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EXPERIMENTAL NUCLEAR PHYSICS. VOLUMES I AND 11
Edited by E. Segr& John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1953. Volume I: ix 789 pp. Illustrated. 15 X 23.5 om. $15. Volume n: viii 600 pp. 117 figs. SO tables. 1s x 23.5
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om. $12.
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of a. group of treatises, each of which is restrictive in scope and self-contained. Such a work has an important advantwge in that each field can be covered by an authority with insight born of direct experience. I t remains to be seen when the set is completed whether or not the partitioning of effort will result in important gaps in coverage. I t is not difficult to he enthusiastic about these hooks. The
fundamental nature of the discussions and theoretical interpretstion, not usually found in review articles. In ~clsnningthe 16aterial it is impressive ta note how much has developed within the past decade. The length of the two volumes (almost 1400 pages) and the scope of coverage makes it impossible to comment in any detail on the several sections. The reader of this review may wish to know rtt least which subjects are covered and who are the authors. Volume I consists of five parts: Part I. "Detection methods," by H. H. Staub (165 pp.). This eonsists of discussions of the principles which apply to the detection of particles through their effects on matter, of the counters and other detectors which register the effects, and of the electronic instruments which amplify, discriminate, and record. The coverage does not include b e t ~ a yspectrographs and other focusing devices. An excellent discussion of ion optics with emphssis on mass-spectrograph applications is found in Part V. Part 11. "Pa~aageof radiation through matter," by H. A. Bethe and J. Ashkin (192 pp.). This article contains a thorough
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JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
account of mechanisms by which three major groups of radiation (heavy charged particles, electrons, high energy photons) interact with matter. The exoerimental asmcts of these mechanism include range measureknta, scntteiing angles and intensities, and absorption cross sections for photons. Pmt 111. "Nuclear moments and statistics," by N. F. Ramsey (110 pp.). These fundamental properties of nuclei manifest themselves in a number of ways so as to yield to precise meaaurement. This article describes the methods of measurement and the theoretical interpretation of the results. The precision in measurement makes the nuclear moment a key property in checking theories which describe nuclear structure and speetroscopic states. Part "Nuoleer two-hodv ~roblemsand elements of nu~~~- IV. n r r w nr clrxr ~rmvtuw,''hy S . F. Ram5c.y (rll pp.). Her? rhe nature of nurlcar forct.e as dt4erwiard by the properrim of sirnl,k sysrems; for rxnnq,le, the scltrering of nwtronb ~ n lrod tons. The discussion of this type of measurement is comprehensive. The discussion of more complex systems as in the ideas of shell structure is more sketchy. Presumably this active subject will be dealt with in some other part. Part V. "Charwd - .article dvnamics and ootics. . . relative isot,oninnhundmces of the elements. atomic masses." hv K. T. Bain~
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instruments designed to focus particles are more complete than any which have appeared in recent years. A valuable set of tables on isotopic abundance8 and masses is included in the sections on the results of mass measurements. Volume I1 consists of two parts: Part VI. "A survey of nuclear reactions," hy Phillip Morrison (207 pp.). These are the induced nuclear reactions familiar as the result of bombardments with accelerated particles. The central expenmental theme is the measurement of cross sections; the interpretive part attempts to explain the cross sections in terms of canaervation laws and the mechanisms of energy transfer within the nucleus. Part VII. "The neutron," by B. T. Feld (379 pp.). The special importance of the neutron in investigating nuclear structure and interactions is reflected by the number of pages devoted to this subject. The neutron has the distinction of being nuclear matter which can manifest its properties dissociated from the coulomb forces which are superimposed upon charged nuclear matter. This part of the volume deals with the intrinsic properties of the neutron, ite interactions with nuclei and the wave properties of nuclear matter, among others. The extensive body of methodology connected with neutron experimentation is also discussed. These volumes will not lend themselvcs for use as textbooks nor were they designed for the purpose. As source books of information on the topics covered and particularly as status summaries for the experimenter they should be invaluable. I. PERLMAN
U N ~ V E R BO~~TCI* L I P O R N I * BE~KELE C*~,ronl*r* Y.
