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Materials:
• 4 bobby pins
• 4 large paperclips
• Heat source – Bunsen burner or propane torch
• Container of water for quenching
• Tongs or pliers
Procedure:
1. Set aside one bobby pin and one paperclip for comparison. (Control)
2. Heat the loop of one bobby pin and a loop of one paperclip red hot and slowly lift out of flame.
Slow cool. (Anneal)
3. Heat 2 of each red hot and quench in ice water. Quick cool. (Quench)
4. Take one of each from step #3 and heat again in the top of the flame for a few seconds and
then quench. Do NOT let it get red hot. (Temper)
5. Make a data table for comparison of properties when the heat-treated area is bent.
6. Test the bobby pins one at a time by slowly pulling the ends apart. Record observations.
7. Test the paperclips one at a time by pulling the heat-treated loop open. Record observations.
Typical Results:
Bobby pin is high carbon steel – approximately 0.7%. Therefore, the carbon has a large effect on
the properties and greater differences are observed in the various heat treatments.
Paper clips are low carbon steel – approximately 0.2%. The strengthening of the steel during
quenching is mostly due to the solid state phase change from FCC to BCT. Therefore tempering
doesn’t alter the properties really – there isn’t enough carbon to cause brittleness during quenching.