Question

A blacksmith strikes a piece of metal with a hammer repeatedly. The metal slowly begins to glow as the temperature increases, and
the metal becomes more malleable. Which changes on a microscopic level led to the visible changes in the properties of the metal?
(1 point)

Answer 1

The repeated strikes on the metal caused the metal's atomic structure to reorganize. The impact of the hammer breaks the crystal lattice structure of the metal, causing dislocations and defects in the arrangement of atoms. These dislocations and defects allow the atoms to move more freely, which leads to a change in the metal's properties. The increase in temperature also facilitates the movement of atoms, making the metal more malleable.