Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks. The spirited history of physical chemistry. By Cathy Cobb.
1
source of references—is at the same time its weakness. The title of the book, No Time to be Brief , probably characterizes it unintentionally. If the author, rather than striving for encyclo- pedic completeness, had concentrated on the really essential aspects, perhaps on Pauli's scientific legacy, and con- tented himself with, say, one-third of the present size, he might have suc- ceeded in presenting a scientific biogra- phy that one would enjoy reading, and which would enable a nonexpert to understand why Pauli is regarded as one of the most important physicists of the 20th century. That is achieved by the book An den Grenzen des Denkens by E. P. Fischer (Herder, Freiburg, 2000), a work that deserves to be trans- lated into English. Werner Kutzelnigg Lehrstuhl fɒr Theoretische Chemie UniversitȨt Bochum (Germany) Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks The spirited history of physical chemis- try. By Cathy Cobb. Prometheus Books, New York 2002. 420 pp., hardcover $ 29.00.—ISBN 1-57392-976-X Cathy Cobb bubbles with enthusiasm in the urge to share her appreciation of the historical development of physical chemistry. She starts with the ancient Greeks, who dabbled with aspects of what was to become physical chemistry, takes us through the emergence of the modern version of the subject with the investigators of the gas laws and the atomic theory, and brings us bang up to date with modern applications of this richly varied subject with an account of its applications to biological phenomena and its elucidation, we all hope, of the nature of life. The book starts off with an account of very early science, although I think the inclusion of Aristotle stretches the frontiers of the subject rather severely. What we modern scientists recognize as our subject does not really enter the discussion until about page 133, with Dalton and the growth of confidence in the concept of the atom that occurred during the nineteenth century. Truly modern physical chemistry emerged in the late nineteenth century with the for- mulation of thermodynamics, and in the early twentieth century with the emer- gence of quantum theory. The author treats these at reasonable length and with lucidity, although I did find a number of occasions where her grasp of the concepts was unconvincing. The fifth part (of about 150 pages) is an interesting account of the struggles that the early physical chemists had to iden- tify the origin of chemical affinity, mis- guidedly looking for the analogue of Newton's gravity to account for the ten- dency of substances to “gravitate” chemically towards each other and to form new compounds. The final part is a short introduction to where physical chemistry is now heading, with signposts urging it towards biology, nonlinear dynamics, and nanotechnology. The style throughout is enthusiastic. In some respects, although it might seem churlish to say so, that is a problem. I found myself wondering who would be interested in an engagingly light- hearted, but necessarily quite technical, account of physical chemistry. I doubt whether the general reader would want to know this amount of detail about such a recondite subject, and a profes- sional chemist (who would certainly find much to enjoy in these pages, and also learn a lot) does not need the rather low level of exposition. So, there remains a concern that the target audi- ence is either unclear or doesn't exist. But if it does exist, then this book will give much pleasure. I did, however, have some problems with the exposition. The author is fond of analogies. These may work in a class environment and add sparkle to a lec- ture, but I found some of them irk- somely forced and complicated, and sometimes more confusing than the con- cept they were being used to present. The explanation of the black-body dis- tribution law in terms of a field full of cups in a rainstorm was particularly bizarre and unhelpful (p. 231). There are also a number of slips: Bohr was not German (p. 248), there is a confusing presentation about the com- position of probabilities (which should have been expressed in terms of ampli- tudes) in the discussion of bonding (p. 257), and an erroneous statement about exchange energy on the same page. On page 138 it is implied that hydrogen is a component of air, and Henry's law is referred to as a truism (p. 142), which it certainly is not. On the following page (p. 143) readers will be puzzled by the confusion between heat capacity and thermal conductivity, a mistake repeated on page 150 in a dif- ferent context. I am not at all convinced that Newton regarded his third law as “a statement of his intuitions regarding the conservation of energy”, particularly because the concept of energy did not enter physics until more than a century later. However, despite these slips and confusions the book is a good, lively read. It will give pleasure to those who already know some physical chemistry and who would like to know more about the personalities involved. Like all books of this general kind, it will prove to be a good source of anecdotes for presentations. Peter Atkins Lincoln College University of Oxford (Great Britain) DOI: 10.1002/anie.200385078 Books 1458 # 2004 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.angewandte.org Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 1457 – 1458
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Transcript of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks. The spirited history of physical chemistry. By Cathy Cobb.
source of references—is at the sametime its weakness. The title of thebook, No Time to be Brief, probablycharacterizes it unintentionally. If theauthor, rather than striving for encyclo-pedic completeness, had concentratedon the really essential aspects, perhapson Pauli's scientific legacy, and con-tented himself with, say, one-third ofthe present size, he might have suc-ceeded in presenting a scientific biogra-phy that one would enjoy reading, andwhich would enable a nonexpert tounderstand why Pauli is regarded asone of the most important physicists ofthe 20th century. That is achieved bythe book An den Grenzen des Denkensby E. P. Fischer (Herder, Freiburg,2000), a work that deserves to be trans-lated into English.
