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This resource provides a single, concise reference containing terms and expressions used in the study, practice, and application of physical sciences. The reader will be able to identify quickly critical information about professional jargon, important people, and events. The encyclopedia gives self-contained definitions with essentials regarding the meaning of technical terms and their usage, as well as about important people within various fields of physics and engineering, with highlights of technical and practical aspects related to cross-functional integration. It will be indispensable for anyone working on applications in biomedicine, materials science, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, geology, astronomy, and energy. It also includes handy tables and chronological timelines organized by subject area and giving an overview on the historical development of ideas and discovery.

In the Dictionary of Physics, central ideas and concepts are carefully introduced and explained. Each entry begins with a clear, one-sentence definition and is followed by an explanation and, where appropriate, by specific examples. The more important and more complex entries are supported by diagrams and by extra explanatory material. If relevant, the initial definition is followed by a word equation, a definition of the unit, and the symbols for the quantity and its unit. The aim of the Dictionary of Physics is to offer a focused account of the subject without leaving out any of the essential steps towards a new concept. Entries contain cross-references in italic to other entries; these further entries either support or extend the ideas of the original entry.