BOOK
REVIEWS
Experiments for Instrumental Methods
Churles N . Reilley, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Donald T . Sowuer, University of California, Riverside. McGraw-Hill Book Ca., Inc., 412 pp. Figs. New York, 1961. x and tables. 22 X 28 cm. Paperbound. $5.95.
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This laberatory manual, the first one of its kind in instrumental analysis, offers a refreshing new approach to experimental instrumentation. The manual develops a perspective which I hope will set the pace in a subject which more and more schools are introducing into their curriculum. (See for example m r s JOURNAL 37,279 (1960).) The experiments are classi6ed within five major categories: electrometric, optical, separation, rsdiochemicsl methods, and instrumentation. Experiments are devoted to the determination of equilibria data, e.g., ionization constants of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and bromthymol blue as well as the analysis of unknowns. Each topic has a short explanatory introduction. The experiments within a topic have additional reference sources to which the student usually must refer. The authors have sought to avoid the stultifying workbook approach by using a Liberal dosage of questions interspersed throughout the text which require a synthesis of ideas and data to answer them. Although there are a few familiar experiments which have been refined, there are a number of new experiments which are worth mentioning. The section
-Reviewed
on endpoint detection with varioua polarized electrodes is explained quite clearly and demonstrated with simple experimental examples. The effect of the controllable variables in a spectrophotometer are examined very intensively with the answers left t o the student. "Precision" and "Differentialn spectrophotometry are explored for determination of major components in an unknown. Tristimulus colorimetry is also treated. There is a rewarding section for the beginner in the use of infrared spectra for qualitative antnalysis. A very interesting use of gas chromatography in analyzing reaction mixtures of 1- and 2-butanol to study the mechanism of this elimination reaction is included under separation methods. The last section, instrumentation, introduces in an understandable manner, electronics ss it pertains to chemical instrumentation. There artre experiments for construction and evaluation of some simple and useful equipment. The seetion ends with a theoretical troubleshooting problem which I recommend to anyone who would like to teach students how to service their own electronic equipment. My only reservation based an my own personal experience stems from the separation of the chemistry from the instrumentation. How much of s. Mack box will a, pH meter or spectraphotometer be to the student a t the end of the course? The fact that the theory of instrumentation was treated is certainly a major etep to avoid this. Experience will show , if it i ~enough
in This Issue
C h m h N . Reilley and D m l d T . Sawyer, Experiments for Instrumental Methods S. Ymng Tyree, Jr., and Kewo Knoz, Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry Robert F. Chapman, Editor, Separation Processes in Practice Keith M. S e m m r , Organic Chemiatry Cyril Stanley Smith, A History of Metallography F. A . Gmther and L. R. Jeppsa, Modern Insecticides and World Food Production Philip Pollack, Careers and Opportunities in Soience John Mitchell, Jr., I . M . Kolthoff,E. 8. Proskauer, and A . Weissberger, Editors, Organic Analysis. Volume 4 R. Byron Bird, Wawen E. Slewart, and Edwin A'. Lightfoot, Transport Phenomena Fritz Feigl, Spot Tests in Organic Analysis Philip W. West and Maulice M . Vick, Qualitative Analysis and Analytical Chemical Separations L. H . A h r m and S. R. T a y l o ~Spectrochemical Analysis Jean Timmmnans, The Physico-Chemical Constants of Binary Systems in Concentrated Solutions. Volume 4: Systems with Inorganic plus Organic or Inorganic Compounds (Excepting Metallic Derivatives)
The cost of an instrumental analysis course is 8. primary consideration. The authors have kept this in mind in designing their experiments. The Spectronic 20 is used for most of the spectrophotometric experiments, and diagrams for constructing inexpensive eleetroanalytical equip ment are included. Experiments using more expensive equipment are also included hut they represent s minor portion. The manual has 18 useful tables in the appendix. The figures and diagrams are clearly drawn. There amears to be sufficient attention paid - t o important details so that the experiments will work. I t is an eminently practical laboratory manual. I recommend it with enthuaiasm. FREDERICK D. TABBUTI Reed College Portland, Oregon
Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry
S. Young Tyree, JI., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Kewo Knoz, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Summit, New Jersey. The Macmillan Co., 434 pp. Figs. New York, 1961. vii and tables. 14.5 X 21.5 cm. $7.
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The suthors express the view that the recent trend in American universities in the first year course in chemistry is to place more emphasis on theory and less on the descriptive detaila of the variegated behavior of the elements. They have written a. book, presuming only a httekground of general chemistry, which treats inorganic chemistry as a subject xpsrt and in its own right. Only limited use is made of physical chemical principles, snd where these are employed an introductory discussion is provided, e.g. use of the Nernst equation in relation to single electrode potentials. The treatment of the elements is more or less uniform, followinga normal development based on the periodic t ~ b l e . Some of the more familiar elements are not discussed in sppreciably greater detail than one might find in a standard general chemistry text. On the other hand, the chemistry of many elements scarcely mentioned in the standard first year treatment is discussed in as much detail as that of the more common ones. With the increased emphasis on science and chemistry in many high schools, it appears to this reviewer that the welltrained student with high school chemistry could easily begin his college study of inorganic chemistry with a book such as this, perhaps bypassing most of the sketohy treatment of inorganic chemistry frequently provided in the usual general chemistry text. The book is elertrly written, appears to be accurate in factual detail, and suitable aa a. text far an undergraduate inorganic course. A useful appendix summarizing the rules of inorganic nomenclature in provided.
Volume 38, Number
N. W. GREGORY University of Washington Seattle
9, September 1961
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