Key Terms: Chapter 2

amorphous material A material that lacks the long-range order that is characteristic of a crystalline solid. Amorphous materials are either rubbers or glasses Arrhenius equation An equation of the form C = Co X exp( -Q/RT). This equation states that the variable C increases exponentially as the temperature increases. atomic scale structure The structure of a material on the size scale of an atom (i.e., on the scale of about 10-8 to 10-10 m). bond energy The amount of energy required to move two atoms or ions to an infinite separation distance. It is equivalent to the depth of the bond-energy well. bond-energy curve (bond-energy well) The curve that describes the energy associated with a pair of atoms or ions as a function of the distance between the two atoms or ions. bond-force curve The curve that describes the relationship between the total force between two atoms or ions as a function of the distance between the two atoms or ions. This curve is equivalent to the derivative of the bond-energy curve. bond length The equilibrium separation distance between two atoms or ions. It can be estimated from either the bond-energy curve (the point where the energy is a minimum) or the bond-force curve (the point where the total force is zero). brittle Term used to describe materials that are unable to absorb energy by "bending" but instead fracture (break into pieces) when subjected to external loads. For example, the glass in a car window is brittle, while the metal or plastic bumper is not. More precisely, brittle materials exhibit a low failure strain. coefficient of thermal expansion th Term defined through the equation h = th T, which states that the coefficient of thermal expansion is the constant that relates thermal strain to changes in temperature. coordination number The number of nearest neighbors that surround an atom or ion. core electrons Those electrons that are contained within the filled inner shells of an atom. coulombic force Name given to the electrostatic force that develops between charged species. The magnitude of the force is proportional to the charges of the two species and inversely related to the square of their separation distance. This force pulls the species closer together if they have opposite charge and pushes them apart if they have charges of the same sign. crosslinks Primary bonds formed between adjacent polymer chains. These atomic "bridges" are often composed of small chains of either oxygen or sulfur but can be composed of many other small groups of atoms. crystalline material A material that contains a regular and repeating atomic or molecular arrangement such that long-range order is established within the structure. ductile Term used to describe materials that are able to absorb energy by "bending" rather than by fracture (breaking into pieces) when subjected to external loads. For example, the metal or plastic bumper on a car is ductile, while the glass in a car window is not. electron affinity The energy released when an isolated neutral electronegative atom gains an electron. electron configuration The distribution of electrons within the permissible energy levels in an atom.

electron transfer A process that occurs in ionic bonds in which an electropositive element gives up an electron to become a cation and this electron is then added to an electronegative element that becomes an anion. electronegativity The relative tendency of an element to gain, or attract, an electron. ground state Electron configuration in which an atom's electrons occupy the lowest-energy subshells consistent with the Pauli exclusion principle. kinetics The study of the rate of reactions and the factors that affect them, including the influence of time on phase transformations. long-range order Existence of a regular repeating arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules within a crystalline region of a material. metallic bonds A type of primary bond formed between two electropositive elements when their average number of valence electrons is less than or equal to 3. noncrystalline Amorphous, lacking three-dimensional order. Amorphous materials are either rubbers or glasses. normal stress The force divided by the area normal to the force. Pauli exclusion principle A quantum mechanics concept stating that no two interacting electrons can have the same four quantum numbers. permanent dipole A molecule in which the spatial center of positive charge is always different from that of the negative charge. polymer Engineering material composed of high-molecular-weight molecules. These molecules usually have either a linear (chain) structure or a three-dimensional network structure. quantum number One of four values, three of which are integers and the other is , that together determine the energy and many other important characteristics of an electron within an atom. short-range order The local arrangement of nearest-neighbor atoms or ions around a centrally located atom or ion. temporary dipole An atom or molecule in which the spatial center of positive charge is momentarily different from the center of negative charge. thermodynamics The science dealing with the relationships between the thermal properties of matter thermoplastic polymer A polymer composed of long-chain molecules often composed of a covalently bonded backbone and various side groups. These macromolecules can be heated to form a melt repeatedly. thermoset polymer A polymer (usually composed of a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms) that does not melt wh'en reheated. valence band The highest-energy electron band that is at least partially filled at O K. valence electrons Electrons located in the shell that is furthest from the atomic nucleus. van der Waals bond A type of secondary bond in which a temporary dipole induces another dipole in an adjacent atom. The two dipoles then experience a coulombic force of attraction. Young's modulus The elastic property of solids that describes the inherent stiffness of the material. It is also the slope of the stress-strain curve in the elastic region.