What is Material: Definition and 1000 Discussions

A material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified based on their physical and chemical properties, or on their geological origin or biological function. Materials science is the study of materials and their applications.
Raw materials can be processed in different ways to influence their properties, by purification, shaping or the introduction of other materials. New materials can be produced from raw materials by synthesis.
In industry, materials are inputs to manufacturing processes to produce products or more complex materials.

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  1. B

    Plastic extrusion material selection?

    plastic extrusion material selection? Hey all, I work for a curtain wall manufacturing and design company out of Canada. I've recently been presented with the task of creating a new extrusion to improve the thermal performance of our curtain wall system. My question to you all is, and...
  2. B

    Show that for a ferromagnetic material the field in the gap is given by?

    Homework Statement A toroidal shaped magnetic material of radius, a, and cross sectional radius R has a small transverse gap cut into it of length l. The toroid is uniformly overwound with a coil of N loops carrying a current I. Show that for a ferromagnetic material the field in the gap is...
  3. 5

    How to get C0 of a piezoelectric material.

    I'm trying to get a value of the C0 capacitor of some piezoelectric material I'm working with right now. My only problem is: I don't get electronics at all ^^'. So far I have asked some other people who do get it, but there were going way to fast and are really busy...So I was hoping you could...
  4. J

    CANDU Reactor contains 70 kf og fissionable material

    Homework Statement Homework Equations Working at a rate of 1.204 x 10^22 fissions/s, what fraction of that 70 kg mass of Uranium will be fissioned during the 550 days of fuel installation? (Fuel rods are replaced appx. every year and a half) The Attempt at a Solution 1.20x10^22...
  5. P

    [ASK] where to find LED Components Material?

    Hello guys, nice to meet you all. It's kinda awkward since I'm new here and also just a freshmen in my university :) Anyway, I'm conducting a study about the LED components, whom I've already known it is consist of aluminium and Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) or Gallium Phosphide (GaP) or Gallium...
  6. C

    Tensile Testing - Material Failure Prediction

    Hi all, This is not really a homework problem, more of a 'what-if' scenario but I'm not sure which section to put it in. For a science project we have been asked to look at material properites and come up with a project (which will have a presentation :eek: but that's another story). I'm looking...
  7. S

    Material strong enough to hold baby weight but cheap.

    I looking to make my own changing table to travel with. Want hard plastic material, non toxic that can hold baby weight. Any ideas?
  8. C

    Help with research material on quasicrystals

    I have to write a small paper on quasicrystals... anyone know where I can find free-access books and scientific journal papers on this topic?
  9. C

    Material science: Different properties of allotropic phosphorus

    I´m doing a little research on allotropic materials and decided to go with phosphorus... I chose white beta phosphorus, black phosphorus and red phosphorus. first question: since red phosphorus is not a crystalline solid but an amorphous solid, would you include it as an allotrope...
  10. D

    Can Alternative Materials Replace Stellite in Check Valve Applications?

    Hi, In our chemical company, the pipe spec for check valves prescribes stellited material for disc and seat. Now, suppliers are having a hard time meeting this specification. Are there other materials with comparable properties that are more commonly used? Mostly suppliers offer SS (eg...
  11. T

    Light through a dense material

    As light moves through a dense material, it would interact with the atoms. Would the light lose energy, on average, in the process? As a result, would we observe a red-shift as it moves through? If so, what is the relationship between the amount of red-shift (energy lost) to the distance of...
  12. B

    Resolving an Infinite Sheet of Charge in Dielectric Material

    Hi everybody, I am getting confused by a very simple problem: let's take an infinite sheet electrically charged with a surface density σ. Because the sheet is infinite, we can first determine that the electrical field on both side contains only components normal to the sheet. If the plate is...
  13. I

    Deformation/fracture of material on impact

    I want to calculate the deformation of a plate of a material upon being struck by a mass moving along the plate's normal, and if the impact force is sufficient, if the plate will break or not. The given information can be assumed to be: mass, velocity, and contact area of the mass, and the...
  14. T

    Strongest material conformation

    Hi, I am a biomechanist looking into Achilles tendon injuries. I was at a conference the other day and they were talking about using tendons for ACL reconstructions and about tubularising tendons. This got me thinking. Is there a certain conformation of fibres that is stronger than others...
  15. M

    ALON-Does anyone know the strength of this material compared to say, steel?

