tion and procedures for use of a number of special instruments. Probably of greatest use to the laboratow instructor are the annendices listing the apparatus required by experiment and the amount of various chemicals required for these experiments. In conclusion this edition represents a major improvement of the original manual and deserves consideration.
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Interfacial Electrochemistry: An Experimental Approach
E. Gileodi, E. Kirowo-Eisner, and J. Peneiner, Tel-Aviv University. AddisonWesley Publishing Company, Inc., Reading, 1975. aviii 525 pp. Figs. and tables. 23.5 X 16 em. $13.50.
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The field of electrochemistry consists of two branches, ionics and electrodies. Ionics focuses on the properties and behavior of ions in solution whereas eleetmdics deals with the structure nnd pnlpertlrs 01 thr intrrphare hrtwecn a n t.lectn,deand n solution and the transfer of electric charges across this interMolecular Blology of the Gene phase. Ionics is usually treated in general textbooks on physical chemistry and several James D. Watson, Harvard University and experiments are typically found in experiCold Spring Harbor Laboratory. W. A. mental physical chemistry texts. However, Benjamin, he., Menla Park, California, the authors point out that experiments in 1976. xxiv 739 pages. Figures and tables. electrodies are almost nonexistent in these 19 X 25.5 em. $15.95. texts. The authors' purpose in writing "Interfacial Electrochemistry" was to remedy I first became acquainted with the "Mothis situation by producing a text with 40 lecular Biology of the Gene" as a freshman experiments on various aspects of electrodwhen the proofs of the first edition were the ics. basis of an introductory biology coune I took. The book is divided into two parts. Part I This past quarter the last part of the new 3rd gives short accounts of the fundamentals of edition formed the core of a graduate course double-layer theory, electrode kinetics, adin molecular biology I taught. The book is sorption, corrosion, batteries and fuel cells, admirably suited to bath needs. and electroplating. The authors mean for this The first half of the book is essentially section to serve as a refresher and a quick unchanged from the 2ndedition and remains reference rather than as a source for studying an effective introduction to biochemistry and electrodies. Consequently, the basic asmolecular biology. The rest consists of a re- sumptions and descriptions of the physical vision of the section on DNA replication and situation are given, followed by the final RNA and protein synthesis, followed by a equations. new section on euearyotie cells. Topics eovPart 11 is devoted to 40 experiments in ered include cell motilitv. control of cell electrodics. These are organized in groups of growth, embryology, antibddy synthesis and 2-5, each group corresponding to one parthe molecular biology of tumor viruses. The ticular aspect of electrodics. The following coverage is completely up-to-date, incorpoareas are represented: electronics related t o rating much material which has not yet been electrochemistrv . (onerational amnlifier). published. The few outside readinm given a t rrfrrrnrr rlrctrodeq, duul,lt. layer measureihe end of these chapters quickly p%de the nirnrs, strurtdrr uf the iunir doul,le layer and more advanced reader with the papers rerlec~rodr pruccsscr. kinetics of hydrogen quired to fill out the knowledge. evolution, rotating-disc electrode, reaction Much of the material in these chapters is order studies, kinetic parameters by galvawritten from the point of view of the Cold nostatic and potentiostatie transients, cyclic Spring Harbor group. Hence, some topics are voltammetry, voltammetry a t controlled not covered. The extensive work of Roy current and potential, adsorption of oxygen Britten, Eric Davidson and coworkers using and hydrogen, electrasorption of benzene, DNA-DNA reassociation kinetics is not adsorption of hydrogen in palladium and mentioned althoueh it renresents the nrimarv diffusion through it, and kinetic studies of the thrnry