edited bv Rochester Institute of Technology P.O. Box 9887 14623
Rochester, NY
As we a r e i n t h e examination period, we probably a r e too busy for reflection upon our year's classroomkxperieices. B u t when t h a t final grade is reported, a n d t h a t final report is signed, a n d t h e last cabinetlocked for t h e summer vacation period, t h e n i t is time for a look behind. W h a t changes might you m a k e for future classes? W h a t labs were exciting a n d worthy of repeating? W h a t new textbooks might you use in d a c e of t h e o n e vou have used for a decade? T h e reason teachers will always h e necessary is t h a t we remain dynamic. O u r classrooms become a s individual a s t h e students themselves. W e talk a b o u t our classrooms a s if they have a ~ e r s o n a l i t vof their own. And v e t we tend t o forget our own important r b ~ ei n t h e educational process. W e t r y very h a r d t o increase our skills i n order t o transfer chemical knowledge. W e a t t e n d seminars, classes, workshops, conferences, and institutes. W e read magazines, journals, textbooks, newsletters, a n d newspapers. W; helong t o local chemistry sections, regional chemistry organizations, a n d national chemistry organizations. W e a r e members of other scientific organizations, educational organizations, a n d a diverse variety has always tried t o of professional societies. THIS JOURNAL present a variety of informative articles on a multitude of tonics. T h i s column has offered a n o . ~.p o r t u n i t vt o share your experiences with audiovisual materials, thei; u s e f u ~ n e i si n t h e chemistrv classroom. W e invite you t o send a short summary o ! ' ~ - ~ k t e r i a that l s you havpfound to he particularly exciting and informative in theclassroom. We will print these summ.&es from time t o time.
DE LlRRlf JUDICIA General College Chemldry
C. Keenan D. Kleinfelter, and J. Wood, Harper & Row, New York, 1980, 6th edition, 880 pp. $24.50.
1 "General College Chemistry," sixth edition, is a standard one-year general chemistry textbook. The text is designed for students who require a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of chemistry as a preparation for later courses in chemistry and science. This text is written so there is an even balance between rinor - and readabilitv. It is a job well done. One of the nice features ofthis text is the clear.. leeihle .. tvoe ,. which makes for .I very attrwtive page and easy reading. There arr 1270 m d - o i - rudcnrsat thc high school level. In summary, I believe every high school chemistry teacher should have a copy of this textbook in their library. It makes an excellent text for those of us whoare teaching Advanced Placement and Chemistry I1 courses. ~
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GEORGERADCLIFFE Cathedral High School Springfield, MA 01118
This textbook has gone through six successful revisions and is widely utilized as an introductory textbook for general college chemistry. The authors state that the text is written not only for the science major but also for any person desirous of an understanding of the chemical world around him. The book would be very valuable for a high school teacher in his first year, for an Advanced Placement classor Chemistry 11, or for the veteran teacher who wishes toinspect what and to what depth students are being exposed to in chemistry in their first university course. The fourth edition was reviewed in THIS JOURNAL (49, A37 [1972]). The organization of the text certainly reflects a work written for the student. not the instructor of the course. There is a .ereat.varietv ~~ ~ oiprchlvms.'l'ht.ic woulcl hp ertremcly u d u l rirhrr fur rhr teat her ur student i n all .\I' ur ('hcmiitrv 11 vmrre. Flor exnmplr. thew is a pnblrm cuncerniuy the u1wsu.4(c4dr.i uihydn,gm whw h nmld limn the basis of an interesting class discussion in a staichiometry or structural chemistry unit. In the chapter concerning the gaseous state, the student is asked to derive several relationships among different pressure units. In the acid base chapter there is an interesting problem using liquid ammoniainstead ofwater as thesolvent, and the student is asked several acid-base questions to test his understanding of the general chemical principles involved in any acid-base system. These ~
This feature allows for extended coverage which will include all instructional aids (e.g., games, madels, kits. charts. booklets, brochures. and, of course, the standard audiovisual items).With the large volume 01 mint and A-V materials available and the limit& budoets of most chemistry departments, this exchange offers a valuable service. if you are interested in assisting in this process, send your name and address to the featureeditor ~
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nwel problems can be otijimd in claar as exercises or for class dis. cussion or 1wth.The more merested hi~hxrhuolstudent would also he challenged by problems of this nature. The tcxt fullows the wual pmcedureof presenting the principles ofchemistry and then thp pmpertieiof theelrmcntsand t h ~ i r c o m includes a thorough discussion of pounds. The section on formula and equation stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, the states of matter. solutions. thermochemistrv. and . eouilihrium. . kinetics. The authors van then disrusp imlc equlihria in detail in a ehnpter on aridr and hasrs, a chaptrr on aoluh~lityequililrria, and a third chapter on rcdox equhhrin and electn
