Review Of The First Chapter Of Mark Miodownik's Stuff Matters

The first chapter of Mark Miodownik’s book, Stuff Matters focuses specifically on the material known as Steel. Indomitable specifically focuses on the history of the usage of metals by human society on Earth and why the properties of metals, specifically steel makes it as useful as it is today in modern society. The first property of metals explained were the malleability and hardness present in metals. The ability for metals to be hardened through hammering and softened through heating the metal with fire made metals the best choice in tools used throughout society. Unlike bone and wood, after a metal object swings into object, it can be repaired allowing metal to be reused near infinity times. The next idea Miodownik explores is the structure

For example, when Miodownik explains how metals were better for making tools compared to wood, bone, and flint, he explains that “they can be hammered into shape: they flow, they are malleable.” [1] Metal has many other physical properties that make them useful for tools as metal can be rehammered back into shape or melted to create into a different tool. Another example is with razors. Miodownik explains the process of blunting razors is due to the structure of metals in how the atoms are arranged in a crystalline shape and in a specific way. Razors blunt because though collisions between the metal blade and hair, the crystals rearrange shape because bonds may weaken or be destroyed between the atoms in the crystal which creates slight dents on the razors edge. [1] Miodownik also explains how samurai swords are strong through science. The samurai sword consisted of high-carbon steel which is hard but brittle and low-carbon steel which is tough but soft. [1] With low-carbon steel as the base of the sword, the samurai sword could strike other swords repeatedly without breaking. With high-carbon steel at the tips end edge of the blade, the sword was still sharp enough to slice heads off the opponent. In the Bessemer’s process, the author uses chemistry to explain how it worked. The process involved blowing air into molten iron which already contains carbon in it from the ashes of stuff like coal. When the air is blown

While steel was the main metal in focus, other metals like copper, silver, and gold were talked about which are used to produce main things in modern society. Out of the steel materials though, the two things that have most impacted my life would be razors and stainless steel. With razors, because of how strong and sharp steel can be, I can shave my facial hair or cut my hair with much of the painful tug that would occur if I used less sharp objects. This is because of the Bessemer’s process which allowed steel to be cheap to produce and thus I can keep buying razors without being completely broke. Stainless Steel also heavily impacts my life. The utensils in my home whether it’s the spoon, fork, knife, and even chopsticks are made from stainless steel. Normally, if steel was placed in my mouth, the oxygen could react with the iron in my mouth giving me a poor aftertaste. This doesn’t occur though because of stainless steels properties and how chromium oxide doesn’t have much of a taste. Steel has had many other significant impacts on society besides the ones Miodownik stated in the chapter indomitable. Steel is important in modern day society in the construction of buildings, particularly skyscrapers. This is because of a combination of steel’s benefits as steel is extremely strong, cost effective, and recyclable. Along with this, steel is a metal which compared to other building materials like