an alloy
Steel is an example of an alloy. An alloy is a mixture of a metal with one or more other elements. The other elements may be metals, nonmetals, or both. An alloy is a solid solution. It is formed by melting a metal and dissolving the other elements in it. The molten solution is then allowed to cool and harden. Several other examples of alloys and their uses are shown in Figure below . You can learn about an amazing alloy called memory wire at the URL below. If you have braces on your teeth, you may even have this alloy in your mouth!.