Selection, processing, and engineering performance of materials. Chemical identity belongs in Chemistry; natural mineral identification belongs in Geology.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
What is the concrete layer surrounding reinforcing steel called?
Cover shields steel from moisture, chlorides, and heat, helping delay corrosion and fire damage.
Joseph Monier's first reinforced-concrete patent covered which objects?
Monier patented his iron-mesh concrete pots in 1867 after wooden planters kept rotting.
What name do builders use for the steel reinforcing bars inside concrete?
Builders tie rebar into cages before pouring concrete so the steel stays in the positions needed to carry loads.
Which part of common road salt attacks the protective layer around steel in concrete?
Rust takes up more space than steel, so corroding bars push outward and flake the concrete cover.
What helps a nonstick coating stay attached to a metal pan?
Tiny pits in the metal give the coating places to grip, even though food has trouble sticking to the finished surface.
What is the silicone surface of a baking mat designed to reduce?
The washable surface can serve for many batches, reducing the need for a fresh sheet of baking paper each time.
For stainless-steel pans to work, which cooktop requires a magnetic base?
An induction cooktop uses a changing magnetic field to create electric currents that heat the pan itself.
What lies between the glass sheets in a typical laminated windshield?
Heat and pressure bond the plastic to the glass, making the separate sheets act as one panel.
Stainless steel is mostly made of which metal?
Small amounts of carbon make steel harder than pure iron, which would be too soft for many tools.
Why do builders add steel bars to concrete beams?
A loaded beam bends, stretching one side and squeezing the other; steel helps carry the stretched side.