The object of this book is to provide an introduction to electro
chemistry in its present state of development. An attempt has been made
to explain the fundamentals of the subject as it stands today, de voting
little or no space to the consideration of theories and arguments that
have been discarded or greatly modified. In this way it is hoped that
the reader will acquire the modern point of view in electrochemistry
without being burdened by much that is obsolete. In the opinion of the
writer, there have been four developments in the past two decades that
have had an important influence on electrochemistry. They are the ac
tivity concept, the interionic attraction theory, the proton-transfer
theory of acids and bases, and the consideration of electrode reactions
as rate processes. These ideas have been incorporated into the structure
of the book, with consequent simplification and clarification in the
treatment of many aspects of electrochemistry. This book differs from
the au thors earlier work, The Electrochem istry of Solutions in being
less comprehensive and in giving less detail. While the latter is
primarily a work of reference, the present book is more suited to the
needs of students of physical chemistry, and to those of chemists,
physicists and physiologists whose work brings them in con tact with a
variety of electrochemical problems. As the title implies, the book
should also serve as an introductory text for those who in tend to
specialize in either the theoretical or practical applications of
electrochemistry. In spite of some lack of detail, the main aspects of
the subject have been covered, it is hoped impartially and adequately.
There has been some tendency in recent electrochemical texts to pay
scant attention to the phenomena at active electrodes, such as
ovcrvoltage, passivity, cor rosion, deposition of metals, and so on.
These topics, vihich are of importance in applied electrochemistry, are
treated here at Mich length as seems reasonable. In addition, in view of
tho growing interest in electrophoresis, and its general acceptance as a
branch of electrochem istry, a chapter on clectrokinetic phenomena has
boon included. No claim is made to anything approaching completeness in
the matter of references to the scientific literature. Such reformers as
arc given arc generally to the more recent publications, to review
articles, and to papers that may, for one reason or another, have some
special interest. References are also frequently included to indicate
the sources from which data have been obtained for many of the diagrams
and tables. Since no effort was made to be exhaustive in this
connection, it was felt that an author index would be misleading...
