The Penguin Dictionary of Science covers all the important topics in this key subject area, including chemistry, physics, molecular biology, biochemistry, human anatomy, mathematics, astronomy and computing. Superbly comprehensive and accessible, this dictionary is the ideal reference tool for anyone who needs to understand scientific terms, whether student, researcher or enthusiastic layperson. Provides clear definitions of some 7,000 scientific terms Gives succinct explanations of fundamental terms (ammonia, base pairing, cell) and more specialist concepts (allosteric enzyme, Bravais lattice, close packing) Covers individual elements and chemical compounds in detail Contains appendices ranging from lists of SI units and fundamental constants to the periodic table and an outline classification of living organisms Includes hundreds of illustrations and diagrams