BOOK
would not be particularly enhanced by this conventional text,. The quantitative and experimental nature of chemistry is emphasized throughout. After three chapters of basic mathematics, concepts and definitions used in general chemistry, the states of matter, nature of solutions, and stoichiometry are discussed. Some descriotive chemistry is inrroclurrd m r t in R chqptm on urygeo, I , 1 t Thmnolhrmiitry, rrwtiwr vt1w:iry and rhtmiral \I~crmugeneous) equilibrium are discussed in however, no more frequent than in other Chapter 9. books on chemistry, and there are some Classification of chemical substances, very good features, such as the discussion the periodic table, radioactivity, atomic of the impact of the phlogiston theory or oarticles and the "mohitecture" of the that of the role of salt in chemical indusitom are treated in three succeeding try. chapters. The chief weakness of the book is its Some of the best illustrations in the heavy emphasis and almost exclusive book appear in a chapter on moleclimitation to theindustridviewpoint. To ular structure and the solid state. This the author, industry is "that basic index chapter and two others on solutions of of human life and aotivity" with very electrolytes, electrochemistry and heterolittle attention being given to any other geneous equilibrium are set (apparently possible index. not so much for continuity as for relief) Nonetheless, the author does do a good among chapters dealing with descriptive job of presenting a broad view of chemip. chemistry of the elements arranged in try in clear but non-technical language. groups such as the halogens, active The book should be quite effective for metals, and boron, carbon and silicon. readers who are not chemists. Teachers Following Chapter 22, An Introduction to of beginning students will find it pleasant Organic Chemistry, separate chapters on reading for themselves and an effective The Transitional Elements, The Metalloid, addition to library collections to encourage The Innertmnsitional Elements, The outside reading by students. Colloidal State, and Chemistry of Natural ROBBINC. ANDE~SON Products are added. Teachers will approve the generous Tne University of Tezas supply of questions, problems and refAustin erences a t tho end of each chapter.
REVIEWS
Understanding Chemistry
Lawence P . Lessing. Intersoience Publishers, h e . , New York, 1959. 192 pp. Illustrations. 14.5 X 21.5 cm. $3.50 Also, paperbound Mentor edition by New American Library, 5.50. For a book with a title as provocative and inclusive as that above, one must look &st for the author's objectives and the type of reader to whom he is writing. In this case, the publisher's description gives a reasonably effective statement that: "Here, told in language which every layman can understand, is the swift, yet scholmly stmy of man's great bctsio dip. coveries through chemistry about his world and hisuniverse, about the structure of the elements, their compounds and their relationship to one another, the growth of atomic theory, and the unravelling of the l a m of combination of elements, ending in chemistry as i t is today. "Here, too, is an account of the fascinating uses to which man has put this knowledge in everyday l i f e h o w color photography, anti-knock gasoline, and rocket fuels grew out of a study of reaction rates, whv the modern world of smthetic fibers.
First Principles of Chemislry
Moddie D. Taylor, Howard University, Washington, D.C. D. Van Nostrand Co., Ine., Princeton, New Jersey, 1960. xxii 688 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23. 5 cm. 87.50.
Jnms L. HALL Colorado School ojMines Goldel.
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and medicines have resulted from a greater knowledge of biochemical cycles." As usual with such a book, questionable statements can be found-for example, the exclusion of d l nuclear reactions from ohemistry, the clasnifictttion of iso-octane as "the most typical" of hydrocarbons with eight to ten carbon atoms, and even the definition of chemistry itself simply and solely as dynamic change. These are,
-Reviewed Lawrence
There is nothing extraordinary in this book to recommend its use instead of several reputable texts on the subject. Any justification for publication of this new text will come from its adoption for introductory college chemistry classes of a terminal nature. Courses for science majors, engineers or for students with a good high school chemical background
in This Issue
P . Lessing, Understanding Chemistry
Moddie D. Taylor, First Principles of Chemistry Elbert C. Weaver and Laurence S . Foster, Chemistry for Our Times
0.A. Battista, The Challenge of Chemistry Paul Pascal, Nouveau TrsitC de Chimie Minerale, Volume 18 Paul R. Frey, Essentials of College Chemistry Arnold Weissberger, Physical Methods of Organic Chemistry.
Part 1
Noel B . Shier, Theory of Unimoleculer Reactions Robert Tharnta Morrison and Robert Neilson Boyd, Organic Chemistry F. L. M. Pattisn, Toxic Aliphatic Fluorine Compounds Roger Gilmont, Thermodynamic Principles for Chemical Engineers
550
/
~ournalof Chemical Education
Chemislry for Our Timer
Elbed C. Weaver, Phillips Academy Andover, Massachusetts, and Laumee S. Foster, Ordinance Materials Research Office, Watertown Arsenal, Massachusetts. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., 666 pp. Inc., New York, 1960. vi Figs. and tables. 17 X 24 cm. $5.72.
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The new edition of thiv well known and widely used text embodies few changes from the original pattern. The changes that me made w e either minor and inconsequential, such as updating the list of newly discovered elements and eataloguing some new technological discoveries, or they are changes that could be important were sufficient space devoted to them. I t is all too obvious that most of the new ideas introduced in the text had to be fitted into holes obtained by sacrificing some of the material of lesser stature in the second edition. In spite of ststements to the contrary in the preface to this book, I find no really great new emphasis upon principles of atomic and molecular structure and bonding. I t is true, for example, that, in the new edition, hydrogen bonding is mentioned; so is isomorphism. A new periodic chart shov5ng subshells is included. The inside cover of the book has a new chart of atomic and ionic radii.
