Chapter 8
Material
properties
• Object is a thing that are made
out of a material
• Material is a substance that
objects are made from
• All materials have physical and
working properties
• Physical properties are the traits
/ characteristics a material has
before it is used.
• Working properties are how the
material behaves when it is used
Physical properties
• Surface appearance – shiny, dull, rough or smooth
• Absorbency – the ability to soak up moisture, light or
heat
• Density – how solid a material is, material’s heaviness
for its size.
• Fusibility – the ability of a material to be heated and
joined to another material when cooled
• Electrical conductor - allows electric current to flow
• heat conductor – allows heat to pass through
Physical properties
• Heat insulator – does not let heat pass through it
• Electrical insulator – does not allow an electric
current to flow through it
• Waterproof – does not let water pass through it
• Transparent – lets light pass through it without
the light rays being scattered
• Translucent – lets light pass through it but the
light rays are scattered
• Opaque – do not let light pass through them
Working properties
• Strength – the ability of a material to withstand
compression, tension and shear
Working properties
• Hardness – the ability to withstand impact without
damage
• Toughness - materials that are hard to break or snap
and can absorb shock
• Malleability – being able to bend or shape easily
• Ductility – materials that can be stretched
• Rigid – cannot be bent or squashed
• Flexible – bend easily without breaking
• Elasticity – the ability to be stretched and return to its
original shape
• Brittle – smashes when struck with a hard object
SB p.94 Q6 SB p.97 Q8
lower rock being metals (rigid/flexible)
squashed, walls shrinking, plastic (rigid / flexible)
towers to bend and fall pottery (rigid)
over.
SB p.96 Q7
• metal spoon
• plastic spoon
• wooden spoon
• aluminium foil
• smooth
Let’s Talk SB p.97
• dull surface
• flexible
• soft
• waterproof
• opaque / transparent
• heat insulator (fat)
• electrical conductor (wet skin)
• hard
• strong
• lightweight
Periodic
Table
Metals Non-metals
shiny, strong dull, weak
high melting / boiling points low melting / boiling points
good conductors of electricity poor conductors of electricity
good conductors of heat poor conductors of heat
high density low density
malleable and ductile brittle
about half are solids, about half are
solid (except mercury) at room temp.
gases and one (bromine) is a liquid
only iron, cobalt and nickel are
non - magnetic
magnetic
SB p.92 Science in
Context
a) Scientists are still
talking about how it
SB p.91 Q2 can be used.
✔ bend it or strike it b) medicine, energy,
handling, electronics,
✔ wired up in a circuit
strengthening
with a bulb, battery and
materials, protective
switch
coatings, environment
✔ light-weight or heavy
How can you say that the liquid below
is pure water?
The boiling point is the temperature at
which a material changes from a liquid to
a gas (boils)
The melting point is the temperature at
which a material changes from a solid to a
liquid (melts).
Melting point is the same as its freezing
point.
Heating Curve temperature
phase change
change
temperature change
phase change
temperature change
Heating curve of water:
Melting and Boiling Points of some substances
Substance Melting Point Boiling Point
Hydrogen gas
Nitrogen gas
Water solid
Acetic acid solid
Table salt solid
Substance
phenol
ammonia
liquid
gas
solid
solid
Substance
bromine liquid
chlorine gas
ethanol liquid
mercury liquid
neon gas
sulfur solid
water liquid