Metals come from an ore that is mined from the ground. Metals can be used for all methods of production, from bespoke pieces of jewellery to mass-produced cars.
Each material has properties that make them good for specific tasks, eg aluminium is lightweight and doesn’t rust, making it suitable for drinks cans. The properties of materials must be considered when designing a product, eg a steel pan handle would conduct too much heat and burn the user.
Metals display the following working properties:
malleability - being able to bend or shape easily would make a material easily malleable, eg sheet metal such as steel or silver is malleable and can be hammered into shape
ductility - materials that can be stretched are ductile, eg pulling copper into wire shows it is ductile
hardness - the ability to withstand impactTo come into contact with another object through force. without damage
durability - the ability of a material to withstand wear or damage
toughness - the ability of a material to absorb shock without breaking
elasticity - the ability of a material to bend without cracking
tensile strength - the ability of a material to withstand a pulling force without stretching
compressive strength - the ability of a material to withstand a pushing force without being squashed
