book reviews Chemistry and Man's Environment Edward C. Fuller, Beloit College. Houghtan Mifflin Co., Palo Alto, Cali502 pp. Figs. fornia 94304, 1974. xiv and tables. 19.5 X 24 em. $11.95.
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This is a n interesting and well done text for non-science majors. There are 22 chapt e n each with about a dozen questions and exercises. Each chapter ends with a summary and a list of new terms and concepts. There are ample sample problems worked out in the text. The early chapters follow a commonly used order dealing with the topics: atomic structure, gases, solutions, periodicity, and equilibrium. Interspersed are chapters dealing with population, solid wastes, air pollution, energy production, and water quality. The latter third of the book deals with spectra, bonding, organic chemistry, food production, and evolution. There are five appendices treating lightly these items: weights, SI units, exponential numbers, and a list of same chemicals with their formulas. The chapters on environmental topics are very readable. However, the insertion of the environmental chapters is done somewhat awkwardly without mueh transition and direct relationship to surrounding ehapters. They do help achieve two of the author's larger themes: Changes in matter are always accompanied by changes in energy, and chemistry provides many understandings to environmental problems. His scientific principles are well emphasized: Concepts grow from empirical data, classification aids simplieation, models are useful, and quantification Leads to deeper insights. The style of the author, the pictures and figures are all well done, light and easily understood. The low level of the text would seem to limit its appeal. The environmental material should be 50% old material to s citizen who reads much. The ehemistry material presumes very little scientific knowledge but takes the reader through mueh practical chemistry. There is a n instructor's manual with an-
swers to all the student's "test yourself' questions. I t also contains references to other readings for each chapter on that subject matter. A paragraph setting forth each chapter's objective is also presented. Donald H. Williams Hope College Institute tor Environmental Ouality Holland. MI 49423
Chemical Experimentation
. H. Freeman and Ursula A. H o f o c k e ~W. Ca., San Francisco, 1972. 226 pp. Figs. and tables. 27.5 X 21.5 cm. $6.95. Laboratory programs integrating physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, and inorganic chemistry have been developed a t a number of schools. This manual, based on a course a t Northwestem University, is the first published to support such courses. The manual is divided into five sections: Preparative Methods, Structure Determination Methods, Analytical Methods, Chemical Kinetics, and Data Evaluation. The sections contain individual experiments, e.g., measurement of magnetic susceptibility, preparation of deuteroammonia. Integration is achieved by performing related experiments from the several sections. The author suggests 19 experimental sequences of varying length and certainly additional possibilities exist in the interesting array of experiments she has provided. The style of the manual is basically that of a rigorous physical chemistry laboratory manual. This is not to suggest that the integration attempted is cosmetic, but rather to simply indicate what has been retained of the more traditional approach. The sections on structure determination and analytical methods comprise the major portion of the manual. Topics in these sections include: atomic and molecular spectroscopy, fluorescence, uv-vis absorption, chromatography, polarography,
-Reviewed in this issue Edward C. Fuller, Chemistry and Man'sEnvironment
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U r d o A. Hofarker, Chemical Expenmentation A587 Joaehim Rudolph, Chemistry for the Modern Mind
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R. S. Cahn, Introduction to Chemical Nomenclature. Fourth Edition
. . . A588
Ian Fleming, Selected Organic Synthesis. A Guidebook for Organic Chemists
. . . A590
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potentiomentry, and electronics. There is considerable development of the behavior of solid state electronic circuits (including operational amplifiers) and their application to electmchemical methods. Although computer applications are mentioned, they are by no means crucial to the experiments. The material presented implies that the student is taking or has completed courses in physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry. The actual laboratory instructions are quite specific and leave little to the student's imagination, particularly if he is using equipment of the type upon which the instructions were based. The preparations: caordination compounds, high-temperature reactions, air-sensitive campounds (Schlenk apparatus), and vacuum line preparations are straightforward, interesting, and reliable. In general, the challenge to the student is in grasping the underlying theory of experiments and in evaluating results rather than in experimental design. All those responsible for teaching laboratories of any type a t this level will want t o examine this manual. Because it has been written as individual experiments, parts of it can fit into any teaching situation. The author points out that for this type of course, "its presentation in a manual creates special problems." She has succeeded admirably in producing a high quality manual which affirms the usefulness of integration. Its use as a text will depend upon decisions not just t o integrate chemistrys, but also resources (many nroiects . are imnossihle without eauioment . . which is not panicularly common,, curnuula. and personnel. A, the f m r 181 its kmd, it is indeed a gocd beginning.
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ThornasA. Evans Denison University Granville, Ohio 43023
Chemistry for the Modern Mind Joachim Rudolph, Germany. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1973. 359 pp. Figs. and tahles. 16 X 23 cm. $8.95 Translated from a German work entitled "Mysteries of the Exact Sciences: Naurs Book of Modern Chemistry" into Britishtype English (grammes, colour, etc.), this book is the "Chemistry" member of a quintet of bwks called "X for the Modem Mind," where X also may be "Biology," "Physics," "Mathematics," or "Cybernetics." The chapter titles are (1) Chemistry Begins with the Atom, (2) The Electronic Envelope, (3) The Chemical Bond, (4) The Chemistry of Carbon, (5) Chemical Reactions, (6) An Expedition Through the Periodic System, (7) In the Laboratory, and (8) Wherever One Looks-Chemistry. In addition there is a Foreward by Nobel Laureate Manfred Eigen, a short glossary of chemical terms, suggestions for further reading, and an index. (Continued onpage A588)
Volume 51, Number 12, December 1974
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