Employing a technological rather than a scientific approach, this text provides a descriptive and qualitative treatment of materials science for engineering and metallurgy students. This revision retains the structure of the first edition, but takes account of the substantial progress that has recently been made in the use of materials, particularly of microalloyed steels, plastics and ceramics. More space is also given to glasses and to composites. The book assumes little or no knowledge of chemistry and includes worked examples in each chapter.