equation of mercury(II), nickel, and silver (PP. 54-55). The equation for the identification of ammonia was not balanced. Some smaller chemistry departments might find the cost of obtaining the variety of chemicals needed anegative factor. Many chemistry departments probably do not have commercial ring ovens. Instructions for its fabrication are given in reference ( 2 ) on page 139. The use of this book will reauire more work ten, essentially nothing is said about laboratory techniques or laboratory safety. Many instructions needed by the chemistry stoekroom such as how to make up test solutions are omitted. This information along with an indication of the orobable number of lahoratory hours on each experiment would have been helpful. Donald D. Marshall Sonoma State College Rohnert Park. California 94928
Quantitative Laboratory Experiments for General Chemistry
are the fill-in-theblank type,astslcfhat dirwuracri thmkrng m the student's part. One
worries, too, that in supplying for the student essentially all the necessary mathematical equations the authors have weakened the pedagogical value of the laboratory experience, for only in working these out for himself is the student likely ever t o comprehend the vital relationships among measured, defined, and calculated values that are a t the heart of laboratory science. But these are failings shared with almost every beginning laboratory manual. The difficulties in designing asolid quantitative chemistrv. oromam-and manual.. for studenrs u ho mny hnvc had IW prim labor.mry cxperwnrr nrc obvious 11, anyone uho has taught an introductory laboratory. Quantitative work requires a skill lacking in the beginning student. It assumes, too, an appreciation of the significance of significant figures that students rarely acquire until later in their academic exoerience.~,ifever. A compromise must be made between the need for precision in mass determinations and sophistication in instrumentation on the one hand and budgetary demands for large classes on the other. The authors have selected a top-loading milligram balance and have included no instrumental measurements beyond weighing. The result is a program that concentrates on the basics with no frills and no attempts a t innovation. The selection of experiments is appropriate to the objectives the authors have chosen. I would except the experiment on the law of multiple proportions, which, despite the debugging assurances, I find never to give goad results by the procedure described. The book
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is, however, very well done and easy to follow. If you accept the UNC philosophy, you will probably find it very attractive. Gerald W . Gibson Coliege of Charleston Charleston. South Caroiim
Contemporary Organic Chemistry
Marion H. O'Leory, University of Wisconsin. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1976. xiv 396 pages. Figures and tables. 17 X 24 cm. $13.95
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Marian O'Leary has made a rather successful attempt a t writing an interesting and comprehensive text for a one-semester organic chemistry course for the non-major. In his preface, O'Leary states that "orbital theory, electronic structure of molecules, reaction mechanisms, and the like, are the stuff of which a good introductory chemistry course is made.. .".In the text. these feelines " are evidenced by clear and well-illustrated presentations of material dealing with these areas. Bonding, molecular geometry, and simple "electron bookkeeping" are areas that seem to plague many students of organic chemistry. The author has made an effort to provide a very. . eood introduction to the first two. but in thenrm 01 rlectnm hoc,knrrpinr,rsscntlnl to n inter yrnsp of merhamsrtc w n r r p t ~w. r y ( ( ' w r t n ~ o or r t ixrcr AY 1 1 .
Francis Nash Collier, Jr., and Royce W. Murray, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, and Richard H. Kherlopion, University of South Carolina. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1976. xvi 256 pages. Figures and tables. 21 X 28 cm.
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This is not just a laboratory manual; it is the introductory laboratory program a t the University of North Carolina. A department whose curriculum philosophy similarly restricts the beginning year of chemistry laboratory to quantitative experiments will find this manual well worth considering. "Quantitative" is used here in the broad sense. The exercises include a Boyle's Law experiment, determination of a chemical formula, a study of the law of multiple proportions, and a gram-equivalent weight determination in addition to a series of quantitative analyses. Indeed, the UNC proeram-and the manual-mav be described tairly a * n c ~ d l w ~ w n b e r y t r x l ~ r ~ ~ m n l "trcshmm" nnd "quunt" exprrtmenu. 'l'lusr w h u ;are Ihklng im imrthin:: npw wll ilnd them too traditional. They are, however, very clearly presented, with warnings a t points that have, during seven years a t UNC, proved to present special challenges to technique or safety hazards for the student. The authors have included good illustrations where they are needed without feeling obliged to supply a t least one picture per experiment. The manual is ideally designed for use with teaching assistants and large classes. Details of the UNC operation are generously supplied, as is a list of apparatus and chemicals needed for a thousand stud~rn~q I U perform pnrh erprriment ,\ dupllcarr trur-uut h t . 3 sheet IS iwludrd a i a wnrnll u v t r ' d r \ lahbing."'l'hr d.tta ,he
