) What is the difference between a metal and a
polymer?
Answers
Answer:
Metals are combinations of metallic elements. Metallic materials have large number of nonlocalized electrons, i.e. electrons are not bound to particular atoms. Many properties of metals are directly attributable to these electrons. All metals are characterized by metallic properties, e.g. luster, opacity, malleability, ductility and electrical conductivity. Although metals compose about three fourth of the known elements but few find service in their pure form. The desired properties for engineering purposes are often found in alloys. Typical examples of metallic materials are iron, aluminium, copper, zinc, etc. and their alloys. Metals are extremely good conductors of electricity. A polished metal surface has a lustrous appearance. Moreover, metals are quite strong, yet deformable, which accounts for their extensive use in structural applications. Metallic materials are always crystalline in nature. Scientists have developed amorphous (non-crystalline) alloys by very rapid cooling of a melt or by very high-energy mechanical miling. Recently, scientists have developed materials through rapid solidification called as quasicrystals. These are neither crystalline nor amorphous, but form an ordered structure somewhere between two known structures. These materials are expected to exhibit far reaching electrical properties.
Polymers are organic substances and derivatives of carbon and hydrogen. Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber materials. Usually polymers are classified into three categories: thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting polymers and elastomers, better called as rubbers. Polymers have very large molecular structures. Most plastic polymers are light in weight and are soft in comparison to metals. Polymer materials have typically low densities and may be extremely flexible and widely used as insulators, both thermal and electrical. Few examples of polymers are polyesters, phenolics, polyethylene.
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Explanation: