THE PATH OF CARBON IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS
of chemistry with particular emphasis on its present-day applications. Inspired by Lancelot Hogben's 'Science for the CitiI. A. Bassham, Lecturer, and M. Calvin, zen,' I have acted on the faith that the Professor of Chemistry, University of lay reader prefers t o know; instead of California. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englefighting shy of chemical equations and 104 wood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1957. x molecular structures, I have tried to expp. 22 figs. 5 tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. plain what they mean and to show how $3. they illuminate and clarify what would "THEPdlh t r f C:trIwn i n l'l~otoeyntl~rsii" otherwise be mere vague description." The greater part of the boak is devoted i~ il monoyrnl,lt ihwribinr, the work 4onc t o practical applications of chemistry in i n i h d d r y hy Calvin 2nd his ~~POO~YTCS. everyday life (including social problems). Thr rnonogrsph prrwnts inrcrprr.rzrions, nu4 pmhlrms ior future irrvw~gnrwnr. I n general this aspect of the book is exceptionally well done. Not as suocessful Photos\.uthruis i onr oi t!w n n . l h n are the discussions of theory (interspersed areas which arouse wide public interest. with practical applications in the first For intensive treatment of the details third of the book). The discussions of of experiments and their subtle interpra theory are skimpy and include terms and tation, one could not expect to find a. concepts that are inadequately defined or more knowledgeable tour of introduction. explained. This may not bather the lay The Berkeley group has applied organic reader, however. If he plunges ahead, and biological chemical considerations to be should acquire considerable feeling for this field in a balanced wayy. Here are many of the concepts, and he will defipresented the heart of both the experinitely acquire considerable knowledge of mental attack and interpretation of the the applications of chemistry. results. The central imnortanee of tracer The book includes references t o articles and other books for further reading, and itself is well cross-referenced. The bindand energetics sse all topics that receive ing is substantial and adequate. major attention in this book. The vocabulary is definitely British. The chapters of the book deal succesQuits a. number of the trade names will be sively with definition, historical bsckunfamiliar to American readers, but this ground, analytical procedures, plant mais not a serious handicap. The nature of terial, development of the carbonthe substances is usually clear enough reduction cycle, photosynthetic carbonthat American readers can substitute their reduction cycle, pathway of cmbon into own commercial examples. carbohydrates, fat synthesis, amino acids, Hutton writes in a relaxed and personal metabolic inhibitors, the hydrogen transstyle, with delightful touches of humor. fer system, the quantum conversion procThe lay reader can learn a great deal of ess, and the oxygen evolution system. chemistry from this pleasant book. Most References number 142. The relative chemists e m learn from it too. They can degree of our ignorance in parts of the learn ooncerning the writing of chemistry subject matter area is emphasized by the for the oitiaen. fact that three of the 13 ohapters are each approximately one page long. WILLIAM E . MORRELL The comprehensive biochemical atudies U ~ m s n s m rOP I L L I N O I ~ reported should, t o quote the authors' unsm*,ILLINOIS words in a somewhat mare limited context (p. 79) "play a n important part in the ultimate elucidation of all the complex interrelationships of biosynthesis which make i t possible for the green plant to manufacture all of its constituent chemical compounds from carbon diHEAT TRANSFER. VOLUME 2 oxide." All chemists should be instructed and many inspired b v the reading of this By the late M a x Jacob, Research Probook. fessor of Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology. John W h y & SIDNEY W. FOX Sons, Ino., New York, 1957. x d i 652 F m m m STATEUNIYERBITY pp. 16 X 23.5 cm. $15. T A L L A X A ~ ~FLORIDA EE.
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CHEMISTRY, THE CONQUEST OF MATERIALS Kenneth Hutton, Hertfordshire. Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1957. xii 228 pp. 26 plates. 32 figs. 11 tables. 11 X 18 cm. Paper bound $85.
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THEauthor lists hi8 chief aims: "the first is t o show the fascination and importance of chemistry, and the second is t o make i t intelligible." I n tho Preface he writes: "This book. . .starts from scratch, assuming no scientific knowledge whatever, and surveying the whole field VOLUME 35, NO. 6, JUNE, 1958
V o m m 1of this monumental work s p peared in 1949 [reviewed in J. CKEM. Eouc. 27.50 (1950)l with the promise that Volume 2 would complete the work. The manuscript was essentially complete a t the time of Dr. Jacob's death in 1955. The book is thoroughly up-to-date, s h a m by sections on transpiration cooling, of importance in jet engines, and heat trsnsfer in liquid metals, of importance in nuclear reactors. Volume 2 continues from Volume 1, starting with Part F on radiation, eontaining Chapter 31 on radiation through a nonabsorbing medium and Chapter 32 for an sbsorbing medium (a. total of 146 pages). The remainder of the book contains Part G on selected fields of application (414 pages), Part H with supple-
ments to Volume 1 (40 pages), and the appendix for Volume 2 (52 pagcs). The selected fields of application are thermometry and temperature measurement, heat exchanges, regenerators, cooling towers, cooling by falling liquid films, cooling of surfaces exposed to hot gases, heat transfer through laminar boundary layer a t high fluid velocity, heat transfer through turbulent boundary layer a t high fluid velocity, and steady-state heat transfer in packed columns. Because of the advances in heat transfer, Part H gives material t o supplement the various chapters in Volume 1. This includes new equations, tables of data, references to important papers, and additional problems. The appendix t o Volume 2 gives a. series of problems, table of nomenclature and conversions faotars, literature cited and the index. Those who have used Volume 1 will want to complete their set. Many engineers who see the applications in Volume 2 will want both volumes. It definitely is a graduate and research level treatise. Engineers dealing with heat transfer owe much to Max Jacob for his lifetime of research and writing in this field. UNLVERBITI (I* TEXAS AUBFIN.T E X A ~
K E N N E T H A. KOBE
THERMODYNAMICS OF HEAT-POWGR SYSTEMS
F. W. Hutchinson, Professor of Mechsnical Engineering. U~iveratyol Callforma. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.. Inc., Reading, Massachusetts, 1957. xix 490 pp. 117 figs. 16 X 23.5 om. $8.50.
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FOE once, a mechanical engineering thermodvnamies text does not introduce
energy from its source t o its utilization, i.e., Source, Storage, Liberation, Transitian, Transformation, Transportation, Utilization. This logical but novel approach changes markedly the arrangement of this text to one in which the student grasps more readily the new concepts as they arise. Entropy now IogicaUy appears in Chapter 11in the section on Energy Transformation8. Nuclear and chemical energy are not overlooked as energy sources. Why can't the mechanical engineer learn t o use the mole as a mass unit t o simolifv his eas and
frigeratiion cycles. Free energy and work functions are still unmentioned when the boak ends. This is an interesting book with a novel annroach. It is worth readine and usinn ing thermodynamics. KENNETH A. KOBE U N ~ Y ~ R ~ Ior T YT E X * ~ IOBTIN, TEX*~