NON-AQUEOUS SOLVENTS: APPLICATIONS AS MEDIA FOR CHEMICAL REACTIONS
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Ludwig F. Audrieth, University of Illinois, and Jacob Kleinberg, University of Kansas. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1953. xii 284 pp. 31 figs. 8 2 tables. 15 X 23 cm. $6.75.
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THISvolume represents a c l e d y successful effort to provide an orientation with respect to an area of inorganic chemistry that Reems likely to he of increasing importance, particularly in the chemical industries. Fallowing 5 brief survey of the physical properties of solvents, and acid-base relationships, four chapters are devoted to the chemistry of liquid ammonia solutions; one each to nitrogen-containing solvents other than ammonia (e. g., hydrazine, hydrogen cyanide, formamide), acetic acid, sulfuric
acid, hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, acid chlorides, halogens, and interhalogen compounds; and, finally, there is a chapter concerned with reactions in the liquid phase s t high temperatures. In general, the distribution of emphasis is in conformity with the available literature on the subject. included. In the discussion of each solvent, a brief introduction is followed by a consideration of important physical constants, information relative to solubilities (necessarily mostly qualitative), properties of solutions, and finally a somewhat more detailed discussion of types of reactions. These discussions have a distinctly utilitarian slant and the authors quite properly call attention to possible applications to both laboratory acde synthesis and technology in general. Although some may be inclined to criticize this volume on the grounds that it is not sufficiently comprehensive, it must he kept in mind that it was not the authors' intention to provide a complete survey of the literature. The literature references cited are adequate, and the authors have exercised excellent judgment in their selection of subject matter as well as in its organization and presentation. There are only two features of this hook with which the reviewer is not in substantial agreement. The chapter on Acids and Bases suffers from an overly detailed historical review and includes a revival of the so-called solvent system concept of acid-base relationshi~s which in the writer's ooinion has no particular merit. The chapter an High-temperature Systems is clearly out of context. This volume is timely, well written, and likely to he of mod value to those unfamiliar with the chemistry of non-aqueous solvents. The hook is well suited for use as k t in special topics courses for advanced students. Finally, the John Wiley Company is to be commended for its continuing emphasis on the publication of ehort monographs on special topics as exemplified by this volume by Professors Audrieth and Kleinberg. The price of this book in relation to its size and scope of subject matter is, however, unfortunste. GEORGE W. WATT Txr UNIYERBITY 0. TEX*. A a a ~ m Tl;x*s .
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ROCKS FOR CHEMISTS
S. 3. Shond, Columbia University, New York. Piban Publishing 146 pp. Illustrated. 13.5 X Corp., New York, 1952. xii 21.5 cm. $4.50.
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SILICATE ANALYSIS
A. W. Groves, Mineral Resources Division, Colonial Geological Surveys, Imperial Institute, London. Second edition. Interscience Publishers, Inc., London, 1951. rdii 336 pp. Illustrated. 13.5 X 21.5 om. $5.
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THE increased demand for more chemical data, in the earth sciences has brought many analytical chemists, as well as physical chemists, into the realm of geochemistry. It is thus gratifying to find these two hooks of general interest to such investigators. The dual aims of Profeasor Shand's book are: ( 1 ) "to pres~nt the study of rocks in a more strongly chemical light than is customary in petrographic writings," and (2) "to convince chemists that the problems of rock and mineral genesis offer a rich field for research." The author is probably somewhst more successful in attaining his first god than his second. The book considers rather intensively the igneous minerals (106 pages) with sparser helpings of sedimentary (11 pages) and metamorphic (19 pages) rooks. This probably reflects more on the volume of literature in these fields than upon the author's interest. The various rock classes are treated in a descriptive way from the viewpoint of the chemist with quite generous usage of their origin from phase relstionships. The presentation is quite clear, with Profeasor Shrtnd'~answering most questions a chemist might raise in an introduction to new material. However, the hook does not bring into shwp focus the many
