PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS: Review Questions

1) Define the property density of a material. Answer. Density is the weight per unit volume.
2) What is the difference in melting characteristics between a pure metal element and an alloy
metal? Answer. A pure metal element melts at one temperature (the melting point), while an
alloy begins melting at a certain temperature called the solidus and finally completes the
transformation to the molten state at a higher temperature called the liquidus. Between the
solidus and liquidus, the metal is a mixture of solid and liquid.
3) Describe the melting characteristics of a noncrystalline material such as glass. Answer. In the
heating of a noncrystalline material such as glass, the material begins to soften as temperature
increases, finally converting to a liquid at a temperature defined for these materials as the
melting point.
4) Define the specific heat property of a material. Answer. Specific heat is defined as the quantity
of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the material by one degree.
5) What is the thermal conductivity of a material? Answer. Thermal conductivity is the capacity of a
material to transfer heat energy through itself by thermal movement only (no mass transfer).
6) Define thermal diffusivity. Answer. Thermal diffusivity is the thermal conductivity divided by the
volumetric specific heat.
7) What are the important variables that affect mass diffusion? Answer. According to Fick's first
law, mass diffusion depends on: diffusion coefficient which rises rapidly with temperature (so
temperature could be listed as an important variable), concentration gradient, contact area, and
time.
8) Define the resistivity of a material. Answer. Resistivity is the material's capacity to resist the flow
of an electric current.
9) Why are metals better conductors of electricity than ceramics and polymers? Answer. Metals
are better conductors because of metallic bonding, which permits electrons to move easily
within the metal. Ceramics and polymers have covalent and ionic bonding, in which the
electrons are tightly bound to particular molecules.
10) What is the dielectric strength of a material? Answer. The dielectric strength is defined as the
electrical potential required to break down the insulator per unit thickness.
11) What is an electrolyte? Answer. An electrolyte is an ionized solution capable of conducting
electric current by movement of the ions.
Calculations