BOOK REVIEWS definite pattern; namely, nomenclature, completion reactions, preparations, distinctions, separations, and problems. Since no desoriptive material is given, a student needs a previous understanding of how to approach these types of problems. The answers for all questions and problems, given in the second section, are brief and in some instances might leave a, weak student uncertain. For example, the type of process, such as oxidation, is given but the actual reagent and oonditions are not mentioned. A third section of the hook contains a summary of the rulcs of nomenclature, a list of trivial namrs with formulas, and
a. list of common named reactions with their conditions and wristions. The nomenclature rules follow those set forth by the Jamal of the Chemical Societv and Geneva convention (no reference is made to I.U.C. or I.U.P.A.C.), and differ slightly from those in Chemical Abslraets. Although this book is primarily a guide to the types of questions and problems to be expected on examinations in the British universities, it has merit in that i t emphasizes the fundamentals and interrelationships of organic chemistry. It should be noted no questions appear on the more rceent theoretical concepts now being introduced into beginning organic chemistry.
BERNARD A. NELSON Wheaton College Wheaton. Illinois
Photochemistry in the Liquid and Solid States
Edited by Lawrence J. Heidt, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Robert S. Livingston, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Eugene nabinouritch, University of Illinois, Urbana, and Farrington Danieb, University of Wisconsin, Madison. John Wilev & Sons. Ine.. New York. 1960. vi $ 174 pp: Fig's. and tablks. 22 X 28.5 cm. $6. This is a collection of papers presented a t a symposium held a t Dedham, M a s sachusetts, September, 1957, which had been arranged by a subcommittee of the National Research Council and the National Academy of Sciences on the photochemical stprage of energy. Most of the papers were published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry. It is unfortunate that the editors did not include the discussions of the papen made a t the meeting. The reviewer had the good fortune to be present and recalls that the discussions were often as interesting as the papers themselves and usuallv dealt with more fundamental cpestions"in photochemistry than did the papers. The editors have summarized the critcria for photochemical reactions which would utilize solar radiation. h'one of these systems discussed a t the meeting, photosynthesis excluded, even approumat? the properties desired. Tho silicon cell is an excellent solar energy converter but it has no electrical storage crtpacit.~. Efficient photochemioxl s,ystems yet to be found could avoid this difficulty. It is not feasible to review all the 25 excellent papers whieh are reprinted in the book. A few general remarks are in order, however. No explanation of the purely photochemiral aspects of phatosynthesis has been prescnted. No explanation of the nature of the latent image in silver halide photography has been presented. Thus, despite the efforts of photachemists, the biggest questions remain unanswered.
GERALD OSTER, Polytechnic Imtitule q f Brooklyn, New I'ork Brookl~~n, The Process of Education
Jerome S . Bmner, Harvard University. Cambridge, Msssschusetts. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1960. xviii 07 pp. 14 X 20.5cm. $2.75.
+
This book makes publio the "sensc of the meeting" from a conference held a t Woods Hole in 1959. It differs from other reports, as the title suggests. This group waa less concerned with content than with process of education. The personnel consisted of 34 men from the fields of science, history, language, psychology, and education. After preliminary sessions for reviewing reports of subject-matter studies (such as the PSSC), the members were distributed into five work groups to examine these topics: Sequence of Curriouhm, Apparatus of Teaching, Motiv~tioian of (Continued n page A282)
A276
/
Journal of Chemical Education
