General Chernlstry with Oualitatlve Analysls K. W. Whiften. K D. Gailey, Saunders College Publishing. Phlladelphla. 1981. xxvil 856 pp. Figs. and tables. 20% X 25 cm.
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I t is only human nature that a reviewer tends to be more thorough and perhaps a bit overly critical of early chapter(s) of books since for both teacher and student, class attitudes are established early. A few exceptions to content from this reviewer's w i n t of view are noted for this h k , though i c a n be unequivocably stated that he finds not only these introductory chapters satisfactory but also the book as a whole a strong teaching instrument. A few of these exceptions are noted. In view of the very large number of reversible reactions-Why are there not also a very large number of endothermic processes? Too often books state, and this one is no exception, that there are "many more exothermic than endothermic chemical processes." Certainly a change in conditions can favor the latter. The statement early in the book that laws "-not be rigorously proven" leads the student to a sense of frustration. Over the centuries we certainlv have tried and failed to disprove many laws! One f~gure(many of which arelaken from othertexts in the p u b lisher's "stable") in an dherwire large and well-chosen set suggests an improper method of calibrating a thermometer a t O'C. This approach is not consistent with a later and more correct procedure. In the same group of figures, the student is led to believe that the "cloud" of steam (condensed H20) visible
above a beaker of boiling water is "water vapor." A healthy section is devoted to the reluctance of our federal legislative bodies to get off "dead center" (or some other part of their anatomy) and get on with full metricatian and SI. The authors, as many do, stay pretty well with metric using mostly parenthetical SI. Each chapter is initiated with a brief outline of the major issues ta be discussed. At the end of the chapter, theglossary of important terms is included with brief definitions. Throughout, the number of illustrative problems within the body of the chapter is adequate to the point of being copious and, as well, the end of the chapter problems are numerous beine sectionalized into the msior ppdwg@c awns. This armngpment should he helpful not only tu the teacher hut also tothe student. Answers ta numerical problems are found as one of the appendices. As one of some ten ancillary publications that accompany the text at the student's and teacher's pleasure is a solution manual covering all end-of-the-chanter material. In this dav and age, it seems as if there are co-produced materials with the barir text that do everything hut give lectures. l ' h s reviewer hopes that there are still teachers in the business who produce someof their own materials in support of their particular courses. Solution stoichiometry, perhaps couraeeouslv. is included with usual massstoichiumetry. By so doing. there isa very welghty early chapter. T i e temptatiuns on the part of the teacher may he toga intodepth on solution phenomena prematurely in order to provide some understanding of the preparatlon of solutions and their concentratiin ex. -' pressions.
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It is difficult not to "din into the future" in early chaptern unmg terms that have not heen establ~5hed.It is hard tosee huwa "cwalent system" ur a "pressure of 10'Vtorr" can he understood properly when we are not to encounter the real application and definition of these terms for several chapters, or even as many as 130 pages later.The depth to which the authors have gone in stoichiometry is illustrated by the multiple or simultaneous decompmition problem (percent composition of s metal carbonate mixture from C02 loss by the use of chemical factors). Since students are only about two weeks into the course, this kind of problem is a hit overwhelming. Overall, the stoichiometry section is inclusive, and well illustrated by important sub-classifications such as oercent .vield.. limiting rmgrnts, formula determination. T h ~ srewewer approves uf the time and spare devoted to nuclear stability calculated as binding energy although he prefers to relate it in the form of binding energy per nucleon and not per unit of mass. The dualistic treatment of the electron is especially well done. Few authors make much of the photoelectric current related to the intensity versus energy of light Some may feel that the Bohr treatment as well as the DeBroglieHeisenberg-Rydberg interface is overly abbreviated. However, this reviewer agrees that it is not necessary togo through the spectral exercises of the development of Paschen and Balmer series in the first war class. On the other hand, it is doul,tfuithat the student needs as much on d and / urlhal rhspe* as the authors provide. At some point, authors of introductory texts should come to a ~
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Reviewed in This Issue K. W. Whitten, and K. D. Galley, General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis M. Dupont Durst. and G. W. Gokel, Experimental Organic Chemistry R. S. Berry. S. A. Rice and J. Ross. Physical Chemistry H Batzer. F. Lohse, Introduction to Macromolecular Chemistry Second Edition Nicholas J. Turro and Benjamin Cummings. Modem Molecular Photochemistry D. A. S k w g a n d D. M. West Principles of Instrumental Analysis Second Edition H. Gunther, NMR Spectroscopy M. F. Lappwi, P. P. Power, A. R. Sangerand R. C. Srivastava. Metal and Metallold Amides C. H Fuchsman, Peat lndustrlal Chemistry and Technology William Day. Genesis on Planet Earth The Search for Life's Beginnings
Volume 58
Revlewer R. C. Brasted Kenneth K. Andersen H. H. Carmlchael and T. C. Caves G. C. Berry Neil E. Schore Bruce D. Pollard Joseph B. Lambert R. A. Andersen Stephen R. Daniel Clifford Matthews
