Materials and Properties

Question 1

Mechanical Properties

Answer 1

How a material reacts to an external force

Question 2

Physical Properties

Answer 2

the actual make-up or structure of the material

Question 3

Compressive Strength

Answer 3

Mechanical property, the ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by pushing forces.

Question 4

Tensile strength

Answer 4

Mechanical property, the ability to resist stretching or pulling forces

Question 5

Bending strength

Answer 5

Mechanical property, ability to resist forces that bend the material

Question 6

Shear Strength

Answer 6

Mechanical property, the ability to resist sliding forces acting on the material

Question 7

Torsional strength

Answer 7

Mechanical property, the ability to withstand twisting forces from applied torque or torsion.

Question 8

Hardness

Answer 8

Mechanical property, the ability to resist abrasive wear and indentation through impact. Very hard materials can become brittle and can crack, snap or shatter.

Question 9

Toughness

Answer 9

Mechanical property, the ability to absorb energy through shock without fracturing.

Question 10

Plasticity

Answer 10

Mechanical property, the ability to be permanently deformed and retain that deformed shape.

Question 11

Ductile

Answer 11

Mechanical property, the ability to be drawn out when under tension (usually metals or fibres).

Question 12

Malleable

Answer 12

Mechanical property, the ability to withstand deformation via compression forces without cracking. Malleability increases with temperature.

Question 13

Elasticity

Answer 13

Mechanical property, the ability to be deformed and then return to its original shape when that force is removed.

Question 14

Strength

Answer 14

Mechanical property, the ability of a material to withstand a force (such as pressure, tension or shear). A material might possess one type of strength and not another, therefore it may be better to justify the type of strength it possesses rather than simply to say it is ‘strong’.

Question 15

Durability

Answer 15

Mechanical property, the ability to withstand certain forces for a long period of time.

Question 16

Brittle

Answer 16

Mechanical property, the ability to be hard but break easily with under certain forces.

Question 17

Fusibility

Answer 17

Mechanical property, the ability of a material to be converted through heat into a liquid state and combined with another material (usually the same) before cooling as one material.

Question 18

Electrical conductor

Answer 18

Physical property, allows the flow of electrical current through the material. A good conductor gives very little resistance to the flow of charge.

Question 20

Electrical Insulator

Answer 20

Physical property, does not allow the flow of electricity through the material.

Question 21

Thermal Conductor

Answer 21

Physical property, allows a transfer of heat energy through the material. A material with high thermal conductivity allows the transfer of heat to occur quickly across the material.

Question 22

Thermal Insulator

Answer 22

Physical property, prevents the transfer of heat through the material.

Question 23

Thermal expansion

Answer 23

Physical Property, the increase in material volume in response to a heat input.

Question 24

Electrical conductivity

Answer 24

Physical property, the ability to conduct electricity.

Question 25

Thermal Conductivity

Answer 25

Physical property, the ability of a material to conduct heat.

Question 26

Opaque

Answer 26

Physical property, prevents light from travelling through.

Question 27

Translucent

Answer 27

physical property, allows light through but diffuses the light so that objects appear blurred. E.g: frost glass is an example of a translucent material.

Question 28

Transparent

Answer 28

Physical property, allows light to pass through easily which means you can see through the material clearly.

Question 29

Absorbency

Answer 29

physical property, the ability to attach or take on an element, usually a liquid such as water or moisture, but could include light or heat.

Question 30

Density

Answer 30

physical property, the mass of material per unit of volume; how compact a material is.

Question 31

Magnetism

Answer 31

physical property, the natural force between objects that causes the material to attract iron or steel.

Question 32

Corrosion/degradation resistance

Answer 32

physical property, the ability of the material to withstand environmental attack and decay.