Book excerpt: The "laws" that govern our physical universe come in many guises-as principles, theorems, canons, equations, axioms, models, and so forth. They may be empirical, statistical, or theoretical, their names may reflect the person who first expressed them, the person who publicized them, or they might simply describe a phenomenon. However they may be named, the discovery and application of physical laws have formed the backbone of the sciences for 3,000 years. They exist by thousands. Laws and Models: Science, Engineering, and Technology-the fruit of almost 40 years of collection and research-compiles more than 1,200 of the laws and models most frequently encountered and used by engineers and technologists. The result is a collection as fascinating as it is useful. Each entry consists of a statement of the law or model, its date of origin, a one-line biography of the people involved in its formulation, sources of information about the law, and cross-references. Illustrated and highly readable, this book offers a unique presentation of the vast and rich collection of laws that rule our universe. Everyone with an interest in the inner workings of nature-from engineers to students, from teachers to journalists-will find Laws and Models to be not only a handy reference, but an engaging volume to read and browse.