KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY-PHYSICS.
PRACTICAL REPORT ON MATERIAL TESTING
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MATERIAL TESTING OF DIFFERENT METALLIC SAMPLES:
Aim:
To identify and compare different metallic materials and their physical properties in relationship
to their theories.
Objectives:
• To visually identify materials based on appearance and surface characteristics.
• To assess machinability of materials.
• To determine mechanical properties such as strength and hardness.
• To evaluate ductility of materials
• To study fracture behavior of materials.
• To determine magnetic properties of materials.
• To compare material properties and relate them to real-life applications.
Theory:
Material testing is the process of determining the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties
of materials in order to identify their suitability for specific engineering applications. Different
materials possess different characteristics such as hardness, ductility, brittleness, strength, and
magnetic properties. These properties influence how the material behaves under different
working conditions.
Various tests are carried out to identify and compare materials:
Visual tests help identify materials by their colour, texture, and surface appearance.
Machinability tests determine how easily a material can be cut or filed. Soft and ductile materials
are easier to machine than hard materials.
Magnetic tests distinguish ferrous materials from non-ferrous materials based on magnetic
attraction.
Spark tests identify steels according to carbon content by observing the colour, length, and
pattern of sparks produced during grinding.
Bend tests determine ductility by observing whether a material bends or breaks under force.
Fracture tests reveal the internal structure of a material through the appearance of the broken
surface. Fibrous fractures indicate ductile materials, while crystalline or granular fractures
indicate brittle materials.
Materials tested:
Low carbon steel sample
Medium carbon steel sample
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High carbon steel sample
Grey cast iron sample
Stainless steel sample
Aluminium sample
Cast iron sample
Apparatus for the tests.
Tape measure.
Vernier calipers.
Hacksaw.
Cross file.
Centre punch (Nail)
Hammer.
Vice.
Hand lens.
A permanent magnet.
Figure 1: showing some of the metal samples that were used
Tests carried out and table of results:
1. Visual Identification
Identification of the color of the sample
Identification of the pattern that’s on the sample.
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The length, thickness, width and volume of the same was recorded.
Sample Color Width (cm) Thickness, t Length Pattern
(cm) (cm)
Low carbon steel Dull grey _ 3.92 5.3 Smooth
Medium carbon Grey _ 5.97 11.1 Slightly
steel harder
surface
High carbon steel Dark-grey 5.6 6.8 14.3 Hard, shiny
Grey Cast Iron Dark-grey 5.5 10.55. 10.8 Grainy
Stainless Steel Shiny Silver 1.6 7.71 8.0 Smooth,
polished
Aluminum Silvery white 7.3 36.00 8.8 Smooth
Cast Iron Grey 3.1 8.89 4.1 Rough
2. Machinability
The same was placed on the vice
The sample was attempted to cut (5 strokes) and the resistance noted.
A cross file was used and attempted to file the surface of the material. The
observation was noted if the file cut through easily or it skid.
The results were recorded on a table
Sample Cutting resistance File
Low carbon steel Easy Cuts
Medium carbon steel Moderate Cuts
High carbon steel Difficult Skids
Grey Cast Iron Easy but brittle Cuts due to graphite flakes
Stainless Steel Difficult Skids
Aluminum Very easy Cuts
Cast Iron Hard Skids
3. Mechanical Testing
The sample was placed on a vice.
Using a centre punch and a hammer, a single controlled block was delivered on it.
The indent tension was observed and measured.
It was recorded on a table.
Sample Indent tension
Low carbon steel Deep
Medium carbon steel Moderately deep
High carbon steel Almost no indent
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Grey Cast Iron Very shallow
Stainless Steel Shallow
Aluminum Deep indent
Cast Iron Very shallow
4. Bend or Ductility test
The sample was secured on a vice and a protruding length of approximately 2cm
was left then a hammer or a hand used to attempt the sample.
It was observed and the following was recorded; Does it bend or it snaps, How
much it bent before it fractured.
Sample Test Elongation before it breaks
Low carbon steel Bends heavily; rarely snaps 10 – 25%
without extreme deformation
Medium carbon steel Slight bend, Bends 10-20%
moderately; requires high
force and can snap under
sharp bends.
High carbon steel Snaps; cracks, breaks with 5-15%
minimal bending
Grey cast iron Snaps instantly; completely Less than 1%
brittle with zero bending
capability.
Stainless steel Bends exceptionally well; can 40 -60%
be folded over itself without
cracking.
Aluminum Bends smoothly and easily; 30-70%
highly malleable
Cast Iron ( white cast Iron) Snaps 0%
5. Fracture test
For any sample the fractured, a hand lens was used to examine the fractures.
The pattern of those structures drawn
The appearance of the fracture described for example it’s texture.
