Chemical Education Today
Book & Media Reviews
Fundamentals of Quantum Chemistry (Complementary Science Series), Second Edition by James E. House Elsevier/Academic Press: San Diego, 2004. 291 pp. ISBN 0123567718 (paper). $46.95 reviewed by Matthew F. Tuchler
In his introduction to this second edition, James E. House explains that he has developed the text because quantum chemistry rears its head in a wide range of disciplines and therefore an equally wide range of people with differing backgrounds need a basic understanding of the field. House’s plan is to provide a simple introduction to the fundamentals of quantum chemistry—one that does not require the reader to rely too much on the memory of basic calculus or introductory physics. This is a good plan, inasmuch as anecdotal experience with students and friends confirms that both math and physics are forgotten even more quickly than introductory chemistry. While admirable, the goal of educating the masses (including young chemists) about quantum mechanics is not novel. Although House’s writing style is a bit more conversational and thus more welcoming than is usually encountered in quantum texts, unfortunately the book is not effective in living up to its stated goal of providing “a minimal background in quantum mechanics quickly and concisely”. Is this a good text to have on your shelf or to have as a reference for students? This is a fine book if you are looking for an understandable treatment of the fundamental math of quantum mechanics and its application to select, relatively simple, standard problems in quantum mechanics. The derivations presented are clear, intelligent, and thorough. The text would benefit from an appendix that contains all of the fundamental math operations that are introduced throughout the book. Additionally, with regard to the derivations and equations in the text, there are a few typos that are easily recognized by the diligent student or by the attentive instructor. While the variety of topics covered is typical of an introductory text, the author makes some interesting decisions regarding the order in which the material is introduced. In Chapter 4 (The Hydrogen Atom), for example, the author introduces the magnetic quantum number, m, and its limits by stating that the solutions to Legendre’s equation arising from the angular part of the wavefunction are the associated Legendre polynomials. While the author correctly points out
1002
Journal of Chemical Education
•
that these angular solutions result in quantized values of m, this statement is not helpful to the introductory student with no upper level mathematics background. Such a reader seeks an explanation for quantization that goes beyond the mere fact that it is a property of the solution to a partial differential equation. A better, simpler, and more intuitive explanation finally comes in Chapter 7 (Molecular Rotation and Spectroscopy), where the derivation of the spherical harmonics is reprised. It is here that the author demonstrates that the quantization of m can be considered to arise from the constraint that ⌽() = ⌽(+2). While reference is made in Chapter 7 to the discussion in Chapter 4, the reference is confusing and distracting. Another interesting decision was to put Chapter 8 (Barrier Penetration) five chapters after discussion of the particlein-a-1D-well. If there were a progression in the text to this point, it is clearly interrupted by the unexpected appearance of this topic in Chapter 8. Chapters 6 (Vibrations and the Harmonic Oscillator) and 7 (Molecular Rotation and Spectroscopy) seem to be laying the groundwork for discussing molecules— perhaps even introducing diatomic molecules (Chapter 9). Nowhere does the author explain this interruption in the logical development of the material. Additionally, on a number of occasions the author seems to haphazardly introduce complex concepts without following through on them. For example, Dirac notation is introduced in Chapter 9. This would be a fine place to introduce it, except that it is never used. Similarly, Mulliken parameters for evaluating overlap and exchange integrals (also in Chapter 9) are introduced but they are never employed. While I have objection to neither Dirac notation nor Mulliken parameters, briefly introducing them without using them is distracting and will confuse the novice for whom this book is intended. Finally, although the author includes interesting References for Further Reading at the end of each chapter, these are not without their flaws. Mainly the references to other textbooks are oddly effusive at times, e.g., “one of the best introductions to the quantum mechanics of atoms available”. These references make me want to put down House’s book and find the recommended text. The only problem is that these texts are usually outdated editions that can neither be purchased nor found in my library. But back to the question of whether the second edition is a useful book to have on your shelf or to have as a reference for students: While I applaud the author’s inspiration, I cannot recommend that this text replace any text that might currently serve as a general resource for students. Matthew F. Tuchler is in the Department of Chemistry, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450;
[email protected] Vol. 82 No. 7 July 2005
•
www.JCE.DivCHED.org
