GENERAL CHEMISTRY
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Harry H. Sisler, The Ohio State University, Calvin A. Vander Werf and Arthur W. Davidson, The University of Kansas. The 870 pp. IllusMacmillan Company, New York, 1949. I trated. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $5
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THE authors state in the preface that it is their intention to present general chemistry in s. oless, logical, and interesting manner by continuous application of principles t,o the orgsnizstion and discussion of descriptive matter. This is well done, showing that these authors are experienced in the difficulties and requirements of goodinstruction in general chemistry. They have successfully maintained the delicate balance between sound pedagogy and scientific integrity, so difficult in an elementary text. The problem of how closely such a text should follow the frontiers of an advancing science has also been solved in a sstisfactory way. The writer questions the desirability of presenting the ionization potentials and the electronic arrangements of subshells so extensively as is done in this hook. With regard to the electronic arrangements the authors state on page 166: "This discussion of electron shells and subshells has been presented with no attempt to give in detail either the experimental or theoretical basis upon which it rests." In the opinion of the writer, it is not wise to confront the beginning student of chemistry with so much material, the basis of which he is not expected to understmd. In accepting these things on authority he may well develop the habit of accepting many other things without making an effort to understand them. The printing, binding, topography, and arrangement of the text are excellent. I t is a. work that should not be overlooked by anyone who has occasion to select s text for a course in general chemistry. HOSMER \V. STONE U m v e n a ~ r ror C ~ ~ ~ s o n n u Lo8 A N ~ E L 24, . ~ C~~rronar*
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KURZES LEHRBUCH DER KOLLOIDCHEMIE
not even refer to duNouy's tensiometer or to the pendant drop method of Andreas, Hauser, and Tucker. In discussing the ultramicroscopes there is no reference t o Leits' Ultropak instrument. In discussing stream double refraction reference is made only to vanadium pentoxide sols and organic colloids; the suthom seemingly do not know that colloidal clay sols are far more effective in this respect. In discussing the structure of soap solutions the name of McBain, who must he considered as the pioneer in this field, is not even mentioned. The authors are seemingly also not familiar with the fact that eleetron microscopic results are not too reliable when studying colloids or they would not have spent six pages of the book discussing that instrument. The explanation offered for the phenomenon of sensitiaation is contrary to known facts. The statement that colloidal protection is based on an excess of a lyophilic colloid deposited on the surface of s. lyophobic colloid is incomplete. The clay minerd, bentonite, will only form thixotropic gels under very specific conditions. Resides this, i t is confusing to speak of thixotropic materials eight pages before the term is explained. The explanation offered for the phenomenon of thixotropy is absolutely incorrect. Finally, when discussing X-ray diagrams of stretched gels, the authors seemingly did not realize that the basic contributions were not made by the persons they list in the footnote. will certainly not serve the purpose for which i t was intended. ERNST A. HAUSER M*ss*c""sm~sI N B T I T ~OEF T E C A N O L O . ~ A N D W o n c ~ s r s aP o ~ r ~ ~ c x n I Nr c~ T I T ~ T E C*YBRI..E, M * S ~ * C H O B ~ T T ~
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MOLECULES AND CRYSTALS IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
A. E. van Arkel, University of Leiden. &den. Germany. Translated by J. C. Swallow. Interscience Publishers. Inc., New York, 1949 ix 1 233 pp. 45 figs. 34 tables. 14 X 22 cm. $3.85.
THIS~ book is a translation third Dutch~edition, the~first ~professors of~ chemistry ~at edition ~publishedof the ~1941. , In~spite of the having been in the University ~ ~ hgland, ~ and the university ~ of h ~ ~ ~ ~ rather , implied by~ the title, Missouri, school M ~ ~,,ll~, ~ M~ ~ ~ respectively, , ~ ~ F, ~broad scope ~ ~ , the topics covered are special in Gergmann-~unchen, s ~ ~ ~ 1949. ~ ~viii +~282 ~nature, - thevgreatest ~ stress ~ being~laid on ~ ionic~compounds / ~and their ~ ~ ~
B. Iirgenaons and M,s f,
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175 illustrations.
