Topic 1- Introduction and Background

Question 1

What four subjects make up materials science?

Answer 1

Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Computing.

Question 2

How does maths contribute to materials science?

Answer 2

Allows us to predict behaviour.

Question 3

How does computing contribute to materials science?

Answer 3

We can construct models of the physical world.

Question 4

What can chemistry tell us about materials science?

Answer 4

Composition, reactions and properties of materials?

Question 5

How does physics contribute to materials science?

Answer 5

Tells us energies and interactions of materials.

Question 6

What are the four main areas of materials science?

Answer 6

Characteristics, structure, processing and properties.

Question 7

How is materials science relevant to civil engineering?

Answer 7

1. Design new and improved materials. 2. Performance of new buildings.

Question 8

What methods are used to analyse structure and morphology?

Answer 8

Microscopy and diffraction.

Question 9

What is morphology?

Answer 9

What the surface of a material looks like.

Question 10

What method is used to work out what elements are present in a material?

Answer 10

Spectroscopy.

Question 11

What methods are used for analysing chemical properties of a material?

Answer 11

Spectroscopy and wet chemistry.

Question 12

What are the three mechanical methods of analysis?

Answer 12

Tension, compression and shear.

Question 13

What does Young’s Modulus tell us?

Answer 13

How stiff a material is.

Question 14

What is the equation for Young’s Modulus?

Answer 14

E=stress/strain.

Question 15

What is the relationship between stiffness and Young’s modulus?

Answer 15

Greater E, greater stiffness.

Question 16

What does tensile strength tell us?

Answer 16

How strong a material is.

Question 17

What is toughness?

Answer 17

Resistance to crack propagation.

Question 18

How do we determine toughness?

Answer 18

It is the amount of time it takes a crack to grow through (time to failure).

Question 19

What is the opposite to tough?

Answer 19

Brittle.

Question 20

How can we easily work out how tough a material is?

Answer 20

Area under a stress-strain graph.

Question 21

What is the equation for density?

Answer 21

Mass/volume.

Question 22

What is service temperature?

Answer 22

The temperature at which a material can be used.

Question 23

What is thermal conductivity?

Answer 23

How easily heat flows through a material.

Question 24

How has nitric acid affected buildings in Bath?

Answer 24

NOx from cars reacts with moisture causing the buildings to turn black/brown as the limestone reacts to form gypsum.

Question 25

Give seven main properties of metals.

Answer 25

1. Ductile. 2. Strong - high tensile strength. 3. High thermal conductivity. 4. High density. 5. High electrical conductivity. 6. Medium price. 7. Stiff - high Young's Modulus.

Question 26

What are ceramics?

Answer 26

Compounds of metallic and non-metallic elements.

Question 27

Give six main properties of ceramics.

Answer 27

1. Fairly low tensile strength. 2. Non-conducting. 3. High density. 4. Brittle. 5. High Young's Modulus. 6. Cheap - medium price.

Question 28

Give six main properties of polymers/plastics (elastomers).

Answer 28

1. Medium tensile strength. 2. Low thermal conductivity. 3. Medium density. 4. Medium price. 5. Optically translucent or transparent. 6. Medium Young's Modulus.

Question 29

What is an angstrom?

Answer 29

0.1nm

Question 30

Why do cracks usually form near or within welds?

Answer 30

When metal cools after welding, cools at different speed to when it was first formed.

Question 31

What are four main allotropes of carbon and what are they known for?

Answer 31

1. Diamond - very hard. 2. Graphite - very soft. 3. Graphene - very strong/ used for sensors. 4. Fullerene - used for hydrogen storage.

Question 32

Define sustainability.

Answer 32

Meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations.

Question 33

What is an example of sustainable research?

Answer 33

Research for taking dangerous/ toxic elements out of materials e.g. heavy toxic metals in cement.