Exam Question

### (a) Impact Test
* **Description of Test:**
* **Principle:** The impact test, commonly performed using the Charpy or Izod method, assesses a material's resistance to brittle fracture under dynamic or sudden loading conditions. It quantifies the energy absorbed by a standardized notched specimen before fracture.
* **Procedure (Charpy):** A precisely machined rectangular specimen, typically 55mm long with a square cross-section (10mm x 10mm) and a V or U-shaped notch at its center, is supported horizontally at both ends. A heavy pendulum, released from a fixed height, strikes the back of the specimen opposite the notch, causing it to fracture. The energy absorbed during fracture is determined by the difference between the initial potential energy of the pendulum and its potential energy after fracturing the specimen and swinging through.