book reviews Editor: W. F. KIEFFER

Collogo of Woostor

Woorter, Ohio

College Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis. 4th Edition

William H . Nebergall end Frederic C . Schmidt, hoth of Indiana. University, and Henry F. Holtzcluw, Jr., University of Nebraska. D. C. Heath and Co., Lexington, Mess., 1972. xvi + 1009 pp. Figs. and tables. 24 X 19.5 em. $11.95.

The new fourth edition of the Neber- gall-Schmidt-Holtzclaw progrsm for intro- ductory college chemistry courses appear8 to retain the superior pedagogical features of the previous editions [see .I. CHEM. EDUC. 46, 258 (19fiQ); 47, A442 (1970)l. It also incorporates new material which increases the amount of theory and princi- ples and expands the length of the hooks by nearly 300 pages. As before, a choice of two texts is availahle. "General Chemistry" and "College Chemistry" are identical in their first thirty-three chapters, hut "General Chemistry" discusses the metals aocarding to the periodic groups while "College Chemistry" presents a study of the metals within the context of a qualitative analysis scheme. The latter text includes eight supplementary chap- ters which provide an introduction to semimicro qualitative analysis.

Supplemental materials especially d s signed for use with the texts include s. students' study guide by Norman E. Griswold, a most helpful instructor's msnuel by the same author, and a fourth edition of "Basic Laboratory Studies in College Chemistry" by William Hered and W. H. Nebergall.

An entirely new chapter on Chemical Thermodynamics has been added to both texts. The level is substantial even though it is accessible to students without

training in. calculus. Unfortunately, it is the eighteenth chapter so that many chances to apply thermodynamic princi- ple.~ I,, topirs ~n r ~ r l w r o l ~ ~ p r ~ r s H W ~ l l l ~ ~ h l .

k:culu~icnl pnJ,lenls a d polluriwu urr diicueenl in r+larim. ro rhc cllar,~wcou LIIC atmosphere, water, and nucle& chemistry and with topics such as phosphates, lead, and mercury compounds. Considerable emphasis is given to energy and raw mste- rial resources for the future.

A generous number of questions, exer- cises, and problems are provided a t the ends of the chapters. Many of the proh- lems are entirely new to the fourth edition while those problems retained from the third edition have been rewarded and new numerical values have been assigned. Over 1200 hihliographical listings a t the end of each chapter refer the student to journal articles, scientific magazines, texts, and reference books for enrichment read- ing.

The twa-calm format of the third edi- tion has been retained, hut hoth texts have been reset in a new typeface with wide margins for note taking. The second color is used to distinguish important points and to illustrate three dimensional chemical structures. Almost half the illustrations are entirely new or redrawn from previous editions. The outside covers are much more attractive and prac- tical than any of those of the previous editions.

Expanded appendices include new tables of general physical constants and basic units for the International System of Units (81) and a. greatly enlalged-table of stan- dard reduction ootentials. The index.

the chapters, this feature should contribute to the books' usefulness in subsequent courses.

I n summary, these new editions repre- sent the combined efforts of authors and publisher to further improve and modern- ize an already widely accepted program for beginning chemistry courses. A vari- ety of such courses to meet varying needs could be devised by selecting the appro- priate combination of text and auxiliary paperbacks from the available package.

University of Toledo Toledo, Ohio 45606

Ions in Aqueous Systems. An Introduction to Chemical Equilibrium and Solution Chemistry

Themld Moeller, Arizona State Univer- sity, and Rod O'Connor, University of Arizona. MeGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1972. x + 367 pp. Figs. and tables. 22.7 X 16.7 em. $6.50.

This is a. clearly written elementary text for inorgsnic qualitative analysis along traditional lines. The authors believe that study of ionic reactions is essential in general chemistry for scientists and that qualitative analysis is the most effective vehicle yet found to achieve a suitable combination of theory and observation in this study. The reviewer agrees. Stu- dents enjoy it.

Gdod features of this text are the excel- lent laboratory directions of 114 pages, and the 72 pages of helpful tahles and appendices. Anions ale treated first for the convincing reasons that their chemis- try is simpler and their presence or ab- sence can affect what the cations do duling analysis. There is welcome emphasis on deduction from preliminary tests and h e havior a t every step of the analysis. In- structions are clear and detailed.

The first 173 pages of the text present a. traditional treatment of ionic, water- solution equilibria using simple algebra and molarities exclusively. Appropriate stress is placed on the importance of s t e p wise equilibria in treating metal ian-ligand solutions. However, the repeated remark that the presence of excess of ligand allows one to assume that the highest complex predominates is not generally true. The unbound ligand concentration and Kr valoes must be examined to deduce what is present especially with the weak camplexes of ammonia and halides so common in the systems being treated.

There is detailed treatment of metal complex nomenclature, and a brief discus- sion of the stn~etures. Kinetics and mechanisms of react,ivns are presented briefly.

While the authors elesrly show the effect of acidity on thesolubility of a solfide, they unfortunately choose silver and calcium phosphates far worked examples in which aeid-base effects are ignored. This re- sults in error in the range of two to four powers of ten in the answers. More a p propriate systems, with less basic anions, could he chosen, if this effect is considered

( C d i n u e d a page A698)

Volume 49, Number 12, December 1972 / A697