Historical studies in the physical sciences, Volume 1(McCormmach

loudly, immediately" and variations of this. This ir followed by sketches of equipment, including 8. much too fat buret, and imtructions, again in imp...
0 downloads 0 Views 1MB Size
Theory of Dalton, (D. C. Goodman) presents a well detailed account of Wollaqton's fluctuating views on the validity of loudly, immediately" and variations of Dalton's atomic theory. The Electric this. This ir followed by sketches of Current in Early Nineteenth Century equipment, including 8. much too fat buret, French Physics, (T. M. B r o m ~ admirably ) and imtructions, again in imperative describes the evolution of the distinction terms, for keeping a notebook. Orders are between t.he static and kinetic mpects of issued from the high command to do this or electricity. Maxwell, Oshorne Reynolds, that. There is no discernible attempt to and the ltadiometer, (S. G. Brnrh and C. allow student initiative or to arouse W. F . Everitt) recounts the search for an curiosity. understanding of the principles governing The organization of the manual is the movement of rdiometer vanes, which divided into two sections: (1) Stoichiomprinciples also became the foundations of etry, and (2) Solution Equilibria. Section the dynamics of rarified gases. This 1 is, in turn, subdivided into chapters enaccount is pnrtieularly interesting because titled: 1. The Laboratory, 2. Computait involves the use nf referee's reports tion, 3. Stoichiometry, 4. Gravimetrie as a primary refet.ence source. Gihbs on Analysis-Analysis by Precipitation, 5. Clausius (M. J . Klein) is an imalysis of Gihhs' ohitumy of Clausins, in which Coprecipitation, 6. Volumetric Analysis, and 7. Indirect Analysis. Section two Gibbs attempted to deswibe the signifcontains ohapters entitled: 8. Solution icance of Clausius' contributions to therEquilibria, 9. Computation with Logamodynamics. The paper entitled Origins rithms, 10, Acid-base Titrations, 11. T h e of Lorenta's Theory of i3lectrons (T. Ilirosige), attempts to trace the process of Measurement of pH-The Glass Electrode, 12. Patentiometric Acid-base Titrathe formation of the fundamental idea3 tions, 13. Polyprotic Acids, 14. Spectraassociated with the Lorentzian theory of photometry, 15. Spectrophotometic Titraelectrons and to elucidate the route to the tion, 16. Oxidation-reduction Reactions, recognition that the electromagnetic field and 17. Potentiometrio Redox Titrais an independent physical realily. The tions. Genius of the Bohr Atom, (J. L. Heilbron This reviewer can only say that the time and T. S. Kuhn) reeonstrucls the ini n the general chemistry laboratory could tellectual sequence of eventa from Bahr's be better spent in exploring some of the doctoral thesis through his three part broader aspects of chemistry-in a quantipaper entitled "On the C o n s t i t r h n of Atoms and Moloculcs." The chapter tative manner, of course. Further, it is far entitled Why Was I t Schriidingev Who too easv to make auantitative analvsis a Developed DeBroglie's Ideas'! (V. V. "had thp" for the &dent. This m"anus1 llaman and P. Forman) argues that certainly doesn't help much. Schriidinger was one of the few quantum JOHN P. MARTIN theorists whose idecs were similar to Davis and Elkins College DeBroglie's and who was not a p~ioriillElkins, West Va. 86241 disposed to UeBroglie. I he papers appearing in this voli~me are, in general, well argued. The styles of writing in severs1 of the papers seem foreign to that which most physical x i emtists may be accustomed, however the Historical Studies in the Physical focus of the papers is intellectual history Sciences, Volume I and not physical sciences. Edited by Russell McCormmach, UniThis journal will prohably he considered versity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. by the average instrnctor in any chemist,ry University of Pennsylvania Press, Philcourse as too specialised for inclusion in adelphia, 1969. ix 314 pp. Figs. his pemonal libt.at.y. Ilowever, much 16 X 23.3 cm. 88.50. information which can be usefully employed to illustrate the basic humanness "Historical Studies in the Physical of physical sciences to students can be Sciences" is planned as an annual journal obtained from the papers in the first, devoted to articles on the title subject volume of this journal. from the eighteenth century to modern times, the period defined by the editor as the posGscientifie revolution. Apparently The Unluemily of Tezm these volumes are to ineurporete Chumia, Austin the history of chemistry annual. The rational for these volumes is best described in t.he editor's words: ". . specinlisatian by period promises to be a more fruitful approach for a histo1.y of science journal than specidization by individual scientific Catdyris of Gas Reactions b y Metals discipline. There are facets of scientific activity that can only be understood when A . J . 11. Robertson, King's College, related sciences are treated as 8. group of University of London. Springel;Verlag interact,ing diiciplines rather than as isoNew York Ine., NewYor.k, 1970. xi l a k d speciallies." 1% pp. Figs. 23 X 15 cm. $9.80. ICiglrl contributions sppenr in the fi~.st volume of this journal. Sir John HerThe first book on ent,alysis, by Rideal schel's Philosophy of Success, (Joseph and Taylor, was published >2 years ago Agassi) is nn extended critical hook report and was succeeded by srwprisingly few on Sir John Herschel's "Preliminary Disadditional books until recently. A colcourse on the Study of Nat,ural 1'hila~league of mine recently gave me a bibliogophy." Wollaston and the Atomic raphy of books on catalysis that have been

