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Hardness and ductility are properties of solids. Because of its very unusual quantum properties (compared to nearly all other elements - hydrogen is weird too) hardness and ductility may not really apply to solid helium.

Helium CAN be turned into a solid - but it requires elevated pressures and REAAALLLY low temperatures. Because of quantum effects, it can remain liquid all the way to absolute zero at normal pressures. To get a solid requires pressures above about 2.5 MPa (25 bar) and temperatures down around 1 Kelvin. In theory you could get it solidify at room temperature if you could get it up to a pressure of 114,000 atmospheres (1,675,338 psi) but well before those pressures helium tends to diffuse into whatever solid forms the walls of its container - causing embrittlement, leading to fractures - aaaaannnnnnddddd - POW!

Suffice it to say that at such extreme temperatures hardness is difficult to measure. At least one experiment found no penetration of a probe 0.6-mm in diameter until the force exerted exceeded 330 dyne - at which point it gradually penetrated the sample at a rate of about 3 µm/sec. As soon as the probe was withdrawn, the indentation "healed" - kind of like rubber rebounding after compression, but in this case it more like the helium flowing back into the depression..

"Ductility" usually is defined as the response to shear stresses - often by drawing the materiel into a wire. Nobody has ever succeeded in making a wire from solid helium. Solid helium behaves strangely under shear. It can be a "supersolid", i.e. a solid exhibiting superfluid characteristics like zero viscosity flow, consequently when placed under shear stress it may decouple from the the shearing surface making any measurements meaningless.

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Is brittleness a characteristic of a metals?

Brittleness is not a characteristic of most metals. Metals are usually ductile and malleable, meaning they can be bent and shaped without breaking. However, some metals, such as cast iron, can exhibit brittleness under certain conditions.


What are the non example of brittleness?

biscuits peanut brittle eggshell coral osteoporosis


Do metals have high brittleness?

Metals generally exhibit low brittleness and are typically known for their ductility, allowing them to deform without breaking. However, certain conditions, such as low temperatures or specific alloy compositions, can increase brittleness in some metals, like high-carbon steel or certain cast irons. In these cases, the metal may fracture easily under stress rather than bending. Overall, while metals can exhibit brittleness under specific circumstances, they are primarily characterized by their ability to withstand deformation.


What is heliums mallebility?

Flexibility and brittleness are properties of solids. Because of its very unusual quantum properties (compared to nearly all other elements - hydrogen is weird too) flexibility and brittleness may not really apply to solid helium. Helium CAN be turned into a solid - but it requires elevated pressures and REAAALLLY low temperatures. Because of quantum effects, it can remain liquid all the way to absolute zero at normal pressures. To get a solid requires pressures above about 2.5 MPa (25 bar) and temperatures down around 1 Kelvin. In theory you could get it solidify at room temperature if you could get it up to a pressure of 114,000 atmospheres (1,675,338 psi) but well before those pressures helium tends to diffuse into whatever solid forms the walls of its container - causing embrittlement, leading to fractures - aaaaannnnnnddddd - POW! Suffice it to say that at such extreme temperatures flexibility is difficult to measure. At least one experiment found no penetration of a probe 0.6-mm in diameter until the force exerted exceeded 330 dyne - at which point it gradually penetrated the sample at a rate of about 3 µm/sec. As soon as the probe was withdrawn, the indentation "healed" - kind of like rubber rebounding after compression, but in this case it more like the helium flowing back into the depression. Apparently solid helium doesn't so much flex as flow. Brittleness usually is defined as the response to stresses. As already noted, it sort of flows when subject to compressive stress. Solid helium als behaves strangely under shear stresses. It can be a "supersolid", i.e. a solid exhibiting superfluid characteristics like zero viscosity flow, consequently when placed under shear stress it may decouple from the the shearing surface making any measurements meaningless.


Is the difference between helium in a jar in helium?

helium in a jar diff from helium atom

Related Questions

Is helium strong or brittle?

Helium is a gas . . . it has neither strength nor brittleness.


Is helium a brittle?

Helium itself is not a brittle material, as it is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas at room temperature and pressure. It is commonly used as a non-reactive and inert gas. Brittleness is a property associated with solid materials, not gases.


Does brittleness have carbon?

Brittleness isn't a material, it's a characteristics.


What do we mean by brittleness?

Brittleness means the property of snapping easily when a force is applied.


How do you test for brittleness?

Reference ASTM D746 - 07. This applies to Brittleness testing of elastomers and plastics.


How do you test brittleness?

Reference ASTM D746 - 07. This applies to Brittleness testing of elastomers and plastics.


Can oxygen have brittleness?

No, oxygen itself cannot exhibit brittleness because it is a gas at normal atmospheric conditions. Brittleness is a mechanical property exhibited by solid materials when subjected to certain stresses.


Is brittleness intensive?

Yes, brittleness is an intensive property. It describes the tendency of a material to fracture or break without significant deformation under stress, and it does not depend on the amount of material present.


Is brittleness a characteristic of a metals?

Brittleness is not a characteristic of most metals. Metals are usually ductile and malleable, meaning they can be bent and shaped without breaking. However, some metals, such as cast iron, can exhibit brittleness under certain conditions.


Is brittleness a physical or chemical change?

Brittleness is considered a physical change. It is a change that can be felt, and interacting with it does nothing to change it into something else.


What is the relationship between hardness and brittleness for iron?

the hardness of iron decreases with increase in brittleness in general..however when the temp is increased, the elasticity increases and the brittleness reduces, it continues to show the increasing trend in hardness until a transition temperature, after which the hardness starts decreasing again.


Which is a property of most nonmetalic solids?

Brittleness. Reason: Non-metallic solids are usually brittle.