Customer Reviews

Analytical Chemistry: An Introduction (Saunders Golden Sunburst Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This text is a worthy contender to the classic "Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry' by Skoog and West. I feel it is easier to read, and the examples given in the inserts should provide students with a "real world" need for the topics covered. The coverage is very similar to Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry. The example problems and homework problems are illustrative and challanging. The experiments presented in the final chapters are well documented. My only observations for improvement would be the use of more detailed analysis of some of the insert examples. For example, a battery technology that is discussed in a step by step fashion in terms of equilibria, balancing redox equations, and problem solving. Also, a modernization of laboratory experiments to include topics in biochemistry, food and environmental science would be helpful in any future editon.

We use this text (now in its 7th edition) for both our Analytical I (chemical analysis) and Analytical II (instrumental analysis) courses. They are both 1-semester courses at the sophomore year, and this text is just the correct level and length to cover both courses. There are a number of broad sections, each of which is divided into several chapters. Roughly the 1st half covers chemical methods and the second half covers the instrumental methods. There are also a few chapters devoted to statistical analysis.

The sections are reasonably independent and can be done in pretty much any order, giving a great degree of flexibility. The text itself is easy to read with numerous descriptive diagrams. I say this for second-year level courses - the text is too superficial for higher levels. There is a good mix of descriptive chemistry to give the student a feel for the chemistry behind the analyses. Finally, there are adequate exercises at the end of the chapters, some of which are cumulative with previous sections. There is also a very handy tutorial on the use of Microsoft's Excel for use in a course like this, including some specific exercises in using the spreadsheet. I find it very helpful, and not at all exclusive for those using Excel since Quatro-Pro (and Lotus?) is very similar and contains help files that translate from Excel parlance.

My biggest issue is lack of a section on mass spectroscopy. Skoog's own "Instrumental Analysis" text has a fine section on mass spec, but this text contains virtually no mention of the technique, in spite of the fact that it is an increasingly important technique for both quantitative and qualitative trace analysis. However, that's the only real negative point - this text is very good and useful for 2nd year level analytical courses. (P.S. students find it straightforward and clear as well.)

I am a CHEM major and I was consistently surprised at how many typos and flat-out errors the SEVENTH edition of this book had - seven editions and still poor editing! The examples that are provided are for simpler problems and when you go to do homework, you're lost. Also, instead of using less than a penny's-worth of ink and printing the equation that they are using in an example, it will just refer you back to another page in the book where it was introduced. Some problems require several equations, and you're flipping back and forth all-over the book just to see what equations they are using.

If you're stuck with this book, I recommend you somehow obtain the INSTRUCTORS' solutions manual (or at least the students' solutions manual) so you can actually do the homework.

I also bought a used, previous edition of the Harris Quantitative Analysis textbook. You can get it and a solutions manual pretty cheap if you get a previous version and it's a good book that will explain what Skoog tries to explain so poorly.

Ok, I bought this book for my first Analytical Chemistry course. Admittedly, analytical chemistry will be difficult to students regardless taking it for the first time, unless, of course, it just "clicks" with you. Unfortunately, it didn't with me, and this book did not help. Its prose is dense and difficult to muddle through, and while their examples are more or less easy to follow, it does not help with the homework at the end of each chapter. In other words, most of the problems for each chapter are EXCEEDINGLY difficult to do since 75% of them aren't explained in that chapter. And in case you're wondering if I'm just a dumb person, at least half of my class also had a similar complaint, from people who are clearly smarter than me. Hopefully, you will also have a better teacher than I, who taught as terribly as the book is written. (Strangely enough, I did manage to pull a C+ in the course.) The course is barely doable with the book and is generally unhelpful.

The book does have one good point I should mention: It's a good reference book, as it has lists of pKa values, acid disassociation constants, solubility product constants, electrode potentials, and other data used in analytical chemistry. This, however, will not give its review any more stars since any publisher could do this. Anyone attempting to use this book to LEARN analytical chemistry though, I suggest you look elsewhere.

This book is definetly a keeper! A masterpiece of clarity. Although it is >10 years old, this introductory book is still by far the best book of its kind. It is one of of the few chemistry books that I have read from cover to cover several times, and each time I still pick up insights into problem solving and the reasoning behind analytical techniques. The classical experiments in chapter 27 are so good that purchase of a seperate laboratory book is un-necessary.

Not impressed. I am a Chem major in my Senior year and I can say with certainty that this book is worthless. The examples are poor, and the problems at the end of each chapter require knowledge not covered within said chapter. I'm not sure what book is better, i'm already out too much money for this one and not wasting more on another one!

I had homework to do, and since my teacher just ASSUMES everyone has had statistics, he breezed through the stat portion in just a lecture.

Well, I hadn't had any stats at all, and needed the solutions manual to try to work out the problems.

The solution manual is the exact same as what is in the back of the book. Just the answers to SOME of the problems. Not all. Doesn't show steps.

Horrible.

I wasted my money.

This solutions manual is not nearly as helpful as the manuals that accompanied my past gen-chem and o-chem textbooks. The solutions are filled with numbers that have no units , steps are skipped, and there aren't sufficient explanations for tough problems. Overall, this manual does not allow for efficient use of study time. Also, This manual is only about 1/3 the thickness of the text book.

I want to buy OHP film of this book. But I could not find the way. Please let me know to order OHP for this book. If OHP for Instrumental analysis is avaliable, I want to order that too.