Ceramics, composites and polymers

• What are the different properties of materials?

  Melting point, conductivity, strength, hardness, brittleness, stiffness
• What is the melting point of a material?

  The temperature at which a solid melts
• How is conductivity defined in materials?

  How well a material conducts electricity
• What does strength refer to in materials?

  The resistance to an applied force
• What is hardness in terms of material properties?

  Resistance to being scratched or indented
• What does brittleness mean for a material?

  It will snap easily under force
• What is stiffness in materials?

  Resistance to bending when force is applied
• What are ceramics primarily characterized by?

  Hard, brittle, heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant
• How are ceramics made?

  Shaping and firing a nonmetallic material
• What are the two main groups of ceramics?

  Clay ceramics and glass
• What are clay ceramics made from?

  Shaping wet clay and heating it
• What is the compressive strength of clay ceramics?

  High compressive strength for building
• What is soda-lime glass made from?

  Sand, sodium carbonate, and limestone
• What is borosilicate glass known for?

  Higher melting point than soda-lime glass
• What are the properties of glass?

  Transparent, strong, good thermal insulator
• What defines a composite material?

  Combination of two or more materials
• What are the two components of most composite materials?

  The reinforcement and the matrix
• What is the role of the reinforcement in composite materials?

  Provides strength and structure
• What is the matrix in composite materials?

  Binds the reinforcement together
• What typically happens to the matrix in composite materials?

  Starts soft and then hardens