Metallurgy
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Metallurgy is the study of metals. Alloys are also studied. People who study metals are called metallurgists.
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[edit] How to make metals
Some people study how to get metals from rocks. The rocks are made of a metal with oxygen, called an oxide. This is done with chemistry or electricity. This is the first step in metallurgy.
[edit] Metal parts
Another part of metallurgy is making parts from metals. These parts must be made so they will not break when they are used. Metallurgists work to make the metal good when they are used. Sometimes the metal must be strong. Other times it must be tough (not easily broken). The metallurgist must follow directions when making the part to know what metal to use. Steel has a low cost, but rusts. Choosing a good metal is sometimes hard.
[edit] Making metal parts
A metal starts as a block, called an ingot. Metallurgists must know how to make a metal part from an ingot. Parts are made from ingots different ways. When a big hammer is used, it is called forging. To make thin metals, a metal is put between two rolls and moved, called rolling.
When a metal part is made hot, the metal moves farther than when it is cold. Most metal parts are made hot, to make moving metal easier. This is hot work.
Two metal parts can be put together with much heat. This is called welding. Iron is easy to weld.
[edit] How to know what to do to the metal
Metallurgists use many tools to know what to do to the metal. The most useful is the microscope. The microscope gives much information about the way the metal moves. Metals are sometimes pulled until they break. This is the tension test. Some useful information can be gotten from this test.