A Laboratory Manual of Qualitative Analysis (Miller, Frederick W., Jr

A Laboratory Manual of Qualitative Analysis (Miller, Frederick W., Jr.) Stephen G. Simpson. J. Chem. Educ. , 1930, 7 (9), p 2212. DOI: 10.1021/ed007p2...
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION

SEpTEnraEn, 1930

slight but obvious misprint in develop- A Laboratory Manual of Qualitative JR., Analysis. FREDERICKW. MILLER, ment of Van der Waal's equation. On Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemp. 65, the first two sentences of exercise 7 istry, New York University (University could better he eliminated. On p. 205, Heights). First edition, The Century the wording near the end of the first Co., New York City, 1930. xiii paragraph is not correct, likewise near 233 pp. 8 figures. 13 X 20 cm. the tap of p. 206. Near the middle of $2.00. p. 226 there is one of the very few but obvious slip-ups in proof reading. On I n preparing this laboratory manual p. 307, paragraph 1, sentence 2. other to accompany his "Theory of Qualitative wording would perhaps be better. Other Analysis," the author confesses to the possible changes could be made on pages influence of the text by A. A. Noyes 413, 583, 591, and 603. A statement on which he has in the past used in his p. 4 that "about ten of the elements are classes. To any one who is familiar gases" m i ~ hbetter t be "ten of the known with the e x d e n t manual by Prof. Noyes elements are gases." On the same page this influence is noticeable, not only in also, the statement, "Rutherford observed the chemical procedures but also in the a slight but distinct decomposition of arrangement of the accompanying notes nitrogen, aluminum, sodium, phosphorus, and questions. The author has introboron, and fluorine," would, perhaps, duced innovations, however, and made have been better left out, unless the stu- several changes in the procedures, and dent is informed into what they were the general excellence of the manual decomposed. undoubtedly lies in its conservative Considerable use of graphic formulas treatment. is an advantageous feature. The book Following a brief chapter on laboratory is up to date, very much so, and includes technic, the author gives a series of prereferences to para-hydrogen, "dry ice," liminary test-tube experiments for the vitamins, the work of Bergius, etc. purpose of showing the characteristic Valence, photosynthesis, foods and nutrireactions of the cations. This is followed tion, and colloids are very well treated by the systematic procedures. Explanaand some topics are included which are tory notes accompany the procedures usually found only in physical chemistry and are referred to directly by encircled texts. numbers. Accompanying each group of Chemistry teachers will read this book procedures is a tabular outline of the with interest and mental profit. Many group and, as a further aid to the student, will use i t in their classes. Industrial a chart or "flow sheet" is appended which chemists and others interested in general uses that method of tabulation first chemistry should read it. Finally, and desrribed in the literature by Prof. Hodge mast important, the student of chemistry [I. CHEM. E ~ u c . ,6, 242 (Feb., 1927)l who studies it, who is interested, who has and also used by W. W. Scott in his a little guidance by a conscientious teacher "Elements of Qualitative Chemical An(as most students of chemistry have), alysis." and who applies himself; that student Important differencesin the separations will have acquired a great mental asset. from those used by A. A. Noyes are as The reviewer recommends i t to all in- follows: 1. Sodium hydroxide is used terested in general chemistry as an excep- to separate the copper-tin groups. This tionally good text, teachable from an brings mercury mostly into the copper inductive teaching viewpoint, as a second group but avoids the large precipitate book of chemistry. of sulfur when the tin group solution is C. A. B R A ~ T L E C ~acidified. 2. Bismuth, copper, and cadU N I V B ~ or) L ~MAINS ~Y mium are precipitated from lead by excess O~orro,MAINS

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sodium hydroxide. 3. The cyanide method is used t o separate copper .. from cadmium. 4. Phosphate is removed by the basic acetate method directly follawing the analysis of the copper-tin groups. This does not give as satisfactory a test for alumhum or chromium but does not cause possihle division of the alkaline earths into two groups. 5. A somewhat different systematic treatment of the chloride group is used. A few criticisms may he made. I n the first place, in view of the fact that the author's accompanying volume contains a discussion of various phases of the ionic theory, it is disappointing t o find that in the laboratory manual nearly all equations are written in the molecular farm. I t seems almost self-evident that ionic reactions are best expressed by ionic equations and i t is the reviewer's opinion that such equations not only come nearer to expressing true chemical changes hut are easier t o write than molecular equations. By using ionic symbols the author would avoid his confessed difficulty (p. 39) of expressing salutes in his tabular diagrams. It is also unfortunately true that however much a good photograph may appeal to the esthetic sense, i t seldom gives as much information as a more prosaic pen-and-ink diagram. With the possihle exception of Figures 3 and 7 (and these are marred by p m hackgrounds) the photographs in the book fail appreciably t o amplify or clarify the text. It seems hardly necessary to include a photograph (Figure 1B) showing how a filter paper is inserted in a funnel, and The Fluoride Test (Figure 6) and The Borate Test (Figure 8) are essentially identical. Neither shows clearly the construction of the tube used for the test. As a final criticism, the equilibrium HtS 2HC S- (p. 55) is decidedly misleading even though accompanied by the statement that the ionization really takes place in two steps. As a whole, the book is t o be highly recommended t o the teacher of qualitative

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analysis who desires a conservative laboratory treatment of the subject, a set of procedures which are thorough and reliable, and accompanying notes which give concise yet clear discussions of all the major chemical changes. S T S ~ N G. SIMPSON

Colloids. H. R. KRuYT, Universitv of Utrecht. Translated by H. S, VAN K w o s m n . Second edition, John Wilev and Sons, Inc., New York city, 1930. 286 pp. 118 figs. 15 X 23 cm. xiii $3.50.

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The general plan and arrangement of subject matter differ hut little from the first edition which appeared in 1927. The chapter and topic headings are almost identical with the previous edition, the increase in content amounting t o twentyfour pages. The most important channes are the-discussions dealing with the eictric double layer, -~ peptization, and the kineticr of flocculation. I n both editions the author has chosen "the methods of physical chemistry t o outline the path along which the study of colloids should be pursued," so that this text is suitable only far students who have bad a course in physical chemistry. Those who have been using the previous edition will welcome this revised and enlarged text. D. C. LICHTENWAI,NBR ~

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Annual Survey of American Chemistry. Volume N. July 1,192S-Decemher31, 1929. Edited by Clarence J. West under the auspices of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the National Research Council. Published for the National Research Council by the Chemical Catalog Co.. New York City, 1930. 549 pp. 13 X 21 cm. $4.00. This volume of the Annual Survey has been extended t o cover a period of eighteen