Physics Dictionary

Clear, precise definitions of scientific terms are crucial to good scientific and technical writing-and to understanding the writings of others. Authoritative definitions of more than 3,000 terms covering a range of pure and applied disciplines: acoustics biophysics communications electricity electronics geometrical optics low-temperature physics magnetism medical physics physical optics The editor has taken care to ensure each entry is as self-contained as possible, to include terms from the frontiers of technology, and to omit obsolete terms that can clutter a search.

To understand the history, accomplishments, failures, and meanings of astronomy requires a knowledge of what has been said about astronomy by philosophers, novelists, playwrights, poets, scientists, and laymen. With this in mind, Astronomically Speaking: A Dictionary of Quotations on Astronomy and Physics serves as a guide to what has been said about astronomy through the ages.

The work provides solid coverage in the fundamental theoretical aspects of the subject, with carefully planned cross-linking and structuring to give the user the potential to gain a solid grounding in the theoretical aspects of quantum mechanics, mechanics, electrodynamics, relativity, statistical mechanics, and elementary particiles that form the core physics background for the field.

The format of this edition remains unchanged from previous editions but the majority of entries have received some revision. In particular, units are now in SI units wherever possible, although with certain of the classical entries this is not possible. Chemical terminology has proved a particular problem. We have kept the common names for organic compounds because of the wide readership of this book but we have added an extra table giving the equivalent systematic names and the formulae. We have tried to avoid omission of any named effects and laws that have wide usage. Nevertheless, in order to keep the book to a manageable length, it has been necessary to make a selection among the less commonly used terms and it is inevitable that some arbitrary choices and omissions must be made. Some entries from earlier editions have been left out to make room for other entries which we feel have become more important. We are especially grateful to those readers who have pointed out previous omissions. D.W.G.B. Imperial College, Uni!.:ersity of London D.R.L.

To understand the history, accomplishments, failures, and meanings of astronomy requires a knowledge of what has been said about astronomy by philosophers, novelists, playwrights, poets, scientists, and laymen.