The Scientific Companion: Exploring the Physical World with Facts, Figures, and Formulas (Wiley Popular Science) [Paperback]

Cesare Emiliani (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471133248 | ISBN-13: 978-0471133247 | Publication Date: October 25, 1995 | Edition: 2

". . . infuses into the reader the conviction that science is exciting and can be understood by everyone." --American Scientist

This new edition of the critically acclaimed Scientific Companion offers a comprehensive introduction to the physical sciences: physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, meteorology, biology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Emiliani traces the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, explaining the nature of the galaxy, the Earth, inorganic and organic matter, and the development of scientific thought.

More than 50 new illustrations appear throughout--from stunning aerial shots of Earth's topography to striking close-ups of the moon provided by NASA. Hundreds of additional photos, charts, maps, and diagrams, plus 35 tables of the most essential facts, figures, and formulas--from Planck's constant to the laws of thermodynamics, from quantum energy levels to Avogadro's number--make The Scientific Companion an ideal desktop reference. Written for the layperson, sufficiently detailed for students, it is the only book of its kind to bridge the gap between works of popular science and college textbooks.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

". . . infuses into the reader the conviction that science is exciting and can be understood by everyone." —American Scientist

This new edition of the critically acclaimed Scientific Companion offers a comprehensive introduction to the physical sciences: physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, meteorology, biology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Emiliani traces the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, explaining the nature of the galaxy, the Earth, inorganic and organic matter, and the development of scientific thought.

More than 50 new illustrations appear throughout—from stunning aerial shots of Earth's topography to striking close-ups of the moon provided by NASA. Hundreds of additional photos, charts, maps, and diagrams, plus 35 tables of the most essential facts, figures, and formulas—from Planck's constant to the laws of thermodynamics, from quantum energy levels to Avogadro's number—make The Scientific Companion an ideal desktop reference. Written for the layperson, sufficiently detailed for students, it is the only book of its kind to bridge the gap between works of popular science and college textbooks.

About the Author

CESARE EMILIANI is a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Miami.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (October 25, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471133248
• ISBN-13: 978-0471133247
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #881,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The SCIENCE TEACHER's Companion, May 21, 2001

By 

Bruce Crocker "agnostictrickster" (Whittier, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Scientific Companion: Exploring the Physical World with Facts, Figures, and Formulas (Wiley Popular Science) (Paperback)

The Scientific Companion by Cesare Emiliani is one of the most important reference works on the shelves in my high school science classroom. I wore out my copy of the first edition and snapped up a copy of the second edition when it came out in 1995. It is primarily a physical science reference, but I think it would prove useful as a reference for a life science teacher also. It has a lot of those physical science facts and equations that you need, but don't want to memorize: the mass of a proton and a neutron in atomic mass units, the masses and mass numbers of all the isotopes, the names of the quarks, conversion factors, a great periodic table, and lots of other basic stuff. Each chapter is a concise refresher course on a basic physical science subject. I think you'll find this book as indispensable as I do.