9.3 Alloys and their Properties
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12. Define an alloy.
An alloy is a mixture of a chemical metal with other deliberate elements (which can be alternative metals or non-metals).
13. What elements are mixed to form the alloy brass?
Brass is an alloy synthesized from copper and zinc.
14. What elements are typically found in the mixture known as stainless steel?
Stainless steel is predominantly composed of iron mixed with chromium, nickel, and carbon.
15. How do the hardness and strength of alloys compare to those of pure metals?
Alloys are significantly harder and stronger than their base pure metals, making them highly versatile for industrial use.
16. Describe a use of stainless steel and the properties that make it suitable for that use.
It is widely used in kitchen cutlery and medical tools due to its structural hardness and distinct resistance to rusting.
17. How can alloys be identified in a scientific context?
They can be visually recognized in schematic diagrams showing different-sized spheres disrupting the uniform regular rows of a host metallic lattice.
18. Explain in terms of structure why alloys are harder and stronger than pure metals.
Pure metals contain uniform atoms arranged in orderly layers that easily slide over one another when force is applied. In an alloy, the introduction of different-sized atoms breaks this regular alignment, distorting the rows and preventing the layers from sliding easily.