Density of Silicon Carbide vs. Density of Steel

[Abhijeet242]

Why density of silicon carbide is less than ( almost half) that of steel, even when the hardness of the SiC is more than steel?

 

[EdStainless]

Those two properties have nothing to do with each other (almost).
Density is a result of atomic mass (adn density) and stacking arrangement, how many atoms actually fit into a space.
In general low density and low atomic number are related.

https://www.webelements.com/periodicity/density/

Hardness (and a bunch of other mechanical properties) are related to how the atoms are bonded to each other. This is impacted by the nature of the elements and their stacking order to some degree (presence of slip planes and such).


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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

EdS has just given you the introduction to the introduction to the course.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."