General Books - Page 12

The Handy Astronomy Answer Book (The Handy Answer Book Series)

Charles Liu

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Editorial Review:

From planetary movements and the exploration of our solar system to black holes and dark matter, this comprehensive reference simplifies all aspects of astronomy with an approachable question-and-answer format. With chapters broken into various astronomical studies—including the universe, galaxies, planets, and space exploration—this resource is an ideal companion for students, teachers, and amateur astronomers, answering more than 800 questions, such as Is the universe infinite? What would happen to you if you fell onto a black hole? What are the basic concepts of Einstein's special theory of relativity? and Who was the first person in space?

Encyclopedia of Volcanoes

Stephen R. McNutt, Hazel Rymer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Volcanoes are unquestionably one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring features of the physical world. Our paradoxical fascination with them stems from their majestic beauty and powerful, if sometimes deadly, destructiveness.
Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in volcanology since ancient times, some of the mystery surrounding volcanic eruptions remains today. The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes summarizes our present knowledge of volcanoes. Through its thematic organization around the melting of the earth, it provides a comprehensive source of information on the multidisciplinary influences of volcanic eruptions--both the destructive as well as the beneficial aspects.
The majority of the chapters focus on the geoscience-related aspects of volcanism (radioactive heat source, melting rock, ascent of magma, surface phenomena associated with exiting magma, extraterrestrial volcanism, etc.). In addition, complementary chapters discuss the multidisciplinary aspects of volcanism; these include the history of volcanology, geothermal energy resources, interaction with the oceans and atmosphere, health aspects of volcanism, mitigation of volcanic disasters, post-eruption ecology, and the impact of eruptions on organismal biodiversity.

In addition to its appeal to educators, students, and professional and amateur scientists, the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes functions as an important information resource for administrators and officials responsible for developing and implementing volcanic hazard mitigation around the world.

* The first and only reference work to cover all aspects of volcanology
* More than 80 separate peer-reviewed articles--all original contributions by leading authors from major institutions of science around the world, commissioned for this work
* An integrated transition from the volcanic process through hazards, risk, and societal impacts, with an emphasis on how volcanoes have influenced and shaped society
* Convenient single-volume format with topics arranged thematically--articles provide coverage of nine different aspects of volcanology
* Each entry in the Encyclopedia begins with an outline of the article content and a concise definition of the subject of the article
* 3,000 Glossary entries explain key terms
* Further Reading lists appear at the end of each entry
* Extensive cross-referencing system links related articles
* Sixteen pages of color will convey the science and excitement of this often violent phenomena
* Large 8 1/2" x 11" page size, easy-to-read double-column format

A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica

Margaret Gargiullo, Barbara Magnuson, Larry Kimball

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

At the biological crossroads of the Americas, Costa Rica hosts one of the widest varieties of plants in the wold, with habitats ranging from tidal mangrove swamps, and lowland rainforests, to dry tropical evergreen and deciduous forests.
Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica is a must-have reference guide for beginner and expert naturalists alike. It provides a thorough survey of more than 850 plant species, each entry accompanied by color photos and a concise yet detailed narrative description. Plants are conveniently grouped by the different types of vegetation: palms, tall trees, shrubs, woody vines, herbaceous vines, herbs, grasses and ferns. Along with 1400 color photographs, the guide also includes an illustrated glossary of plant parts, five maps of Costa Rica, and laminated covers for durability in the field. With so much readily accessible information, this book is essential for exploring Costa Rica's common and conspicuous flora from the plants growing along the roadside to the best natural parks.

Laboratory Test Handbook

David S. Jacobs, Bernard L. Kasten, Wayne R. Demott, Lowell L. Tilzer

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Subjects -> Medicine -> Allied Health Professions -> Medical Technology
Subjects -> Medicine -> Specialties -> Pathology -> Laboratory Medicine
Subjects -> Medicine -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Great Reference Tool 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I was very fortunate to have access to this book as a Medical Technology student and afterwards while working in a laboratory. This book is very well cross-referenced with every conceivable alternate test name listed. A summary of the disease states that each test could help to diagnose is also listed, making this a great learning tool. Overall, I will consider this to be the most valuable laboratory reference book in my possession.

A great desk reference! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is an outstanding reference book. A "must" for physicians, laboratory technicians, and other health professionals interested in the clinical pathology. This is laid out in a very easy to use format, with cross indexing, and with current references. The best book of its kind on the market.

Editorial Review:

Fourth edition of a handbook of laboratory procedures in quick-reference format, for clinicians, pathologists, residents, students, and technologists. Previous edition 1990. Includes concise information on synonyms for test names, patient care recommendations, specimen requirements, reference ranges, and more.

Cats' Paws and Catapults: Mechanical Worlds of Nature and People

Steven Vogel

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Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Which is more efficient, a 747 or a bird in flight? Which is stronger, a vine or a rope? Which is better designed, a lobster claw or a pair of pliers? Who builds better, nature or us? Human technology has taken a mere 10,000 years or so to develop; nature's selected designs--the look and function of animals and plants--are billions of years old. Although the two technologies share the same physical environment--the same building materials, gases, and minerals; the same temperature range; and the same force of gravity--they produce vastly different results. Human designers love right angles, but nature chooses to be round, curved, and without right angles. Humans find metals the most marvelous of materials, but no structure in nature is metallic. We use rotating wheels in diverse ways, but nature's only true wheels come in bacteria. We prefer to make surface ships, while nature swims. Our hinges turn because their parts slide, while natural hinges turn because their structure bends, like a rabbit's ears. Man-made machines have hot combustion engines; nature does its work at local temperatures. Questions arise from these differences. Does nature have some essential superiority? Why have the two technologies taken such separate courses? Cats' Paws and Catapults is about the way living things work--how they walk, run, jump, fly, and grow. In short, this book introduces the reader to the field of biomechanics and explains how physical law and historical accident became our world's supreme architects.

