Why are metals so stretchy? (2^13 sub special)

It's play button time, and today it's made from copper foil - a surprisingly stretchable material. You wouldn't think that crystalline materials like metals could deform without destroying the atomic pattern that gives them their strength and electronic properties, but with the help of a crystal defect called a dislocation, it's super easy. Dislocations are agents of plastic deformation, traveling through crystals and enabling malleability and ductility in soft metals like copper, making them great raw materials! I hope you enjoy this dive into the materials science of plastic strain, and if this is your first video here, be sure to subscribe for more!

Corrections and Clarifications:
- "Plastic deformation" is a term that means a permanent change in shape, even in metals, we call it plastic.
- There are also grain boundary considerations in polycrystalline materials that I don't address at all - mostly it shows up in tension, because bubble rafts aren't ACTUALLY very ductile.
- More to add when I get convinced I'm wrong!

Check out the other social media for updates and ramblings:

#Materials #Physics #Crystals

The original bubble model video from 1952 narrated by Bragg himself - a real hidden gem of matsci history.

GIFs:

Music in this video:
The UNKILLABLE Snake AI (Entire 30x30 game)

Hestu tune from Nintendo
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

[amnelruin]

Sir, I am a commercial electrician. I bend aluminum tubing for a living. I don't think the information you've given me will benefit me at all in my career but you can be damn sure I'm going to think of this lesson everyday at work. And I will be telling my apprentices about dislocation to try and seem cool

[BuddysDIY]

Bro. When you pulled out the bubbles it all made sense. That was nutsss

[darknight]

The carpet example was brilliant. Your channel is awesome.

[RockinRaven]

I've just graduated from a materials science degree and I've got to say you managed to explain dislocations better than any of my lecturers ever did, good job

[Sqwince]

Steve Mould brought me here. Did not disappoint. Highly recommend. Watched all your videos~

[MeepMu]

I'm came from Steve Mould's channel, and i just want to say that this is one of those few channels on YouTube where the host knows enough about a subject to talk about in in depth, but in a very easy-to-understand way! Please keep up the good work!

[BothHands]

i've seen this demonstration with little metal beads, but never with bubbles. it's pretty amazing how you set it up to make all the bubbles the same size

[kendokaaa]

This channel reminds me of Applied Science, where videos aren't frequent but they're very good. Oh and holy crap the bubble model for crystal structures is brilliant

[morphx]

Yep, I'ḿ here because of Steve... but man, how glad I am he mentioned your channel.

This video has to be on my top 5 all time favorite YT videos!

Keep up the great work.

[justkarkat]

When Steve Mould shouted you out, and after watching one of your videos, I was certain that I was watching a channel that already must have had millions of subscribers, but when I saw your sub count I was literally shocked! I do not know how you have not hit it big yet, but heres to you doing so!

[nnate]

Youtube homepage actually brought me to your channel and I’ve watched everything you have now. You have a fantastic talent of explaining extremely complicated subjects so simply and eloquently. Keep on producing!

[olivianeugeboren]

I'm one of the steve mould people, ive watched a ton of your videos now and you've quickly become one of my fav channels. Such amazingly interesting stuff demonstrated so well

[mrcooleh]

8 years of engineering school. Never has this ever been explained so well. Excellent job.

[mikip]

For comparison, PewDiePie is now in the 2^26 button. This chanel is highly underrated, I've been here since the 2^10 button and I feel proud of it like a dad (even if I did nothing). Keep it coming!

[benrogers]

Came from the Steve Mould video and after watching one video I immediately watched every single other video on your channel. Literally all of them! Amazing content, you're a great educator and clearly one of the YouTube greats in your field. So glad I found the channel 👍👍

[DanHoke]

What I am loving in particular about the bubble demo versus the the steel ball demo, is that the bubbles have some give (like atomic bonds) so I feel that the resulting effect is more analogous to a crystal structure. Now if only we could think of a way to extend this model to build intuition about heat treatment of carbon steel...

[user]

Underrated channel. Interesting science bits from someone who actually knows what he is talking about. Beware of the fakes!

[elementalsheep]

I only left the 2^13 comment two days ago... and he delivers! Can't wait to see this channel more.

[Zoidle-doo]

Great video and explanation. As a lay person, you explain complicated things very intuitively, and your passion just shines through. Love it.

[skivvy]

As always, one of the best presentations, topics and presenters on YouTube.
I cannot express how much I appreciate you explaining in a few minutes what so many years in an educational system (outdated by decades and centuries) was unable to teach to this extent.
Please keep up the wonderful work