The first part of the book presents the basic phenomena of chaotic dynamics and fractals at an elementary level. Chapter 1 provides, at the same time, a preview of the five main topics to be treated in Part III.

Part II is devoted to the analysis of simple motion. The geometric representation of dynamics in phase space, as well as basic concepts related to instability (hyperbolic points and stable and unstable manifolds), are introduced here. Two-dimensional maps are deduced from the equations of motion for driven systems. Elementary knowledge of ordinary differential equations, of linear algebra, of the Newtonian equation of a single point mass and of related concepts (energy, friction and potential) is assumed.

Part III provides a detailed investigation of chaos. The dynamics occurring on chaotic attractors characteristic of frictional, dissipative systems is presented first (Chapter 5). No preliminary knowledge is required upon accepting that two-dimensional maps can also act as the law of motion. Next, the finite time appearance of chaos, so-called transient chaotic behaviour, is investigated (Chapter 6). Subsequently, chaos in frictionless, conservative systems is considered in Chapter 7, along with its transient variant in the form of chaotic scattering in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 covers different applications of chaos, ranging from engineering to environmental aspects.