for his serious consideration since it is a fine addition to the library of modern chemistry texts.
BOOK
REVIEWS
Chemistry: Structure and Reactions
M i l t n K . Snyde~, Colordo College, Colordo Springs. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Ine., New York, 1966. xiii 748 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 24cm. 119.95.
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A new hook has been created that should answer the needs of many of us who are teaching chemistry to students with extremely varied backgrounds. This hook should he snceessful because the arrangement is so different from any text corrently on the market and so different from any currently being used a t the secondary level. This unique approach is based an energetics, shapes and properties of molecules, and eqoilihris. The need for s. different. approach arises because so many well-prepared students tend to "ride" in the beginning of a course and end in trouble. Also, a new approach to descriptive chemistry is refreshing bath to student and instntctor. Quantum phenomena. are introduced with nuclear reactions and reinforced by a detailed study of the hydrogen atom. Unlike many texts, this one, through potenlid energy and electrostatic arguments, expands these concepts to demonstrate the similarities and t,he differences between the hydrogen atom and the many-electron atom. Here, also, the concepts of degeneracy, ground states, and excited states are presented in an easily
-Reviewed
R. K. BIRDWHI~TELL Butler Universttg Indianapolis, Indiana
understood manner which shoi~ldhe exciting to the student. The same thoroughness is carried throughout this volume. Concepts which may he fimt introduced in theoretical terms, are reinforced by applications to chemical situations. This is done, to quote the author's preface, "because I feel that students have difficulty in seeing the relationship between theoretical concepts and actud chemical systems." Another unique feature of this text is the integration of organic reactions in a natural wsy so that the student's first impression of these types of reactions is that they fit into the scheme of things and are not an isolated phenomena. For example in Chapter 8 following a discus sion of peroxides, hydrasine, nitrogen oxides, and other catenated species, comes s, discussion of hydrocahons. I n Chapter 9,which is entitled Some Ternary snd Higher Compounds of the Nonmetals, one finds tucked in between the oxy-halogen acids and the hydroxy acids of sulfur a discussion of alcohols and ethers. The usual attributes of good modern texts are found: good problems, easily understood diagrams, caneise intmduetions to each chapter, and clearly presented problem examples. Perhaps the one major objection to this volume is that the index appears to be incomplete, hut this could he rectified by the inclusion of a formula index in the next printing. I can recommend this text to any instructor
in this Issue
Millon R . Snyder, Chemistry: Struct,ure and Reactions Henry A . Bent, The Second Law: An Introd~tct,ionto Classical and Statistical Thermodynarnia Jacob Kleinbe~g,symposium director, Mechanisms of Inorganic Reactions Robert IF'. K i m , Introduction to Mass Spectrometryand Its Applications Ronald Beleher, Suhmicro Methods of Organic Analysis I. M . Koraman. Introduction to Quantitative Ultramicroanalvsis Keniti Higasi, Hiroaki Baba, and Alan Rembaum, Quantum Organic Chemistry Andrew Streitwieser, Jr., J . I . Braurnan, and C . A . Coulson, Supplemental TablS of Moleeulzir Orbital Cdclculations with a Dictionary of 7-Electron Csleulat,ions. Volumes 1 and 2 Karl Abreseh and Ingeborg Claassen, Coulometrio Analysis Pat~ickMeares, Polymers: Structure and Bulk Properties A. R. P a t h , Biochemical Energetics and Kinetics S. Cofey, editor, Rodd's Chemistry of Carbon Compounds. Volume 1, Aliphatic Compounds, Part D, Dihydric Alcohols, Their Oxidat,ion Products and Derivatives Anthony Standen, editor, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Thlume 7, Dialysis to Electron Spin Resonance Arthur Stall, editor, From My Life: TheMemoirs of Richard Willstitter August Kekuld, CassirteKapitel aus der Ahhandlong Verlag Chemie, editon, Mixtura Mirahilis New Volumes in Continuing Series
The Second Law: An Introduction to Classical ond St~tirticol Thermodynamics
H a r y A . Bent, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Oxford Univenity Press, New York, 1965. 450 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23 cm. .W. "The Second Law" is a highly individualistic text. The characteristic of such texts is that they usually make very interesting reading and contain many useful sections, but are quite restricted as to the courses where they may be used. This is certainly the caye with "The Second Law," which was presumably prepared for a freshman honors course which the author teaches. I t should prove to be quite useful for such a course and, indeed, I would lave to teach an honors course with a small class of liberal arts students using this text. However, I would not recommend it for students who will be taking additional chemistry COUTSeG. The book begins brilliantly with a fmnt,&pieee by Steinberg (of the New Yorker maeazinel showine a boulder chasing a. m i n uphill. ~ h i s & ? s the stage for applying the second law consistently throughout t,he text to a vast variety of problems. I n form, the hook almost resembles a programmed text and it may find extensive use as a problem hook or a supplement. The actual textual material is quite short, and fully one-half of the book is used for problems and the very extensive and detailed answers to these problems. The devotion of such a large portion of the hook to worked out answers i.one of its strongest features. Averitable wealth of historical and biographical information is appended to the ends of man?. of the chapters and this also enhances the value of the book. The appendices contain & tzseful and extensive compilation of thermodynamic data. The development is far from rigorous, depending too much an clarifying footnotes and addends. Eventually, e v e w thing seems to straighten out, but many would object to the loose (hut always
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it requires too many parenthetical eomments to yield a disciplined introduction t,o classical and statistical thermodynamics. The hook is divided into five major parts: I. Introduotion to Classical Thermodynamies; 11. Free Energy and Phase Stability; 111. An Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics; IV. Applications: and V. The Role of Mathematics in Thermodvnamics. The first four Darts do not,
Volume 43, Number 7, July 1966
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