Intro Engineering Design terms 2.3

material

the elements, constituents, or substances of which something is composed or can be made

metals

any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat

ceramic

relating to the manufacture of any product made essentially from a nonmetallic mineral by firing at a high temperature

polymers

any of numerous natural & synthetic compound of usually high molecular weight consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units, each a relatively light & simple molecule

composite material

a material made by combining two or more materials, often ones that have very different properties

biomaterial

a natural or synthetic material that is suitable for introduction into living tissue especially as part of a medical device

crystalline solid

an atomic structure characterized by a regular repeating three-dimensional array of atoms, ions, or molecules.

amorphous solid

an atomic structure characterized by a more or less random three-dimensional arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules.

physical properties

Properties other than mechanical properties that pertain to the physics of a material and can usually be measured without the application of force.

density

a measure of an object's mass per unit of volume commonly expressed in units of grams per milliliter and kilograms per liter.

corrode

Destroy or weaken gradually

cantilever

A long projecting beam or girder fixed at only one end, often used in bridge construction.

parameter

Any of a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something.

interference

Occurs when two or more components occupy the same space

mycelium

The mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms especially the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus and is often submerged in another body

non-Newtonian fluid

A fluid which changes its viscosity under a force to become either more liquid or more solid.

Mechanical Properties

the response of a material to an externally applied force.

Electrical Properties

the response of a material in the presence of an electric field

Thermal Properties

the response of a material to externally applied heat.

Optical Properties

define the response of a material to an externally applied light source.

Magnetic Properties

define the response of a material to an externally applied magnetic field.

Chemical Properties

quantify how reactive the material is to externally applied chemical agents. This includes how the material's other properties might degrade over time, such as whether a material will corrode in air or water.