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Product Description
Newly revised and expanded, The Dictionary of Chemistry is clear, concise, and informative. All the basics of chemistry are here--the elements, groups of compounds, formulas, equations, chemical processes, laboratory techniques, and instruments. It contains more than 2,500 entries and includes modern chemical nomenclature and the most up-to-the-minute information on the properties of elements.
Over 250 new entries have been added, including: Buckminsterfullerene Fullerite Nanotubes Quasicrystal Supramolecular chemistry Crown either.
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
These four titles all expand upon the second editions, released in 1988-89; each adds between 200 and 300 terms to keep the contents current, bringing the total number of entries up to approximately 3000 per volume. As in the previous editions, the definitions are concise and readable, targeted to the high school or undergraduate science student. Definitions range in length from a few lines in most cases to several paragraphs for more important or abstract terms. As with most technical dictionaries, etymological or pronunciation information is not provided, though line drawings enhance several of the definitions (approximately 50 per dictionary, double that in Mathematics). The use of British spellings, a drawback to the previous editions, has been eliminated here. Daintith, editor of three of the volumes, is a former research chemist in Great Britain. He is joined by Hine (life science editor of the Larousse Encyclopedia), science writer and editor Clark, and approximately a dozen contributors per dictionary. Each dictionary is supplemented by appropriate appendixes: taxonomic tables and amino acids (Biology); a periodic table, elemental information, fundamental particles, and constants (Chemistry); much the same for Physics; and conversion factors and useful symbols, formulae, and powers and roots (Mathematics). These are fine first references for the most common terms and concepts in their fields, filling a niche at the low-cost end of the market just above most concise subject dictionaries. Recommended for high school and undergraduate libraries.
-Wade Lee, Univ. of Toledo Libs., OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The previous editions of both of these dictionaries were published in 1999. Geared specifically to address the needs of high-school students (and also suitable for college students in introductory courses and the general public), these volumes are written in clear, concise, easy-to-understand language. Entries range in length from a sentence to several paragraphs. Black-and-white line drawings, tables, and charts supplement the texts.
The biology dictionary now contains about 3,700 entries, more than 300 of which are new. Also new are 2,500 pronunciations of terms not in everyday use. Examples of specific entries are Apomorphy, Entoprocta, Genetic engineering, Hormone, Ligule, Meiosis, Nitrogen cycle, Rapid eye movement, Spermatogenesis, Teleostei, and Zygomycete. Appendixes include outlines of the animal and plant kingdoms, amino acids, related Web sites, and a brief bibliography. The chemistry volume also has more than 300 new entries for a total of around 3,000, with 1,700 pronunciations. Sample entries are Alcohol, Carbocation, Electrode potential, Fehlin's solution, Oxygen, Relative density, Stalactites and stalagmites, and Vulcanization. Appendixes provide a listing of carboxylic acids, amino acids, sugars, nitrogenous bases, and nucleotides; a list of the chemical elements; a periodic table of the elements; the Greek alphabet; Web sites; and a brief bibliography.
Both volumes are worthwhile for consideration by libraries in need of up-to-date, relatively inexpensive dictionaries that cover basic biological and chemical terminology. High-school, public, and academic libraries might consider their purchase. Nancy Cannon
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"the definitions are clear, concise, and well-written, recommended as a quick and easy source of chemical information..." -- American Scientist
