II.

Multiple Choice

1. A proeutectoid nucleus grows in the direction of

a. Both adjacent austenite grains
b. The austenite grain defining the habit plane
c. The other austenite grain with the non-coherent high energy boundary
d. None of the above

2. The phase transformation when austenite transforms to ferrite and cementite

a. Eutectic
b. Eutectoid
c. Peritectic
d. None of the above

3. In what type of steel is the carbon content of austenite enriched upon cooling
a. Eutectoid
b. Hypoeutectoid
c. Hypereutectoid
d. All of the above

4. After the quench in precipitation hardening, the alloy is

a. Supersaturated with solute
b. Supersaturated with vacancies
c. Precipitates do not form yet
d. All of the above

5. A nucleus is considered stable and capable of growing because

a. Its total free energy decreases as it further grows
b. Its size is at least equal to the critical radius
c. Absolute value of volume energy is greater than the strain energy
d. All of the above

6. Aluminum alloy rivets incorporated in an aircraft are stored in deep-freeze refrigerators

prior to use
a. For solution treatment
b. To attain maximum hardening
c. To prevent hardening
d. Just for temporary safekeeping

7. Which is a characteristic of a precipitation hardenable alloy?

a. Precipitates impenetrable by matrix dislocations
b. Solvus line indicating solute partial solubility decreasing with decreasing
temperature
c. Strength is increased by cold working
d. None of the above
 8. In order to minimize the strain energy, an incoherent nucleus blablabla the shape of a
a. Needle
b. Sphere
c. Disk
d. Any shape

9. Near the transformation temperature, the nucleation current is controlled by

a. Rate of jumping of atoms towards the nucleus
b. Energy barrier to form the nucleus
c. No. of embryos at the transformation temperature
d. All of the above

10. Consider the interference of adjacent growing precipitate particles, it is characterized

by
a. Fall of solute concentration in the matrix far away from the particles
b. Concentration gradient adjacent to the particles remain the same
c. Growth of precipitates increase with time
d. All of the above

III. Fill in the blank

1. ______ The period before actual precipitation starts

2. ______ Carbon content of cementite
3. ______ Alternating lamellae of ferrite and cementite
4. ______ Transformation product of austenite after a water quench
5. ______ Another name for precipitation hardening
6. ______ Form in the initial development of the precipitates involving the local clustering of
solute atoms
7. ______ Occurs after a group of atoms has exceeded the critical size and becomes a
stable nucleus
8. ______ The theory relating the number of embryos to the number of atoms in an embryo
in the supersaturated condition.
9. ______ Type of growth dependent on the migration of solute atoms from the matrix to the
precipitate
10. ______ Type of growth dependent on the ability of solute atoms to cross over from the
matrix to the precipitate

IV. Essay/Problem

1. With the aid of appropriate diagram(s), explain that for solid state reactions the elastic
strain energy makes nucleation more difficult.

2. In a recent warehouse fire, a shipment aircraft rivets was subjected to heat which was
intense enough to overage the rivets but not intense enough to affect their size, shape or
appearance. The quality control engineer of the aircraft manufacturer rejected the rivets
 for use. If you were their metallurgical engineer and the president of the firm asked you
to comment, would you consider the rivets scrapped? Is there an alternative?

3. Given hypoeutectoid steel (0.4 % C) to undergo equilibrium cooling, what phases,

composition, and amount of each phase would exist slightly above and below the
eutectoid temperature? After cooling to room temperature, what constituents are found
in the structure? Give the amounts and compositions of each; also, indicate the amount
of proeutectoid and eutectoid ferrite.