Landolt-Börnstein: Numerical Data and Functional Relationships in Science and Technology, An Introduction
[The following guide is derived from:
David Flaxbart. "Landolt-Börnstein: Numerical Data And Functional
Relationships In Science And Technology, A Quick Guide." (Austin, TX: Chemistry
Library, University of Texas at Austin), 1994.]
Landolt-Börnstein (LB) is a systematic and comprehensive collection of critically assessed data from all fields of physics, physical chemistry, biophysics, geophysics, astronomy, materials science, and technology. In some ways it is to physics what Beilstein is to organic chemistry. The 6th Edition began publication in 1950 and was completed in 1980, and contains 22,500 pages in 28 volumes. The volumes consists of a series of tables for physical properties extracted from technical literature and arranged by topic. The volumes of the 6th Edition contain fundamental, well-tested information that is less likely to require revision. In 1961 the New Series began publication, an open-ended series that complements the base set and reflects changes in the fields concerned.
LSU Chemistry Resources owns the 6th Edition of Landolt-Börnstein, and all volumes of the New Series up to 1999, with a few selected volumes through 2003. By 1990 there were over 150 volumes in the New Series. Landolt-Börnstein is shelved on the fourth floor, along the wall with Beilstein and Gmelin. Retrieval of data on a particular aspect is straightforward, since volumes and parts are organized in clearly defined sections, listed below. Each volume contains a detailed table of contents (in German), and occasionally an index of substances. The seventh edition is published in English, with volumes A-C including indexes on computer disk.
All volumes of the 6th Edition are in German (except for Vol. II pts 9 and 10, which are bilingual [German-English]). Landolt-Börnstein contains mostly numeric and graphical data, with very little text. (A knowledge of common German physical and chemical terms is handy when browsing the tables of contents and indexes.) No 7th edition to Landolt-Börnstein is planned; supplementary material will be published is a series of volumes of narrow subjects, published as the amount of information is available or a subject interest is requested. The introductory sections of all volumes and parts are comprehensive. A basic knowledge of physical principles is assumed for the reader to use the introductory sections as a physics textbook. The literature references are exhaustive and allow the reader to examine the original data upon which the tables are based and to repeat the work. The tables are accurate and up-to-date published data on physical constants.
There is a Comprehensive Index of the 6th Edition and New Series up to 1985, and a supplemental index was published in 1990. The keyword system in the indexes is arranged in four levels of hierarchy. The primary or first keyword generally denotes a physical quantity or constant, or material in question. A "(d)" sometimes added to page numbers in the index entry tells the user that only "dispersed" data will be found for a particular keyword--in other words, the data for that keyword is scattered and is not the main focus for the given range of pages. If an item of interest is not assigned a first keyword in the index, search under synonyms or broader terms. Locating information on a particular substance is best approached by identifying those volumes listing data on the class of substance and then searching in that volume's table of contents.
Landolt-Börnstein. 6th ed., 1950-80; New Series 1961 -
QC 61 L332 Base: 4 vols. in 28 parts; New Series ongoing Chemistry
Reference
- Vol. I: Atomic and Molecular Physics (5 parts)
Vol. II: Properties of Matter in the Aggregate State (13 parts)
Vol. III: Astronomy and Geophysics (1 part)
Vol. IV: Technology (Basic Techniques) (8 parts)
- Group I: Nuclear Physics and Technology (now called Elementary Particles, Nuclei and Atoms)(4 parts)
Group II: Atomic and Molecular Physics (now called Molecules and Radicals)(5 parts)
Group III: Crystal Structure and Solid State Physics (now Condensed Matter)(6 parts)
Group IV: Macroscopic and Technical Properties of Matter (now Physical Chemistry)
Group V: Geophysics and Space Research (now Geophysics)
Group VI: Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Space Research (now Astronomy and Astrophysics)(1 part)
Group VII: Biophysics
Group VIII: Advanced Materials and Technologies
Volumes of the 6th Edition
Volume I : Atomic and Molecular Physics.- Part 1: Atoms and Ions (1950)
- The system of units (length, mass, time, mechanical, electrical, thermal,
photometry); relationship between electrical and magnetic units. The basic
constants of physics, velocity of light, Planck constant, gravitation constant;
proton, à- particle. Wavelength of atomic spectra: Faraday effect
and other effects due to the external shell of electrons.
Part 2: Molecules I (Molecular Structure) (1951)
- Atomic distances and structure; energy of chemical binding; dissociation
of di- and poly-atomic molecules; oscillation and rotation of molecules;
the restraint of molecular rotation.
