BOOK
REVIEWS
General Chemistry Laboratory Text
Wilbert Hultm, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Charles E. Memill, Columbus, Ohio, 214 pp. Figs. and tables. 1965. ix 21 X 27 cm. $4.25.
+
Laboratory manuals which stultify interest in chemistry and others which do not effectively promote much interest are available, and used. At the larger schools, with the consequent logistics problems, it has only rarely been found practicable to use a laboratory manual for the beginning course which is a t the same time stimulating and administrable in the hands of an inexperienced graduate student teaching assistmt. This semi-solution to a. formidable problem is no longer necessary.
This manual can be used by teaching assistants, subject to the condition that these instructors are guided in the development of standards applicable to theevahation of essay type lahoratory reports. To this end, the author has provided leading questions for the ~tudent,to accompany most of the laboratory assignments. Perhaps the mast distinguishing feature of this publication is the author's insistence that it is a laboratory teztwith good reason. The discussions which accompany each of the twenty-three experiments are similar in style to the discussions in a textbook, though rather more informal. The interpretation of the data. that is required in some instances will present a challenge to many students: calculation of determinate error when a
hypothetical (described in detail) mistake was made by a student investigator; some aspects of the descriptive chemistry of vanadium and its application to qurtntitative andysiis; preparation of, and discussions about, graphical summaries of the data in which functions of the raw data. are plotted; choosing between two suggested reaction mechanisms; and consideration of activity coefficients and activities are t,ypical examples. Following the informal, thorough discussion of the principles (comprehension of these is stated to be the major explicit aim of this text) that are to be illustrated by the experimental phenomena, are detailed eook-hook directions for the conduct of the study. But this attention to labmatmy directions is only superficially questionable; by the clarity of the preceding discussions and the vigor of the suggestions to the student concerning matters to he discussed by him in his written report, themanual (sorry, the text) stimulates intelligent, provocative, interest in chemistry. It is clearly the first really successful attempt to display the function of the laboratory to students who are supervised by graduate student teaching assistants. The single criticism which could be directed against this fine effort is the limited number of experiments provided. Fraternity files on the twenty-three experiments will surely be developed at the larger institutions. But, now that the author has shown us how to do it, many of the experiments suggested in TAIS JOURNAL, 42, 463-495 (1965) can be
Reviewed in this Issue Wilbert Hutton, General Chemistry Laboratory Text Michael J . 8.Dewar, An Introduction to Modern Chemistry Lloyd N. Ferguson, Textbook of Organic Chemistry William A. Bonner and Albert J . Cmtro, Essentials of Modern Organic Chemistry John R. Dyer, Applications of Absorption Spectroscopy of Organic Compounds Nicholas D. Cheronis, John B. Entrikin, and Ernest M . Hodnett, Semimicro Qualitative Organic Analysis R. B. King, Organometdic Syntheses. Volume I, Transition-metal Compounds S. Cofey, editor, Radd's Chemistry of Carbon Compounds. Volume 1, Part C, Monocmbonyl Derivatives of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons, Their Analogues and Derivatives E g a Slahl, editor, Thin-Layer Chromatography: A Laboratory Handbook Paul Becher, Emulsions: Theory and Practice J . Lee Kauanau, Structure and Function in Biological Membranes. Volume 2 Howard H. Faweett and William S. Wood, Safety and Accident Prevention in Chemical Operations K . Gwy, Laboratory First Aid R. H. Wright, The Science of Smell Dmzald R. Coughannur and Lowell B. Koppel, Process System Analysis and ConJoseph S . Annino, Clinical Chemistry: Principles and Procedures New volumes in continuing series
added to the list. The author himself states that this edition is experimental (an apt choice of word); I hope that he will he able to prepare either an expanded version, or one or two alternate versions with different experiments in each, within a year or two. I t is a pleasure to review a manual which succeeds better than my own to do what I personally feel strongly should be done (at least for the Large schools). Hutton hasgiven mesome ideas how to do it still better; I hope the same occurs tn others. I t is long past the time when real chemistry should be taught to first year chemistry students. With this important publication t o show one effectiveway, and plenty of room for good competitors, the time is here for several to make a valid attempt. JAY.4. YOUNG King's College Wilkcs-Bawe,Pennsylvania
An Introduction to Modern Chemistry
Michael J . S. Dmar, University of Texas, Austin. Oxford UniversityPress, New York, 1965. 209 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 23 cm. $2.95. This characteristically lively book by Professor Dewar is intended "to give a general outline of the principles of modern chemistry to a reader who has some basic knowledge of chemistry and physics but is unfamilim with modern chemical theory." The book is based on lectures which the author gave to first year students of the University of London "origindly with the object of counteracting the very oldfashioned courses they had had at school." He and his colleagues were thus enabled to "teach inorganic and organic chemistry right from the start in terms of modem orbital theory and the transition state approach to reactivity." As a veteran of "Prince Albert's Chemical Curriculum" (PACC) the reviewer feels that the second of these objectives must have been achieved and, though the book is soma what uneven, that the other two are =asonably well encompassed in so brief a space. The first three chapters-Evidence for the Atomic Theory, The States of Matter and The Structure of Atoms; [sic] Nuclear Chemistry-are rather perfunctory save for the odd phrase or off-best example. But in Chaper 4--The Breakdown of Classioal Mechanics, and the Rise and Fall of the Old Quantum TheoryProfessor Dewar hits his stride: his stride and not, as is so often the case these days in books of this k i d , themimic stride of a Pauling or a Coulson or an Orgel. This chapter and the following two on wave mechanics and Atomic and Molecular Struoture are the best part of the book (though several of the diagrams are poorly executed) and most students and not a few teachers could r e d them with pleasure and profit. They are an excellent example of how to be non-mathemati d without being superficial. The remaining two chapters-Equilibrium;
Volume 42, Number 72, December 7 965
/
689
