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JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
and prospects for power production while several others touch on the subject. One of these two chapters is concerned with the general features of a power reactor while the other considers s specific case, namely, a n engine far aircraft propulsion. Perhaps the chapters dealing with the use of radioactive suhstunow far the solution of industrial problem and in primary research will have the widest appeal, for it is here that one may already describe accomplishments of great interest and importance. The chapters on Industrial Applications and Chemical Process Control dcscriho some fascinating and ingenious practical applications of radioact,ive substances. Process and deign engineers will find i t most interesting and profitable to learn what, can be done with radiosetivitv for sueh multiform
deal with the uses of radioactive tracers in metallurgy, soil research, and several aspects of hiology and medicine. Following the twelve chapters are 57 pages of appendix which includo a chronological list of import,ant discoveries and developmcuts pertinent to atomic energy, a glossary of technical terms, m d a bibliography of over 300 articles and books classified according to subject. While n number of the terms in the glog sary will be useful to the layman, many of them fall into the catgory of highly specialized terminology which those not working in tile field may never encounter and much of uvhich is not even used ill scientific writing without explanation. All in all, this book probably will not be an important mileston? in public education on atomic energy. I t will, however, prove interesting reading and will have served a useful purpose if i t stimulates the reader to go further into the excellent bihliogrsphy which has been compiled.
Thiv arrangement in these two relatively short sections is considered to be a unique parallel treatment of the three mcchitnisms which accents their peculiarities and relationships. Part C contains 13 chapters devoted to heat conduction in simple bodies, from steady state without and with internal heat generation, heat losses, periodic and nonperiodic temperature changes, and unsteady state equations. Despite the introductory statement that only a rather modest knodedge of mathematics will be needed for the understanding of tho book, there are four chapters nn mathematical methods which indroduee the student to such methods as Heaviside's operational calculus, Laplace transform, numerical and graphical met,hods. Part D contains seven chapters on heat conduction m.ithout a change of phase or constitution whieh treats both free and forced convection. Part E contains three chapters on convection in which a change of phase occurs, as in vaporization and condensation. Volume IS of this book will contain Part F on heat radiation in spaces of simple configuration and Part G on selected fields of application. Four appendixes give problem, nomenclature, conversion factors, and a bibliography. The book is excellently illustrated with diagrammatic sketohes, figures containing data curves, and some pictures of research equipment. Because of this detailed treatment, these two volumes will be used as a textbook only a t the graduate and research levels. .411 teachers, reseeseh workers, and engineers in industry in this and related fields will want the book for its authoritative treatment of thesubject.
HANDBOOK OF CHEMISTRY
HEAT TRANSFER. VOLUME I M a x Jakob, Research Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois. John Wiley and Sons, Ino., New York, 1949. ~ n r 758 pp. 249 figs. 91 tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $12.
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THrs s,uthoritativc text and reference book by a n internationally known worker in the field is welcomed by all engineers and scientists who are concerned with teaching, research, or industrial application of heat transfer or physical properties which enter into thermal calculations. That this will be a two-volume set indicates the thoroughness with which the field is treated. Although much of the recent rc3earch in this field has been due to American and British engineers and physicists a considerable amount of earlier theoretical and practical uwrk was of German origin. "Because of these facts the author believed that only a rather international survey would cover the high lights in the path of development. In particular, it seemed to be indicated to allow ample space for the German literature of the 25 years before Aitler. Since, obviously, German science has doomed itself for n, long time to came, knodedge of the German language among students will decrertse accordingly, and the earlier basic literature will not be accessible. The main contents of this literature, including the most important derivations, have been presented in such detail by the author that study of the original papers will be necessary only in exceptionnl cases." All sources a m skilfully blended together so there is no more apparent emphasis on Gcrmnn work than its importance would demand. This volume is divided into five parts containing 30 chapters. Following a brief introduction which stresses the place of heat transfer in the system of sciences, Part A, in three chapters, derives the basic equations for heat transfer by the three mechain nism~,conduction, convection, and radi5tion; Part B&three chapters the phy~icnl properties of importance in each mwhanism, thermal conductivity, viscosity, and emissivity.
