Alloys – Old Year Questions
List of alloys, their compositions, and uses
Steel
- Composition: Iron (Fe) + Carbon (C) + other elements like Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), etc.
- Uses: Construction, machinery, automotive industry, tools, and infrastructure.
Stainless Steel
- Composition: Iron (Fe) + Chromium (Cr) + Nickel (Ni) + Carbon (C).
- Uses: Kitchen utensils, medical instruments, cutlery, and construction.
Brass
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Zinc (Zn).
- Uses: Musical instruments, decorative items, plumbing, and electrical fittings.
Bronze
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Tin (Sn).
- Uses: Statues, medals, coins, and marine applications due to corrosion resistance.
Duralumin
- Composition: Aluminum (Al) + Copper (Cu) + Magnesium (Mg) + Manganese (Mn).
- Uses: Aircraft manufacturing, automotive parts, and structural applications.
Solder
- Composition: Tin (Sn) + Lead (Pb).
- Uses: Joining electrical components and plumbing.
Amalgam
- Composition: Mercury (Hg) + other metals like Silver (Ag), Tin (Sn), or Copper (Cu).
- Uses: Dental fillings and mining.
Nichrome
- Composition: Nickel (Ni) + Chromium (Cr) + Iron (Fe).
- Uses: Heating elements in appliances like toasters and electric heaters.
Gunmetal
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Tin (Sn) + Zinc (Zn) + Lead (Pb).
- Uses: Making guns, valves, and bearings.
Pewter
- Composition: Tin (Sn) + Copper (Cu) + Antimony (Sb) + Bismuth (Bi).
- Uses: Decorative items, tableware, and jewelry.
Invar
- Composition: Iron (Fe) + Nickel (Ni).
- Uses: Precision instruments, clocks, and scientific equipment due to low thermal expansion.
Magnalium
- Composition: Aluminum (Al) + Magnesium (Mg).
- Uses: Aircraft parts, lightweight instruments, and balance beams.
Monel Metal
- Composition: Nickel (Ni) + Copper (Cu) + small amounts of Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn).
- Uses: Marine engineering, chemical industries, and aerospace.
Alnico
- Composition: Aluminum (Al) + Nickel (Ni) + Cobalt (Co) + Iron (Fe).
- Uses: Permanent magnets in motors, sensors, and speakers.
German Silver
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Zinc (Zn) + Nickel (Ni).
- Uses: Silverware, musical instruments, and decorative items.
Rose Metal
- Composition: Bismuth (Bi) + Lead (Pb) + Tin (Sn).
- Uses: Fire sprinklers and fusible plugs.
Bell Metal
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Tin (Sn).
- Uses: Making bells and musical instruments.
Constantan
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Nickel (Ni).
- Uses: Thermocouples and electrical resistance wires.
Wood’s Metal
- Composition: Bismuth (Bi) + Lead (Pb) + Tin (Sn) + Cadmium (Cd).
- Uses: Fire alarms and safety devices.
Phosphor Bronze
- Composition: Copper (Cu) + Tin (Sn) + Phosphorus (P).
- Uses: Springs, bearings, and electrical contacts.
1. Out of the following which is not an alloy?
(a) Steel
(b) Brass
(c) Bronze
(d) Copper
[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]
2. Statement (A): Galvanized iron does not rust.
Statement (R): Zinc has the efficiency of oxidation.
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the right clarification of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the right classification of (A).
(c) (A) is correct, but (R) is wrong.
(d) (A) is wrong, but (R) is correct.
