Book Description
Building on the extraordinary success of six best-selling editions, Bill Callister's new Seventh Edition of MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING: AN INTRODUCTION continues to promote student understanding of the three primary types of materials (metals, ceramics, and polymers) and composites, as well as the relationships that exist between the structural elements of materials and their properties. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Perfect...
Great book...does a good job of deriving things from first principles. Excellent reference, everything is well-organized. One minor complaint: I wish that the section on analyzing phase diagrams with the lever rule came with a few more examples and better explanations. For that, if I could, I would dock a quarter of a star.

Good book, though much overpriced
The quality of Callister's educational approach on basic Materials Science is out of question. His long time experience in the area is reflected by the success of the prior editions of this book. As Materials Science evolves quite fast -almost day by day- textbooks need to adapt. In this respect, Callister has demonstrated to be on top of the wake always.

My concerns arise when I compare this edition with the prior one and find very few enhancements in terms of the text itself. The only noticeable aspect in the printed edition is the use of more colors in the graphs. The publisher (Wiley) tries to justify the steep price of this book by placing online additional perks for educators and students. Honestly, although I may sound "old-schoolish," I believe that all that is unnecessary and cannot justify overpricing this resource.

As a college professor of a minority school, I do not feel fine by requiring this expensive book to my students. Yes, it can -in time- become a reference for the students; but then, as a reference, the web perks will become unusable since Wiley will keep changing them with newer editions. Most likely, due to its price, most of the students will try to sell their copies. Indeed, they will realize that there are better "reference" texts than this one.

Great Tool
Great introductory book. It built upon many of the concepts I had learned in my General Chemistry couses. Having previously worked in metal fabrication, I now learned what the metal specification numbers meant and why some types of metals are harder or softer than others.

Very easy to understand
Although i found it to be mundane at times, it was a great book when it came to teaching the material.the examples are made very clear and the text cleanly explains anything that you may find confusing.very highly recommended

an introduction
The depth, clarity with which he surveys materials science concepts will make this text indispensable for both studying and practicing engineers for years to come. Without a doubt, this is one of the most well written textbooks I have ever had the pleasure of reading.All the figures are well drawn, the green fonts here and there seem quiet. All the tough theories, concepts just jump out of the line and hit my forehead. ... Read more

Book Description
This text, an expanded and rearranged version of Principles of Materials Science and Engineering, 2/e, is appropriate for a first course in materials science and engineering for engineering students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Materials Science and Engineering
This text book was purchased for use with an Aerospace Engineering Materials class and was extremely useful, clear text.

covers all the basics
This is an excellent book providing a clear, easy to understand, overview of the basic principles of material science and engineering.Covered are all the essential topics including the chemistry and physics behind the structure of metal, ceramic, polymer, composite and electronic materials. Also included are optical, magnetic and electrical properties of materials with relevance to optical fibers, superconductors, and semiconductors.This is a great book for a student's first exposure to material science or as a reference for practicing engineers.I personally found chapters covering the mechanical properties of metals and corrosion well presented and a useful workplace reference.The book provides great insight to real world applications, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Buy the newer editions
This textbook was one the most commonly used textbooks in undergraduate materials science classes throughout the 1990s.Though old, and written at an introductory level, it is worth reading cover to cover.The book covers all the major material classes (metals, semiconductors, polymers, ionic materials, etc..), covers all the basic principles (diffusion, bonding, corrosion, crystal defects, etc...), and includes a lot of diagrams, tables, figures, and pictures.

The text is easy enough to read for any engineering college student, and really only requires someone to have had freshmen chemistry and physics (mechanics and E&M).The chapters and sub-sections are well laid out, with sample problems and solutions for each section.Each chapter is followed with homework questions.All the pictures are in black and white, thereby keeping the printing costs and hence purchase price low.The figures themselves are easy enough to understand, and the basic rules of labeling data series, adding legends, providing units on chart axes, etc.. are followed.

