book reviews treatment of ionic equilibria where i t would seem t o belong. Bronsted and Lewis acids are well defined and illustrated. The sect,ion on complex ions, while i t relates well t h e geometry of complexes t o hybridized orbitals, is very deficient in nomenclature of complexes and in ligand field Lheory. I n general this reviewer considers the work to be an excellent, programmedlearning text. However there should be a n index so that st,udents could look up specific information. Some topics might be better organized (e.g., acid-base), and topics do not progress in difficulty a t the same rate. The book might be improved with more exercises in ionic equilibria. of various types. Rote programmed learning must be snpplemented with hist,oricsl and descriptive material by lecture and reference readings t o insure proper context. There are no problems for homework assignments. We have fonnd t h a t s t u d e n t , ~do chafe m d e r the questionanswer proceduw of x programmed text, especially if they are trained in rapid reading; often they must bc advised to learn to skip aver repebitious qnestions. Programmed learning will probably not meet the needs of most freshman chemistry courses. Able students e m cover most of the book in one semester, as we do in our honors course. The book can be highly recommended to the deficient stndent in need of supplementary helps as an excellent if expensive drill aid.
Those familiar with his other textbooks will recognize Slater's distinctively lucid and incisive style of writing. Characteristically, he emphasizes physical and intuitive lines of reasoning in preference to elegant mathematics. All in all, he bas produced anolher book of considerable value, bath t o beginners and to mare experienced teachers and research workers.
S. M. BLINDER Uniuemily of Michigan Ann Arbor The Wave Mechanics of Atoms, Molecules, and Ions. A n Introduction for Chemistry Students C. J. H. Schvtle, University of Sonth Africa. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1968. xiii 502 pp. Fis?. and tables. 15 X 23.5 em. SlR.:O.
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Ten or fifteen years ago, many physical chemisls longed for a revised edition of Pauling and Wilson's classic "Int,roduetion t o Quantum Mechanics," first poblished in 1835. Today, this need appears t,o have been fulfilled by a. wide variet,y of texts, ranging from simple qualitative discitssions to more detailed expositions of theory and comp,~tat,ionalmethods. This text by Professor Rehutte is a n additional altempt to introduce chemistry students to t h e theory and uses of quantum mechanics. ~ a r t i c u l a r l vas a ~ o l i e dt , atomic ~
principles of wave mechanics, a. well as ALLENL. HANSON their applications to simple potential St. Olaf College systems which w e of direct interest to t,he NorlhfLeld, Minnesotn chemist. I t also aims to bring t,he st,udent t o s. level a,here he can fallaw t,he papers Quantum Theory of Maner on valeney theary, molecular st,ructure, spectroscopy, etc., which appear in modern John C. Slater, University of Florida. chemical journals." I n view of t h e large 2nd ed. McCraw-Hill Book Co., New amount of material, the a ~ t t h o rmight be York, 1968. 763 pp. Figs. and tables. credited with having been srmessft11in the 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $15. second of these goals. For the same reawn, however, there is a question John C. Slster, a. distinguished contribwhet,her this text would serve efiect,ivelyas utor t o the development of t h e quantum a n introdnetion for most chemistry st,,,theory of matter, has added t o his voludents. minons writings on the subject a comTypical of many authors of texts pubpletely redone version of his 1951 book. lished in England, Professor Schutte The new edition consists, for t h e most part, writes in a terse, no-nonsense style. This of material condensed or adapted from his succinctness pays off in the number of m~dtivolumetreatise, "Quantum Theory topics that can be discussed in a relatively of At,omicStruelure," I and 11,and "Quanfew (400) pages. The material is logically tum Theory of Molecules and Solids," oreanised and oroeresses from a n initial I, 11, and 111. The hook is intended for use as a bext in a one-year graduate-level course on quantom theory. I t incl~ides, on simple models, atomic and molecular accordingly, a. selection of problems and a strucbore, and spectroscopy. I n addition bibliography of recent research papers. t o the more traditional topics found in Professor SIater favors a n approach in inf.roductory quantum chemistry texts, which development of quantum-mechansuch as the particle-in-a-box, the harmonic ical principles is closely interwoven with oscillator, the I3 atom, the H I + and H. applichtians t.o the struct,ore of atoms, molecules, simple conjugat,ed systenls, molecules, and solids. Of particular inote., there are discussions of group bheary, terest to t,he chemist is his thoroughgoing polyatomie molecules, transition metal treatment of the foundat,ions of valence ions, magnetic resonance, and the results theory. The prototype systems Ifst and of relnlively recent calculations. Another H. are analyzed in considerable detail feature t o be applauded is the insertion of from several points of view. This is folproblems a t the points in the text a t which lowed by chapters on homonuclear and they should be worked and the sololions heteronuclear diat,omic molecules, the t o these problems are collected in a n symmetry of wavefunctions, tho central appendix. A student who stildies the hydrides, t,he electron-pair band and the (Continl~edon page A4481 ethylene end benzene molecules. Volume 46, 1Yumber 6, June 1969
