BOOK REVIEWS Chemische Schulversuche: Eine Anleilung fiir den Lehrer Helmut Siapf. Revised by Ebwhard Rossa. 2nd rev. ed. Vdk and Wissen T'olkseigener Verlag, East Berlin. Figures. 16x23 cm. Teil 1: Nichtmetslle. 5 MDN. Teil 2: 1964. 245 pp. Metalle. 1966. 260pp. 5.1OMDN. There is a wealth or even a plethora of books on beginning chemistry designed to aid the student hut only a limited amount of material aimed directly at the teacher. These volumes are a welcome addition to the second category. They present demonstration experiments rather than exercises to be carried out by the students. Part I contains more than 4W such experiments dealing with the chemistry of the nonmetals; Part I1 offers 270 experiments involving the chemistry of the metals. The volumes are plentifully supplied with excellent line drawings of the set.ups. In the foreword, the author paints out the advantages d demonstrtttian experiments. Many experiments require considerable experimental skill and facility in the handling of apparatus and chemicals and hence can be conducted by ineuperienced students only with much difficulty. If such an experiment is assigned to students, their attention is devoted almost entirely to the manual manipulations with neglect of the real objective. In other terms, the driver s e g only the road but little if anv,~ of the seenew. Manv exoeri" mcrtts carry n hgh pasibility of nreident and therefore should be conduetwl only by the instructor, even when repeated. Pertinent instances include experiments with the alkali metals, large amounts of materiak thst are easily flammable or thst ignite spontaneously, and toxic substances. Manioulations reouirine electrical tensions ~~
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reagents are involved in significant amounts and also when complicated, fragile and costly apparatus is necessary. Those instructors who can read simple German will find in these two volumes much that is of value. The experiments are described in detail; the chemicals and equipment required are carefully listed; the underlying ohemistry adequately die cussed. The whole gamut of general introductory chemistry is covered ineluding chemical technical processes. Qualitative and quantitative procedures are like wise illustrated. The diagrams are drawn with care and help greatly when using the books. I n short, the reviewer is enthusiastic about these aids to the teacher; they deserve a wide circulation. The prices given above are in East German marks. I t is not phssible always to translate these into dollam but in general they may be taken as equivalent to the West German mark (25 cents). When ordering it might be well to inquire into this point to avoid unpleasant misunderstandings. RALPHE. OESPER Uniuersity of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio (Continued on page A916)
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Journal o f Chemical Education
