numerous examoles of electron dot diaerams.
Chemistry In Modern Perspective
Glen Gordon, University of Maryland, and William Zoller, University of Maryland. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Massachusetts, 1975. xvii 459 pp. Figures and tables. 22 X 24 cm.
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In their preface t o this new text the authors state that it was developed for a course which "would he quite interesting to the students and, a t the same time, prepare them as well as possible to 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 aone-semester course for nonseience majors, this book has been tested in the authors' course for seven offerings prior tu publication. In treating a remarkably diverse set of topics, the text includes considerable material from biology, geology, astronomy, physin, and meteorology whenever these subjects relate to the topics a t hand. The authors have been careful to present the beneficial aspects of chemistry as well as the negative ones, and that is what sets this text apart from many others designed for similar courses. Moreover, the authors continually suggest alternatives and solutions to our chemically generated 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 theory sections, but the authors have understandably minimized the mathematical requirements and detailed treatment of chemical theory to keep the text in bounds for a one-semester course. Those persons desiring more worked examples on staichiometry or eas laws. for examole. , . mieht .. wish t o suoplcment this text wnh O ~ (11 P the man) availal,lc uorkhcr,ksc,r ~ m p r r b n r k . * u n p n h lem solving. One of the best features of this text is the lavish use of tables, diaprams, and pictorial presentations which are both appealing to the eye and pertinent to the topics being dis-
Reviewed ln Thls Issue
cussed. Typical examples of the latter are DDT in the food chain, pathways of radioactive fallout to man, sources of atmospheric particulate material, and the nitrogen cycle. Each chapter is accompanied with numerous references, both in footnotes and in reading lists. Chapter 14, "Petroleum, the Automobile, and Photochemical Smog," for example, cites 39 different references, many published in 1973. Indeed, many teachers of standard general chemistry courses should find this text to be extremely useful as a sourer of provocative and germane material with which to enliven their lectures. l h p Iwok bcpirns \\ith introductory c h ~ p tcrs on tlw impart uf w e n r e nntl t e hnrhgy ~ upon am'iel). tIw IrrSlment uf ntomi nnd molecules, the mole concept and stoichiametry, and the bulk properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Rather than introduce all the concepts in the early chapters, the authors have skillfullv introduced manv of them in w r i w s chapters thrw~glwutrrw text. 'l'nus. nn i n t n d u r t i m to rltttrurhrmiatry 1% r r served fur ('hapter 12. "hlrtals." nhrre the activity series, batteries, and electrolysis are discussed. Chapter 4 treats the topic of energy in detail and presents nicely integrated sections on energy needs and sources, thermal pollution, and the present and future sources of energy. Chapter 5 devotes itself to nuclear energy, radiuaetivity, 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 asoeds of modern atomic structure.
with molecular structure, spectra of molecules, and the physical propertiesofwater. It is here that the reader is introduced to water as a chemical system via the route of acidbase chemistrv. the oH coneeot.. and a brief lrr.~rmentdqtrant~t.rtiwac:&t,n\r ryuihlrria. 11 is rurprlwp rhor bufier )strn,snrr ntnt discussed here, or elsewhere, considering their importance in chemistry, biology, and the environment. Although the section on bonding describes Lewis structures and gives
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agram. Environmental problems created by 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 VlIA 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. ineludine a lucid account
tems, the phosphate controversy, and eutrophication of water bodies. Chapter 12, "Metals," contains 31 pages of fascinating reading, starting with the general properties uf metals and continuing on with the chemistry, uses, resources, and recycling of the more common metals. The chapter is concluded with an extensive treatment of the biological functions of essential metals and the bad effects of the toxicmetals, with considerable space allotted to lead, the "mercury scare", beryllium, and cadmium. A fairly standard introduction to organic chemistry follows in Chapter 13, including better than standard discussions on soap, esters, detergents, insecticides, polymers and other applications. This prepares the reader far the next chapter in which petroleum, the internal combustion engine (ICE), and photochemical smog are extensively discussed. Each of the ICE air oollutants is treated in turn. with
emissions control devices and alternatives to the standard ICE such as fuel cells and gas turbines. Chapter 15 introduces the elements of biuchemistry, including the usual sections on vitamins, medicines, and drugs. The parts on proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, and sickle-cell anemia are the best that I have ever seen in an introductory text. The authors conclude their text with a short chapter describing research and legislation which could alleviate or reverse many of the environmental and global problems discussed in previous chapters. The four appendices include 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 (Continued on page A292)
I Reuiewer
Olon Onrrlon 2nd Willinm Zofler , Chemiatrv .... -~~~~~~~~in Modern Persoective William L. Masterton and Emil J. Slowins& Chemical ~ r i n E i p ~ e4th s , Editior William S. Seese and Guido H. Daub,Basic Chemistry, 2nd Edition Molly M . Bloomfield, Chemistry and the Living Organism ~ , d n > \Ke,ttlr, Symmetry in Chem~stry t ' m n t , i r k I ' j d r o , K u r d .~s J o n M Smith. M a t h e r n a r d Xlodelinr and 1)iriraI S~mulntimfc,r Kwinrcrs and
Roy D. Caton, Jr. Dewey K. Carpenter Michael A. Wsrtell Jim Bier David F. Dever William R. Heineman Charles L. Wilkins
A291 A292 A292 A292 A293 A294 A294
Scientists New Volumes in Continuing Series
Volume 55, Number 7. July 1978 / A291
book reviews 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 deliehtful s t v l e - m e s,hlch rradi w r y wrll and dur, not talk duun to the rcndpr. Son-sricnre students, rhrmistry majors, and teachers would profit by reading it.
certainly is a good one if one wishes t o adopt a h w k which stresses principles a t the expense of descriptive chemistry. Dewey K. Carpenter Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Lwisiana 70803
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William L. Masterton, University of Connecticut, and Emil J. Slowinski, MacAlester College. Illustrated by George Kelvin. W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 1977. xv 636 52-appendix xx-index pp. Figs. and tables. 20 X 27 cm. $15.95.
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This latest edition of a oroven text exhibits the strengths and weaknrsser of the previws e d ~ r i malong , with some improvrmenl*. The strength; rnc lude clarity ofrxpmlram, l u r d figures, an abundant number of aptly chosen worked out examples, an excellent collection of problems (with many answers) and a very helpful glossary. The chapter on thermochemistrv has been imoroved. the treatment previously, a good chapter on polymers (synthetic and natural) has been added, and there is a hit more organic chemistry. A number of colored plates illustrate effectively some chemical phenomena which depend on color. The publisher, by increasing the page size, has produced a somewhat more awkward hook to hold. A more serious limitation of the hook is its overbalanced stress on principles a t the expenseof descriptive chemistry. The authors acknowledee in their oreface that mu31 studenw are preparing tor rnrwr3 tRhel than in chemistry dnd that tnrrrforr appl~. enrion principles i, sought. Although the present edition does include more practical applications than its predecessors, the book still comes through primarily as an introductory book in physical chemistry. In fact, 20 - of the 25 chaoters in the book are devoted to standard t u p m found in typical phy,ical chemistry texts. If is significant that the pul,li.;her has found it nwessarv tu supplement this book with a companion volume "Modern Descriptive Chemistry," by Rochow. averv fine book. One can onlvwish that ~ a s k r t o n - a n dSlowinski had inioroorated more ofthir tvpr ofrnatrr~almtu thew text, at the expense, if necessary, of some ot the physical chemistry. Additional companion volumes are also available of the usual sort nowdays: Student's guide, instructor's manual, self-paced study suoolements. audio-taoe materials. and even the text using SI unlts a spwinl w r s i m thn,udh