It is also true, however, that I could find only one sentence referring to the atomic and ionic radii chart, that mbshells are nowhere mentioned a t all, thatreference to coordination number is litcking, and that no mention is made of hydrogen bonding in compounds other than water, nor is it made clear why hydrogen bonding occurs. Furthermore, as in the previous edition, the periodic c h a t iis not discussed until page 377 of this 616 page text. In other words, the changes in the direction of explaining properties by structure are quite superficial. Much the same comment can be applied to the expanded treatments of Le Chatel i d s Principle, X-ray diffraction, and pH, as well as the revisions in the section on nuclear energy. A summary of important principles a t the end of each unit, newly introduced, is useful. A beautiful five page, transparent, full color spread showing the construction of a nuclear power plant catches the eye, but it leaves one wondering if the considerable money that this must have involved might not have been put to better use in revising the text more thoroughly. As did its predecessor, this book has much to commend it. Nevertheless, it is quite disturbing to see the trend in high school chemistry books away from good, solid theory, and toward applications and technology. This is not the only text that has been "revised" by modernizing the photographs, and by including all the latest investians, to the neglect of reorganieing the theoretical approach FREDB. EISEMAN, JR. John Bwrough, Srhool St. Louis. Mi88ouri The Challenge of Chemistry
0. A. Ballista, American Visoose Corporation, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. The John C. Winston Company, Philadelphia, 1959. 168pp. Figs. 16 X 23.5 cm. $3.95. This small book is concernid with a oommonplaee topic, the stimulation of greater popular interest in ohemistry. The method used is t o depict the work and motivations of individuals, many of them reel, in various areas of chemistry through short chapters on organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, agricultural and food chemistry, high polymer ohemistry, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, and industrial and engineering chemistry. Still other ohapters are ooncerned with the opportunities and requirements for teaching and the place of women in chemistry. The word challenge occurs in 14 of the 15 chaoter headinrrs. and it is used repeatedly in ail the chapt&s: The book is replete with such words as exciting, marvelous, dramatic, momentous, and magnificent. Through the use of many illustrations from real laboratory experiences and the employment of s. vivid style the book will probably succeed in capturing the attention of many who have opportunity to read it. The emphasisis strongly on the practical uses of chemistry in our everyday lives. On this basis the young readers are urged to become professional chemists. As
presented, chemistry is exciting, relatively unexplored, and not too difficultfor youth who are fascinated by it. Relatively little is included whereby young readers may judge whether they have aptitudes and abilities necessary for success as professional chemists. I t is unfortunate that more emphasis is not placed on the cultural vslues in the study of chemistry. Several black and white line drawings are used with some effectiveness to illustrate significant points. There are relatively few errors. The book should be made available to high school students and their teachers since it will help them know the practical importance of chemistry. HARRYG. DAY Indiana University Blomnington
Nouveav Trait6 de Chimie MinCrale. Volume 18.
Edited by Paul Pascal, Honorary Professor, Sarhonne. Masson e t Cie, 944 pp. Figs. Paris, 1959. m i x and tables. 18 X 26 am.
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This volume apparently resulted from an attempt to divide the material on iron, cobalt, and nickel into two volumes of approximately the same siee in the treatise. The inclusion of complexes of these elements together under one cover is a convenient and logical division but in order to produce volumes of equal siee, all ionic compounds of iron have been inoluded here as well as the true complexes. This makes the effectiveness of Pascal's division somewhat less than i t might have been bad only true complexes been included. Over400 pages are devoted to complexes and ionic compounds of iron, some 350 to complexes of cobalt, and about 160 to complexes of nickel. These were written by C. Duvd, P. Job, and R. Duval, respectively, except for the sections on carbonyls and nitrosyls of iron by A. Michel, earbonyls of cobalt by J . Amiel, and carhonyls of nickel by P. Pascal. Bihliographic references number nearly 6,300 with rather large numbers from the early literature. Although this volume did not appear until late in 1959, a large part of the literature searches did not go beyond 1956 and only one bibliography indicated a literature search into 1958. Comparisons with Gmelin and Mellor cannot be made inasmuch as the other volume on iron, cobalt, and nickel has not yet been published by Pascal, and Gmelin d s o lacks completion, Pascal's volume does have the advantage over Mellar in being able to use modern theories and treatment of complexes, and this will be true to some extent in comparison with Gmelin when complete, since supplemeuts to the latter hill not include material written after 1949. Improvement of indexing could well he made, but the index does compare favorably with those of others in the set.
R. KRUMM University of Florida Gainesville
Erranlials of College Chemistry
Paul R. fiey, Colorado State Universitv. Fort Collins. Prentiee-Hall. Inc., "~nglewood Cliffs, New ~ersey: 520 pp. Figs. and 1960. xviii tables. 15.5 X 23.5 em. $6.95.
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This is a briefer text than the author's previous books, some 233 pages shorter than the second edition of his College Chemistry. I t assumes no previous knowledge of chemistry on the part of the stula' u , i ~ p ! ,,SF ir b., ., k dent. ---.-
