what makes metal hard?
In: 1
Molecular cohesion. There’s probably an actual scientific name for it but in short it’s how tightly each atom and molecule of a substance holds onto it’s neighbors. In some metals like gold and copper this force is very loose while in metals like iron and tungsten this force is far tighter. You can also increase the hardness of a metal by putting stress on it. Imagine pulling a string taut and this is essentially what happens when quenching steel.
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