MetalType of materialIron, shown here as fragments and a 1 cm cube, is an example of a chemical element that is a metal.Metal in the form of a gravy boat made from stainless steel, an alloy largely composed of iron, chromium and nickelA metal (from Ancient Greek μέταλλον (métallon) 'mine, quarry, metal') is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well.
Fermi energyThe Fermi energy is a concept in quantum mechanics usually referring to the energy difference between the highest and lowest occupied single-particle states in a quantum system of non-interacting fermions at absolute zerotemperature. In a Fermi gas, the lowest occupied state is taken to have zero kinetic energy, whereas in a metal, the lowest occupied state is typically taken to mean the bottom of the conduction band.
MetallicityIn astronomy, metallicity is the abundance of elements present in an object that are heavier than hydrogen and helium. Most of the normal currently detectable (i.e. non-dark) matter in the universe is either hydrogen or helium, and astronomers use the word metals as convenient shorthand for all elements except hydrogen and helium. This word-use is distinct from the conventional chemical or physical definition of a metal as an electrically conducting element.
Chemical elementChemical substance not composed of simpler onesThe chemical elements ordered in the periodic table, as shown in the 32-column formatA chemical element is a species of atom defined by its number of protons. The number of protons is called the atomic number of that element. For example, oxygen has an atomic number of 8: each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its nucleus.
Periodic tableTabular arrangement of the chemical elementsPeriodic table of the chemical elements showing the most or more commonly named sets of elements (in periodic tables), and a traditional dividing line between metals and nonmetals.
MetallurgyMetallurgy is a domain of material science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the science and the technology of metals, including their production and the engineering of metal components used in products for both consumers and manufacturers.
Semiconductor deviceA semiconductor device is an electronic component that relies on the electronic properties of a semiconductor material (primarily silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors) for its function. Its conductivity lies between conductors and insulators. Semiconductor devices have replaced vacuum tubes in most applications.Standard temperature and pressureStandard temperature and pressure (STP), or standard conditions for temperature and pressure, are various standard sets of conditions for experimental measurements used to allow comparisons to be made between different sets of data. The most used standards are those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), although these are not universally accepted.
MetalworkingMetalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals in order to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term, it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale: from huge ships, buildings, and bridges, down to precise engine parts and delicate jewellery. The historical roots of metalworking predate recorded history; its use spans cultures, civilizations and millennia.
PiezoelectricityPiezoelectricity (, US: ) is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials—such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA, and various proteins—in response to applied mechanical stress. The piezoelectric effect results from the linear electromechanical interaction between the mechanical and electrical states in crystalline materials with no inversion symmetry.
Phase transitionIn physics, chemistry and biology, a phase transition (or phase change) is the physical process of transition between one state of a medium and another. Commonly the term is used to refer to changes among the basic states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas, and in rare cases, plasma. A phase of a thermodynamic system and the states of matter have uniform physical properties.Physical phemomenonA physical phenomenon is a change in the physical structure of matter — regarding shape, size, appearance, motion, and physical state — that does not alter the chemical composition of the matter. A physical phenomenon is a set of changes and processes occurring in nature. A force is required for physical phenomena to occur.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.