Part 3: Molecules II (External Electron Ring) (1951)
- Band spectra of diatomic and polyatomic molecules; light absorption
of solutions in visible and ultraviolet; energy of ionization; optical
rotation; electrical moments of molecules; electrical and optical polarization
of molecules; magnetic moment; diamagnetic polarization; quantum yield
in photochemical reactions.
Part 4: Crystals (1955)
- Symmetry, crystal class, space groupings; lattice type, structure and
dimensions of crystals; ion and atomic radii; lattice energy; internal
variations; electron emission of metals and metalloids; x-ray and electron
and high frequency spectrum of crystals; lattice distortion and absorption
in alkali halogen compounds.
Part 5: Atomic Nucleus and Elementary Particles (1952)
- The energy of the atomic nucleus; hyperfine structure of spectrum lines;
naturally radioactive atoms; rotation of the nucleus and light quanta;
cosmic radiation.
- Part 1: Mechanical-Thermal Properties of States (1971)
Part 2: Equilibria except Fusion Equilibria:
- Part 2a: Equilibria Vapor-Condensate and Osmotic Phenomena (1960)
- One component systems; vapor pressures of pure substances; densities
of coexisting phases of pure substances; effect of pressure on melting
and transition points; liquid crystals. Multicomponent systems; vapor pressures
of mixtures; heterogeneous substances in water, etc.; solubilities in inorganic
substances in water, etc.
Part 2b: Solution Equilibria I (1962)
- Multicomponent systems (continued); solubilities in inorganic substances
in water, etc.; solution equilibria of (a) gases in liquids, (b) gases
in solid and liquid metals, (c) solids and liquids in liquids (solubilities
of organic substances in water, etc.)
Part 2c: Solution Equilibria II (1964)
- Solubilities of organic substances in organic liquids; equilibria is
systems with several immiscible phases.
Part 3: Fusion Equilibria and Interfacial Phenomena (Melting Point Equilibria and Inter-Face Phenomena) (1956)
- Melting point diagrams of metal alloys; binary and ternary systems
of inorganic compounds; reciprocal salt pairs; silicates; melting point
diagrams of organic systems and inorganic-organic systems.
Part 4: Caloric Quantities of State (Calorimetry) (1961)
- Molar heat capacities; entropies, enthalpies and free energies and
their temperature dependence; tables for calculating thermodynamic functions
from known molecular vibrations; Joule-Thompson effect; magneto- thermal
effect with paramagenetic salts at very low temperatures, thermodynamic
functions of mixtures and solutions (Including heats for adsorption and
neutralization).
Part 5a: Transport Phenomena I (Viscosity and Diffusion) (1969)
Part 5b: Transport Phenomena II (Kinetics. Homogenous Gas Equilibria.) (1968)
- Dynamic constants (continued); thermal conductivity; thermal diffusion
in gases and liquids; reaction velocities in gases and solids; homogeneous
gas equilibria.
Part 6: Electrical Properties I (Electrical Characteristics I) (1959)
- Electrical conductivity of metals; ionic conductivity of solids (crystals);
Hall effect and transistor effect; conductivity transition point; photoconductivity;
piezoelectric, elastic, dielectric constants of some systems; dielectric
properties of crystals, crystalline solids, glass, synthetic materials
(Volume 4, Part 3, Page 658); crystalline liquids, pure liquids, aqueous
solutions; non-aqueous solutions; gases. thermoelectric effects; Peltier
effect; Thomson effect; photoemmission and secondary electron emission
effects.
Part 7: Electrical Properties II (Electrochemical Systems) (Conductivity of Electron Systems) (1960)
- Conductivity of molten salt s; pure liquids; conductivity; transport
numbers, and ion conductivity of aqueous elect rolytic solutions; transport
numbers; electrolytes in heavy water; conductivity in non-aqueous s olutions
-- organic and inorganic; electrophoretic mobilities and electrokinetic
potentials; e.m.f. Or reversible and inversible cells in aqueous and non-aqueous
solutions; e.m.f. Of cells in molten salts; electrolytic dissociation of
constants; acid-base indicators; buffer mixtures and compositions.
Part 8: Optical Constants (1962)
- Metals and alloys; nonmetallic substances; glasses and plastics; optical
and magneto-optical characteristics of liquid crystals; liquids; gases.
Part 9: Magnetic Properties I (Magnetic Characteristics I) (1962)
Part 10: Magnetic Properties II (Magnetic Characteristics II) (1967)
- Types and location of instruments; location and time constants; frequency
and occurrence of elements; solar system; magnitude of radiation, movement
of stars; star systems and special star types; galactic mists. The shape
of the earth; force of gravity; minerals and rocks; earth's magnetic field;
oceanography; hydrography; meteorology; external atmosphere.