Number 10
October 1981
A307
meeting of the minds as to the order of orbital designations of the mr values far t h e p and d (or P ) states. There is, for instance, little consistency as to whether this order for the pstatesshouldbe +1,0,-lor-l,O.+l.As a co-fabricator of a variety of nationally standardized examinations, this reviewer can appreciate the exam committees being nearly as perturbed as the energystates themselves. Still in the realm of consistency, these authors, as do mast, refer to the s and p elements as the A sub-group in the periodic table. The British, and a t lesstone producer of periodic tables, reserve the " A for the transition elements. The Inorganic Division a year or two ago, took a poll of its members on this matter with as yet unreported results. It is time that some "high official body" provides a "dictum (dictae)" for the "pour troops in the trenches." Bonding is well coordinated with valence bond and VSEPR. The cloud schematics could have been used to greater advantage to differentiate between NHs and NFs. This chapter on "covalent bonding"is inordinately long because of the author's almost superhuman efforts to introduce virtually every possibility of bond and VSEPR structure. Since most authors deify the octet, it is refreshing to see the use of non-octet NO3 studies, which very logically describe the sp2, trigonal geometry. The chapter heading "Covalent Bonding and Inorganic Nomenclature" bring together strange bedfellows. I t could also be pointed out that for the
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MO-phobes, the author8 have provided a way out. Chapter 6 can be omitted "MO in Chemical Bonding." Not many texts have a similarly titled chapter making it difficult to take advantaee of such a choice. Actuallv. the authors havinot been as generous as-they might have been in the advantages of MO principles even at this level. The text is one of the few (at least in the writer's experience) to point to an apparent anomaly in the energy filling of the2p MOorbitals. It is not obvious to thestudent w h y s orbitalsshould fill first when sigma bonds are nominally generated first. The brief treatment of heteronuclear molecules could be omitted without destroying the future of the student who takes little or no more chemistry, but what they have done is lucid. The approach tochemical reactions isnot unique; however, from past experience, it is tempting to try to teach the rest ofchemistry in this section. The instructor is easily bogged down in material that is later discussed in much more detail. A small issue in "gaseous state," might have been a better use of time of diffusion of gases (through a pinhole) to illustrate molecular weight determination rather than basing the experimental approach on velocity, a difficult experimental measurement for the student to visualize. A worthwhile calculation found in the body of the chapter on solids is that of Avogadro's number calculated from crystal data. On the other hand. hand theory and crystal defects are probably too briefly covered to be useful. Solution phenomena is augmented over and above the usual hydration phenomena by a very useful table of chargelradiusratios (or
ionic potential) providing a good periodic approach to the phenomena. There is something left to be desired in virtually equating "disrociation" and "ionization" in the eon. duetivity approach. This reviewer would prefer to think of the fraction or percent dissociation rather than ionization when one is dealing with the solution of highly ionic solids. These authors make an issue of activities, something that is seldom developed in current introductory texts. The authors have here and elsewhere gone out of their way to provide "real world" examples. The treatment of acids, bases, and salts (theoriesofl with titration curvespresentsa mixed bag. Solutions and concentration expressions have already been covered but with equilibrium theories and their application still far down the pike. Most of what is presented a t this point in the text will have to be repeated at a later time. Redundancy is admittedly a great teaching tool, but time and oaee " utilization reoresent cruel taskmasters. A similar feeling is reserved for the preliminary treatment of redox which is discussed well before the treatment of "electrochemistry." In this approach, the authors could have saved time and a not inconsequential' number of pages by eliminating the oxidation state change method for balancing equations. Thevoiceof this reviewer will orobablv continue to he a howl in the wildrrnes-: however, and why canl we drop normality in ar~d.l~aie redox systems? W e can livesopeacefully and pedagogically sound without it!! There is enough thermo for most, perhaps a bit slim for the very dedicated, especially those who might like to intercompare total (Continuedon page A310)
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energy, free energy, and enthalpy, for instance, the conversion of literlatmospheres t o the joule or calorie equivalents. Throughout most of the text the authors are meticulous in a step-by-step approach; however, in a reasonably abstruse area (at this level), that of specific rate constant, k . being a function of temperature (Arrhenius). a very large quantum jump is assumed for the student. Conversely, not a totally different expression is carefully derived under chemical equilibrium where Kq is also treated as a function of temperature. A lot of "blood. sweat, and tears" flow in developing the half-life expression far a first-order process. It would have been worth a part of a page to discuss radio-datingat this point even though it is done later, in the last chapter on radioactivity and nuclear chemistry. Many of us simply do not have the time to pet to that chapter in a two-quarter course, but we have a magnificent opportunity to apply and interrelate kinetics and