BOOK REVIEWS text book in a two-semester or threequarter sequence should be restricted to first college courses in which the students have had comprehensive high school courses in chemistry, mathematics, and probably physics and have scored high in meaningful examinations in these subjects. I t would be mast suitable as a. text in a general chemistry honola course. R r c ~ h n oDRESDNER University of Florida Gainesyille
Chemistry
E. Russell Hardwick, University of Cdifornia, Los Angeles. Blaisdell Publishing Ca. (a division of Ginn and Co.), 303 pp. Figs. New York, 1965. xi and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $7.50.
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No instructor in introductory college chemistry needs to be told of the greatly increased emphasis on atomic and moleeular structure, thermodyuamics, and kinetics which has made recent first-year texts so different from their predecessors. Dr. Hardwick's book represents an extension of this trend into the area of the one-semester or two-quarter terminal course. The author hits, however, wisely chosen t o avoid the postulational approach which presents the facts af chemistry only as consequences of fundamental principles. Dr. Hardwick has succeeded remarkably well in overcoming the severe problems of selection and compression which the plan of his book entailed. The first five c h a p tern are devoted to the olassical development of the concepts of the atom and the molecule; the next five discuss atomic structure, periodicity, and chemical bonding, and the next four take up (among other things) equilibrium, ionisation eonstants, organic stnictures, and the properties of crystals in the light of the eadier material. A final chapter outlines several important processes of bhe chemical industry. The author approaches the student in an unusually direct and comradely fashion. There is a four page preface addressed to the student, and each chapter is provided with an introductory statement of purpose and a. ooncluding summary. The style is brisk and concise, with touches of humor: occasional referehces to lecture demonstrations provide valuable hints for the teacher. Many signifioant but commonl?' overlooked details are carefully clarified: for example, it is pointed out (p. 157) that the transfer of a n electron from a sodium atom to a chlorine atom results in a net decrease in potential energy only on condition that the two ions remain close together. The problems given, though not numerous, provide a good test of the student's comprehension. Unfortunately, there are times when Dr. Hardwick's efforts to achieve brevity and simplicity lead him into trouble. Sometimes this trouble takes the form of inadequate definitions; thus the paragraph on (Continued on page A996)
BOOK REVIEWS half life (p. 102) is not likely to convey the actual significance of this term. Sometimes related concepts are not properly distinguished: electric field and electric potential are confused (p. SO), while the system described as an analogy for dynamic equilibrium (p. 182) actually represents a steady state. The reviewer re grets that such matters were not fully and precisely expounded even a t the cost of some increase in length; a topic should be made clear if it is introduced a t all, and Dr. Hardwick's expository skill is abundantly evident elsewhere in the hook. The inevitable misprints and minor errors are present but few. Despite its imperfections, the book as a whole is an original and valuable contribution to chemical education. I t should appeal widely to teachers and students alike. G. EVANS GORDON Tufts Univwsitg Medfwd, Massachusetts
Chemical Principles
William L. Mosterta, University of Connecticut, Storm, and Emil J. Slowinski, Mscalester College, St. Paul, W. B. Saunders Co., Minnesota. 669 pp. Philadelphia, 1966. xxiv Figs. and tables. 17 X 25.5 em. $8.75.
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I t is often said that if you want a. text to suit the course you think should he taught, you must write it yourself. The reviewer did not write this book and in accord with the above statement it is probably not the text I would pick for my introductory chemistry course. There are nevertheless valid arguments for a diversity of approaches to teaching beginning college chemistry and this leaves a place for several good texts to sati~fythe teachers and the needs of different types of students. This is a hook oriented toward descriptive chemisty, and those who are inclined toward theory will find it disappointing. My criticism is with the intent of the authors rather than with the accuracy and clarity of the writing, which on the whole is very good. The book gives the impression of hrwing been written for an updated version of the freshman course of about 15 years ago. Here you can read about the Solvay pr* eess, how sodium is produced commercially, the corrosion of metals, or how water softeners work. Valence bond theory in its simplest form is used to describe covalent bonding with barely 8. mention of molecular orbital theory. Crystal field thmrv is discussed hrieflv in one of the fine-print sections in the chapter on complex ions hut the main emphasis again is the VB approach. A minimum of mathematics is used and the level of it requires only a knowledge of the hare rudiments of algebra. Even where simple concepts of trigonometry or calculus could be used in a footnote to state concisely what is being done, for the (Catinued on. page A998)
A996 / Journol of Chemiml Education
