The Story of Nitrogen (First Books--The Chemical Elements)
Grade 5-8.  These two volumes outline the discovery, uses, and significant chemistry surrounding their respective element. For example, Iron discusses the Iron Age, the production of steel, iron as a magnet, and the central role of iron in the human body. Nitrogen follows a similar format, describing its role in the atmosphere, in explosives, in biology, and in the environment. Unfortunately, the explanations of the relevant chemistries are often a mess. Instead of sticking with descriptive chemistry, Fitzgerald plunges into discussions of chemical bonding that are convoluted and misleading. In other places, the descriptions are undermined by simplistic terminology such as calling nitrogen compounds "shy" and "unhappy" instead of unreactive and unstable, respectively. There are some technical errors. Also, while Iron does a good job of tying that element to the development of civilization, Nitrogen misses badly on that score. There is no mention of azo dyes (an important class of nitrogen compounds) or the role that dyes, gunpowder, and fertilizer (all nitrogen compounds) had in launching the modern chemical industry.?Alan Newman, American Chemical Society, Washington, DCCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.