Beginning with Newtonian mechanics and Maxwellian electromagnetics, we examine material properties, by considering electrons as particles and light as waves. In order to understand phenomena that cannot be explained by classical physics, we first develop the tools for understanding the wave-like behavior of electrons and particle- like behavior of light--i.e., quantum mechanics, built around Schrödinger's equation. A quantum chemical approach is applied to understand molecular bond formation and the electrical and optical properties of conductive polymers. To examine electrical and optical properties of metals and insulators, solid state models are developed for bulk solids and interfaces, leading to the fundamentals of semiconductor materials and the p-n junction.