Alloys Research Task
1. In general, why have many different alloys been developed and used?
Many different alloys have been developed and used due to the various properties they have when alloyed which increase their amount of uses. Properties such as increased tensile strength, the variation in melting point, malleability and luster are all properties that come as a result from alloyed metals. For example, carbon and manganese form an alloy called carbon steel, which is very hard and can therefore be used to make things such as tools and axes. Without these metals being alloyed, they would be too brittle to use for structural materials.
2. A) Describe the uses of brass, steel and solder and 2 other alloys of your choice, and explain how these uses relate to their properties.
Brass:
The two major metals in brass are copper and zinc. The proportion of the copper to zinc affects the colour of the alloy, ranging from a rose coloured alloy to a yellow alloy. The higher the proportion of zinc, the greater the hardness and tensile strength of the alloy. Brass can be highly polished and is lustrous which makes it useful for ornamental materials and musical instruments, it can be quite soft and malleable which makes it good for creating jewellery and alloyed in the right proportion, it can also be very hard which makes it good for creating bolts and nuts as well as machine parts.
Steel:
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. The proportion of carbon to iron varies the hardness of the alloy, the ductility and the tensile strength. Steel can be made stronger than pure iron however is also less ductile. If steel is soft, malleable and ductile it is used for sheet steel, nails and wires. If it is hard and moderately ductile, it is used for railway tracks and axles. If it is very hard with a very low malleability and is brittle, it is often used for axe heads, tools and high-strength wires. Solder:
The major metals used in solder are lead and tin. The proportion of the lead to tin affects
Many different alloys have been developed and used due to the various properties they have when alloyed which increase their amount of uses. Properties such as increased tensile strength, the variation in melting point, malleability and luster are all properties that come as a result from alloyed metals. For example, carbon and manganese form an alloy called carbon steel, which is very hard and can therefore be used to make things such as tools and axes. Without these metals being alloyed, they would be too brittle to use for structural materials.
2. A) Describe the uses of brass, steel and solder and 2 other alloys of your choice, and explain how these uses relate to their properties.
Brass:
The two major metals in brass are copper and zinc. The proportion of the copper to zinc affects the colour of the alloy, ranging from a rose coloured alloy to a yellow alloy. The higher the proportion of zinc, the greater the hardness and tensile strength of the alloy. Brass can be highly polished and is lustrous which makes it useful for ornamental materials and musical instruments, it can be quite soft and malleable which makes it good for creating jewellery and alloyed in the right proportion, it can also be very hard which makes it good for creating bolts and nuts as well as machine parts.
Steel:
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. The proportion of carbon to iron varies the hardness of the alloy, the ductility and the tensile strength. Steel can be made stronger than pure iron however is also less ductile. If steel is soft, malleable and ductile it is used for sheet steel, nails and wires. If it is hard and moderately ductile, it is used for railway tracks and axles. If it is very hard with a very low malleability and is brittle, it is often used for axe heads, tools and high-strength wires. Solder:
The major metals used in solder are lead and tin. The proportion of the lead to tin affects