This document discusses materials and their properties. It defines materials as physical substances used to make things and lists some main categories including metals, plastics, ceramics, glass and fibers. It then discusses properties of materials as descriptions of their characteristics like hardness, strength, flexibility. Examples are given of materials around us and properties are listed. Metals are highlighted as one main group of materials that are shiny, strong, good conductors and usually opaque, with examples like aluminum and copper.

1. Materials and their properties.

2. What are materials?A material is a physical substance used to make things. Metals, plastics, ceramics, glass and fibres are some of the main categories for materials.If we look around, everything we see is made from a material, sometimes more than one ....

3. For example:The clothes you are wearing are made from fibres.The chair you are sitting on is made from plastic.The windows in the school are made from glass.Can you see any other examples around you?

4. Properties of materialsA property of a material is a description of the characteristics which it has. They are adjectives which tell us about the material.Materials have different properties and characteristics depending on what they are used for. Some materials are hard, others are soft. Some are strong, others are weak.

5. List of propertiesHere is a list of the properties which describe different materials:Shiny – It reflects lightStrong – It won’t break easilyFlexible – It can be bent easily without breaking Light - It doesn’t weigh muchHeavy – It weighs a lotColoured – Has colourMagnetic – It’s attracted to magnetsBendy - Flexible

6. Hard – Something which can’t be bent easilyBrittle – It’s hard but will break easilyMalleable – It can be shaped easilyMagnetic – It’s attracted to magnetsBendy – FlexibleTransparent – Something you can see throughTranslucent – Something you can partially see throughOpaque – Something you can not see throughConductor – It allows heat or electricity to pass throughInsulator – It doesn’t allow heat or electricity to pass through.

7. Which of the previous words could you use to describe:A) a pencil...Hard, light, opaqueB) A windowTransparent or translucent, hard, brittleC) A piece of paper...Light, opaque, malleableD) A fork...Shiny, hard, magnetic, opaque, conductor

8. Materials can be categorised into groups. One of the main groups is...ShinyStrongGood conductors of heat and electricityMETALSSome are magneticUsually opaqueE,g aluminium, copper, iron, lead...

9. These properties make metals suitable for many things... ToolsBridges CoinsKnives, forks and spoonsCan you think of any other uses of metals?

10. Uses and properties..Q) Why is copper suitable for electrical wiring? What properties must it have?- Good conductor of electricity- It is strong.

11. Why are saucepans made from metal? Which properties make it suitable for the use?- It is a good conductor or heat.- It is It does not melt with high temperatures.- It is strong