ArulmiguMeenakshi Amman College of Engineering

Vadamavandal-604410.
Impotant questions and answers
ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND METALLURGY
Prepared by
V.Umapathy,
Prof. /Mech.
S.No. Questions and answers
Unit-I
CONSTITUTION OF ALLOYS AND PHASE DIAGRAMS
2 – marks question and answers
1. What is the definition of an alloy?
The meaning of the term 'alloy' is a substance formed from the combination of two or more metals. Alloys can
also be formed from combinations of metals and other elements. The properties exhibited by alloys are often
quite different from the properties of their individual components.
2. What is solid solution?
A solid solution refers to a state in which two or more elements are entirely soluble in one another.
3. Differentiate substitional and interstitial solid solution with examples?
A solid solution is a mixture of solvent atoms and solute atoms. In a substitutional solid solution, the solute
atoms replace some of the solvent atoms in the crystal structure. In an interstitial solid solution, the solute
atoms fill some of the holes between solvent atoms in the crystal structure.
4. What is phase diagram?
A phase diagram in physical chemistry, engineering, mineralogy, and materials science is a type of chart used
to show conditions (pressure, temperature, etc.) at which thermodynamically distinct phases (such as solid,
liquid or gaseous states) occur and coexist at equilibrium.
5. Define eutectic reaction.
A eutectic reaction is a three-phase reaction, by which, on cooling, a liquid transforms into two solid phases at
 the same time. It is a phase reaction, but a special one. For example: liquid alloy becomes a solid mixture of
alpha and beta at a specific temperature (rather than over a temperature range).
6. Define eutectoid reaction.
A eutectoid reaction is a three-phase reaction by which, on cooling, a solid transforms into two other solid
phases at the same time. If the bottom of a single-phase solid field closes (and provided the adjacent two-phase
fields are solid also), it does so with a eutectoid point.
7. State and explain lever rule.
Lever rule: An expression of conservation of matter in which the relative phase amounts are determined from
the overall alloy composition and the coexisting phase compositions, assumed to be in global equilibrium at
each temperature.
8. What are the possible microstructures of iron and steel?
The microstructural constituents are known as ferrite, pearlite, cementite, bainitemartensite, and austenite.
9. What is the basic classification of steel?
It covers a wide range of steel types, including: carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, and tool steel, among
others. This system uses a letter prefix and a sequentially assigned number to classify steels based on their
material type and specific properties.
13 and 15 marks question and answers
10. Draw iron-iron carbide equilibrium diagram and mention the important composition andtemperature.
11. Explain properties and application of cast iron.
12. What are the different types of carbon steels? Give oneapplication for each.
 Unit-II
HEAT TREATMENT
2- Marks question and answers
13. What is annealing in heat treatment?
Annealing is a heat treatment process which alters the microstructure of a material to change its mechanical or
electrical properties. Typically, in steels, annealing is used to reduce hardness, increase ductility and help
eliminate internal stresses.
14. What is normalising in heat treatment?
Normalizing involves heating a material to an elevated temperature and then allowing it to cool back to room
 temperature by exposing it to room temperature air after it is heated. This heating and slow cooling alters the
microstructure of the metal which in turn reduces its hardness and increases its ductility.
15. What is tempering in heat treatment?
Tempering is a type of heat treatment used to increase the toughness of certain metals, most commonly iron-
based alloys like steel. The metal being treated, using this process, is heated under its critical point temperature
and then air-cooled
16. What is time-temperature transformation (TTT) diagram?
T (Time) T(Temperature) T(Transformation) diagram is a plot of temperature versus the logarithm of time for
a steel alloy of definite composition. It is used to determine when transformations begin and end for an
isothermal (constant temperature) heat treatment of a previously austenitized alloy.

17. What is a continuous cooling transformation diagram?
 CCT diagrams are determined by measuring some physical properties during continuous cooling. Normally
these are specific volume and magnetic permeability. However, the majority of the work has been done
through specific volume change by dilatometric method.
18. Define hardenability.
Hardenability refers to the ease with which hardness may be attained. It is a measure of ease offorming
martensite. The Jominy end-quench test method is widely ised to determine thehardenability.
19. What do you mean by the term case-hardening?
Case hardening is a material processing method that is used to increase the hardness of the outer surface of a
metal. Case hardening results in a very thin layer of metal that is notably harder than the larger volume of
metal underneath of the hardened layer.
20. In what ways cyaniding differs from carburizing?
The salt bath composition for cyaniding gives a case high innitrogen, whereas carburizing givesa case rich
incarbon.
13 and 15 marks question and answers
21. Explain Jominy test with the help of the neatsketches.
22. What is annealing? Discuss in detail on differenttypes of annealing and compare withnormalizing.
23. Explain TTT(CCT) diagram with neat sketch and indicate all the phases with microstructure.
 Unit-III
FERROUS AND NON-FERROUS METALS
2- Marks question and answers
24. What are ferrous alloys?
 Ferrous alloys (ferro alloys) or metals are metals that consist mostly of iron (Fe). Steel is an iron-based alloy
containing typically less than 1% carbon, where iron frequently contains 2% or more carbon.
25. What are the different plain carbon steels?
Carbon steel is classified into three subgroups based on the amount of carbon in the metal: Low carbon
steels/mild steels (up to 0.3% carbon) Medium carbon steels (0.3–0.6% carbon) High carbon steels (more than
0.6% carbon).
26. What are the effects of adding alloying elements on the mechanical properties of ferrousalloys?
Adding alloying elements in a precisely controlled way to steel generally increases the strength and hardness,
resulting in lower machinability that reduces the cutting speeds and feed rates and acceptable tool life.
Alloying elements alter mechanical properties such as strain-hardening ability.
27. What are stainless steels?
Stainless steel is a corrosion-resistant alloy of iron, chromium and, in some cases, nickel and other metals.
Completely and infinitely recyclable, stainless steel is the “green material” par excellence.
28. What are tool steels?
Tool steels are high-carbon alloys used to make tools and dies for cutting, forming or otherwiseshaping a
material into a component or part for a specific application.
29. What are HSLA steels?
High Strength Low Alloy steels also known as micro-alloyed steels are low carbon steelscontaining small
amounts of alloying elements. Its primary purpose is reduced weight withincreased strength.
30. What are maraging steels?
Maraging steels are low carbon, highly alloyed steels. They are used in applications where veryhigh
tensilestrength is desired.
31. What are the effects of lead and sulphur on the machinability of steels?
Lead improves the machinability whereas sulphur reduces it.
32. What are the effects of carbon on the properties of cast iron?
If the cast iron contains more of the brittle cementite, then its mechanical properties will bepoor.
33. What is the influence of cooling rate on the properties of a cast iron?
High rate of cooling results in a weak and brittle cast iron. Slow cooling rate results in toughand strong cast
 iron.
13 and 15 marks question and answers
34. What are stainless steels? What are the main characteristics of stainless steels? Namedifferent types of
stainless steels and their main applications.
35. Discuss the characteristics of aluminium and also mention its alloys, their properties and uses.
36. Discuss the influence of each of the following alloying elements on the properties of steel :(a)
Molybdenum (b) Chromium (c) Manganese (d) Vanadium (e) Titanium (f) Tungsten.
 Unit-IV
NON-METALLIC MATERIALS
2- Marks question and answers
37. Compare polymers with monomer.
Monomers are small molecules which may be joined together in a repeating fashion to form more complex
molecules called polymers. Monomers form polymers by forming chemical bonds or binding supramolecularly
through a process called polymerization.
38. List any four attractive characteristics of polymers.
1. Low density.
2. Good thermal and electrical insulation properties.
3. High resistance to chemical attack.
4. Ease of fabrication.
5. Relative low cost.
39. Classify polymers.
1.Plastics
2.. Elastomers
3.. Adhesives
4.. Coatings
5.. Fibres
40. What is meant by isomerism?
Isomerism is a phenomenon wherein different atomic configurations are possible for thesame configuration.
41. Distinguish between thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics.
Thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics are both polymers, but they behave differently when exposed to
heat. Thermoplastics can melt under heat after curing while thermoset plastics retain their form and stay solid
under heat once cured.
42. Name any four thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics.
Thermoplastics: polythenes, polypropylene, polystyrenes, PVC.
Thermosetting Plastics: polyesters, phenolics, epoxides, melamine formaldehyde.
43. What are the bakelites? Also state their applications.
Phenolics, also known as bakelites, are the oldest family of thermosetting plastics. Themost important phenolic
materials ispolyformaldehydes.
44. List the properties and typical applications of PVC.
1. Acrylic materials are thermoplastics polymers based in the polymerization ofesters of acryclic acid and/or
methacrylic acid.
2. The most commonly used acrylic polymers are:
i. PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), and
ii. PAN ( polyacrylonitrile)
45. What are the sources of raw materials for plastics?
1. Animal and vegetable by –products.
2. Coal by products.
3. Petroleum by-products.
46. What do the following acronyms refer: PE,PP,PS,PVC,PTFE,PMMA
PE: polyethylene; PP: polypropylene; PS: polystyrene; PVC: polyvinyl chloride; PTFE:polyterafluoro
ethylene; PMMA: polymethyl methacrylate.
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47. Explain the properties and application of the PVC, PE, PTFE, and ABS.
48. Explain PMMA.
49. Describe the properties and applications of following structural ceramics
(i) Alumina.
(ii) Partially stabilized zirconia.
(iii) Silicon carbide (d) Silicon nitride (e) Sialon.
 Unit-V
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND DEFORMATION MECHANISMS
2- Marks question and answers
50. Distinguish between elasticity and plasticity.
When energy goes into changing the shape of some material and it stays changed, that is said to be plastic
deformation. When the material goes back to its original form, that's elastic deformation. Mechanical energy is
lost whenever an object undergoes plastic deformation.
51. Differentiate between ductility and malleability.
1. Ductility is the property of a material by virtue of which it can be drawn intowires before rupture takes
place.
2. Malleability is the property of a material by virtue of which it can withstanddeformation under compression
without rupture.
52. Define the terms brittleness and hardness.
1. Brittleness is the property of a material by virtue of it can withstanddeformation under compression without
rupture.
2. Hardness is the property of a material by virtue of which it is able to resistabrasion, indentation (or
penetration), machining, and scratching.
53. What do you mean by toughness and stiffness?
1. Toughness is the property of a material by virtue of which it can absorbmaximum energy before fracture
takes place.
2. Stiffness is the property of a material by virtue of which it resists deformation.
54. What is the effect of the grain size on the mechanical properties of the materials?
1 The materials having smaller grains (i.e., fine grained structure) hav high yield strength, high tensile
strength, and more harness. Also fine grain results inbetter resistance to cracking and better surface finish.
2. The materials having larger grains (i.e., coarse grained structure) exhibit betterworkability, hardenability,
 forgeability and creep resistance. But coarse grainsresults in poor surface finish, less tough and have greater
tendency to causedistortion.
55. What is the effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of the materials
The heat treatment improves mechanical properties like tensile strength, toughnesshardness ductility, shock
resistance and resistance to corrosion. It also improvesworkability, forgeability and machinability of metals.
56. What is brittle fracture?
A brittle fracture may be defined as a fracture which takes place by the rapidpropagation of crack with a
negligible deformation.
57. What is ductile fracture?
Ductile fracture may be defined as the fracture which takes place by a slowpropagation of crack with
appreciable plastic deformation.
58. What is meant by fatigue fracture?
A fatigue fracture is defined as the fracture which takes place under repeatedlyapplied fatigue stresses.
59. What is meant by creep fracture?
The creep is defined as the property of a material by virtue of which it deformscontinuously under a steady
load.
13 and 15 marks question and answers
60. With neat sketches explain the mechanism of slip and twining. AlsoState the differences between them.
61. Construct a typical creep curve and brief on the mechanism.
62. Describe the procedure of Charpy impact testing and the properties obtained from it.