Question

(I) How does electrical conductivity and melting point of a metal change when it is converted to its alloy by mixing a small amount of an element in it? 

Hint:

Alloys are often used to improve the properties of metals for specific applications, such as increased strength or better corrosion resistance, which cannot be achieved by pure metals alone.

Answer 1

When a metal becomes an alloy by incorporating a small quantity of another element, various physical properties of the metal are altered. Consider these examples:

- F₂Electrical ConductivityF₂: Electrical conductivity usually decreases when a metal forms an alloy. This reduction occurs because the added element's atoms introduce imperfections in the atomic arrangement, hindering the unimpeded movement of electrons essential for conductivity.
- F₂Melting PointF₂: The melting point of an alloy frequently deviates from the melting points of its constituent metals. Alloys often exhibit a F₂lower melting pointF₂ compared to their pure components, particularly if the alloy's formation leads to a novel crystalline structure that demands less energy to decompose.