book reviews Chemistry In Modern Perspective Glen Cordon, University of Maryland, and William Zoller, University of Maryland. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Massachusetts, 1975. xvii 459 pp. Figs. and tables. 22 X 24 em.
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In their preface to this new text the authors state that it was developed for a course which "would be quite interesting to the students and, a t the same time, prepare them as well as possible t o evaluate the various scientific and technological issues with which all of us, as citizens, are confronted in our increasingly complex society." The authors have succeeded admirably in meeting these goals by organizing a wealth of timely material within a framework of basic chemical principles. Written for a one-semester course for nonscience majors, this book has been tested in the author's course for seven offerings prior to oublicatian. In rrcntmg a remarkably diverse set of topin, the text includrsconsider~hlcmaterial from biology. geology, aitrcmomy, phy;iics, and meteorology whenever these subjects relate to the topin a t hand. The authors have been careful t o present the beneficial aspects of chemistry as well as the negative ones, and that is what sets this teat aoart from manv ~
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environmental problems, often using the "resource out of place'' approach. Some may find that this text provides an insufficient number of worked problems in the theorv sections. but the authors have under.wndahlg rnmimired I hr mnrhematical requirc~wnts and detailrd rrenrrntnt of chemical theory u, keep the text in hcrundi for a one-semester course. Those persons desiring more worked examples on staichiometry or gas laws, far example, might wish t o supplement this text with one of the many available workbooks or paperbacks on problem solving. ~~
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One of the best features of this text is the lavish use of tables, diagrams, and pictorial presentations which are both appealing to the eye and pertinent to the topics being discussed. Each chapter is accompanied with numerous references, both in footnotes and in reading lists. Many teachers of standard general chemistry courses should find this text t o be extremely useful as a source of provocative and germane material with which to enliven their lectures. The book begins with introductory chapters on the impact of science and technology upon society, the treatment of atoms and molecules, the mole concept and stoichiometry, and the bulk properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Rather than introduce all the concepts in the early chapters, the authors have skillfully introduced many of them in various chapters throughout the text. Thus, an introduction t o electrochemistry is reserved for Chapter 12, "Metals," where the activity series, batteries, and electrolysis are discussed. C h a ~ t e 4r treats the tonic of energy in detail m u present- nicely inrrprarrd serrions on ener,y needs and suurcea, tlwmnl pollution, and the present and future sources of energy. Chapter 5 devotes itself to nuclear energy, radioactivity, nuclear power plants, and the biological effects of radiation, and Chapter 6 carries the subject further with nuclear fusion energy sources and nuclear reactions in stars. Chapter 7 amply describes the nature of light and contains all the essential aspects of modern atomic structure, fallowed by brief, but sufficient, treatments of the Periodic Table, the formation of simple ions, and electronegativity. Chapter 8 deals with molecular structure, spectra of moleroles. and the ohvsical oro~ertiesofwater.It is here that the reader is introduced to water as a chemical system via the route of acidbase chemistry, the pH concept, and a brief treatment of quantitative acid-baseequilibria. It is surprising that buffer systems are not discussed here, or elsewhere, considering their importance in chemistry, biology, and the environment. Although the section on
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bonding deserihes Lewis structures and gives numerous e m n l e s of electron dot diaerama. 11fails to clearl) spell our m a few srmple rule how m e really goesahout drawrngauch adiagram. Environmental problems mated hy man's effect on the climate are discussed in Chapter 9, along with such timely topics as the greenhouse effect, effects of atmospheric particles, the SST controversy, and weather modification. Chapter 10 briefly covers chemistry of the Group IA, IIA, VIA, and VIIA elements, introduces the reader to redox reactions, and then uses sulfur chemistry to nicely lead into the topics of air pollution caused by sulfur compounds and particulate material, including a lucid account of their effects upon the lungs. Nitrogen and ~ h o s ~ h o rchemistrv us is discussed in Chanter 11along with the role of nitrogen in life systems, the phosphate controversy, and eutrophication of water bodies. Chapter 12,"Metals," contains 31 pages of fascinating reading, starting with the general properties of metals and continuing on with the chemistry, uses, resources, and recycling of the more common metals. The chapter is concluded with an extensive treatment af the biological functions of essential metals and the bad effects of the toxic metals, with eonsiderable space d o t t e d to lead, the "mercury scare," beryllium, and cadmium. A fairly standard introduction t o organic chemistry follows in Chapter 13, including'better than standard discussions on soao. esters. detergmts, insertirider, polvmeri, and uthrr nppl~rntions.Thii prepare, the reader rm rhr next chapter in which petroleum, the internal combustion engine (ICE), and photochemical smog are extensively discussed. Each of the ICE air pollutants is treated in turn, with presentation of considerable data on environmental and physiological effects. The chapter is then concluded with sections on emissions control devices and alternatives to the standard ICE such as fuel cells and gas turbines. Chapter 15 introduces the elements of biochemistry, including the usual sections on vitamins, medicines, and drugs. The parts on proteins, enzymes, nucleie acids, and sickle-cell anemia are the best that I have ever +ten in an introductury trxt:l'hr authors cmcludc their text with a shorr chaptrr d r srrrhrng research and legislatiun u,hirh ,auld alleviate or reverse many of the environmental and global problems discussed in previous chapters. The four appendices in(Continued on page A430)
