Chemistry Advanced Physics

Basic Chemistry: A Problem-SolvingApproach have introduced some feel for the exceedingly small dimensions of
real molecules compared to objects with which the student is fa-

Jullen Gendell. West Publishing: 610 Opperman Dr., St.Paul, miliar. A second example of a section that may confuse more than
MN 55164, 1993. xviii + 598 w.Figs. and tables. 22.2 x 26.2 it clarifies is the classification of reactions in Chapter 12.The ex-
cm. amples in the "combination reaction"
This book is written for an introductory course and indudes
chanters on auantities and measurements. states of matter. reore-
3mtmg chernwal substances and reacrmns, ~onaecompounds and and "single-replacement"
covalent compounds, chemlral resctmns. aqueous aalutrons, and
gases.
The title accurately reflects the author's emphasis on problem- categories muld be viewed more usefully as redox processes, but
salving skills. Chapter 3 outlines an approach that will be benefi- redox is not introduced until later in the chapter. There is little
cial to many students. Three of the stages in problem solving are advantage to the introduction of these categories. It also is not a
ones that are omitted too commonly from the typical tutorial: the good generalization to say that the typical oxidation number of
importance of starting with a physical picture of the problem to be Group 5Aatoms is -3. One might also question the use of the non-
solved, the need to ask whether an answer is reasonable (if only IUPAC "Group 5A" notation. It would be clearer to refer simply to
students would heed this advice!), and the reminder to mnsider the nitrogen group.
what was learned by salving the pmblem. The strategy is used in Overall, the book is clearly written and students are likely to
the worked examples throughout the text. Unfortunately, it is not find the emphasis an "how-to" work problems helpful.
used in the solutions toin-chapter exercises. Chapter 7 coven pro-
portionality and units. The extension of the strategy to more com-
plicated problems i s treated in Chapter 13, which covers Sandra S. Eaton
stoichiametry and heat flaw. Astudent who masters the strategies University of Denver
demonstrated in this text will he well prepared for subsequent Denver, CO 80208
chemistry (and other physical sciences) courses.
Students may find several structural aspects of the text useful.
Each chapter section hegins with a short list of learning goals, lntroductory Chemistry: A Foundation, 2nd Ed.
which helps to divide the learning goals into smaller, more man- Steven S. Zumdahl, 0.C. Heath and Company. Lexington. MA,
ageable units than can be done with learning goals that encom- 1993. xxii + 824 pp. Figs. and tables. 21.8 x 24.1 an.
pass a whole chapter. In addition to worked examples, there are
exercises distributed through the chapters. Rather than putting If you liked the first edition of this text you will be pleased with
the solutions to the exercises immediately after the exercise, the the second, because, in the words of the author, "We intentionally
detailed solutions are given a t the end of the chapter. The spatial Left most of the text unchanged in the semnd edition." In the sec-
separation between exercise and solution may encourage students ond edition more problems have been added and small periodic
to try the pmblem far themselves before turning to the solution. table icons have heen introduced to help students identifiy the pe-
Answers (without solutions1 to all end-of-chapter problems are riodic table location of each element as it is discussed. This text
given in the back of the book. "Foeus on Applications" blocks are comes in three versions. Basic Chemistry, second edition, a paper-
interspersed through the text and cover practical aspects of chem- back text, provides basic coverage of chemical concepts and appli-
istry and brief historical notes that students are likely to find in- cations through solution chemistry and h a s 15 chapters.
triguing. Introductory Chemistry second edition, a hardbound text, expands
Most of the text is accurate and presented logically and the the coverage to 19 chapters with the addtion of radioactivity and
author appears to be sensitive to the need to define vocabulary nuclear enerw. Finallv. Zntraluetorv Chemistrv: A Foundation.
and concepts that may be unfamiliar to students. However, there second edittan: a hardl;bund trxr, has 21 rhapt;rs wlth the finai
are some lapses. For example, in Chapter 6 the author makes the two rhapters provldtnl: a brief mtmdunion toorganic and bid@
valid point that space-filling models indicate both the shape and cal chemistry. Thr first edittons of these texts were reviewed in
some features of molecular size. I would have expected the aaom- 1992 r l t.
panying illustration to show models of small and large molecules.
Instead, there is one beaker containing several CPK models of Liierature Cited
water molecules and a second beaker containing a single CPK
1. Brsun, R.D.J. Cham Educ.1992,69,AMI
model of water. The point of the figure was last on the reviewer.
The author also missed the opportunity to mention that the 400-
mL beaker if filled with real water molecules would have can-
tained about loz5 water molecules! Even though the concept of
moles is not introduced until later in the text the author could
Reviewed in This Issue

Reviewer
Julian Gendell, Basic Chemistry: A Problem-Solving Approach Sandra S. Eaton A215
Steven S. Zumdahl, Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation, 2nd Ed. James E. Finholt A215
14
William H. Brock, The Norton History of Chemistry George B. Kauffman A216

New Volumes in Continuing Series A216
ri
Volume 71 Number 8 August 1994 A213

Chemistry Advanced Physics

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Chemistry Advanced Physics

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Basic Chemistry: A Problem-SolvingApproach have introduced some feel for the exceedingly small dimensions of

real molecules compared to objects with which the student is fa-

Reviewed in This Issue

William H. Brock, The Norton History of Chemistry George B. Kauffman A216

Volume 71 Number 8 August 1994 A213

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