book reviews

..

+

.

+

A730

/

journal o f Chemical Education

published since 196% There are twelve titles on it. Dr. Ilobertson's book is a unique member of this list. The author has a lucid style of writing and has the ability to explain and summarize even the most diffieull subject. However, let the buyer beware! The title of the book is misleading. Ahant a third of the book is devoted to ultra-high vacuum techniques and research, and another third to concise sumtnnries of a wide range of topics. I do not menu to imply that these parts of the book are not useful. Quite the contrary. I rnenn only to warn that the author has been very s e l e h v e i n what he discusses. For example, Dr. llaberbsan discusses only reactions of simple molecules such as the hydrogenation of ethylene, hydrogendeutel.ium exchange, and the decomposition of formic acid and of ammonia. But what he has chosen to discms he does with admimble conciseness and clarity, and he gives excellent references to the literature. There arc supe1.b half-page to one page descriptions of a n nmnsing collection of things such as Auger spectroscopy, t,he Baynrd-Alpert gauge, the field ion microscope, arid so on. The remaining third of the book is a marvellous historical summary of the old, the young, and the dead concepts in c a t a l p sis from the beginning to the present. I n abouL seventy pages Dr. lluberbson takes us step-by-step fvxn Uavy's experiments on olefiant gas in 1815 to the elegant experiments u u hingle crystal faces in the 1930's. This sdmil.able sumnary is fascinaling reading and is accompanied by a n extensive (and accurate) bibliography to the wiginel papers. I t is required reading fur all workers iin catalysis and should be the first thing a beginning student is handed to read. This fine historical rumm a w makes the book a bargain. JOHNE. BENSON Diekinson College Carlislc, Pa. 1701.1

-

-

The Chemirtrv of Inoraanic Rina Systems. Park I and II, Inferscience Monographs on Chemistry

Ionel Hairkre, [Tniversity of Clnj, Clnj, Ilmnania. Jnhn Wiley & SOW Ltd., New Ycxk, 1970. vi 1197 pp. Figs. and tables. 23.5 X 15.5 cm. S34.50 each.

+

This pobliealion is nn expansion of the Polish version (1904) of "lntrodilclion to the Chemistry of Inor~nnicRings," whirh is i n turn a revisiw af a Romanian hook (1960) by the same title. Thc present w ~ kappears in two volumes. The chaptorsiin P w t One (F22 pp.) include: I , Introdtlclion, whirh is it general suwey of nomenrlature, ~ ( r r ~ c t u 2nd r e bonding, and equilibl.ia involving rings; 11, ITomw cyclic Compoonds emrct~nedwilh boron, the group IV elements (erchding carbon), the gx,np V elements, sulfw, nnd silirrln; 111, Inorganic llete~~oeyclw of Gmup I11 Elements; and IV, Inorgilnir Hetcl.ocycles

(Conlinued on page A75B)