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selection of material is needed to be of most use for the physical chemist, e.g., the replacement of astronomical and geodetical data by a more extended list of melting and boiling points and more information on definite chemical compounds. Units are defined, but only one calorie is mentioned. Conversion factors are few; there is none for electrical energy to heat. The data given for the surface tension of salt solutions imply that the latter is proportional to concentration. At the end a list of general constants is given and mathematical tables which include four figure logarithms. A pleasing feature of the book is the inclusion of seven nomographs which are practicable even within the small compass which the size of the pages allows. W. H. PATTERSON. Physico-chemical fl4ethods. By J. REILLYand \Ir. N. RAE. Second edition, revised. New York: D.Van Nostrand Co. In the comparatively brief time since the first edition appeared, this book has become widely known and generally accepted as a reference book of physico-chemical methods. The second edition has been enlarged by the addition of new subject matter (twenty new chapters), and to some extent by the revision of the entire book. The general revision still leaves something t o be desired, since in a number of instances no reference is made to recent improvements of standard methods. For example, the use of butyl phthalate in condensation pumps is not mentioned. No reference is made t o circulating pumps of the all-glass electromagnetic type. The extremely practical sensitive quartz spiral manometer of Bodenstein and Dux is not mentioned, although several other manometric devices of rather doubtful utility are described in detail. The Dennis melting point apparatus is not referred t o . I t is unfortunate that the chapter on photometry was written before the coppercupric oxide (photronic) type of photoelectric cell came into general use. The chapter on rates of reaction is not, in the opinion of the reviewer, up t o the standard set by the rest of the book. This chapter consists of a brief discussion of the elementary theory of rates of reaction followed by detailed descriptions of seven experiments. The chapter would be much more useful if the space were devoted to a critical survey of methods available for measuring rates of reaction. There can be no doubt, that, in spite of minor weaknesses, this book is an improvement on the excellent first edition. I t is a highly practical book and will undoubtedly prove a time saver to many research students and investigators. ROBERTS. LIVIXGSTON. The Kinetics of Reactions in Solution. By E. A. MOELWYN-HUGHES. Oxford: Oxford Press, 1933. In this book the author attempts the difficult task of summarizing the more important data on the kinetics of chemical reactions in liquid systems and of coordinating this data i n terms of the results of statistical mechanical analysis. Special emphasis is laid upon the experimental results which are in agreement with the predictions of the simple theory; and various explanations are advanced t o demonstrate t h a t the cases which are apparently not in agreement with the simple theory are not incompatible with it. As is probably unavoidable in a work of this sort, the chapters are not of equal value. Three of the most original and valuable chapters are those dealing with the comparison of the kinetics of reactions in gaseous phase and in solution, with bimolecular reactions, and with unimolecular reactions. The chapter on equilibria seems unnecessarily involved, possibly because the activity concept is not intro-
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duced earlier i n the chapter. The discussion of complex reactions, in the chapter on ionic reactions, is somewhat disappointing. The discussion of enzyme reactions, in the chapter on heterogeneous reactions, while brief, is both interesting and stimulating. The bibliographies given are extensive enough t o be useful, but in many cases are far from complete. To the reviewer there appears to be some bias in favor of articles which have appeared in English journals. No student of physical chemistry who is interested in any phase of the kinetics of chemical reactions in liquid systems can afford t o ignore this book. It should also prove very useful to organic chemists, biochemists, and others who utilize reaction velocity measurements in the study of their omn problems. ROBERTS. LIVIKCSTON. The Kinetics of Chemical Change in Gaseous Systems. By C. N. HINSHELWOOD. Third edition. 390 pp. Oxford Press, 1933. Price: $5.00. Since the appearance of the first edition of this book in 1926 (second in 1929) notable advances have been made in the field of chemical kinetics of gases, t o which the author has been a n outstanding contributor. The present treatise is not only modern and authoritative but presented with unusual clarity. One new chapter has been added, “Homogeneous Catalysis of Gaseous Reactions,” which affords a very natural transition to some considerations of reactions in solution. Much new material has been added throughout which brings the work abreast of the present status of gas kinetics. The work will continue t o be indispensable t o all those interested in this field. S. C. LIND. Elementare Einfuhrung in d i e Quantenmechanzk. By K. K. DARROW.Translated from the English h y E. Rabinowitsch. 22 x 15 cm.: 123 pp. Leipzig: S. Hirzel, 1933. Price: 6 RM. Dr. Darrow, of the Bell Telephone Company’s laboratories, is already well-known as a writer of unusual clarity and grace of style on many subjects of modern physics. In particular his “Electrical Phenomena in Gases” stands out as one of the very few comprehensive treatises on this subject. The present book follows naturally on the author’s “Elementare Einfuhrung in die Wellenmechanik” and forms the third volume in a series of books on new problems of physics and chemistry. The book is divided into two main parts, the first of which discusses the wave and corpuscular nature of matter and radiation, the wave equation, and the uncertainty principle of Heisenberg. These sections particularly are t o be commended for their lucidity. Part I1 deals with the main subject matter of the book, quantum mechanics and the emission and absorption of light by atoms. The elementary principles of matrix algebra are considered and the author goes on t o discuss the calculation of eigenvalues by the matrix method and t o demonstrate the connection between the wave mechanical and matrix treatment of atomic problems. As the title indicates, the whole is set out avith the minimum of mathematical elaboration consistent with the thesis. The book should form an admirable introduction t o one of the fundamental aspecte of modern physics. Although originally written in English it has not, so far, been published in t h a t language. All students of physics and chemistry who can read simple straightforward German are certain to derive benefit from thislittle book. J. T. RANDALL. Ueber heterogene Gleichgewichte che,mischer Stoffe i n Wissenschajt, Natur und T e c h i k By ERNST JANECKE. 25 x 16 cm. ; 31 pp. Stuttgart : Ferdinand Enke, 1934. Price : 2.70 RM.
