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. W

    Advice on building material for a roadable ultralight aircraft

    I am dead set on building my own ultralight aircraft and I need some advice on construction materials. The aircraft has to weigh less than 254lbs [including engine and prop] and has to support itself, and 500lbs worth of pilot, cargo, fuel, instruments, and eventually a rear wheel drive...
  2. L

    (Fluids) Material and local velocity and acceleration fields.

    Homework Statement The streamlines of a fluid are as follows: x = (x0) + 3(y0)t^2 y = (y0)/(1 + 2t) z = (z0) + 5(x0)t Find the velocity and acceleration fields in the Eulerian description (local). Homework Equations Total/material acceleration: Dv/Dt = dv/dt + v.grad(v) The...
  3. M

    Distribution of planets material

    Can we know something of the distribution of planets material in general? I mean, the percentage of solid, fluid, gas planets in general (maybe theoretically) in solar systems. And percentage of planets with atmospheres?
  4. J

    Best Heat Absorbing Material for an Underground Heat Sink

    In building a subterranean heat sink for a greenhouse , what would be the best material to use in the heat sink through which the hot air of the greenhouse would be travel to warm. that is what materials would absorb the most heat easily and at the same time slowly release that captured heat...
  5. F

    I tried posting in the Math/Science Learning Material, but it won't let me, so I as

    I tried "posting" in the Math/Science Learning Material, but it won't let me, so I as Homework Statement I tried "posting" in the Math/Science Learning Material, but it won't let me, so I ask here. I am planning to take ODE next year, but I want to get some head start and prepration for...
  6. M

    What were the starting materials of the Big Bang?

    I'm in full agreement with a Big Bang start of our Universe. However, I am a little perplexed as to where these staring materials originated from. Now, I know that there is no solid answer, but I was just curious as to some theories. Thanks.
  7. D

    Looking for reading material on extrasolar planet detection

    Hey guys I'm looking for some good reading material on the following extrasolar planet detection techniques (not sure if there are any other...) Radial velocty Transit monitoring Microlensing Detection of IR thermal emission Direct Imaging. Basically I'd like to read about what these...
  8. X

    Can there be a material with relative permittivity < 1?

    Just a thought experiment... Cover a metal plate with a material of relative permittivity 0 on one side. Then place a charge on the metal plate. The system as a whole will accelerate towards the metal side since there is no flux on the covered side and so the charge is accelerated in the...
  9. B

    Is Glass Viscosity Dependent on Temperature?

    Is it true that the viscosity of a glass is a function of its temperature. Yes or No? Thanks
  10. W

    Looking for descriptive material about log inequalities.

    So, I have this book that doesn't explain why you have to first find the domain, consolidate logs, solve the function as a rational inequality, find the key numbers, then find which numbers of the key numbers are actually in the domain according to the inequality, and finally write out the...
  11. S

    What is phase in material science

    What is 1111 phase in material science Hi Guys, I wonder if someone tells me about what are the rules for nomenclature of phases in materials. Generally I read like 1111 phase, 122 family, 11 system. I don't understand completely about this. Does they talk about composition or something else...
  12. K

    Any ideas on which material to actuate a robot hand?

    Hey guys, I was wondering if I could get a little info I'm building a robotic hand for a masters project. I'm interested in looking into actuating some of the joints using a 'dohelix' method, where a flexible plaited cord is twisted by a DC motor on one end to produce a translation on the...
  13. D

    Mechanics of material: an Axial Load Problem

    Hey Guys, here is a skeleton for an exercise I need a help with: In this Problem we have a beam EF which is pin-supported at E, a Rod CD which is enrolled by a spring ( spring constant =k) and a rod AB (AB is touching the ground, I forgot to draw it). If we heat the Rod AB what will...
  14. A

    Max Angle for Block to Roll Without Slipping: 29.24°

    1. Homework Statement A block of a certain material begins to slide on an inclined plane when the plane is inclined to an angle of 15.64°. If a solid cyclinder is fashioned from the same material, what will be the maximum angle at which it will roll without slipping on the plan 2. Homework...
  15. neduet

    Test performing on bulk material

    what is meaning of test performing on bulk material & conduction with complete insulator.
  16. G

    Slab of dieletric material (with surface charge) in normal electric field

    Homework Statement "A flat slab of sulfur (\epsilon_{r} = 4) is placed normal to a uniform field. If \rho_{sp} = 0.5 C/m^{2} on the slab surfaces, find: a) P in the slab b) D in the slab c) D outside of the slab (in air) d) E in the slab e) E outside the slab (in air) Homework...
  17. L

    What is the Best Reflective Material for a Solar Cooker?

