TUTORIAL QUESTIONS
1. Differentiate the following terms: Materials science and material Engineering
2. Citing the four components that are involved in the design, production, and utilization of
materials, and briefly describe the interrelationships between these components.
3. Draw the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) unit cell and calculate the total number of atoms
4. Draw the body centered cubic (BCC) unit cell and calculate the total number of atoms
5. Draw the face centered cubic (FCC) unit cell and calculate the total number of atoms
6. Draw the simple cubic (SC) unit cell and calculate the total number of atoms
7. Draw the base centered orthorhombic unit cell and calculate the total number of atoms
8. Differentiate the following terms: cubic and orthorhombic crystal structure
9. Using sketches, discuss the six types of point defects in crystal structures
10. Discuss the two categories of planar defects
11. Discuss the three types of stacking faults
12. Using a two dimensional representation of a binary ionic compound, describe the three
coordination configurations compounds
13. Aluminum has a formal charge of +3 and a coordination number of six, calculate its bond
strength
14. Describe the Crystallization of polymers
15. Discuss any five mechanisms of crystallization
16. Discuss any five methods of evaluating the degree of crystallinity
17. Discuss the importance of different levels of material structure on material behaviour and
their applications
18. With aids of sketches, describe the steps of metal Solidification
19. Using a curve, describe the following terms:
Undercooling
Recalescence
Thermal arrest
Total solidification time
Local solidification time
20. With an aid of a curve, explain the cooling curve for a pure metal that has not been well
inoculated
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21. Describe the two types of nucleation in solidification process
22. With aid of curves, differentiate the cooling curves of pure metals and alloys.
23. With an aid of a diagram, describe how a thermal equilibrium diagram is created from
cooling curves
24. Describe the different types of thermal equilibrium diagrams of alloy systems
25. With aid of diagrams, differentiate the Substitutional solid solution and Interstitial solid
solution
26. With aid of a equilibrium diagram, discuss Cadmium/ Bismuth eutectic thermal equilibrium
diagram
27. Discuss the allotropy of iron
28. Define the following terms: Liquidus line, Solidus line and Solvus line
29. Discuss the production of iron and steel
30. Explain how Ferrite (α), Austenite () and Cementite (Fe3C) change from one form to
another.
31. Explain the main categories of plain carbon steels
32. Describe the purposes adding alloying elements are added to plain-carbon steels
33. According to their predominating microstructure, explain the principal groups of stainless
steel
34. Discuss tool steel
35. Discuss the types of cast irons
36. In relation to heat treatment, explain:
Quenching
Tempering
Austempering
Normalizing
Annealing
37. Describe the three questions that need to be answered to effectively quench a steel
38. Describe the five kinds of quenching medium
39. Discuss the five surface hardening techniques
40. Outline the basic steps of powder metallurgy process
41. Discuss the metallic powder making techniques
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42. Explain the Characteristic of metal powders
43. With an aid of diagram, explain compacting of Powder
44. Discuss Sintering process in powder metallurgy
45. Outline secondary operations of powder metallurgy
46. Outline the advantages of powder metallurgy
47. Outline the limitations of powder metallurgy
48. Outline the applications of powder metallurgy
49. Define the term composites materials
50. Explain the classification of composites
51. Outline the advantages of composite materials
52. Outline the disadvantages of composite materials
53. Discuss the applications of composite materials
54. Outline the purpose of testing of materials
55. Using the diagram below for typical tensile test on a piece of annealed low-carbon steel.,
explain the tensile test results
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Figure 1 Load-extension curve for a low-carbon steel.
56. Using the diagram below for typical tensile test on a piece of annealed mild steel., explain the
tensile test results
Figure 2 Typical stress-strain curve for annealed mild steel
57. Using the diagram below for typical tensile test on a piece of grey cast iron, explain the
tensile test results
Figure 3 Typical stress-strain curve of grey cast iron.
58. Using the diagram below for typical tensile test on a piece of light alloy., explain the tensile
test results
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Figure 4 Typical stress-strain curve of a light alloy
59. With an aid of stress-strain curves, explain the six main groups of polymeric properties of
materials
60. Calculate the modulus of elasticity for a material which produces the following data when
undergoing test:
Applied load = 40.2 kN, Cross-sectional area = 30mm2,
Gauge length = 35 mm, Extension = 0.5 mm.
61. With an aid of diagrams, explain the three types of bend test
62. Explain the different types of hardness testing methods
63. Discuss the following:
Tensile strength Ductility
Elasticity and elastic deformation Stiffness
Plasticity and plastic deformation Brittleness
Toughness Impact fracture
Malleability Ductile brittle transition
Hardness
64. Discuss the three Mechanisms of Strengthening Metals
65. Give any five Uses of NDT Methods
66. In regards to penetrant testing:
a) Using a sketch, explain the testing process
b) Describe the main uses
c) Give its advantages and disadvantages
67. In regards to magnetic particle testing:
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a) Using a sketch, explain the testing process
b) Describe the main uses
c) Give its advantages and disadvantages
68. In regards to ultrasonic testing:
a) Using a sketch, explain the testing process
b) Describe the main uses
c) Give its advantages and disadvantages
69. In regards to eddy current testing:
a) Using a sketch, explain the testing process
b) Describe the main uses
c) Give its advantages and disadvantages
70. In regards to radiographic testing:
a) Using a sketch, explain the testing process
b) Describe the main uses
c) Give its advantages and disadvantages
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