The Material World
The Material World
$54.00
USDWith a new prologue and two new chapters, <i>The Material World, 2nd Edition</i>, is a beautifully illustrated, full color, expanded account of the highly praised <i>Cambridge Guide to the Material World</i>. Using the cosmos as a backdrop, this volume delivers a fascinating journey of Nature’s materials, transitioning from the atom to the living organism to consciousness itself. Rodney Cotterill seamlessly blends the physics, chemistry, astronomy and biology of Nature to portray matter with all its elegance and flaws. He connects concepts and pinpoints commonalities between the inorganic and organic domains. Written with the non-specialist in mind, end of chapter summaries provide succinct overviews of individual topics. Through the breadth of topics and engaging prose, this book is a superb introduction to those intrigued by the material world we live in.
- Beautifully illustrated in colour throughout
- Broad coverage of important classes of materials blending scientific disciplines
- Written with the non-specialist in mind, numerous analogies and examples to engage the reader
Reviews & endorsements
Praise for the previous edition
“A godsend to anyone who knows little or no physics, chemistry or biology but would like a picture of the world at the microscopic and atomic levels.”
Carl Rasmussen, NY Library Journal
“The unity and depth between physics and chemistry, between crystal defects and restriction enzymes, has never been served so well in a popular and visually engaging book.”
Phillip Morrison, Scientific American
Product details
April 2011Adobe eBook Reader
9780511889509
0 pages
0kg
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- Prologue
- 1. Solo atoms: electrons, nuclei and quanta
- 2. Atomic duets: the chemical bond
- 3. Atoms in concert: states of matter
- 4. Patterns within patterns: perfect crystals
- 5. The inevitable flaw: imperfect crystals
- 6. The great mediator: water
- 7. From mine, quarry and well: minerals
- 8. Almost forever: ceramics
- 9. Monarchs of the cave: metals
- 10. The busy electron: conductors and insulators
- 11. A mysterious harmony: glass
- 12. The organic world: carbon
- 13. Strangeness in proportion: liquid crystals
- 14. Of snakes and ladders: Polymers
- 15. The vital threads: Biopolymers
- 16. The essential bag: the cell
- 17. Mortal coils: the organism
- 18. A place in the sun: the plant
- 19. Mandatory hunter: the animal
- 20. Enchanted loom: the mind.
