Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X, list of scientific terms with Scottish connections).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BREWSTER. From Sir David Brewster (1781–1868), Principal of St Andrews and later of Edinburgh Universities, scientist, esp. in optical research. Hence Brewster's Law, in Physics, enunciated by Brewster in 1814 that when reflected light from a surface is polarised, the angle of maximum polarisation, the Brewsterian angle, varies with the nature of the substance, the refractive index being equal to the tangent of the angle of polarisation; Brewsterite, in Geol., a zeolite containing strontium and barium, found in mines at Strontian in Argyllshire named by H. J. Brook (1822 Edb. Philosoph. Jnl. VI. 122); Brewsterlinite, in Geol., a fluid found in cavities in various crystals described by Brewster in various papers from 1823 and called after him by J. D. Dana Syst. Mineralogy (1950) V. 559.