17 X 26 cm. 21.60marks.
INTHE preface the authors state that they have endeavored to discuss the most important results and problems of modern colloid chemistry in as elementary a way as possible. They have failed to accomplish this. They also state that they have selected the examples of inorganic colloids according t o the work of Wo. Pauli's and the organic ones from H. Staudinger's school. What would the founders of German colloid chemistry, men like H. Freundlich and Wo. Ostwald, have to say to that7 Since the book claims t o be devoted to modern colloid chemistry, why did the authors pay no attention whatsoever t o other texts written by American, British, Dutch, and French colloid chemists, like Hartmrtn, Rideal, Hammaker, Verwey, Bary, just to mention a few. As proof for my criticism I would like to offer just a few particularly disturbing facts. Colloid chemistry is not only the chemistry of small particles, but that is the impression the reader must get from Chapter I. There is no reference to electrical dispersion as means of producing sols in Chapter 11; the reader has to wait until he gets to page 178. The chapter on surface tension does
properties, with undue emphasis given to numerous mathematical relationships derived from simplified structural theory. I t is stated in the preface that "this book is intended for students in their first year of science or medicine!' Only a most unusual first year student, however, would be able to grasp the majority of material without being led through it by a careful teaoher. Terms and concepts with are familiar only to students a t the senior or graduate level are introduced abruptly without m y explanation whatever. For this reason, this book is recommended only, to students who have acquired the background equivalent to, a t the very least, two years of chemistry and basic physics and mathematics. Furthermore, since the discussions of the properties of molecules me based almost entirely on the point of view that all bonds are ionic in nature, this book should be used only in conjunction with another text in which the approach is more conventionsl. I n the opinion of the translator, "the electrostatic theory can only be regarded as an approximation of the general theory, yet it clarifies a large part of chemistry." This may be true, but the present reviewer does not feel that any clarification is aoeomplished by the methods of presentation used in thia book. For 169
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JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
170 example, the reader is constantly presented with exceptions to and defects in the exclusively heteropolar approach to the properties of molecules and crystals, whereas a more unified treatment which admits the concept of covalence would aid materially in avoiding these confusions. The many figures are well drawn, but could be better labeledin most of the drawings of orystal structures there is no identification of the various kinds of atoms present. Very few typographical errors seem to have slipped in, although on p. 8, a reference to Table V should be changed to Table VI, and on p. 9, the element astatine is called astatium. JERRY DONOAUE
PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
John Leo Abernethy, Associate Professor of Chemistry, The Univel.sitv of South Carolina. Columbia. South Carolina. W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1949. viii 317 pp. 21 tables. 14 X 22 cm. $4.
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THISbook is designed to be used as a worldng text by students enrolledin the conventional one-semester course. The task which an author faces in writing such a book is an imphsing one; he must abbreviate the formal aspects of the subjeot without simultaneously emasculating it and at the same time must allow room for the inclusion of that descriptive material which will retain the interest of those students pursuing their major work in biology, bacteriology, home economics, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. One does not rely exclusively on a text for the maintenance of interest to he sure, but a text still fills an important need of the American undergraduate student. At the present time fewer than five texts designed to be wed in a one-semester course are available. Professor Abernethy employs the conventional approach to the subject. Sixteen chapters are devoted to the aliphatic series, two to aromatic compounds, and one chapter each to heterocyolic compounds, dyes, the Grignard reaction, and oxidation-reduction reactions. Proper emphasis is given to nomenclature. Equations involving structural formulas are used lavishly and a number of illustrations are inoluded. A number of problems for home assignment are given in each chapter. As with all textbooks it is an easy matter to find portions of the presentation which do not meet with the approval of the critic. Your reviewer believes, however, that a sound evaluation of a new text can come only after the book has been used in actual classroom work. Our examination of this new text leads us to conclude that its use is well worth a trial. EDWARD R. ATKINSON UW~VERBITT 06. NEWHAMPBBIBB Dnnnm. New H*la~samE