The principle drawbacks to this book are the numerous errors in the sample problems and solutions, and the homework problems and solutions.For a classroom setting, these errors end up requiring the instructor to do the problems him/herself, instead of just asking the students to find the answer at the back of the book.This might actually be a good thing, forcing instructors to devote more time to review the homework they assign, but that is another discussion.These errors are by and large fixed in the newer editions of this book, so I would not recommend buying this one. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of J. E. Gordon's classic introduction to the properties of materials used in engineering answers some fundamental and fascinating questions about how the material world around us functions. In particular, Gordon focuses on so-called strong materials, such as metals, wood, ceramics, glass, and bone. For each material in question, Gordon explains the unique physical and chemical basis for its inherent structural qualities in irrepressibly fresh and simple terms. He also shows how an in-depth understanding of these materials' intrinsic strengths (and weaknesses) guides our engineering choices, allowing us to build the structures that support our modern society. Philip Ball's new introduction describes Gordon's career and the impact of his innovations in materials research, while also discussing how the field has evolved since Gordon wrote this enduring example of first-rate scientific communication.

Customer Reviews (9)

great book
I am a scientist, but not an engineer.Equations are not my forté.This book gives a great intuitive understanding of materials science, but goes beyond that to tell us how simple structures work.It's filled with great anecdotes and carries it all off with a sense of humor.I discovered it many years ago, and I'm reading it for the 3rd time just for the pleasure.

Good Text, as an engineering student
Good text for fracture mechanics enthusiasts- material failure, strength of materials.
Good reading, if you are an engineer, scientist, or not. Great examples. Dry british writing, but if you can get through it and the silly jokes, you can learn a lot.

Must Read
Reading this before embarking on university studies was an inspiration and I still come back to it now, it has a lot to offer all ages and disciplines.

A great book, but buy "Structures" instead
This book is part of the Princeton Science Library, the best collection of books on mathematics and science for the intelligent layman. Like other books in that series, it is succinct and clearly written. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. All of the positive reader reviews are right on.

Because I liked it so much, I purchased "Structures," also by Professor Gordon. As it turned out, that book covers the same material, but in greater breadth and depth, and with more illustrations. There's much to be said for reading both books, but if you're only going to read one, "Structures" is the one.

Thoroughly Enjoyable!
I wish to echo the comments of all the previous reviewers.This is a delightful book!

Subjects such as elasticity of materials quickly bog down in mathematical detail and in the process of learning the subject, the student or interested person may quickly lose touch with what they're actually trying to grasp.This book is mostly a nonmathematical treatment (there are only a handful of mathematical formulas, chemistry equations and graphs throughout the book) which describes in a practical way what really happens with materials.Of course a deep understanding of this topic requires the full mathematical treatment, but this book certainly makes the subject accessible and engaging to anyone interested in the question "Why Don't You Fall Through the Floor?"

I agree with the reviewer who felt this is the kind of book that an undergraduate engineering, physics or applied mathematics student should read along with the more technical textbooks when first introduced to the subject of behavior of materials. ... Read more

Book Description
This text treats the important properties of the three primary types of materials--metals, ceramics, and polymers--as well as composites, and the relationships that exist between the structural elements of these materials and their properties. Emphasis is placed on mechanical behavior and failure including, techniques that are employed to improve the mechanical and failure characteristics in terms of alteration of structural elements. Furthermore, individual chapters discuss each of corrosion, electrical, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties. New and cutting-edge materials are also discussed.

Even if an instructor does not have a strong materials background (i.e., is from mechanical, civil, chemical, or electrical engineering, or chemistry departments), he or she can easily teach from this text. The material is not at a level beyond which the students can comprehend--an instructor would not have to supplement in order to bring the students up to the level of the text. Also, the author has attempted to write in a concise, clear, and organized manner, using terminology that is familiar to the students.

Extensive student and instructor resource supplements are also provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Prepare for frustration
Don't buy it unless your professor requires it. It is extremely frustrating because there is very brief explanation of a subject and then the problems expect you to have in-depth knowledge. /you will waste a lot of time hunting for information that isn't even there.

In order to understand the material presented in this book, you will need to hunt online for clarification or find a better book. Half of the problems are based on reading tiny diagrams that are impossible to read to the level of accuracy you need to answer the problems.

Some of the qualitative explanation is OK, but you really need a better resource for quantitative analysis.

No soo good not soo bad
Well i am a chemical engineer student and this book form part of many of my other long and complicated books. Anyway the book its not the best I've read, altough i have to say that I read worst. So overall is a decent book.
It does explain the material fairly, but what it has in theory it lacks in good exercises. The problems are hard to solve. They are not similar to the example problems therefore it is almost impossible to solve the homework. In my class we posses the solution manual and even with the solutions it is very hard to understand. Basically the theory they cover does always help to solve the exercises.
I recommend this book if you only seek to know more about the subjects since it explains the molecule interactions in detail and has good pictures that help visualize the material. But it is not agood introductory book

Great Product
Got exactly what I wanted quickly and it was just as stated.excellent overall

I've had better
This book is kind of vague, especially the questions.The information is good and the cd is helpful sometimes. ... Read more

Book Description
The ultimate materials engineering text and resource: world class authors; design led-approach, broader scope than other texts; to a level of detail that is appropriate for undergraduate courses; innovative visually lead presentation without any loss of academic rigor or detail; fully linked with the leading materials software package, as used in over 500 engineering departments.

It is written for students taking undergraduate level courses in engineering materials, MS&E, manufacturing and design, and related mechanical engineering courses with a materials science and processing elective or required course, including aeronautical and automotive engineering, product and industrial design. It is also perfect for use by chemical engineers and civil engineers taking introductory materials science and engineering technology courses.

* A complete introductory materials science and engineering text: full coverage of materials properties with a true design and processing emphasis as required by most courses
* Unbeatable author team: Professor Mike Ashby, the worlds leading materials selection innovator and author of four other best-selling materials engineering texts; Dr David Cebon, MD of Granta Design, the leading material properties software house; and Dr Hugh Shercliff, head of materials science teaching at the University of Cambridge, UK.
* Printed in full color throughout, extensive end of chapter examples, fully worked instructors manual, complete set of lecture slides based on the images in the book, links to materials selection software used in over 500 university departments. ... Read more

Book Description
Extensive, introductory-level, coverage of mechanical properties and failure which is the most important materials considerations for many engineers.
* This book judiciously and extensively makes use of illustrations and photographs. The approximate 500 figures include a large number of photographs that shoe the microstructure of various materials.
* Current and up-to-date with the latest developments in materials science and engineering. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
I think this is a good book, this will really help students to learn the mateiral ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides balanced, current treatment of the full spectrum of engineering materials, covering all the physical properties, applications and relevant properties associated with engineering materials. The book explores all of major categories of materials while offering detailed examinations of a wide range of new materials with high-tech applications. The reader is treated to state-of-the-art computer generated crystal structure illustrations, offering the most technically precise and visually realistic illustrations available. The book includes over 350 exercises with sample problems to provide guidance. Materials for Engineering, Atomic Bonding, Crystal Structure and Defects, Diffusion, Mechanical Behavior, Thermal Behavior, Failure Analysis & Prevention. Phase Diagrams, Heat Treatment, Metals, Ceramics and Glasses, Polymers, Composites, Electrical Behavior, Optical Behavior, Semiconductor Materials, Magnetic Materials, Environmental Degradation, Materials Science. For mechanical and civil engineers and machine designers.

Customer Reviews (10)

Are there better books than this?
This book is okay. It has a lot of important information in it, and good examples, but they are pretty well hidden among the unnecessary gibber. It's a good book, however I didn't really use it much, other than doing problems and the example problems.

Tries hard, but missing some essentials
This book tries hard to be clear, providing summaries, a glossary, and boldfacing terminology. I surmise that this book is written for people with little to no background in chemistry, physics, or mechanics of materials, because few things are derived from first principles. For instance, the crystal structures (rock salt, zinc blende, cesium chloride, etc.) presented in Chapter 3 are...well...just "presented," without any plausible explanation for their occurrance. It was as if their sole presence was to memorize them, without basing them in any sort of first principles. Quickly do I grow bored from books such as these, and, worse yet, no concepts really sink in. It was not until I read the excellent Materials text written by Callister that I understood at least one theory as to why these specific structures occur (ionic charge and ionic radii), and the concepts sank in.

Sorry, Dr. Shackleford, but until I see things derived from first principles, they do not sink in for me. Perhaps, however, a person working in industry would better benefit from such a text. Since this book is titled, specifically, as "...for scientists and engineers," I unabashedly assign two stars to this book. If a later edition came out with better explanations and theories (as described above) I would be happy to read it and rescind this review.

Chapter 3
Chapter 3, being the 2nd longest chapter, is full of plenty of valuable information.It is by no means a recreational reading material due to the wordy nature of the text.However, studied closely there is a bountiful amount of information on metal, ceramics and plastics at the atomic level.The author does a good job explaining the introductory material and could possible write another book entirely on this subject.Due to the wordy, technical nature, I will refrain from giving "two thumbs up" and only give 4 stars.

Chapter 15
Chapter 15 of "Materials Science for Engineers" describes the physical properties of electrical behavior. This chapter does a good job of explaining the properties of conduction and resistance. It also explains why metals are good conductors and what actually happens in a semiconductor material. This textbook is good as a prerequisite text before starting the core studies in electrical engineering. It provides a good background to the phenomena of electrical behavior at the atomic level.

This chapter, as well as the other chapters involving electricity, deal with material properties and not the physics of electricity.

This chapter hints at the property of superconductivity. I still don't fully comprehend this topic after reading chapter 15, but there are numerous publications written about this concept alone.

A decent book,Ch6 for example
Chapter 6 covers the topic of Mechanical Behavior in 6 sub-sections.These sections include the stress versus strain relationship (a.k.a. Young's Modulus), elastic and plastic deformation, hardness, creep and stress relaxation, and viscoelastic deformation.
Section one discusses Young's Modulus in relation to metals, ceramics and glasses, and polymers.In this sub-section, engineering stress/strain and the differences between elastic/plastic deformations are discussed, as well as yield strength and tensile strength.This section includes some nice reference tables, and describes the stress/strain curve in great detail.
Sections two and three discuss elastic and plastic deformations.In the latter section, the slip plane for crystalline solids is well covered with some interesting illustrations.
Section four discusses hardness tests, in particular, Rockwell hardness and Brinell hardness numbers.
Creep and stress relaxation are discussed in section five, and covers the dislocation climb in plastic deformation among other topics.I feel that a better explanation regarding the preexponential constant is needed in this section.
The last section deals with viscoelastic deformation, and discusses various topics such as the glass transition temperature, viscous deformation, and softening temperatures.Also of interest is the subject of tempered glass, which is discussed in some detail.
This chapter does well in describing the general terminology and includes several equations with a practical application through example problems.In my opinion, though, this chapter doesn't cover enough information to answer some of the end of chapter problems, but a little on-line research should yield the required information. ... Read more

Book Description
The 11th edition of this leading reference is an outstanding, scientifically based source of information in the field of dental materials science. It presents up-to-date information on materials that are used in the dental office and laboratory every day, emphasizing practical, clinical use, as well as the physical, chemical, and biological properties of materials. Extensive new clinical photographs in this edition illustrate the topics, and color plates are integrated close to related concepts as they're discussed in each chapter. A new glossary of key terms found at the beginning of every chapter defines terms in the appropriate context of the chapter's discussion. Also in this edition, critical thinking questions throughout the book stimulate the readers' curiosity on specific topics, test their existing knowledge, and heighten their awareness of important or controversial subjects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good start and perfect for undergraduates
I found this book good for gaining a general knowledge on dental materials. There really isn't anything else around that is better. It is lacking in specific formulations and leaves out a few areas of dentistry - particularly endodontics and endodontic medicaments. Cavit, Ledermix etc are just not discussed. Light cured special tray resins are not covered in much detail although I would have to say that in general this book is good.
If you are an undergraduate then this book is definitely worth buying. If you are a dentist who believes the brochures put out by dental manufacturers then I think this book is a must so that a general understanding of assessing dental materials is gained. Overall I would have to give this book four stars.

Understanding Dental Materials
This book should be required reading for every freshman and junior in dental school. Although the text can be very technical, digesting the contents of this book enhances the dental clinician to intelligently evaluate all new materials from a scientific standpoint and not from the manufacturer's claims.

Understanding Dental Materials
This book should be required reading for every freshman and junior in dental school. Although the text can be very technical, digesting the contents of this book enhances the dental clinician to intelligently evaluate all new materials from a scientific standpoint and not from the manufacturer's claims.

For Engineers Not Dentists
The latest edition of the this time-honored dental undergraduate text is a bit too technical. This book contains a lot more specific information than a dental practitioner needs but is a good reference for teachers andresearchers. The topics are organized by material types and propertiesrather than by their dental applications. There is an underlying feeling ofbias, and the focus is on academic definitions and theoretical mechanismsrather than knowledge that can be easily applied in the clinic. ... Read more

Book Description
This text provides an understanding of the relationship between structure, processing, and properties of materials. By selecting the appropriate topics from this wealth of material, instructors can emphasize metals, provide a general overview of materials, concentrate on mechanical behavior, or focus on physical properties. Since the book has more material than is needed for a one-semester course, students will also have a useful reference for subsequent courses in manufacturing, materials, design, or materials selection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

great condition and came next day!
I ordered this from Amazon because of the next day shipping option, and it was worth it because it really did come the day after I ordered it (just in time for class!).The book was brand new and still in shrink wrap.

Indications of Poor Quality
Inside Front Cover:The characteristic exponent of ten for the speed of light, c, should be +8 or 8 and not -8.For the Fe-C phase diagram the labels of 'steel'and 'cast iron' on the %carbon-x-axis are reversed in position from what they should be. Polymer Chapter: 'PET' usually stands for poly-ethylene-terephthalate and not poly-ester although the first is maybe a type of the second.This might be a matter of different diciplines but 'PAN' here is said to mean poly-acrylic-nitrile while in the environmental field it means peroxy-acetyl-nitrate.

When Spellcheck Fails
Enjoy the speling errors and, gramatical misstakes on allmost evry, pages.One would suppose after four editions all such errors would have been annihilated.Maybe the mistakes are meant to maintain the reader's vigilance.Perhaps the typos exist so that one day edition 6 might also.
It is worth noting, for the reader's insight, that in this edition the author(s) employ the use--or perhaps we should say the "overuse"--of the English language to generate many sentences for the purpose of yielding simple concepts to the reader, though certainly a few words would suffice.The book is, in a word, wordy.
Perhaps this is enough to warrant a grade of one star.In the book's defense, however, the pictures are quite nice... when they happen to be accurate.After noticing glaring truth deficiencies in a few graphs and formulas it becomes difficult to simply accept all of the quite nice pictures as definitive law, though they are certainly enjoyable for aesthetic purposes.
To summarize, the book is not recommended for purchasing purposes unless unavoidable.Though the text possesses some merit in its ability to sharpen one's editing skills, that is no reason to spend what textbooks cost.

only a reference
Do NOT pay more than 75 CENTS for this book.No one wants it because it is outdated and its in one of those book lines that gets completely updated each year.Thus, all previous editions are barely worth the paper and binding.

An incomplete volume
This book offers just enough information to cripple a student. Descriptions of lattice structures contained scant information on any structure other than Face-Centered Cubic structures or Base-Centered Cubic structures. The book did not provide adequate reasoning behind the formation of Diamond centered cubic structures, of importance when dealing with ceramic materials. Ambiguous explanation of the Hexagonal close packed structure lead to difficulty understanding what effects stucture causes.

I viewed a previous edition of this textbook, under a different author, and found diagrams showing full crystal structures instead of single unit cells. I should find the diagrams I need for this in my materials book, I do not understand why they were not included.

The examples used seem silly, such as asking the reader what materials should be used on the space shuttle. At the point in the book the questions are asked, one can only assume the reader has no idea unless they watched a space shuttle documentary or read about the subject themselves. They will be able to provide requirements of the materials, but spitting out names at the reader without delving into the why of the materials selection does the reader great harm. The book does not connect neccessary pieces, nor provide a "big picture" view of some important subjects in the text. Emphasis is on memorization, not on true understanding.

... Read more

Book Description
The second edition of this bestselling title provides the most up-to-date comprehensive review of all aspects of biomaterials science by providing a balanced, insightful approach to learning biomaterials. This reference integrates a historical perspective of materials engineering principles with biological interactions of biomaterials. Also provided within are regulatory and ethical issues in addition to future directions of the field, and a state-of-the-art update of medical and biotechnological applications.

All aspects of biomaterials science are thoroughly addressed, from tissue engineering to cochlear prostheses and drug delivery systems. Over 80 contributors from academia, government and industry detail the principles of cell biology, immunology, and pathology. Focus within pertains to the clinical uses of biomaterials as components in implants, devices, and artificial organs. This reference also touches upon their uses in biotechnology as well as the characterization of the physical, chemical, biochemical and surface properties of these materials.

* Provides comprehensive coverage of principles and applications of all classes of biomaterials

* Integrates concepts of biomaterials science and biological interactions with clinical science and societal issues including law, regulation, and ethics

* Discusses successes and failures of biomaterials applications in clinical medicine and the future directions of the field

* Cover the broad spectrum of biomaterial compositions including polymers, metals, ceramics, glasses, carbons, natural materials, and composites

* Endorsed by the Society for Biomaterials ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

An applied use
Not a product for the new biomaterialist.Recommended for persons in the field or planning to enter the field. Chapters are complete, concise and detailed allowing for quick analysis.The book is organized very cleanly and permits one to use either as a reference or as an in depth reference on the subject.Solid for use in lab.

Not a good textbook
I had this book required for a class, and although it certainly has a lot of information, it is a very poor textbook especially for an introduction.There is WAY too much information on some subjects and unnecessary detail.It reads more like a collection of peer reviewed articles than it does a textbook.The authors need to learn to HIGHLIGHT the important results and summarize information in a concise way.Even graphs are presented in very confusing manner (variable symbols not consistent in comparable graphs.Many authors also makes for different style changes...

Then again, I have little background in biology, and only moderate interest in the subject, so that might slant my opinion.

Great Text
This is a great text that sums up the body's response to biomaterials.It has good introductory sections to materials science issues, tissue engineering, and immunology.

Big book
It's hard to cover EVERYTHING related to biomaterials in one book, but the topics that are covered in this book are done so in detail. I don't really like how the book is pretty much a collection of works, but I understand how this allows each topic to be covered by an expert in that field. Overall, I find this book to be very useful in all of my classes.

Hard to read but book compiled with great care and detail
I must agree, it is probabily not the easiest book, you can pick up and read. It is voluminous, information is very dry, might be difficult to 'make notes' from this book. It may not be structured the way, you might normally find in most of the textbook. But having said that the information is compiled with great care and extraordinary detail. It contains the cutting edge information you can find out about biomaterials. For example, each section made up of 10-15 pages is purely written straight out of the latest journal articles.

It is definetely the best reference you can find for biomaterials, but if this is your main textbook, it might be a little hard for beginners with no background in material science to understand the concept right away.I was personally surprised to see that biomaterials is such an extensively branch in biomedical engineering and there is lot of scope. I think this book will help you realize that!!! ... Read more

Book Description
An outstanding book that provides complete coverage and reflects the latest developments in the field of materials science. The fifth edition maintains its extensive coverage of mechanical properties and failure and offers a new discussion of how the stress state within the body is a function of the orientation of the plane upon which the stresses are taken to act. The accompanying software is updated to include Material Properties and Cost Databases, also found in Appendix B and C of the book. An expanded feature in the software is an equation solver, E-Z Solve, which will help facilitate the solution of mathematically complex problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book
Callister's book gives a very concise introduction to material science, with many examples. The book was well organized, the subject matter was presented in a way that made it very easy to use for learning the material as well as use it as a quick reference. Sufficient diagrams and example calculations were provided in the book, making it an effective learning tool. I bought this book sophomore year in 2003 and kept it as a good reference book. Highly recommended book! ... Read more

Book Description
This is the first book that can be considered a textbook on thin film science, complete with exercises at the end of each chapter.Ohring has contributed many highly regarded reference books to the AP list, including Reliability and Failure of Electronic Materials and the Engineering Science of Thin Films.The knowledge base is intended for science and engineering students in advanced undergraduate or first-year graduate level courses on thin films and scientists and engineers who are entering or require an overview of the field.

Since 1992, when the book was first published, the field of thin films has expanded tremendously, especially with regard to technological applications.The second edition will bring the book up-to-date with regard to these advances.Most chapters have been greatly updated, and several new chapters have been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

the long road to quality
sorry for the fella who authored the book, he still has a long way to reach the level at which the interested customer finds the book of reference for the field of study;

good
This is a very good book for coating engineers. The richness of the explanation of a variety of subjects is worthy of reading it carefully, from beginning to the end.

And in addition, I find the process of reading the book is quite a happy thing of enjoying the beauty of English, though I am not a native speaker.(I'd like to look forward to reading similar comments so as to confirming this impression of mine)

The book is precise and in depth. ... Read more

Book Description
This book introduces the principles of electrochemistry with a special emphasis on materials science. This book is clearly organized around the main topic areas comprising electrolytes, electrodes, development of the potential differences in combining electrolytes with electrodes, the electrochemical double layer, mass transport, and charge transfer, making the subject matter more accessible.
In the second part, several important areas for materials science are described in more detail. These chapters bridge the gap between the introductory textbooks and the more specialized literature. They feature the electrodeposition of metals and alloys, electrochemistry of oxides and semiconductors, intrinsically conducting polymers, and aspects of nanotechnology with an emphasis on the codeposition of nanoparticles.
This book provides a good introduction into electrochemistry for the graduate student. For the research student as well as for the advanced reader there is sufficient information on the basic problems in special chapters. The book is suitable for students and researchers in chemistry, physics, engineering, as well as materials science.

- Introduction into electrochemistry
- Metal and alloy electrodeposition
- Oxides and semiconductors, corrosion
- Intrinsically conducting polymers
- Codeposition of nanoparticles, multilayers ... Read more

Book Description
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is renowned for its mystery and magic. What’s the truth behind it all? Is the golden compass actually based in science?How does the subtle knife cut through anything? Could there be a bomb like the one made with Lyra’s hair? How do the Gallivespians’ lodestone resonators really work? And, of course, what are the Dark Materials? Drawing on string theory and spacetime, quantum physics and chaos theory, award-winning science writers Mary and John Gribbin reveal the real science behind Philip Pullman’s bestselling fantasy trilogy in entertaining and crystal-clear prose.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials
Mary & John Gribbin have created a well organized and eaily understood science guide to the authentic physics behind Philip Pullman's epic work.The Gribbins combine good, clear writing with a thurough understanding of phyisics that leads to simple explanations a layman can understand.With out this valualbe work, Mr. Pullman's fantastic tale would remain simply a 'story' underpinned by fanciful and extremely complex and difficult science that might or might not be real for our world.As it happens, much of it is real for our world.

His Dark MATERIALS
It is a fun book using the facts of Dark Matter in a rather cavalier way that is fun and gives a great explanation for the magic/ absurdities in the Dark Matter series.
i liked the book and bought is as part of a set of the dark matter trilogy that begins with The Golden Compass.

Extra info for Pullman's "His Dark Materials"
For the ordinary person, this little book has pretty good coverage of the scientific basis for Pullman's trilogy. I am no expert, but from the info in the college courses I have taken with the Teaching Company, I think the writers have done well to condense so many items in a little space. It helps to understand that many of the ideas in Pullmans's fantasy have a bit of reality to them.

From spookiness to reality.
The trilogy just stunned me and I worked at trying to understand its complexities. Then I read this book, and everything made sense. At first I declared that the trilogy was better than 'The Lord of the Rings' but could not explain why. This book nails it. It will be wonderful if you read the trilogy, read this book, and share everything with your children. Remember when 'expanding your consciousness' was all the rage? No? That's OK.All these books do it with a basis in science. Buy the darn books. Buy them for your friends.

Educational value
As its name indicates, this book explains the science behind Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The authors refer to passages from the trilogy and then explain the science behind them using easily comprehendable examples and analogies. Chapters speak of everything from the Northern Lights to the Amber Spyglass. This non-fiction book is a reference for the fictitious His Dark Materials. The science explained, though it is complex, can be understood easily by a lay reader.

I would recommend reading the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman before reading this book to understand the references and the context of the examples given in the book. I really liked the analogies because they made the science easy to understand, even for those who either do not understand or have not yet studied Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy behind many science fiction novels. I especially enjoyed the depth of the history that the authors gave of the different concepts, such as the explanation for the appearance of the Northern Lights. Whether you are looking to understand His Dark Materials or to better understand subjects in your science class, this book fulfills its duty to explain science. Eventhough I do not usually enjoy science fiction, I enjoyed this book for its educational value.
(...) ... Read more

Book Description
Developed with the cooperation of a science consultant, these books are a tool to teach the physical sciences to young children. Move It! and Touch It! follow science curricula in the largest American states. Each book is loaded with surprising facts and hands-on activities designed to hold young readers' interest and tap into their fascination with the everyday world. Touch It! explores materials -- their color, shape, texture, size, mass, magnetism and more. ... Read more

Book Description

Crystallographers have to apply many mathematical methods in their daily work. Mathematical Techniques in Crystallography and Materials Science brings together common and less familiar mathematical procedures used in studies of the structures and physical properties of solids. This practical guide and reference serves as a unified source book for students and professionals, and it provides a solid basis for further studies in more specialized literature. Based Princes decades of practical experience, it can be recommended as an introduction for beginners in crystallography, as a refresher and handy guide for crystallographers working on specific problems, and as a reference for others seeking a dictionary of basic mathematical and crystallographic terms. The third edition further clarifies key points, as well as offers new sections on two topics: the projection matrix and the fast Fourier transform.

