Which one of the following is the correct statement?Pearlite in iron-c...
Ans. (b) Since the chemical separation occurs entirely within crystalline solids, the
resultant structure is a five mechanical mixture of ferrite & cementite.
Pearlite is a eutectoid mixture of ferrite and cementite.
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Which one of the following is the correct statement?Pearlite in iron-c...
Pearlite in Iron-Carbon System
Pearlite is a microstructure that forms in the iron-carbon system at temperatures below the eutectoid temperature. It consists of alternating layers of ferrite and cementite.
Explanation:
1. Phase consisting of ferrite and cementite at room temperature:
This statement is incorrect. At room temperature, the phase present in the iron-carbon system is usually ferrite or cementite, not pearlite. Ferrite is a solid solution of carbon in alpha-iron, while cementite is a compound of iron and carbon with a fixed composition.
2. Mechanical mixture of ferrite and cementite at room temperature:
This statement is correct. Pearlite is formed through a eutectoid reaction, which occurs at temperatures below the eutectoid temperature (727°C for hypo-eutectoid steels). During this reaction, the austenite transforms into pearlite, which is a lamellar microstructure consisting of alternating layers of ferrite and cementite. The formation of pearlite involves the diffusion of carbon atoms and the growth of ferrite and cementite layers. Therefore, pearlite is considered a mechanical mixture of ferrite and cementite.
3. Eutectic mixture of ferrite and cementite at room temperature:
This statement is incorrect. Eutectic mixtures involve the simultaneous solidification of two phases from a liquid phase, whereas pearlite forms through a solid-state transformation. Hence, pearlite is not an eutectic mixture of ferrite and cementite at room temperature.
4. All the above three are correct:
This statement is incorrect. Only the second statement, which states that pearlite is a mechanical mixture of ferrite and cementite at room temperature, is correct.
To summarize, pearlite is a lamellar microstructure that forms in the iron-carbon system at temperatures below the eutectoid temperature. It consists of alternating layers of ferrite and cementite and is considered a mechanical mixture rather than a phase or eutectic mixture.
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