MARCH, 1950
171
"is still very much in process of development." He develops the three statistical methods based on the microcanonical ensemble, canonical ensemble, and grand-canonical ensemble. His statistical treatment is based on quantized energy levels and an the assumption that each unique state of a system has the same a prioe probability as does any other state of equal energy. The theory for systems obeying classical mechanics is then obtained as an extension of the results for quantized systems. Liouville's theorems are by passed along with the usual considerations of the ergodic hypothesis. Thermodynamic relations are in part taken for grant.edwith justification appearing, however, in appendixes. Rushbrooke illustrates his theoretical development with relatively few examples but these are well done. The treatment of specific heats of gases and the properties of certain types of liquid solutions are interestingly carried through. This is a good beginning book in statistical mechanics which leaves much out but does well the part which is treated. It should prove interesting to a wide circle of readers. HENRY EYRING
U~r~~sm OFrUPAX r SALT Lnae CITY,U ~ d a
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INORGANIC QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
C m l l Wardlaw Griffin, Professor of Chemistry, Vessar College, Ponghkeepsie, New York. The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1949. xiv 368 pp. 4 3 figs. 25 tables. 15 X 23 cm. $4.50.
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T m s textbook has been written for a one-year course in quantitative analysis including the usual theory and laboratory work. The principal sections are: General Operations; Accuracy Precision, Errors; Balance; Volumetric Apparatus; Acidimetry; Oxidstion-Reduction; Gravimetric Analysis; Volumetric Precipitation Methods; Potentiometric Titrations; Electroanalysis; 0-2 o ",..":-..*-.. ""r"Lrr,rruLJ.
The chief virtue of this book lies in its conversational stvle which should appeal especially to the slower student who (as difficulty in working out the development of ideas by himself. At the same time, this conversational style is also the chief fault of this book. At times the more important and less important ideas are not easily distinguished whicb is likely to make studying, especidly reviewing, difficult. Some important points are omitted or relegated to notes in the experimental procedures: A discussion of displacement titrations, such as the titration of NaCN with a.strong acid is omitted. Principles of gravimetric separations are not discussed in detail. The influence of acidity or oomplexing on oxidation potentials is mentioned only briefly in a few praoedures. Inasmuch as the majority of physical chemistry textbooks use the Lewis convention of signs for the oxidation-reduction potentials, it is to be regretted that not more textbooks in quantitative analysis follow the same convention. Unfortunately this book also uses the convention which assigns the more positive potential to the stronger oxidizing agent. Students are likely to be confused by the v a k t y of terms zpplied for "oxidation number;" "valence," "valence number," "oxidation number," "oxidation state," and "charge" are used interchangeably even in the same sentence (pp. 153, 154, and 155). The rules for balancing equations by oxidation numbers are not given. On p. 165 the statement that "since ZnO is a solid its concentration is constant" is indeed misleading. On p. 185 the reduced form of diphenylamine sulfonate is said to be green in color, which is likelv to ousele students since the indicator solution is C O ~ O ~ P R R .A d i ~ c l l ~ sof i ~t,he n irreversible oxidation of diohenvla-
" .
a calcium chloride tube charged with a desiccant is recommended to protect the standard permanganate solution in a syphon bottle; this reviewer can see reason for a dust filter, but certainly not for s. desiccant. In the discussion of permangamte methods for the
determination of iron in iron ore on p. 187 the statement is made that "in cases where hydrochloric acid has been employed to bring a sample into solution, the solution must he evaporated with sulfuric acid in order to expel the hydrochloric acid before titrating with permanganate," yet the Zimermaun-Reinhardt method is given on p. 191 which makes removal of hydroohlorio acid unnecessary. On p. 194 one of the chief advantages of silver reductors over Jones' reductors is omitted, namely, the possibility of using hydrochloric acid solutions. This reviewer fails to see why the author concludes on p. 224 that the formation of precipitates in gravimetric analysis constitutes an "irreversible chemical reaction." On p. 275 Brunck is the only name mentioned in connection with dimethylglyoxime as precipitant for nickel even though Tschugaeff published his work in 1905, two years earlier than Brunck (1907). Numerous problems are given at the end of most chapters and they appear to be easefully selected and well-worded. In the earlier sections up to acidimetry many sample problems are worked out in great detail, in fact, this reviewer feels that there are too few problems which necessitate more than recognition of the "type" and substitution. This criticism is not valid for sections beyond acidimetry. Numerous drawings and graphs are scattered throughout the book. In the case of illustrations of laboratory equipment the equipment dealers who supplied the cuts have been credited, but the manufacturers have not been mentioned. Five-place logarithm tables (without interpolation tables) and tables of ionization constants, solubility products, formula weights, and specific gravities of acids and ammonia are given in an appendix. The book appears to be free from typographical errors. The nrintinn is well done oresentine a ulessant annearance even of pages Gled with formuias. ~he'bindingappeagto be sturdy. On the whole this book does not offer much that is novel. The chief deviation from customary treatment consists of placing the section on volumetric precipitation methods following those on
cussing
precipitations. ARNO HEYN
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THE PRACTICE OF RESEARCH IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES
R. H. Griffith, Senior Research Chemist, .North Thames Gas Board, London, England. Oxford University Press, London, England, 1949. vii I84 pp. 14 X 22 om. $3.25.
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WRITTEN by an administrator who is also an authority ou contact catalysis, this hook reflecta the English scene in research at a time when the pound has tumbled on one side of the Atlantic and the industrial laboratory has risen to unprecedented heights on the other. I t is compounded of a mass of fact and detail evidently gathered from personal experience and of opinions culled from speeches, Nature editorials and Amerioan writings. Sir Henry Tisard and Dr. Mees are the authorities most often quoted. The eontents cover everything to do with research, packed into 170 closely printed pages. Beginning with an estimate of the cost of doing research, the distribution between the various functions of the lahoratotory will strike the reader as suitable, but the totals fall short by a decimal point of the expenditures to whicb we are now becoming accustomed. The next chapters show that Dr. Griffith places the selection and quality of the staff in greater esteem than the physical design of the laboratory; with which we can heartily concur. The space devoted to laboratory construction looms unduly large, and one is both astounded and delighted with such injunctions a s . . ."moveable platforms about 3 feet square with steps and hand rail are of general value.. ." Considerable emphasis is placed on the costing of research and the assessments of probable profit^, direct and hidden, for presenta-
