Topic 10 - Using Resources

• What is a ceramic? Ceramics are non-metallic solids with high melting points and arent made from carbon based compounds
• Give three properties of ceramics high melting pointsvery good electrical and thermal insulatorsusually brittle and stiff
• Give two examples of ceramics clay ceramicsglass
• Give two uses of clay pottery bricks
• clay is mouldable when wet and can then be hardened by firing it at high temperatures to make a clay ceramic
• What type of glass is most glass? Soda-lime glass
• Explain how soda lime glass is made A mixture of limestone sand and sodium carbonate is heated until it melts. When this mixture cools it becomes glass
• Give three properties of glass It is generally transparentcan be molded when hotcan be brittle and thin
• Give two types of glass soda lime glassborosilicate glass
• How is borosilicate glass made? By heating a mixture of sand and boron trioxide and then cooling it
• Borosilicate glass has a higher melting point than soda lime glass
• What is a composite? A composite is a material made using fragments or fibres of one or more materials (reinforcement material) embedded in another (matrix material)
• Give two examples of composites carbon fibrefibreglass
• What is the matrix in carbon fibre? Polymer (plastic)
• What is the matrix in fibreglass? polymer (plastic)
• What is the reinforcement in carbon fibre? Carbon fibres or carbon nanotubes
• What is the reinforcements in fibreglass? fibres of glass
• What are the uses of carbonfibre and why? It is very light so is used in areospace
• What is fibreglass used for and why? It is strong but has a low density so is used to make things like boats and surfboards
• What is a polymer? A polymer is a very large molecule formed when smaller molecules call monomers join together. They are held together by strong covalent bonds
• Give three properties of polymers insulators of heat and electricityeasily moldedflexible
• Give two factors affecting the properties of a polymer the monomers it was made fromthe conditions it was made in
• What is a thermosoftening polymer? A polymer made of induvidual tangled chains of polymers
• What are the properties of thermosoftening polymers? why? They are flexible and can be melted and remoulded due to weak forces between the chains
• What is a thermosetting polymer? There are cross links between the polymer chains
• Whata re the properties of thermosetting polymers? They do not melt when heated They are strong hard and rigid
• What is an alloy? An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals or a mixture of a metal and a non-metal
• most metals used today are actually alloys
• Why are alloys made? Pure metals are too soft for many uses so scientists create alloys that are stronger and have more desired properties
• Why are alloys harder than pure elements? because they are made from different elements which have atoms of different sizes making it more difficult for them to slide over each other
• Give three alloys of iron Low-carbon steelHigh-carbon steelStainless steel
• What are the properties of low-carbon steel? It is easily shaped
• What are the properties of high-carbon steel Very strongnot flexiblebrittle
• What are the properties of stainless steel? corrosion resistanthard
• What are the sues of low-carbon steel? car bodies
• What are the uses of high-carbon steel? blades for cutting toolsbridges
• What are the sues of stainless steel? CutleyContainers for corrosive substances
• Give 4 common metal alloys bronzebrassgold alloysaluminium alloys
• What is bronze made from? copper and tin
• Give two uses of copper statuesmedals