- Part 1: Material Values and Mechanical Behavior on Non-Metals (1955)
- Basic technical and physical units: mass. Length, time, area, volume,
frequency, velocity; units of force, pressure, energy, work; electrical
units; atomic weights; hydrometry and pyknometry (device to measure density
of liquids or solids). Natural and artificial biopaper materials: cement,
mortar, stone, wood, paper, cellulose. Fibrous materials: fiberglass, natural
and synthetic rubber; friction and viscosity; static and dynamic friction
and viscosity flotation; acoustics.
Part 2: Material Values and Behavior of Metallic Industrial Materials:
- Part 2a: Principles; Testing Methods; Iron Industrial Materials (1963)
- (Fundamental Characteristics and Methods, Ferrous Materials) Characteristics
of metals, test methods (investigation of mechanical properties) nondestructive
testing, steel production and standards and physical characteristics, physical
ferroproperties, special chemical and physical properties of ferrous and
oxygen free alloys.
Part 2b: Sinter Materials; Heavy Metals (except special industrial materials) (1964)
- Powder metallurgy and sintering materials: W, Rh, Ta, Mo, Nb, V, Cr,
Co, Ni, Mn, nobel metals, Cu, Sb, Zn, Pb, Bi, Sn.
Part 2c: Light Metals; Special Industrial Materials; Semiconductors; Corrosion. (1965)
- Ti, Be, Al, Mg, Li, Rb, Cs; liquid metals, reactor materials (U, Pu,
Zr, Hf, Th) rare earths, semiconductors, solders, enamel, hard solder;
welding, cutting and extrusion of metals, metal adhesion; corrosion behavior
of materials (arranged by corrosive agent).
Part 3: Electrical Engineering; Light Technology; Optical; X-ray technology (1957)
- Technical conductivity of solid and liquid materials; thermo-elements;
discharge through gases insulating materials (synthetic and natural); magnetic
properties; illumination, light sources, luminous substances, light filters,
photosensitive materials. X-ray techniques, circuits, and dispositions.
General and medical x-ray techniques; x-ray spectra; à-radiation,
and fine line structure of x-ray spectra.
Part 4: Heat Technology:
- Part 4a: Methods of Measurement; Thermodynamic Properties of Homogenous
Materials (1967)
- Thermometry, hygrometry, thermodynamic properties of gases, vapors,
liquids, and gases.
Part 4b: Thermodynamic Properties of Mixtures; Combustion; Heat Transfer (1972)
Part 4c: Absorption Equilibria of Gases in Liquids:
- Part 4c 1: Absorption of Liquids of Low Vapor Pressure (1976)
Part 4c 2: Absorption in Liquids of High Vapor Pressure (1980)
Division of The New Series - Eight Main Subject Groups:
Group I: Nuclear Physics and Technology (now called Elementary Particles, Nuclei and Atoms)- Vol. 1 Energy Levels of Nuclei, A = 5 to A = 257 (1961)
Vol. 2 Nuclear Radii (1967)
Vol. 3 Numerical Tables for Angular Correlation Computations in à-, á- and -spectroscopy (1968)
Vol. 4 Numerical Tables for Beta Decay and Electron Capture.
- Vol.1 Magnetic Properties of Free Radicals (1965)
Vol.2 Magnetic Properties of Coordination and Organo-Metallic Transition Metal Compounds (1966)
Vol.3 Luminescence of Organic Substances (1967)
Vol.4 Molecular Constants for Microwave Spectroscopy (1967)
Vol.5 Molecular Acoustics (1967)
- Vol.1 Elastic, Piezoelectric, Piezoptic and Electrooptic Properties
of Crystals (1966)
Vol.2 Magnetic and other Properties of Oxide Systems
Vol.3 Ferro and Antiferroelectric Substances
Vol.4 Structural Data of Crystals: Part (a) Organic; Part (b) Inorganic
Vol.5 X-Ray Spectrum and Bonding site
Vol.6 Energy Levels of Ions in Crystals
- Vol.1 Phosphorescence of Inorganic Substances
Group V: Geophysics and Space Research (now Geophysics)
Group VI: Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Space Research (now Astronomy and Astrophysics)- Vol.1 Astronomy and Astrophysics (1965)
Group VII: Biophysics
Group VIII: Advanced Materials and Technologies
Each of these groups is further subdivided into volumes and subvolumes on particular topics.
Sources:
R.T. Bottle. The Use of Chemical Literature. Second Edition.
(London: Butterworths, Archon Books), 1969, p.115-119.
SpringerMaterials: The Landolt-Börnstein Database. Landolt-Börnstein Bookshelf.