radiochemistry. As mentioned already, the earlier presentation eases the move into homogeneous acid-base equilibria. Another "wilderness howl" might be in order here. Admitting the frequent use of Henderson-Hasselbalch equation by biochemists, it isa marginal use of time lo develop this expression when one can come up with the ssme answer starting with nothing more than a K. expression without the development of the several log expressions. The treatment of heterogeneous systems is necessarily complete (more than usual) as are also equilibria involving polyprotie acids in view of the later treatment of qualitative analysis. As is usual (but not universal) applied and the more theoretical or conceptual thoughts of electrochemistry are considered in a single chapter. Since this chapter also includes the necessities of spontaneity, concentration cells, and corrosion, as well as the development of electrochemicalsources of power, the chapter is massive. Something not found but useful in this reviewer's opinion, is the treatment of spontaneity of chemical reactions derived from the Latimer-type redox l It might systematics or ~ o t e n t i adiagrams. have been mentioned earlier, however, under the subject of oxidation-reductions a few kudos may be thrown the author's way in their adherence to metal ion Stock nomenclature. The ever ubiquitous subject of descriptive chemistry has been given considerableattention by the authors. Since no two instructors (or authors) seem to agree precisely an what determines descriptive chemistry, the reader may accept the reviewer's point of view that the authors have done a heroic job in producing massive amountsof descriptive chemistry. Aseriesof chapters on metallurgy (of all kinds), representative metals and non-metals and transition metals cover what usually will be considered descriptive chemistry of the elements. On the other hand, there is a reasonable amount of "theory" interwoven with the descriptive chapters to "bless the marriage." A usual advertising ploy is to claim that the "descriptive chemistry is woven in with the theoretical." An example is the application of the "inert pair effect" in describing the descriptive chemistry of certain of the Group 111 A metals. A tremendous nmount of es-
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sential information is incorparted in aseries of tables for each of the representative fsmilies. In so doine, the authors have made the text a good reference source as well as a teaching instrument. The nonmetals get more than their fair shake including a most generous section a n rare gas compounds. Periodic functions are stressed throughout these sections, especially in the several nonmetal chapters. Separate chapters are devoted to groups VII-A, VI-A, V-A, and 1V-A. The kudo presented for Stock system of metal ion nomenclature is tarnished a bit when the authors ignore the very highly utilitarian system for non-metals. For instance, there is nothing sinful about using the name nitrogen(l1) oxide instead of nitric oxide. An unanswered question when this amount of descriptive material is included is the way in which theauthors (or anyone else) can maintain enthusiasm for the introductory course when even a fraction of thisamount of descriptive chemistry is expected as part of basic knowledge of the student. Keep in mind that inorganic chemistry was killed off a number of decades ago by such expectations. Since the text represents, I believe, a third effort in joining qualitative analysis with general chemistry. the choice by a number of users will depend on the "piggy back" approach. A number of courses throughout the country do not use the classical ion detection, multi-unknown, and multi-ion unknown approach. It is not an excessively long compilation of the subject but does include the basic necessities of ion detection. Preliminaries t o qualitative analysis are more than adequately treated in chapters that cover transition metals, as well, another chapter on coordination compounds. The former is essentially brief since most of the transition metal chemistry of interest will eventually find its way into "coordination chemistry." Of all ofthe texts perused by this reviewer a t this level, this one seems to be the most complete in its treatment of coordination systems. Both valence bond and crystal field theories are presented, though not necessarily with equal billing. In fact, their treatment of crystal field is as complete as one is likely to find in any introductory text. The usual coordination numbers and geometries are interrelated in the splitting and stabilization energies. High and low spin states and prediction of color from the spectrochemieal series are found also. The entire descriptive chapters are terminated by a somewhat redundant chapter on "Chemical Reactions." There is in this chapter still another exposure to homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibrium systems along with redox and complex systems. Location of nuclear chemistry and organic chemistry is the usual "tag-end" which may or may not find favor. Some teachers prefer the latter as part of the "mid-section" since some curricula in some colleges and universities unwisely require but a single term of chemistry. These students would emerge from an introductory course with nomncept of carhon (covalent) chemistry. The two very brief chapters which are devoted only to functional group organic chemistry could be. of course, moved a t the teacher's pleasure. There is no section that is entitled "biochemistry," something that would probably cause few tears for those instructors pressed for time. As noted earlier, the "Qual" edition is brief,
though nine chapters are found. These headings identify the usual qua1 scheme groups and, as well, the necessary introductory material for laboratory work. There is vet another "ea around" in equilibrium with sdditional c
