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more difficult exercises are carefully distinguished by asterisks, thereby preventing the discouragement of duller or less interested students who might otherwise have blundered onto them. The authors have placed special emphasis on the gas laws, stoichiometric computations, and those calculations which are involved in quantitative analysis. By contrast, the field of physical chemistry is dealt with rather sketchily. Several subjects (including electromotive force, the properties of liquids and solids, reaction velocity, and surface phenomena) which are commonly included even in introductory or “short course” discussions of physical chemistry are completely omitted from this survey. While this book is not adapted to the educational system of most American universities, i t may prove useful to students who are attempting an independent review of their elementary chemistry or to teachers who wish to add a few straightforward practical problems to their list of exercises. ROBERTLIVINGSTON. Electronic Structure and Chemzcal Banding (with special reference to inorganic chemistry). By 0. I(. RICE. 6 x 9 in.; 511 pp. New Tork and London: McGrawHill Book Company, Inc., 1940. Price: 8.00. The author discusses the modern theory of the chemical bond, drawing his references to experimental facts mainly from the field of inorganic chemistry. Since the book is written primarily for students of chemistry a t the level of first-year graduate work, the content and mode of presentation have been determined with this aim in mind. Here the author meets a serious difficulty. On the one hand the problems of chemical binding must certainly be discussed on a broad background of atomic structure. This latter topic can only be rendered satisfactorily nowadays on the basis of our modern ideas of wave mechanics. This science therefore also forms the foundation of the modern notions of the structure of molecules and hence of the chemical bond. Therefore any book or treatise on theoretical chemistry must be written with these latest ideas as a cornerstone. Thus the problem arises as t o how much knowledge of wave mechanics do the potential reader and students have? It is clear that a complete discussion of all of the problems involved in a book concerned with the fundamentals of theoretical chemistry on the basis of wave mechanics is out of the question, merely from the point of view of space. Hence the author cuts the Gordian knot of this difficulty by simply stating the results of wave mechanics on the supposition that the reader either has the knowledge or will be interested enough to acquire an acquaintance with modern concepts. Of course this method of procedure requires the use of such phrases as “it can be shown” or “on the basis of wave mechanics i t can be demonstrated” etc. throughout the book, but i t also forces the student to the realization that he must acquaint himself with modern concepts if he would undrrstand the present theory of chemical binding. The demonstration of this need is really one of the definite accomplishments by the author. To any one familiar with modern ideas of wave mechanics the book is to be recommended, because the author has a very happy and clear mode of stating theoretical problems in a way that makes them living counterparts to the related facts. The first eight chapters contain a very brief summary of the atomic theory of chemistry, the constitution of matter in its wave and corpuscular aspects, an elcmentary consideration of quantum theory of the hydrogen atom, the idea of electron spin, the Pauli principle, and a discussion of the many-electron atoms. Molecular potential-energy curves are used to discuss molecular spectra and the energy of dissociation. The hydrogen molecule is rendered on the basis of the Heitler-London treatment and the Hund-Mulliken method. These theories and Lewis’ theory o t
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valency are compared in chapter XI. Naturally the polar and covalent bopds are discussed fully, as are also the concepts of bond energy, electronegativity, and polarizability. The idea of resonance between different structures of a molecule is mentioned but is not stressed as much as might be expected. Chapters XI11 and XIV contain a discussion of the solid state based on ionic radii, lattice energy, and the Born-Haber cycle. The problem of the covalent bond, directional valency, and magnetic considerations as to bond type find a brief discussion in chapter XV. What might be termed old-style advanced inorganic chemistry, i.e., the chemistry of complex compounds based on the concepts of coijrdination number, etc., is contained in chapter XVI, along with the one- and three-electron bond and the important problem of the hydrides of boron. van der Waals forces and molecular crystals are treated in chapter XVII, the metallic state in chapter XVIII, and the structure of water and solutions in chapter XIX. Every chapter ends with a short list of pertinent problems. It is seen that this volume covers a tremendous field, and it is no wonder that many topics are mentioned only in barest outline. If students just entering the science of chemistry on the graduate level, for whom the book is intended, will study the modern science of wave mechanics, they will derive great benefit from a perusal of this edition. GEO.GLOCKLER.
International Union of Chemistry. Tables and Committee Reports. International Table of Atomic Weights. Tenth Report, 1940. Committee: G. P. Baxter, Chairman; M. Guichard, 0 . Honigschrnid, R. Whytlaw-Gray. International Table of Stable Isotopes. Fifth Report, 1940. Committee: F. W. Aston, Chairman; N. Bohr, 0 . Hahn, W. D. Harkins, F. Joliot, R. S. Mulliken, M. L. Oliphant. Rules for Naming Inorganic Compounds. Report of the Committee, 1940. W. P. Jorissen, Chaivman; H. Bassett, A. Damiens, F. Fichter, H. Remy. 5. C. LIXD.
