An Introduction to Macromolecules. This item is unavailable.An Introduction to Macromolecules

The purpose of this volume is to provide beginning students in the natural sciences with a very elementary introduction to the structure and properties of macromolecular substances. Most students, either those who are science majors or those in a liberal art program, do not usually have the opportunity to learn about this important class of molecules until they take advanced courses at a senior or graduate level. There is thus a serious gap in our educational processes which has become acute with the widespread recognition of the important role played by macro­ molecules in biological systems, their extensive use in a myriad of articles of commerce, and their intrinsic scientific interest. We have attempted to rectify this deficiency by presenting a detailed, but nonmathematical, description of all classes of macromolecules. Macromolecules are a unique class of substances in that they are mole­ cules of extremely high molecular weight. When certain common struc­ tural features are recognized among the different kinds of macromolecules, they can be treated and analyzed from a unified point of view. With this approach, we can discuss in one volume macromolecules of biological interest as well as synthetic materials such as rubbers, glasses, coatings, and fibers. The purpose of this volume is to provide beginning students in the natural sciences with a very elementary introduction to the structure and properties of macromolecular substances. Most students, either those who are science majors or those in a liberal art program, do not usually have the opportunity to learn about this important class of molecules until they take advanced courses at a senior or graduate level. There is thus a serious gap in our educational processes which has become acute with the widespread recognition of the important role played by macro­ molecules in biological systems, their extensive use in a myriad of articles of commerce, and their intrinsic scientific interest. We have attempted to rectify this deficiency by presenting a detailed, but nonmathematical, description of all classes of macromolecules. Macromolecules are a unique class of substances in that they are mole­ cules of extremely high molecular weight. When certain common struc­ tural features are recognized among the different kinds of macromolecules, they can be treated and analyzed from a unified point of view. With this approach, we can discuss in one volume macromolecules of biological interest as well as synthetic materials such as rubbers, glasses, coatings, and fibers.