    I am planning to build a http://solarcooking.org/plans/DATS.htm" that van cook food as fast and hot as possible. I was wondering what is the best reflective material for concentrating the sun's rays into a single point. A standard mirror is obviously the best because it's 100% reflective...
  18. P

    Looking for home educational material

    I would have posted this in one of the educational forums, but the instructions there seem to indicate that only educators and mentors can post to those forums. So I will ask here: I am looking for sources where I can purchase home education courses on science topics, especially in the physics...
  19. R

    Is it possible to create a stable material denser than Osmium?

    I was thinking that since the density of something is as much dependent on the molecular structure as the atomic, that there should be some leeway here.
  20. D

    Is there a certain material that absorbs X-Rays so that the X-Rays don't escape

    Is there a certain material that absorbs X-Rays so that the X-Rays don't escape. Or rather, is there a material that stops the X-Rays from continuing. If there is such a material, is there a way to change the X-Ray into an electrical current?
  21. S

    How can we define material properties using Maxwell's equations?

    There are certain properties of materials that are "artificial" in the sense that they have no direct physical basis but are sort of added into the evolution equations to get the right effect. I don't mean to sound like they are arbitrary but that they are more empirical and not directly...
  22. C

    Material Balance Problem Involving Ideal Gases- Any ?

    Homework Statement A furnace is fired with 1000 feet cubed per hour at 60 degrees F and 1 atm of a natural gas containing the following volumetric analysis: CH4: 80%, C2H6: 16%, O2: 2%, CO2: 1%, and N2: 1%. The exit flue gas temperature is 800 degrees F and the pressure is 760 mm Hg absolute...
  23. M

    Experiment to measure the thermal conductivity of a material

    We have a customer asking us for the thermal conductivity of a product we sell. None of the engineers have that number. I can think of a simple experiment that might do it, but I don't know the math. I want to take a piece of this material (it's a pipe), put a cap on the bottom, then...
  24. L

    Calculating amount of fissionable material needed for reactor

    Homework Statement A fission reactor produces 300 MW of electrical power with an efficiency of 30%. Calculate the mass of 235U consumed by the reactor in one day. Homework Equations Power = Energy/Time E=mc^2 The Attempt at a Solution Using the above equations I got an energy of...
  25. R

    Identifying a Radioactive Material Using Half-Life Measurements

    the assignment is written as follows: A parcel is attracting nervous attention at australian post. the parcel is radioactive and inspectors are trying to identify the material. Suppose they make the following measurements. There are 50 grams of the material and it's decaying at a rate of 0.25...
  26. R

    The hardest material that isn't brittle?

    How hard can something be without being easily breakable?
  27. S

    Material Properties of Carbon Fibers

    I'm working on a computer model that simulates material damage in fiber reinforced polymers in extreme temperatures. I have looked around to find where I can buy some and get material properties. So far the best place I have found is Rock West Company with their quasi-isotropic lay...
  28. Eagle9

    The possible lightest material

    I wonder to know where the lower limit for solid substances’ density is. We know that some solid materials are lighter than liquids (ice, wax and etc), but can the solid material in principle be lighter than air? For example the density for Carbon nanotube is at least ten times less than water’s...
  29. R

    Need advice on finding a material

    Hi guys, I need a bit of help in making a decision on a particular material. Basically, i am doing a project where I will be heating water in a bottle. I have an idea of using a dynamo to provide the energy to heat the water. In order to be able to do this, I need some advice on a material...
  30. R

    Speed of light /time / and material

    Alright, I have a noddle scratcher..at least for me. I understand light can slow down and speed up as it moves through different materials. I know light cannot exceed the speed of light (c). I know at the speed of light time is instantaneous or stops - same difference. So my question is...
  31. D

    Fluid Dynamics - material derivative of vorticity/density

    Homework Statement Show that, for an inviscid fluid, we have \frac{D}{Dt}\bigg{(}\frac{\mathbf{\omega}}{\rho}\bigg{)} = \bigg{(}\frac{\mathbf{\omega}}{\rho}\cdot \nabla \bigg{)}\mathbf{u} - \frac{1}{\rho}\nabla\bigg{(}\frac{1}{\rho}\bigg{)} \times \nabla p Homework Equations Euler's...
  32. Y

    Question on inductance with magnetic material core.

    Is there a difference in inductance of an inductance with magnetic material whether it is magnetized or not. Meaning is there an increase of inductance if the core has been magnetized ( become magnet) vs the same material but not magnetized? Does magnetization increase the \mu of the material?
  33. B

    Light Refraction: Which Material Takes Longest?

    Homework Statement If we have 3 materials with the same thickness but different indices of refraction (1st= 1.33, 3rd=2.419) which would take the longest time for light to pass through? Why? Homework Equations n/a The Attempt at a Solution I want to say it's the third one simply...
  34. T

    Need help with material expansion question

    Hi To start off, I am a product designer by trade so I am sorry if this question is reminiscent of GCSE physics. My project needs to rotate a large but reletavly free moving shaft (about 2in diameter) with temperature. I would like to achieve around 15degrees of rotation with a heat range of...
  35. H

    What Materials Can Withstand 2300 Celsius and 20 ATM Pressure for Steam Storage?

