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What is the definition of chromium?

A shiny, hard, steel-gray metal used in ferrous alloys to add hardness and wear resistance to steel. Stainless steels contain large percentages of chromium.

Learn more about chromium in the class "Intro to Materials 100" below.

Intro to Materials 100

Materials Department

Class Information

Tooling U classes are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
The typical class consists of 12 to 25 lessons and typically requires at least two hours of instruction time.

Class Name	Intro to Materials 100
Description	This class identifies the materials used in manufacturing.
Prerequisites	none
Difficulty	Beginner
Number of Lessons	19

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Class Outline

Class Objectives

Objectives

Materials Today

What Are Properties?

Types of Materials

Properties of Metals

Alloy Metals

Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals

Uses of Ferrous Metals

Classification of Steel

Stainless Steels and Tool Steels

Properties of Plastics

Uses of Plastics

Properties of Ceramics

Uses of Ceramics

Properties of Composites

Uses of Composites

The Marketplace for Materials

Materials in the Future

Summary

Identify how materials are used in modern manufacturing.

Explain the importance of material properties.

List the four major types of materials.

Identify the properties of metals that make them useful.

Explain why alloys are used.

Distinguish between ferrous and nonferrous alloys.

Identify some common uses for steels.

Identify the primary variables that influence steel classification.

Describe the advantages of stainless steel.

Identify the advantages of tool steels.

Identify some advantages of plastics.

Identify common uses for plastics.

Identify some advantages of ceramics.

Identify common uses of ceramics.

Identify some advantages of composites.

Identify common uses for composites.

Identify factors that influence material costs in manufacturing.

Describe the relative importance of the four different types of materials.

Class Vocabulary

Term	Definition
abrasive	A material or tool consisting of hard particles used to wear down, rub away, or machine material. Common abrasives are ceramic materials.
advanced composite	A composite consisting of relatively expensive materials that is designed for special applications.
alloy	A metal consisting of two or more materials. One of these materials must be a metal.
alloy steel	Steel that contains added materials that change the property of the metal. Common alloy elements include chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and nickel.
brittle	A material's unwillingness to be drawn, stretched, or formed. Brittle metals tend to break if subjected to these forces.
ceramic	A hard, brittle material that can withstand high temperatures and resist corrosion.
chromium	A shiny, hard, steel-gray metal used in ferrous alloys to add hardness and wear resistance to steel. Stainless steels contain large percentages of chromium.
composite	A material that is a combination of other materials from two or more of the following groups: metals, plastics, and ceramics.
corrosion	The deterioration of a metal or ceramic.
density	The relative "compactness" of a material. Density is the mass of a material per unit volume.
elastomer	A group of plastics that can stretch and then return to the original shape without permanent deformation.
engineered	To intentionally apply science and technology in order to design, create, or improve a product.
ferrous metal	A metal that contains iron. The most common ferrous metal is steel.
fibrous composite	A composite that consists of thin slivers of one material embedded in another material.
hardness	The ability of a material to resist penetration, indentation, or scratching.
internal structure	The arrangement of particles, or atoms, within a material.
laminar composite	A composite that consists of one layer of material binded on top of another material.
manufacturing	The process of producing and shaping a product on a large scale, often through the use of large machinery.
mechanical properties	The collection of properties that describe a material's ability to compress, stretch, bend, scratch, dent, or break.
melting point	The temperature necessary to change a solid to a liquid.
metal	A hard, strong material that conducts electricity and heat, is shiny when polished, and can be bent and formed into shapes.
nonferrous metal	A metal that does not intentionally contain iron.
particulate composite	A composite that consists of tiny particles of one material embedded in another material.
physical properties	The collection of properties that describe how a material reacts to forces other than mechanical forces. Melting, freezing, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity are all physical properities.
plastic	A lightweight material that typically resists corrosion and is easily shaped.
polymer	The technical term for plastics.
properties	A characteristic of a material that distinguishes it from other materials.
pure metal	A metal that does not intentionally contain any other material.
stainless steel	An alloy steel that is designed to resist corrosion.
steel	A metal consisting of iron and carbon, usuallly with small amounts of manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon as well.
structural composite	A composite consisting of common materials that are relatively inexpensive.
thermoplastic	A group of plastics that can be softened by heat, hardened by cooling, and then softened by heat over and over again.
thermosetting plastic	A group of plastics that is permanently hardened by cooling.
tool steel	A type of steel designed with high wear resistance, toughness, and strength.

What is the definition of chromium?

A shiny, hard, steel-gray metal used in ferrous alloys to add hardness and wear resistance to steel. Stainless steels contain large percentages of chromium.Learn more about chromium in the class "Intro to Materials 100" below.

Intro to Materials 100

Materials Department

A shiny, hard, steel-gray metal used in ferrous alloys to add hardness and wear resistance to steel. Stainless steels contain large percentages of chromium.

Learn more about chromium in the class "Intro to Materials 100" below.