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Volume 53, Number 10, October 1976 / A429
book reviews elude a mathematical review, SI units and scientific measurements, energy and power units, and a much too brief treatment of concentration units. A glossary of 185 words and terms and a section on answers t o selected problems completes the book. The authors have done much to make chemistry an appealing subject, and they have written this text in delightful s t y l ~ n e whieh reads very well and does not talk down to the reader. Non-science students, chemistry majors, and teachers would profit hy reading it. Roy D. Caton. Jr. University of New MexiM) Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
under review they have been joined by two other chemists serving as editors in preparing the third edition of one which has been designed for students who have had no earlier experience in a chemistry course. This manual includes 39 experiments and 7 study assignments. Many of the experiments are traditional and have been used repeatedly with relatively minor modifications since appearing in the author's first published laboratory manual. All important and appropriate areas of general chemistry are represented in the selection of experiments including an abbreviated scheme of qualitative analysis for ten common cations and nine anions. Literature references to this Journal are provided with several of the experiments, particularly those which have been added to the list morerecently. Five new experiments not included in earlier editions appear; these involve the determination of Avogadra's number (stearie acid film), observation of atomic spectra, separation of ions by paper chromatography, a study of vitamin C. of the adivitv of amylase . and . ~observation ~ and mtalasr. Supplrmentary dnta fur the prpermentsore pruvided in It; rnhler in the appendix. Experimental instructions are clear and complete and follow a brief introduction and develo~mentof the underlyinx theory. The use of'numerous drawings is& helpful. Laboratory safety is stressed. AU experiments can be reasonably performed in one threehour laboratory period. Report sheets (tearout) are provided with each experiment whieh clearly indicate the observations and measurements to be made hy the student as he fills in the blanks and spaces. There are ~
FrantrlMalm's Essentials of Chemistry In the Laboratory. Third Edition
James B. Ifft, University ofRedlands; and Julion L. Roberts, Jr., University of Redlands. W. H. Freeman Co., San Francisco, 1975. xiii 442 pp. Figs. and tables. 27.5 X 21.5 em. $5.95.
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For the past 25 years Harper W. Frantz and Lloyd E. Malm have produced a succession of laboratory manuals for the beginning chemistry course. With the manual here
also questions and problems to test the student's understanding. Each of the experiments in the manual is available as a laboratory separate from the publisher. This manual is highly recommended as a collection of time-tested and self-contained laboratory assignnients for its intended audience. E. Kirk Roberts Middlebury College Middiebury. Vermont 05753
lntroductlon lo Modern Blochemlstry
P. Karlson, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Marhurg. Translated by Charles H. Daering, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine. Academic Press, New York, 1975. xiii 545 pp. Figs and tables. 24 X 16.5 cm. $15.95.
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The author has succeeded rather well a t covering the exceedingly broad spectrum of subject matter that can be included in an introductory biochemistry course, and the treatment of topics is often penetrating enough to afford some appreciation of the frontier. However, the text is almost devoid of classic experiments along with the excitement of discovery, and there are other important omissions. For example, no indication is given of how semi-conservative replication was demonstrated, of the role of DNA ligase in joining Okazaki fragments, of how nueleie acid reassociation kinetics can be analyzed, or even of what s Cat curve is:The treatment of regulatory enzymes is outdated; in fact the regulation of such enzymes as aspartate transcarbamylase and of glutamine synthetase is not mentioned. It is indicated that cyclic AMP does affect protein kinases hut only in regard to glycogen metabolism, and the mechanism for this activation of protein kinase is not depicted. The role of cyclic AMP in the transcription of operons is not mentioned. No indication is given of how the instructive theory for antibody formation was disoroved. and there is o n h a cursorv sentrner pertaming tu the pn,hlem of how diverse nntihc,dy sprciiw~tasarrgenerated 'l'nr hlhllonraph) hardy sufficr~with re. spect to its comprehensiveness. However, i t is fairly well up-to-date, especially if allowance is made for the text being originally written in German. A serious deficiency is that the reader is not confronted with the solving of concrete problems. This is most successfully done in "Biochemistry, A Problems Approach" by W. B. Wood, J. H. Wilson, R. M. Benbow, andL. Hood (W. A. Beniamin, Inc., 1974). Furthermore, problemsets conclude each of the chapters in the splendid new texts "Biochemistrv" bv A. L. Lehnineer (Worth Pub-
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not competitive with these texts exiept for use by readers with a very limited knowledge of chemistry and biology. Mitchel T. Abbon San Olego Shlte University San Dieso. California 92182
(Continued on Daze A342) A430 / Journal of Chemical Education