    Hi a group of us are developing a new system, but are unsure of what material would be best to fulfill a critical role. The system requires steam to be stored at pressures of upto 20 ATM, and at a temperature initally of 2300 celsius. What materials would be best suited for this storage...
  36. B

    Physic Course Work: Measuring effect on different material

    Homework Statement I 'm having a struggle on my A2 level physics course work. I need to carry out the experiment which is rolling a metal ball down a slope and with a different materials at the end of the slope to stop the ball such as elastic band, folded paper and balloon, the difficult part...
  37. W

    How Do You Calculate the Minimal Distance Between Two Holes in a Metal Block?

    Hello... first of all, this is my first entry, couldn't find anything similar with the search function... so here is my problem.. Out of personal interest, i want to know if there is a formula to calculate the stress on a block of metal with two holes. One of these holes will be used for...
  38. G

    Material with low k-value that can be used for high-heat rods?

    I am modifying a vertical hotplate that has two heating elements that clamp together. This is done by a jack screw and some rods that slide. The jack screw I'm not concerned about, but I'm looking for something that can resist heat better than the stainless steel rods we currently use. The...
  39. S

    Rf Plasma Simulation for material processing

    Hi to every one I want to simulate Rf lab plasma and DC glow discharge plasma But let me make clear one thing Consider me as a starter to both plasma physics and simulation So is there anyone who can help me in this respect to guide me from zero Regards
  40. T

    Does light affect the magnetization of a material?

    My question is really basic, and I've ended up getting a bit confused because of it. My understanding is that magnetism of a material is based upon the intrinsic electron spin, the rotation of the electron around an atom, and the movement of electrons within a material, i.e- current. So...
  41. I

    Ideal material for Golf application

    I'm currently in the process of designing a golf application. Because of what it is, it needs the following properties:Corrosion resistance, UV resistance, lightweight, and heat resistance although this is not essential as I could use a heat shield, I believe mica would be ideal for this. So...
  42. A

    Which elective on applied physics? Optics vs Material Science

    I am pursuing my Bsc in Physics. I am still in sophomore year. This semester and next year I am intending to take some applied physics courses as electives. I got choices for Junior level electives, which are: -Optics: covers geometrical optics, interference, diffraction etc. -Fiber...
  43. I

    CNC Lathe Material Removal: Why Higher Rates & Revs?

    Hi, I'm a new member here so I'm not sure if I'm right in posting this query here. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why a CNC lathe is capable of higher material removal rates than a conventional lathe and also why it's work holding allows it to machine at higher revs/min's? Any...
  44. B

    Dont know where to post this: learning material

    this is a prof from lamar uni: i found his notes very use full(nits called pauls notes) http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/download.aspx pls move to apporiate place ty BA
  45. D

    Specific Yield Strength Question for A572 material

    My industry (tubular steel poles) standardly uses A572, Gr65 and A871, Gr65 for shaft design with the designs taken to the minimum ASTM defined Yield and using loading factors in the design. The A572 specification has for years listed all grades as "Yield Point". The A871 specificaion (which...
  46. M

    Constitutive Law (stress-strain relationship) of maxwell material

    I am trying to define the stress strain relationship for a viscoelastic material. For a Maxwell model, I have the relationship in 1D as dE/dt = T / viscosity + (dT/dt)/ elastic_modulus. Where E is the strain and T is stress - t is time. But in a reference, (Neutrophil transit times through...
  47. J

    How to induce current on a static conducting material?

    Dear Physicists, I am currently thinking of a way of inducing a current in a conducting material by a magnetic field. I am not good at magnetism and electricity at all, but I think it should look like the picture below. By the way, the material in the middle does not move. Does anyone...
  48. S

    How long does it take to heat up a material? Solar Energy.

    I was wondering how long it takes to heat up materials. And how long will they hold their energy? Say for like thermal energy storage, how long does it take to heat up molten salts or other substances with sunlight? I guess I could just use Q=mcT and divide by time and then solve for time...
  49. P

    Does Core Material Influence the H-Field in a Toroidal Coil?

    H-field depends on core material of toroid? If I got this right, the H-field does not depend on the material it is applied on and is only determined by its sources (free currents). So, suppose that we have a toroidal coil and some undefined core. As far as the H-filed is concerned, it would...
  50. Simfish

    How often did you get a poor grade in a class despite knowing the material well?

    It just happened to me. And it's immensely frustrating. Not to mention the difficulty of convincing professors that I understand the material well (certainly well enough to get more than a 3.5 in it) despite getting below a 3.0 on the course. Yes, I made mistakes. My first few weeks were...
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