Science
What are materials in science?
Quick answer
Materials are what objects are made from, such as wood, metal, plastic and glass. Each has properties, like being hard, bendy, waterproof or see-through, that suit it to some jobs.
In one sentence
A material is the stuff an object is made from, and its properties decide what jobs it is good for.
Explained
Look around you. A chair, a window, a T-shirt and a spoon are all objects. What they are made of — wood, glass, cotton, metal — are materials.
Every material has properties, which describe how it looks and behaves. Scientists test materials to find out:
- Is it hard or soft?
- Is it flexible (bendy) or rigid (stiff)?
- Is it transparent (see-through), translucent (lets some light through) or opaque (blocks light)?
- Is it waterproof or absorbent?
- Does it let heat or electricity pass through it? If yes, it is a conductor. If not, it is an insulator.
- Is it magnetic? Only a few metals are; see magnets.
Engineers choose materials by matching properties to jobs. A window needs something transparent and waterproof, so glass is a good choice. A paper window would be silly, because paper is opaque and soaks up water.
Some materials are natural, such as wood, wool, cotton, stone and leather. Others are made by people, such as plastic, glass, steel and nylon, though they are made from natural raw materials.
Examples
| Object | Material | Useful property |
|---|---|---|
| Window | glass | transparent |
| Saucepan | metal | conducts heat |
| Pan handle | plastic or wood | insulates heat |
| Umbrella | nylon or plastic fabric | waterproof |
| Towel | cotton | absorbent |
| Electric cable coating | plastic | electrical insulator |
spoon
cup
umbrella
chair
Common mistakes
- Mixing up object and material. "Spoon" is an object; "metal" is a material.
- "All metals are magnetic." Only iron, nickel, cobalt and some of their mixtures, such as steel, are attracted to magnets. Copper and aluminium are not.
- "Plastic is always bendy." Some plastics are flexible, like a carrier bag; others are rigid, like a ruler.
Quick quiz
Materials
Check what you know with 4 quick questions.
Question 1 of 4
Which property makes glass good for windows?
Practise it
Try it
Test five materials from around the house: which are waterproof, which bend, which let light through? Then try more science printables.
Print science activities
For grown-ups
Related topics
Solids, liquids and gases
Solids, liquids and gases are the three main states of matter. Solids keep their shape, liquids flow and take the shape of their container, and gases spread out to fill any space.
Magnets
A magnet is an object that pulls on certain metals, such as iron, and pushes or pulls on other magnets. Every magnet has a north pole and a south pole.
Electricity
Electricity is the flow of tiny charged particles called electrons through a material. It powers lights, phones and machines, and it can come from batteries or the mains supply.
Rocks
Rocks are natural solids made of minerals. The three types are igneous (cooled melted rock), sedimentary (squashed layers of bits) and metamorphic (changed by heat and pressure).
Electric circuits
An electric circuit is a complete loop that electricity flows around. A simple circuit has a battery, wires and a component like a bulb. If the loop is broken, the electricity stops.
Friction
Friction is a force that acts when two surfaces rub or slide against each other. It slows things down and turns movement into heat, and it also stops us slipping.