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]
6. Which one of the following is essential in the corrosion of iron metal?
(a) Oxygen only
(b) Oxygen and moisture
(c) Hydrogen only
(d) Hydrogen and moisture
[U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2016]
7. Which metal is generally used for coating brass utensils to prevent copper contamination?
(a) Tin
(b) Zinc
(c) Aluminium
(d) Lead
[R.A.S/R.T.S (Pre) 2018]
8. The aluminium surface is often ‘Anodized’. This means the deposition of a layer of –
(a) Chromium Oxide
(b) Aluminium Oxide
(c) Nickel Oxide
(d) Zinc Oxide
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2000]
9. Alloy of which metal is used to make aeroplanes and parts of the compartments of the train?
(a) Copper
(b) Iron
(c) Aluminium
(d) None of these
[43rd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1999]
10. Mercury-metal mixture is –
(a) High colour alloy
(b) Carbon mixed alloy
(c) Mercury mixed alloy
(d) Highly resisting alloy for malfriction
[39th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1994]
11. Which one of the following metals does not form amalgam?
(a) Zinc
(b) Copper
(c) Magnesium
(d) Iron
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1998]
13. Solder used in soldering metal pieces is an alloy of :
(a) Tin and Lead
(b) Tin and Copper
(c) Tin, Zinc and Copper
(d) Tin, Lead and Zinc
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]
14. Bronze is an alloy of –
(a) Copper and Tin
(b) Copper and Silver
(c) Copper and Zinc
(d) Copper and Lead
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2015]
15. Bronze is an alloy of copper and –
(a) Tin
(b) Aluminium
(c) Silver
(d) Nickel
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2016]
16. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List-I List-II
A. German silver 1. Tin
B. Solder 2. Nickel
C. Bleaching powder 3. Sodium
D. Hypo 4. Chlorine
Code :
A B C D
(a) 1 2 4 3
(b) 2 1 3 4
(c) 1 2 3 4
(d) 2 1 4 3
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2000]
17. The percentage of Silver in German Silver is :
(a) 1%
(b) 5%
(c) 0%
(d) None of these
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2003]
20. Which of the following alloys has a maximum percentage of Copper?
(a) Brass
(b) Bronze
(c) German Silver
(d) Gun Metal
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl.) (Pre) 2008]
25. Check these statements :
(i) Brass is an alloy of Copper and Zinc.
(ii) Magnetite is the main ore of Aluminium.
(iii) Mercurius Solubilis are a substance which mainly involves mercury.
(iv) Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) is a chemical used in photography.
Which of the above is true?
Code :
(a) (i) and (ii)
(b) (i) and (iii)
(c) (ii) and (iii)
(d) (i), (iii) and (iv)
[U.P.U.D.A/L.D.A. (Pre) 2001]
26. Brass gets a faded colour in the air due to the presence of –
(a) Oxygen
(b) Hydrogen Sulphide
(c) Carbon dioxide
(d) Nitrogen
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]
27. Combination of which substance in the alloy renders stainless steel non-magnetic?
(a) Carbon
(b) Chromium
(c) Nickel
(d) Molybdenum
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]
28. To make the steel hard requires an increase in –
(a) The quantity of Carbon
(b) The quantity of Manganese
(c) The quantity of Silicon
(d) The quantity of Chromium
[42nd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1997]
29. Steel slag can be the material for which of the following?
1. Construction of base road
2. Improvement of agricultural soil
3. Production of cement
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2020]
30. Which of the following elements is added to iron to produce steel which can resist high temperatures, and have high hardness and abrasion resistance?
(a) Aluminium
(b) Chromium
(c) Nickel
(d) Tungsten
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1996]
32. Steel is further processed to obtain stainless steel by adding some elements. Which one of the following is not used for this purpose?
(a) Carbon
(b) Silicon
(c) Manganese
(d) Nickel
[U.P.P.C.S. (Spl.) (Mains) 2004]
39. In the case of rusting, the weight of iron –
(a) Increases
(b) Decreases
(c) Remains the same
(d) Uncertain
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2008, M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1991]
40. Consider these statements and choose the right answer from the given code :
Statement (A): Normally it has been seen that iron goods are covered with a brown powder called rust when they are unsheltered in the atmosphere.
Statement (R): Rust or the brown powder is the result of the deposition of tannin.
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the right explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the right explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is correct, but (R) is wrong.
(d) (A) is wrong, but (R) is correct.
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 1998]