Basu D. Dictionary of Pure and Applied Physics 2001

Textbook in PDF format

The Dictionary of Pure and Applied Physics (DPAP) is one of three physics dictionaries being published by CRC Press LLC, the other two being the Dictionary of Material Science and High Energy Physics and Dictionary of Geophysics, Astrophysics and Astronomy. Each of these dictionaries is entirely self-contained.
The aim of the DPAP is to provide students, researchers, academics and professionals in general, with definitions in a very clear and concise form. The presentation is such that readers will not have any difficulty finding any term being looked for. Each definition is written in detail as informative as possible supported by suitable diagrams, equations, and formulae whenever necessary. With more than 3000 terms, the fields covered in the DPAP are acoustics, biophysics and medical physics, communication, electricity, electronics, geometrical optics, low temperature physics, magnetism, and physical optics.
Like most other branches of science, physics has grown rapidly over the last decade. As such, many of the terms used in older books have become obsolete and new terms have appeared in scientific and technical literature. Care has been taken to ensure that old terms are not included in the DPAP and new terminologies are not missed. Some of the terms are related to other fields, e.g. , engineering fields (mostly electrical and mechanical), mathematics, chemistry, biology. Authors are eminent scientists at research institutions and university professors from around the world. Readership includes physicists and engineers in all fields, teachers and students in physics and engineering at university, college and high school levels, technical writers and professionals in general.
The uniqueness of the DPAP lies in the fact that it is an extremely useful source of information in the form of meanings of scientific terms presented in a very clear language and concise form written by authoritative persons in the field. It would be a great aid to students in understanding textbooks, help academics and researchers fully appreciate research papers in professional scientific journals, provide authors in the field with assistance to clarify their writings and, in general, benefit the enhancement of literacy in physics by presenting scientists and engineers with meaningful and workable definitions