Identify everyday materials such as glass, metal, wood and rubber from their physical properties. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Why is stainless steel used for surgical instruments and kitchen sinks: it resists rust and corrosion, or it dissolves in cold water?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. What do we call a mixture of two or more elements, where at least one is a metal (such as bronze made from copper and tin, or steel from iron and carbon): an alloy or a solvent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which property of metals allows them to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets (such as aluminium foil) without shattering: malleability or solubility?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. What do we call a material that blocks all light from passing through (such as a wooden door): opaque or transparent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. When sugar dissolves in water, which substance is the solvent and which is the solute: water is the solvent and sugar is the solute, or sugar is the solvent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. Why are cooking saucepans usually made of metal with a wooden or plastic handle: metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator, or wood melts easily?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
7. What happens when salt or sugar is stirred into warm water: it dissolves to form a solution, or it turns into metal?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
8. Why is brick or stone chosen for building outer walls: it is strong, rigid and weather-resistant, or it is soft and soluble?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
10. Which property of metals allows them to be drawn out into long thin wires (such as copper wire): ductility or brittleness?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. Why is expanded polystyrene or woollen fleece used as thermal insulation: trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer, or it generates electricity?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. Which natural material is made from fine wet earth (silicate minerals) that is shaped and fired in a hot kiln to make hard pottery and tiles: clay or cork?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Why is stainless steel used for surgical instruments and kitchen sinks: it resists rust and corrosion, or it dissolves in cold water?
It resists rust and corrosion
Chromium in stainless steel forms a protective oxide film that prevents rusting.
2. What do we call a mixture of two or more elements, where at least one is a metal (such as bronze made from copper and tin, or steel from iron and carbon): an alloy or a solvent?
Alloy
Alloying combines metals to improve strength, hardness or corrosion resistance.
3. Which property of metals allows them to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets (such as aluminium foil) without shattering: malleability or solubility?
Malleability
Malleable materials can be shaped by hammering or rolling without cracking.
4. What do we call a material that blocks all light from passing through (such as a wooden door): opaque or transparent?
Opaque
Opaque materials do not allow light to pass through.
5. When sugar dissolves in water, which substance is the solvent and which is the solute: water is the solvent and sugar is the solute, or sugar is the solvent?
Water is the solvent and sugar is the solute
The liquid that does the dissolving is the solvent; the dissolved solid is the solute.
6. Why are cooking saucepans usually made of metal with a wooden or plastic handle: metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator, or wood melts easily?
Metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator
Metals transfer heat to the food, while insulating handles stay cool enough to hold.
7. What happens when salt or sugar is stirred into warm water: it dissolves to form a solution, or it turns into metal?
It dissolves to form a solution
Salt and sugar are soluble in water, dispersing evenly to form a clear solution.
8. Why is brick or stone chosen for building outer walls: it is strong, rigid and weather-resistant, or it is soft and soluble?
It is strong, rigid and weather-resistant
Masonry materials bear heavy loads and withstand rain and wind.
9. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Cotton
Cotton fibres are harvested from cotton plants and woven into fabric.
10. Which property of metals allows them to be drawn out into long thin wires (such as copper wire): ductility or brittleness?
Ductility
Ductile materials can be stretched into wire under tension.
11. Why is expanded polystyrene or woollen fleece used as thermal insulation: trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer, or it generates electricity?
Trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer
Still air is a poor conductor of heat, so materials that trap air insulate well.
12. Which natural material is made from fine wet earth (silicate minerals) that is shaped and fired in a hot kiln to make hard pottery and tiles: clay or cork?
Clay
Plastic wet clay hardens permanently into ceramic when fired in a kiln.
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Why is stainless steel used for surgical instruments and kitchen sinks: it resists rust and corrosion, or it dissolves in cold water?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. What do we call a mixture of two or more elements, where at least one is a metal (such as bronze made from copper and tin, or steel from iron and carbon): an alloy or a solvent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which property of metals allows them to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets (such as aluminium foil) without shattering: malleability or solubility?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. What do we call a material that blocks all light from passing through (such as a wooden door): opaque or transparent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. When sugar dissolves in water, which substance is the solvent and which is the solute: water is the solvent and sugar is the solute, or sugar is the solvent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. Why are cooking saucepans usually made of metal with a wooden or plastic handle: metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator, or wood melts easily?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
7. What happens when salt or sugar is stirred into warm water: it dissolves to form a solution, or it turns into metal?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
8. Why is brick or stone chosen for building outer walls: it is strong, rigid and weather-resistant, or it is soft and soluble?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
10. Which property of metals allows them to be drawn out into long thin wires (such as copper wire): ductility or brittleness?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. Why is expanded polystyrene or woollen fleece used as thermal insulation: trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer, or it generates electricity?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. Which natural material is made from fine wet earth (silicate minerals) that is shaped and fired in a hot kiln to make hard pottery and tiles: clay or cork?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Why is stainless steel used for surgical instruments and kitchen sinks: it resists rust and corrosion, or it dissolves in cold water?
It resists rust and corrosion
Chromium in stainless steel forms a protective oxide film that prevents rusting.
2. What do we call a mixture of two or more elements, where at least one is a metal (such as bronze made from copper and tin, or steel from iron and carbon): an alloy or a solvent?
Alloy
Alloying combines metals to improve strength, hardness or corrosion resistance.
3. Which property of metals allows them to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets (such as aluminium foil) without shattering: malleability or solubility?
Malleability
Malleable materials can be shaped by hammering or rolling without cracking.
4. What do we call a material that blocks all light from passing through (such as a wooden door): opaque or transparent?
Opaque
Opaque materials do not allow light to pass through.
5. When sugar dissolves in water, which substance is the solvent and which is the solute: water is the solvent and sugar is the solute, or sugar is the solvent?
Water is the solvent and sugar is the solute
The liquid that does the dissolving is the solvent; the dissolved solid is the solute.
6. Why are cooking saucepans usually made of metal with a wooden or plastic handle: metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator, or wood melts easily?
Metal conducts heat while wood/plastic is an insulator
Metals transfer heat to the food, while insulating handles stay cool enough to hold.
7. What happens when salt or sugar is stirred into warm water: it dissolves to form a solution, or it turns into metal?
It dissolves to form a solution
Salt and sugar are soluble in water, dispersing evenly to form a clear solution.
8. Why is brick or stone chosen for building outer walls: it is strong, rigid and weather-resistant, or it is soft and soluble?
It is strong, rigid and weather-resistant
Masonry materials bear heavy loads and withstand rain and wind.
9. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Cotton
Cotton fibres are harvested from cotton plants and woven into fabric.
10. Which property of metals allows them to be drawn out into long thin wires (such as copper wire): ductility or brittleness?
Ductility
Ductile materials can be stretched into wire under tension.
11. Why is expanded polystyrene or woollen fleece used as thermal insulation: trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer, or it generates electricity?
Trapped air pockets slow down heat transfer
Still air is a poor conductor of heat, so materials that trap air insulate well.
12. Which natural material is made from fine wet earth (silicate minerals) that is shaped and fired in a hot kiln to make hard pottery and tiles: clay or cork?
Clay
Plastic wet clay hardens permanently into ceramic when fired in a kiln.
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification