2006-07-24 20:00:04 · 3 answers · asked by Ravn 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
metal's strength is in the fact that it gives a little without breaking. freezing it prevents it from giving so it breaks like glass. I think glass is harder than metal, but not as strong. you can scratch metal with a shard of glass. but you use a diamond to cut glass (diamond is the hardest thing that we know of)
2006-07-24 20:06:27 · answer #1 · answered by jsbrads 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually the steel block is only fragile in the frozen state. The molecules have slowed down to the point that they have lost the elasticity which allows a metal to stretch and return to normal. Another thing that freezing does is relieves inherent stresses from the metal due to forming or bending or other process. If you get a metal cold enough and thaw it out again it can actually be stronger that it was originally.
2006-07-25 03:10:52 · answer #2 · answered by Corey S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, i know it won't be as strong as it is after it has been exposed to liquified nitrogen.
2006-07-25 03:03:47 · answer #3 · answered by Nicholais S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