PD GCSE Year 11 Flashcards
mechanical properties
Properties associated with how a material reacts to external forces.
strength
The ability of a material to withstand a force without breaking or bending permanently.
compressive strength
The ability of a material to withstand a ‘squashing’ force.
tensile strength
The ability of a material to withstand a pulling/stretching force.
malleability
The ability of a material to permanently change shape by being pressed or rolled.
elasticity
The ability of a material to return to its original shape after it has been deformed.
plasticity
The ability of a material to change shape permanently without cracking or breaking.
ductility
The ability of a material to permanently change shape by being
hardness
The ability of a material to withstand scratching, cutting or denting.
toughness
The ability of a material to withstand sudden shock, without breaking or denting.
brittleness
When a material cannot absorb energy resulting in the material breaking into pieces - opposite to toughness.
durability
The ability of a material to withstand wear, tear and weathering (deterioration).
stiffness
The ability of a material to resist bending.
stability
The ability of a material to resist changes in shape over time.
physical properties
Properties associated with the appearance & structure of a material.
density
The compactness of a material.
transparency
The amount of light transmitted through materials.
thermal conductivity
The ability of a material to allow heat to flow through it.
electrical conductivity
The ability of a material to allow electricity to flow through it.
non toxic
Not poisonous.
water resistant
The ability of a material to resist ta liquid passing through it to some degree.
waterproof
The ability of a material to completely resit a liquid passing through it.
synthetic polymers
Synthetic material mostly made from oil – usually called plastic.
thermosetting polymer
a polymer (plastic) that cannot be reshaped by heating – non-recyclable.
thermoforming polymer
Polymers/plastics that can be reshaped by the application of heat – can be recycled into other products.
acrylic
A type of plastic made from acrylic acid.
ferrous metals
Metals that contain iron & are magnetic.
non- ferrous
Metals that do not contain iron & are not magnetic.
alloys
Metals that contain two or more elements.
corrosion
The deterioration of a metal due to its environment.
