Books in Penguin Core Concepts series

We often automatically equate heat with temperature to such a degree that we may not take the time to consider what heat really is. Heat refers to the energy that is transferred from one body to another that is at a lower temperature. This transfer occurs often without us knowing it, but it is ever-present and crucial to all life. This volume examines the basics of heat and the related concept of temperature. Detailed diagrams help illustrate such concepts as specific heat capacity and latent heat. Clear text explains the difference between conduction, convection, and radiation, as well as emitters, absorbers, and more.

There are hundreds of thousands of plant species on Earth, from liverworts less than an inch tall to giant redwood trees that reach hundreds of feet into the sky. With their great variety of forms, plants have adapted to nearly every type of habitat. This title provides a strong introduction to plant biology, clearly explaining how plants structures enable them to make food, grow, survive challenging environments, and reproduce. The final chapter discusses the life of Carolus Linnaeus, whose plant taxonomy influenced classification in biology from his own era to the present day. The text meets the needs of the Common Core by helping readers learn the meaning of key terms as they are used in biology, as well as develop coherent understandings of important biological processes.

Chemistry is very important to our everyday lives. Knowledge of chemistry has been applied to advance medicine and industry, create useful products and materials, and understand and address environmental changes. This title explores the role of chemistry and chemical processes in a variety of practical areas, including the extraction and refining of metals, the harvesting and processing of fossil fuels, the production of renewable energy, and the development of pharmaceuticals. Photos, diagrams, and hands-on activities support readers in developing science vocabulary and understanding technical language, a Common Core requirement. A final chapter explores the life of chemist Linus Pauling.

The chemical reactions that shape the world are sometimes simple and sometimes complex, which is at the very core of this informative text. This volume explores the simplicity of basic chemical reactions and then builds to the more complex, giving readers a history of the years and the minds that contributed to the research that led to chemistry as we know it today. Biographical sidebars provide unique information about scientists who are valued in the field but are often not widely known.

This title will bring to life any student bored with this essential subject dealing with the nonmetals on the periodic table. Readers will be fascinated by the "Chemistry in Action" fact boxes about how nonmetals work in real life, such as how hydrogen is used in car fuel cells, how carbon is what diamonds are made of, and how carbon dating is used to determine the age of substances. The vivid imagery and illustrations will further entice readers along with a biography section profiling Henry Cavendish, discoverer of hydrogen.

This is an in-depth, information-rich, curriculum-centered examination of and introduction to the 9 elements that are classified as metals and metalloids. A lively discussion of their properties, atomic structure, and behavior when interacting with other elements makes up the core of the text, with repeated reference to the Periodic Table. Included in the discussion are alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, Group 3 metals, tin and lead, transition metals, and metalloids (having properties of both metals and nonmetals), and the rich history behind their discovery, classification, and practical uses. This text strongly supports Common Core Standards for the reading of scientific and technical texts and accounts, and furnishes ample opportunities to summarize, cite evidence, and analyze connections between ideas, individuals, and events.

Understanding the basics of matter is a core piece of the science curriculum. This guide to matter is an interesting, colorful introduction to these concepts in the field of science, including bright photos, fun facts, and basic experiments that allow readers to have an informative and complete hands-on learning experience. Biographical information on some of the great minds in this field of science is also included, adding a detailed timeline and an interesting and engaging historical element to the text.

The study of the states of matter is one that we take for granted every day, when we cook, when we breathe, when we use technology. This volume explores the basics of states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. It delves into the history of some of the great minds that have contributed to the modern understanding of matter and how it is being used today in our daily lives. A biographical chapter and timeline is included to help round out the text and capture the human side of science.

Page after page, this title proves that the power of attraction is undeniable. Readers move beyond a simple fascination with the power of magnets to a clear understanding of the science behind magnetics. Natural magnets, Earth's magnetic field, and the ties between electricity and magnetics are all featured, in addition to the creation and use of magnets in commercial and everyday applications. Information about the life and work of physicist Joseph Henry, a leading electromagnetics pioneer, and a timeline of important dates in the field are also included.