book reviews in favor of the half-reaction method, although the former method is detailed in the Appendix. We found the discussion of acid-base ehemistry in terms of proton transfer (rather than proton dissociation) especially refreshing. Regretfully, the authors continue the assignment of valencestoatoms and the use of equivalent weight and normality in connection with oxidation-reduction reactions, nractices which this reviewer feels should he phaad out ntgewml , h n ~ s t r v ttxts.Thr;r ilrr rniwer iritirismr uhich %houldnot d ~ s n,urAgr rcrtm. ewn$innli0~8 this L C I ~ for use in a course designed for science majors. Paul L. Cook Albion College Albion. MI 49224
Elements of General and Biological Chemistry, 5th Ed.
John R. Holurn, John Wiley & Sans, Ine., NemYork, 1979. Figs. and tables. 26 x 18 em. v
+ 571 oo. $16.95.
made a major attempt a t revision of a suecessful textbook. As the title suggests, it is an nverview or general, organic, and biological chemistry covered in 384 122, and 20" pages respectively, under 22 chapter headings. Presented as a one- or two-term course, it is geared for those students pursuing an education for the allied health professions. The last chapter on radioactivity (22 pp.) could alsn he gmuped with general ehemistry. Text material is interspersed with drill questions and each chapter is fdlowed by n list of select.ed readings, a summary and questions. The obtious changes from the 4th edition include: the elimination of the chapter "Nonmetallic Elements of the Biosphere" with applicable environmental and health material appropriately placed in the remaining terl; the splitting of "Carbanyl Compounds" into twochapters,"Aldehydes and Ketones" (Ch. 11) and "Carboxvlic Acid Derivatives"(Ch. 12); and the renovation of chapters on the atom (Ch. 2) and chemical reactions (Ch. 4). In addition, a new feature is the inclusion of the aforementioned drill questions within the chapters, for which answers are supplied a t the end of the book. An indispensable accompaniment to the text is the student study guide. Thisguide not only contains the answers to about half of the end-of-chapter text questions, but also it outlines objectives, presents a chapter glossary, and has excellent drill exercises and self-testing questions, bath with answers. The text is nicely produced with hlue and grey used in suh-sectinn headings, Tahles and Figures, along with hold-face type. One does wish, though, that a second color were occasiunall.~used tn highlight important features in sample prnhiems or reactions within the body of the text. From the first page the author has no prohlem in relating chemical principles to this theme, the maleeular hasis of life. The health-related topics are well-keyed tn the A20 1 Journal of Chemical Education
disru*ion at hand and are not strnined In later t,itrhcmi.tryrhaptcr-(('h 13-211,the authur rowhcs nis apex in the disrusuion 01' clinical applications such ss enzyme m a y s in eases of viral hepatitis and myocardial infarction or the possible causes of acidosis and alkalosis. A prohlem might he foreseen with the level of presentation which is not always at an even keel throughout the book. The general chemistrysections (Ch. 1-7) can a t times he overly detailed in their approach to problem-solving while the biochemistry material rivals some challenging short-course texts on those topics. Dimensional analysis ia not illustrated as an aid to prohlem-solving in the text, but it is covered in the study guide. However. references to this method of
einct and rely heavily upon common nomenclature though an abbreviated presentation of the IUPAC system appears in the appendix. The short sections on optical isomerism located in the chapters on carbohydrates (Ch. 13) and proteins (Ch. 15) seem a little too cursory and would probably hest be eliminated or replaced with less confusing material by the instructor. Besides the text and study guide, a laharatory manual, teacher's manual, and slide masters are also available from the puhlisher. One cannot argue with the success "Elements. . ."has enjoyed in the past. This 5th edition seems to he another important step in the maturation of the curriculum for which i t is intended.
introductory material, including one chapter on the history of biochemistry and one chapter on cellular organization. It then pmceeds through seven chapters on proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, and nueleic acids. There is a central section of six ehapters cnwring coenzymes, bioenergetics, and the intermediary metahlism of thediffering classes of biochemically important molecules, with one chapter on nutrition and one on endocrinology. The last three chapters are devoted tn molecular biology and hiochemical genetics. Not all chapters are of equal quality, hut, in general, the material is treated in a balanced fashion. The coverage of the different areas is very up-to-date although, consistent with thesomewhat superficial treatment resulting from the need for brevity, much ofthe material is presented rather dogmatically and there is relatively little attention paid to interrelationships or to control. Every chapter is followed by brief listings of suggested general readings and of more immediately relevant journal articles. Finally all chapters end with a small, hut well-devised, set of problems. The chapters on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. ATP hiosvnthesis. and mtrition are especially sound a i d tighily structured, and the chapters in the section on hioehemical genetics are clear, current, and surprisingly complete for the amount of space devoted to them. This text is aimed a t a hroad range of undergraduate students. It may indeed he somewhat lacking in the depth requisite for ehemistry and hiology majors and for preprofessional studenk, hut it should satisfy the needs of a considerable portion of the spectrum of those requiring basic general hiochemical information. It is well written and concise, and provides adequate coverage of a significant portion of the more important topics underlying current biological thought. Melvin Fried College of Medicine University of Florlda Gainesviile. FL 32610
Biochemistry Frank R. Armstronc and Thomas P Rm netl, Oxford llniversity Press, New York, 1979. i 491 pp. $19.95. The avowed purpose of this book is to serve as the text for a generalized introductory course designed to accommodate un-
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eneineerine. and science edueatbn. This end the needs of majors in the biological sciences, pre-professional programs or chemistry. It could, however, alsoserve ssa text fnr a hasic hioehemistry course aimed a t pharmacy students and individuals training in the several clinical laboratory disciplines. The hook is exceotionallv elearlv written.
there are surprisingly few typographical or mechanical errnrs. The organization of the sequence of the twenty-four chapters is reasonnhly conventional. The first five chanters are devoted to
Principles of Physical Chemistry David Mamfield, Heinemann Educational Rooks, h e . , h n d o n , 1979. v 226 pp. Figs. and tables. 24.5 X 19 cm. $10.95. This hook is not a physical chemistry text. The author succinctly covers the topics of a modern general ehemistry course: gas laws, atomic structure, hnnding, equilibrium, innic theory, equilibria, periodicity (but no stoichiometry). There are also chapters on spectroscopy, thermochemistry, gas-liquid equilibrium, chemical kinetics, and finally chemical thermodynamics. A measure of the level of the treatment is the fact that Hess's J a w is covered in detail and many of its consequences illustrated, hut there is no development of the measurements asnmiated with the calculation of either heat or work. The concept of entropy is introduced almost as an afterthought to a discussion of the spontaneity of constant pressure processes. No cal-
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(Continued on page A221