Norbert Adolph Lange, Lecturer in Chemistry at Cleveland College of Western Reserve University, Compiler and Editor, and Gordon M. Forker, General Elechic Company, Assistant. Handbook Publishers, Inc., Sandusky, Ohio, 1949. Seventh 1920 pp. 13.5 X 20 cm. $7. edition. xvi
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IN ADDITION to revising and extending manyofit,stablesthe n c w sovonth edition of Lmgc's "Handbook of Chemistry" has added much new material such as properties of hormones, dielectric constants, dipole moments, A.S.T.M. clsssification of coals by rank, etc. Due t o the need to limit the size of s single volume handbook, the mathematical data which has appeared as sn appendix in prcviouseditions bas been omitted. Homvor, for those chemists who fed the need of this mate~ialthe mathematical tables and formulas may he obtained in a separately bound volume, 296 pages, $1.60, the data from "Burington's Handbook of Msthomatieal Tables and Formulas." The value of t,his handbook is s h a d y wellestablished and this new, more complrte edit,ian will servo to maintain the confidence of t,be uscrs. I
INORGANIC PLANT NUTRITION
D. R. Hoaqland, Late Professor of Plant Nutrition, University of California. Second edition. Chronica Botanica Co., Waltham, Massaohuaetts, 1948. 226 pp. 44 figs. 28 plates. 16 X 24 cm. $4.50. THOSE p h a ~ c sof biochemical synthesis that are concerned with the transition from inorganic to organic compounds quite naturally offer a unique interest to a wide range of students. Although carbohydrate synthesis as effected by green plants is still far from being well understood, considerable energy is directed by investigators toward a solution of the problems in plant nutrition involving primarily those elements and compoor& derived from the soil. F u r t h e r m e , it is not surprising t o learn that the absorption and utilization of inorganic nutrients is correlated with sueh fundamcntnl metabolic processes ae
JANUARY, 1950
51
respiration and photosynthesis. Hence the student of any asnect of nutrition will find that a rreneral knawledee of the role of soil elements in plant physiology is essential to a broad knowledge in the ficld as 8. whole. The invcst,igator who desires a rapid, readily comprehensiblc, and yet critical review of the many problems concerned with mineral ahsorption by plants will find Hoagland's "Inorganic Plant Nutrition" a most useful source of information, a. fact demonstrated by the demand for a second printing of the book. The leotures given by Professor Hoaglaglend originally a t H a m a d University, under the Prather Lectureship, comprise the sewn chaptors. The treatment of the subject begins with a survey of thr: problems of plant nutrition that are related to soil colloids and t,he factors controlling the generation, shsorpt,ion, and exchange of ions. &Text, tho role of micronutrient elements is illustrated by a discussion of the multiple effects of minute concentrations of zinc. Many of the well-known experiments with large algal cells and excised barley roots are reviewed in order to give a prccise concept of present theories about the absorption and ttecumulation of salts by plant cells. In these cases, emphasis is given to the fact that absorption against concentration gradients is possible only when metabolic oncrgy is available. Continuing in logical sequcnco, the upward movement and distribution of inorganic solutes in plant tissues is discussed in relation to absorbed oxygen and light. encrgy, root pressure, and trenspiration. The use of radioactive isotopes in such studies for the last decade has substantiated several hypothesos concerning these phenomena. Artificial culture techniques sre evaluated in s separate chapter. Tho aspccts of amino arid synthesis that. are related t o ammonium and nitrate nitroeen assimilation are
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is givcn extensive treatment, since it is correlated with such factors as replaceahle and nonreplaceable forms in the soil and plant ssp buffer systems. Thc book will furnish excellent collateral reading for the studcnt in general or organic chemistry. Further Gquiry in tho ficld is aided by well-ehoscn bibliography a t the end of each chapter. Professor Hoagland's long career as a distinguished plant physiologist lends oonsiderablc weight to the many a p praisals of the work of others on the suhject of nutrition. The book is attraotively printed and hound, as are all the works in this well-known series of plant scimec books. GEORGE L. CHURCH Bnown UNIIEBBITT PROVIDENW. RADDEI s 1 ~ ) i n
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LEHRBUCH
its eompounds, the crust of the earth, the most important organic oompounds, and the importance of chemistry in the life of a nation. This book. which is used in Gcrmsnv in schools eorrc-
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LEHRBUCH DER CHEMIE, OBERSTUFE
Rudolf Winderlich, F~iedr. Vieweg & Sohn. Braunschweig. Germany, 1949. 291 pp. 154 figs. 15 X 21 cm.
