Tap a material to test it. Watch its properties pop up — is it hard or soft? Bendy or stiff? Does water go through it?
Each job needs a material with the right property. A window must be see-through, so we use glass! Tap the best material for each job.
1. Why are windows made of glass and not wood? Glass is transparent (see-through), so light and views get in. Wood is not — you couldn't see out!
2. Why might a teapot handle be plastic, not metal? Metal gets very hot and would burn your hand. Plastic stays cool to hold.
3. Name a material that is bendy AND waterproof. Rubber (or plastic) — that's why wellies and raincoats are made of it!
4. What property makes rubber good for tyres? It is strong, squashy and grippy — it bounces over bumps and grips the road.
We don't pick materials by accident. We choose them by their properties — glass because it's transparent, rubber because it's bendy and waterproof, metal because it's strong. The right material for the right job!