Book excerpt: A comprehensive textbook that addresses the recent interest in nanotechnology in the engineering, materials science, chemistry, and physics communities In recent years, nanotechnology has become one of the most promising and exciting fields of science, triggering an increasing number of university engineering, materials science, chemistry, and physics departments to introduce courses on this emerging topic. Now, Drs. Owens and Poole have revised, updated, and revamped their 2003 work, Introduction to Nanotechnology, to make it more accessible as a textbook for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses on the fascinating field of nanotechnology and nanoscience. The Physics and Chemistry of Nanosolids takes a pedagogical approach to the subject and assumes only an introductory understanding of the physics and chemistry of macroscopic solids and models developed to explain properties, such as the theory of phonon and lattice vibrations and electronic band structure. The authors describe how properties depend on size in the nanometer regime and explain why these changes occur using relatively simple models of the physics and chemistry of the solid state. Additionally, this accessible book: Provides an introductory overview of the basic principles of solids Describes the various methods used to measure the properties of nanosolids Explains how and why properties change when reducing the size of solids to nano-dimensions, and what they predict when one or more dimensions of a solid has a nano-length Presents data on how various properties of solids are affected by nanosizing and examines why these changes occur Contains a chapter entirely devoted to the importance of carbon nanostructured materials and the potential applications of carbon nanostructures The Physics and Chemistry of Nanosolids is complete with a series of exercises at the end of each chapter for readers to enhance their understanding of the material presented, making this an ideal textbook for students and a valuable tutorial for technical professionals and researchers who are interested in learning more about this important topic.