Sample Fracture type Visual observations(hand
lens)
Low carbon steel Highly ductile Fibrous dull surface- stretches
and necks before breaking
Medium carbon steel Ductile A mixture of fibrous and
crystalline areas – requires
more force to break
High carbon steel Brittle Fine and granular surface -very
to no bending before snapping
Grey cast Iron/ cast Iron Very brittle Dark gray, rough surface-snaps
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instantly under impact.
Stainless steel Ductile Shinier, more jagged surface
and more like low carbon steel.
Aluminum Ductile Very bright silver-white
appearance-shows high
deformation.
6. Magnetic test
A permanent magnet was used and recorded if the sample was magnetic or non
magnetic. The relationship in their magnetic strength was identified.
Sample Magnetic property Distance of attraction
Low carbon steel Strong 10
Medium carbon steel Strong 6
High carbon steel Strong 4
Grey Cast Iron Weak 5
Stainless Steel Weak 5
Aluminum None Non- magnetic
Cast Iron Weak 3
Analysis and Discussion:
The results obtained from the various tests showed clear differences in the physical and
mechanical properties of the materials tested. These differences are mainly due to variations in
composition, especially carbon content, and internal structure.
File test
Aluminum: Very soft. A file bites into it very easily, removing material quickly.
Low Carbon Steel (Mild Steel): Soft to medium. The file will bite, cutting or scratching it
smoothly.
Medium Carbon Steel: Hard. The file will cut, but with significant resistance.
High Carbon Steel: Very hard. The file will skid off, barely scratching or cutting it.
Cast Iron: Medium to Hard (dependent on type).
Grey Cast Iron: The file will cut easily due to the graphite flakes
White Cast Iron (or very hard Cast Iron): The file will slide off without scratching.
Stainless Steel: Hard. The file will struggle to bite and will likely just slide and skid, especially if
the stainless steel has been work-hardened.
Cutting Test (Sawing);Cutting a metal sample with a hacksaw or band saw tells about the
material’s machinability and toughness.
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Aluminum: Very easy to cut. It produces thick, continuous chips, but requires lubricants to
prevent the metal from melting onto the teeth.
Low Carbon Steel: Moderately easy to cut. Produces uniform, small chips.
Medium & High Carbon Steels: Difficult to cut. The metal is hard and will cause friction heat. It
requires slow cutting speeds and the use of a fine-tooth blade to prevent teeth from stripping
Grey Cast Iron: Brittle, but cuts somewhat easily. Produces fine, crumbly swarf or dust rather
than standard curly chips.
Stainless Steel: Very difficult to cut. Stainless steel work-hardens and generates a lot of heat
while cutting. It requires a high-quality Bi-Metal blade, slow cutting speeds, and steady pressure.
From the machinability test, Aluminium and low carbon steel were found to be easy to cut and
file, indicating that they are soft and highly ductile. Medium carbon steel showed moderate
resistance, while high carbon steel and stainless steel were difficult to machine, confirming that
they are harder materials. Cast iron was easy to cut but produced powder instead of chips,
showing that it is brittle.
The magnetic test revealed that low, medium, and high carbon steels are strongly magnetic
because they are ferrous materials containing iron. Cast iron and grey cast iron were weakly
magnetic due to the presence of graphite, which reduces magnetic strength. Aluminium showed
no magnetism as it is a non-ferrous metal. Stainless steel exhibited weak or no magnetism
depending on its composition.
The bend test showed that Aluminium and low carbon steel bent easily, indicating high ductility.
Medium carbon steel bent slightly, while high carbon steel and cast iron broke without bending,
confirming their brittle nature.
The fracture test further supported these observations. Ductile materials like Aluminium and
low carbon steel showed fibrous fracture surfaces, indicating that they undergo deformation
before breaking. Brittle materials such as cast iron and high carbon steel showed crystalline or
granular fracture surfaces, indicating sudden failure without deformation. Medium carbon steel
and stainless steel showed mixed characteristics. It indicated that ductile materials have fibrous
fractures, while brittle materials have granular or crystalline fractures.
Overall, the tests demonstrate that:
Increasing carbon content increases hardness but reduces ductility
Ferrous materials are generally magnetic
Brittle materials fracture suddenly, while ductile materials deform before breaking
Conclusion:
The experiment successfully identified different materials using various tests. Ductile materials
such as Aluminium and low carbon steel bend easily and show fibrous fractures, while brittle
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materials like cast iron and high carbon steel break easily with granular fractures. Magnetic and
spark tests are useful in distinguishing ferrous metals and determining carbon content.
Material testing using multiple methods provides reliable identification of metals. Combining
visual, mechanical, and physical tests improves accuracy. Ductile materials bend easily, while
brittle materials fracture. Spark and magnetic tests are especially useful for distinguishing steel
types.
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