Chemical thermodynamics: An introduction (Goates, J. Rex; Ott, J

Chemical thermodynamics: An introduction (Goates, J. Rex; Ott, J. Beven). H. Lawrence Clever. J. Chem. Educ. , 1972, 49 (1), p A40. DOI: 10.1021/ed049...
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chemioal thermodynamics. The trend is seen in the organization of most of the recent general chemistry textbooks as well etry and chromatography grafted on. as in the publication of a half doaen or The latter two areas are covered in a very more paperhscks of thermodynamics for elementary fashion to avoid the need for freshmen and freshmen honors work since 1962. any background in physics, physical chem"Chemicd Thermodynamics: ~n Inistry, and calculus. I t is not certain, troduction" by Goates and Ott is a worthhowever. that eas ehromatoeraohv and the while addition to the available material on thermodynamics for freshmen. The authors present the properties of the fundamental quantities energy and entropy, and panying laboratory manual comprise a n discuss the three laws of thermodynamics attempt to cover all possible alternatives in Chapter 1 (46 pages); they present the and, as such, fail to do justice to any one of derived quantities enthalpy, Helmholtz the alternatives. There are no laboratory procedures inand Gibbs energies and zpply them to cluded in the texbbook portion of the phase equilibria in Chapter 2 (25 pages); package. In theory, this can serve several and they discuss chemical equilibria in Chapter 3 (25 pages). Applications of purposes. For example, the cost of the texbhook alone can be reduced; the thermodynamics to electrochemistry and laboratory experiments can be chosen and to solutions are discussed in two apdeveloped a t each individual school; the pendixes (36 pages) and selected thermodynamics data. useful in problem working laboratory may be dispensed with enis in a third appendix. Nearly 90 exertirely. However, 37 pages (of a total of 369 textual psges) are devoted to instruccises for the three chapters and two aption in laboratory techniques, such as pendixes are collected s t the end of the preparation and handling of gravimetric book with answers provided for the odd numbered exeroises. In addition thereis a and volumetric apparatus including the balance. These pages include almost all collection of five interesting "special of the photographs and many of the lineproblems" intended to challenge the drawings in the boak. Thus, much of the intellectual curiosity of the student. The authors' strictly clwsical apprnach possible cost reduction cited above is vitiated. Furthermore, almost all schools to chemical thermodynamics is concise and clear. There is no mention of statistical will want to use s, laboratory manual of ideas. Some historical facts m d philoaome sort also; the total cost then becomes sophical comments appear, but such comequal to or greater than the cost of some ments are brief and usually in footnotes. excellent complete quantitative analysis All of the necessary calculus is included as hooks already on themarket. a. part of the discussion. A physical The laboratory manual duplicates mast interpretation of differentiation and inteof the "technique" psges in the texGhook gration is used throughout the boak. The but, surprisingly, omits the instructions in figures are clear snd useful in understandthe use of the balance. However, the ing the discussion, numerous example most serious problem with the manual concerns the binding itself. Pages with exercises me worked out,, and each chapter and appendix ends with a summary of imblanks suitable for entering data and for portant, equations snd thermodynamic submitting reports are included in the relations developed in the discussion. manual. For convenience in removal of The book format is attractive. The these pages, they are printed on ~erlorated, print and page size make i t a mcre inviting snap-out sheets. Unfortunately, the enbook than some paper back publishers tire manual4irections, pictures, log manage t o do. I believe this is a teachtables, table of formula weights, table of able book well worth the inspection of anycontents, etc.,-ah is printed on the same one interested in making chemical thermokind of perforated, s n q - o u t sheet. The dynamics an important part of general loss of vital pages in the manual is thus chemistry. The book could also serve as a assured. review volume for the senior or first year To sum up, a. f i r s h a t e discussion of graduate student. elementary quantitative analysis principles is attached to an abbreviated coverage H. LAWRENCE CLIVER of chromatography and spectrophotomEmory University etry. Atlanta. Ga. 803% ALANF . KRIVIS The Uniuersity of Akron Akron, Ohio 44504

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A40 / lournol of Chemical Education

Caluin A . Buehler, University of Tennessee, and Donald E. Pearson, Vanderbilt University. Wiley-Interscience, New 1166. Tables. 24 York, 1970. ix X 16 cm. $27.50.

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There are a number of advertised features of this laboratory text which are intriguing. The features are there and some of them quite good. Unfortunately, however, the book is not well written. Although i t may well provide some interesting and useful ideas for an instructor, the texts by Daniek, et al., and Shoemaker and Garland make better reference books for students and have superior experiments of t,he chemical-physics variety. This text begins with a. short description of how to write a laboratory report, followed by a sample "good student laboratory report!' I n neither the instructions nor in the report itself is there any mention of

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