BOOK
REVIEWS
Qualitative Testing and Inorganic Chemistry
Joseph Nordman, Los Angeles Valley Junior College. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1957. xii 488pp. 61 figs. 73 tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $6.25.
+
For those instructors who still feel that qualitative analysis is a. must in first year chemistry this hook offers everything that anyone could want to put into the course. The author assumes that users of the book have had a thorough grounding in general chemistry either by a full year course or a course given in two quwters. The first thirteen chapters contain the theoretical approach to qualitative analysis by reviewing chemical equations, conecntra.tion, atoms, bonds, and molecules, in the first three chapters. Following the review, the next ten chapters deal with equilibrium and give a rather thorough discussion of complex formation. The l a ~ ttwo chapters discuss organic reagents and metallurgy. The remainder of the hook is a lahoratory manual for semi-micro qualitative analysis which has essentially the flow sheet type of conventional divisions which have been modernized by the use of organic reagents and thioacetamid instead of H.S. One chapter is devoted to some of the less familiar elements and one is devoted to special experiments such as blaw-pipe analysis, spot tests and spectrographic identifications.
The appendix contains all of the necessary tahles for qualitative ana1,vsis and includes tables of equipment and chemicds necessary for the course. This reviewer 6nds the absence of illustrations other than a few line drawings and a crowded format gives the feeling that the reader is involved aith a handbook rather than a textbook. Should the teacher be concerned with developing analysts or technicians for industrial laboratories this hook would offer an excellent training ground. JAMESF. CORWIN Antioch College Yellow Springs, Ohio
Experiments in General Chemistry
Joseph B. Nordman, Los Angeles Valley Junior College and Ernest S. Kuj'ian, Los Angeles Pierce Junior College. Burgess Publishing Co., Min155 pp. 27 figs. neapolis, 1958. iv 12 tables. 21 X 27.5 cm. Spiral hound. 53.50.
+
Thia laboratory mslnud would fit practically any course in general chemistry since it contains the usual experiments with some modifications that are used to illustrate chemical principles. The presence of four demonstration type ex~erimentswhich include two on the gas
laws and one each an electro-chemistry and radioactivity make it somewhat different. The report blanks are fill-in type and graph paper is included for reporting certain experiments. The authors suggest that these remain in the manual and will he graded in the laboratory before materials far the next experiment are issued. The 26 experiments and 4 demonstrations would cover a. two-quarter course in general ohemistry but would be more than sufficient for one semester. It is suggested that a course in qualitative analysis furnish the remainder of the year's work in chemistry. For large classes where grading individual laboratory notebook write-ups would be burdensome, the lahoratory manual would he adequate. JAMESF. CORWIN Antioch College Yellw Springs, Ohio
Introduction to Nuclear Engineering
Richad Stephason, Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering, New York University. 2nd ed. McGrawHill Book Co., Ino., New York, 1958. xi 491 pp. 156 figs. 58 tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. 59.50.
+
This is the second edition of this book and represents a fairly complete revision of the material of the first edition and also incorporates considerably more msterial. This edition, as was the fint edition, is well suited to serve as a text for either a survey class in nuclear processes or a one-vear introduotorv course in nuclear " engineering. The first chapter, Review of Nuclear Physios, remains unchanged except for a. larger selection of typicd problems. The second chapter, Nuclear Fission, has been reduced in mope in that the material on fuel types, critical mass, neutron moderation and the multiplication factor are the leading material for the third chapter on The Nuclear Cham Reaction. This third chapter has been increased in scope over the first edition to include descriptions of various power reactors presently being proposed in the United States. This includes brief descriptions of the pressurized water, boiling water, sodium graphite, homogeneous, organic moderated and fast breeder reactors. The fourth chapter on Reactor Theory, the fifth on Radiation Shielding, and the sixth an Materials of Construction remain essentidly the same and still serve as introductory chapters in these basic &E88.
At this point a new chapter has been added to the second edition on Reactor Core Design and lists the basic problems associated with reactor heat transfer, burnout heat fluxes, and hot channel factors. Also, considerationa of mechanical design are discussed including mechanical and thermal stress aspects as they relate to core design. The chapters on Reactor Instmmentation and Control and Separation of Stable Isotopes remain unchanged. The
258
/
Journol of Chemical Education
