Fun Look at Material Science
Everyday examples of metal, ceramic, polymer and composite materials. Advances in material science have enabled modern wonders. This NASA materials engineer shows us a model of a crystal lattice.
Students are introduced to the multidisciplinary field of material science. Through a class demo and PowerPoint® presentation, they learn the basic classes of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites) and how they differ from one another, considering concepts such as stress, strain, ductile, brittle, deformation and fracture. Practical examples help students understand how the materials are applied, and further information about specific research illustrates how materials and material science are useful in space exploration. A worksheet and quiz are provided.
Creative engineering materials are continuously being developed, selected and used in all facets of industries, from consumer products to space exploration. Chemistry and physics are the backbone sciences in this field. Purposefully designed materials provide the means for modern products and tools to be built. Humanity has had a firm grasp of engineering materials and how to manipulate performance for centuries. However, until recently, we have not had the tools to fully understand the underlying mechanisms to such enhancements and provide optimized material solutions. Scientists and engineers develop and use basic principles to design new materials for different and ever-demanding applications. Materials design and behavior assessment is a function of mathematics, experimentation and a firm understanding of metallurgy and material science principles. Collaboratively, we are able to produce optimized materials that serve multiple functions within a given application and environment.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Describe basic structures of materials.
- Relate basic structures to four classes of materials.
- Identify modes of failure, mechanical behavior and relate to classes of materials.
- Explain materials development for engineering design requirements.
- Discuss various applications of materials and role in society.