MSE 200 Exam 1 Study Guide Questions
and Answers
Materials Science Engineering - ANSWER-the discipline of studying the relationships
between structures and their properties
Metals - ANSWER-metallic bonding; high thermal and electrical conductivity; strong
Polymers - ANSWER-covalent bonding; low strength; thermal and electrical insulators
Ceramics - ANSWER-ionic bonding; non-conducting; brittle/glassy
4 characteristics of MSE - ANSWER-properties, structures, performance, and
processing
5 main properties - ANSWER-optical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and deteriorative
Ground State vs. Excited State - ANSWER-lowest energy level vs. atoms are energized
Electronic Structure - ANSWER-n (1,2,3,...), l (n-1), m_l (-l to +l), m_s (-1/2 or 1/2)
Pauli Exclusion Principle - ANSWER-electrons must spin in opposite directions
Bonding Properties - ANSWER-melting temperature is larger if bond energy is larger;
elastic modulus is larger if bond energy is larger, coefficient of thermal expansion is
larger if bond energy is smaller
Simple Cubic Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.52)
coordination #: 6
number of atoms: 1
lattice constant a = 2r
Body Centered Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.68)
coordination #: 8
number of atoms: 2
lattice constant a = 4r/sqrt(3)
Face Centered Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.74)
coordination #: 12
number of atoms: 4
lattice constant a = 4r/sqrt(2)
Hexagonal Close Packed Structure - ANSWER-Same as FCC except number of atoms
is 6
and Answers
Materials Science Engineering - ANSWER-the discipline of studying the relationships
between structures and their properties
Metals - ANSWER-metallic bonding; high thermal and electrical conductivity; strong
Polymers - ANSWER-covalent bonding; low strength; thermal and electrical insulators
Ceramics - ANSWER-ionic bonding; non-conducting; brittle/glassy
4 characteristics of MSE - ANSWER-properties, structures, performance, and
processing
5 main properties - ANSWER-optical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and deteriorative
Ground State vs. Excited State - ANSWER-lowest energy level vs. atoms are energized
Electronic Structure - ANSWER-n (1,2,3,...), l (n-1), m_l (-l to +l), m_s (-1/2 or 1/2)
Pauli Exclusion Principle - ANSWER-electrons must spin in opposite directions
Bonding Properties - ANSWER-melting temperature is larger if bond energy is larger;
elastic modulus is larger if bond energy is larger, coefficient of thermal expansion is
larger if bond energy is smaller
Simple Cubic Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.52)
coordination #: 6
number of atoms: 1
lattice constant a = 2r
Body Centered Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.68)
coordination #: 8
number of atoms: 2
lattice constant a = 4r/sqrt(3)
Face Centered Structure - ANSWER-low packing density (.74)
coordination #: 12
number of atoms: 4
lattice constant a = 4r/sqrt(2)
Hexagonal Close Packed Structure - ANSWER-Same as FCC except number of atoms
is 6
