in all the work is commendable and should provide the keen high school stu- ... Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Burgess. Publishing Co., Minneapolis,Min-...
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The authors have preferred a tight, terse style. While this permits more efficient coverage of the field; some chapters tend to be encyclopedic and dry (e.g., Unstable Particles. Antiumticles). Elsewhere in

palatable. All in all the work is commendable and should provide the keen high school student and m a w a high school teaaher an excellent summary &the nuclear field. DONALD S. ALLEN State Uniwsity of N m Y o 4 Albany

Basic Chemistry Problems for High School John W. Sulcoski, Dallas Senior High School, Dallas, Pennsylvania, and Stepha Rituper, Liberty High School, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Burgess Publishing Co., Minneapolis, Min216 pp. Figs. and nesota, 1963. v tables. 16 X 23 cm. Paperbound. $2.75.

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The attempt of the mthors to construct a problem book of basic problems for the hieh school has in art been fulfilled. The zuihors recognized basic need for mathemiltical treatment of scientific information that is lacking in many high school texts currently available. This statement is not meant as a criticism of the available high school texts; it merely points out that the field of education in chemistrv has grown so rapidly recently that it is necessary to do as Sulkoski and Rituper have done. They have introduced the mathematics of chemistry for the high school in a separate volume. The chapter headings show the areas included. The sub-headings allow s. student to find a t glance the place in the book he needs. Each topic is discussed in enough depth for the "averagege"high school curriculum. The text should serve chemistry claseea with review problems that the student should do on his own or have assigned. In light af the newer trends of chemical curricula through program such as CHEM and CBA the hook has its limitations in that it will become dated. It does not shows good development of the mole concept through gases or electrochemistry. Oxidation-reduction is not developed by the Eo values. The writer also feela that the treatment of chemical kinetics could have been somewhat more extensive. "Basic Chemistry Problems for the High School" can serve the teacher of chemistry in a. basic course. The use of dimensions or units for problem solving is an excellent method to give to beginning chemistry students. Adequate treatment haa been given to problems involving standard solutions. The use of problems and equations concerning nuclear chemistry gives to the teacher examples he might use should his own knowledge be limited. The reviewer recommends this volume to

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teachers and students of basic chemistry a t the high school level to serve them as they need.

cal theory of transport processes (J. A. M c L e m n , Jr.), s. quantum mechanical interpretation of nuclear quadropole caud i n g data. (E. Serocco), and 8. himolecular JO~EFH S. SCAMZTCKLER Havc~fwdTownship S a i o r High Schwl Hauertoum, Pennsylvania leas useful to a teacher of undereraduates than the three articles cited above in Volume 4. Unlike some other review series, there is no apparent editorial drift from the Advancer in Chemical Physics. general to the particular in the contents of Volumes 4 and 5 the five volumes of "Advances in Chemical Physics." Furthermore, the quality of Edited by I. Prigogini, Universitv of the contributions is unimpeachable; the Brussels, Brussels, Belgium. Interready availability of these volumes in science Publishers (a division of John university libraries is clearly desirable. Wiley and Sons, Ine.), New York, 1962 However, one minor objection should he and 1963. 400 and 410 pp. 15 X 23 raised. Anumber of subjects, particularly cm. $16.50 each. experimental ones such as high resolution nuolear magnetic resonance, mass spectra Teachers of freshman and underand Raman spectra, that frequently grace graduate physical chemistry will find the articles in Volume 4 of this series on the the pages of the Journal qf Chemical Physics have been displaced from the pages theory of optical activity of small moleof "Advances" by too frequent articles an cules (A. Moscowitz), effects of high statistical mechanics. A balance in subpressure on electronic structure of solids ject matter for "Advances" that more (H. G. Drickamer and J. C. Zahner), and accurately reflects the broad interests of the structure and properties of metalchemical physicists would be welcome. P. Das) particularly ammonia solutions (T. interesting sources of new lecture maE. M. Emma terial. Moscowitz breathes new life into University of Utah the one electron theory of optical rotation Salt Lake City of Condan, Altar and Eyring in addition to presenting a very readable, concise survey of the many contributions made in this field since the Late 1920's. The article by Drickamer and Zahner illustrates how such hprvrnalwpic dsr:, on s~rn~rles?et.rrns Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy ns nickel dirn~~rhylgly.,xinwsuhjrrrrd rn PTPRYIIW~i,i 1111. ordw of 100 kilolnm r a n Koji flakanishi, Tokyo Kyoiku be used to classify spectra and reveal the University. Holden-Day, Inc., S m interactions between neighboring atoms 233 pp. Figs. Francisco, 1962. ix and tables. 19 X 26 cm. $8. and ions in crystals. There is almost too much experimental detail in the article One of the best justifications for writing by Das tn hold the reader's interest, but a. new book is that it fills 8. definite need. his synthesis of conflicting theories of The book, "Infrared Absorption Specmetal-ammonia solutions into s, new troscopy," by Koji Nakanishiemploys the theory that accounts a t least qualitatively approach of learning by doing in order to for the varied experimental results is lamiliarise the beginning worker in this intriguing. The remdning articles on field with the techniques. The introducrandom walk (F. H. Ree, T. S. Ree, T. tory material gives the frequencies a t Ree, and H. Eyring), optical activity of which different groups absorb. This is polymers (1.T inoco, J . the onesimilar to the infarn~ation contained in dimensional plasma (S. Prager) and the Bellamy's Book. A very useful chapter quantum mechanical distribution function deals with the shifts and absorption bands. of molecular systems: translational and Such factors as concentration and solvent rotational motions (H. Friedmann) are no effects are discussed with the aid of dialess authoritative but probably too grams. specialized to interest most chemists. The latter part of the book consists of The contributing authors to both volumes 85 problems in infrared spectroscopy. A generally fulfill Prigogine's promise of student who conscientiously works through presenting well informed paints of view these problems should have s, clear idea of rather than encyclopedic literature supimportant iactars in the field. The anveys. swers are given in a separate section with There are eight articles in Volume 5: detailed discussions supporting the deducthe one4ectron theory of r-electron tion. systems-particularly the aromatic hydroI t would seem feasible to employ this carbons (H. Hartmann), a ligand field technique in other areas of chemistry to the theory treatment of the spectra of the advantage of the student. This book transition metal complexes, the lanthashould prove useful to the senior undernides and actinides thst is much the longgraduate or firsGyear graduate student est article in the book (C. K. Jdrgensen), who is interested in obtaining a practical a treatment of non-spherical molecules knowledge of infrared spectroscopy. both as real gases and in the crystalline state (T. Kihara), theories on the megTHEODORE R. WILLIAMS netic properties of the compounds of the College of Wooster 3d group metals (S. Koide and T. Oguchi), Wooster, Ohio a succinct exposition of forbidden electronic transitions (A. D. Liehr), a statisti(Continued on page A894)

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