ALLOYS
Metals and alloys are used in many ways. They help in farming,
cars, buildings, bridges, ships, machines, and even airplanes.
They are very important and are the main materials in almost all
engineering projects and products.
When metals are melted and mixed together in a molten state,
they cool down and solidify to form a solid mixture called an
alloy.
An alloy is a solid metal made by mixing two or more elements,
where at least one is a metal. Alloys can be formed by mixing
metals with other metals or with non-metals. Common metals in
alloys include copper, zinc, lead, tin, nickel, aluminium,
chromium, and tungsten. Common non-metals include carbon,
boron, phosphorus, and sulphur.
There are three types of alloys based on their parts:
, 1. Alloys made by mixing two or more metals, like brass (copper
and zinc) and bronze (copper and tin).
2. Alloys made by mixing a metal and a non-metal, like steel (iron
and carbon).
3. Alloys made by mixing mercury with another metal, called
amalgams, like zinc amalgam.
Purpose of Making Alloys
Pure metals have useful properties like being shiny, flexible, and
good conductors of electricity. However, they are often too soft
or reactive to be used in machines or buildings. To make them
stronger and more useful, we mix them with other metals or
non-metals to form alloys.
Why alloys are made :
1. To make metals harder
Alloys are usually harder than pure metals.
Examples:
o Adding 0.15–1.5% carbon to iron makes it harder and
turns it into steel.
o Adding 0.5% arsenic to lead makes it harder and useful for
making bullets.
o Adding a small amount of copper to gold makes it harder,
so it can be used to make ornaments.
2. To increase tensile strength
Metals and alloys are used in many ways. They help in farming,
cars, buildings, bridges, ships, machines, and even airplanes.
They are very important and are the main materials in almost all
engineering projects and products.
When metals are melted and mixed together in a molten state,
they cool down and solidify to form a solid mixture called an
alloy.
An alloy is a solid metal made by mixing two or more elements,
where at least one is a metal. Alloys can be formed by mixing
metals with other metals or with non-metals. Common metals in
alloys include copper, zinc, lead, tin, nickel, aluminium,
chromium, and tungsten. Common non-metals include carbon,
boron, phosphorus, and sulphur.
There are three types of alloys based on their parts:
, 1. Alloys made by mixing two or more metals, like brass (copper
and zinc) and bronze (copper and tin).
2. Alloys made by mixing a metal and a non-metal, like steel (iron
and carbon).
3. Alloys made by mixing mercury with another metal, called
amalgams, like zinc amalgam.
Purpose of Making Alloys
Pure metals have useful properties like being shiny, flexible, and
good conductors of electricity. However, they are often too soft
or reactive to be used in machines or buildings. To make them
stronger and more useful, we mix them with other metals or
non-metals to form alloys.
Why alloys are made :
1. To make metals harder
Alloys are usually harder than pure metals.
Examples:
o Adding 0.15–1.5% carbon to iron makes it harder and
turns it into steel.
o Adding 0.5% arsenic to lead makes it harder and useful for
making bullets.
o Adding a small amount of copper to gold makes it harder,
so it can be used to make ornaments.
2. To increase tensile strength
