giving approximately equal emphasis to each of these major topics. It has thus been possible to show the interrelationship of the different aspects of the subject in a coherent framework. The book has been written to be self-contained, with most equations fully derived and critically discussed. It is supported by a large number of diagrams and micrographs and is fully referenced for more advanced reading. Problems have been supplied at the end of each chapter so that students can test their understanding and practice the manipulation of data.

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