Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2007

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

Review Questions
4.1

Define density as a material property.

Answer. Density is the weight per unit volume.

4.2

What is the difference in melting characteristics between a pure metal element and an alloy metal?
Answer. A pure metal element melts at one temperature (the melting point), while an alloy begins
melting at a certain temperature called the solidus and finally completes the transformation to the
molten state at a higher temperature called the liquidus. Between the solidus and liquidus, the metal
is a mixture of solid and liquid.

4.3

Describe the melting characteristics of a noncrystalline material such as glass.

Answer. In the heating of a noncrystalline material such as glass, the material begins to soften as
temperature increases, finally converting to a liquid at a temperature defined for these materials as the
melting point.

4.4

Define specific heat as a material property.

Answer. Specific heat is defined as the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit
mass of the material by one degree.

4.5

What is thermal conductivity as a material property?

Answer. Thermal conductivity is the capacity of a material to transfer heat energy through itself by
thermal movement only (no mass transfer).

4.6

Define thermal diffusivity.

Answer. Thermal diffusivity is the thermal conductivity divided by the volumetric specific heat.

4.7

What are the important variables that affect mass diffusion?

Answer. According to Fick's first law, mass diffusion depends on diffusion coefficient, which
increases rapidly with temperature (so temperature could be listed as an important variable),
concentration gradient, contact area, and time.

4.8

Define resistivity as a material property.

Answer. Resistivity is the material's capacity to resist the flow of electric current.

4.9

Why are metals better conductors of electricity than ceramics and polymers?
Answer. Metals are better conductors because of metallic bonding, which permits electrons to move
easily within the metal. Ceramics and polymers have covalent and ionic bonding, in which the
electrons are tightly bound to particular molecules.

4.10 What is dielectric strength as a material property?

Answer. Dielectric strength is defined as the electrical potential required to break down the insulator
per unit thickness.
4.11 What is an electrolyte?
Answer. An electrolyte is an ionized solution capable of conducting electric current by movement of
the ions.
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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2007

Multiple Choice Quiz

There is a total of 12 correct answers in the following multiple choice questions (some questions have
multiple answers that are correct). To attain a perfect score on the quiz, all correct answers must be given.
Each correct answer is worth 1 point. Each omitted answer or wrong answer reduces the score by 1 point,
and each additional answer beyond the correct number of answers reduces the score by 1 point. Percentage
score on the quiz is based on the total number of correct answers.
4.1

Which one of the following metals has the lowest density: (a) aluminum, (b) copper, (c) magnesium,
or (d) tin?
Answer. (c).

4.2

The thermal expansion properties of polymers are generally (a) greater than, (b) less than, or (c) the
same as those of metals?
Answer. (a).

4.3

In the heating of most metal alloys, melting begins at a certain temperature and concludes at a higher
temperature. In these cases, which of the following temperatures marks the beginning of melting: (a)
liquidus or (b) solidus?
Answer. (b).

4.4

Which one of the following materials has the highest specific heat: (a) aluminum, (b) concrete, (c)
polyethylene, or (d) water?
Answer. (d).

4.5

Copper is generally considered easy to weld because of its high thermal conductivity: (a) true or (b)
false?
Answer. (b). The high thermal conductivity of copper makes it difficult to weld because the heat
flows away from the joint rather than being concentrated to permit melting of the metal.

4.6

The mass diffusion rate dm/dt across a boundary between two different metals is a function of which
of the following variables (four best answers): (a) concentration gradient dc/dx, (b) contact area, (c)
density, (d) melting point, (e) thermal expansion, (f) temperature, and (g) time?
Answer. (a), (b), (f), and (g). This is perhaps a tricky question. Choices (a) and (b) are included in Eq.
(4.5). Temperature (f) has a strong influence on the diffusion coefficient. Time (g) figures into the
process because it affects the concentration gradient; as time elapses, the concentration gradient is
reduced so that the rate of diffusion is reduced.

4.7

Which of the following pure metals is the best conductor of electricity: (a) aluminum, (b) copper, (c)
gold, or (d) silver?
Answer. (d).

4.8

A superconductor is characterized by which of the following (one best answer): (a) very low
resistivity, (b) zero conductivity, or (c) resistivity properties between those of conductors and
semiconductors?
Answer. (b).

4.9

In an electrolytic cell, the anode is the electrode that is which of the following: (a) positive, or (b)
negative?
Answer. (a).

