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. 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
2. Which property describes a material like a rubber band that stretches when pulled and returns to its original shape: elastic or rigid?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. 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
5. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
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. 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
8. 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
9. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
10. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. 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
12. 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
12 questions · Seed 93 · 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. 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.
2. Which property describes a material like a rubber band that stretches when pulled and returns to its original shape: elastic or rigid?
Elastic
Elastic materials deform under force and spring back when released.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
Copper
Copper is a ductile metal with high electrical conductivity; rubber is used for the outer insulating sheath.
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. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Brittle
Brittle materials crack or shatter under impact rather than bending.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 93 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. 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
2. Which property describes a material like a rubber band that stretches when pulled and returns to its original shape: elastic or rigid?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. 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
5. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
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. 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
8. 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
9. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
10. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. 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
12. 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
12 questions · Seed 93 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. Which property describes a material like a rubber band that stretches when pulled and returns to its original shape: elastic or rigid?
Elastic
Elastic materials deform under force and spring back when released.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
Copper
Copper is a ductile metal with high electrical conductivity; rubber is used for the outer insulating sheath.
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. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Brittle
Brittle materials crack or shatter under impact rather than bending.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 93 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification