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Elemenlary P h y si c a l Chemislry. B y HUGHS. TAYLOR and H. ACSTIX TAI-LOR. Second edition. 22 s 15 c m . ; i s 664 p p . ; 112 figs. Sei? 1-or.k: D . 1-an S o s t r a n d Co., I n c . , 1937. Price: $3.75. The first edition of this book, published in 1927 aiid \\-ell knowi t o till teachers and students of physical chemistry, was “adapted from the tn-n-volume Trcafi‘ee on P h y s i c a l C h e m i s t r y which appeared under the author’s editorship.” . . . A need had “been felt in several quarters for a single volume of a more clementnry naturc Irliich should follow the general lines of development in the larger treatisc, without. however, its detail.” T h e present second edition, n-ritten under the joint authorship of Professor Hugh S. Taylor and his brother, Professor H. Austin Taylor, says of itself: “The main lines of development t h a t have been achieved by research in physical chemistry during the ten years which have elapsed since the first issue of this CIPmentary exposition of the subject are concerned with problcms of atomic and molecular s t r u r t u r e and their general bearing upon the field of reaction kinetics. “The more intimate knowledge of the energies of atomic systems resulting from spectroscopy, the newer techniques for the elucidation of structure of molecules, and the keener theoretical analysis of the problems of molecular energies have, together n-ith the isolation, in pure form, of isotopes and derived isotopic compounds. given considerable impetus to new efforts toil-ards the elucidation of problems of mechanism and velocity in chemical processes. This is true not only of thermal processes b u t also of reactions produced through the agency of outsids sources of radiation.” “The present volume attempts t o adjust the content of the elementary course in physical chemistry t o these changes. . . . I t recognizes that much of the content of the classical course in physical chemistry is n o w t o be found in modern courses of general chemistry, a t least in the more advanced presentations of this subject. It assumes t h a t physical chemists should no longer ignore this s t a t e of affairs and, consequently, should incorporate into their courses an elementary presentation of those aspects of the subject which \vi11 enable the student t o sense some of the present vivid progress in the science.” A doubt arises in the mind of the reviewer as to the justification of assuming t h a t the student in our average or even better than average general chemistry courses absorbs much background in physical chemistry; and even if so, whet,her i t is not highly desirable t o develop the topical material in an elementary treatment of physical chemistry in very easy stages. Also, if the authors of our textbooks of physical chemistry could forget their dignity and find i t possible t o strike a much less formal note, their writings would assuredly be far more readable and useful to the student struggling t o understand what i t is all about. One also wonders n-hy our various authors do not develop explicitly. in their books, some of the simpler aspects of the theory of probability, n-ith i t s extraordinarily powerful and enlightening approach t o the problems of physical chemistry. On the nhole, the present book by the Taylor brothers is a most excellent job. It is well written, its espnsitions are reasonably c!ear. the emphasis is fair and just, and the subject m a t t e r very well chosen inderd. The contents are as follon-E: I. Thc Atomic Concept of M a t t e r ; 11. Ehcrgy in Chemical Systems; 111. The Gaseous State. I ; IV, The Atomic Concept of Encrg>---Enerpy Q u a n t a ; V. The Gaseous State. 11. VI. The States of Aggregation. 11. The Liquid S t a t e ; i-11.The Crystalline S t a t e ; VIII, Velocity a n d llechanism of Gaseous Reactions; I S . The Direction of Chemical Change; S, Solutions; S I . Homogeneous Fquilibrium; S I I . Heterogeneous Equilibrium; S I I I . Electrical Conductance and Ionization; S I V , Ionic Equilibria, 1. Weak Electrolytes; S V , Ionic Equilibria. 11. Strong Electrolytes; S V I . Phnto-
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chemistry; S V I I , Colloid C‘hrniistry; Appendix I, 11, 111; Author Index; Subject Index. This text not only presents a ~{eell-reasonedtreatment of the main elements of classical physical chemistry but, as it seems t o the reviewer, offers the best handle, among the list of available introductory textbooks of physical chemistry, by which the student may take hold of the newer developments in the field.
EDWARD MACK,JR. Ions i n Solution. By R. W. GURKEY. 206 pp.; 44 figs. Cambridge: The University Press. S e w York: The hIachlillan Company, 1936. I have seldom read a scientific book with greater pleasure and interest than I experienced in going through this small volume by Dr. Gurney. I can heartily recommend it t o the attention of my fellow physical chemists. From the most modern point of view, Dr. Gurney discusses such topics as solvation energy, the interactions of gas ions among themselves and with a metal electrode, the properties of ions in a solvent and their deposition on electrodes, the formation of double layers a t phase boundaries, the electromotive force of cells, the properties of an assembly of dipoles, the conditions restricting the coexistence of ions in a solvent, the electrochemical series, and many other phenomena of great importance to the physicist and chemist. The treatment adopted by Dr. Gurney employs only the simplest mathematics b u t by frequent use of diagrams (particularly potential-energy diagrams) the author is able t o give to the reader an illuminating account of the phenomena under consideration. The book should be of great interest t o all physical chemists and especially to all students of electrochemistry. Dr. Gurney announces that the ideas and methods outlined in the present book will be elaborated in a second volume. The appearance of the second volume will be awaited with great interest. F. H. ~ I a c D o u ~ a ~ ~ . Reagent Chemicals and Standards with Methods of Assaying and Testing Them. By JOSEPH ROSIN. 530 pp. S e w York: D. Van S o s t r a n d Company, Inc., 1937. Price: $6.00. A book of this nature should be of value t o anyone who makes use of chemicals. Various examples could be quoted from the literature showing that the results of some physicochemical researches were invalidated by the fact that the authors worked with impure chemicals. One of the outstanding features of the book is that the maximum limits of impurities as indicated by the tests are specified. These tests conform, as a rule, t o the requirements of “reagent chemicals,” and are of much more importance than the assays given in many cases. If barium nitrate (p. 71) should contain, for example, less than 0.2 per cent impurities its assay should be a t least 99.8 per cent. The minimum assay given is 99 per cent, and the difference may be interpreted as due to the presence of water (for which a separate test could be made) or to inaccuracies in the quantitative procedure described. In testing reagent chemicals such assays are of much less value than the tests for impurities, unless a highly refined analytical procedure is employed. A short description of the various chemicals is given. It would be of value to add simple tests of identification as well. In general the tests are adequate, although one might in certain cases prefer simpler procedures. Calcium carbonate, for example, can be tested simply for alkalies by direct sensitive reactions for potassium and sodium. The assay for glycine can be simplified by making use of the formaldehyde reaction. In examining the primary standard silver nitrate, a test for included water should be given.
