9.3.3

Alloys & their Uses in Everyday Life

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Alloys and Their Uses in Everyday Life

Alloys, like stainless steel, have useful physical properties such as hardness and resistance to rust, making them important in products like cutlery.

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What are alloys?

  • Alloys are mixtures of metals or metals with other elements.
  • Alloys have different physical properties from pure metals.
  • Alloys are important in many everyday materials.
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Physical properties of alloys

  • Alloys often have increased hardness compared to pure metals.
  • Alloys can resist rust and corrosion better than pure metals.
  • Changing metal types in alloys changes properties like strength and flexibility.
    • These improved properties make alloys useful in many tools and products.
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Stainless steel - a special alloy

  • Stainless steel contains iron, carbon, chromium, and nickel.
    • Chromium gives stainless steel resistance to rust.
  • Stainless steel is much harder than normal steel.
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Uses of stainless steel in cutlery

  • Stainless steel is common in whisks, knives, forks, and spoons.
    • Its hardness allows cutlery to stay sharp and durable.
    • Resistance to rust keeps cutlery safe for food and easy to clean.
  • These properties make stainless steel ideal for kitchen tools.
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Other uses of alloys

  • Alloys are used in buildings for strength and durability.
  • Alloys in vehicles improve safety and performance.
  • Jewellery uses alloys for better colour and hardness.
  • Alloys are vital in electronics for conductivity and longevity.

Jump to other topics

1States of Matter

2Atoms, Elements & Compounds

3Stoichometry

4Electrochemistry

5Chemical Energetics

6Chemical Reactions

7Acids, Bases & Salts

8The Periodic Table

9Metals

10Chemistry of the Environment

11Organic Chemistry

11.1Formulae, Functional Groups & Terminology

11.2Naming Organic Compounds

11.3Fuels

11.4Alkanes

11.5Alkenes

11.6Alcohols

11.7Carboxylic Acids

11.8Polymers

12Experimental Techniques & Chemical Analysis

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