Principles of Polymerization, 3rd Edition

George G. Odian

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Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Engineering -> Materials Science -> Polymer Science

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great text book! 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I took a course last year in Polymer Chemistry and this text was the standard text book. It was an amazingly great reference book. This book mainly target on Polymerization synthesis and characterization. If you are interested in the mechanical properties of polymer, you should look for other one. But this is a must for all polymer chemists and material scientists who are interested in polymer processing.

Editorial Review:

Describes the physical and organic chemistry of the reactions by which polymer molecules are synthesized. Begins by introducing the characteristics which distinguish polymers from their much smaller sized homologs. Proceeds to a detailed study of three types of polymerization reactions: step, chain and ring-opening. Reactions are characterized as to their kinetic and thermodynamic features, their scope and utility for synthesis of different types of polymer structures, and the process conditions which are used to carry them out. Assumes a background in organic and physical chemistry and can serve as either a self-teaching guide to polymers for the beginner or as a handy reference for the experienced polymer chemist. Each chapter includes a selection of problems to aid learning and a solutions manual is available on request.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Einstein, Second Edition

Gary F. Moring

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Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> People, A-Z -> ( E ) -> Einstein, Albert

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very informative 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I haven't finished the whole book, but it is already my favorite. It is a trip through history. The author builds science theory, and discovery through the ages, social climates, and general thinking in the given era. It's a great quick reference for scientist, and dates of discoveries. I highly recommend this book for anyone interest in digging deeper in to science. It is fascinating.

Editorial Review:

Demystifying physics-and the man who personified it.

Einstein's face is on T-shirts and posters and his name is synonymous with atomic energy and scientific genius. But to understand this individual who not only had great knowledge but great wisdom, we must examine his philosophy of life-and physics.

€ New and updated information about Einstein's life
€ Analysis of recent, ongoing challenges to Einstein's theories
€ Streamlined information on the underpinnings of physics, electricity, magnetism, and other forms of energy
€ High-profile museum exhibitions about Einstein are taking place across the U.S. in 2003, 2004, and 2005
€ First edition has gained a solid reputation for helping students understand physics
€ Einstein was named Time's "Man of the Century"

Zero Acceptance Number Sampling Plans

Nicholas L. Squeglia

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The plan reduces the number of samples required. 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 10 people found this review helpful.

The book offers a well-reasoned, easy to understand statistical approach to sampling which reduces the number of samples required while maintaining high quality standards. The plan specified in the book is equivalent to MILSPEC plans, and saves time and money.

Editorial Review:

This book provides a set of attribute plans for lot-by-lot inspection with the acceptance number in all cases as zero. After years of extensive application by government contractors, commercial manufacturing, and service industries, these c=0 sampling plans are now considered stand alone sampling plans. They have continually gained in popularity for more than 45 years, and today are the norm. The zero acceptance number plans developed by the author were originally designed and used to provide equal or greater consumer protection with less overall inspection than the corresponding MIL-STD-105-E sampling plans. In 2000, the Department of Defense declared MIL-STD-105-E obsolete and recommended the c=0 plans in this book for use in place of them. In addition to the economic advantages, the plans in this book are also simple to use and administer.

Way Life Works, The

Mahlon Hoagland

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Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Professional Science -> Biological Sciences -> Biology -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Mandatory learning 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I agree with the other reviews but take issue with the Amazon reviewer: This book is not for the biology illiterate. Those who love biology will be especially charmed by the way the material is presented here. It will allow those proficient in biology to see different perspectives on familiar concepts. From a pedagogy perspective, there is no better biology text-truth be told: visuals are presented using a number of models so students can understand conceptual nuances. The attractive pictures are inviting and interesting. Text and picutres are united and work together- you don't get blocks of words. It is engaging-not "easy". And often it is darn funny.

A Delighful Excursion 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book has planted the seeds to my new interest in biology. It is always there to refresh my information and help to make me conversant with anyone that is willing to discuss this topic.
Only when we understand these concepts can we grasp the mechanisms involved when life processes go awry.
For people who do best at gaining information visually, this book is the best! For me it has been the sine qua non.

Editorial Review:

In the tradition of David Macaulay's The Way Things Work, this popular-science book--a unique collaboration between a world-renowned molecular biologist and an equally talented artist--explains how life grows, develops, reproduces, and gets by. Full color.

A Dictionary of Astronomy (Oxford Paperback Reference)

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Editorial Review:

Astronomy is expanding almost as rapidly as the universe itself, and the proliferating scientific jargon can sometimes baffle even the most dedicated amateur. Now, in some 4,000 concise, up-to-date entries, this dictionary cuts a clear path through the maze of complex technical language, offering full, clear definitions drawn from all aspects of astronomy. Compiled by Ian Ridpath, a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and an expert team of contributors, A Dictionary of Astronomy contains the most recent entries from astrophysics and cosmology to galaxies and time.
Here are succinct definitions for the Big Bang theory, comets, eclipses, Magellanic Clouds, Mars, quasar, relativity, and variable stars. Entries on telescopes and other measuring devices, observatories, space missions, and recently named Solar System objects show how astronomers have explored the universe. The Dictionary also provides biographical entries on eminent astronomers from Copernicus to Edwin Hubble.
From black hole to white dwarf, and from spiral galaxies to solar waves, A Dictionary of Astronomy opens a window on the universe for amateur astronomers everywhere.