Study 1 Materials Science and Engineering Fundamentals with 12 free online flashcards. Review key terms, definitions, and concepts with this interactive flashcard deck.
What does materials science and engineering study?
Materials science and engineering studies how composition and internal structure determine a material’s properties, and how to use that knowledge to design, make, and select materials for practical applications.
What is the materials design relationship?
Processing → Structure → Properties → Performance.
What does processing mean in materials engineering?
Processing means making or shaping a material, such as by casting a metal, firing a ceramic, or molding a polymer.
What does material structure describe?
Structure describes how a material is organized, from atomic bonding and crystal arrangements to grains, phases, pores, and larger-scale features.
What are material properties?
Properties are measurable material responses, such as stiffness, strength, electrical conductivity, density, or resistance to heat and corrosion.
What does performance mean in materials engineering?
Performance describes how well a material or finished component functions in its intended application and environment.
How does engineering design work backward from required performance?
Design starts with the required performance, identifies properties that could provide it, then selects a material and processing route to produce the needed structure and properties.
How can cold rolling change a metal’s structure?
Rolling plastically deforms the metal and changes its internal structure, including its dislocation content and grain shape.
Why can the same alloy behave differently after processing?
Different processing can produce different structures and properties, so the same alloy can behave differently after different processing routes.
What are the four common material families?
A common first classification groups materials as metals and alloys, ceramics, polymers, or composites.
What characteristics often make metals and alloys useful?
Metals and alloys contain metallic elements and are often useful where strength, toughness, formability, or electrical and thermal conductivity are needed.
What are common characteristics of ceramics?
Ceramics are inorganic materials, commonly compounds of metallic and nonmetallic elements. Many are hard and heat-resistant, and many are relatively brittle.