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The first two editions of this book found considerable use either as a supplementary text or as sole textbook in introductory polymer courses, or simply as a book for self-study. lt was therefore decided to bring out an expanded third edition. As before, alI of lhe chapters contain general introductory material and comprehensive literature citations designed to give newcomers to lhe field an appreciation of lhe subject and how it fits into lhe general context of polymer science. AlI chapters have been extensively updated and expanded. The authors are lhe same as those for lhe second edition, except for lhe authorship of lhe chapter" The glass transition and the glassy state" by Kia L. Ngai. For pedagogical purposes, lhe contents have been subdivided into two pariS," Physical states of polymers" and" Somecharacterization techniques." This expanded edition should provide ample core material for a one-term survey course at lhe graduate or advanced-undergraduate leveI. Although lhe chapters have been arranged in a sequence that may readily be adapted to lhe classroom, each chapter is self-contained and may be used as an introductory source of material on the topics covered.