ABSTRACT
This chapter gives a brief introduction to the atomic structure of matter and has important applications in materials science & engineering. The scientific definition of matter brought about the Molecular Theory of Matter and then the Atomic Theory of Matter, which stated that matter consisted of tiny particles called molecules and atoms. Solar system consists of a central nucleus around which negatively charged particles called electrons orbit in certain fixed bands called shells. A compound is a new substance containing two or more elements chemically combined so that their properties are changed. A suspension is a mixture of a liquid and particles of a solid which do not dissolve in the liquid. Solubility is a measure of the maximum amount of a solute which can be dissolved in 0.1 kg of a solvent, at a given temperature. Crystallisation is the process of isolating solids from solution in a crystalline form. Metals are polycrystalline substances.
