Annealing steel results in slow cooling and low strength.

• A. Increased strength
• B. Decreased strength
• C. Increased wear resistance
• D. Increased brittleness

Answer: (B)

Annealing.

When steel is heated and cooled slowly, its internal structure can reorganize through diffusion and recrystallization, relieving stresses and forming softer, more ductile grains. This process lowers hardness and tensile strength, so the metal becomes weaker. Because hardness largely governs wear resistance, wear resistance tends to decrease as well, and brittleness is reduced rather than increased. So the result is decreased strength, which makes that option the best description of annealing.