book reviews Editor: W. F. KIEFFER College of Wooster
Woater, Ohio
Introduction to Quantitative Experimental Chemistry
Thomas L. Ismhour, University of North Carolina, and Norman J . Rose, University of Washington. Allyn and 369 Bacon, Ine., Boston, 1971. xiv pp. Figs.and tables. 24 X 19.5 em. $8.95.
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When first beginning t o reed this text, one becomes puzzled as to what audience the text is addressed, in spite of the preface's statement that i t was meant "for the better student a t the freshman level!' The first two chapters in particular not only demand the very best first year students but long range mind readers as well. Particularly the section on random and systematic errors leaves much to be desired; i t either says too much arnotenough. As it stands i t gives the appearance of engaging in unnecessary "equation dropping" with the connection between one expression and the next not being developed a t all. As one reads on, however, one comes to Chapter 3, Computers in Data. Reduction, which, mistitled as i t may he, is 8. pure delight to read, although some definitions need he pinned down better. Systems of Units, Calibration, and Standardization in Measurement, Chapter 4, too, is interestingly written. With Chapter 5, Measurements Related to Mass, the text turns to experiments. There are three of these in this chapter. After the build-up of the first four chapters, these turn out to he disappointments. Experiment 1 is a dehydration of BaC1. 2H20 determination complete with contrived mixtures with a non-hydroscopic substance (NaC1). Experiment 2 is also a standard one, the gravimetrio determination of chloride as AgC1. Experi-
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ment 3 is a. bit unusual: i t is the gravimetric titration of horrtte with HC1 using methyl purple indicator. Chapter 6, Measurements Related to Volume, is an improvement. Experiment 4 is the age-old magnesium ribbon plus HCl gas evolution experiment with a. couple of new twists on the experimental sebup. Experiment 5 is an ordinary constanbboiling preparation of standard HCI. Experiment 6 is rtn interesting preparation of sodium carbonate, as a primary standard using an NBOH solution and dry ice. And Experiment 7 is an ion exchange analysis of sodium and potassiumusing a Dowex resin. Chapter 7 is entitled Measurements Related to Electrical Potential and Canductivity in Solution. After a long but rather good introductory section, the chapter presents three experiments. Experiment 8 is an intriguing multi-purpose one in which titrations are fallowed simultaneously with potentiometric measurements, conductometric measurements, and phenolphthalein or bromthymol blue indicator. Ex~eriment9 is a notentiometric titration of borax m d Experiment 10 is a conductometric precipitation titration of silver acetate. Chapter 8,Measurements Related to the Absorption and Emission of Light canbins one extensive experiment. It begins with an investigation of the absorption spectrum of the iron-l,l0-phenanthroline complex, followed by an investigation of the stoichiometry of the complex formation reaction, averifieation study on Beer's law. a determination of an unknown. and tory discussion. Chapter 9, Measurements Related to Temperature has two experiments. The
in this Issue
Thomas L. Isenhour and N o m n J. Rose, Introduction to Qusntitative Experimental Chemistry M . Frank Mallette, Carl 0.Clagett, Allen T . Phillips, and Richard L. MeCarl, Introductory Biochemistry Kensal Edward Van Holde, Physical Biochemistry
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. . .A653 . . .A654 . . .A654 R. P . Wayne, Photochemistry R. E. W . Maddison, The Life of the Honourable Robert Boyle, F. R. S. . . .A655 G. H. Aylward and T . J . V . Findlay, SI Chemical Data . . . A656 A . Slioberg, editor, Elsevier's Medical Dictionary in Five Languages . . .A656 Ham Sonntag and Klaus Slrenge, Koagulation und Stabilitat Disperser Systeme Frilr: Seel, Grundlsgen der Analytischen Chemie Hwmann Rampp, Chemische Experimente die gelingen-Anorganische Chemie
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first is a moreor-less standard one on the heat of solution of NaCI, the second one is the measurement of heats of vrtporization by a technique previously describedin~ms JOURNAL [44,387 (1967)l. Chapter lo, Measurements Related to Time, contains one experiment on reaction rates, that of the hydrolysis of the chlorapentsarnine cobalt ion using absorption spectrophotometry. In summary, this is, overall, an interesting text, but with flaws here and there. I t differs from the usual "baby qumt" texts. This reviewer is only sorry that authors Rose and Isenhour did not go all the way in avoiding determinations more properly the domain of a full-blown quantitative analysis course.