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book reviews text enrefdly, works the problems, nnd conscientionsly reads the recommended references shor~ldindeed obtain a gmsp of principles and applications that is quite broad: Unfortunately, the brevity of discussion creates some very real drawbacks in using this text as an introduction to qoant,um chemistry. Many American stitdents encountering quantum mechanics for the first time will not, have the mathematical and physical assnranee to take on this treatment withoot more discnssion of the reasons and implications of the method. The more generalized formulations of classical physics and the prope~ties of matrices are typical of the background assumed by thc aothar. The tent is intkrspersed with mathematical discussions as they are needed, especially group theory. While this arrangemen! is especially useful for persons who are reviewing relatively familiar material, the uninitiated may find it confusing and unillnminaling. There is too much done too rapidly for the beginner. There are aLw too few problems on which the heginner can test his understs;nding. Students with a stranger physical and mathematical background, i.e., those whose main interests already tend toward theoretical i.opics, woold not be so likely to encounter these difficulties and should find the text interesting and informative. Althangh a wide range of t,opics are discuxsed, this text is not an advanced
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treatise. Matrix techniques, t,he varieties of modern computational methods, and many similar topics are not covered. I n sommary, "The Wave Mechanics of At,oma, Molecules, and Ions" is a wellorganized introduction to quantum meehsnirs and its use in interpreting strlrcburxl and spectral problems. I t is too tightly written to he nsed as sn int,rodnctory text. in quantum chemistry far typical undergradr~ste or beginning graduate s t , ~ ~ d e nin t s this country. I t should be extremely osefnl for stndenbs and others who wish to review their previous ncqoaint,anees with qnantum mechanics and its applieabians and who wish to expand their bnckgromd beyond the t,opics ihal may have been examined in theiv first exposure. I n this respert, P~.ofessor Schutte's hook should serve also ss a handy reference source fol. short descriptions of matry basic strnct,nml and spect~.oseopirtopics.
SomeThermodynamic Aspects of Inorganic Chemistry
D. A. Johnson, Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. University Press, Cambridge, 1968. vi 224 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $7..50.
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This book covers quite well the applications of thermodynamic? to inorganic chemistry, especially as applied to ionic systems, and it could be a useful text for
part of the second semester of a senior inorganic course. Alternatively it could be used in a "chemical bond" course to st~pplement one of the standard texts since the latter tend to emphasize covalent subst,ances. Only t,he final chapter in this text is much concerned with covalent bonded compounds. The first chapter briefly reviews thermw dynamic and kinetic terms. The second chapter, The Ionic Model, develops such topics as ionic c r y ~ t a lstructures, lattice energies, ionic radii, and thermoehemical m i . The treatment of crystal strnctnres and Madelung constants is limited and would need to be supplemented by the use of some of the reference material. In Chapter 3, The Alkali Metals and the Alkaline Earths, the thermodynamic arguments which were developed in Chapter 2 are utilized in an interesting fashion to discuss heats of formation, decomposition t,emperatraes, and the types of deeomposition products predicted on the bases of ion sizes and charges. There are no problem sets a t the end of each chapter, unfortunately; study problems for assignment to the students would have been especially useful with this chapter. The topics considered in Chapter 4, Solution Equilibria and Electrode Potentials, include enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of aqnated ions; electrode potentials; equilibrium constants; relsi tive stabilities of oxidation states; solvent reactions; and non-aqueous solvents. The latter topic is described only briefly. The ideas involved in this chapter could be treated more extensively by the instruc-
