A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between. Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges, buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as … What is the difference between science and engineering? What do engineers do? What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures? What is reverse engineering? What is a prototype? What types of jobs do electrical engineers do? How does a car battery work? What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer? What is a Powertrain? What is Bernoulli’s principle? What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines? What is stress and strain? What is the difference between torque and power? What is automation? What is quality assurance? What is meant by outsourcing? What are the responsibilities of a construction manager? What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective? Which materials are used to build a cruise ship? What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes? How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks? Who was W. Edwards Deming? What is ergonomics? What is biomedical engineering? Who is Grace Hopper? What is debugging? What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer? Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer? Where do chemical engineers work? How much energy does the world use? What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers? What is humanitarian engineering? What is acoustical engineering? What are the required skills for fire engineers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology? With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

Don't be mixed up about chemistry! Simplify the complex chemical reactions that take place everywhere in our lives with this engaging, easy-to-follow, question-and-answer guide! Where would we be without atoms and compounds? Gas, liquids, solids, and plasma? Acids and bases? Bonds and reactions? Matter and energy? The Handy Chemistry Answer Book covers the building blocks of life and the universe. The secret life of atoms, how polar bears aren’t actually white, why oil and water don't mix, and much, much more are revealed and explained. This informative guide covers the basics of chemistry (history, atomic structures, chemical bonds and reactions, organic and inorganic chemistry) to more advanced material (nuclear chemistry, biochemistry, physical and theoretical chemistry) by answering nearly 1,000 common chemistry questions, including ... What causes lightning? How does photosynthesis work? What are hard and soft Lewis acids and bases? What makes a fabric “waterproof”? What are the twelve principles of green chemistry? When did alchemists finally abandon trying to make gold? What is Le Chatelier’s principle? What do the different octane ratings mean at the gas pump? What is genetic engineering? Why is calcium important for strong bones? What is the 18-electron rule? Why does chocolate turn white as it ages? Chemical reactions that rule the world; their properties, structure, composition, behavior, and history are tackled and explained in plain English in The Handy Chemistry Answer Book. With many photos, illustrations, a few formulas, molecular diagrams, and other graphics, this fun, fact-filled tome is richly illustrated. A history of chemistry timeline, appendices on Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners, a bibliography, further reading section, glossary of terms, a table of physical constants, a table of conversion factors, and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Difficult philosophy made easy. The universe and our place in it, the meaning of life, the nature of justice and the good society, and the powers of reason. All these topics explored, questioned, and explained. Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Stoicism, Skepticism, Cynicism, Continental philosophy, ethics, government and governing, virtue, love, life, and death. Heidegger, Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, Derrida, Bertrand Russell, and Michel Foucault.... From famous figures in the history of philosophy to the deepest questions of religion to the relationship between knowledge and power, The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book: The Ancient Greek Influence on Modern Understanding makes esoteric ideas and the jumble of names easy to understand, enriching readers’ lives and answering the question, What does philosophy have to teach us about life and society? Today many people experience a loss of trust in government and organized religion. There's increased social isolation and a rise in insult politics. Seeking an alternative, some have experimented with new forms of politics, social organization, and spirituality. All these developments have led to a great deal of confusion and puzzlement. Who and what can we believe, and how can we know it is correct? From its beginning, philosophy was conceived as a conversation or dialogue, and The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book raises and offers answers to questions like these ... What is philosophy? What is metaphysics? What is logic? How is ethics different than morality? How did Pre-Socratic philosophy get started? What is the arrow paradox? Who was Pythagoras? How did Stoicism inspire modern cognitive psychotherapy? Who was the founder of Western philosophy? What is a harmonic sequence in music? What are the four cardinal virtues? Was pederasty condoned in ancient Greece? How, according to Plato, is philosophy like making love? What are the three parts of the soul? How does democracy degenerate into tyranny? What is the history of Alexander the Great’s military campaigns? How did Alexander the Great change the course of the history of philosophy? What did Aristotle say about the social nature of human beings? What is Aristotle’s conception of the soul? What is the soul of a plant? What is virtue? What is an emotion? Why do we need friends? Why did Aristotle believe that the state has a responsibility to educate its citizens? What did Aristotle think about money? What is the meaning and origin of the Serenity Prayer? What impact did the Epicureans have on the modern world? What was the museum of Alexandria? How did Stoicism inspire modern cognitive psychotherapy? What is the problem with the sentence “The present king of France is bald”? What is the postmodern condition? Philosophy is the pursuit of answers to big questions about the purpose of life, death, and existence. Philosophy is about how to reason and find the answers for yourself. Philosophy is a puzzle. You collect clues. You make connections. The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book is a perfect companion for anyone seeking wider truths and happiness. It is an informative, accessible, easy-to-understand guide to the big questions about living. With more than 120 photos and graphics, it is richly illustrated. Plus, its helpful bibliography, glossary of terms, and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Quantum physics helps explain many mysteries of the universe. It underpins everything, but it need not be quantum difficult with this informative, accessible, easy-to-follow guide to the fundamentals and concepts of quantum physics and our quantum universe! Quantum physics is all around us. It’s in electrical lights, lasers, and the color of the sky. Without it, the sun wouldn’t shine. It even explains how human eyes work. With its role in photosynthesis, it literally supports life. Yet, it had Schrödinger wondering whether his cat was alive or dead. It tells us that something can be both a wave and a particle and that two linked particles can communicate across the universe instantaneously! And it might even explain how the multiverse is real. Quantum physics is the key to understanding our complex world, yet even our most brilliant minds haven’t figured it all out yet. Engaging and approachable, The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book helps untangle this complex subject, making quantum physics and its impact on us, the world, and the universe entertaining and easy to grasp. From the basics to the theories and from the practical applications to the future, this illuminating book answers more than 800 fascinating questions so you can easily understand quantum physics, including ... Did the Big Bang arise from quantum foam? When did philosophers first consider the existence of atoms? What is the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated? What are quarks? What is quantum teleportation? What is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle? What is the quantum principle used in MRI machines? Does entangled time mean the present can affect the past? Why did Albert Einstein say, “God does not play dice with the universe”? How is a black hole a quantum object? How does quantum physics appear in portrayals of space? Do we live in a multiverse? What is artificial intelligence? Are human brains actually quantum computers? How does quantum physics affect me? The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book provides a bridge between scientific concepts and everyday understanding, allowing you to grasp the wonders and implications of quantum physics. This compelling resource is for the casually curious as well as those seeking a deeper understanding of one of the most captivating scientific fields of our time. With 135 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its glossary of commonly used terms cuts through the jargon, a helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

