Basic HTML Version
54
SECTION 2
Materials
3
Match the English words with their Italian equivalent.
0
copper
a
ferro
1
steel
b
legno
2
iron
c
lega
3
wood
d
plastica
4
glass
e
acciaio
5
silver
f
rame
6
plastic
g
argento
7
alloy
h
vetro
f
Talking about materials
4
Read and listen to the text about metals and non-metals. Then complete the diagram.
TECHNICAL
ENGLISH
Metals and non-metals belong to the elements
in the periodic table. Among the best known
metallic elements we can find platinum, gold,
silver, iron, aluminium, copper and others.
Metals represent 60% of all the elements.
The remaining 40% are non-metals: nitrogen,
oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, silicon and
phosphorus are examples in this category.
Non-metals are composed of natural materials
(such as stone and wood) and artificial
materials (such as plastic, glass, ceramics).
There are two groups of metals: ferrous and
non-ferrous. The difference between them is
that in the second group a metal other than
iron is used. Steel is the most important
ferrous metal. Non-ferrous metals are not
magnetic and are more resistant to corrosion.
Copper, aluminium, tin, lead and zinc are the
main non-ferrous metals.
Metals are often mixed with other metals or
non-metals to form an alloy. Very often alloys
are created to give a metallic substance
different mechanical, physical, or chemical
properties. Examples of ferrous alloys include
stainless steel and cast iron. Examples of non-
ferrous alloys are bronze, made of tin and
copper, and brass, made of zinc and copper.
VOCABULARY & COMMUNICATION 2
TECHNICAL
ENGLISH
METALS
NON METALS
ALLOYS
(
1
) .......................
non-ferrous
natural materials
(
2
) .......................
steel
(
4
) ..............
copper
(
3
) .............
tin
lead
(
6
) ...............
(
7
) ................
(
8
) ................
(
9
) ................
FERROUS
(
5
) .....................
18
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