What term describes the controlled processes of heating and cooling of metal to induce physical changes?

The term that accurately describes the controlled processes of heating and cooling of metal to induce physical changes is heat treatments. This process is crucial in metallurgy and materials science, as it alters the microstructure of metals to enhance their mechanical properties such as strength, hardness, and ductility. Heat treatments can include various techniques like annealing, quenching, and tempering, each serving a specific purpose in manipulating the metal's characteristics.

In the context of the other options, stress treatments typically refer to processes aimed at altering the state of stress within a material to relieve internal stresses rather than specifically focusing on heating and cooling. Thermal processes is a broad term that may include heat treatments but does not specifically denote the controlled sequence of heating and cooling. Modification cycles could refer to various changes in materials but lacks the specificity associated with the heat treatment processes involved in the controlled thermal techniques aimed at influencing the properties of metals.