About the Book
What is a scientific theory? How is it different from a law or a principle? And what practical use is it? Science students, especially those new to studying the sciences, ask these questions everyday about these essential parts of a science education. To support these students, the Encyclopedia of Scientific Principles, Laws, and Principles is designed to be an easy-to-understand, accessible, and accurate description of the most famous scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories that are known in the areas of astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, and physics. The encyclopedia contributes to the scientific literacy of students and the general public by providing them with a comprehensive, but not overwhelming source of those scientific concepts, principles, laws and theories that impact every facet of their daily lives.
The Encyclopedia of Scientific Principles, Laws, and Theories includes several hundred entries. For ease of use, entries are arranged alphabetically by the names of the men or women who are best-known for their discovery or development or after whom the particular scientific law or theory is named.
Entries include a short biography of the main discoverers, as well as any information that was of particular relevance in the evolution of the scientific topic. The encyclopedia includes sidebars and examples of the usefulness of the theories, principles, and laws in everyday life, demonstrating that understanding these concepts have practical use. Each entry also includes resources for further research, and the encyclopedia includes a general bibliography of particularly useful primary and secondary source materials.
Table of Contents:
VOLUME 1
List of Entries
Preface
Definitions
The Entries: A to K
VOLUME 2
:The Entries: L to Z
Glossary
Appendix A: Alphabetical Listing of Entries by Scientific Discipline
Appendix B: Nobel Laureates in Chemistry (1901-2007)
Appendix C: Nobel Laureates in Physics (1901-2007)
Appendix D: Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine (1901-2007)
Bibliography
Index
About the Author :
Robert E. Krebs has written seven books for Greenwood Press and taught chemistry, biology, and other sciences at several schools and universities.
Review :
This two-volume encyclopedia features a unique sociohistorical arrangement of scientific principles, constants, theories, hypotheses, and concepts that define all basic sciences, including physics, astronomy, and chemistry… This set demonstrates evenness of treatment throughout, with no discipline receiving disproportionate treatment. Each heading's value in enhanced by inclusion of the developer's dates, along with a single-sentence summary of the notion under discussion… Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates, two-year technical program students, practitioners/professionals, and general readers.
This accessible and accurate resource describes the most famous scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, and physics. The work includes nearly 700 entries that provide overviews of those scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories that make an impact on every facet of our daily lives. Entries include a short biography of the main discoverers, as well as any information that was of particular relevance in the evolution of the scientific topic. In addition to the A-to-Z entries arranged by the names of the men or women who are best known for their discovery or development or after whom the particular scientific law or theory is named, there is a glossary and four appendixes that include entries by scientific discipline and Nobel prize recipients for chemistry, physics, and physiology/medicine. The encyclopedia also features sidebars and examples of the usefulness of the theories, principles, and laws in everyday life, demonstrating that understanding these concepts have practical use. Each entry also includes resources for further research, while a general bibliography offers particularly useful primary- and secondary-source materials….This is a useful reference on the topic for both high school and college students, as well as general readers. Krebs's passion for fostering scientific literacy through education makes this a valuable contribution to public and academic libraries.
Although the fact presented in the encyclopedia are available elsewhere, the author has done an excellent job of selecting and synthesizing the information for a nonspecialist audience. Recommended for public and undergraduate college libraries.
These approximately 600 entries paraphrase the subjects in an accessible way and provide biographical information about the relevant scientists. The preface and introduction outline the differences among scientific laws, principles, theories, hypotheses, and concepts, and also include a short discussion of what science is and what it is not. While the entries, arranged under each scientists name, are complete for reports or basic knowledge, some are accompanied by figures and tables, or by sidebars that contain a variety of stories, background, and other explanations that make the books suitable for browsing. Appendixes include a list of scientists by discipline and lists of Nobel Prize winners in physics, chemistry, and medicine. This encyclopedia will interest motivated students who are curious about why the Earth and universe work as they do.
… this guide will be an excellent resource for both high school and college science students.
The intent of this work is to present in just two volumes a historical overview of the most important principles, laws, theories, hypotheses, and concepts that reflect the progression of scientific descriptions and explanations. Covering astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, and physics, the scope of this work spans topics before the Common Era (BCE) to present-day modern theories. The targeted audience is high school and college students or even general readers who are motivated to find out why the Earth and universe work as they do.
Accompanying the clear explanations are line drawings and interesting sidebars. Appendixes cite entries by discipline and list Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics, and medicine, making this a fine choice for motivated science students.
This title is recommended for public, high school, and college libraries.
