The most popular paperback dictionary of physics available. Comprehensive and up-to-date, this is the ideal reference tool for students of physics, either at school or at university. Containing many new entries, and now with biographies of key scientists, it covers all commonly encountered terms and concepts of physics. Over 3,500 clear and concise entries, including entries on group theory, particle-beam experiments, radioisotope imaging, and spherical harmonics. Longer feature articles on important topics, such as crystal defects, magnetic resonance imaging, and the solar system. Chronologies chart discoveries in the main fields of physics, including atomic theory, cosmology, and microscopy.