Identify everyday materials such as glass, metal, wood and rubber from their physical properties. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Does sand dissolve when stirred into a glass of water, or is it insoluble and settles to the bottom?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. 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
5. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. What do we call a material like frosted glass that lets some light through but scatters it so you cannot see clearly through it: translucent or opaque?
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. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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
12. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 75 · 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. Does sand dissolve when stirred into a glass of water, or is it insoluble and settles to the bottom?
Insoluble and settles to the bottom
Sand (silicon dioxide) is insoluble in water and can be separated by filtration.
2. 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.
3. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Diamond
Diamond is the hardest known natural mineral (10 on the Mohs scale) and easily scratches chalk.
4. 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.
5. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Wool
Wool is a natural animal fibre that traps air for insulation.
6. What do we call a material like frosted glass that lets some light through but scatters it so you cannot see clearly through it: translucent or opaque?
Translucent
Translucent materials transmit diffuse light without forming a clear image.
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. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Absorbent
Porous materials like sponges and cotton towels absorb liquids into tiny spaces.
12 questions · Seed 75 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Does sand dissolve when stirred into a glass of water, or is it insoluble and settles to the bottom?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. 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
5. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. What do we call a material like frosted glass that lets some light through but scatters it so you cannot see clearly through it: translucent or opaque?
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. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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
12. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 75 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Does sand dissolve when stirred into a glass of water, or is it insoluble and settles to the bottom?
Insoluble and settles to the bottom
Sand (silicon dioxide) is insoluble in water and can be separated by filtration.
2. 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.
3. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Diamond
Diamond is the hardest known natural mineral (10 on the Mohs scale) and easily scratches chalk.
4. 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.
5. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Wool
Wool is a natural animal fibre that traps air for insulation.
6. What do we call a material like frosted glass that lets some light through but scatters it so you cannot see clearly through it: translucent or opaque?
Translucent
Translucent materials transmit diffuse light without forming a clear image.
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. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Absorbent
Porous materials like sponges and cotton towels absorb liquids into tiny spaces.
12 questions · Seed 75 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification