The Material World

Publishers description for "The Material World" by Rodney Cotterill --- Using the cosmos as a backdrop, Rodney Cotterill delivers a fascinating journey of Nature's materials, from the atom to the living organism. This is a beautifully illustrated, expanded account of the highly praised Cambridge Guide to the Material World. The author seamlessly blends the physics, chemistry and biology of Nature, portraying matter with all its elegance and flaws. Although the book is divided into material types, the author connects concepts and pinpoints commonalities between the inorganic and organic domains. It challenges the reader to question our structured view of the world and whether this limits our scientific endeavour, aptly demonstrated by the new chapter devoted exclusively to the mind. Through the breadth of topics and engaging prose, this book will act as a superb introduction to material science for students and 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 Preface 10 Prologue 12 1 Solo atoms: electrons nuclei and quanta 36 2 Atomic duets: the chemical bond 64 3 Atoms in concert: states of matter 88 4 Patterns within patterns: perfect crystals 109 5 The inevitable flaw: imperfect crystals 127 6 The great mediator: water 150 7 From mine quarry and well: minerals 165 8 Almost forever: Ceramics 193 9 Monarchs of the cave: metals 212 10 The busy electron: conductors and insulators 233 11 Amysterious harmony: glass 256 12 To the organic world: carbon 272 13 Strangeness in proportion: liquid crystals 300 14 Of snakes and ladders: polymers 317 15 The vital threads: biopolymers 333 16 The essential bag: the cell 378 17 Mortal coils: the organism 414 18 A place in the Sun: the plant 444 19 Mandatory hunter: the animal 471 20 Enchanted loom: the mind 519 Index 567 0521451477,9780521451475 Cambridge University Press,2008

With a new prologue and two new chapters, The Material World, 2nd Edition, is a beautifully illustrated, full color, expanded account of the highly praised Cambridge Guide to the Material World. 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.

This is a beautifully illustrated account of matter from the individual atom to the living organism. The book is divided into inorganic, organic non-biological, and biological materials. It opens with the evolution of the universe, with chapters covering specific classes of materials and concluding with the living organism. The author presents a description of the physics, chemistry and biology of nature's materials, blending historical perspectives with cutting edge science