Book Description
This text provides up-to-date knowledge of structural properties and processing of materials and their application. The book has always been a comprehensive reference - unlike other texts, it covers topics such as electronic materials, engineering plastics and advanced composite materials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Content, Too Wordy
Wordy.That's what I would call this book.The content seems good.The practice problems are managable.Covers large amount of material.A one semester college course could expect to cover about a third of it. ... Read more

Book Description

In this vivid and comprehensible introduction to materials science, the author expands the modern concepts of metal physics to formulate basic theory applicable to other engineering materials, such as ceramics and polymers. Written for engineering students and working engineers with little previous knowledge of solid-state physics, this textbook enables the reader to study more specialized and fundamental literature of materials science. Dozens of illustrative photographs, many of them transmission electron microscopy images, plus line drawings, aid developing a firm appreciation of this complex topic. Hard-to-grasp terms such as "textures" are lucidly explained - not only the phenomenon itself, but also its consequences for the material properties. This excellent book makes materials science more transparent.

Product Description
365 Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Simple is right, could be better
I would have given this 2.5 stars if possible.This review applies to all the books in this series, not just this particular one.The book's strengths:(1)Truly simple experiments that make science fun and give it a "Wow" factor for children.Everybody can follow the simple instructions in this book.(2)Seeing science done with ordinary objects takes science out of the elite laboratory and puts it into context of everyday life.(3)Even adults can learn so much about how everyday items and phenomena are related to science.

The book's weaknesses:(1)Explanations of the science behind the experiments are too brief and vague.(2)For too many of the experiments the directions are incomplete at best, and sometimes just not adequate at all.The big majority of the experiments will work, but for the several that don't, the teacher/parent is left saying, 'What went wrong?"You can follow all the directions perfectly, but poor directions don't make an experiment work.Sometimes it's an issue of needing more detail, but sometimes it's an issue of the directions themselves not working, no matter how much detail would have been given.For example, the directions for making Rock Candy (to see the shape of sugar crystal growth) are ludicrous.They wouldn't work no matter how hard you tried.But, the directions for making salt crystals are just fine, and we have some beautiful cubic salt crystals to see now.

Overall,I like these books.I'm very glad to have such easy-to-put-together and fun experiments for us to do at home.But...I'm always prepared for something to backfire, I read with a discriminating eye and the benefit of an extensive science background, and if an experiment promises to deliver something "too cool" with simple instructions, I always search the net first.

To increase awareness of science, buy this ...
Simple fun filled experiments which easily captures children's attention. What is outstanding is the huge spectrum of experiments -- indoor - outdoor, simple - complex, tips & tricks and the list goes on. Thanks to this book my daughter interest has increased to the extent that she now wants to participate in Science Fairs. Clearly a very useful book that every family should benefit from.

When your kids say :" I'm bored", this is the book for them!
The experiments in this book are very basic and simple fun activities that are easy to follow and which children -even adults- will enjoy. The book simplifies and explains many fundamental scientific concepts that we encounter daily. The scope of these experiments is very wide , from daily science to weather, chemistry,... which are all implemented with very readily available items. This is a book that will keep inquisitive children motivated and busy for hours, they will especially love the science tricks. The second book : "365 More Science Experiments with Everyday Materials" complements this book. One should get them both!

Fabulously fun resource!
I purchased this book for the science division of our home schooling studies. It is laid out very well and it's easy to understand.

Using materials most people have around the house you can simply flip to the beginning and follow the headings for ideas.

What can you use straws for? Try out the section on "Clutching at Straws", make an Oboe, balance scale, spear a potato, etc.

Would you like to know other uses for lemon juice? Start on page 36. Keep going- check out soap suds, strings, paper cups, experiments with temperature, etc.

Basically you get it, you could spend many great minutes or hours teaching your kids through hands on learning.

Many of these can be done by an older child with very little help- a perfect solution to the "I'm bored" problem.

Please- turn of the TV, electronic games. etc. and let them use their brains- actively.

This is a wonderful book, one that every household would benefit from.

Really simple
I've picked up many books which claim to demonstrate science with "everyday materials."Most times the "everyday materials" are not something I keep on hand.Like cheesecloth.Who keeps cheesecloth on hand?But the demonstrations in this book really are simple and really do include basic household supplies.I've used the book with my five year old and have found the demonstrations and explanations to be thorough enough to engage his interest.And I've enjoyed myself too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good introduction to Material Science
This is a nice textbook disguised as a coffee-table style book with a comprehensive introduction to the basics of Metallurgy and Material Science. Good definitions, big bright pictures and interesting text make this an enjoyable book to read and study. ... Read more