Materials and their application

Question 1

What are mechanical properties?

Answer 1

Properties associated with how a material reacts to an external force

Question 2

What is compressive strength?

Answer 2

Ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by pulling forces (compression)

Question 3

What is tensile strength?

Answer 3

The ability to resist stretching or pulling forces (tension)

Question 4

What is bending strength?

Answer 4

The ability role resist forces that may bend a material

Question 5

What is shear strength?

Answer 5

The ability to resist sliding forces on a parallel plane

Question 6

What is the torsional strength?

Answer 6

The ability to withstand twisting forces from applied torque or torsion

Question 7

What is plasticity?

Answer 7

The ability to be permanently deformed (shaped) and retain the deformed shape

Question 8

What is hardness?

Answer 8

The ability to resist abrasive wear such as scratching, surface indentation or cutting

Question 9

What is ductility?

Answer 9

The ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing cross-sectional area without cracking

Question 10

What is malleability?

Answer 10

Ability to withstand deformation by compression without cracking; malleability increases as temperature increases

Question 11

What is elasticity?

Answer 11

The ability to be deformed and then return to the original shape when the force is removed

Question 12

What are physical properties of a material?

Answer 12

They re associated with the actual, make-up or structure of the material

Question 13

What are examples of mechanical properties?

Answer 13

• compressive strength
• tensile strength
• bending strength
• shear strength
• torsional strength
• hardness
• toughness
• plasticity
• ductility
• malleability
• elasticity

Question 14

What are examples of physical properties?

Answer 14

• density
• fusibility
• magnetism
• Corrosion/degradation resistance

Question 15

What is density?

Answer 15

The mass of the material in a standard volume of space

Question 16

What is fusibility?

Answer 16

The ability of the material to be fused or converted from a solid, liquid or molten state

Question 18

What class of material would need to have good fusibility?

Answer 18

Metals so that they can be cast

Question 19

What is magnetism?

Answer 19

The natural force between objects that causes the material to attract irons or steels

Question 20

What is corrosion/degradation resistance?

Answer 20

The ability of a material to withstand environmental attack and decay

Question 21

What is an electrical conductor?

Answer 21

Allows the flow of electrical current through the material. Good conductor gives little resistance

Question 22

What is an electrical insulator?

Answer 22

Does not allow the flow of electricity through the material

Question 23

What is a thermal conductor?

Answer 23

Allows the transfer of heat energy through the material. High thermal conductivity means heat is transferred faster

Question 24

What is a thermal insulator?

Answer 24

Prevents the transfer of heat through the material

Question 25

What is thermal expansion?

Answer 25

The increase in material volume in response to a heat input

Question 26

What are optical properties?

Answer 26

How light passes through an object

Question 27

What is an opaque object?

Answer 27

An object that prevents light from travelling through

Question 28

What is a translucent object?

Answer 28

Allows light through but diffuses the light so the object seems blurred (eg frosted glass)

Question 29

What is a transparent object?

Answer 29

Allows light to pass through easily, which means you can see clearly through the material