ROOH REVIEW/ General, Organic and Biological Chemistry: Foundations of Life Dorothy M. Feigland John W. Hill, Burgess Publishing Company, Minneapolis, MN, 1983. xiv 383. Figs. and tables. 19.5 X 24.5 cm. $21.95.
+
"General, Organic, Biological Chemistry-Foundations of Life" by Dorothy Fiegl and John Hill is a text designed to introduce the student to elementary chemistry and to relate thechemistrytoliving,life,and the real world. The text starts with a chapter on matter and measurements. The next seven chapters cover the general chemistry block of material: atomic structure, chemical bonding, nuclear processes, gases, chemical reactions, solutions, and acid-base chemistry. Chapters nine through thirteen discuss the structure, the nomenclature, the physical properties, and the chemistry of the different classes of organic compounds. The final five chapters cover the topics of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, pmteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, minerals, and hormones. The elementary level of thetext is the result of the size of the text, three hundred fifty-three pages, compared to the large number and variety of topics covered. The material is covered in a complete but descriptive manner with an emphasis on its application to practical and real problems. This interface between the basic chemistry and the real world is enhanced by the use of numerous well-chosen pictures, excellent figures and diagrams, and tables a t relevant data. A series of clever cartoons is used throughout the text to help the student visualize and clarify chemical concepts. The followine selected tonics reoresent the manner in which the authors integrate the real world and the basic principles af chemistry: nuclear medicine, respiration and partial pressure, oxidation and antiseptics, blood and pH, polymers, physiological prvperties of alcohols and amines, digestion and carbohydrates, and digestion and pmteins.
The authors fulfill very well their stated goals of presenting the principles of ehemistry and relating them to life. This reader found the text clearly written with good content a t the elementary level. The text is highly recommended far consideration for those desiring an elementary text designed for one semester that presents the principles of general, organic, and biological chemistry with applications to life. J. L. Kirsch Butler University Indianapolis. IN 46208
measurements yield numbers with dimensions. The dimension is given with thenumher. Examples: 6 feet, . . In addition and subtraction all numbers must have the same dimensions and the result will have this dimension. Example: You cannot add 16 grams to 2 ounces without converting one quantity to the other." The authors are confusing dimensions and units. Measurement is an aperation of comoarison: thus. 6 feet is there-
..
mension and therefore the masses may be expressed in the some unit. On page 40, paragraph 2, it is stated that "Atoms of the elements combine with each other and themselves in definite combinaChlorine comtions called compounds. bines with itself forming molecules of chlorine, Cin." When two atoms of the same element unite t o form molecules the product is not a compound! In paragraphs 4 and 5, respectively. on page 40 one reads "theatomic mass of an element is the mass of the element relative to the other elements.. .the atomic
. ..
T h e Elements of Style in Chemistry, A Computer-assisted Instruction Supported Text James W. Beany, and James J. Beafty, University Press of America. Lanham. MD, 1982. v 104 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. $7.25 PB.
+
According t o the preface, "The book is the text for a two-hour course entitled "Prerequisites for Chemistry." The course is intended for students who, because of prior experience or lack of experience in problem solving, have difficulty in solving problems which are important to survival and satisfactory performance in an introductory cou~se." Given the purpose of the book and the audience to which it is dirkcted, quality of content is important; yet lack of quality is one of themajor failingsof this book. Thislackof quality is exhibited by statements that are either unclear, confusing, or just plain incorrect. Because of limitations of space, it is not possible to go into full detail t o support thisassertion andsoattention iscalled to the following examples which are chosen a t random. On page 26 one reads that "Physical
Volume61
weight in grams of the same number of atoms as there are in 12.000 grams of the isotope of carbon mass 12." These statements are not good enough; the atomic weight of an element. or better. the relative atomic mass of an element is s dimensionless ouantitv. The u , and by definition of the latter, the average mass of the atoms of an element in atomic mass units is numerically equal to the relative mass of those atoms; i.e., their atomic weieht. At the toD of naee 21 is thestatement.
reason why beginning students of chemistry should not be taught that mole is the amount (Continued on page A28)
Number 1
January 1984
A27
