Primary 5 · Science · Diversity: Materials
Diversity: Materials questions for Primary 5 Science
10 questions to work through online, 2 of them written out the way the paper asks. Answer and you get the working straight away, then a score at the end. No sign-up, and you can retake it as often as you like.
- Several requirements at once
- Why an object uses several materials
- Testing a property
- When a property becomes a drawback
- Fair testing materials
- Reasoning about a choice
- Naming a property
- Applying the ideas
| Material | Conducts heat | Conducts electricity | Flexible | Waterproof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Q | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| R | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| S | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Same picture as the question above.
| Material tested | Mass of water absorbed (g) |
|---|---|
| cotton | 42 |
| nylon | 6 |
| wool | 35 |
| polyester | 9 |
Answers and explanations for all 10 questions
Every answer with the reasoning behind it. Worth reading after you have tried the set — or on its own, if you are a parent marking it.
Which material in the table above is most suitable for the outer covering of an electrical cable?
Answer: Q
The covering must not conduct electricity, must bend, and must keep water out. Q is the only material that meets all three.
Using the same table, which material is most suitable for the base of a frying pan?
Answer: R
A pan base has to pass heat into the food and hold its shape. R conducts heat and is not flexible, which is exactly right here.
An electric kettle has a metal element, a plastic handle and a glass window. Which two statements explain these choices?
Answer: A and B only
The element passes heat into the water; the handle keeps the heat off your hand. The window is glass because it is transparent, not because of any conducting.
Based on the table above, which fabric would be best for a swimming costume?
Answer: nylon
A swimming costume should hold as little water as possible. Nylon absorbed only 6 g, less than any other fabric tested.
Why is glass a poor choice for a kitchen worktop even though it is easy to clean?
Answer: It cracks or shatters when something heavy is dropped on it.
Glass is smooth, waterproof and easy to clean, but it is brittle. A dropped pan is enough to break it, which rules it out for a work surface.
To compare how well two materials insulate, which two must be kept the same?
Answer: A and B only
Same amount of water at the same starting temperature means any difference in the final reading is down to the insulating material itself.
Why are aircraft bodies made from aluminium rather than steel, even though steel is stronger?
Answer: Aluminium is much lighter, and weight matters more than extra strength here.
Every kilogram costs fuel to lift. Aluminium is strong enough for the job and far lighter, so the trade is worth making.
A material lets heat pass through it easily, which is why saucepan bases are made of it. Such a material is called a good ______ of heat.
Answer: conductor
A material that lets heat through easily is a good conductor.
A material does not let heat pass through easily, which is why oven gloves are made of it. Such a material is called an ______ .
Answer: insulator
A material that does not let heat through easily is an insulator.
A vacuum flask has two walls with a gap between them from which the air has been removed. Why does this keep a drink hot?
Answer: Heat cannot pass easily across a gap with nothing in it.
Heat needs something to travel through. With the air removed there is almost nothing in the gap to carry it, so the drink loses heat very slowly.