Summary
Uses wood and water as case studies to show how an object's properties determine whether it is the right material for a given job — introducing the idea that engineers select materials based on their specific properties.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
- Why is wood a good material for a desk but a poor choice for a water pipe?
- What properties do you look for when choosing a material for a job?
- Can you think of a material that has been replaced by a better one? What improved?
- How would a materials scientist approach designing a new type of helmet?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: property, material, purpose, appropriate, strength, flexibility.
Try it: You need to build a bridge to hold a book. List three different materials you could use. For each, write one property that helps and one that might be a problem.