Which statement best describes annealing?

• A. Slow cooling; low strength
• B. Rapid cooling; high hardness
• C. Slow cooling; high strength
• D. Rapid cooling; low strength

Answer: (A)

Annealing softens metal by heating it to a suitable temperature and letting it cool slowly. This slow cooling gives the atoms time to rearrange, relieving internal stresses and growing grains, which reduces hardness and strength while increasing ductility and ease of machining. That’s why the statement describing annealing is slow cooling with low strength. Rapid cooling, like quenching, would instead increase hardness and strength but make the metal more brittle, which isn’t consistent with annealing.