Handbook of Chemistry and Physics

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
The Chemical Rubber Company · Public domain · source
Name	Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
Caption	Exemplary cover of a scientific handbook
Author	Various editors and contributors
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Reference work
Publisher	CRC Press (Taylor & Francis)
First pub	1914
Media type	Print; digital
Pages	Variable

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a comprehensive scientific reference that compiles quantitative data for researchers, engineers, educators, and students. Originating in the early 20th century, it has been associated with professional societies, academic institutions, and publishing houses across United States, United Kingdom, and international scientific communities. Its role intersects with standard-setting bodies and major research laboratories that depend on reliable numerical tables for experimental design and regulatory compliance.

History

The handbook was created amid a milieu of professionalization exemplified by institutions such as American Chemical Society, Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, and industrial laboratories like DuPont and Bell Labs. Early editions responded to needs highlighted in proceedings of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, discussions at World War I-era ordnance and materials committees, and standards set by organizations like American Petroleum Institute and International Organization for Standardization. Editors drew on data from observatories such as Mount Wilson Observatory and Lick Observatory, and laboratories linked to universities including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and Stanford University. Throughout the 20th century, successive global events—World War II, the Manhattan Project, the Space Race, and initiatives at National Aeronautics and Space Administration—shaped priorities and expanded content, paralleling developments in institutions like Argonne National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and corporate research at IBM and General Electric.

Content and Organization

The handbook aggregates data on elements, compounds, materials, thermodynamic constants, and physical properties, drawing upon experimental reports from journals such as Nature, Science, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Physical Review, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Sections coordinate with classification schemes used by agencies like International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, and with nomenclature norms from Royal Society of Chemistry and American Physical Society. Entries cross-reference tables used by engineers at NASA, analysts at CERN, and chemists at industrial firms like BASF and Shell. The organization mirrors cataloging systems used by libraries such as Library of Congress and archives like National Archives and Records Administration, while incorporating indexing practices from publishers like Wiley, Elsevier, and Springer Nature.

Editions and Publication Details

Published chiefly by CRC Press, the handbook's editions evolved with print runs, ISBN systems, and distribution through academic presses and booksellers including Barnes & Noble and Blackwell. Major revisions followed technological advances reported at conferences hosted by American Physical Society and International Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics. Special issues and pocket editions paralleled commercial spin-offs from firms like McGraw-Hill and collaborations with universities including Princeton University and University of California. Library holdings at institutions such as New York Public Library, British Library, and university consortia reflect its editions, while digitization efforts involved partnerships with entities like Google Books and academic consortia at JSTOR.

Contributors and Editorial Process

Contributors have included eminent scientists affiliated with Harvard University, Caltech, Yale University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and laboratories such as Brookhaven National Laboratory. Editorial boards have drawn on expertise from awardees of honors including the Nobel Prize and the Priestley Medal, and from committees convened by organizations like ACS and IUPAC. Peer review and data vetting referenced methodologies discussed in publications by Linus Pauling, Marie Curie, Ernest Rutherford, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and contemporary researchers from MIT and Imperial College London. The editorial process integrated contributions from statistical bodies such as National Institute of Standards and Technology and professional societies including Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Reception, Influence, and Use

The handbook has been cited across disciplines in works produced at Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and by researchers at Max Planck Society, CNRS, Fraunhofer Society, and Riken. It informed experimental protocols in laboratories like Salk Institute and influenced standards referenced in legislation debated in bodies such as United States Congress and regulatory agencies including Environmental Protection Agency. Scholars in histories of science have compared it to compendia like Landolt–Börnstein and databases from NIST, while educators at University of Michigan, University of Toronto, and National University of Singapore have used it in curricula. Its impact extends to industries represented by Siemens, Toyota, ExxonMobil, and Honeywell.

Related Works and Derivatives

Comparable reference works include CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Merck Index, Landolt-Börnstein Database, and publications from Royal Society of Chemistry. Derivative products and databases have been developed by publishers like Elsevier and Wiley and by institutions such as NIST and European Space Agency, while specialized handbooks target sectors represented by American Institute of Physics and Institute of Chemical Engineers. Libraries and collection initiatives at Smithsonian Institution and Bodleian Library maintain related archival materials, and digitized derivatives appear in portals run by HathiTrust and academic consortia.

Category:Reference works