Chemical Education Today
Book & Media Reviews Introduction to Chemical Principles, 6th Edition H. Stephen Stoker. Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1999; xiii + 706 pp. Figs. and tables. ISBN 0-13-915992-4. $50.00 (paperback).
Stoker begins in the preface of the book by stating that most introductory chemistry texts are simply “watered down versions of general chemistry texts”, a comment which may apply to most comparable books. He then proceeds to state that this text does not fit into that mold, in that the 17 chapters of the book cover less material more thoroughly. He may very well be right. There are two things that I noticed off the bat. The text uses only two-color printing on non-glossy paper, which is disappointing in this age. I also noticed that the chapter organization does not fall into the pattern of most general chemistry books, in that the naming of chemical compounds and stoichiometry (Chapters 8–10) comes after a discussion of atomic theory and molecular bonding. In fact, Stoker even has a good discussion on VSEPR theory in Chapter 7, Chemical Bonds. Also, in Chapter 7, flowcharts are used often to help students learn how to name both ionic and covalent compounds. However, Stoker falls into the same trap as many introductory chemistry authors, placing an oxidation–reduction chapter (Chapter 15) near the end of the book, when it would help if oxidation states were discussed earlier. He discusses two different ways to balance redox equations in the chapter, which can be very confusing for an introductory student. He also places radiochemistry at the very end of the book, material that might work better if it were placed after atomic structure (Chapter 15). More thought needs to be put into Chapter 16, Reaction Rates and Chemical Equilibrium. As in many introductory chemistry texts, kinetics is given a nonmathematical treatment even though mathematical computations are used to describe equilibrium processes. Stoker, however, does not delve into acid–base or solubility-product equilibria, so the student isn’t bombarded with several types
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of equilibrium systems to learn (even though it is the same intellectual process in all three). There are ample sidenotes and chemical extension sections that explain and amplify concepts in a sensible manner. Some sidenotes are placed just to explain that certain concepts can be learned only by extensive practice and drill, a practice not extensively emphasized in current precollegiate education. The quantity and variety of problems at the ends of the chapters are good; cumulative problem sets are reasonable and can be worked after some thought. There are the requisite profiles of chemists (17 in all) as well as a mathematical review appearing as an appendix. The mathematical review, however, leaves out operations with logarithms—a serious omission because, as my majors-track chemistry students attest firsthand, college algebra classes are not covering logarithmic operations in any depth. Also, Stoker does not address the use of scientific calculators (which might be a blessing rather than a curse). The book has separate student and instructor solutions manuals and a test bank (printed and software versions), and the book Math Toolkit for Introductory Chemistry can be provided without cost to instructors who request it. Charles Corwin’s Laboratory Experiments for General Chemistry is suggested as an accompanying lab manual. The Web site for this book was still under development as of February, so ancillaries such as PowerPoint lecture slides or interactive questions may be available at a later date. This paperback book may not be pretty, and it may not cover organic or biological chemistry, but Stoker does a good job introducing chemistry to a college-level audience. It is well recommended for a one-semester or two-quarter introductory chemistry sequence. Also, for a person who believes that the price of textbooks is too high in most cases, the price is lower than that of most comparable texts, which makes it a good value. Wheeler Conover Department of Chemistry Southeast Community College Cumberland, KY 40823
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 76 No. 11 November 1999 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
