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 natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. Why is clear glass used for window panes: because it is transparent (lets light through) or absorbent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
7. 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
8. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. 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
10. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. 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
12 questions · Seed 104752 · 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 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Why is clear glass used for window panes: because it is transparent (lets light through) or absorbent?
Transparent (lets light through)
Glass is transparent and waterproof, letting daylight in while keeping rain out.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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. 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.
12 questions · Seed 104752 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which natural plant fibre grows in fluffy bolls and is woven into breathable shirts: cotton or aluminium?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. Which material is harder in a scratch test: diamond or chalk?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
6. Why is clear glass used for window panes: because it is transparent (lets light through) or absorbent?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
7. 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
8. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
9. 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
10. Which property describes a material like a sponge or cotton towel that soaks up water: absorbent or waterproof?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
11. Which material comes from the fleece of sheep and is spun into warm yarn: wool or nylon?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
12. 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
12 questions · Seed 104752 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Why is clear glass used for window panes: because it is transparent (lets light through) or absorbent?
Transparent (lets light through)
Glass is transparent and waterproof, letting daylight in while keeping rain out.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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. 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.
12 questions · Seed 104752 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification