In GCSE Science one topic studied is building materials. This is the fifth of seven quizzes on that subject and it looks in particular at alloys of metals, their properties and how they are used.
Metals are one of the materials we see all around us in everyday life, but did you realise that they are nearly all in the form of alloys? An alloy is a substance composed of two or more metals, or of a metal or metals with a nonmetal. Alloys are used to alter the properties of a metal, for example, magnesium. This is a light, soft and highly reactive metal. When alloyed with aluminium it is light, strong and corrosion resistant and can be used in the making of aircraft and cars.
Alloys are not a new discovery. Humans have been using metals since the end of the stone age - first during the bronze age and then during the iron age. During the bronze age, only the low reactivity metals like gold, silver, copper and tin were available. These were too soft for many uses but we discovered that certain combinations of these metals mixed together made materials hard enough for everyday use.
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Alloying can also make dense metals lighter and expensive metals cheaper. Remember the story of Archimedes? This illustrates both ideas. According to legend, the king had given a lump of gold to a goldsmith to make a crown. When he received the crown, he suspected that the goldsmith had alloyed the gold with silver, which was cheaper and less dense. Archimedes was given the task of finding out if the gold had been alloyed. He couldn't damage the crown and needed a way of measuring the volume of the crown to check it's density. Apparently, when he noticed that the water in his bath rose when he got in, he realised that he could use the idea to get the volume of the crown and then work out the density.
Eventually, ancient humans discovered how to smelt more reactive metals like iron. Straight out of the smelter, iron is very brittle because of the impurities. But when it is purified and alloyed with carbon, it becomes more malleable and ductile. Weapons and tools made from iron superseded those made from bronze as they had better properties - the iron age had begun.
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1.
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What is an alloy? |
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| [ ] |
A mixture of metals |
| [ ] |
A mixture of non-metals |
| [ ] |
A mixture of a metal with either non-metals or other metals |
| [ ] |
A pure metal that has been shaped in a certain way |
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2.
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Which of the following is not a reason for making an alloy? |
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| [ ] |
To make a material that is transparent to light waves |
| [ ] |
To make a corrosion resistant material |
| [ ] |
To make a harder material |
| [ ] |
To make a more malleable material |
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3.
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Aluminium is a light metal but why is it not used to make aircraft? |
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| [ ] |
It is too brittle |
| [ ] |
It corrodes too easily |
| [ ] |
It is too weak |
| [ ] |
It conducts electricity |
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4.
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Why are alloys stronger than the materials from which they are made? |
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| [ ] |
They contain different sized atoms that 'lock' the structure |
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This is only true if you use a strong metal with a weak one |
| [ ] |
They form a chemical compound |
| [ ] |
The heat needed to make them gives alloys their greater strength |
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5.
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Why are 'silver' coins made from an alloy or nickel plated steel and not from silver? |
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Silver is too valuable |
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People would keep silver coins instead of spending them |
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It is too difficult to get silver into the right size and shape |
| [ ] |
Silver is too soft |
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6.
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Brass is an alloy of 70 per cent copper and 30 per cent zinc. Which of the following is not a use of brass? |
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| [ ] |
In electrical fittings |
| [ ] |
In boat fittings |
| [ ] |
In aircraft frames |
| [ ] |
In musical instruments |
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7.
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Why does iron directly from a blast furnace have limited usefulness? |
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| [ ] |
It is too hot |
| [ ] |
It is in the form of a big ingot |
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It contains about 4% impurities, including carbon |
| [ ] |
It is too soft |
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8.
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How is the percentage of carbon in pig iron reduced to form steels? |
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| [ ] |
By burning it off using oxygen |
| [ ] |
By filtering it out |
| [ ] |
By dissolving it in sulfuric acid |
| [ ] |
By scraping it off the surface of the metal |
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9.
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Which of the following is a use of mild steel? |
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| [ ] |
Boat fittings |
| [ ] |
Aircraft body panels |
| [ ] |
Cables for large cranes |
| [ ] |
All of the above |
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10.
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Which of the following is a use of high carbon steel? |
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| [ ] |
Cutting tools |
| [ ] |
Car body panels |
| [ ] |
Furniture |
| [ ] |
None of the above |
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1.
|
What is an alloy? |
|
| [ ] |
A mixture of metals |
| [ ] |
A mixture of non-metals |
| [x] |
A mixture of a metal with either non-metals or other metals |
| [ ] |
A pure metal that has been shaped in a certain way |
|
|
|
2.
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Which of the following is not a reason for making an alloy? |
|
| [x] |
To make a material that is transparent to light waves |
| [ ] |
To make a corrosion resistant material |
| [ ] |
To make a harder material |
| [ ] |
To make a more malleable material |
|
|
|
3.
|
Aluminium is a light metal but why is it not used to make aircraft? |
|
| [ ] |
It is too brittle |
| [ ] |
It corrodes too easily |
| [x] |
It is too weak |
| [ ] |
It conducts electricity |
|
|
|
4.
|
Why are alloys stronger than the materials from which they are made? |
|
| [x] |
They contain different sized atoms that 'lock' the structure |
| [ ] |
This is only true if you use a strong metal with a weak one |
| [ ] |
They form a chemical compound |
| [ ] |
The heat needed to make them gives alloys their greater strength |
|
|
|
5.
|
Why are 'silver' coins made from an alloy or nickel plated steel and not from silver? |
|
| [ ] |
Silver is too valuable |
| [ ] |
People would keep silver coins instead of spending them |
| [ ] |
It is too difficult to get silver into the right size and shape |
| [x] |
Silver is too soft |
|
|
|
6.
|
Brass is an alloy of 70 per cent copper and 30 per cent zinc. Which of the following is not a use of brass? |
|
| [ ] |
In electrical fittings |
| [ ] |
In boat fittings |
| [x] |
In aircraft frames |
| [ ] |
In musical instruments |
|
|
|
7.
|
Why does iron directly from a blast furnace have limited usefulness? |
|
| [ ] |
It is too hot |
| [ ] |
It is in the form of a big ingot |
| [x] |
It contains about 4% impurities, including carbon |
| [ ] |
It is too soft |
|
|
|
8.
|
How is the percentage of carbon in pig iron reduced to form steels? |
|
| [x] |
By burning it off using oxygen |
| [ ] |
By filtering it out |
| [ ] |
By dissolving it in sulfuric acid |
| [ ] |
By scraping it off the surface of the metal |
|
|
|
9.
|
Which of the following is a use of mild steel? |
|
| [ ] |
Boat fittings |
| [ ] |
Aircraft body panels |
| [x] |
Cables for large cranes |
| [ ] |
All of the above |
|
|
|
10.
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Which of the following is a use of high carbon steel? |
|
| [x] |
Cutting tools |
| [ ] |
Car body panels |
| [ ] |
Furniture |
| [ ] |
None of the above |
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