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 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. 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
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. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
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 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 104749 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. 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.
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. 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.
5. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
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 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Rubber
Rubber is flexible and waterproof, so water cannot soak through it.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 104749 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. 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
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. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
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 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12 questions · Seed 104749 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. 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.
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. 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.
5. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
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 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Rubber
Rubber is flexible and waterproof, so water cannot soak through it.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 104749 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification