Book excerpt: A multidisciplinary reference of engineering measurementtools, techniques, and applications—Volume 2 "When you can measure what you are speaking about, and expressit in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannotmeasure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledgeis of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning ofknowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to thestage of science." — Lord Kelvin Measurement falls at the heart of any engineering discipline andjob function. Whether engineers are attempting to staterequirements quantitatively and demonstrate compliance; to trackprogress and predict results; or to analyze costs and benefits,they must use the right tools and techniques to produce meaningful,useful data. The Handbook of Measurement in Science and Engineering isthe most comprehensive, up-to-date reference set on engineeringmeasurements—beyond anything on the market today. Encyclopedicin scope, Volume 2 spans several disciplines—MaterialsProperties and Testing, Instrumentation, and MeasurementStandards—and covers: Viscosity Measurement Corrosion Monitoring Thermal Conductivity of Engineering Materials Optical Methods for the Measurement of ThermalConductivity Properties of Metals and Alloys Electrical Properties of Polymers Testing of Metallic Materials Testing and Instrumental Analysis for Plastics Processing Analytical Tools for Estimation of ParticulateCompositeMaterial Properties Input and Output Characteristics Measurement Standards and Accuracy Tribology Measurements Surface Properties Measurement Plastics Testing Mechanical Properties of Polymers Nondestructive Inspection Ceramics Testing Instrument Statics Signal Processing Bridge Transducers Units and Standards Measurement Uncertainty Data Acquisition and Display Systems Vital for engineers, scientists, and technical managers inindustry and government, Handbook of Measurement in Science andEngineering will also prove ideal for members of majorengineering associations and academics and researchers atuniversities and laboratories.