absorption of ethylene. The chapter ends with an extended discussion of resonance theory as applied in NIO and benzene. Chapter 12 is a concise description of intermolecular forces and serves as a n introducFundamentals of Chemistry: A tion to Chapter 13, which concerns the Modern Introduction behavior of solutions. The chapter is written very well and introduces, hut does Frank Bmseia, John A~ents, Herbert not develnp, the concept of activity. Meislid, and A m s Turk, all of The Chapter 14 on chemical equilibrium preCity College of New York. Academic sents the equilibrium constant as areaction Press, h e . , New York, 1966. xv quotient, snd examines the concept with 816pp. Figs. and tahles. 17.5 X 24.5 data from several different reacting sysem. $8.95. tems. Chapter 15 deals with ionic soluThis new freshman text represents a tions and contains a concise, lucid descripsuccessful attempt by four experienced tion of what one can learn from studies of men to introduce students to chemistry equivalent mnductlunee, terminating with ". .in a rr.ay that reflects. .closely what an extended examination of ionic activities chemists are concerned with today!' and interionic forces. Chapter 16 is the Their achievement is the result of a vigorsection on Galvanic cells and develops the ous and undiluted presentation and appliconcept of free-energy change from a cation of critically selected chemical prindiscussion of electrical work. The ciples balanced by a n obvious sensitivity authors here give a statistical reason for to the skills and attitudes of freshmen. observed relative magnidudes of AH and The hook avoids providing a mere conA S a t high and low temperatures which I densation of advanced chemistry texts have not read elsewhere. Concentration and instead discusses, more completely cells, activity coefficients from standard than has been done before in first-year emf data, and calculations of AFo (sic, textc a i t h which I am familiar, t,opios not "AG") and K., from the Nernst equafundamental to the education of chemists tion are present,ed. The relation between and those who will use chemical concepts AFa and reaction direction (but not rate) to solve problems in related fields. is discussed. Chapter 1 is an Introduction leading to Chapter 17 is a brief review of acid-base a section on states of aggregation; Chapter chemisbry with the distinction of allotting 2 treats the properties of gases, both ideal almost as much space to Lewis as to and real. Chapter 3 discusses thearrangeBrhsted-Lowry theory. The relation of ment of particles in the solid state quite strnctrue to acidity or basicity is developed simply and engagingly ["Fig. 3.4-Filling in s. superb fashion. (The authors use two-dimensional space (or 'how to tile a such phrases as "more effective pdr bathroom Boor')"], vapor-liquid equilibria bonding" and "the lone pair with the most and critical constants, chsnges-of-state, s-character is the least basic" t o set the phase diagrams, and colloids. The ronlevel of the discussion.) Chapter 19 cepts of spontaneous change and entropy takes up the usual calculations of ionic are introduced simultaneously a i t h a disequilibrium hut adds a section on the cussion of the relative probabilities of Cisapplication of activity coefficients to ordered systems. Chapter 4 reviews the equilibrium caloulation. Chapters 20 and historical development of a scale of atomic 21 summarbe principles of qualitative and weights, stresses the Cannizzsrro deducquantitative analysis for devotees of those tions, and concludes with a n interesting fields (mlnbilities are estimated using, section on mass spectroscopy. Chapter 5 among other took, Fajans' Rules). treats stnichiometry and Chhpber 6 is conChapter 22 is the fmt extended writing on cerned rr-ith thermochemistry, Hess' Lan-, chromatography and spectrometry I have bond energies, and the First Law. The seen in a freshman book. Reaction-rate concept of enthdpy is introduced. theories are reviewed in Chapter 23 and Chapter 7 is a beautiful essay on chemical used t,o introduce the concept of reaction periodicity. I n Chapter 8 the authors demechanism. The chapter is thorough: scribe the problem of assigning electronic the difference in rate equations for hystructures to atoms. This chapter is in drolysis of t-butyl- and ethyl bromides is two principal sect,ions, the latter cotkcernexplored; two pages are devoted to ing itself with sufficient wave mechanics to me~.hanisticaspects of catalysis; chain develop the Sehrodinger equation for an reactions are included. Chapter 24 is an oscillating electron, the Dime solution far excellent discussion of molecular geometry a hydrogen atom, and the physieal signifiand bonding. As an added feature, ten cance of from ~1 practiral as well as pages are used to discuss molecular symnhiloso~hicalm i n t of view. metry and stereoisomerism. Transition metal complexes are treated historically and in modern terms in Chapter 25, and the authors use this opportunity to compare VB and crystal-field theory t o eoming betrr-een "formal charges" and &idaplete the task hegun in Chapter 11. tion numbers, and concludes with a (conlChapter 26 reviews nucleophilic and elecprehensive) section on how-to-drawLenistrophilic displacements one- and -bonded structures. Chapter 10 treats hydrocaratoms; metals and meUl1urgy are disbons in a hall-and-stick fmhion, discussing cussed in a very readable chapter 27 (band additions to, eliminations from, and substitutions in rimple alkanes and alke~tes. theory, semiconductors, and the thermodynamic reasons why metal aulfides are I n Chapter 11 the covalent bond is roasted before reduction t o free metal, are eaamined both from the molecular orbital all here). Chapter 28 is a brief one on and valence bond ~tandpoints. Orbital nuclear chemistry, and the final chapter theory is discussed a t a level sufficiently investigates the field of polymers, contains sophisticated to remark on the ultraviolet
BOOK REVIEWS
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A254 / Journal of Chemical Education
a well-done examination of properties of polymers, and ends with a discussion of protein synthesis and hiochernioals. There are five appendixes and an index which withstood several casual cros* checks. The present volume was printed as a preliminary edition in 1964 and used in courses in four institutions other than City College. Suggestions resulting from preliminary testing of the book have been incorporated in the 1966 edition. Among other things, this pratesting has virtually eliminated typographical errors: I could find hut one. The hook contains clear figures and tahles. It is teachable; the authors many times remember to summarize a lengthy argument before going on, and the." iummarie* will Srwr 8.5 ~welletat clmly p,nidrsim ~ h e t u d m t . The nterhod d climm4onal sualvsir is wed 10 advr all numerical examples and the authors have attempted to provide a "copious supply" of homework problems, some of which are original and ingenious. Instructors who adopt this text will receive an unexpected premium. Constantly the authors report the name of the investigator whose work they describe or whose data, they use (although strangely Gibbs, Heisenberg, and Hughes or Ingold are not mentioned), and by the end of the book this subtle pressure makes the reader subliminally aware that chemical science was not "revedeled" but resulted from the work of humans like himself. That realization should make it possible for a student to idatijy with chemists; what better can the first-year course do? This is a fine addition t o the library of modern freshman chemistry texts.
