  In materials science, a wide range of properties of materials are governed by
various types of energies, including thermal, physicochemical, structural, and
mechanical energies. In 2005, Dr. Frans Spaepen used crystalline
face-centered-cubic (fcc) copper as an example to discuss a variety of
phenomena that are associated with energies. Inspired by his pioneering work,
we broaden our analysis to include a selection of representative pure metals
with fcc, hexagonal close-packed (hcp), and body-centered cubic (bcc)
structures. Additionally, we extend our comparison to energies between pure
metals and equiatomic binary, ternary, and multi-principal element alloys
(sometimes also known as high-entropy alloys). Through an extensive collection
of data and calculations, we compile energy tables that provide a comprehensive
view of how structure and alloying influence the energy profiles of these
metals and alloys. We highlight the significant impact of constituent elements
on the energies of alloys compared to pure metals and reveal a notable
disparity in mechanical energies among materials in fcc-, hcp- and
bcc-structured metals and alloys. Furthermore, we discuss the underlying
mechanisms behind these patterns and discuss the implications for structural
transformations, providing insights into the broader context of these energy
variations.
