ABSTRACT
Life processes and living things encompass the biological world, but we also live in a physical world in which both natural and synthetic materials play an important part. In this chapter, we shall look at the types and properties of materials to be found in our scientific and technological environment. We shall also consider the nature of these materials, the atoms and molecules which form the 100 or so elements from which everything is made and the various ways in which these atoms and molecules can combine and behave. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203183335/716f70ca-228a-4c48-888d-01f7e7d18d03/content/fig00036_B.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
