Science
What is An alloy?
An alloy is a material made by mixing a metal with one or more other elements to get better properties. Steel (iron plus carbon) and bronze (copper plus tin) are alloys — usually stronger, harder, or more useful than the pure metals alone.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains an alloy.
Key things to understand
- 1It blends a base metal with other metals or elements.
- 2The added atoms disrupt the orderly metal structure, making it harder to bend.
- 3Steel, bronze, brass, and stainless steel are everyday alloys.
- 4Alloys can resist rust, add strength, or lower the melting point.
- 5Their properties are tuned by changing the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are alloys stronger than pure metals?
- The differently sized added atoms block the metal's layers from sliding, so the material resists bending and is harder and stronger.
- What is steel?
- An alloy of iron with a small amount of carbon, which makes it far stronger and harder than pure iron.
- Why is stainless steel rust-resistant?
- It contains chromium, which forms an invisible protective oxide layer that shields the iron from rusting.