    Lattice Constant: 7.956A – 7.936A Density: 3.696 – 3.691 g/cc Form: Polycrystalline Melting Point: 2150°C Young's Modulus: 46.9x106 psi Shear Modulus: 18.9x106 psi Poisson's Ratio: 0.24 Hardness: 1850 Kg/mm2 (Knoop Indentation, 200g load) Fracture Toughness: 2.0 MPa-m1/2...
  16. F

    Right material for ceramic nozzle

    hi, i'm doing a project on development of ceramic nozzle. can somebody help me by giving some information regarding the most suitable type of ceramics that have the good wear resistance and high melting point. thanks.
  17. R

    Recommended Reading Material? (Nuclear Fusion)

    ((Not certain this is the right place)) Hi guys, Currently I'm voluntarily undertaking a project qualification and have decided to write a report on Nuclear Physics and how it could be used as an energy source in the future. I already know quite a bit about this topic but was wondering if...
  18. K

    Self study topics and material for mathematics

    First of all, i would like to appologise if there is already a topic related to this on which i could have posted. I was not able to find it but also only skimmed through the search results. Mathematics has not been one of strong points. In middle school i struggled with it - i didn't spend any...
  19. E

    Any one help me in Refractive index and intiristic impedance of material

    Hi ... my equations is : 1- if the refractive index of the dielectric material related with frequency ? if yes , is that because the permittivity relation with frequency or permeability or both of them ?. also i want the equation of refractive index relation with frequency. 2- in...
  20. F

    What was the tough material shown on Tomorrows World in the late 80s?

    Hi all, I have search far and wide for this answer and could not find it. During the late 80's and early 90's Carbon 60 or Buckminsterfullerene & Graphene(I think) were a hot topic. In BBC's tomorrows world they demonstrated a safe made out of a material, which I think was one of those two...
  21. B

    Homework in Solid state material

    Here is the problem: The electron concentration in a region of silicon depends linearly on depth with concentration of 5x10^15 cm^-3 at surface (x=0) and 10^15 cm^-3 at depth of x=500nm. If the vertical electron current density in this region is constant at Jn=100 A/cm^2, calculate the...
  22. P

    Alternative options for creating a whiteboard wall?

    Hello PF'ers, a friend and I are sharing an apartment for the school year and we had the idea to make one of our living room walls into a giant whiteboard. I know you can buy rolls of the material to write on (doesn't have to be magnetic), but I'm not sure where to find it. I called the local...
  23. L

    Looking for a material for a project

    I'm looking for a sheet shaped material, maybe 12" by 12" and 1/4 inch thick, that can be used as a seal to keep air out, so it needs to not allow air to pass through it and it has to be a soft material that can compress, but not compress or bend too much. I was thinking something like foam...
  24. M

    Calculate Temperature of S/S 304 with 4KW Input

    If I had an input of 4KW with Material S/S 304 Density(0.29 lbs/in3) Specific Heat(0.12 BTU/lb/°F) What temperature would the S/S level off at when the 4KW is inputted?? If I am missing any info to help solve this let me know...
  25. M

    What are the considerations for using stainless steel in heat exchanger tubes?

    We have 3 interstage coolers for a Synthesis gas compressor.Synthesis gas is mostly H2 & N2 with small Ar & CH4.Tube side fluid is water & shell side fluid is Syn.gas.The heat exchangers are made of carbon steel.Now due to corrosion in tube to tubesheet joint we like to use SS for tubes.But our...
  26. K

    What happens to organic material buried inside a plastic bag?

    So my mother buried her cat 5 years ago this month. I remember I wasn't home back then and it was a hard time. Yesterday we were talking about this and she asked me if I think the body is completely gone, and I said of course until she mentioned she put the cat in a plastic bag before buring it...
  27. R

    PRESSURE in Inflatable Material Objects

    If you wanted to calculate the pressure on the shell of an airtight enclosed concentric or asymmetrical/symetrical object, do you simply need the surface area of the object and then divide it into the applied force? 1. So if you apply 50Newtons onto a grounded football for example,it would...
  28. M

    Identifying Proper Photocathode Material

    I'm not certain if the General Physics section of this forum is the place where this question will receive any attention, but here's to hoping! I am trying to identify a way in which one could accurately calculate which compound or element would serve as the ideally effective material for a...
  29. P

    Stress/Strain What is the property in a material

    Homework Statement In an experiment we were given a broken piece of alluminium that was (before broken) 50mm long. Then we measured it and found the elongation. From this it is pretty easy to calculate the strain. What does this actually tell me about the material though?. Actual Question...
  30. C

    Photoelectric effect and material ionization

    What happens to the ions that are released from the material after e- are released? How come the material doesn't completely degrade?
  31. T

    Need review material for job exam

    Hi, I am a recent grad with a BSEE and I will be taking an exam for a job. The exam will consist of the following: RF Microwave Devices, Digital Devices, DC Electronic Theory, Electronic Measurements, Electronic Math, AC Electronic Theory , and Active Devices, I have knowledge of...
  32. P

    Question about inserting a dielectric material inside a capacitor

    I am self-studying "Physics" (Volume 3) by Halliday, Resnick and Krane, and would like to ask some questions regarding the following example given in the book (with solution). I will copy the entire example here, with solution (translated from Portuguese, because I am using a Portuguese...
  33. M

