Material Science Exam Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for the Material Science Spring 2025 Semester 2 Exam Review

Stress

Force per unit area (force/area), represented on the y-axis of a stress-strain curve with the symbol sigma (σ).

Strain

The amount of deformation that occurs, calculated as the change in length divided by the original length; represented on the x-axis of a stress-strain curve with the symbol epsilon (ε).

Elastic Region

The section of a stress-strain curve where the material will return to its original form after the stress is removed; characterized by a linear relationship.

Plastic Region

The section of a stress-strain curve where the material undergoes permanent deformation.

Ultimate Strength

The maximum amount of stress a material can withstand before it begins to fail.

Necking

The point in the stress-strain curve where the material begins to decrease in cross-sectional area (thins out).

Fracture

The point where the material breaks completely.

Strength

A material's ability to withstand a large amount of stress.

Toughness

A material's ability to resist fracture; a tough material can withstand a lot of strain.

Hardness

A material's resistance to localized plastic deformation, typically by indentation (response to compressive force).

Ductile

Can absorb energy.

Brittle

Breaks with very little deformation.

Polymer

A large molecule composed of repeating structural units (monomers) connected by covalent chemical bonds.

Cross-linkers

Atoms or groups of atoms that bind polymer chains together.

Amorphous

Lacking a definite structure; non-crystalline (referring to the structure of glass).

Carbon Fiber

A material known for high strength, low density, and high chemical resistance, made with complex processing steps.