VOLUME 33, NO. 12, DECEMBER, 1956 analg~inm ~ k r ame of wmimicro tcclrnique, and of qrtelnatic cation identificutiou hv means familiar to mast American teachers of the subject. Mare than the usual degree of emphasis in American texts is placed upon the use of dry-way tests. Anion analvsis is done hv a sim~lified scheme. ~ 6 laboratory e "&direction; and theoretical discussions again are very concise. The subject matter covered, the concise treatment, the apparent expectation that the student needs no ehbbarate introduction to stoichiometry, and the omission of problem work of any sort all suggest that first-year students in the Australian universities me considerably more mature than American freshmen. It is therefore improbable that the book will he eutensively used in American freshman courses. On the other hand it is not sufficiently detailed to be s. very satisfactory substitute for the standard American texts in use in most second-yew courses in andlytical chemistry. The book is clearly written, and the authors do rto excellent job of saying what they have to say with a.minimum of excess verbiage. The one adverse comment which occurs to this reviewer-and it is made with no knowledge of the general price structure in Australia-is that the price of the book seems inordinately high for its size. JOSEPH L. NEAL S m ~ c nU s s~i v ~ n a m r Sunhcna~,Nrw YORR
GAS TURBINES AND JET PROPULSION
G. Geoffrey Smith. Revised and enlarged by F. C. Sheffield. Sidh edition. The Philosophical Lihrary. New York, 1955. 412 pp. Many figs. 14.5 X 22 cm. $15. THE author of the sixth edition of "Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion" hae produced a book that is useful to: (1) the newcomer to the gas turbine field for general information on the history and recent state of the art, (2) the men who must quickly become acquainted with the work and problems in a special area, such as fuel syatems or metallurgical problems, and (3) anyme who is curious about the application of gas turhines for development of power far road vehicles, locomatives, ships, and stationary power units. This indicates that the scope of this book is very wide, but the author is generous with details in the text and with ohotoermhic illustrations and drawines: .. 'l'hc rcrmry of rhc information prcscntrrl with rwprrr ro jrt propulsion is cviclcnfly limircd only by the clsssificsrion wqulrcments. The reviewer questions whether it ie any longer necessary to sell or promote jet engine propulsion as the author tend^ to do in Chapter I. There might be reason
.
649
to argue with some of the summariz;ed list of 20 "potential advantages of turbine propulsion units as compared witb orthodox reciprocating engine installations." Occasionally the author uses an undefined expression that probably will leave the uninitiated reader still ignorant of the meaning of a. particular sentence. (This may be only the ignorance of an American reviewer with respect to an expression that would he clear to an Englishman.) Discussion in text of a c u t ~ w s ydrawing of an engine component would be less difficult to follow if the numbers design& ing individual parts had been included in the text. Once or twice the system preferred by the reviewer did appear so the text is not wholly consistent in this respect. More credit could have been awarded the American efforts of the past ten years for placing jet engine development where it was in 1955. Generally, Mr. Sheffield should be admired for having the oourage to attempt to cover so much territory in one book, and he should be complimented for completing his self-assigned task so well. PAUL R. WISE
NORTR OLNBTED.OHIO
COLLEGE CHEMISTRY Andrew 1. Scarleft, Professor of Chemish.y, Dartmouth College. Henry Holt and 499 names. Co.. New York. 1956. viii 108 figs. M&Y tables. i 6 ~ ~ i 4 Em. $5.50.
+
THISbook is based in part upon "Brief College Chemistry" by Richardson and Soarlett (1942). It appears to be a book designed for the terminal, nonprofessional course in generill chemistry. In its 34 chapters it treats the traditional topics in a brief hut understandable fashion. The periodic table and atomic structure are introduced early in the text, followed by oxygen, hydrogen, gases and liquids. Nest, the fundamentals of solutions, equilibrium, and oxidation are covered. Both ion-electron and electron-shift methods of ha.Iancing redox equations are given. Then come the nonmetals, electrachemistrv. and the metals. There are
cause of its nature, it is brief in many places and additional source material may be needed for the ambitious student. The author makes good use of practical exrtmples in order to illustrate the importance of chemistry in the modern world, particularly with the topics in descriptive chemistry. In general, the book handles subject matter with a minimum of mitbmetic. There are on the average slightly over ten discussion exercises per chapter and only two numerical problems per chapter. An appendix gives weights and measures, numeration notations, vapor
pressure of water, solubilities, oxidationreduction potentirtls, a list of chemical price quotations, and a four-place logarithm table. For instructors who seek a textbook for a shorter course, or who wish to use a book that provides a reasonable minimum of material in the fundamental areas, this book d l be of potential interest. W. H. SLABAUGH OREGON STATE C O L ~ E ~ ~ C o n v * ~ ~ r aOneooli .
TEXTBOOK OF CHEMISTRY Edward Mack, Jr., Alfred Benjamin Garrett, Joseph Fredric Haskins, and Frank Henry Verhoek, all of The Ohio State University. Second edition. Ginn and Co., Boston. 1956. ir 654 pp. 366 figs. 8 tables. 17 X 24 em. $6.50.
+
INTHE second edition of their popular book, "Textbook of Chemistry," the authors have wisely followed the sound pedagogical practices of the original McPherson and Henderson texts. The balance which is maintained between descriptive matter and chemical principles makes this text as well suited for liberal arts courses as it is for those preparing for careers in chemistry, teaching, medicine, engineering, and related professions. A thorough revision, with many new and improved features, bas been made. .Four 5 of the introductory chapters have been revised. The treatment of atomic and molecular weights has been shortened and simplified. The c h a ~ t e ron nuclear energy has been brought-forward in the hook and integrated with two other chapters on atomic structure. The elements carbon and silicon have been treated in the same chapter in order to better contrast their behavior. A novel chapter which takes up jets, rockets, and explosives has been added. The chapters on organic chemistry have been reduced by one third due to an improved organization. The text concludes with a. challenging account of fuels and power, including a discussion of the thermodynamic efficiency of the steam engine, nuclear poser, and the sun as a main source of energy. The subject matter tthroughout the book has been skillfully organized to build up interest and motivation by leadina the student from the s~ecificto the general and from experimeht to theory. Attention is focused consistently on the evidence for the theories and concepts presented. For example, in the chapter dealing witb rate of reaction and equilihrium, experimental evidence from radioactive tracer experiments is introduced ss evidence to support the principle of the continuance of reaction a t ecluilibrium. Most chapters start with-a brief introduction which calls attention to related information discussed earlier in the book
