Name: Henry S.
Status: Student
Age: 18
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: May 2003
Question:
I would like to know, if the more liquid nitrogen is poured on a metal, does it become more
brittle and easier to smash?
Replies:
In general a metal becomes more brittle as the temperature is reduced. There are many caveats to that
generalization however. Some metals become more brittle than others. Impurities can be very important.
The thermal history as well as the rate of cooling can play a role. The list of "but if's" is pretty long.
The principle is that the metal atoms cannot "slide" across one another the lower the temperature is.
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