Which statement about recrystallization when a cold-worked metal is heated is correct?

Answer: A. New, nearly strain-free grains form; strength falls and ductility is restored

When a cold-worked metal is heated, recovery occurs first, as dislocations rearrange and internal stresses fall; at higher temperatures, recrystallization follows, with new, nearly strain-free grains nucleating and growing, driven by the stored strain energy. Because the dislocation density drops greatly, strength and hardness decrease and ductility is restored. The greater the cold work, the larger the stored energy, so the recrystallization temperature is lower. A rough guide for the recrystallization temperature is 0.3–0.5 times the melting point (in absolute temperature), but it varies with the amount of cold work and the purity. If heating continues after recrystallization, grain growth proceeds to reduce the grain boundary energy.