JOHN P. MARTIN Davis and Elkins College Elkins, West Virginia 86Z41
Introductory Biochemistry
M . Frank Mallette, Cad 0. Clagett, Allen T.Phillips, and Richad L. McCad, all the Pennsylvania State University. The Williams & Wilkins Company, 811 pp. Figs. Baltimore, 1971. xii and tables. 26 X 18 em. $16.75.
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Lest the title mislead, it must be emphasized that this "Introductory" Biochemistry is not a superficial overview suitable for a one-quarter wonder course. It selects, as is pointed out in the preface, from the massive subieot which hiochemistry now is, but the topics selected are covered, for the most part, thoroughly and in depth. The organization is fairly traditional but the material is eminently upto-date. I t is refreshing to see this combination succeed. The first two chapters, The Nature and History of Biochemistry and The Cell are beautifully constructed and written and are a joy to read. The same level of excellence is maintained, for the most part in the "meat" section, Chapten five through fourteen, which cover carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins, and nucleotides and nucleic acids. The separation of each of these four topics into two chapters (three for carbohydrates) covering, broadly, the chemistry a-nd the biochemistry of each is particularly effective. Chapter four, enzymes and enzymatic processes, and Chapters fifteen and sixteen, protein synthesis and genetics, and metabolic regulstian, also are very good and are well positionedfor thesmooth development of the wholesubject. The book has its low points. Chapter five, chemistry and occurrence of carbohydrates, is rather mediocre. Much of Chapter three, biochemical equilibria and thermodynamics, is most unfortunate. I t rambles, and is a t once both naive and patronizing. Trivial perhaps, but annoying, is the habit of breaking a. sentence in the middle of a line in order to insert an equation. This habit leads to two delicious absurdities on p. 51: . . "As long as solid calcium
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49, Number I I, November 1972
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book reviews
headings for 'Thysical Biochemistry" are: Thermodynamics and Biochemistry; SoluR. P. W a p e , University of Oxford. tions of Macromolecules; ~ h e m i c a lEqniAmerican Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc., librium; Introduction to Transport PropK = ac~*+.aco~'New York, 1971. 263 pp. Figs. and erties-Diffusion; Sediment,ation; Electric a c m s (s) tables. 22.5 X 14.5 cm. $12. Fields; Viscosity; Absorption and Emission " carbonate exists in contact with . of Radiation; Scattering; Circular Di"It may be recalled that carbonate ion An electronicdly excited molecule can chroism and Optical Rotatory Dispersion; is related in aqueous solution do a number of things. I t e m undergo a X-Ray Diffraction. chemical tramformation such as dissociaThe hook has a. refreshing style. ProHeO ~3HCOsHsO+; H&Os tion, ionization, isomerization, or reaction fessor van Holdeis adept s t relating theory HCOaHzO F! CoalHaO+ with other molecules, and i t is these transto practice and a t providing physical formations which are generally implied by insightinto themeaning of equations. H e Since theseequilibriaare bothshifted . . .." the term photochemistry. But the excited generally introduces and concludes chapThe meaning of the classical Ks for weak molecule can also undergo other processes: ters with interesting comments whieh bases and the preferred use by biochemists I t can emit radiation, i t can transfer its place the material in a historical context or of the equivalent K. for their conjugate energy to some other molecule, or i t can providenice perspective. acids is expeditiously dealt with, but the go nonradiatively to s. lower electronic This would not be an easy book for a simple, useful, and revealing relationship state, losing its excess energy in the form of typical group of good undergraduate bibetween the two, K,,Kb = K,, is neither heat. An understanding of photochemology majors. Professor van Holde asdeduced nor stated. The section on istry also requires some knowledge of these sumes a working knowledge of calculus of thermodynamics will serve only to confuse other processes which compete with chemimany variables and more than a passing further the student who is already concal reaction, as well as absorption spectrosaquaintame with introductory physics. fused by this subject. Units nonsense is copy, the nature of electronic states, and I n the introduction the author states: an entropy the reference on p. 81 to the properties of light. "This book presupposes some introduction change A S of 213 entropy units per mole This book is intended to provide an intr* to physical chemistry. Precisely, I asper degree!' Chapter fifteen, protein duction to photochemistry for a, nonsume that the student has had a t least a synthesis and genetics, shows some tenspecialist, perhaps a t about the senior one-semester course in which the fund* dency toward the same p i t f d s (what is, or undergraduate level. As such, it is conmentals of thermodynamics have been was, Darwin's press carp?) but is saved by cerned with all of the above topics. In introduced." The prerequisite is fairly its writer's obvious and enthusiastic masfact, less than half the