The science book: everything you ned to know about the world and how it works. National Geographic

440 Pages·2008·66.19 MB·English

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the sciencebook

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sciencebook
Everything you need to know about the world and how it works
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
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Washington, D.C.
"1 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC StaffatPeterDeliusVerlag
thesciencebook Authors
l)i MatthiasDelbruck(Physics,Technology),Dr.GudrunHoffmann(Biology),
it.'dbytheNationalGeographicSociety UteKleinelumern(Earth,Biology),MartinKliche(Chemistry),Dr.HansW.Kothe
lohnM iahey,Ji PresidentandChiefExecutiveOfficer (Biology),Dr.MartinKrause(Chemistry,Technology),MichaelMuller(Universe,
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iim i Kelly ExecutivePresident,GlobalMediaGroup Gian-MicheleTomassone(Mathematics)
iriffin President.Publishing
11 Hoftman ExecutiveVicePresident; ContributingAuthors:
President,BookPublishingGroup PublicationServices,Inc.,Champaign,U.S.A.
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iraBrownellGrogan ExecutiveEditor
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ISBN: 978-1-4262-0337-4(Trade)
978-1-4262-0369-5(Regular)
978-1-4262-0370-1 (Deluxe)
PrintedinChina
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
how to use this book
The unique design and organization of this extensive volume facilitates its
use and enjoyment. Opening the book to any page, the reader can quickly
and easily grasp which subject and topic is being discussed.
practiceboxes•giveexamplesforpractical
applicationsofscientificresearch.
sectiontitles•namethesharedthemethat milestonesboxes•introducepersonalities
encapsulatesasetofpageswithinthechapter. andscientistsandtheiroutstandingdiscoveries,
achievements,orinnovations. I gwirtahpheincgsag•ivnigsuiamliazgeese,acmhapssu,bjoerct
factualdiagrams
. coloredtabs•indicatethechap-
terandthepagenumber
iqusessuteisontsosaonldveprboobxleesms•tphoatse basicsboxes listkeyfactsand
arechallengingscientistsand basicinformationofthesection.
societytoday.
infocusboxes•diveintoaspecifictheme
orsubjectenhancingthemaintext.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1
Whengalaxiesareviewedfromtheside,theirspiralarmsareob- W ScientistGalileoGalilei vedthetelescc Prominencesformwithintherangesofsunspot
scured,ascanbeseeninthisimageoftheSombrerogalaxy,p 24 astronomicalobservations,p 18 groups,p 35
12 Foreword
THE UNIVERSE
16 THE UNIVERSE AND GALAXIES
18 Astronomy
20 The universe
24 Galaxies
26 Stars
30 THE SOLAR SYSTEM
32 The solarsystem
34 The sun
38 Innerplanets
42 Asteroids and comets
44 Outerplanets
48 Exploringthe universe
Theearliestsubstancesintheuniversewerehydrogen,
helium,andsmalleramountsoflithiumandberyllium,p 22