Introduction To Materials Engineering

Question 1

What’s the engineering definition of an atom?

Answer 1

Smallest possible stable material

Question 2

What are the main four categories of materials?

Answer 2

Metals polymers ceramics and composites

Question 3

In materials and product design, what are the three components for performance of a particular material?

Answer 3

Processing structure properties

Question 4

Define and alloy

Answer 4

Solid solutions in which the basic ingredients form new phases

Question 5

Define a composite

Answer 5

Mixture of different materials. Basic ingredients retain their original chemical and physical properties

Question 6

Give an example of an application of ceramic materials

Answer 6

Ceramic armour, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibre

Question 7

Name characteristics of metals and alloys

Answer 7

Generally crystalline structure
Generally inorganic
High electrical/thermal conductivity 
Malleable 
Two categories 
Ferrous - contains iron
Non ferrous - you guessed it!

Question 8

Define crystalline and non crystalline

Answer 8

Crystalline - long range order in atoms

Non crystalline- no periodicity I. The structure