CSS is used to style HTML elements and includes topics like the box model, positioning, selectors, and responsive design. The box model accounts for the total space an element takes and includes properties like width, height, padding, borders, and margins. Floats allow elements to wrap around each other, and clearing fixes are used to clear floats on parent elements. Positioning includes static, relative, absolute, and fixed positioning. Responsive design aims to provide a consistent experience across devices by using relative units and breakpoints.