BOOK
REVIEWS
Phyricd Chemistry
Farington Daniels and Robert A. Alberty, both of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. 3rd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1966. xiii 767 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24.5 em. $9.95.
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The authors hrtve shown cognizance of the remarkable changes that have occurred in all areas of chemistry in the past few years. Notable among these is the marked upgrading of first year college chemistry, which has definitely had its effect on the rest of the undergraduate courses, particularly upon physical chemistry. Much of whet was formerly part of the physical chemistry text has now found its way into the first year books. Consequently, much of the elementary ttnd descriptive physical chemistry has been relegated to preceding courses in chemistry, but most of the time-honored principles have been retained. Perhaps the most obvious change in the new edition is in its organization. I t has been divided into five sections whose relative contributions can be estimated by a comparison of the number of ehepters and pages in each. Thermodynamics consists of eight chapters and 298 pages. Dynamics is three chapters and 117 pages. Quantum Chemistry requires six chapters and 216 pages. Structure has only two chapters and 59 pages, while Nuclear and Radiation Chemist,ry has but one chapter and 41 pages. The second edition (1961) showed a. considerable compression of the material
of the first edition (1955) in order to include new material in spectroscopy, kinetic theory, and statistical mechanics. Further compression has been again necessary to make room for two new chapters on Symmetry and Molecular Electronic Structure. The material in these two chapters, particularly molecular orbital theory and ligand field theory, will be s. welcome addition. By combining c h a p ters, the total number has been reduced from 24 to 20, as in the first edition. The book still has the large number of excellent tables that have made the earlier editions so attractive and useful. Graphs and diagrams have been generously s u p plied and effectively utilized. The same useful Tables of Constants and Symbols and Abbreviations are found at the front, and the appendix includes all the previous material plus a. new section on Lagrange's method of undetermined multipliers for use in statistical mechanics. The authors have indicated their sp preciation of the role of problems in learning physical chemistry. Over 300 new problems have been supplied. Some chapters have as few as 25 problems, hut the average is closer to 50, with an o e cssiond one that hss over 100 (Chemical Equilibria). Answers are provided for about a third. This is as real a revision as can be expected in a book as successful as this. It has kept up to date the tradition of excellence that ddates beck over 50 years to the original book by F. H. Getman in 1913, that evolved into the Getman and Daniels series, and lately into Daniels and Alberty. This reviewer suspects that,
Farrington Daniels and Robert A . Alberty, Physical Chemistry J . J. Lagowski, The Chemical Bond Thor A. Bak, Mathematics for Scientists Mary L. Boas, Msthematical Methods in the Physical Sciences Jay Martin Anderson, Mat.hematics for Quantum Chemistry Robin M . Hochtrassw, Molecular Aspects of Symmetry Kenneth Dabigh, The Principles of Chemical Equilibrium Paul D. G a n , Thermortnalytical Methods of Investigation Frank J . Wekhw, Standard Methods of Chemical Analysis. Volume 3, Instrumental Methods, Parts A and B Henry F. Holtzclow, Jr., Inorganic Syntheses. Volume 8 E. H . E. Pietsch and the Gmelin Institute, Gmelins Hmdbuch der Anorgankchen Chemie. 8. Auflage, System Nummer 60, Kupfer. Teil B, Lieferung 4, Koordinations-Verbindungen mit Neutralen und Innerkomplexbildenden Liganden M. L. Miller, The Structure of Polymers John Read, Prelude to Chemistry: An Outline of Chemistry Harold I. Sharlin, The Convergent Century Foster Dee Snell and Clifford L. Hillon, Encyclopedis, of Industrial Chemical Analysis. Volume 1, General Techniques, A-E
as was true of its predecessors, this latest is still complete enough to get many a graduate student through his compre hensive examinations, which is a good recommendation in itself. More than that, however, it has the marks of s. very teachable, interesting, and inspiring book that will be welcomed by chemistry students and faculty alike.
TOMR. THOMSON A~izonaState University Tempe The Chemical Bond
J . J . Lagowski, University of Texas, Austin. Houghton, Mifflin Co., Boston, 1966. vii 200 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 23 em. Paperbound. $2.95.
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Chemical theory is advancing at a tremendous rate; hence, although chemistry is an experimental =science, it is t,auebt., todav. " ,mainlv from the standmint of theory. student$ are learning kueh about the thearetical equations which describe chemical phenomena. However, there is a. real danger that students may learn the "jargon of theory'' and how to manipulate the equations, yet fail fully to grasp the real significance of the connee tion between theory and experiment. If this should happen chemistry would become a sterile science and might even revert back to the time of Aristotle in its approach to the solution of chemical problems. One of the best ways to avoid this possibility is for the chemist to understand the basis of chemical theory. One way to gain such understanding is to read something of the development of the history of chemistry. The difficulties of understanding the original literature, because of unfamiliar expression, excessive detail, and lack of background for following the ctrguments, would discourage d l but the most
have been designed to aid the student in gaining an insight into the historical development of chemical theory. The first book was designed to acquaint the reader with some historical aspects of the development of a theoretical descrip tion of the structure of the atom. The second book, the subject of this review, is designed to acquaint the reader with some historical aspects of the development of the theory of the chemical bond. The author poses the crucial qnestions and develops the various answers in the words of the original investigators themselves. He is especially effective in pointing up some of the key problems and pointing out successes and failures of various theories in meeting the arguments. In the words of the author his goal is, "to organize these investigations and ideas which heve contributed to our knowledge and understanding of the nature of the chemical bond!' The book begins with a. discussion of Early Theories of Atomic Combinations and proceeds with an extended discussion of Affinity. A quotation of Professor Nicolas Lemery (1645-1715) is very descriptive of the thinking of this period. (Continued m page 246) Volume 44, Number
4, April 1967
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