Key Terms: Module 7

austenite The face-centered cubic (FCC) form of iron. The FCC phase in iron alloys is
also referred to as austenite.
cementite An iron carbide phase, Fe3C.
component A chemical substance (element or compound) used to specify the
composition of an alloy.
congruent melting The equilibrium melting reaction that occurs when a solid phase
transforms to a liquid phase having identical composition.
degrees of freedom The number of independent variables necessary to specify
equilibrium.
eutectic reaction The transformation during cooling of a liquid phase isothermally and
reversibly into two solid phases.
eutectoid reaction The transformation, during cooling, of a solid phase is()thermally
and reversibly into two new solid phases.
Gibbs phase rule For a system at equilibrium, an equation that relates the number of
phases present to the number of externally controllable variables.
hypereutectic An alloy whose composition is greater than the eutectic composition.
hypereutectoid An alloy whose composition is greater than the eutectoid composition.
hypoeutectic An alloy whose composition is less than the eutectic composition.
hypoeutectoid alloy An alloy whose composition is less than the eutectoid composition.
incongruent melting The equilibrium melting reaction that occurs when a solid phase
transforms into a solid and a liquid phase both having different compositions than the
original solid.
invariant reaction A reaction is which there are zero degrees of freedom.
isomorphous Having the same structure. When applied to a phase diagram, indicating
that the solid phase has the same structure and hence complete solubility at every
composition.
lever rule An equation that enables one to calculate the relative amounts of two phases
present in a two-phase mixture in terms of the compositions of the alloy and the phases
present
line compound A compound whose composition is independent of temperature.
liquidus The temperature at which a liquid begins to freeze during equilibrium cooling
conditions.
monotectic reaction The transformation, during cooling, of a liquid phase isothermally
and reversibly into another liquid and a solid phase having different compositions from
the initial liquid.
monotectoid reaction The transformation, during cooling, of a solid phase isothermally
and reversibly into two solids having different compositions from the initial solid.
pearlite A two-phase microstructure of alternate ferrite and cementite lamellae occurring
in some steels. Pearlite forms by the decomposition of austenite.
peritectic reaction The transformation, during cooling, of a solid and a liquid phase
isothermally and reversibly into a solid having a different composition from either the
initial liquid or solid phase.
peritectoid reaction The transformation, during cooling, of two solid phases
isothermally and reversibly into a solid having a different composition from either of the
initial solids.
phase A homogeneous portion of matter bounded by a surface so that it is mechanically
separate from any other portion.
phase diagram A graphical representation showing the phase or phases present for a
given composition as a function of temperature.
primary solid phase The first solid that appears upon cooling an alloy from the liquid
phase.
solidus boundary The temperature at which a liquid phase disappears during
equilibrium cooling conditions.
solute An atom or ion species that is dissolved in a host or solvent.
solvus boundary The phase boundary that separates single-phase solid regions from
two-phase solid regions.
state point Temperature, pressure, and composition of a phase.
tie line Horizontal line drawn on a phase diagram in a two-phase field connecting the
composition of the two phases in equilibrium.