Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries, Handbooks

Encyclopaedias and Dictionaries

Encyclopedia of applied physics. Edited by George L. Trigg.  23 v.  c1991-1998.
        Reference collection  530.3 T828e

Its articles treat those areas of physics that have already found technical applications, and also those that promise to be industrially applicable in the future. In addition, there are articles dealing with more basic topics which are not of direct applicability in themselves. The range of subjects covered includes astronomy and boundary fields overlapping with chemistry, geology, bilogy and medicine.

Encyclopedia of physics. 2nd ed. 1991.
        Reference collection 530.03 E56.2

 McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology. 20 v., 9th ed., 2002
        Reference collection  503 M14.9

Useful for general physics and background understanding of a topic.

Most physics encyclopaedias and dictionaries are in the Reference Collection 530.3 or 530.03.

Handbooks, Data and Tables

Periodic Table of the Elements. Los Alamos National Laboratory's CST Division

A description of the periodic table, plus an article on the naming of new elements

Journal of physical and chemical reference data. 1972-  (electronic version available from 1999- )
           Reference collection 530.805 J86

Published by the American Institute of Physics, the American Chemical Society, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the journal critically evaluates and presents standard reference data derived from the primary literature. Also has Monographs and Supplements (no longer piublished) for longer reviews of data. There are cumulative author, property and materials indexes in volumes 10 , 20 and the last issue of the current year, and electronic indexes to recent years.

It is a collection of formulas. Thorough coverage of the functions of mathematical physics.

CRC handbook of chemistry and physics. 76th ed. 1995-96.
           Reference collection 540.212 C11.76

An extensive handbook. Note:

•  
  • Section 10: Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
  • Section 11: Nuclear and particle physics
  • Section: 14: Geophysics, astronomy and acoustics
  • The index at the back
  • The table of contents at the front

Tables of physical and chemical constants. G.W.C. Kaye and T.H. Laby. 16th ed. 1995.
           Reference collection 530.8 K23t.16                                                            

It is also available online at: http://www.kayelaby.npl.co.uk/ provided free and brought to you by the National Physical Laboratory

 Macmillan's chemical and physical data. A.M. James and M.P. Lord. 1992.
           Reference collection 540.212 J27m

Physics sections include: Properties of materials, electricity and magnetism, optic, spectroscopy, atomic and nuclear physics, acoustics, heat and temperature, astronomy and geophysics.

A classic set of evaluated data. Now dated, covering the literature to 1924, but still likely to contain some data not available elsewhere. Has a thorough subject index volume.

Tables of properties for commonly used chemical compounds in the physical properties tables. Tables include basic physical properties of inorganic compounds, basic physical properties of organic compounds, critical properties and acentric factor, enthalpy of formation, enthalpy of vaporization, entropy of formation, entropy of gas, Gibbs Enery of formation, heat capacity of gas, Helmholtz Energy of formation, internal energy of formation. basic physical properties of common solvents and safety properties of common solvents.

Originally published by Reinhold, this reference contains a table of values with a list of substances accompanied by thermochemical data. The data collected includes values of heats of formation; and values of heats of transition, fusion, vaporization, and reaction. All entries in the index are hyperlinked

It ranges from simple operations to highly sophisticated ones, all presented with terms defined and formulas given completely. In addition to basic physics, pertinent areas of chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, biology, and electronics are also included. Each chapter is a brief summary of th field represented and an aid to gaining rapid insight into the techniques of new ones.

Includes a large collection of thermophysical properties; solutions and methods of solution of heat conduction problems by formal mathematics, by various appropiate methods, and by analog methods; information on convection, both forced and free convection, including internal and external flows; the influence of magnetic fields on heat transfer; heat transfer between surfaces and rarefied gases; heat transfer in film and dropwise condensation, boiling, and two-phase flow; radiation and radiation properties; mass transfer in stationary and convection systems including ablation; high temperature protection systems, techniques for augmenting heat transfer; and a presentation of heat exchanger design procedure.

Patents and Standards