book reviews nisms,symbols, or actualobjects); (3) totest the model to assure that its objectives are met and are practical, and to determine its limitations and (4) to produce. Among the main themes in the first two chapters were the ielationships between modeling and design, and the use of models to insure that new artifacts fit well into their task environment. The middle chapters of this book were about the use of models to gain insight, to organize thought, and to predict (orineioallv of . . in the context oflearnineand " lohnmu,ry research and cxprrirnerltstion). The final chapters deal with applicnrlon of the m d e k by applied scirnw tmrnrd dew+ opment and marketing. Aside from the basic premise of the book (modeling), the theme partially belies its content. It could also he used in a true learning situation as a textbook on various aspects of inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry, or it could be used simply for review. This is achieved through the use of multitudes of explicit examples to explain and to reinforce the modeling process. The only fault I found with the book was that the first two chapters were overexplained. After that, the book moved well in a step-by-step process to its conclusion.
.
Physlcal Chemistry
P. W Atkins, W. H. Freeman and Co.; San Francisco, 1978. Figs. &tables. 24 X 17.5 cm. xiii 1018 pp. $20.00.
Sugycsrions for tilrrher rendmy at the ends of each ~ h a p t e rlkt both ~hwretienland exprr~mmtolhook- hut donut inrludearticlw in this Journal. The feature whieh requires special comment has to do with the oroblems. Several well-known -~~~~ texts are well written but donot contain enough of a variety of problems of different levels of difficulty to he of real help to a beginning student. Atkins' textbook daes contain many problems, and there is is an admirable range of difficulty represented in each problem set. An additional desirable feature is the frequent occurrence of a short set of related problems whieh must be done sequentially if all the pedagogical points which they illustrate are to be grasped. Now for the bad news. The number of wrong answers given in the first printing of the book is staggering. Additional difficulties occur with incorrect or inconsistent data given in some of the problems. The publisher has prepared a revised and corrected answer pamphlet t o help correct this situation, but i t may be a while before the situation is completely sorted out in a subsequent printing of the text. Once this is done, Atkins will be not only a good text, but also a good source of answered problems. The publisher has also produced an optional Solutions Manual in which answers and methods of solution are given for mast of the problems in the book. The treatment of thermodynamics is good, with a sufficient emphasis on some of the usual mathematical points of difficulty, e.g., the use of partial derivatives, but a strong stress an concepts should prevent users of this hook from myopic preoccupation with details. A conspicuous exception is that the concept of temperature nowhere receives systematic treatment and the zeroth law is ~~~
~~
~~
~~~
~~
~
~
+
This is one of the best of the recent introductory level physical chemistry textbooks. I t is written in a typical clear British style (Atkins is a t Oxford) a t a level, between Moore and Daniels and Alberty. Its organization is traditional, treating thermodynamics first, then "structure" (quantum mechanics and its application to atoms and molecules, statistical thermodynamics, diffraction, intermolecular forces), and "change" (kinetic theory and related matters, chemical kinetics, and surface phenomena, dynamic electrochemistry). A helpful overview of nhvsical chemistrv which includes macro-
te&perature;slips without comment into the definition of theentropy function which in its turn is used t o state the Second Law. The implication that the latter issomehow tied to the existence of ideal gases is neither recognized nor dispelled. There are numerous small slips in the text, illustrations, and derivations. The book is certainly good enough to warrant the revision whieh is necessary to clean up these kinds of details. When this is done, "Physical Chemistry" by Atkins will probably be the best textbook availabls.
quences. "Learning objectives" are placed a t the beginning of each chapter, and particularly important equations or sets of equations are disolaved eonsoicuouslv in shaded boxed-in
Physlcochemical Applications of Gas Chromatography
book. The strong suit af the book is its clear exposition of the concepts. The balance hetween words and equations is just about right for well-prepared students (with physics and calculus) for a first course of reasonable substance. Illustrative problems, figures, and tables are numerous and in most cases are well chosen. Some attention is given to experimental matters, hut mostly in the form of schematic representations of apparatus, idealized experimental results and tables.
The authors have done a masterful job of showing how gas chromatography (gc) can be used to study a wide variety of physicochemical phenomena quickly, simply, and accurately. In many cases, the reader will discover that gc is the only method available of practical value; this may come as a surprise to same. These non-analytical applications rewire some exnosition of the backeround
A260 1 Journal of Chemical Education
Dewey K. Carpenter Louisiana State University Eaton Rouge. LA 70803
Richard J . Laub and Robert L. Pecrok, John Wiley & Sons, Ine., New York, 1978. Figs. & tables. 23 X 16 cm. vii 300 pp. $23.50.
+
Following a brief historical review, ge is compared with bther methods for obtaining thermodynamic data. Measurement of retention parameters is then summarized, whieh is followed by a discussion of requirementsand a critiaue of commercialand eustlm-lmilt nppwmms. With ahondam tahulnr dam if i i ilmwnstratrd that ar ii;as accurate
devoted~tothermodynamics and covers virial coefficients, use of c h e m i c a l l y - ~ t i v e ~ o b i l e phases, solution properties (AH,, AH,, activity coefficients, liquid crystals, polymer solutions), complexation interaction, and adsorption phenomena (including surface areas). I t also contains a critique of recently-proposed models of solutions. Parts 111 and IV (30 pp. each) examine the potential of gc for the study of kinetic phenomena, and for the determination of properties of pure substances (including vapor pressure, boiling mint. molecular weight. molecular eeometrv.
who wish t o know more than haw t o inject a sample and record the results on a strip chart. Simply glancing through this hook should stimulate or otherwise encourage new developments or reporting aneilliary data hy workers in ge. This book presents an up-to-date, critical review of recent advances in the aforementioned topics. All aspects are comprehensively covered in a simplified, user-oriented, and understandable fashion. In addition, the organization of topics provides chemists, chemical eneineers. and advanced under-
investigations. Many open-ended experiments suggest themselves, experiments eminently suited for honors research or as appendages to an instrumental analysis course. A comprehensive bibliography accompanying each chaoter orovides valuable orimarv entry seems t o be referenced. The book is virtually error free. However, eqn. 2.39 has the average linear velocity omitted from the third term on the righthand side. In the list of symbols Vj* is omitted, perhaps because (and this is in jest) it refers t o "hard-core molar volume of i." The reviewer heartily recommends this hook t o all gc practitioners and also to their colleagues in thermodynamics and chemists concerned with structural chemistry. John A. Dean University of Tennessee at Knoxviile Knoxvilie. TN 37916
Dielectric Behavior of Biological Molecules In Solution
E. H . Grant, R. J. Sheppord, and G . P. South, Oxford University Press, New York, 1978. Figs. & tables. 24 X 16cm. 1 237 pp. $28.50.
+
An increasing variety of sophisticated experimental techniques is becoming accessible to the modern biochemist. Regretfully, many of these methods require substantial prior knowledge on the part of any potential user even to recognize their applicability. This hook attempts to fill that gap with regard t o
