A number of thermodynamic books claiming to be original in both presentation and approach have been published. However, thermodynamics is still a confusing subject for uninitiated students and an “easy-to-forget” one for graduate engineers. In order to solve these problems, this computer aided learning package — textbook and CD-ROM — takes a new approach.This package is unique and beneficial in that it simulates a classroom lecture: it actually writes important equations and concepts on a virtual board, underlines, draws circles, places ticks to emphasise important points, draws arrows to indicate relationships, uses colours for visual effect, erases some parts to write new lines, and even repeats some parts of the lesson to stress their importance. This realistic simulation is made possible by the employment of the multimedia capabilities of the modern-day computer. Readers are not just passively presented with thermodynamics, they can also interactively select and repeat any particular topic of interest as many times as they want. This flexibility allows readers to choose their own pace of presentation. This complementary set is in many important respects better than the books that are currently available on the subject.

Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage of progress in the major areas of chemical research. Written by experts in their specialist fields the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, supplying regular critical in-depth accounts of progress in particular areas of chemistry. For over 80 years the Royal Society of Chemistry and its predecessor, the Chemical Society, have been publishing reports charting developments in chemistry, which originally took the form of Annual Reports. However, by 1967 the whole spectrum of chemistry could no longer be contained within one volume and the series Specialist Periodical Reports was born. The Annual Reports themselves still existed but were divided into two, and subsequently three, volumes covering Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. For more general coverage of the highlights in chemistry they remain a 'must'. Since that time the SPR series has altered according to the fluctuating degree of activity in various fields of chemistry. Some titles have remained unchanged, while others have altered their emphasis along with their titles; some have been combined under a new name whereas others have had to be discontinued.