The Editor’s Foreword presents this work as “…[an] introductory physics text specifically targetted at chemistry students…”.¹ The authors’ Preface presents it as a “…primer …covering those aspects of physics which are essential knowledge for practicing chemists.”¹ Oxford University Press promotional materials² further claim “This presents the fundamental physics required for a full understanding of a diverse range of chemical phenomena and techniques…”.¹ Thus, this little (87-page) book purports to instruct, fundamentally and comprehensively at the introductory level, the physics necessary for chemistry students. These are preposterous claims and the task set for the authors is as futile as would be a Foundations of Chemistry for Biologists (in 87 pages) that should instruct comprehensively on stoichiometry, solutions and chromatography, acid–base theory, pH and buffers, electronic structure of atoms and molecules, free energy, and kinetics, together with the organic and biochemistry relevant to the study of biology—all presuming no prior knowledge of chemistry!

The mathematical level varies from simple algebra to advanced calculus and vector concepts. Undergraduate chemistry students (at least U.S. undergraduates) who need a physics “primer” are not prepared for such mathematical sophistication and terseness as “…resembles the locus of a complex number in an Argand diagram whose modulus is fixed but has an argument which is increasing steadily.” or “…because then a quadratic Taylor series expansion of the potential energy (proportional to x², or parabolic) about the position of equilibrium will be a good approximation to the Lennard-Jones type of potential energy (x^-12-x^-6) around the minimum.”

Attempts to be broad and comprehensive within the page limits of this series necessarily result in simplifications and occasional outright misrepresentations as in the first (18-page) chapter on Classical Mechanics where, in a concluding section on relativistic mechanics, it is stated (not just implied) that “…the consequences of special relativity can also be stated in more physical terms. There is a length-contraction along the direction of motion…,”¹ rather than correctly presenting the so-called Lorentz contraction as a frame-of-reference artifact.

The first two chapters on Classical Mechanics and Waves and Vibrations are followed by a chapter on Quantum Mechanics “…[because] we feel students should become acquainted with these concepts as early as possible because quantum mechanics underpins much of modern chemical theory”.³ Eight of the eleven and one-half pages devoted to Quantum Mechanics treat the historical foundations—ultraviolet catastrophe, Planck’s law, heat capacities, the photoelectric and Compton effects, Thomson, Rutherford, and the de Broglie/Bohr atom—leaving one and one-half pages for “more formal quantum mechanics,” one page for the particle-in-a-box, one paragraph for relativistic quantum mechanics, and one-half page for “unresolved issues of quantum mechanics.” The only chemical application of quantum mechanics mentioned is one sentence at the end of the particle-in-a-box section: “One example is the reddish colour of organic molecules with an extensive chain of conjugated bonds; a notable example is β-Carotene found in carrots.” There is no mention that the particles under consideration are electrons or of the “delocalized” model of electrons in conjugated bonds. It is difficult to see how this treatment of quantum mechanics could contribute significantly to a student’s understanding of chemistry.

Chapter 4, Kinetic Theory of Gases, treats the KMT basis for pressure, the Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity and speed distributions, collision theory, and transport properties at an appropriate level—just above many introductory physics and chemistry texts yet below the full treatment of physical chemistry texts. Chapter 5, Electrostatics, probably meets its purpose better than any other by adhering to a consistent mathematical level (algebra) and treating chemical topics that are not adequately covered in standard physics texts—the Madelung ionic model of crystal lattices, and a very comprehensible treatment of the several types of electric dipole interactions of atoms and molecules. Chapter 6, Electromagnetism, is a fairly standard physics-text treatment of the topic concluding with one page on NMR and the Zeeman effect as the basis for understanding magnetic quantum numbers and selection rules (but applied only to the atomic spectrum of helium—hardly a current or essential topic).

The final chapter, Optics, is especially hard to justify, both in the uneven mathematical sophistication it assumes and the selection of topics. Beginning with Maxwell’s differential equations for the E and B fields in a vacuum whose solutions involve wave vector dot products and the Poynting vector for energy flux as a cross product, the rest of the chapter treats Snell’s laws of refraction and reflection, Fermat’s principle of least time, interference, and diffraction using only simple algebra and geometry. Surprisingly, the chapter fails to mention the absorption or emission of radiation by atoms and molecules or, even in passing, lasers—especially since the authors make a point in their preface that “…a thorough grounding in the area [optics] is necessary for a proper understanding of the many laser based techniques used in modern physical chemistry.”

I have tried to imagine a context in which this “text” would be useful; I have difficulty finding one. Undergraduate chemistry students possessing the requisite mathematical sophistication will almost surely have gained such in a full-year course in introductory physics and, thus, have no need for this book.

Could it serve as a primer on a particular topic rather than all of physics? For kinetic theory of gases or electrostatics, yes; for the other topics, it is doubtful.

Could it serve as a review for a student facing an examination in physics? Hardly. On the one hand, it is introductory and expository rather than summative; on the other, the coverage of any topic is insufficient in depth.
In an attempt to extend a fine series, the publisher has failed to apply sound editorial judgment. I cannot recommend adding this volume to your personal or institutional library.

Notes

1. Emphasis has been added by this reviewer.
2. Promotional materials and other publisher’s information are available online.(accessed Nov 2002)
3. Quoted from Authors’ Preface.