DK eyewitness guides : Light

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This guide to the story of light in which photography of original equipment, intricate scientific instruments, revealing experiments and 3-D models offer a unique view to the incredible discoveries that have transformed our world. See why ancient peoples worshipped the Sun as a God; how light rays bend; why things glow when they are very hot; what creates a colour television picture; how microscopes and telescopes were invented; why a leaf looks green; how fibre optics can transmit light; what happens during an eclipse; why images are reversed in mirrors; how a liquid crystal display works; what makes a hologram; what causes the eerie will o the wisp; how do some animals make their own light; what creates a mirage; why we burn in strong sunlight; what a polarising filter does; why we see rainbows; what a quantum is and how X-rays penetrate our bodies.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 6 Up-- This series uses the familiar ``Eyewitness'' format to trace scientific developments and discoveries. Arrangement is roughly chronological, with douboned illustrations and photos on each spread, a wealth of information is provided, ranging from explanations of processes to historical tidbits and trivia. Descriptions of solar cells and interference colors ( Light) and the telegraphle-page treatments focusing on general areas of interest. Light covers such topics as shadows, refraction, lasers, and holograms, while Electriticy includes conduction, magnetism, communication, and more. With six to eight captiic receiver (Electricity) are brief, but clear and concise. Despite these strengths, the format limits the books' usefulness. Readers with little background will be overwhelmed by the deluge of information. Solid explanations of electricity and light are there, but it is hard to follow them systematically with all of the sidebars and related factual fragments. Photographs are of excellent quality and are effective in illustrating the concepts discussed, but many require prior knowledge to understand and appreciate them. Although they cannot match the broad appeal of McCarthy & Arnold's Reptile (1991) or the Natural History Museum staff's Rocks & Minerals (1988, both Knopf), these titles will be useful and attractive supplements to science collections. --Steven Engelfried, Alameda County Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 4-8. The familiar Eyewitness format is used again in the new Eyewitness Science series, which focuses on "the story of science from the ancient world to the present day." Students struggling in physical science classes will be grateful for the books because their clear explanations and attractive formats make potentially difficult scientific principles comprehensible. Each double-page spread is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs and diagrams, and each contains a wealth of information. For example, the pages on refraction feature a brief history of the study of the subject, portraits of Ptolemy and Willebrord Snell and summaries of their work, drawings of how mirages are created, and photographs illustrating light being bent through a glass block and concentrated by a lacemaker's condensers. The silver dust jackets are very eye-catching and sure to attract browsers. Light introduces the origins, principles, and history of the study of light, while Matter examines the elements that make up our world and the properties and behavior of different types of matter. Other volumes are listed in the Series Roundup in this issue. ~--Chris Sherman

Horn Book Review

This busy compendium of color photographs offers quick explanations of many technical ideas -- particles, waves, diffraction, polarization, the electromagnetic spectrum, holograms, and so on. Too sketchy and containing too many extraneous examples, the volume is less than illuminating. Ind. From HORN BOOK 1992, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.