Inorganic chemistry: A guide to advanced study (Heslop, R. B.

Inorganic Chemistry: A Guide to. Advanced Study. R. R. Heslop, Mmchester College of. Science and Technology, England, and. P. L. Robinson, Atomic Ener...
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While this reviewer feels that this book is not nearly as readable as Strong's classic treatise, nevertheless, it would be a vitluable addition to an institutional library, espeoially one in which beginning research students are likely to work. For the advanced research worker it ~houldbe considered as an inbraductory or preliminary text. JOHNT. YATES,JR. Natiaal Bureau of Standa~ds Washington, D. C . Inorganic Chemistry: Advanced Study

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R. R. Heslop, Mmchester College of Science and Technology, England, and P. L. Robinson, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Hamell, England. 2nd ed. American Elsevier Publishine Co.., he.. New York. 1963. vi 5 9 i p p . Figs. ttnd tables: 15.5 X 23 cm. 59.

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The second edition of this book appears after five printings of the first edition within three years. I t is only slightly altered from the first edition. The major changes are the addition of a short chapter on inorganic polymers, a short section on phosphonitrilic compounds, and one on complexes in aqueous solution. Many minor changes have been made. These includk the use of IUPAC nomenclature throughout the entire book, elimination of the self ionization concept in anhydrous SO2,NZOJand N204,revision of the boron hydride section, and the addition of the new boron chemistry including, BO, RdX, and B8C18. The existence of V(CO)s is added to the carbonyl section, and new strueturd formulas are written for some of the carbonyls, although the formulation of the ruthenium and osmium carbonyls remains out of date. Additional information is given on the nitrogen fluorides, and new structures are drawn for many nitrogen and phosphorus eompounds. Short new sections have been included on the structural changes occurring in the melting of sulfur, and nonstoichiometric compounds. Couples have been rewritten as reduction potentials. However, a puzzling statement occurs in this respect, ". Yb" by electrolytic reduetion(EhaYba+/YbP+= -1.5 v.), but not Sm" since SmCl*decomposes water." Certainly Ybe+ should also reduce water with that potential. The section on actinides has some changes which result in making less definite statements about the existence of ThI' and Th"', and about the relationship of the 6d and 5f electron levels. Considerable technetium chemistry has been added to the Group VII chapter, and the anionic rhenium section is now entitled The Rhenide Question. Many other minor corrections and additions have been made, although errors still remain; for instance, the disappearsnce of the blue color of a Cu(NHa),*+ solution upon the addition of oyanide is attributed to the formation of colorleas CU(CN)~%-. Reference is still also made to the existence of the Z,0'+ ion. These additions and corrections have added only twenty six pages to the text. I t is indeed unfortunate that the text was mdited without a chance t o add a chapter

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Journal of Chemical Educafion

on the new noble gas compounds. The authors hsve not added reference citations, nor have they included questions or practice exercises. It is doubtful that the revisions made in the second edition are significant enough to change the usefullifetime of the book.

EDWIN M. LARSEN Univwsity of Wisconsin Madison Problem Solving in Chemistry

G l a Tilbwy, Champaign Senior High School, Champaign, Illinois. Lyons and Camahan, Inc., Chicago, 1962. 218 pp. 16 X 23 cm. 181.50. Teacher's Key, $.15. This volume is distinctive, among the large group of problem books in chemistry currently available, far its consistent use of dimensional analysis ("factorlabel method!'). Nearly 200 sample solutions illustrate the usual problem types, and there are approximately 1000 additional problems for students to solve. Answers to the odd-numbered exercise8 are given a t the end of the text; answers to the even-numbered problems are available in a separate pamphlet. About one-quarter of the book is used to present the technique of labeling numbers, and to such procedures as the use of exponential notation, significant figures, and the slide rule. The remainder of the text is divided into 22 chapters each of which considers a topic met in most first-year general ohemistry ooumes at the secondsry school level. Emphasis is given to the mole factor method whereever possible. Almost without exception the problems rely upon the recall and use of "plug-in" methods for their solution. Oecasionttlly the data, for s. problem seems related to an experiment, but these few cases involve no more than substitution into the pattern of a type-example. There is no work involving analysis of data; there is no consideration of graphing. Very little or no spaee,is devoted to many of the topics which aie given so much attention in the new chemistry programs, such as CBA and CHEM Study. Energetics, equilibria, electrochemistry, and structure, among others, &reslighted. If the teacher desires a. drill book, the emphasis this one gives to the use of denominate numbers makes it worthy of consideration. RICHARD M. WHITNEY Rozbury Latin School West Rozbury, Massachusetts

comparison between the old and the new editions, the first five articles in the old edition were compared with the corresponding ones in the new edition. (Since the beginning of the old edition is now in the middle of Volume 2, it is not possible to compare the actual number of articlesin each volume.) Antibiotics: Old ed.-20 pages, 69 references; new ed.-7 pages, 9 general references to t a t s and books. The old edition included 11 pages of tables of the properties of antibiotics and the details of production. The new article is more general and much briefer, but gives good references to other soumea of information. Antifreezes: Old ed.-13 pages, 15 references; new ed.-21 pages, 19 references. This article has been generally rewritten and updated. The content is basically the same. Antimony Alloys: Old ed.-8 pages, 13 references; new ed:4 pages, 17 references and 4 general references. The article has been somewhst rewritten and the production data hsve been brought up-to-date. Antimony Compounds; Antimony P ~ e p arations: Old ed.-18 pages, 45 references; new ed.-17 paws, 117 references. Two articles in the old edition httve been combined into one in the new with considemhly more detail added. Anti-ozidants: Old ed.-Or/* pages, 12 references; new ed.-15 pages, 107 references. This article has been completely rewritten with considerable information added, especially with regard to the applications of antinxids,nts. The article is more like the corresponding ariicle in Supplement I to bhe "Encyclopedia" issued in 1957 and written by the same author. (However, do not throw away Supplement I because there are some articles in it which are not covered in the new volume.) These comparisons provide a representative evaluation of the residuum of the volume. As usual, the paper, binding, printing, etc., are of high quality. In general, the "Encyclopedia" provides a welcome starting point for the specialist, and is very suitable for the nonspecialist who wishes merely to find a brief review of a certain topic. Certainly libraries and individuals who posses the first edition will find it very desirable to obtain the second one.

D. M. H~MMELBLAU University of Tezas Austin Intertocial Phenomena

Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Volume 2, Aluminum Compounds to Azo Dyer

Anthonu Standen, executive editor. 2nd ed. Interscience Publi~hers (a division of John Wiley and Sona, Inc.), 910 no. New York. 1963. xv Figs. and iables. 19 X 27 cm. i i 5 each; $35 subscription.

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I t has been fifteen yesm since the first edition of Volume 2 of the "Encyclopedia" appeared, and substantial changes have been made in the content of the various articles. To provide a rough

J . T . Davies, University of Birmingham, England, and E. K . Rideal, University of Cambridge, England. 2nd ed. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1963. xiii 480 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 cm. $15.

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This second edition differs from the first one which has been reviewed here recently 39, A552 [1962]), only by ( ~ m JOURNAL s minor corrections and the revision of two short seotions. These concern recent research work of J. T. Davies in the realm of surfactant effeotrr on ripples and on the (Continued o n page A5341