Materials Science Exam Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions from the materials science syllabus for exam preparation.

What are the two types of electrochemical reactions?

Spontaneous reactions create electricity (voltaic/galvanic cells) and non-spontaneous reactions require electricity to transfer electrons (electrolytic).

What is oxidation in an electrochemical cell?

Oxidation occurs at the anode, involves loss of electrons, and the species being oxidized is the reducing agent.

What equation is used to estimate electrochemical cell potentials?

E^o cell = E cathode - E anode.

What does the Nernst equation relate to in electrochemistry?

It relates the cell potential to temperature, concentration, and reaction quotients.

Define thermal capacity.

Heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a material by 1°C or 1K.

What is the purpose of anodization?

To form a thick layer of oxide, usually on aluminum, to prevent corrosion and oxidation.

What is the maximum service temperature?

The highest temperature a material can withstand without degrading or losing its function.

What is the relationship between molecular weight and mechanical properties in polymers?

Increasing chain length increases secondary bonding between chains, which leads to increased strength.

What defines a point defect in materials science?

A point defect is a zero-dimensional defect such as vacancies or interstitials.

What happens to the Fermi level in n-type semiconductors?

The presence of donor states near the conduction band raises the Fermi level towards the top.

What is the role of van der Waals forces in materials?

Van der Waals forces are weak intermolecular forces that contribute to the physical properties of materials like flexibility and lower melting points.

How is the coordination number of an atom in a crystal structure determined?

By counting the number of nearest neighboring atoms surrounding the atom in the lattice.

How does x-ray diffraction characterize material structures?

It utilizes the scattering of x-rays by the crystal lattice to determine the arrangement of atoms.

What is Bragg's Law?

Bragg's Law relates the angles at which x-rays are diffracted by a crystal lattice to the spacing between the planes of atoms.