tem. A short chapter on analytical techniques completes the volume. Harvey's writings are characterized by their clearness of exposition and this book is no exception. The chapter on the carbon dioxide system in the sea, for example, is without doubt the simplest, most understandable treatment of this complicated subject t o be found anywhere. If there is any serious criticism to be offered, i t is that the book presents too limited a. present-day view of "chemistry in the sea," but the author has admittedly not tried to cover the entire field. I t should also be noted that the author has almost entirely overlooked the Japanese contributions to his fie1d-a rather serious omission, in the opinion of the reviewer. Nevertheless, this book will be highly valued by all chemists interested in the orean. Harvey's books have had a, habit of going out of print almost before they were well distributed, and this recent one seems to be running true to form. NORRIS W. RAKESTRAW OF OCEANOORAPHY SCRIPPSINSTITUTION LA JOLLA,CALIFORNIA
VALENCY AND MOLECULAR STRUCTLTRE
E. Cartmell and G. W.A. Fowles, Lecturers in Inorganic Chemistry, Unive~sity of Southampton. Academic Press, Inc., 256 pp. 79 figs. New York, 1956. xi 32 tables. 22 X 15 cm. $5.80.
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IN THE words of the authors, '(this book is written by chemists for chemists!' Slightly more accurately, maybe, would be t o say that i t was mitten by inorganic chemists for inorganic chemists. The volume represents a relatively nonmathematical introduction t o quantum theory and molecular quantum mechanics, followed by a systematic discussion of inorganic compounds an the basis of the principles developed. A strongly historic viewpoint is maintained throughout. The book probably provides an unusually ranid introduction t o the basic nrincinles
is said about non-localized molecular orbitals, or about the entire field of relectron chemistry from either the molecularmbital or resonance viewpoints. The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents the historical development of quantum theory and the quantum meohanical treatment of the hydrogen atom, and ends with a. discussion of many electron a t o m and the periodic system. Part I1 gives an introduction to both the resonance and molecular orbital theories, and compares the two. A chapter on directed valence deals with hybridization. The first short chapter of Part I11 disposes of the ionic, metallic, molecular (van der Waals) and hydrogen bonds. The next chapter discusses the structure of "simple" inorganic compounds by groups according t o the periodic system. The chapter an complex compounds is up-to-date and provides a discu~sion of a wide variety of complexes in terms of
bonds formed by hyhrid orbitals. The find short chapter on electron-deficient compounds gives a review of most of the ideas which have been presented to explain the stability of these compounds, without doing much to evaluate their relative merit, or examining what they have in common, or how they differ. The book is not intended to be a reference work, and probably has little t o offer the fully trained chemist. For the man familiar with valence theory, there is little here with which he is not familiar, while the person wanting an insight will be hurt by the omissions. Despite its shortcomings, however, the book should provide a workable text for a course for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students majoring in inorganic chemistry. H l N S H. JAFF*
U N ~ ~ E R ~orI C T ~Yw c r r r * ~ , C,NCINN*TI,0 ° K
POLYESTERS AND THElR APPLICATIONS Johan Bjorksten, Henry Tovey, Betty Harker, James Henning, Bjorksten Research Lahorato~ies, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New 618 pp. 15 X 22 York, 1956. viii om. $10.00.
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THE Bjorksten group has compiled all the practical knowledge they could find on what is going on in the trade in the field of unsaturated and saturated polyesters. Theoretical considerations are confined to the first 18 pages and no equations appear after that. Sources of raw materials are discuased briefly, but the book is devoted principally t,o resin msnufseture. eatalvsis. fillers.
compounds is in isocyanate modified The field is extensively documented with 3239 references to vatents, articles, books and manufactureis' publications. The subieet matter is nresented in 254 pages; bibliography, 313 pages; supplement, 8 pages; author index, 5 pages; subject index, 34 pages. The tail appears t o wag the dog. LEALLYN B. CLAPP
mentioned in the preface are unchanged: "an appreciation of the soientific environment, our survey of science has been so built that i t provides some of the physical science background for the general science teacher." The number of chapters and pages remain approximately the same as before. as well as the relative distribution of material chosen from the various physical sciences. We find this division to be: 19% astronomy, 24% geology and earth science, 24% chemistry, and 34% phys i c s a distribution not too different from many texts in this field. I n the latter chapters we find rearrangement involving two new chapter titles. One of these is "Modern applications of electrons in motion." Here there is not only some of the material from the first edition, e.g., X-rays and radio, but also some new topics such as the electron microscope, television, and radar. The other chapter, "The nucleus of the atom" mentions only briefly artificial radioactivity, atomic energy, and transmutation. Some ohanges mere made to meet the criticisms of the first edition. I n one case, however, this has introduced an inconsistency. When discussing "valence" the author correctly explains the eombination of sodium with chlorine by the formation of ions, but elsewhere he compares tho formation of a "molecule" of sodium chloride with the formation of hydrogen fluoride. Should these statements, among others, go unchallenged: "Since the moon does not often get into the plane of the earth's orbit," "Water vapor acts as a blanket," "Chlorophyll. seems to. .radi& the green part of the spectrum?" The author notonlyclassifies petroleum with the sedimentary rocks but also refers to it as a mineral and then again as a "product of rocks and minerals." Probably too many phenomena are mentioned for a. book of this type. What purpose is served by defining "octane number" in terms of isooctane and nheptsne without a discussion of these compounds? Also why classify the various plastics as melamine, methylmethacrylate, etc., without a diseus~ionof the organic chemistry involved? The text will require a well founded teacher to expound the many questions which i t will surely arouse in the mind of the normal student.
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Bnoww Uxlv~nsmr P n o v ~ o ~ ~RHODB c s . IBLAND
EDWARD M. COLLINS D E N ~ U~ ~~VNE B B ~ T G n m v r ~ ~Onro r.
THE PHYSICAL WORLD
A LABORATORY STUDY OF CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES
P a u l McCorkle, Head, Department of Physics. Bradley University, Peoria, 111. Second Edition. McGraw-Hill Book Co., 465 pp. Inc., New York, 1956. viii 278 figs. 2 7 tables. 1 6 X 24 cm. $5.25.
H a r p e r W. F m t z , Pasadena City College Second edition. W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, California, 1956. xxx 266 pp. Many figs and tables. 21 X 27 cm. Paper bound. $2.75.
THEfirst edition of this text was reviewed by Wistar, J . CHEM. EDUC.27, 694 (1850). The comments and criticisms made a t that time are still, for the most part, applicable. The objectives of the author and purpose of the text as
THE ~econdedition of this mmual continues to be based on the author's statement t o the student: "Your laboratory work is the central core of your chemistry
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(Continued on page A88) JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
