Metals Flashcards
Where do metals come from?
Most pure metals come from the earths crust and are found in ores.
How bad is the extraction of metals to the environment?
The extraction of metals is bad as it causes air pollution, destroys habitats, uses a lot of energy and uses a lot of water.
How much better is recycling and why?
Recycling metals is a bit better as you have to mine less metal however, energy and water is still used in the process.
Advantages of Mild steel
(alloy of iron and carbon)
easy to weld
cheap
very tough
can be bent or twisted and can resist strong impact
disadvantages of mild steel
(alloy of iron and carbon)
low tensile strength
low corrosion resistance
advantages of high carbon steel
very hard
good at retaining shape
disadvantages of high carbon steel
not easily malleable
expensive
advantages of stainless steel
resists scratching
resists biofouling
doesn’t corrode in water
disadvantages of stainless steel
expensive
advantages of aluminium
malleable
easily recyclable
disadvantages of aluminium
uses huge amounts of energy to extract from the ore
electrolysis is required to separate the ore
expensive
advantages of tin
when added to alloys increase strength and resistance to corrosion
disadvantages of tin
can be harmful to aquatic life as is poisonous to fungi and algae
advantages of copper
strong
ductile
malleable
good conductor
resist biofouling
disadvantages of copper
rather expensive
