Alloy Advantage
Samples of five alloys.Copyright 2015 Janelle Orange, RET Program, College of Engineering, Michigan State University
Students define and classify alloys as mixtures, while comparing and contrasting the properties of alloys to those of pure substances. Students learn that engineers investigate the structures and properties of alloys for biomedical and transportation applications. Students use the associated activity to practice their understanding by researching and communicating their findings of various alloys to be used in NASA aerospace applications. Pre- and post-assessment handouts are provided.
Materials science and materials engineering go hand-in-hand when it comes to studying and designing materials for various applications. While a materials scientist investigates the correlations between the structure and properties of a given substance, a materials engineer uses this information to identify the most efficient way to enhance the properties of a material through the redesign of its structure. In this lesson, students experience the relationship between materials science and engineering through the investigation of alloys.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define and classify alloys as mixtures.
- Compare and contrast the physical and chemical properties of alloys and elements.
- Determine the advantages of using alloys compared to pure substances