Metals

Conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct electricity, important for safety in jewelry.

Malleability

The ability of a metal to be hammered or rolled into sheets without breaking.

Ductility

The ability of a metal to be drawn into wire without breaking, while maintaining flexibility.

Oxidation

The process of a metal breaking down when exposed to air, fire, or chemicals.

Gold Leaf

Thin sheets of gold hammered into a very thin form, often used in art.

Silver Leaf

Thin sheets of silver hammered into a very thin form, used similarly to gold leaf.

Ancient Coins

Coins made from precious metals like gold, silver, and copper, dating back to 450 B.C.

Coin Edge

The band added to coins to prevent the removal of small amounts of metal, ensuring they maintain value.

Resistance to Oxidation

A measure of how well a metal withstands degradation when exposed to elements.

Electrical Conductors

Materials, like gold and silver, that allow electricity to pass through them, making them useful in electronic industries.

Thermal Conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct heat, crucial for cookware.

Alloy

A mixture of two or more metals, enhancing strength and corrosion resistance.

Corrosion

The gradual destruction of materials, often metals, due to chemical reactions.

Brittleness

The tendency of a material to fracture or break easily under stress.

Annealing

A heat treatment process to soften metal, relieving internal stresses.

Tempering

A heating process to improve the toughness of metal after hardening.

Metal fatigue

Weakening of metal due to repeated stress over time.

Electrolysis

A chemical process that uses electricity to separate elements, commonly used in metal refinement.

Fatigue limit

The maximum stress level a material can endure without failing over repeated cycles.

Forging

Shaping metal using localized compressive forces, often done at high temperatures.

Conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct electricity, important for safety in jewelry.

Malleability

The ability of a metal to be hammered or rolled into sheets without breaking.

Ductility

The ability of a metal to be drawn into wire without breaking, while maintaining flexibility.

Oxidation

The process of a metal breaking down when exposed to air, fire, or chemicals.

Gold Leaf

Thin sheets of gold hammered into a very thin form, often used in art.

Silver Leaf

Thin sheets of silver hammered into a very thin form, used similarly to gold leaf.

Ancient Coins

Coins made from precious metals like gold, silver, and copper, dating back to 450 B.C.

Coin Edge

The band added to coins to prevent the removal of small amounts of metal, ensuring they maintain value.

Resistance to Oxidation

A measure of how well a metal withstands degradation when exposed to elements.

Electrical Conductors

Materials, like gold and silver, that allow electricity to pass through them, making them useful in electronic industries.

Hardness

The measure of a material's resistance to deformation or scratching.

Resilience

The ability of a material to absorb energy and return to its original shape.

Tensile Strength

The resistance of a material to breaking under tension.

Yield Strength

The stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.

Creep

The tendency of a solid material to slowly move or deform under the influence of persistent mechanical stress.

Thermal Expansion

The tendency of matter to change in shape, area, and volume in response to a change in temperature.

Conductive Heat Transfer

The process of heat transfer through a material without the movement of the material itself.

Vicat Softening Point

The temperature at which a material begins to soften when subjected to heat and a specified weight.

Plasticity

The property of a material to undergo permanent deformation without breaking.

Composite Materials

Materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties.

Gold and Silver preferred metals because….

Malleable, ductile, and resist oxidation