Review by Choice Review
A nuclear scientist (Natowitz) and a technology consultant (Ngo) offer a brief introduction to nanotechnology and its applications. This book excels in its overview of nanoscale phenomena. Most similar books contain a cursory coverage of these topics or are too bogged down with technical jargon for many readers to follow. This volume skillfully explains unique nanomaterials properties such as wave-particle duality, quantum tunneling, surface tension, and nanoscale carbon. The second half of the book is a compendium of nanotechnology applications from medicine, food safety, defense, energy, and transportation. Academic libraries may be disappointed by the scant bibliography (just 16 entries), and though the book has many figures, most are idea maps summarizing the concepts discussed in the text instead of schematics or graphs. Other figures do not enhance understanding: a figure to help readers understand the "lock and key" concept is simply a photo of a key in a lock. The first half of the book is ideal for lower-level undergraduates seeking to grasp the difficult concepts that underpin nanotechnology; as a whole, the book is perhaps less successful. Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. --Nicholas Michael Fahrenkopf, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
