book reviews Editor: W. F. KIEFFER Collogo of Woostor
Woorter, Ohio
College Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis. 4th Edition
William H . Nebergall end Frederic C . Schmidt, hoth of Indiana. University, and Henry F. Holtzcluw, Jr., University of Nebraska. D. C. Heath and Co., 1009 Lexington, Mess., 1972. xvi pp. Figs. and tables. 24 X 19.5 em. $11.95. The new fourth edition of the Nebergall-Schmidt-Holtzclaw progrsm for introductory college chemistry courses appear8 to retain the superior pedagogical features I .CHEM. of the previous editions [see . EDUC.46, 258 (19fiQ); 47, A442 (1970)l. It also incorporates new material which increases the amount of theory and principles and expands the length of the hooks by nearly 300 pages. As before, a choice of two texts is availahle. "General Chemistry" and "College Chemistry" are identical in their first thirty-three chapters, hut "General Chemistry" discusses the metals aocarding to the periodic groups while "College Chemistry" presents a study of the metals within the context of a qualitative analysis scheme. The latter text includes eight supplementary chapters which provide a n introduction to semimicro qualitative analysis. Supplemental materials especially d s signed for use with the texts include s. students' study guide by Norman E. Griswold, a most helpful instructor's msnuel by the same author, and a fourth edition of "Basic Laboratory Studies in College Chemistry" by William Hered and W. H. Nebergall. An entirely new chapter on Chemical Thermodynamics has been added to both texts. The level is substantial even though it is accessible to students without
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the chapters, this feature should contribute to the books' usefulness in subsequent courses. I n summary, these new editions represent the combined efforts of authors and publisher to further improve and modernize an already widely accepted program for beginning chemistry courses. A variety of such courses to meet varying needs could be devised by selecting the appropriate combination of text and auxiliary paperbacks from the available package.
training in. calculus. Unfortunately, it is the eighteenth chapter so t h a t many University of Toledo chances to apply thermodynamic princiToledo, Ohio 45606 ple.~I,, topirs ~n r ~ r l w or l ~ ~ p rH~Wr~s l l l ~ ~ h l . k:culu~icnl pnJ,lenls a d polluriwu urr diicueenl in r+larim. ro rhc cllar,~wcouLIIC atmosphere, water, and nucle& chemistry Ions in Aqueous Systems. An and with topics such as phosphates, lead, Introduction to Chemical Equilibrium and mercury compounds. Considerable and Solution Chemistry emphasis is given to energy and raw msterial resources for the future. Themld Moeller, Arizona State UniverA generous number of questions, exersity, and Rod O'Connor, University of cises, and problems are provided a t the Arizona. MeGraw-Hill Book Co., New ends of the chapters. Many of the proh367 pp. Figs. and York, 1972. x lems are entirely new to the fourth edition tables. 22.7 X 16.7 em. $6.50. while those problems retained from the third edition have been rewarded and new This is a. clearly written elementary text numerical values have been assigned. for inorgsnic qualitative analysis along Over 1200 hihliographical listings a t the traditional lines. The authors believe end of each chapter refer the student to that study of ionic reactions is essential in journal articles, scientific magazines, texts, general chemistry for scientists and t h a t and reference books for enrichment readqualitative analysis is the most effective ing. vehicle yet found to achieve a suitable The twa-calm format of the third edicombination of theory and observation in tion has been retained, hut hoth texts have this study. The reviewer agrees. Stubeen reset in a new typeface with wide dents enjoy it. margins for note taking. The second Gdod features of this text are the excelcolor is used to distinguish important lent laboratory directions of 114 pages, points and to illustrate three dimensional and the 72 pages of helpful tahles and chemical structures. Almost half the appendices. Anions ale treated first for illustrations are entirely new or redrawn the convincing reasons that their chemisfrom previous editions. The outside try is simpler and their presence or abcovers are much more attractive and pracsence can affectwhat the cations do duling tical than any of those of the previous analysis. There is welcome emphasis on editions. deduction from preliminary tests and h e Expanded appendices include new tables havior a t every step of the analysis. Inof general physical constants and basic structions are clear and detailed. units for the International System of Units The first 173 pages of the text present a. (81) and a. greatly enlalged-table of stantraditional treatment of ionic, waterdard reduction ootentials. The index. solution equilibria using simple algebra and molarities exclusively. Appropriate stress is placed on the importance of s t e p wise equilibria in treating metal ian-ligand solutions. However, the repeated remark that the presence of excess of ligand allows one to assume that the highest complex predominates is not generally true. The unbound ligand concentration and Kr valoes must be examined to deduce what is present especially with the weak camplexes of ammonia and halides so common in the systems being treated. There is detailed treatment of metal complex nomenclature, and a brief discussion of the stn~etures. Kinetics and mechanisms of react,ivns are presented briefly. While the authors elesrly show the effect of acidity on thesolubility of a solfide, they unfortunately choose silver and calcium phosphates far worked examples in which aeid-base effects are ignored. This results in error in the range of two to four powers of ten in the answers. More a p propriate systems, with less basic anions, could he chosen, if this effect is considered
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( C d i n u e d a page A698) Volume
49, Number 12, December 1972
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A697
