Year 5 Science: Choosing materials for a use
Part of the Year 5 Science properties and uses of materials chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Choosing materials for a use
We choose a material for a job by matching its properties to what the job needs. The evidence from our fair tests helps us to decide.
- A saucepan base needs to conduct heat, so the food heats up quickly. Metal is a good choice.
- A saucepan handle should stay cool and not conduct heat, so the cook can hold it safely. Plastic or wood is a good choice.
- A window needs to be transparent, so that light comes in and people can see out. Glass is a good choice.
- A wooden table needs to be strong and opaque, so it does not let light through, and it does not bend easily.
Key ideas
- Choose a material by matching its properties to the job.
- A metal base conducts heat, so the food heats quickly.
- A plastic or wooden handle does not conduct heat well, so it stays cool.
- Glass is transparent, so it is used for windows. Wood is opaque, so it is used for tables.
Method. Think about what the base needs to do.
- Think about the base. The base must conduct heat, so the food heats up quickly.conduct heat
- Choose the part. So the base should be the part that conducts heat.metal base
- Write the answer. metal base
Check. Metal conducts heat well. ✓
Method. Think about the handle.
- Think about the handle. A plastic handle does not conduct heat, so it stays cool to hold.stays cool
- Write the reason. So the cook can hold the pan safely.stays cool
- Write the answer. it stays cool to hold
Check. The evidence from the spoon test shows plastic is a poor conductor of heat. ✓
Method. Think about what a window needs.
- Think about the window. A window needs to be transparent, so that light comes in.transparent
- Choose the material. Glass is transparent, but wood is opaque, so glass is the best choice.glass
- Write the answer. glass
Check. Clear glass was see-through in the test. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a material is not chosen for one property alone. A saucepan base needs to conduct heat, but a handle must not. Think about the job as a whole.
Try it (with your teacher). Choose one object at home or school, such as a cup, a spoon or a bag. With a grown-up, list the properties it needs for its job. Then say which material it is made of, and give one reason, based on a property you have tested.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “What job does this object do? What does its material need to be good at?” Let your child use the evidence from the tests in this chapter.
Exercise 5E Choosing materials for a use
Method. Read the bullet points in section 5.5.
- Read the bullets. A saucepan base needs to conduct heat, so the food heats up quickly.conduct heat
- Name the part. So the part is the metal base.metal base
- Write the answer. metal base
Check. Metal is a good conductor of heat. ✓
Method. Read the bullet points in section 5.5.
- Read the bullets. A handle should stay cool and not conduct heat.stay cool
- Name the part. So the part is the plastic handle.plastic handle
- Write the answer. plastic handle
Check. Plastic is a poor conductor of heat. ✓
Method. Read the bullet points in section 5.5.
- Read the bullets. A window needs to be transparent.transparent
- Name the material. Glass is transparent, so the answer is glass.glass
- Write the answer. glass
Check. Clear glass is see-through. ✓
Method. Read the bullet points in section 5.5.
- Read the bullets. A table needs to be strong and opaque.strong and opaque
- Name the material. So the material is wood.wood
- Write the answer. wood
Check. Wood is opaque, so light does not pass through it. ✓
Method. Look at the test results in section 5.1.
- Look at the test. Clear glass is see-through, so it is transparent.see-through
- Choose the property. So the property is transparent.transparent
- Write the answer. transparent
Check. Glass is not magnetic. ✓
Method. Find the spoon with the shortest time.
- Find the shortest time. The metal spoon took the shortest time, 40 seconds.40 seconds
- Name the material. So the material that conducts heat fastest is metal.metal
- Write the answer. metal
Check. The metal spoon melted the butter first. ✓
Method. Think about which material is magnetic.
- Think about magnets. Iron is magnetic, and wood is not.iron is magnetic
- Choose the material. So iron is the material that the magnet can pull.iron
- Write the answer. iron
Check. The magnet can only pull a magnetic material. ✓
Method. Think about the job of the cup.
- Think about the job. A cup for a hot drink should stay cool to hold, so it should not conduct heat well.stay cool
- Choose the material. Plastic is a poor conductor of heat, so plastic is the better choice.plastic
- Write the answer. plastic
Check. Accept plastic, or any poor conductor of heat. ✓
Method. Think about the properties of wood.
- Think about the wood. Wood is a poor conductor of heat.poor conductor
- Write the reason. So the handle stays cool when the spoon is in hot food.stays cool
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says wood is a poor conductor of heat, so the handle stays cool to hold.
Check. The spoon test showed that wood is a poor conductor. ✓
Method. Think about the conductivity of each material.
- Think about the copper. Copper conducts electricity, so the circuit works.conducts electricity
- Think about the plastic. Plastic is an insulator, so it does not carry the electricity.insulator
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says copper conducts electricity, so the circuit works, while plastic is an insulator, so it does not carry electricity.
Check. The circuit test showed which materials conduct. ✓