VOLUME 33, NO. 1, JANUARY 1956 structure of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and dioxide, and fuels are presented in Chapter 8. The study of gases and kinetic theory lead to a systematic consideration of the periodic table in Chapter 12. This includes the long form of the table showing the relative sizes of atoms and ions. Nuclear structure comes in Chapter 13 preceding the electronic structure of atoms (Chapter 14). The discussion on types of chemical bonds in Chapter 15 is superbly done. This is enough to indicate that the authors have heen building a strong foundation for their presentation of elements and compounds. The first elements t o he studied thoroughly are those of the sulfur family. The study of the elements and their important compounds is always done in terms of family groupings in the periodic table. However, the cyclical presentation of the fundamentals of chemistry continues throughout the volume. Thus, there is further study of radioisotopes and nuclear changes in Chapter 21. The volume closes with 61 p a p devoted t o carbon compounds, including important hormones, vitamins, trace aspects of biochemistry-nutrition, elements, &-and such topics as carbohydrate metabolism. The student who takes no more chemistry will have s. good introduction to organic ehemistry. The authors have not hesitated t o "ditch" mueh of t h e traditional ttreatment of many topios and terms in chemistry which are not in line wit,h modern concepts or modern trends in the teaching of chemistry. Hence, they consistently speak of "molar weights" and "molar volumes" rather than the outmoded and objectionable G.M.W. and G.M.V. The treatment of atomic weights includes adiscussion of the unit for actual atomic weights, of the average ma88 of oxygen atoms or the "avogram"grams. The conventions as to electrode poten1.6601 X tialp follow the IUPAC reeommendations rather than the current American practice. Consequently, the half-reactions are arranged in an order of increasing tendency for the ions t o gain electrons uit,h theoxidized state on the left. Thin reverses thesignof t,he st,andard potential as usually given in American texts. The mort vigorous oxidizing agents me a t the left and bottom while the most vigorous reducing agents are a t the right and top of tho oolumn of half-cell reactions in the e. m. f. series. The authors have been very courageous in adopting this convention in that it is a complete departure from current practice. Moreover, there is mueh t o be said in favor of their convention. I n effect they are using tho standard hydrogen reference electrode t o establish hoth the magnitude and the sign of all electrode potentials. This potmtial is the e. m. f. of a cell which combines a given half-cell reartion with a. standard hydrogen electrode pleced on the left. This follow^ the reeommendations of the Commission on Phyaieo-Chemical Symbols and Terminology and the Commib pion a n Electrochemistry of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The format of the volume is pleacing and the illustrations are oxeellent. The reviewer noticed very fow errors. The most seriou~criticism is one t,hat can be relatively emily removed in the second printing. The indexing is inadequate. Thus, such important termsa? atomic number, A number, Z number, hyporhloroua acid, hydronium ion, hydrogen ion, and pH were not found in the index though in use in the text. With the incorporation of mueh new material on structure, some material usually presented in general ohemistw texts has had to be cnrtsiled or omitted. Thus, the reviewer found no d i s cussion of pH or normal solutions. The authors frankly admit in their preface that teachen using this book will have t o present selectively only certain sections of the volume. I n this way the range of content can vary from in~tructort o instructor, but the oontinuoua emphmis on the relations of properties and uses t o electronic and geomctricitl structure should result in a. total pattern for viewing chemistry that students can apply long after t,hey have finished their first course in chemistry. The reviewer repeats a part of his first paragraph: This is an exceptional text. It should he in the hands of every teacher of general chemistry. CONRAD E . RONNEBERG
DEN~O u~zvensmr X GR*NVILLE, OHIO
LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY
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I. A. Campbell and L. E. S e i n e r , Professors of Chemistry Oberlin College. The Macmillan Co., New Yark, 1955. viii 216 pp. 3 2 figs. 20.5 X 27.5 om. Paper bound. $3.
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THIS m s n u d i~ designed t o serve as the basis for two semester? of lahorrltory work in general chemistry. The experiments me well designed to bring out (1) fundamental principles of chemistry, such as the determination of molar weights of gases, liquids. and soluble solids, the determination of equivalent weights of met& or acids, etc.; (2) the significant reactions and properties of inorganic elements and compounds; and (3) the chemistry of semimicro qualitative analysi-not less than 12 weeks. This manual can be used with any college general chemistry text. Some of the principal features of this manual are that: (1) the student is expected t o design experiments, with guidance, and make discoveries for himself rather than verify what he already knows; (2) the experimental "setups" are very simple and require no great manipulative skill on the part of the student; (3) many of the exueriments are onlv hrieflv outlined comuelline the student t o work out his own procedu"res; (4) detaileh disc&ons of the theory back of individual experiments are largely absent, thus requiring a maximum of teaching or reliance on the class work; (5) there is complete absence of a "work-hook formatuthe student is expected t o write up his own reports; and (6) a large fraction of the experiments are a n a test-tube s c a l e f r e quently quite novel and pertinent, like the use of ammonia solution on heated copper oxide t o illustrate reduction by ammonia. The experiments are very carefully planned in sequence t o serve as the experimental basis for any general chemistry course. The experiments oorrelate the work of the entire year, with about one-third of the y e a devoted t o simple qualitative analysis. This manual should be examined b y all teachers of general chemistry who wish t o break away from the loek-step, workbook type of manual and have the student assume some responsibility for his own work in the hhoratory. CONRAD E. RONNEBERG DEN~O UN I Y E R ~ I T Y
G n m v r m s , Onm
Edited by F. Rodt. Elsevier Publishing Company, Houston, 1954 xndx 664 pp. 18.5 X 25.5 cm. $36 for set subscribers, $42 for subscribers to Series 111, $48 for single copy.
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EARLIER volumes of Elsevier's Encyclopaedia. have received many well deserved complimentary reviowa. This supplement to Volume 14 maintains tho standards of excellence which have been set previously. Volume 14 originally covered the literatureof steroids and triterpenes up to 1936. I n the decade 1937-46 which the Supplement covers, the great expansion of the literature of steroids makes it impossible to cover this field alone in one bound part. The present volume includes the nor-steroids, thesteroid hydrocarbons, and their halogen, nitrogen, and unsuhstituted monohydraxyl derivatives. The nor-steroids are compounds in which one or two of the six-membered rings of the 1,2-cyclopentenophensnthrene ring system have become five-membered. It is stated that "the literature has been consulted up to and including 1946, the literature concerning the structure and configuration of compounds up to 1954." The coverage is, however, more complete than this statement might imply. The practice has been continued of including literature references relating to structural changes up to the latest possible date, and those deal-