The biggest and deadliest war. Over 50 countries involved. More than 100 million people mobilized. A death toll between 50 to 85 million—half of which were innocent civilians. Six bloody years. Countless atrocities and savageries. If you’re interested in the story and legacy of World War II, then this history book is for you! From the Pearl Harbor attack and the D-Day invasion to the Holocaust and the Manhattan Project, World War II has had a lasting impact on the world. Larger-than-life heroes and villains were minted: Hitler, MacArthur, Stalin, and Churchill, to name a few. The ballistic missile, atomic bomb, radar, and other inventions were developed that came to define modern life. The impact of World War II cannot be underestimated. The Handy World War II Answer Book looks at the Blitzkrieg, Hiroshima, concentration camps, and the rest of the war’s history. It answers 550 of the most intriguing questions about the war, including … Why did Italy and Germany become allies? What was special about the Commando Fighting Knife? What were the secrets of Station X? Who were the Desert Rats? Did the Allies know that the Holocaust was happening? When was the first Enigma machine captured — and by whom? What led to the Battle of Midway? How was the fate of Stalingrad decided? Who were the Flying Tigers? Did Hitler really sleep through the D-Day invasion? What was the biggest naval battle of World War II? Why was Iwo Jima so difficult for the Americans to capture? How did two of the Nuremberg prisoners evade justice? What happened to Emperor Hirohito? Fought all over the world, there were battles and operations, warships and warplanes, guns and bombs, attacks and sieges, soldiers and leaders. There was despair and victory, triumph and tragedy, struggle and sacrifice. Learn all about the conflict in The Handy World War II Answer Book! With more than 120 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Inspired by a new revival of worldwide interest in extra-high-voltage (EHV) and ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission, High Voltage Engineering merges the latest research with the extensive experience of the best in the field to deliver a comprehensive treatment of electrical insulation systems for the next generation of utility engineers and electric power professionals. The book offers extensive coverage of the physical basis of high-voltage engineering, from insulation stress and strength to lightning attachment and protection and beyond. Presenting information critical to the design, selection, testing, maintenance, and operation of a myriad of high-voltage power equipment, this must-have text: Discusses power system overvoltages, electric field calculation, and statistical analysis of ionization and breakdown phenomena essential for proper planning and interpretation of high-voltage tests Considers the breakdown of gases (SF6), liquids (insulating oil), solids, and composite materials, as well as the breakdown characteristics of long air gaps Describes insulation systems currently used in high-voltage engineering, including air insulation and insulators in overhead power transmission lines, gas-insulated substation (GIS) and cables, oil-paper insulation in power transformers, paper-oil insulation in high-voltage cables, and polymer insulation in cables Examines contemporary practices in insulation coordination in association with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) definition and the latest standards Explores high-voltage testing and measuring techniques, from generation of test voltages to digital measuring methods With an emphasis on handling practical situations encountered in the operation of high-voltage power equipment, High Voltage Engineering provides readers with a detailed, real-world understanding of electrical insulation systems, including the various factors affecting—and the actual means of evaluating—insulation performance and their application in the establishment of technical specifications.

Covers everything from earth sciences to astronomy; from climate and habitats to human arts and cultures; from ancient history to cutting-edge technology; and descriptions, flags, and statistics of all the countries in the world.