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Show 66 in English. The book is still used extensively as a textbook and as an important referencevbook.28 The principal purpose of the book was to acquaint chemists with the use of quantum mechanics in chemistry, but it has some interesting original features. It became the first textbook in chemistry to apply the theory of groups from mathematics. Eyring had first become aware of the use of this powerful mathematical tool in l932 when he read a paper by Hans Bethe, who had applied group theory in physics. Since Eyring recognized that chemistry involved a great deal of molecular symmetry, he readily saw the application of group theory to chemistry and used it whenever possible in his papers from l933 on and because of its great value, made it a prominent part of the new book.29 At the same time Eyring was working on his book with Kimball and Walter in the late l930's he also considered publishing, in book form, the results of his absolute rate theory research, but he made little progress toward that end because his time was devoted to research. The idea of such a book seemed remote in l939, but by mid-l94l it was com- pleted and published under the title, The Theory of Rate Processes. The reason for this abrupt completion was the coming of Professor Samuel Glasstone from England to study at Princeton in l939. Glasstone had already written several successful textbooks in physical chemistry and was an experienced writer. Professor Hugh Taylor encouraged Eyring and Keith J. Laidler, who was collaborating with him on the book, to get the services of Glasstone. Beginning in l940, Eyring and Laidler supplied Glasstone with papers and other material for the book, and he began writing up the Eyring absolute rate theory in textbook form. While Glasstone wrote, Eyring and Laidler reviewed and revised and in less than two years the manuscript was complete. |
