Untitled Flashcards Set

Heat Capacity

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a material by a specific amount, influenced by energy stored in atomic vibrations or motion.

Thermal Expansion

The increase in size or volume of a material as temperature rises, caused by atomic vibrations pushing atoms farther apart.

Thermal Conductivity

The ability of a material to transfer heat through its structure; high conductivity allows easy heat transfer while low conductivity acts as an insulator.

Thermal Shock

Stress and potential cracking in a material due to rapid temperature changes, resistance depends on material’s ability to handle rapid atomic vibrations.

Insulation

The capability of a material to resist the flow of heat or electricity, with effective insulation relying on a lack of free-moving particles.

Electrical Conductivity

The ability to conduct electric current, typically low in ceramics due to fixed ions and tightly bound electrons, though some can conduct when doped.

Ionic Conductivity

The conduction of electricity through the movement of ions in certain ceramics.

Piezoelectricity

The ability to generate electric charge under mechanical stress, requiring a non-centrosymmetric structure for electric polarization.

Dielectric Properties

The ability to store electrical energy in an electric field, characterized by dielectric constant and loss.

Dielectric Breakdown

The failure point of a material when it becomes conductive under high electric fields, leading to potential breakdown.