JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
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APPLIED NUCLEAR PHYSICS
Ernest C. Pollord, Professor of Physics, Yale University, and Williom L. Dovidson, Director of Physical Research, The B. F. Goodrioh Co. Second edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 352 pp. 9 3 figs. 15 X 24 om. $5. New York, 1951. ix
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THEfirst edition of this work was s. welcome primer for many nonphysicists who were attracted to nuclear science s. few years aeo. The enthusiasm and eloouenee of the authors made the
comings as the erroneous description of Geiger action, the improper distinction between chemical and nuclear reactions, the apparently facetious suggestion that one test the silver in one's pocket after standing near an operating cyclotron, the confused discussion of nuclear isomerism and internal conversion, and the unsatisfactory discussion of absorption of radiations all remain practically intact from the first edition. Perhaps such aherrations should be overlooked in view of the obvious general appeal of a. book written in so engaging a fashion. RUSSELL R. WILLIAMS. JR. UNIYERBXTT OP NOTRE DAME NOTRE DAME,INDIAN*
the growing army of scientists and engineers, who, though not necessarily versed in the language of physics are using the products of nuclear physics. The total amount of text in the new edition is aooroximatelv 50 per cent greater, hut with the exception of I (1ntr; ductory) and VIII (Artificial Radioactivity in Practice), which are revisions of the same subject matter, the material of the firat edition is mostly retained intact. A new chapter on nuolear chain reactions is added and considerable additions are made to Chapters IV (Accelerating Atomic Particles), V (Transmutation), X (Nuclear Fission), and in Chapter XI1 on cosmicrays. Fivenew appendixes are added on atomic masses, elementary pile theory, neutron diffraction, cross-sections, and experiments. The large retention of material and method of presentation from the first edition obviously preserves most of the virtues of that work. The new material is of course largely devoted to developments of recent years and appears to give a balanced picture of nuclear physics today, although this is done a t a somewhat higher level than the treatments carried over from the first edition. Perhaps this is intended to further the second objective of the authors "to make this a useful textbook in nuclear physics." It would indeed be surprising to find s. book which could serve both purposes, and certainly the first edition found its main use in service t o nonphysicistn. In retaining substantidly unchanged a. large fraction of the first edition, the authors have unfortunately kept most of the vices as well as the virtues of that work. Such substantial shorb
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THEORY OF ELEMENTARY CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
Thomos H. Whiteheod, Professor of Chemistry, The University of Georgia. Ginn and Co., Boston. 1950. vi 233 pp. 11 figs. 22 tables. 15.5 X 24 om. $2.75.
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Y"IShook is written for the student in a first course in inorganic qualitative analysis," presumably one given as part of the work in firsLyear general chemistry. "Its primary purpose is t o guide the student to an understanding of the theoretical principles upon which any scheme of inorganic analysis is based." The material presented in realizing this purpose consists of a review of atomio and molecular struoture, mathematical operations, properties of solutions, and ionieation; calculational work on the usual aspects (including redox) of equilibrium theory; a brief survey of colloids; and an outline of the reactions of the common cations and anions. In this latter section a survey of the reactions and procedures is given, with reasons for many of the operations and precautions in the scheme of analysis, but the information is not intended to be sufficiently complete t o serve as laboratory working directions. The hook "emphaskes the growing interest in semimicro methods, complex inorganic compounds, and the use of organic reagents in inorganic analysis." The aims of the text are realized quite satisfactorily. The coverage is adequate, the discussions on the whole are sufficiently
