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 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which natural material comes from the trunks of trees and floats on water: wood or granite?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
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. 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
11. 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. 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 104755 · 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 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.
2. 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.
3. Which natural material comes from the trunks of trees and floats on water: wood or granite?
Wood
Timber is harvested from trees and is less dense than water, so it floats.
4. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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. 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.
11. 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. 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 104755 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which material is waterproof and suitable for making rain boots: rubber or tissue paper?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
2. Which property describes a material like ceramic or glass that shatters easily when dropped: brittle or flexible?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
3. Which natural material comes from the trunks of trees and floats on water: wood or granite?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
4. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Material Properties Test · Rigid · Flexible · Waterproof
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. Which material is a good conductor of electricity and is used inside electrical wires: copper or rubber?
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. 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
11. 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. 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 104755 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Everyday materials & properties
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Which natural material comes from the trunks of trees and floats on water: wood or granite?
Wood
Timber is harvested from trees and is less dense than water, so it floats.
4. Which material is attracted to a magnet: iron (steel) or wooden pine?
Iron (steel)
Iron and steel are ferromagnetic metals; wood is non-magnetic.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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. 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.
11. 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. 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 104755 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification