In materials science, the property of a metal that allows it to be stretched and drawn into long, thin wires without breaking is called what?

Introduction / Context:
Metals have several characteristic mechanical properties that make them suitable for different applications. Two important ones are malleability and ductility. Malleability is related to forming sheets, while ductility is related to drawing wires. This question tests whether you can correctly identify the name of the property that allows metals to be drawn into wires without breaking.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The material in question is a metal.
• The process described involves drawing the metal into long, thin wires.
• The metal must withstand this stretching without fracture.

Concept / Approach:
Metals possess plasticity, which allows permanent deformation under stress. Ductility specifically refers to the ability of a material to be stretched into a wire, often measured by percentage elongation before fracture. Malleability, in contrast, is the ability to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets. Viscosity is a property of fluids, and tensile strength is a measure of maximum stress before breaking but is not itself the name of the wire-drawing property. Therefore, the correct term for wire drawing capability is ductility.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the process described is drawing the material into wires. Step 2: Recall that ductility is defined as the ability of a material to be drawn into wires. Step 3: Recall that malleability refers instead to forming thin sheets by hammering or rolling. Step 4: Compare with other options and select ductility as the correct property.

Verification / Alternative check:
Common ductile metals include copper, aluminium, and gold, all of which are widely used to make electrical wires or jewellery wires. When you see thin metal wires used in power cables or communication lines, the property that allows such shaping is ductility. This real-world observation strongly supports the theoretical definition.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Malleability: This property allows metals to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets, such as aluminium foil, not drawn into wires.
• Viscosity: Viscosity describes the resistance of a fluid to flow and is primarily a property of liquids and gases, not solid metals.
• Tensile strength: This is a quantitative measure of the maximum stress a material can withstand while being stretched, but it is not the name of the ability to form wires.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse malleability and ductility because both involve plastic deformation. A useful memory aid is to associate “d” in ductility with “drawing” into wires and “m” in malleability with “making” sheets. Another mistake is to think any property related to stretching, such as high tensile strength, must be the correct answer. However, terminology in materials science is precise, and ductility is the accepted term for wire-forming capability.

Final Answer:
The property is called ductility.