IN TIE introduction to this volume the author refers to the following words written by Johsnn \Volfgang van Goethc: "Patriotic a ~and t patriotic seionco do not exist. Both belong, as docs owrything good, to the cntire world, and their progress dc.ocnds on a, free intorchrtneo of ideas of all livine. s t the same time
fer in chemical reactions; the most important nonmetallic clcments and the ionic theory; chemistry of metals; radioactivity and atomic structure. The discussion of organic chemistry is subdividcd into tho follo~vingtwo headings: compounds with embon chains and eompounds based on carbon rings. One single citation from this book should move that the reviemr is not ex-
even in colleges. Discussing t,he atom's structure in thc most, simple but nevertheless clearly understandable t c m s , he refers to alecture u.hich the late Max Planck gave in November, 1941, when he discussed chain react,ions and said: "In this way the effects multiply themselves, and i t can happen t h a t by the constantly increasing bombardment of the neutrons on the uranium atoms, the numbor of released ncutrans, and thereby the amount of formed energy, d l incroaso in short time like an avalanchp, taking the number of availnble atoms into consideration. This can reaoh in a short time enormous, rtctually incomprehensible dimensions, so that they might lead for that specific location, or even for our ent,ire planet, t,o a a!rious catnstmphr."
DER CHEMIE, UNTERSTUFE
Rudolf Winderlich, Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig, Germany, 1948. IS4 pp. 72 figs. 15 X 21 cm.
INTHE introduction, the author quotes the following words of Rerzelius: "Anyone who gives a scientifio demonstration must go to the utmost trouble to make it as clear and as easy to comprrhend as possible for those who should understand it, because it would bc foolish to make the demonstrations of science simple for the one who mekesit but a t the expense of those who shouldlearn about it." The author certainly has followcd this thesis. The hook is divided into thirteen chapters. Tho first discusses the problems with which chemistry is faced, refers to the most import a n t metals, sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, acids, alkalis, orystdliaation, distillation, and carbon dioxide gas. Chrtpter 2 is devoted to air and tire,includinga detailed discussion of oxygen and its properties and its assimilation into the human body by breathing. Chapter 3 covers the properties of water. Chapter 4 is devoted to the basic laws of chemistry, including reduction by hydrogen, oxidation by oxygen, formation of chemical compounds, and the atomic theory. Thisis followed by chapters on iron the most important compounds of sulfur, salt and hydrochloric acid, alkali motrrls and their compounds, nitrogen compounds, carbon and
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CALCULATIONS IN GENERRL CHEMISTRY
I. C. Hackney, Indiana University. The University B w k Store, Indiana University, Calumet Center, 3901 Indianapolis Boule146 pp. 5 figs. 21 X vard, East Chicago, Indiana, 1949. xi 27 cm. $2.25.
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As TAE title indicates, this mimeographed manual contains 29 chapters ranging from Computation R u l e (Chapter 1) to Atomic Structure (Chapkr 29). The hook is designed to supplement the use of a regular textbook. Extensive lists of problems am provided. One or more examples of each of the various types of caleulstions is worked out in detailed form. Answers to selected problems are included on pp. 139-141. A table of logarithms and a periodic chart (Merck & Company, Inc.) are included in the aooendix.
