iCEV Introduction to Metals
Electrical Conductivity
ability of a material to conduct an electrical current
Thermal Conductivity
ability of a material to conduct heat and the speed at which the heat will flow through a material
Strength
ability of a material to withstand an applied load without failure
Compression Strength
ability of a metal to resist crushing
Stainless Steel
alloy made of iron, carbon and at least 10.5 percent chromium
Toughness
amount of energy, or stress, which a material can absorb, allowing it to deform without breaking
Anion
atom with a negative charge
Cation
atom with a positive charge
Ion
atom with an overall negative or positive charge which are most commonly formed when an electron is gained or lost
Alloy
combination of one or more different metal atoms
Ferrous
containing iron; are magnetic
Corrosion
deterioration of metals caused by chemical reactions with its surroundings
Thermal Expansion
increase in the size of a material due to a change in temperature
Stress
load applied to a material
Magnetic
material, usually containing iron, which attracts or repels a magnet
Torsion
measurement of how much a material can be twisted before it breaks
Mass
measurement of how much matter is in an object and measured in kilograms
Shear Strength
measurement of how much stress a material can handle when the stress is applied perpendicular to a material
Tensile Strength
measurement of the maximum tension which can be applied to a material before it breaks
Non-Ferrous
not containing iron; not magnetic; does not corrode easily
Density
object's mass per unit volume; mass/volume; measured in kg/m3
Strain
physical effect of the stress applied to the material
Brittleness
property of a material, when subjected to stress, which causes the material to fail without significant force being applied
Element
pure substance consisting only of like atoms
Structural Shape
shapes metal is formed into for use in construction
Atom
smallest unit of an element
Electron
sub-atomic particle with a negative charge
Proton
sub-atomic particle with a positive charge
Neutron
sub-atomic particle with no electrical charge
Periodic Table of Elements
table of all known elements, organized by groups and periods
Boiling Point
temperature at which a material changes from liquid to gas
Melting Point
temperature at which a material changes from solid to liquid
Hardness
the ability of a material to resist penetration or indentions
Elasticity
the ability of a material to return to its original state after being bent or stretched
Malleability
the ability of a metal to be hammered into a shape
Ductility
the ability of a metal to bend, stretch or distort without breaking or cracking
Modulus of Elasticity
the ratio of stress to strain which measures the rigidity of a material
Luster
way metallic substances reflect light, gives the appearance of shininess to metals
