ABSTRACT
Materials are all about us. They have been so intimately related to the emergence and ascent of man that they have given names to the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages of civilization. Naturally existing and man-made materials have become an integral part of our lives. The development of materials used for engineering purposes has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few decades, and engineering materials have truly become an essential part of modern science and technology. This integral relationship is evident in every product and every industry that one can think of.
