According to Peter W. Atkins of Oxford University, the well-known chemist and textbook and popular science writer, there are two modes of physical chemistry--the "mastery mode" of learning the derivations and interconnections and the "slave mode" where a user, not necessarily still a student or a practitioner, needs to be reminded of a detail, an equation, or a concept without wanting to drag through the undergrowth that surrounds conclusions in textbooks. This pocket-sized vade mecum, the second in the Oxford Chemistry Guides series (John Emsley's The Elements (1991) being the first), with its plastic chemical-resistant cover, presents physical chemistry in the "slave mode" with "arguments stripped and conclusions and uses exposed."

This slim book is a convenient, easy-to-use, and authoritative reference with lucid definitions and explanations for the chemical terms, ideas, and equations most frequently encountered in classroom, library, or laboratory. The 660 main entries, with titles in blue boldface type alphabetically arranged from ab initio methods to zone refining and ranging in length from a few words to three pages, are not just another compilation of data but essential concepts in the field. Because all of the topics are treated at greater length in Atkins' widely used text, Physical Chemistry, the fifth edition of which appeared in 1994, the reader is referred to the longer book for further details and references. The names of hundreds of additional concepts are designated in black boldface type. Twelve tables, 315 numbered two-color figures (blue for abstract attributes and black for the reality of the concepts), a seven-page glossary of symbols, a 22-page, triple-column index, and extensive cross-referencing make this volume a most useful handbook for students, chemical educators, and practicing scientists.