Materials and Components

Question 1

What are ferrous metals and what are there properties ?

Answer 1

Metals that’s contain mainly ferrite or iron e.g steel. Ferrous metals will not rust and are magnetic

Question 2

What are non-ferrous metals and what are their properties ?

Answer 2

Metals that contain no iron such as aluminium, tin and copper. They do not rust and are magnetic.

Question 3

What is an alloy ?

Answer 3

An alloy is a material composed of two metals or a metal and a non-metal. They contain atoms of different sizes.

Question 4

What are the ferrous metals ?

Answer 4

Cast iron, mild steel and carbon steel.

Question 5

What are the two types of cast iron and their properties ?

Answer 5

White cast iron and Grey cast iron.
White cast iron is difficult to work with, hard and brittle.
Grey cast iron can be cast into many shapes an is brittle.

Question 6

What are the pros and cons of Mild Steel ?

Answer 6

Pros: easily cut, machined, heated and hammered into shape.
Cons: cannot be heat treated and rusts.

Question 7

How can carbon steel properties be changed ?

Answer 7

Can be heated to alter properties.

Question 8

What are the 3 Non-ferrous metals ?

Answer 8

Aluminium, copper and zinc.

Question 9

What are the pros and cons of Aluminium ?

Answer 9

Pros: extremely lightweight, good conductor.
Cons: difficult to weld, does not withstand great loads.

Question 10

What’s are the pros and cons or Copper ?

Answer 10

Pros: easily cut and machined, good conductor of heat and electric
Cons: when worked requires constant annealing

Question 11

Where is Zinc used and what are its properties ?

Answer 11

Used in products such as buckets and water tanks.
Easily worked and has oxide layer that protects it from oxidisation.
When worked will become brittle.

Question 12

What are the 3 main alloys ?

Answer 12

Stainless steel, duralumin and brass.

Question 13

What is stainless steel and alloy of an what is its properties ?

Answer 13

It is an alloy of steel, chromium and nickel. Stainless steel does not rust and is corrosion resistant. It’s cons is that it is expensive and hard to cut.

Question 14

What are the properties of Duralumin ?

Answer 14

Pros: lightweight, strong, ductile.
Cons: it hardens over time (work hardens)

Question 15

What are the properties of Brass ?

Answer 15

Pros: casts well, way to machine, good conductor of heat and electricity.
Cons: needs to be constantly annealed, likely to crack.

Question 16

What are thermoplastics ?

Answer 16

Plastics that can be reshaped and domed using heat.

Question 17

What are thermosetting plastics ?

Answer 17

Plastics that cannot be reshaped and have a very rigid structure.

Question 18

What are 4 examples of thermoplastics ?

Answer 18

Acrylic, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

Question 19

What are 3 examples of thermosetting plastics ?

Answer 19

Epoxy resin, urea formaldehyde, polyester resin.

Question 20

Where do hardwoods come from and explain them ?

Answer 20

Hardwoods come from broad leaved trees. Hardwood trees usually grow in warmer climates and take on average 80-100 years to mature therefore are more expensive.

Question 21

Name 3 hardwoods

Answer 21

Oak, mahogany and beech.

Question 22

What are the properties of Oak ?

Answer 22

Pros: strong, hard and tough.
Cons: expensive, heavy, grain can be variable.
Used for garden and high quality furniture.

Question 23

What are the properties of Mahogany ?

Answer 23

Pros: easy to work, durable, finishes well.
Cons: prone to warping, grain can be variable though, hardness varies.

Question 24

What are the properties of Beech ?

Answer 24

Pros: physically hard, tough, polishes well, shock resistant.
Cons: can be prone to warping, difficult to work.

Question 25

Where do softwoods come from and explain them ?

Answer 25

Softwoods come from come-bearing conifer trees. The grow quicker than hardwoods roughly taking 30 years to mature. They are cheaper and easy to work.

Question 26

What are properties of Pine ?

Answer 26

Pros: inexpensive, straight, grained, easy to work.
Cons: knots can make working difficult.