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CALIIORNIA INBTITOTE OP TECBNOGO(IY PA~ADENA. CALTFOBN~&
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the Weimarn method for making oalloidd sulfur by dissolving sulfur in hat alcohol, and pouring into excess water. Pages 494-6, experiments with iron oxide supported on silica. gel. The gel is made by stirring 1volume of 2 N water glms into 2 volumes of 1 N BSOc then adding 1 volume of 1 molar F&O4 as the gel forms. This is used to catalyze SOs 0.; and, after that, CO steam H* CO* illustrating the removal of CO from producer and water gas in the ammonia synthesis. Also, steam HZ which will passed over red-hot wood charcoal gives CO darken ammoniacal silver nitrate, or form H$ upon being passed through sulfur. Pages 558-604 contain "a supplement of some sixty experiments most of which deal with more advanced work." The 0~over hopcalite. A titles of the experiments follow. CO wet asbestos plug for generating steam to be passed over (a) iron or (b) charcoal. An asbestos plug moistened with concentrated HISO, or HNOs the heated acids passed over pumice which decomposes them to give oxygen. Reduction of KMnO, by cold alkali gives green KsMnO,; by warm alkali gives brown MnO,; by cold acid gives white Mn(0H)s. HNOi reduced with zinc plus sulfuric acid to hydroxylamine. Action of permanganate; dichromate, and ferric ion on HI, HBr, and HCI. Action of 0.5 N KC1 and KI with 4 N HNO1, 8 N HNO., and acidified NaNOn to compare oxidizing aotion of the halogens. Flotation experiments with sand, red lead, oil, and wrtter; slso, with copper powder, sand, acidified water, and cottonseed oil containing a AgNOr. little kerosene. Hydrolysis of PbCI'; and of borax The Mattuck electrolytic cell. Action of marble with HCI in water and in toluene. Electroplating of Ni and Cr. Osmotic pressure thimble using gelatinsupported on a porous pot. Phenol acting as a semipermeable membrane between water and a concentrated Ce(N03)s solution. Methyl violet with oxalio, tartaric, acetic, and hydroohloric aoid solutions. Color changes upon diluting weakly aoid solutions containing methyl violet, phenolphthalein, and methyl orange. The green ethyl tetrsr borate flame test. The Marsh and the Gutzeit tests for arsenic. The preparation of KBr08, of KIO1, and of HCIO. Gas-volume ratios by counting bubbles. Methods for cleaning mercury with (a) acid permanganate, (b) aqueous mercurous nitrate. Anhydrite desiccant. The diffusion of BIZ from an aqueous to a nonaqueous solvent. HZ+ Izover platinized asbestos. Time reactions include (a) the influence of dilution on the decomposition of tbiosulfurio acid, and on the iodine clock reaotion, (b) the effect of temperature on the thermolysis of NH4N02, and the oxidation of HI. Heat of solution:of HCI and of NaNO.. 2N01 equilibrium by changing pressure. Shifting the NzO. The common ion effect for (a)silver acetate, (b) salt precipitated from saturated solution, ( c ) cadmium sulfide. Formation of the most insoluble phase; of the most unionized phase. Fifteen reactions encountered in routine qualitative sulfide analysis. Partition of Bra between water and a nonaqueous solvent; the immiscibility of ether and brine; ether extraction of methyl red from water. The above list covers all titles of the new experiments in this third edition. Teachers who already own the second edition may either work out the details suggested in the above titles, or acquire a new edition. All other teachers of general chemistry cannot afford to be without thisvaluable guide.
LECTURE EXPERNEWTS IN CHEMISTRY
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G. Fowles, Latymer Upper School, London. The BlaListan Company, Philadelphia. Third edition with supplement, 1947. xvi 612pp. 158figs. 14 X 22 cm. $7.
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EXCEPTING for the following experiments, the first 556 pages (547 experiments) of edition 3 are identical with edition 2 (J. CHEM.EDUC.,14,550 (1937)). Page 90 describes filling a rnbber balloon from footbellows previously filled with hydrogen. Page 182, detecting the decomposition of ammonia passed over hot CuO by counting the bubbles arising in water. Page 242, hydrogen peroxide reducing lead dioxide plus nitric acid. Page 298, phmphine formed by adding yellow phosphom to ainc in sulfuric acid. Page 409, a note on the distinctive color of gas cylinders, wherein we learn that oxygen tanks in England sle black, not green. Page 453, preparation of silica gel. Page 493,
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INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL MECHANICS
G. S. Rushbrooke, Senior Lecturer in Theoretical Physics in the Universitv of Oxford. Enaland. Oxford Universitv Press. Amen 334 pp: 47 f&. House, iondon, ~ngiand; 1949. eii 11 tables. 14 X 23 em. $5.50.
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T m author explicitly restricts himself to equilibrium theory. He excludes reaction rate theory from consideration because it
