Principles of Chemistry with Practical Perspectives. Second Edition.
Russell S. Drago. University of Illinois a t Urbana-Champaign. Allyn and Bacon, Bcston, 1977. xii + 755 pp. Figs. and tables. $16.95.
mer are self-tests a t appropriate places in the t e r t with complete answers in the appendix; consideration of electromagnetic radiation; and early consideration of solution ehemistry (Chapter 3). This text as a whole is over 90 oaees ,, lmeer " than the first edition. While I am skeptical generally of overly wide margins, Lhe publisher does make good useof them in this bonk for problems, self-tests, and numemus diagrams. The printed page isslightly Ionper hut uf the same width as in the first edition. The diagrams are done attractively in blue and gray. Blue print is used also for "chapter objectives," a new feature, and to emphasize certain key concepts. While most of the early work is retained, numerous sections are rewritten and expanded. Among those expanded are Chapter 10 on periodic trends of elements and certain compound types; Chapter 20 on descriptive chemistry which now includes the main families of metals as well as the non-metals; and colligative properties (Chapter 9). Chapter 5 on atomic structure is extensively rewritten with more detailed and more lucid explanations of quantum numbers, eledranegativity, dipole moments, and Lewis structures; however, I think Lewis structures are taught more readily to the student after some consideration of covalent bonding. Chapter 6 on molecular structure is the mast extensively rewritten and expanded chapter; the sections on molecular orbitals, hybridization, and molecular geometry are partieularly well-written. Chapter 8 which introduces acids and bases is new although some of the material appeared in other chapters in the previous edition. Drago's main emphasis is on the Lewis acid-base concept, but now he does give
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some attention to Bronsted-Lowry acidbases. While recognizing that Brunsted1,nwry acid-bases can he considered a special class of the more encompassinn Lewis acidhases, they are a very important class. In discussions with various organic chemists on the topics in general chemistry which they consider important for carry-over into the sophomore organic course, both BranstedLowry and Lewis acid~baseshave always been mentioned as vital subject matter. The need for a multitude of prnhlems requires a great deal of labor for the author of a general chemistry text, especially since answers and some solutions usually need to be offered either in the hack of the honk or in e paperback supplement. While the great majority of the problems in Drago's second edition are the same as in the earlier work, this reviewer detects new or revised problems in all but three of the 23 chapters. Only a few printing errnrs were detected in this edition, which is a definite impnmement over the first edition. The last chapter on biochemistry is rut from 52 to 38 pages. While there are more than enough topics to occupy instructor and students in general chemistry, for terminal students, for example, engineers, Drago properly recommends some coverage of organic and hiachemixtry. In summary Draga's "Principles of Chemistry with Practical Perspectives" is a text worthy of serious consideration for both university and college freshman ehemistry courses. Mordecai Treblow
Chatham College Pinsburgh, PA 15232 Chemistry and Llfe: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry John W. Hall andDorothyM. Feigl. Burgess Publishing Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1978. Figs. and tables. vii 672 pp. $17.95. Study Guide, 148 pp., paperbound $4.95. Teacher's Guide, 48 pp., paperbound, NIC.
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This text does an excellent job of inte-
grating chemistry as related t o the composition of living matter in the framework of a terminal amrse for those interested in health-related fields. The instructor's guide also outlines sequences of chapters which may beskipped for coursesshorter than a full year. It provides a good selection of problems a t the end of each chapter with answers to selected problems in Appendix D. Many more problems in multiple choice format are present in the student study guide (149 pp.), and suggested examination questions are given in multiple choice format in the teacher's guide (48 pp.). These questions se.m to have been tested on students, for many of the ambiguities often seen in mnltiple choice questions are not noticed here. The illustrations are frequent and well chosen. The first twelve chapters (235 pp.) cover general ehemistry, and chapter 13 is devoted to bioinorganie ehemistry. Chapters 14-20 tpp. 2-3 I:I9) nwer
