C10: MATERIALS Flashcards
What is an alloy?
a mixture of a metal with small amounts of other elements
Steels:
-main metal
-other elements
-uses
-main metal: iron
-other elements: carbon (stainless steel - chromium and nickel)
-uses: cutlery, construction, cars
Gold alloys:
-main metal
-other elements
-uses
-main metal: gold
-other elements: silver/copper/zinc
-uses: jewellery
How many carats pure gold?
24 carat
How do you calculate the % of gold in an alloy?
(no. of carats/24) x 100
Brass:
-main metal
-other elements
-uses
-main metal: copper
-other elements: zinc
-uses: brass instruments, brass pins in plugs
Bronze:
-main metal
-other elements
-uses
-main metal: copper
-other elements: tin
-uses: statues, coins
What is corrosion?
the destruction of materials (esp metals) by chemical reactions with water/O2
What is rusting?
corrosion when iron or steel reacts with oxygen and water
What is the word equation for rusting?
iron + oxygen –> iron oxide
What needs to be present for rusting to occur?
water
What are the 2 methods of preventing corrosion?
-protective layer
-sacrificial protection
Protective layer:
-how it works
-examples
-acts as a barrier which stops it reacting with O2 and water
-examples: paint, oil, plastic, any less reactive metal
Sacrificial protection:
-how it works
-examples
-zinc often used to coat iron nails because it is more reactive so any water and O2 that comes into contact with the nail reacts with the zinc and not with the iron
-examples: any more reactive metal
Clay
-soft when dug up out of the ground so it can be moulded into different shapes
-when fired at high temps it hardens to form a clay ceramic
-ideal for making pottery and bricks