Fundamentals of Materials Science

These vocabulary flashcards summarize key concepts from the lecture on materials science, focusing on properties, definitions, and relationships pertinent to dental materials.

Density

The amount or mass of material in a given volume.

Thermal Conductivity

A measure of how easily one atom or molecule of a material accepts or gives away heat.

Viscosity

The ability of a material to flow; high viscosity indicates high resistance to flow.

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

The fractional change in volume or length of a material when its temperature is raised by 1°C.

Electrical Conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct electricity; related to the flow of electric charge.

Cohesion

The force of attraction between molecules or atoms within a given material.

Adhesion

The force of attraction between different types of molecules, such as adhesive to adherent.

Microleakage

The interface leakages in dental restorations, often leading to secondary caries.

Tensile Strength

The maximum amount of tensile (pulling) stress a material can withstand without failure.

Fatigue

The weakening of a material caused by repeated loading and unloading cycles.

Toughness

The ability of a material to absorb energy without fracturing.

Resilience

The ability of a material to absorb energy and not deform permanently when under stress.

Thermal Diffusivity

The rate at which heat moves through a material, affecting how quickly it warms or cools.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a liquid turns into vapor, directly related to the kinetic energy of the molecules.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid as thermal energy overcomes atomic bonds.

Wear Resistance

The ability of a material to resist wear from opposing surfaces, food, or other dental materials.

Abrasion

The wearing away of material due to friction, often seen during polishing in dentistry.

Biologic properties

Effects a material has on living tissue, relevant for biomaterials used in healthcare.

Mechanical properties

Characteristics of a material that describe its behavior under applied forces.

Chemical properties

Reactions and degradation of materials under chemical exposure.