book reviews Editor: W. F. KIEFFER College of Wooster Wooster, Ohio
Elements of Physical Science: The Nature of Matter and Energy
V e n e H . Booth. Macmillan Ca., New York, 1970. xii 468 pp. Figs. and tables. 18 X 26 cm. $7.95.
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This boak is a condensed version of the author's "Physical Science: A Study of Matter and Energy," and i t was written for use in a, one-semester course for nonscience students. Anyone who has taught a one-semester course for nowscientists is aware of the difliculty of acquainting these students in that limited amount of time with the more important principles of chemistry, especially t,hose principles that t,he layman with little mathematical background can understand and that can be related to their own experiences or future interests. The treating of the principles of astronomy, ~hysies,and geology in the same course seems to offer insurmountable problems, and i t is not likely that onc could succeed in that task with this hook. The author states in the Preface that the students must lean, and analyze large numbersof facts before the laws and theories may emerge. As bheresultof this approach and the Consequences of condensing the larger hook, one finds that in many sections the material is presented in an encyclopedic fashion with insufficient development of the principles. The large amount of data will not be retained by these students after the courseisended, hut hopefully the principles will be rememhered; therefore, these should have been emphasized and the facts introduced only to illustrate the principles. References to appropriate books and articles would have
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led theinterested students t o more factual information. One approach to the using of this book would he to emphasize the chapters on chemistry and to bring in only selected parts of other chapters on &ronomy, physics, and geology which could be closely related to t,he chemisbry, e.g., the abundance of elements in the universe, the thermonuclear reactions of the stars, the concentration of minerals and ores by geological processes. If the elements of chemistry had been chosen as the central theme of the book, not only would the title he more appropriate but, perhaps, that subject could have been used to weave a limited discussion of astronomy, physics, and geology in with some principles of chemistry. About 18 of the 30 chapters are especially relevant to the -teaching of chemistry, with some overlap with physics on tonics like the ees laws. kinetic-molecular theory, heat, atomic spectra, etc. However, the ohapters are short and too many important topics of chemistry itre keated in a very cursory fashion, so the student would not obtain a good understanding of the field of chemistry witholtt considerable supplementary material. While relatively few printing errors were noted, there are some instances of outdated material being retained from the earlier edition and some errors in the explanations, e.g., the idea that water begins to boil when all of the molecules have enough energy to escape. On the plus side, there is much interesting factual information in the book, the illustrations are well done and helpful to the reader, and each chapter has a large
in this Issue
Verne H . Booth, Elements of Physical Science: The Nature of Matter and Energy D. F. Shrivcr, The Manipulation of Air-Sensitive Compounds Richard A . Durst, editor, Ion-Selective Electrodes Leonard C. Labmuitz and John S . Arents, Physical Chemistry Problems and Solutions R. D . Levine, Quantum Mechanics of Moleoular Rate Processes John Westlcy, Ensymio Catalysis J . S . Blakemore, Solid State Physics Mary Fiessr and Louis Fieser, Reagents for Organic Synthesis. Volume 2 R. T . Bottle, editor, The Use of Chemical Literature: Information Sources for Research and Development Lawrence Badash, editor, Rutherford and Boltwood: Letters on Radioactivity J . H . Dymond and E. B. Smilh, The Virial Coefficients of Gases: A Critical Compilation New Volumes in Continuing Series
number of pertinent study questions (no answers are given). One of the best features of the book is the historical approach which is handled well considering the broad area of knowledge covered and the limited space avvailahle. The basic problem remains, though. How can one adequately and clearly teach so many topics in one semester? CARLW. MOELLCR The University of Connecticut Stom, Connecticut
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The Manipulation of Air-Sensitive Compounds
D. F. Shriuer, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illionis. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1969. xiii + 299 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 om. $17.50. The book entiteld "The Manipulation of Air-Sensitive Compounds" by D. F. Shriver is the first book of its kind since 1933, when Alfred Stack, the great German chemist, published his now classic book entitled "Hydrides of Boron and Silicon." Shriver's book, like St,ock's, provides an introduction to methods of working with air-sensitive compounds; the main difference of course is that the present hook was written 36 years after the first and has incorporated most of the new manipulative methods developed over past years. The boak is divided into two mzior Darts: Part I describes Vacuum Line design and construction of vacuum line systems for various purposes is described. The construction of a simple and multipurpose vaccum line system is described with special emphasis on details concerning supporting equipment, such as vacuum pumps, solenoid valves, cold traps, high vacuum manometers, special stopcocks, etc. In addition to this, manipulative methods involving transfer of condensable and nan-condensable gases, fractionation, use of a. cathetometer, tensimeter, etc., are described in detail. The various measurements that can he made with a high vacuum system me also described in detail, such as vapor pressure measurements, molecular associat,ion studies, tensimetric titration, etc. Other uses for high vacuum systems, such as prepmatian of air-sensitive samples for nmr, esr and ir, gas sampling for chromatography, melting pointdetermination, sealed tuhe reactions, and others are described in detail. A special chapter on metal vacuum systems for manipulation of fluorine and reactive fluorides should prove of great value to those involved in any phase of fluorine chemistry. I n Part 11, attention is directed toward inert atmospheric techniques such as bench top techniques (Schlenk tuhe construction and manipulation) and the selection and operation of glove boxes. S p c cia1 chanters deal with nurification of inert
(Continued a page A722) Volume 47, Number 10, October 1970
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