book deals directly described. tery of hissubject. with chemical transformations. After an The book has a great deal of material Chapters seventeen through twenty introductory chapter, there is a, chapter packed into the space of 239 pages. The cover metabolism of inorganic nitrogen, on absorption and emission spectroscopy. selection of topics, pacing, depth of coverphotobiology, nutrition, and physiology. This is followed by a chapter on photoage, and method of treatment in a. book a n They almost constitute a separate book, so dissociation, an important typeof reaction. physical biochemistry are, to some extent, shsrp is the break from the developing Then come two chapters on emission s matter of taste. While I might have thread of the earlier chapters. They are properties of molecules. The first deals done some things differently from Prawell done, stand well by themselves, snd mainly with fluorescence, phosphorescence, fessor van Holde's approach and I would give modern coverage to some of the more and radiationless transitions. The second prefer a bit mare on X-ray diffraction and traditional ehemical-physiological topics. treats intemoleculm energy transfer, somewhat less on transport properties, I The book is well printed and produced exciton migration, and sensitized reactions. am impressed with his selection of topics with few errors. The type makes for The next chapter, entitled, Reactions of and his clear explication of them. At the comfortable reading and the structural Excited Species, is disappointingly short: end of each chapter there is s. list of referformulas and intermediary sequences are only 26pages for what might be considered ences with useful comments and most very clear indeed. An excellent selection the heart of the whole subject. I t dechapters include a few illustrative probof references for further reading is apscribes a few examples of isomerization, l e m . The editors have made s. decision pended to each chapter. In summary, I hydrogen abstraction, and addition reacto place a discussion of chemical kinetics would use and recommend this book far its tions. Then comes a. short chapter on elsewhere in this series on Foundations of intended purpose, a twc-semester course photochemical techniques and a final Modern Biochemistry. Admittedly, the for students wishing a general knowledge of chapter entitled, Photochemistry in Acchoice of where to place enzyme kinetics is biochemistry but not majoring in the s u b tion. This contains brief discussions of somewhat arbitrary, and there appear to ject. selected topics such as air pollution, photobe good reasons for including the topic in TERENCE C. OWEN "Macromolecules: Structure and Funcsynthesis, the visual process, and photography. A teacher might find interesting University of Florida tion." However, "Physical Biochemistry" Tampa, Florida 39620 examples here for use in elementary classes. would be somewhat more attractive as a On the whole, I think the book is a self-contained text if i t included a chapter rather good introduction to the properties or two on kinetics of biological systems. of excited molecules. The treatment is on In particular, this book would be an apa. nonrigorous level, and i t should be fairly propriate place to discuss relaxation techwell understood by a good senior who had niques which have been so fruitful in had some introduction to quantum chemelucidating the mechanism of enzyme acPhysical Biochemistry istry. After completing the book, I think tion. he could read a fair portion of the literaKensal Edward Van Holde, Oregon State I highly recommend Professor van ture on photochemistry, and this is the University, Corvallis. Prentice-Hall, Holde's book both as a short reference real purpose of sucha. book. Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, volume and as text book for a. one semesThere are many parts of the book which 246 pp. Figs. and tables. 1971. ix ter course. However, any instructor conI think could hrwe been improved. For 18.5 X 24.5 cm. Hardbound, $9.75. templating its use as a text for an underexample, the sections on chemical reactions Softbound, $4. graduate course should examine i t closely could be expanded to give a better overto ascertain whether the level matches It is always a pleasure to come across a. view of this broad field. One glaring with the students' background. Any book such as this one which is written with omission is sny significant discussion of the serious student with a. background emstyle and authority. As one who teaches orbital symmetry rules which have become responding to the zmumptions described physical chemistry for the life sciences but so important in the interpretation of in the introduction could reap a. rich harwho is not a worker in the field of hiophotochemical reactions. I felt that sevvest by toiling in the field of this book. chemistry, I find it interesting to peruse eral topics could h m e been more clearly the table of contents of a hook written by euplained, but perhaps this is just a per. an authority in the field and to see where RICHARDSCAOONMAKERsonal preference for a certain point of viewemphasis is placed and what topics are Oberlin College To my mind, the most unsatisfactory judged to be important. The chapter Oberlin, Ohio single feature is the lack of references in the
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