Materials and their properties
Learn Materials and their properties for Years 7–9 pupils (ages 11–14). Free practice questions, lessons and worked examples — aligned to the UK National Curriculum.
What you'll learn
- 1
Materials are chosen for their properties. Strength, hardness, flexibility, durability, weight and cost all matter.
- 2
Timber: hardwood (oak, slow-growing, durable) and softwood (pine, faster-growing, cheaper). Metals: ferrous contain iron and rust; non-ferrous do not.
- 3
What makes a metal ferrous?
- 4
Material choice is a set of trade-offs: a stronger material may be heavier, costlier or worse for the environment.
- 5
A bicycle frame in steel is strong, cheap and repairable but heavy. In aluminium it is lighter but dearer. In carbon fibre it is lightest but expensive and hard to repair.
- 6
Which polymer type can be reheated and remoulded?
- 7
Why does material choice matter environmentally?
Practise Materials and their properties with Whizlo
Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 11–14. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.