Concepts in physical metallurgy : concise lecture notes The progress of civilization can be in part attributed to our ability to employ metallurgy. This book is an introduction to multiple facets of physical metallurgy materials science and engineering. As all metals are crystalline in structure attention is focussed on these structures and how the formation of these crystals is responsible for certain aspects of the materials chemical and physical behaviour. The book also discusses the mechanical properties of metals the theory of alloys and physical metallurgy of ferrous and non ferrous alloys.