engineering

• What is a material?


  A substance or mixture of substances used to make objects or structures.
• What are the three main categories of materials?


  1. **Metals**
  2. **Polymers**
  3. **Ceramics**
• What are metals known for?


  High **strength**, **conductivity** (thermal and electrical), and **malleability**.
• What are **polymers**?


  Materials made of long chains of repeating units (monomers), known for being **lightweight** and **flexible**.
• What are **ceramics**?


  Inorganic, non-metallic materials known for their **hardness**, **brittleness**, and heat resistance.
• What is a composite material?


  A material made by combining two or more different materials to achieve **enhanced properties**.
• What is **ductility**?


  The ability of a material to **deform plastically** under tensile stress without breaking.
• What is thermal conductivity?


  A material's ability to **conduct heat**.
• What is **corrosion**?


  The gradual **destruction** of a material (usually metals) by chemical or electrochemical reactions with the environment.