Introduction to Modern Inorganic Chemlstry, Fourth Edltlon K. M. Mackayand R. A. Mackay. PrenticeHall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1989. xili 402 pp. Frgs. and taoles. 22.1 X 28.5 cm.
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It is a delight to comment on atext, which over the years has for this reviewer become a true favorite both as text and reference. The appeal clearly lies in its lucid writing enhanced by the many helpful illustrations. The authors put forth a two-fold strategy; to provides hroad base through a study of the periodic table and to treat selected topics in depth. The text devotes the fust 120 pages to general topiea such as atomic and electronic structure, the solid state, solutions, and experimental methods, and then surveys the periodic table from left to right. In this approach the s elements are followed by the transition elements alone with lieand field " theory and other general prupertier, which are then followed by t h e p elements. Select ed topics are interwoven: warm superconductors, metal-xygen species, postactanide superheavy elements, and relativistic effects for the transition metals; for the main groups: polyaelenium rings and chains, nets and linked rings, commentary an VSEPR, electron density determinations. However, the strength of the text still lies in its liheral use of good graphs and the resulting wealth of information. Thus, each family is introduced with plots on radii, ionization potential, and oxidation potential in addition to oxidation state free energy diagrams which are true gold mines of information. Some illustrations are quite unusual and heloful. such as the lattice enerw . olots and the rllustratmnof bond types witheovalent, metallic, and ronir each at the puintsof a triangle with examples throughout The authors' emphasis on reaction chemistry is obvious.
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Other illustrations are routine such as beryllium acetate and the electronic spectra of Ti(III), which are found in virtually every text. On the other hand, the authors have chosen to illustrate the energy level diagram for a linear field-something not usually found in other texts. There are several production problems with this British publication. Its S3/4 X l l l l p in. size is still unwieldy--although the twocolumn layout helps, the photographs on page 82 are much too dark to be of any use, and occasionally letters, words or entire Linen are bold-printed for no apparent reason. As a potential teaching tent the work lacks sufficient study problems with the longest chapter having no prohlems a t all and the others generally only from three to six. Nevertheless, this is a text worth the investment. Erwin Boschmann Indiana Unlverslty-Purdue University at lndlanapolis Indlana~olis.IN 46202
Physlcal Chemlstry, Second Edltlon Joseph H Noggle. Scott, Foresman: Glen1093 pp. Figs. and view, IL, 1989. xxli tables. 19.2 X 24.2 cm. $33.00.
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The second edition of Noggle's useful book is similar to other leading textbooks of physical chemistry in containing more material (-1000 pp) than can be covered in a one-year course for undergraduates. Classical subjects (thermodynamics, etc.) are fallowed hv nonclassical subiects (auantum . theory, spemoscopy, ew.). Differences between Noggle's book and others include the followine. (1) This book has more discussion and problems involving nonideal gases than is common. (2) Al-
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though this hook contains no chapter that is exclusivelydevoted to polymers, it does contain more discussions and problems involving polymers than is common. (3) There is no chapter devoted to colloids, surfaces, and interfaces, nor are colloids or interfaces mentioned in the index. Most students in physical chemistry will not become physical chemists; they will become chemical engineers, anal>.tical or organic chcmists, soil scientists, etc. Those whoagree with me that weshould teach the / m t course in physical chemistry primarily (nor ercluaivelyJ for nonphysical chemists will orohahlv find that N u d e ' s book orovide; a hette; balance and general approach than do most other texts. I am unable to cite any really serious scientific or pedagogical deficiencies in NoggIds text, but I do call attention to a few minor problems. Noggle is a hit old-fashioned (not inearrect or even unclear) in referring to "heat" and "free energyX'insteadof "enthalpy3'and "Gibbs energy". Like many other authors, Noggle is arhitrary (st least he admits it) and less than clear in his discussion of electrochemical signs. I t is my opinion that this problem arises because Noggle and other authors fail to distinguish between electrical signs (appropriate to experiments) and algebraic signs (used in calculations). Many authors, including Noggle, ineorrectly assign units to equilihrium constants. Actually, thermodynamic equilibrium constants that involve activities (activity is a ratio of fugacity to a standard state fugacity) are dimensionless. Some students spot the difficulty in usine AG' = -RTlnK when K is suppoaed to hive units. The proper procedure is to specify (with words or symbols) the standard state, rather than to assign units to K. There are a few other places in which Noggle is either unclear or incorrect in use or nonuse of units. (Continued on page A54)
In This Issue Reviewer
K. M. Mackay and R. A. Mackay, Introduction t o Modern Inorganic Chemlstry, Fourth Edition Joseph H. Noggle, Physical Chemistry, Second Edition Roald Hoffman, The World of Chemistry United States Environmental Frotection Agency Office of Drinking Water Health Advlsorles, Drinking Water Health Advisory: Pesticides Malcolm Dole, My Life in t h e Golden Age of America Charles Taylor, The Art and Science of Lecture Demonstrations Titles of Interest Continulng Series Monographs
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Journal of Chemical Education
Erwin Boschmann
A52
Loren G. Helper George B. Kauffman Malcolm M. Renfrew
A52 A54
Malcolm M. Renfrew Kauffman
George B.
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A55 A55 A58 A59 A59
