Investigate the properties of various materials. Conduct research on the recycling habits of your classmates.
The features and behaviour of a material are called its properties. Materials have different properties, which make them useful for different jobs.
The following table shows the properties of different materials and explains what they mean.
Property Meaning
Absorbent The material is able to soak up liquid easily Elastic Flexible
Transparent You can see through the material Strong
Investigating the properties of materials
1. In small groups, gather a variety of materials from home and the classroom, such as a plastic and a wooden ruler, a fork, a cup, a rubber glove, a towel and a ball.
2. Develop and carry out a series of investigations to find out if the material each object is made Absorbent or waterproof
of is: z z
zz Transparent or opaque 3. Record your results in one table. Product Life Cycle
All products go through five steps during their production. This is called the product life cycle. 1. Extraction (removal) of raw materials 2. Manufacturing 3. Packaging and distribution 4. Product use
5. End-of-life disposal All the steps in the product life cycle have some type of environmental impact.
1. Extraction of raw materials
zz zz
Elastic or rigid Strong or weak
zz Flexible or rigid The material cannot be broken easily
Opposite Waterproof
The material can stretch and then return to shape Rigid The material can bend without breaking
