Recent Books I
General Chemistry. LEONB. RICHARDSON, Professor of Chemistry in Dartmouth College. Revised edition. Henry Holt & Co., New York City. 1932. v 779 pp. 105 Figs. 14 X 21.5 cm. Q . 5 0 .
+
This is a revised and rewritten edition of a book first published in 1927 and reviewed in the JOURNAL08 CHEMICAL 1927 (p. 1560). EO~CATION December, ~O~ I n this new edition, the author has adhered t o his original conception, "That the text is the vital element in chemical instruction, and that in such books explanations more detailed than is always the case are of advantage t o the student. Material of an explanatory and illustrative character, commonly confined to lectures, is included in this hook, which owes its length t o that f a d o r rather than t o the greater number of topics treated." The book, in its present form, contains 50 chapters in which the excellence of style and clarity of presentation which* characterized the original edition have been maintained. The order of presentation has been changed so that the chapters on "The Periodic System"; "Radium and Radioactivity"; "The S t r u c t u r e o f Atoms"; and "The Arrangement of Planetary Electrons" follow immediately after the discussion of the theory of electrolytic dissociation and its applications. This change of order is especially commendable. The chapters on "The Periadic System"; "The Structure of Atoms"; "The Arrangement of Planetary Electrons"; and "Oxidation and Reduction" are especially worthy of mention. It seems t o the reviewer that the author has accomplished his purpose in producing a book by the use of which. "The student should gain from his study of inorganic chemistry in college an acquaintance with the way in which the scientist thinks; with the theoretical principles which hind the science together and reveal the rela-
tionship between matters seemingly far apart. Secondly, he should acquire a knowledge of what the chemist has done and is doing for the comfort and convenience of mankind." The workmanship and materials used in the printing and binding of the book are excellent. A. E. MCKINNEY HIILLTONCOLLRDB CL~NTON, NEW YO==
Introductory General Chemistry. STUART R. BR-EY, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Yale University. The Macmillan Co., New York City. 1932. x 565 pp. 14 X 21.5 em. $3.00.
+
Because of the great amount of material available for a general introductory course in chemistry, the author proposes a t the outset to select only essential topics. As stated in the preface, this selection is based on the following objectives: "to afford an insight into that method of thought known as the scientific method which differentiates the civilization of toda$ from all which have preceded it; to develop a basis for an understanding of the true significance of chemistry in the modern world; t o co6rdinate the facts, laws, and theories of chemistry as an orderly science; and t o limit the amount of specific descriptive and theoretical material, and to arrange the order of the topics so that the student may . .arasp the major developments of the subject without becomina lost in a maze of minor details." While in the main the historical method of development has been used, the author employs much the same method of presenting the subject that was used in his earlier text, "Principles of General Chemistry," The Macmillan Co., 1926. A brief discussion of the usefulness of the periodic classification of the elements in the correlation of chemical facts is given in Chapter V and again in Chapter XIII. While the first half of the text is somewhat ~
VOL.9, No. 8
RECEN'I? BOOKS
1495
the preface to the first edition, printed in 1916. The author feels that the ideal texthwk would consist of two volumesone of general principles, the other of descriptive chemistry. The present book is aimed to supply the material for the first volume, leaving the descriptive material to be obtained from the companion volume, published in 1929-"Reference Book of Inorganic Chemistry" by Latimer and Hildebrand [for review, see J. CHEM. Eouc., 6, 1004 (May, 1929)l. The hook is planned to be used also in eonnectian with the laboratory manual by Bray and Latimer, "A Course in General Chemistry." Revised Editidn, 1932 (for review see next page). The author indicates that high-xhool chemistry is prescribed for entrance to this course. The material is presented under various topics which may or may not he taken up by the instructor in the order in which they are presented in the text. The author has endeavored to leave as much flexibility in this matter as possible. Chapten are devoted to the following sub: (I) Kinds of Matter; (11) Weight kelati& in Chemical ~ e a c t i i n s ,~ t & and Moledes; (111) The Kinetic Theory; (IV) ~ o l & u l s r Weights; (V) Atomic Structure and the Classification of Compounds; (VI) Concentration; Acidhetry and Alkalimetry; (VII) Thermochemistry; (VIII) Electrolytic Dissociation; (IX) Valence; (X) Chemical Nomenclature; (XI) The Speed of Chemical Reactions; (XII) Chemical Equilibrium; The Effect of Concentration; (XIII) Types of Equilibrium; (XIV) The Effect U-RSITY 0. NBVAD* RENO.NBYADA of Premve and Temperature upon Equilibrium; (XV) Oxidation and Reduction; Principles of Chemistry. JOEL H. HILDE- (XVI) The Constitution of the Atom; BRAND, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, (XVII) The Periodic System of Elements: University of California. 3rd edition. (XVIII) Molecular Structure; (XIX) The Maemillan Co., New York City, Dispersed Systems. 328 pp. 24 Figs. 13.5 X 1932. ix The reviewer feels that this book, in 19.6 cm. $2.25. connection with the other two volumes This book has been the outgrowth of a mentioned above, could be used especially need for a textbook in the course in Ken- well in a group planning to make a pareral chemistry and qualitative analysis in tinrlar study of chemistry. The topics the University of California, according t o are well discussed and many problems are heterogeneous, in that there appears to be no verv evident reason for the order of its subject matter, the latter half possesses an evident sequence and an interesting continuity which binds the subject matter into a uniform whole. The student is given an introduction to the metals, first through the study of salts under the general chapter headings of nitrates, halides, sulfates, etc., following which the metals as such are discussed under the general headings of activi metals, metals obtained from oxide ores, and metals obtained from sulfide ares. This arrangement lends itself well t o a comparative study of the metals and should enable the student to correlate his facts t o good advantage. Such a viewpoint makes possible the development of greater interest on the part of the student and greater unity in the subject matter, both of which are well-recognized essential principles in the teaching of general chemistry. I n addition to the usual descriptive matter, radioactive substances and atomic structure are discussed a t some length in Chapter XI1 and the colloidal state of dispenion, together with some of its more important applications, is treated in Chapter XXIV. The final three chapters of the b w k are devoted to a discussion of the hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The book is well illustrated, is written in a clear and very readable style and possesses abundant material for a thorough course in general chemistry. GEORGE W. SEARS
+
