Material properties — strength, stiffness, hardness

What you'll learn

1. 1

   Think of a paper clip 🖇️ — you can bend it easily, right? Now imagine a steel girder on a building 🏗️ — you can't bend that at all!

2. 2

   Which material is STRONGER — a paper clip or a steel girder?

3. 3

   Here's how they compare: a paper clip bends easily (low stiffness), a rubber band stretches (low strength), a glass bottle shatters (hard but brittle), and a steel nail is strong, stiff, and hard.

4. 4

   Drag each material to the right property: which is STRONG? Which is HARD? Which is STIFF?

5. 5

   Let's test a steel nail, a rubber band, and a glass marble. Which is strong, stiff, and hard?

6. 6

   A steel nail is strong, stiff, and hard. Which property means it doesn't bend easily?

7. 7

   Which property would you test by trying to scratch the surface with another material?