Nanotechnology is one of the most important growth areas of this century. Nanoscience, the science underpinning nanotechnology, is a multidisciplinary subject covering atomic, molecular and solid state physics, and much of chemistry. Nanostructures are known to exhibit novel and improved material properties, fundamentally because the physical and chemical properties are very different when dimensions are reduced to the nanometer range.

Suitable for undergraduate students or advanced high school students, this book introduces the basic principles and knowledge needed for students to understand science at the nanoscale. Many ideas proposed in nanotechnology are frontier and futuristic, although some have immediate technological applications. The core scientific principles of all nanotechnology applications, however, are grounded in physics and chemistry. This practical, student-friendly introduction helps students recognize the connections among these various disciplines and how they play a part in nanoscience and technology.