C2d

C2d: Making Cars

Materials in a Car

Many different materials make cars.

• Nylon fibre (seat belts)
• Glass (windscreen)
• Copper (wiring the engine)
• Plastic (for the trim)
• Steel (the body)
• Aluminium (alloy wheels)

Properties of Metals and Alloys

Aluminium Iron

Dense x /

Magnetic x /

Resists corrosion x /

Malleable x /

Conducts electricity x /

Aluminium can be mixed with copper/magnesium to make an alloy.

Alloys have different properties from the metals they're made from. These properties make the alloys more useful. 

For example, steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is used to make cars because it is harder, stonger, and doesn't corrode as fast as iron.

Aluminium is also used to make car bodies. It is lighter, corrodes less, and is more expensive than steel.

HT: If aluminium…