This document discusses physical and chemical properties of materials. It defines chemical properties as how a material interacts with other substances through reactions, while physical properties are characteristics a material possesses on its own, such as color, size, melting point, and conductivity. Examples of various physical properties like mechanical, thermal, optical, and electrical properties are provided. The document encourages students to identify examples of chemical and physical properties and describes activities for students to observe properties of different materials.

1. Get the box of Stuff
Wood, steel, aluminum, melamine

2. Properties of Materials
Goal: Students will be able to
describe various physical
properties that materials have

3. Discussion
 differentiate between chemical and
physical properties
 At your tables list examples of chemical
and physical properties.
 I will call on each table and make a list of
all the ones we can think of.

4. Chemical Properties
 how a material interacts with another
material
 “social” behavior
 response to other matter (or lack of
response)
 reactions

5. Chemical Properties
 Examples:
 burning
 reaction with acid
 reaction with water
 corrosion/rusting/oxidation
 others????

6. Physical Properties
 characteristics it possesses by itself
(in and of itself)
 “personal” traits
 response to energy

7. Physical Properties
 color
 size
 texture
 melting point
 boiling point
 solubility
 luster
 density
 magnetism
 odor
 viscosity
 crystalline structure

8. Physical Properties
 Electrical properties
 conductor or insulator
 Optical properties – response to light
 index of refraction – bending of light
 transparent – light passes through
 translucent – some light passes through but no
distinct image
 opaque – no light passes through

10. Physical Properties
 Thermal properties – response to heat
 conductivity
 specific heat – how much energy it takes to
change temperature
 thermal expansion – example: iron wire
demo

11. Mechanical Properties
 subgroup of physical
 response to force or stress
 force – a push or pull
 stress – force causing a deformation or
distortion (force per unit area)

12. Mechanical Properties
Examples
 workability
 malleability – can be flattened
 ductility – can be drawn into wire
(stretched), bent, or extruded

13. Mechanical Properties
Examples
 brittleness
 breaks instead of deforming when stress is
applied
 hardness
 resistance to denting or scratching

14. Mechanical Properties
Examples
 elasticity
 ability to return to original shape after
being deformed by stress
 rubber ball or piece of elastic
 plasticity
 retains new shape after being deformed by
stress
 wet clay ball or piece of saran wrap

15. Some of the properties
 At your tables you will find some signs
with different physical properties.
 Go around between tables and answer the
questions on a separate piece of paper.

16. Index of Refraction
Question. What two materials here have a similar index of refraction?
(the three materials are glass, HDPE, and mineral oil)
Electrical conductivity
What materials here are non-conductive electrically?
(the materials are brass, copper coated steel, wax, glass and carbon fiber)
Hardness
Which material here is the hardest?
(Pine and Melamine)

18. Mechanical Properties
Examples
 toughness
 ability to absorb energy
 resistance to fracture
 strength
 resistance to distortion by stress or force
 several types: tensile, compressive,
torsional, bending, shear

19. Types of Stresses/Forces
 Tension
 pulling
 examples: tug-of-war, slingshot
 Compression
 pushing together or squeezing
 examples: bed springs, can crusher, bench vise

21. stress
strain
Ceramic or
glass
metal
polymer
straight line = elastic region
curved line = plastic region

22. City of Materials
 http://www.cityofmaterials.com

27. General Classes of Materials

28. Polymers

29. Ceramics

30. Composites

31. Metals and Alloys

32. Metals and Alloys

33. Wood and Wood Products

34. Free write
 On a piece of paper please describe
various physical and chemical properties
that material's have. If you can include
how you could test those physical
properties.