Materials Science Quiz

Introduction to Materials Science: Metals, Ceramics, Polymers, and Composites

• Metals are stiff, strong, dense, ductile, and electrically and thermally conductive.
• Ceramics are stiff, strong, conventionally brittle, and made of metallic and nonmetallic elements like alumina and silica.
• Polymers are organic materials with large molecular chains and lower densities compared to metals and ceramics.
• Composites are a combination of two or more individual materials like metals, ceramics, or polymers, displaying properties not shown by any of the components.
• Natural composites like wood and bone, and synthetic composites like fiberglass, are examples of composites used in various applications.
• Materials used in everyday items can be made of metals, ceramics, or polymers, or a combination of all three.
• Atomic structure includes the nucleus (protons and neutrons) and moving electrons with quantized energy levels.
• Atomic number (Z) represents the number of protons in an atom, while atomic mass (A) is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
• Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different atomic masses, and atomic weight is the weighted average of the atomic masses of the atom's naturally occurring isotopes.
• Mass per mole of material (1 mole = 6.022 x 10^23 atoms or molecules) is measured in atomic mass units (amu) or grams per mole.
• The Bohr model of atomic structure describes electrons circling around the nucleus in discrete orbitals with quantized energy levels.
• The wave-mechanical model of atomic structure describes electrons exhibiting both wave-like and particle-like characteristics, with quantum numbers indicating shells and subshells.