book reviews

hoth the numbers and the dimensions will give an answer which agrees with the di- mension established by the way the question was asked in the first place. All answers are expected to begiven to the proper number of significant figures.

Compared to the first edition (which has not been previously reviewed in this Journal) this edition is essentially the same. Chapter 17 (Calculations Involving Heat) and Ap- pendix IV (which deals with pH) are both new. Chapter 1 has been rewritten to include a section on logarithms.

In summary, this text is recommended as a supplemental text. While some artificiality exists in applying dimensional analysis to "all" problems, the shortcomings are far outweighed by the utility and usefulness of this approach to prohlem solving.

Jimmy W . Hinkson California Slate College, Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 95380

Benchmark Papers in Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics Volume 1: Transuranium Eiements-Products of Modern Alchemy

Editor Glenn Seoborg, Dowden. Hutch- inson, & Ross, Inc., Stroudsburg, 1978. Figs. & tables. 26 X 18 cm. v + 488 pp. $36.00.

This book introduces the sequence of publications to be knownas the "Benchmark Series in Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics," the overall series will be edited by Joyce Kaufman and Walter Koski. The in- dividual volumes in the series will be both edited and annotated by selected persons recognized as authorities in one pi~rticular field. This first volume in the series is edited by Glenn Seaborg and deals with transura- nium elements.

This volume contains 122 original papers reprinted directly from their appropriate sources (two in German and one in French), and includes a few key excerpts from original government reports, some important con- tributions from Russian sources (in English translation), and papers from some of the leading nuclear chemists. The text is broken into seven sections: The history and discovery of the tranruranic elements (one section on false reports, and one detailing authenticated reports), a section on the isolation of tran- suranic elements, the nuclear properties of these elements, the chemical properties of these elements (including papers un organo- metallic compounds fwmed), a short section on super heavy elements (2 > 104), and a final section on the search for these elements in natural surroundings. The subject index is small but adequate. The papers reprinted cover the time period from 1934-1974, and are preponderantly from the fifties and early sixties. An additional set of 129 references is given by Glenn Seaborg in the notes that lead each section.

The concept of this text is an excellent one. Unfortunately, reality leaves something to be desired. Like mueh of the research literature, the majority of the papers presented do not

give more than a cursory description of the

text contains many papers detailing ihe de- scriptive chemistry of the transuranic ele- ments, the section on the nuclear properties of these elements (one of the largest sections) is difficult to read without considerable prior knowledge. The reviewer was intrigued by the papers describing the early development of balances with subnanogram sensitivities, and by the difficulties of tracer precipitation chemistry when elemental concentrations are of theorder of 10~'5molal (and smaller).and

crogram quantities. Some of the papers pro- vided very useful descriptions afthe physical and chemical properties of the compounds (and often, for the metals themselves), even to the extent of giving precipitate colors. However, the reviewer felt that there were too few general papers that could give an over- view of the topic or section, although the an- notations given by the volume editor were interesting, and provided the reader with some amusing anecdotes. Despite these points, it is exciting to read chemistry with unfamiliar symbols such as EsFs and Bk&, and still -lightly awe-inspiring to realize that the msjority of these investigations are being successfullv carried out with onlv ccmntahle numbers of atoms! It is also interesting to see speculation about new super heavy elements (with predicted atomic masses of 392, and even 482) and to see tabulations of predicted properties for elements that have yet to be prepared and identified (Element 110 with a predicted density of 27.4 g ee-q). Equally, the final section of this volume on the search for elements in nature with Z > 92can be read easily by science undergraduates.

This is a text that should go on the book- shelf of any instructor who teaches a course in nuclear chemistry at the college level, or who is involved with research in this field, but it cannot he recommended as general reading for the faculty member. However, it should be noted that this format for a text. and this volume in particular, can be ideal for the in- structor who is involved with an honors un- dergraduate "directed readinf project. The concentrated assemblage of pertinent papers, with intrtductory remarks by an expert in the field, coupled with personal help from the faculty memher, can be a mueh recom- mended format for such activities.

Alan Campbell Ling Nuclear Science Facility

San Jose Slate University San Jose. CA 95 192

General and Synthetic Methods. Volume 1

Editor G. Pattenden, The Chemical Soci- ety, Burlingtan House, London, 1978. Figs. & tables. 22.5 X 14.5 em. xiii + 445 pp. $30.

This volume constitutes the first of a new series designed to provide an annual review and appraisal of functional group transfor- mations and synthetic methodology in ar- ganic chemistry. The 1976 literature is cov-

ered in this inaugural volume. The first five chapters, which cover functional group transformations include saturated and un- saturated acyclic hydrocarbons (74 pp., 339 refs.); aldehydes and ketones, (45 pp., 218 refs.); carboxylic acids and derivatives (45 pp., 277 refs.); alcohols, halageno-compounds and ethers (28 pp., 136 refs.); and amines, nitriles, and other nitrogen-containing functional rrouus (13 DD.. 66 refs.). Within

dehydesand ketones; lactones, alcohols) and Surther subdivided into synthesis, reactions, protection, and related areas. Two chapters aredevoted tocycliesubstances, heterocyclic rings (81 pp., 348 refs.) and earbovylic rings (36 pp., 134 refs.); one chapter toorganome- tallies in synthesis (59 pp., 223 refs.); one on strategy and design (20 pp., 91 refs.); and a final chapter reserved for timely reviews of selected special topics which, in this volume, is devoted to phase transfer methods (22 pp., 110 refs.).

The overall text is written in aconcise, in- furmative style, and each chapter is amply illustrated with structural formulas. Al- though an encyclopedic coverage is dis- claimed in the Introduction, the coverage is quite extensive. For both the practitioner and the casual observer with the time, this volume will provide many hours of interesting read- ing. Most likely, however, this volumeand the future members of this series will serve the synthetic chemistry community as a topic- specific reference source. This reference value is further enhanced by incorporation of a list of reviews on general synthetic methods ar- ranged by topic (86 refs.) a t the end of the volume.

Without question, all chemists engaged in organic synthesis will want to have access to this excellent new series and many will un- doubtedly discover that a personal copy is a necessity.

Stephen A. Manti The University of Texas at Austin

Austin. TX 78712

Introduction to Colloid Science

W J. Popiel, Exposition Press, Hicks- ville, N.Y., 1918. xi + 217 pp. Figs. & ta- hles. 24 X 15 cm. xi + 217 pp. $12.50.

This is the second book published within the past year aimed at enhancing the pres- ence and status of colloid andsurface science so as to make it comparable toother subjects in the undergraduate physical chemistry curriculum. The first hook, "Physical Chemistry: Enriching Topics from Colloid and Surface Science," reviewed last year, approached this goal by offering a limited group of essays by prominent experts in the field. This permitted presentations suffi- ciently thorough so that an undergraduate chemistry student could reasonably be ex- pected to follow them. The approa<:h in the hook under review is quite different. It is more or less a miniature version of a standard text in the field, considerably reduced in pages, with short di.scussions of practical applications, and quantitative problems and solutions.

The nature of the presentations can he il- (Contbmed on page A242)

A240 / Journal of Chemical Education