book reviews
Physical Chemistry: Laboratory Course
AModern
experiments the student would have to follow step by step directions, which was the very thing the original version aimed try follows Bastian and Hiskey; the imporat avoiding. On this basis, it seems that Hugh W . Salzberg, Jack I . Morrow, and tant paper by Reilley and Cre.wford is not the usefulness of this hook over the old Michoel E. Green, all of the City College mentioned. Although a treatment for version may actually turn out to be msrof the City University of New York, and multicomponent systems is outlined emginal in many eases. Stephen R . Cohen, New York State ploying matrices, it is restricted to the The hook is well-written, clearly takes Research Institute for Neurochemistry case where the numher of wavelengths the student's point of view. There is a and Drug Addiction, Ward's Island, equals the numher of components. The New York. Academic Press. Ina.. large numher of experiments, so that the manner in which errors can mushroom 528 pp: ~ i @ : instructor has s freedom of choice among, New irk, 1969.- xx through such asystem is not suggested, nor and indeed within, experiments, since and tables. 17 X 24.5 cm. $9.50. is the possibility of heating the game by many of them appear to he somewhat overdetermining the system. Chapter 5 longer than would be ordinarily completed The format of this laboratory text in is fairly traditional. Spectrofluorimetry in s typical laboratory session. The hook physical chemistry is rrtther different from is mentioned, hut instrumentation for this would also he suitable as a source of that ordinarily used. The authors divide is not described. Chapter 6 presents a methods and procedures in problem: the hook into two parts. In the first very thorough summrtry of statistical oriented physicd chemistry laboratories. part, which takes up about two-thirds of methods for handling photometrio data. the book, the authors discuss a large numThis chapter, unusual in such a hook, is EVILJ. SLOWINSKI her of the properties of systems which are quite good. Problems and suggested labMacalester College physicd chemists. Inoluded of interest to oratory experiments are found in appenSt. Paul, Minnesota is the theory pertinent to the property, dices. the methods and procedures commonly On balance, this is a good hook along used to determine it, snd the mathematitraditional lines. On the whole, it is clear cal relrttions used in calculating the and accurate. I t is in no sense so had Organic Reaction Mechanisms, 1968: property from experimental data. The that a reviewer can take m y pleasure in An Annual Survey Covering the second part of the hook contains 51 expericoncluding, as I did, that there is no place Literature Dded December 1967 through ments involving those properties, withvery for it in the modern American chemistry November 1968 brief directions for procedure and frequent curriculum. It does not relate to organic references haok to the first section for and physicd chemistry sufficiently to a t Edited by B. Capon, University of Glastheory and methods. Accompmying each tract teachers attempting to provide an gow, and C. W. Rees, University of experiment is a set of notes which suggest integrated undergraduate experience. It Leicester, Great Britain. Interscience useful techniques, possible pitfalls, and is too speciali~edto serve as the text for an Publishers (a division of John Wiley & added directions. undergraduate instrumental analysis Sons, Inc.), New York, 1969. xi The purpose of the authors in writing course, too shallow with regard to recent 583 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 the book in this way is clear. They a& developments in instrumentation to suffice em. $24.95. tempt to get the student to understand at the graduate level. I doubt that this This hook, the fourth in a continuing the experiment and background theory hook, for all its good qualities, will he used aeries, is divided into 14 chapters by differsufficiently well to he able to perform the much in American schools; I just don't see ent contributors. I n the earlier volumes experiment without having to he told every where it fits. of this series, the same chapter headings A. L. UNDERWOOD step. The information in the first section is mare than adequate for this purwere used, but the three editors apparently Emory University pose, but is not presented in such a way were the only contrihutors. All of the Atlanta, Georgia $0888 that the student can work in cookbook ten contrihutors to the present volume are fashion. For the most part this approach staff members of United Kingdom universities. The titles of the chapters are: should he relatively successful and goes s long way in making the book one to be Carbonium Ions, Nucleophilic Aliphatic recommended. Substitutions, Electrophilic Aliphatic SuhAtomic Absorption Spectroscopy. stitution, Elimination Reactions, AddiAlthough this is not called a second ASTM Special Technical Publication edition by the publisher, ahout two thirds tion Reactions, Nucleophilic Aromatic 443 of the contents appeared in "Laboratory Substitution, Electrophilic Aromatic SuhCourse in Physical Chemistry," by the stitution, Molecular Rearrangements, RadA symposium presented at the 71st first three authors. This version differs ical Reactions, Carhenes and Nitrenes, R e Annual Meeting of the ASTM. Avsilfrom the previous one in that it includes actions of Aldehydes and Ketones and able from the Americen Society for their Derivatives, Reactions of Acids and ahout 15 new experiments and discussions, Testing and Materials, 1916 Race St., their Derivatives, Photochemistry, Oxide essentially each of which requires rather Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103. vi tion and Reduction. There are two more complicated apparatus than was used 102 pp. Figs. and tshles. 15 X earlier; there are experiments on mass indices, the author and subject indices 23 cm. Softbound. $7. which cover the four volumes. spectrometry, differential thermal analysis, electron spin resonance, single crystal The style of writing is concise, with A. Walsh and T. C. Raim discuss the X-ray diffraction, and analog computer emphasis on the facts discovered and the physical and chemical aspects of atomic applications. The original experiments author's interpretation. Given the absorption in two introductory papers. were relatively simpler, involving m m y of amount and diversity of the material that C. L. Grant compares atomic absorption the clsssical experiments in physical must be covered, one does not expect the with other spectrochemicsl methods; L. chemistry, with relatively little emphasis detailed and critical evaluation of a L. Lewis compares it with other analytical on sophisticated apparatus. Chemical Rariews article. However, "the techniques. The other papers deal with The question this reviewer would raise Reporter" often indicates his judgement research on application of the technique is whether the hook is sufficiently imof the work as well as the original auto trace metals in seawater (P. G . Brewer, proved by the expansion to be worth the thor's conclusions. For example, on page D. W. Spencer, and C. L. Smith), cobalt effort and added cost. I t seems highly 187 "The Renorter sueeests that the ohin gold-plating solotions (J. P . Kapetsn), unlikely that most undergraduate labor* served soeeiesis the 3-Gdroxide addnet." arsenic in steels (U. T. Hill), and calcium tories in physical chemistry will have in high interference systems (W. F. available, except under very special cirUlrieh and J. Ramires-Munoz). Snecialcumstances, more than possibly one or two .." The stated aim of editors is to disof the instruments used in the new expericuss the more important papers and to list ments. Even if such equipment is ohthe others. The second aim is to provide the same information is available from a tainable, for a student to learn to operate a comprehensive coverage of the field, search of the textbook and research literait with any degree of skill would often r e rather than details of a few selected topics. ture. quire more time than is allowed; the The references indicate that journals in likely result being that in performing those WPK many languages have been consulted.
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A530 / Journal of Chemical Education
