Condensed matter physics is the study of crystalline solids, liquids, and irregularly structured materials. It is also known as solid state physics.

Many new technologies have resulted from condensed matter physics investigations concerning how systems of many particles are organized and how they behave. The size of the systems studied range from quantum mechanical electrons and atoms to classical macromolecular systems and solid bodies. Glasses, ceramics, organics, polymers and composite material studies are all the subject of condensed matter physics research.

Advances in condensed matter physics have broadly enhanced the quality of life. Beginning in 1910 scientists used x-ray diffraction to study crystalline materials. Using x-ray diffraction scientists are able to see the atoms of materials in a crystalline material and are able to formulate atomic maps and models from the x-ray diffraction data. Many complex systems, such as proteins, have been characterized using this...