Primary 6 · Science · Diversity: Materials
Diversity: Materials questions for Primary 6 Science
9 questions to work through online, 2 of them written out the way the paper asks. Answer and you get the working straight away, then a score at the end. No sign-up, and you can retake it as often as you like.
- Eliminating against requirements
- Reasoning about a design
- Testing a property fairly
- When a property is a drawback
- Matching property to purpose
- Naming a property
- Applying the ideas
| Material | Strong | Flexible | Waterproof | Conducts electricity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Q | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| R | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| S | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Same picture as the question above.
| Sample | Thickness (mm) | Mass held before tearing (g) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 600 |
| B | 2 | 950 |
| C | 4 | 1100 |
Answers and explanations for all 9 questions
Every answer with the reasoning behind it. Worth reading after you have tried the set — or on its own, if you are a parent marking it.
Which material in the table above is most suitable for a safety harness used by a window cleaner in the rain?
Answer: S
A harness must be strong, must bend around the body, and must not soak in the rain. S is the only material with all three.
Using the same table, which material is most suitable for the wire inside an electrical cable?
Answer: P
The wire itself must conduct electricity and must bend as the cable is coiled. P is the only material in the table that conducts at all.
A bicycle helmet has a hard outer shell and a soft foam lining. Which two statements explain the design?
Answer: A and B only
The two layers do different jobs: the shell spreads the blow over a wide area, and the foam crushes to absorb the energy so less reaches the head.
Based on the table above, which comparison is fair?
Answer: A against B, because both are 2 mm thick
Only samples of the same thickness can be compared for the strength of the material itself. A and B are both 2 mm, so the 350 g between them is down to the material.
Why is copper unsuitable for the handle of a soldering iron even though it is an excellent conductor?
Answer: It would conduct the heat straight to the user's hand.
The same property that makes copper right for the tip makes it wrong for the handle. A handle needs a poor conductor, which is why they are plastic or wood.
Which two of these use a material chosen for being transparent?
Answer: A and B only
A windscreen and a greenhouse roof both have to let light through — one so the driver can see, one so the plants can photosynthesise.
A material can be hammered into a thin sheet without cracking, which is how foil is made. Such a material is described as ______ .
Answer: flexible
A material that can be hammered into a sheet without cracking is flexible.
Glass and pottery snap suddenly when dropped rather than bending. Such materials are described as ______ .
Answer: brittle
A material that snaps suddenly instead of bending is brittle.
Why is a modern drinks can made of aluminium rather than steel, even though steel is cheaper?
Answer: Aluminium is lighter and does not rust, so the cans cost less to carry and keep longer.
Lightness saves fuel on every lorry-load, and not rusting means a long shelf life. Those two together outweigh the higher price of the metal.