Book excerpt: Smith/Hashemi's Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering, 5/e provides an eminently readable and understandable overview of engineering materials for undergraduate students. This edition offers a fully revised chemistry chapter and a new chapter on biomaterials as well as a new taxonomy for homework problems that will help students and instructors gauge and set goals for student learning. Through concise explanations, numerous worked-out examples, a wealth of illustrations & photos, and a brand new set of online resources, the new edition provides the most student-friendly introduction to the science & engineering of materials. The extensive media package available with the text provides Virtual Labs, tutorials, and animations, as well as image files, case studies, FE Exam review questions, and a solutions manual and lecture PowerPoint files for instructors.