General Chemistry Principles and Structure, Thlrd Edition, SI Version

James E. Brady and Gerard E. Humis- ton, John Wiley & Sons, Somerset, NJ, 1983. xix + 826 pp. Figs. and tables. 22 X 26 cm. $30.95.

The appearance of an SI version of this respected textbook [see my review in this Joumol, 60. A103 (1983)l is a sign of a healthy sales picture, which for the admirable text under review is altogether deserved. Unfortunately, however, the need for two alternative versions of first-year textbooks refleets a deplorable lack of agreement among chemists over the basic grammar and spelling of our science. At this time no consensus has yet been reached on the names that should be given to the well-defined physical quantities and the symhols for those names, the names given to well-defined units and the symbols for those names. and the rules for the ex- ~~ ~ ~~

nre~sion of relations involvine numerical r ~ . . ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~~

values between such physical quantities and such u n m Thus, student* ufchemi*try at all levels are currently taught an incredible mishmash of names and symbols, depending on the whim of the particular instructor. In this situation we look to editors and textbook authors for the leadershin which will lead us ~~~ ~

u, a more logical and rational futurr. Agalnst this ix the conservotwn uf the profeszl.r~nte who, after all, ran contnd at least the text- book market by exercising the power not to adapt.

Even in this version of the excellent text under review, Professor Heikkinen, a well- practiced chemical educator, has retained the standard atmosphere (atm) as a convenient synonym for 101,325 N m-2 (101.325 kPa), even though the N m-% (pascal) is used as the SI-derived unit of pressure throughout the text.

This popular and serious texthook is highly recommended.

J. J. Zuckerman ~ ~

University of Oklahoma Norman. OK 73019

Introduction to Chemistry, Fourth Edition

T. R. Dickson, John Wiley & Sons, Som- erset. NJ. 1983. xvii + 540 pp. Figs. and tables. 19 X 24 cm. $25.95.

This textbook, intended for a one-term course in chemistry, is supposed to fulfill the needs of two different groups of students- those who need a foundation for additional courses in chemistry and those who wish to have only an introductory course. I t is a challenge to teach both groups, and it is a significant challenge to find an appropriate textbook.

The author recognizes the need to provide students with an appropriate background in systems of measurement and problem solv- ing. This is handled well through thefactor- label method in the fust chapter and through the use of three appendices.

Chapter two covers the chemical elements (nature of matter, atomic theory, nuclear atom, isotopes, and atomic weights), chapter three covers compounds and formulas, and chapter four lwks at atomic structure and the periodic table, including electronic configu- rations.

Subsequent chapters cover chemical bonds, chemical nomenclature, chemical re- actions and equations, chemical stoichiom- etry, gases, water and solutions, solution dy- namics and chemical equilibrium, acids, and bases, oxidation and reduction, liquids and solids, nuclear energy, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.

In short, most significant topics of general chemistry are considered (though, obviously, in limited detail). At first glance, then it might seem that the book is written for the second student group. Actually, the author has faced the dilemma of what to include and has responded by providing all students w ~ t h an honest view of chemistry as the basic, ex- citing, relevant central scjenee that i t is.

There is a lot of material here, hut it is well presented, and the instructor can alter the

order of chapters after the first four without penalty. . A final point: this hookdoes not have that fourth edition the-author-listened-to-ev- ery-advisor-around look. I t is a polished, well-written, attractively designed textbook. I t is recommended for those who are faced with the challenge of teaching the course for which it is written.

Dean F. Martin University of Sou% Florida

Tampa, FL 33620

Practice of Thin Layer Chromatography. Second Edition

Joseph C. Touchstone and MuneN F. Dob- bins, John Wiley & Sons, Somerset, NJ, 1983. i i i + 405 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $40.00.

The authors present a follow-up volume of their successful first edition which was published in 1978. The book consists of 16 chapters and is intended primarily for prae- ticing chromatographers. It contains much "how to" information and is full of practical advice.

Comparing the second to the first edition, one finds that the majority of the chapters was left e s s e n t i y untouched. In many eases the chapters are identical, including the lists of references. The only significant changes were made in Chapter 4 dealing with sample preparation and application, and Chapter 10 which has been relabelled from "Radioactive Procedures" to "Procedures for Radioactiv- ity." The authors have, however, paid tribute to 2 new developments, revise phase tech-

(Continued on page A1 14)

Reviewed in this Issue Reviewer

James E. Brady and Gerard E. Humiston, General Chemistry Principles and Structure, Third Edition, SI Version J. J. Zuckerman A113

T. R. Discon, Introduction to Chemistry, Fourth Edition Dean F. Martin A113 Joseph C. Touchstone and Murrell F. Dobbins, Practice of Thin Layer

Chromatography, Second Edition Wolfgang Bertsch A113

Titles of Interest A114

Continuing Series A114

Volume 61 Number 3 March 1984 A113

niques, and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). These two topics are introduced in Chapters 13 and 14.

Reversed phase methods are not expected to play a similar role in TLC as they do in liquid column chromatography. Neverthe- less, they are a useful addition to the reper- toire of TLC. Most papers referenced in Chapter 13 are less than 10 years old which is a clear indication of the relatively recent in- troduction of RP methods. The chapter is short hut well written and informative. HPTLC, also a relative newcomer, does not fareas well. Although the hattleis still raging whether HPTLC deserves the prefix H P or is merely a refinement of existing technology, the fact remains that it is rapidly expanding. Two symposia dedicated to the subject have heen held in Europe with several hundred scientists and practitioners in attendance.

The 16 papers from the first and 28 from the second symposium proceedings book are not mentioned in the text and obviously have been overlooked by the authors. This is somewhat surprising since the proceedings from the first conference were published in regular book form in 1980.

Practicing chromatogriphers, especially organic chemists and applications oriented users who are not interested in thin layer chromatography as a science but only as a tool to accomplish a specific task will find the hwk of considerable value. The reader is not introduced toany theory and isexposed only to a minimum of instrumentation. The im- provements offered by the second over the first edition are small. Readers who already have access to the earlier edition should stick to the older version. Newcomers to the field will find an above average text a t a reawnable price.

Wolfgang Bertsch The University of Alabama

University. AL 35486

A114 Journal of Chemical Education