This graduate/research level book describes our present knowledge of protons and neutrons, the particles which make up the nucleus of the atom. Experiments using high energy electrons, muons and neutrinos reveal the proton as being made up of point-like constituents, quarks. The strong forces which bind the quarks together are described in terms of the modern theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the 'glue' binding the quarks being mediated by new constituents called gluons. Larger and new particle accelerators probe the interactions between quarks and gluons at shorter distances. The understanding of this detailed substructure and of the fundamental forces responsible is one of the keys to unravelling the physics of the structure of matter. This book will be of interest to all theoretical and experimental particle physicists.

"...a concise, complete, and up-to-date summary of the field, from precise definitions of lepton-nucleon cross-sections in terms of structure functions, to their interpretation in terms of the quark-parton model, to perturbative quantum chromodynamics and nuclear effects." Gabriel Karl, Science

"Written by one of the subject's leading experts, it comes as no surprise to find that all the important theoretical and experimental results to date are included. Together with a beautifully clear writing style, this makes an invaluable purchase for beginners and experts alike." CERN Courier