    Finding the work function of a material

    Homework Statement So today in class we did a lab where we calculated the stopping voltage of lights of different wavelengths. We did this experimentally. I have the wavelength, frequency, and stopping voltage of four different lights. I need to calculate the work function of the material, and...
  34. G

    Chance to help an Electronic Engineer find a weird material for an invention

    Hello. This is my first post here and I come shamelessly looking for help. I'm an Electronic Engineer and have an idea for an invention but do not know if the type of material that is needed exists, the only one I can think of so far is Bread dough. Anyway, what is needed is something...
  35. pairofstrings

    C/C ++ & Assembly mixed programming material

    Can anyone suggest me good books on 'C/C ++ & assembly mixed programming' for embedded system coding. I am trying to gain expertise in mixed C/C++ & assembly mixed programming for writing embedded system codes. I am fairly new to mixed programming. I know C/C++ and assembly languages. Now, I...
  36. A

    Ideal Material for a model rigid airship

    I am building a model rigid airship, and in order to maintain it's structure I used a balsa frame. Unfortunately this weighs a fair bit and can take up to half of the lift generated from the light gas, and it is not particularly strong. Since I use polyurethane for the outer skin, I am...
  37. H

    Measure the length of a material with Michelson interferometer

    Homework Statement Suppose you know the wavelength of light passing through a Michelson interferometer with high accuracy. Describe how you could use the interferometer to measure the length of a small piece of material. 2. The attempt at a solution - Sandwich the piece of material behind...
  38. QuarkCharmer

    Optimization of box, varied material cost.

    Homework Statement Stewart Calculus 6E: 4.7 #14 A rectangular storage container with an open top is to have a volume of 10m³. The length of it's base is twice the width. Material for the base costs $10 per square meter. Material for the sides cost $6 per square meter. Find the cost of...
  39. J

    Neutron Capture Cross Section Dependence on Target Material Temperature

    So I have been reading about the cross section of neutron capture and have been reading about how the cross section for neutrons in a given material depends on neutron energy, the most important factor obviously. But I have not seen as much information on how, for a neutron of a given thermal...
  40. M

    Relearning Intro Chem material

    I took the first part of the college-level introductory chemistry classes (it's CHEM 1211 here). I took it a long time ago - 2002. When I took it, I didn't pay attention, it's a miracle I passed the class at all. And now I need the second part of the class. I'm worried that I'll be missing...
  41. S

    What is nano? how to obtain nano material ?

    what is nano? how to obtain nano material ?
  42. A

    Please suggest some material for quick review of general relativity.

    There are several online materials on general relativity. Here I would like to get suggestions about concise review of general relativity at somewhat advanced level. The idea is that this should be enough for recapitulating the area at advanced level by somebody who had studied it thoroughly...
  43. F

    What is exactly is a non-conducting material ?

    What is exactly is a "non-conducting material"? Homework Statement In many Gauss's law problems, we are often presented with "consider a nonconducting sphere with radius..." I realize most of the time we aer suppose to assume it is an inductor, how are we to know it is NOT an...
  44. G

    Starlite: revolutionary material?

    or a hoax? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/5158972/Starlite-the-nuclear-blast-defying-plastic-that-could-change-the-world.html Seems there was only 1 post on PF in 2004 on the subject, but it seems to be resurfacing. What happened to it? Is it a hoax?
  45. H

    Magnetization of a material with linear susceptibility

    Fairly simple question: If a highly permeable material (of any shape) is placed in a uniform magnetic field, will the material's magnetization density always line up with the uniform magnetic field, or do I have to take into account the fields that are created as the material becomes...
  46. G

    Grade 12 Physics Lab (Material = Box of Matches)

    This is Grade 12 Physics lab assigned to me : Bonus: Performing the lab+making a conclusion to answer the research question. I thought whole day but can't think of any research question with box of matches. Could anyone please help me out with this?
  47. O

    LaTeX Suggesting Inline LaTeX Expressions in Learning Material

    I recently found out that every LaTeX expression I type is displayed in a new line. I had to search https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=499624" tread or any of its links. May I suggest that how to type inline expressions be included in the LaTeX learning material? It would be...
  48. Femme_physics

    Treating the object as material point in kinematics

    Treating the object as "material point" in kinematics From the kinematics questions I need to solve, I notice a lot of time they mention to treat the moving object as a "material point" (I translate how they write it in Hebrew). I wonder exactly what is the meaning of it? Do the kinematics...
  49. M

    Any ideas on what material this is?

    Hi everyone, I'm having trouble identifying the material used in the oil seal of a hydraulic gear pump. There is a picture of the microstructure of the oil seal with it's hardness. Any ideas? Cheers
  50. Femme_physics

    What is the Relationship Between Nucleus Size and Material Strength?

    Material Science Questions... I finally got to exercise a bit of material science. I'd like to know whether what I'm saying correct or no. I also ran into two issues with Brinell's hardness calculations and SEA chart. I'd appreciate feedback! :) 1) Decreasing the size of the nucleus causes...
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