Werner KutzelniggLehrstuhl fr Theoretische ChemieUniversit�t Bochum (Germany)
Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks
The spirited historyof physical chemis-try. By Cathy Cobb.Prometheus Books,New York 2002.420 pp., hardcover$ 29.00.—ISBN1-57392-976-X
Cathy Cobb bubbles with enthusiasm inthe urge to share her appreciation of thehistorical development of physicalchemistry. She starts with the ancientGreeks, who dabbled with aspects ofwhat was to become physical chemistry,takes us through the emergence of themodern version of the subject with theinvestigators of the gas laws and the
atomic theory, and brings us bang up todate with modern applications of thisrichly varied subject with an account ofits applications to biological phenomenaand its elucidation, we all hope, of thenature of life.
The book starts off with an accountof very early science, although I thinkthe inclusion of Aristotle stretches thefrontiers of the subject rather severely.What we modern scientists recognizeas our subject does not really enter thediscussion until about page 133, withDalton and the growth of confidence inthe concept of the atom that occurredduring the nineteenth century. Trulymodern physical chemistry emerged inthe late nineteenth century with the for-mulation of thermodynamics, and in theearly twentieth century with the emer-gence of quantum theory. The authortreats these at reasonable length andwith lucidity, although I did find anumber of occasions where her graspof the concepts was unconvincing. Thefifth part (of about 150 pages) is aninteresting account of the struggles thatthe early physical chemists had to iden-tify the origin of chemical affinity, mis-guidedly looking for the analogue ofNewton's gravity to account for the ten-dency of substances to “gravitate”chemically towards each other and toform new compounds. The final part isa short introduction to where physicalchemistry is now heading, with signpostsurging it towards biology, nonlineardynamics, and nanotechnology.
The style throughout is enthusiastic.In some respects, although it might seemchurlish to say so, that is a problem. Ifound myself wondering who would beinterested in an engagingly light-hearted, but necessarily quite technical,account of physical chemistry. I doubtwhether the general reader would wantto know this amount of detail aboutsuch a recondite subject, and a profes-sional chemist (who would certainlyfind much to enjoy in these pages, andalso learn a lot) does not need therather low level of exposition. So, thereremains a concern that the target audi-ence is either unclear or doesn't exist.
But if it does exist, then this book willgive much pleasure.
I did, however, have some problemswith the exposition. The author is fondof analogies. These may work in a classenvironment and add sparkle to a lec-ture, but I found some of them irk-somely forced and complicated, andsometimes more confusing than the con-cept they were being used to present.The explanation of the black-body dis-tribution law in terms of a field full ofcups in a rainstorm was particularlybizarre and unhelpful (p. 231).
There are also a number of slips:Bohr was not German (p. 248), there isa confusing presentation about the com-position of probabilities (which shouldhave been expressed in terms of ampli-tudes) in the discussion of bonding(p. 257), and an erroneous statementabout exchange energy on the samepage. On page 138 it is implied thathydrogen is a component of air, andHenry's law is referred to as a truism(p. 142), which it certainly is not. Onthe following page (p. 143) readers willbe puzzled by the confusion betweenheat capacity and thermal conductivity,a mistake repeated on page 150 in a dif-ferent context. I am not at all convincedthat Newton regarded his third law as “astatement of his intuitions regarding theconservation of energy”, particularlybecause the concept of energy did notenter physics until more than a centurylater.
However, despite these slips andconfusions the book is a good, livelyread. It will give pleasure to those whoalready know some physical chemistryand who would like to know moreabout the personalities involved. Likeall books of this general kind, it willprove to be a good source of anecdotesfor presentations.
Peter AtkinsLincoln CollegeUniversity of Oxford (Great Britain)
DOI: 10.1002/anie.200385078
Books
1458 6 2004 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.angewandte.org Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 1457 – 1458
