of the VA and VB Suhgmups, Other B Suhgroup Elements, and The Inert Pair. Chapter 111, The Qeumetriral Basis of Crystal Chemistry, is a revision of Well's review article in Solid Slate Physics, 7 , 42fi (1958), whirh represents a bridge between the second and third editions of "Structural Inorganic Chemistry." The Formula and Subject Indexes only give reference t,o the major discussions. Further page references are given there to related material in t,he text, but the reader will find tidbits in unexpected places along the way. The reviewer cannot elaim to have read every page in detail (it being desirable to review this book before t,he fourth edition appears), but there appear to be no teehniral or typographical blemishes.
field" for high s h m l teachers. TIE purare included wbioh would normally be pose of the course was twofold: ''to surperformed in other courses in this country. But this diversity of experiments, crossing vey the field, highlighting recent develupments"; and "to emphasize the enperithe conventional boundaries of chemistry, mental and laboratory aspects of science." makes this book refreshingly different. Even within the realm of what would Altogether 56 members of the Argonne universally be considered physical chemstaff participated in the courses; and the istry, there are significant differences in present hook is based on their leet,ures. llr. Glassner acknowledges his indehtedemphasis. For example, in addition t o the usual experiments involving spectroness to the Argonne "teachers" very graeephotometry in the visible region, this fully: "Without them this book would not text includes some relatively simple but have been written. Their lectures have enlightening experiments on the effects of been 'plagiarized' and bheir experiments moleeuler structure on UV and I R spectra. have been reprinted. Theirs should really The e a.u i.~ m e n remired t for most of the be the credit." Dr. Glassner himself is experiments is quite simple. Where to be credited with producing nn excellent book which should be of value not only to specialized electronic ur optical equipment is called for. reference is m d e to units of high school teaehers, but also t,o college I{r~tishI M ~ U ~ ~ ~ This I C I is Wn~d . crurinl teachers and college students who hsve 4 u w t1.v d v s c r ~ ~ , ~ufi llw ~ m :~clu:J ~ need of s. well-written and authoritative u,.wxRI~H.ARD C. CARLSTON l i m s l w c ~ r r i r d1,111 i ~ r w c~l ~~p ~ r i r ! . n n t survey of the important field of nuclear ilerojet-Gene~alCorporation science. :,re ~ o w w ~ r ihrief l v :md ~ e n ~ m l . :lr~sa, California t i : I . s i l l i t in The volume under review s u m n ~ ~ r i r e s the material usually presented in teatt h v d UI,, 11 11.e s1t.der11st, f , ~8~s r dw14nc hooks on radiochemistry. Chapter 11, what d&a are required and what form any report should take is concerned. far example, presents a goad but brief Experiments in Physical Chemistry The book is written in a simple clear account of the methods commonly employed for the detection of radiation: style and is free of major typographical J. M . Wilson, R. J . .Yeworubc, A . R. errors. I t is sturdily bound and attracand Chapter IV gives an adequate enDenaro, and it. M . 11.' Riekett, College tively printed. position of the decay law including even a of Technology, Liverpod, England. The book does have two obvious shortbrief discussion of radioaet,iveequilibrium. Pergamon Press, Ltd., Oxford, 1962. comings. Because the text can provide In the opinion of the reviewer the author xii 290 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 only an shbreviated development of the hss been especially suoo~ssful with Chapter X 23.5 em. $4.50. equations or precedures to he used in each V on The Yueleus whieh deals with such experiment the student is admonished by difficult topics as: nuclear spin: nuclear This physical chemistry laboratory magnetic moments; higher mmlents; the authors to read other, more complete manual was written a t one of the newer parity; nurlear energy levels; nuclear discussions. However, in too many inBritish technical colleges by a, gmup forces; ete. In addhion to the nraterial of authors including a t least one (R. M. stancesno key reierencesaregiven. generally covered in introductory texts The other and perhaps more important W. Rickett) who received his entire this volume (reflecting its origin) has chapomission is s. chapter on the treatment of graduate training in the USA. The ters on: ( I S ) Metallurgy of Uranium; result of their effort is a manual which is errors. Although the authors assert that ( X ) Processing of Reactor Fuels; ( X I ) eminently suitable for use in many "the suhject could not be dealt with in The Effects of Radiations Upon Materials; sufficient detail within the terms of referAmerican undergraduate physioal ohemand ( X I I ) Biology and Ra,di.dintion. 1)r. ence of this book" and the student is istry laboratories. I n many way8 this book bridges the gap between the two instructed to consult standard references Glamner's volume serve8 also as an intmt,ypes of manuals whirh hsve evolved in in the field, noneareevenlisted. ductian to material not readily available this country: the short, limited-content Even recognixing the shortcomings of a t the introductory level. For example, text which does not touch at, d l upon rein Chapter VI on The Reactions of Suclei this book, the fact remains that it is a there is an interesting section on the cent advances in physical chemistry, and good one. Perhaps its greatest asset the manual whieh in order to remain is that i t was written in another country synthesis of the elements; and in (XII) by authors with different preconceived contemporary contains increasing numbers the author sketches the relationship beof experiments requiring equipment out notions as to what constitutes a good choice tween radiation and genetics. of reach for smaller departments. Concerning the laboretory part of the in physic~lchemistryeaperiments. The book contains just over 100 exoriginal course Dr. Glassner, in his preAny teacher interested in physical chemperiments. The first 50 are in the general istry lahoratory manuals should be sure face, makes the following comment: areas of physical properties and molecular to look a t this one. "The hope was that, upon returning to structure, thermodynamics, phase equilibtheir schools, teachers would be able to STEPHEN W. TOBEY duplicate and illustrate in their classria, light and spectra, chemical kinetics, National Institutes of Health fillow surface chemistry and colloids, conductrooms some fundamental phenomena and University of Wisconsin ance and transference, and electrode principles. Demonstrations and experiMadism potentials and processes. These eaperiments were therefore to be stripped, so far ments are the simple, must conventional as possible, of expensive instrumentntion." ones, and their analogs e m be found in The last 20 pages are given over t o deany representative American text. The scriptions of about 20 laboratory experisecond section contains an additional 44 ments. Although this material is an Introduction to Nuclear Science experiments which are in the same areas interesting record of the experiments with as those given above, with the addition whieh the high school teachers became Alvin Glassner, Argonne National Labof 2 experiments in radiochemistry. acquainted, it is clear that a number of oratory, Lemont, Illinois. D. Van These experiments are either more difthem are for the record only and cannot Nostrand Co., Inc., 1961. x 213 ficult to perform or require a mare cambe duplicated in the typical high school. pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. plete theoretical background than the Thus, five of the 20 experiments are metal$3.75. earlier ones. The last section contains 8 lurgy experiments whioh were designed to experiments whieh are described as being The rather special origin of this book give the teacher participants an apporopen-end investigations. However, most tunity to make a fuel element of the type has determined its scope and style. In of them are really only extensions of the summer of 1956 and again in the used in the MTR Reactor a t Arco, Idaho; earlier experiments and could as well h m summer of 1957 members of t,he staff of and three of them require radiation or been treated as "suggestions for further Argonne National Labor&ory organized other equipment not generally available in experiment." and presented a. short course covering high schools. Of the remaining 12 experiOne reason for the large number of "the field of nuolear sciences" and "parts ments which could be useful classroom exexperiments in the text is that a number of the natural sciences tauohing on that periments only half of them require radia-
+
+
Volume 40, Number 5, May 1963
/
281
