Property Terms Flashcards
Define compressive strength
The ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by pushing forces (compression)
Define tensile strength
The ability to resist stretching or pulling forces (tension)
Define bending strength
The ability to resist forces that may bend the material
Define shear strength
The ability to resist sliding forces on a parallel plane
Define torsional strength
The ability to withstand twisting forces from applied torque or torsion
Define hardness
The ability to resist abrasive wear such as scratching, surface indentation or cutting
Define toughness
The ability to absorb impact force without fracture
Define plasticity
The ability to be permanently deformed (shaped) and retain the deformed shape
Define ductility
The ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing the cross-sectional area without cracking e.g stretching a material into a wire
Define malleability
The ability to withstand deformation by compression without cracking and increases with a rise in temperature
Define elasticity
The ability to be deformed and then return to the original shape when the force is removed
Define Electrical conductor
• Allows the flow of electric current through the material • Good conductor gives very little resistance to the flow of charge
Define electrical insulator
Does not allow the flow of electricity through the material
Define thermal conductor (2)
• Allows the transfer of heat energy through material • A material with high thermal conductivity allows the transfer of heat to occur quickly across the material
Define thermal insulator
Prevents the transfer of heat through the material
