ALLOYSBy: Jonathan Rhodes

What Are Alloys?

The book defines an Alloy as a solid solution consisting of atoms of different metals.

Another source simply states that an alloy is a metal composed of more than one element.

Common Examples of Alloys

Steel as seen in the picture is made of iron and carbon.

Brass is made of copper and zinc. Solder is made of tin and lead. Bronze is primarily made of copper.

Soldering

The alloy, solder is used for a process called soldering.

Soldering is when two or more metals are joined together by a filler metal with a low melting point.

The pipes in the picture below were soldered together.

Keys and Locks

Brass is used in keys and locks. It is formed into the shape of a specific

key blank which is then cut to make a unique key.

Brass is also used for the pins that make a lock’s cylinder work.

Infrastructure

Stadiums, skyscrapers, bridges, airports, and other buildings use steel as support.

Steel is also used in screws, bolts, and nails for within the infrastructure.

Relation to Chemistry Class

Alloys are formed by two metals, which relates to compounds of two or more elements.

I n order for alloys to be created, a chemical reaction must occur, resulting in a chemical change.

Alloys are in fact solid solutions which are one of the first subjects we learned about.

Questions

What does an alloy consist of? How is steel used for infrastructure?

Sources

Chemistry Book www.wikipedia.org www.engr.sjsu.edu/wofmate/Metals&Alloy

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