W. L. RELLAKAN University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio
Physical Methods for Determining Molecular Geometry Wallace S. Brey, J7., Univemity of Florida, Gainesville kinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 1965. Selected Topics in Modern Chemistry. ix 117 pp. Figs. and tables. 13 X 19 rm. $1.95.
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The purpose of this little hook is to explain how chemists and physicists obtain sufficient knowledge of the structure of molecules and crystals to enable them to give precise numerical values for interatomic distances, bond angles, and ion sires. The hook is mother in the Reinhold papaperback series, Selected Topics in Modern Chemistry, intended primarily for use as supplementary reading in general chemistry courses. The author concedes that he has greatly oversimplified same topics. He anticipates that experts may take exception to some of the statements that he has made without detailed qualification. IIe says, "Only if the specialist will tolerate such simplifications in the initial presentation of his field, however, will the nonspecialist he able to (Continued on page A856)
BOOK REVIEWS eomprenena nis wow: ' nucn a peaagogrcally realistic statement, by a man of high standing as a research scientist, is indeed welcome. I t partly explains why Professor Brey has a reputat,ion as a lucid instructor and whv this hook is one of the most efiective in the Reinhold series. The hook aont,ains eight chapters, the first being a brief introduction and the last a quick summary. The second chapter, 20 pages long, is a treatment of t,he nature of eiectrome~netieradiation. The diarussion of the elreet of matter on radiation is excellent. Almost before he expects it the reader has acquired an understanding of what aapectrophotometer does. The t,hird chapter, with 39 pages, is the longest in the book. The suhject of this chapter, to quote the author, is "the study of patterns of atomic arrangement by interpretation of the diffraction effects observed when x-rays, electrons, or even neutrons, are reflected or transmitted by solid or gaseous samples of matter." Among the achieve ments of this chapter is s. presentation of Miller indices that is crystal clear. (The author wrote it in plain English.) The fourth chapter briefly tell8 how dielectric constants are measured, how dipole moments are determined, and how bhe information is interpreted in terms of molecular structure. I n the fifth chapter the discussion shifts from wave theory to quantum theory. Three fundamental eoncepts are introduced: the quantization of
A256 / lournol o f Chemical Education
radiant energy, the quantization of angular momentum, and the Boltzmann distribu"..-w.
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moments of inertia, and the determination of interatomic distances from rotational spectra. In the seventh chapter the e l e menlary theory of moleculai vibrations and infrared spectroscopy is presented. A capable student in thesecond semester of general chemistry will be able to understand most of the material in this book. Nuclear magnetic resonance, Raman spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry have purposely not been included. The author has used the limited space available to him to maximum advantage. He has made it apparent that the tools whirh the modern chemist uses in his work are not limited to heakers, test tubes, and flasks.
LAWRENCE P. EBLIN Ohio Univemit?, Athens
Basic Biochemistry
Max E. Rafelnm, Jr., and Stephen B. Binkley, both of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago. blacmillan Co., New York, 1965. iu 350 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 em. Clothhound, $8.50; paperbound, $6.50.
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This brief textbook was designed for college students with backgrounds in
chern~stry, including organic rhemistry and a t least an introductorr mnwe i n nlocnemmry encompasses a large vnriety of topics and is dependent. on background knowledge so the success of a basic biochemistry text limited to 350 pages depends to a large degree on the selection of material to he presented. The authors thus might be expected to conserve valuable space by avoiding repetition of subject matter presented in prerequisite chemis try or biology courses. Unfortunately this hook fails in this regard. Virtually all the first three chapters and s, eonsiderable portion of the fourth rhaptpter are devoted to review of whet most. likely has been presented in beginning chemistry or biology courses. Some prerequisite material that is required for general understanding of biochemistry may not have been presented in beginning courses. However, it is more likely to be in the area of kinetics or thermodynsmics which is not explained rather than in orgauic chemistry to which major attention is given. Further illustrations of unfortunate topic choices are presentation of the menstrual cycle in a manner similar to bhat used in beginning high school or college biology courses, and a rather extensive discussion of blood physiology which may he more properly presented in physiology or physiological-chemistry courses. (Continued on page A860)