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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2007

Problems
4.1

The starting diameter of a shaft is 25.00 mm. This shaft is to be inserted into a hole in an expansion
fit assembly operation. To be readily inserted, the shaft must be reduced in diameter by cooling.
Determine the temperature to which the shaft must be reduced from room temperature (20C) in
order to reduce its diameter to 24.98 mm. Refer to Table 4.1.
Solution: For steel, = 12(10-6) mm/mm/C according to Table 4.1.
Revise Eq. (4.1) to D2 - D1 = D1 (T2 - T1).
24.98 - 25.00 = 12(10-6)(25.00)(T2 - 20)
-0.02 = 300(10-6)(T2 - 20)
-0.02 = 0.0003(T2 - 20) = 0.0003T2 - 0.006
-.02 + 0.006 = 0.0003T2
-0.014 = 0.0003T2
T2 = -46.67C

4.2

A bridge built with steel girders is 500 m in length and 50 m in width. Expansion joints are provided
to compensate for the change in length in the support girders as the temperature fluctuates. Each
expansion joint can compensate for a maximum of 100 mm of change in length. From historical
records it is estimated that the minimum and maximum temperatures in the region will be -35C and
38C, respectively. What is the minimum number of expansion joints required?
Solution: Assume L1 =500 m at -35 C, =12x10-6/C
L2 L1 = L1(T2 T1)
L2 L1 = 12x10-6(500)(38 (-35))
L2 L1 = 0.42 m
Each expansion joint will control 100mm = 0.1 m of expansion.
4 joints will provide 0.400 m of expansion. 5 joints will provide 0.500 m of expansion. Therefore, a
minimum of 5 joints are needed for coverage of the total length.

4.3

Aluminum has a density of 2.70 g/cm3 at room temperature (20C). Determine its density at 650C,
using data in Table 4.1 as a reference.
Solution: Assume a 1 cm3 cube, 1 cm on each side.
From Table 4.1, = 24(10-6) mm/mm/C
L2 - L1 = L1 (T2 - T2).
L2 = 1.0 + 24(10-6)(1.0)(650 - 20) = 1.01512 cm
(L2 )3 = (1.01512)3 = 1.04605 cm3
Assume weight remains the same; thus at 650C = 2.70/1.04605 = 2.581 g/cm3

4.4

With reference to Table 4.1, determine the increase in length of a steel bar whose length = 10.0 in, if
the bar is heated from room temperature (70F) to 500F.
Solution: Increase = (6.7 x 10-6 in/in/F)(10.0 in)(500F - 70F) = 0.0288 in.

4.5

With reference to Table 4.2, determine the quantity of heat required to increase the temperature of an
aluminum block that is 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm from room temperature (21C) to 300C.
Solution. Heat = (0.21 cal/g-C)(103 cm3)(2.70 g/cm3)(300C - 21C) = 158,193 cal.
Conversion: 1.0 cal = 4.184J, so heat = 662,196 J.

4.6

What is the resistance R of a length of copper wire whose length = 10 m and whose diameter = 0.10
mm? Use Table 4.3 as a reference.
Solution: R = rL/A, A = (0.1)2/4 = 0.007854 mm2 = 0.007854(10-6) m2
From Table 4.3, r = 1.7 x 10-8 -m2/m
R = (1.7 x 10-8 -m2/m)(10 m)/( 0.007854(10-6) m2) = 2164.5(10-2) = 21.65

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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2007

4.7

A 16 gage nickel wire (0.0508 in diameter) connects a solenoid to a control circuit that is 32.8 ft
away. (a) What is the resistance of the wire? Use Table 4.3 as a reference. (b) If a current was passed
through the wire, it would heat up. How does this affect the resistance?
Solution: (a) L = 32.8 ft = 393.6 in
Area A = (0.0508)2/4 = 0.00203 in2
R = r (L/A) = 6.8 x 10-8 (39.4)(393.6/0.00203) = 0.520 ohm
(b) If a current is passed through the wire causing the wire to heat up, the resistivity of the wire would
change. Since nickel is a metal, the resistivity would increase, causing the resistance to increase. This,
in turn, would cause slightly more heat to be generated.

4.8

Aluminum wiring was used in many homes in the 1960s due to the high cost of copper at the time.
Aluminum wire that was 12 gauge (a measure of cross-sectional area) was rated at 15 A of current.
If copper wire of the same gauge were used to replace the aluminum wire, what current should the
wire be capable of carrying if all factors except resistivity are considered equal? Assume that the
resistance of the wire is the primary factor that determines the current it can carry and the crosssectional area and length are the same for the aluminum and copper wires.
Solution: The area and length are constant between the types of wires. The overall change in
resistance is due to the change in resistivity of the materials. From Table 4.3:
For Aluminum r = 2.8 x 10-8
For Copper r = 1.7 x 10-8
The resistance will reduce by 1.7x10-8/2.8x10-8 = 0.61
Since I = E/R and Rcu=0.61(Ral), then Icu = 1/0.61*Ial = 15/0.61= 25 A
Note that the code value is actually 20 A due to several factors including heat dissipation and
rounding down to the nearest 5 amp value.

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students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted
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