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Laboratory manual for college chemistry, semimicro qualitative analysis edition. 4th Ed
MICROCHEMICAL
17, 245-249
JOURNAL
(1972)
Book Reviews Laboratory Manual 4th Ed. By Edition.
for College
Chemistry,
Semimicro
Qualitative
Analysis
SMITH AND JESSE H. WOOD. Harper and Row, New York, 1971. iv + 247 pages. $5.95. WILLIAM
T.
The book contains the usual format of a short introduction to each experiment followed by the description of how to perform the experiment and then sheets for answering the questions and working problems. The selection of experiments is well taken, covers a wide range and allows the book to be used in courses differing within a wide range. Points of possible physical danger and those important for getting good results are always well stressed, and the student should have no trouble to sail successfully through the work. In some cases one feels even a little bit too smoothly. Case in point, for example the experiment on determining the density of an unknown. The arrangement of the required data, like “volume of water,” “vol of water and sample,” etc. is in the exact order as being required for the calculations and leaves no doubt as to what to do. Thus the evaluation of the experiment boils down to a mere placing of numbers in the right place and does not force the student to think about what to do with what number and when and how. The subtitle “Semimicro Qualitative Analysis Edition” is quite misleading. One would expect a laboratory manual for performing what the subtitle indicates and on a thorough and broad basis. Instead the book contains 207 pages of the common general chemistry type experiments including some quantitative analysis like a titration and only about 40 pages devoted to actual qualitative analysis. Of those 40 pages, roughly half are working sheets. While there is no doubt about the benefit the student can gain from working unknowns in qualitative analysis, there is considerable doubt in the reviewer’s mind that the average student can handle all the 5 classical analytical groups plus the anions in such a condensed form. Especially, when thinking of the often very deplorable state of pretraining from high schools. However, like so much in present day education, and for all analytical education, also, this is a question of personal preference and belief. The thoughts offered should not detract from the fact that the book is a useful one; the necessity of a fourth edition after a relatively short period speaks for itself. H.
School of Chemistry,
FLASCHKA,
Georgia
Institute Atlanta,
of Technology,
Georgia
30332
Microtechniques-6. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Plenary Lectures, VIth International Symposium on Microtechniques. Sym-
posium editor, G. KAINZ. Butterworths, London, 1971. 74 pp. $6.00. The five papers in this volume, containing the proceedings of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry on microtechniques held in conjunction 245 Q
1972
by
Academic
Press,
Inc.
17, 245-249
JOURNAL
(1972)
Book Reviews Laboratory Manual 4th Ed. By Edition.
for College
Chemistry,
Semimicro
Qualitative
Analysis
SMITH AND JESSE H. WOOD. Harper and Row, New York, 1971. iv + 247 pages. $5.95. WILLIAM
T.
The book contains the usual format of a short introduction to each experiment followed by the description of how to perform the experiment and then sheets for answering the questions and working problems. The selection of experiments is well taken, covers a wide range and allows the book to be used in courses differing within a wide range. Points of possible physical danger and those important for getting good results are always well stressed, and the student should have no trouble to sail successfully through the work. In some cases one feels even a little bit too smoothly. Case in point, for example the experiment on determining the density of an unknown. The arrangement of the required data, like “volume of water,” “vol of water and sample,” etc. is in the exact order as being required for the calculations and leaves no doubt as to what to do. Thus the evaluation of the experiment boils down to a mere placing of numbers in the right place and does not force the student to think about what to do with what number and when and how. The subtitle “Semimicro Qualitative Analysis Edition” is quite misleading. One would expect a laboratory manual for performing what the subtitle indicates and on a thorough and broad basis. Instead the book contains 207 pages of the common general chemistry type experiments including some quantitative analysis like a titration and only about 40 pages devoted to actual qualitative analysis. Of those 40 pages, roughly half are working sheets. While there is no doubt about the benefit the student can gain from working unknowns in qualitative analysis, there is considerable doubt in the reviewer’s mind that the average student can handle all the 5 classical analytical groups plus the anions in such a condensed form. Especially, when thinking of the often very deplorable state of pretraining from high schools. However, like so much in present day education, and for all analytical education, also, this is a question of personal preference and belief. The thoughts offered should not detract from the fact that the book is a useful one; the necessity of a fourth edition after a relatively short period speaks for itself. H.
School of Chemistry,
FLASCHKA,
Georgia
Institute Atlanta,
of Technology,
Georgia
30332
Microtechniques-6. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Plenary Lectures, VIth International Symposium on Microtechniques. Sym-
posium editor, G. KAINZ. Butterworths, London, 1971. 74 pp. $6.00. The five papers in this volume, containing the proceedings of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry on microtechniques held in conjunction 245 Q
1972
by
Academic
Press,
Inc.