A Measure of Everything: An Illustrated Guide to the Science of Measurement.A MEASURE OF EVERYTHING: An Illustrated Guide to the Science of Measurement CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH, ED. Since the dawn of humanity, someone has been measuring something for some reason. From gathering enough food for the tribe to discerning precise distances between celestial bodies, the ability to measure is part of the foundation of civilization, Joseph writes. He examines various units of measurement Units of measurement Values, quantities, or magnitudes in terms of which other such are expressed. Units are grouped into systems, suitable for use in the measurement of physical quantities and in the convenient statement of laws relating physical quantities. , starting with the cubit cu·bit n. An ancient unit of linear measure, originally equal to the length of the forearm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow, or about 17 to 22 inches (43 to 56 centimeters). , the approximate length of a man's forearm, and culminating in the precise units of the metric system metric system, system of weights and measures planned in France and adopted there in 1799; it has since been adopted by most of the technologically developed countries of the world. . The short entries in the book are organized into the fields of Earth and life sciences, including astronomy, meteorology meteorology, branch of science that deals with the atmosphere of a planet, particularly that of the earth, the most important application of which is the analysis and prediction of weather. , geology, and medicine; the physical sciences, including chemistry, electricity, and magnetism; and technology and leisure, including finance, music, and food. In each category, the author and his contributors include measurements both historic and current. They also offer some bar-bet material: what a dollar measures in the field of nuclear physics (no, not federal funding), what a Mickey measures on a computer, and just how much a pinch of salt really is. Firefly firefly or lightning bug, small, luminescent, carnivorous beetle of the family Lampyridae. Fireflies are well represented in temperate regions, although the majority of species are tropical and subtropical. , 2005, 224 p., color images, paperback, $24.95. |
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