Abstract
THIS work, by the chief founder of modern electrochemical theory, is worthy of a hearty welcome in its English form. It is distinguished from other works on the same subject by being at once more thorough and more simple, the difference being specially apparent in the chapters dealing with potential and electromotive force. Too often the treatment of this, branch of the subject leaves the impression (on the student of chemistry at least) that a simple and important result is arrived at from no premisses in particular by some unconvincing mathematical hocus-pocus, wholly devoid of concrete meaning. Prof. Arrhenius is necessarily somewhat mathematical, but the physical significance of each step is so care-fully explained that no attentive student of physics or chemistry, with the most rudimentary knowledge of the calculus, can fail to gain a clear idea of the process of reasoning, and, if need be, to reproduce it with understanding. Whilst we have this very desirable “treatment of theoretical matters, the practical side of the subject is no less satisfactorily dealt with. In small compass, an immense amount of well-selected and clearly-put information is conveyed; for example, in the two pages which are devoted to the electric arc, the essential features of the phenomenon are given with a precision and conciseness infrequent in physical text-books. The chapter on electroanalysis affords a similar instance of happy exposition. Throughout the book, and especially where matters of recent controversy are under discussion, there is manifested a temperateness of language and sobriety of judgment which cannot be too highly commended.
Text-hook of Electrochemistry.
By Svante Arrhenius. Translated by John McCrae, Pp. xi + 344. (London; Longmans and Co., 1902.) Price 9s. 6d. net.
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W., J. Text-hook of Electrochemistry . Nature 67, 437 (1903). https://doi.org/10.1038/067437a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/067437a0