Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1959. 141 pp. Figurer. 14 X 22 em. $3.50.
BOOK
REVIEWS
The Foundations of Chemical Kinetics
Sidney W . Bason, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. McGrawHill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1960. xvii 703 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 em. $13.50
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This is really two bookstextbook on rhemical kinetics and a treatise on the mechanisms of gas phase reactions-both of which will he found t o he very useful. In his preface, Dr. Benson states that "The present volume is a n effort, in part, t o present to the student a t the senior or graduate level a broad survey of what the field of kineties has become and acquaint him with the basic models and language in current use." The baok is divided into four parts: I. The phenomenological description of chemical rate processes, 11. Statistical methods for treating systems of large numbers of particles st or near equilibrium, 111. The kinetics of homogeneous reaction in gases, and IV. Reactions in condensed phases. Part I contains basic material that would be covered in most courses on kinetics. Part I1 deals with distribution functions, the kinetic theory of gases, transport properties of gases, and a n introduction to statistical mechanics in a way that would be very helpful to students. Part 111 is a very complete description of the kinetics of homogenous reaction in gases with many references to recent work and critical discussions of theories and conclusions. In discussing gas-phase reactions, Dr.
Benson has emphasized mechanisms b e cause he feels that "lack of adequate consideration of mechanism was one of the principal reasons for a stalemate t o theoretical progress in kinetics from the year 1929 until shortly after World War 11." Many of the discussions in this part of the book go into greater detail than would be practical in most courses in chemical kinetics, but will be welcomed by serious students in this field. In Part IV, reap tions in condensed phases are introduced in a theoretical way by considering a liquid of hard sphere molecules with an attractive potential well. However, this approach does not seem vcry practical for discussing most solution reactions. The final chapter is on heterogeneous reactions. A section on enzyme-catalyzed reactions is inch~ded here; however, it would seem better to the reviewer to consider reactions catalyzed by soluble enzymes as homogeneous reactions. The book closes with a useful appendix and 53 problems. Although the book is quite complete an the topics discussed, there are a number of topics which are not treated; these include the principle of detailed balancing, exchange nwxtions, fast reaction techniques, and maleeular beams. R. A. ALBERTY University of Wisconsin Madison Chemical Magic
Leonard A. Ford, State College, Mankato. Minnesota. T. S. Denison &
S i d n e ~W . Bensn, The Foundations of Chemical Kinetics Leonard A . Ford, Chemical Magic Charles Coulston Gilbspie, The Edge of Objectivity .4. F. Karnp, J . W . M . Rivikre and W . Verhoeven, Editors, Alhert Jan Kluyver, His Life and Work John Read. A Direct Entrv to Oreanic Chemistrv
Practical Applications J . Levis and R. G . Wilkins, Editors, Modern Coordination Chemistry Donald J . Hanahan, Lipide Chemistry Karol J . Mysels, Kozo Shinoda, and Stanley Frankel, Soap Films C. A . Neuaebaue~.J . B. Newkirk. and D. A . Vwmilvea. Editors. Structure and ~ r o ~ e r t i of e s~ h i Films n J . O'M. Broclcris, J . L. White, and J . D. Mackentie, Editors, Physico-Chemical Measurements a t High Temperatures Henri Mauras, Tables pour le Cdcul Direct des Constantes D'Equilibre des Systemes Chimi que aux Hautes Temperatures Roland Wilbur Brown, Composition of Scientific Words Keith J . Laidler, The Chemical Kinetics of Enzyme Action Cad S. Marvel, An Introduction to the Organic Chemistry of High Polymers
The book is suitable for the high school student, the science club, or the high school teacher seeking new demonstrations. The experiments are clearly described, easy to follow, and most of them were tried in my laboratory by high school chemistry teachers. The inexperienced student should check with his teacher before trying any of the dangerous experiments. There are aver one hundred interesting demonstrations and many are illustrated with diagrams. For each experiment, the author describes the action to be observed, lists the materials required, and explains how it worke. He also gives a. brief statement as to why it works and gives a few suggestions as t o conditiana and variations for the experiment. The boak can be used verv effectivelv by the high school teacher and I re&mend it to them. LESTERI h m Bucknell Uniuersity Letuisbu7q, Pennsylvania The Edge of Objectivity
Charles Cozdstn Gillispie, Princeton University. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1960. 562 pp. 15 X 22.5 cm. 8i.50. This is a n unusual book in its stated field. It goes well beyond the simple history of the ideas of science and enters into the fascinating relationship of these idem to "human" fields of interest. Thus, for example, Gillispie not only traces Newton's contribut,ions to science but also relates the reactions of intellectual historians such as Ldbnitz who have blamed his theories for creating "a pieture of a soulless, deterministic worldmachine." In e v e n such case the author gently but clearly leads the reader through these misonderstsndings of the knowledge of science. Thus, this book vould find great value in any educational program, assigned either by the history or the science dopartment. I n fact, the style is so elegant and the evident learning so full, that the literature department would look far for a better reading assignment. Yet the very fullness of the text suggests that accompanying lecture and discussion would be desirable and would lead the group into wisdom on the major eternal issues of the humanities. Educationally this boak would find great value in the humanities courses now common in the better engineering schools. I t treats the part of history which is far more important in such an environment than the usual "dates and war" history. The book is one of the best historical syntheses I have read; the reader ail1 clearly understand the folly of the Communist dialectic as well as other social hypotheses which try to sustain their imagining8 by pretending to be scientific. He will also know the ooints a t which the
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