Van Nostrand's concise encyclopedia of science

the long version

"Van Nostrand's Concise Encyclopedia of Science provides students, teachers, writers, editors, and general science readers with fingertip access to clear, succinct explanations of vital scientific and technological terms and concepts. This easy-to-use resource covers the latest advances and developments in all areas of science, and each informative, highly readable entry can be understood completely without specialized training in a scientific discipline.". "Based on the new 4,000-page, two-volume Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Ninth Edition, which has been hailed as "the best science encyclopedia available" by the Library Journal, this is the most comprehensive one-volume scientific desk reference you can find. It features more than 5,000 entries, covering six major categories; Physics and Chemistry; Earth and Space Sciences; Life Sciences; Energy and Environmental Sciences; Materials Sciences; and Information Sciences.". "Each entry begins with a clear definition of a scientific term, followed by a concise explanation of the concepts associated with the term. Wherever necessary, written descriptions are clarified with helpful illustrations, charts, and graphs. More than 400 black-and-white photos and drawings further supplement the written material."--BOOK JACKET.