book reviews fessor esn add, modify, or delete according to his own conscience. The base is now available. The book begins with an overview, frankly designed to be used by the student both initially and five or ten years later, which presents science in perspective. Topicel content begins with the electron, magnetism, and light. Special relativity comes next fallowod by eloetromagnetio rndintion awl quanta. I t may seem to some that continuity is lost by jumping from classical ideas on the electron and magnetic phenomena t o special relativity. On the contrary, there is x thread which the author exploits successfully; this can be presented to studcnts if one follows Cassidy's lend. One of the remarkable strengths of the hook is the elear, conversxtioosl, and patient style used, buttressed by extended and sophisticated prior considerations by the author before pen was put to paper. Examine the book yourself to see how it is done. The fourth part of the book is largely chemical: an overall view of matter, then atomic structure, properties, nuclear phenomena, molecular properties, i'onctions, and slruet,tlre. The last, part deals vit,h probability, cybernetics, fields, universal laws, and some remarks on natural philosophy. A useful appendix is svsilable, and the inside front and back covers present s. general chronology ("anchor points") of Western intellectual mile stones, from Moses, Homer, and Pythxgoras t o Rutherford, Einstein, and Bohr, and inch~dingDarwin and Mendel; commonly used scientific symbols; and an interesting (I disagree with it,) periodic table. However, the r e d flavor, and strength, of the book daes not lie in a prosaic enumeration of topics covered. Listen t o these brief qnotations, selected a t random (there is one on almost every page, and often more than one, that could have been presented): "we would like the power inherent in the interphv of fact and theory t o become evident," "he then did a most ingenious thing; he put a tube. . .hetween the poles of n. strong magnet," "the human brain is a patterwforming organ," "as we are making a model we (can) arrange it t o suit our needs," "in one sense, Science is a search for basic properties by which phonomens can be classified," "reasoning plus algebra. daes the job," "the wise scientist is the cautious one: he keeps in mind tho old aphorism 'seek simplicity -and distrust it.'" Each of these quotations is accompanied by topical discussion on facts and principles. This is a hook about science and its philosophy, related t o reality. The ilh~strations are profuse, and pedagogical. The questions and exorcises me delightfully imaginative. Some require loose translation from Fronch or German into English; there is one on the estimated numher of drug stores in t,he United States, with a good pedagogical point made as a consequence; n carnival wheel (several feet in diameter, hump in the center, rotating a n a vcrt,icnl axis) gets into another; and there are also a proper number of a more solemn nature,
pers and has passed on the contents and his comments to the reader. I n addition to the expected material the author hss included a veritable host of topics that deal with the matter. The discovery of isotopes and the important finding that the periodicity applies t,o atomic numbers rather than atomic weights eliminated many of the difficulties that previously presented serious roadblocks. Among the many topics discussed in depth me: the theory of classifications; precursors and discoverers of the periodic system; prediction of elements; deviations from the increase in atomic weight; the noble gases; the place of the transition elements; lanthanides, actinides, t,he rare earths; radioactivity and the system; limits of the periodic system, etc. Considerable atteriJAY A. YOUNG tion is given to the matter of the various Auburn University proposed formq in bath two and three Auburn, Alabama 56830 dimensions, and to the priority polemics. I n short, the aubhor has spent a tremendous amount of labor and study on this book and he has given the chemical world an outstanding treatise that should endme for a long time. Every inorganic chemist should have a copy readily rtvdilable to read, reread, and ponder.
on parabolic mirrors, threshold wavelength for the photoelectric effect,, tuning forks, hydrogen bands, equation balancing, Le Chatelier principle, cis-trans isomerism, to list a few. This review is long enough; to go on furt,hcr would diminish some of your delight when you look through your copy. When you order your copy of this book, also ask for the "Vade Mecnm"; this delightful and unusnzl75 ppagc off-sctprinted hooklct is a useful oxtension of tho remarks in the preface and first chsptcr of the hook itself. Bobh arc loaded with tressurcs for professors and students, and the hook is well worth serious consideral tion as a text for teaching the u s ~ f uwhole of physical science to non-science students.
RALPHE. O I I S P ~ R Uniuersit~,of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio The Periodic System of Chemical Elements: A History of the First Hundred Years
J. W. van Spronsn, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Elsevier Publishing Ca., 368 pp. Figs. New York, 1969. xv and t,shles. 16 X 24 cm. X18.
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One of the best ways t,o commemorate the centenary oi an important scientific event is to publish nn ootstandirrg hook about it,. This has been done in the present instance by the eminent Dutch scientist and historian. The well known American authority on the history of chemistry Aaron J. Ihde has stated in his Foreword: "It is appropriate t,hzt this book should he published in the centennial year of the contributions of Mundeleev and J. Lothar Meyer. I t will serve as the definitive study for many decades i n k the future." The author is definitely of the opinion that the idea of the periodic system of the chemical elements was not the creation of one or two men as is so often st,ated. Rather he views no less than six men as independent discoverers. The six are: Menddeev (Itussix), Meyer (Germany), Newlands (England), de Chnntcourtois (France), Odling (England), IIinrichs (Denmark-U.S.A.). Still other have pushed their own claim butwith little success. I t is not feasible to present here the basis for these claims hut the hook contains all that most people will wish to know ahout the work of everybody that has been involved, even to a lesser degree, in this great systemat,iaation. The type-size is somewhat smaller than usurtl hut is perfectly legible and this choice permits much more text to be presented without unduly increasing the size of the volume. Each chapter is provided with a long list of references to the literature and the author has obviously read and digested most of these books and pa-
problem Solving and Chemical Calculations
Mildred D. Johnson, City College of San Francisco, California. Narcourt, Brace and World, Inc., New Yark, 1069. viii 341 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23 cm. Softbound. $3.95.
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"How do you 'set up' this problem?'' "Once the problem is set up it's easy!" How often instructors hear these comments from students a t all levels. This book is intended to teach the "setting up" of problems and it succeeds very well. StudenL5 are first taught to analyze the problem carefully. Then they are led through a variety of problem-solving methods, starting with simple examples and advancingupward in difficulty. After the approach to a problem has been discussed the hook zeroes in on such tools as unit and dimensional analysis, nlgehra review, graphing, logarithms, and the development of m a t h e m s t i d functions from experimental dat,a. The second half of the book covers many categories of elementary chemistry problems using the attack methods presented earlier. The mole method is emphasized wherever possible. Throughout, the problem are imaginative and intriguing-such ils speculating about males of elephants and the physical laws of the "snt,iuniverse" where water flows uphill twice as fast as i t flows downhill. The text is concise, simple and easy to follow. Almost any college freshman or high school senior could profit greatly by spending 8. few eveninm to maqter the idea? presented here.
JANET VANDOREN Collep of Woosler Wooster, Ohio (Continued on page A860)
