Metallography, << `meht` uh LOG ruh fee, >> is the study of the internal structure of metals and alloys. The term also may be applied to the study of ceramics and composites (combinations of materials that often include metals). Metallographers determine how materials will react under certain conditions, such as extreme heat or cold. Industry depends on metallography in the creation, testing, and improvement of such products as missiles and spacecraft. Metallographers study material samples with X rays and microscopes. Powerful electron microscopes have helped them develop new kinds of materials.
