Download Activity 14: Physical and Chemical Properties of Materials

Activity 14:
Physical and Chemical
Properties of Materials
Read B-14
Challenge:
How do the properties of materials
determine their uses?
Properties Definition:
• Physical Property: A characteristic of a
substance or material that helps identify it
and never changes regardless of the amount.
• Chemical Property: Describes how a material
reacts with another substance.
In this activity…
• You will investigate a large variety of
materials to understand how the properties of
materials determine their uses.
• Materials Engineers work to improve
materials to make them better suited for their
intended purpose during their useful life.
Identify Materials
• BE GENTLE WITH THE MATERIALS!!!
• The carbon rod is very delicate.
• A property is a quality or trait that
characterizes a material or object.
• Physical Properties can be determined
without a chemical reaction.
• Chemical Properties can only be determined
by looking for a reaction.
• Chemical Reaction is when a substance
changes chemically into another substance.
Physical and Chemical Properties
• Physical Properties:
– Computer paper is white, translucent, creases or
crumples when folded, and tears easily.
• Chemical Properties:
– Paper when ignited also combines with oxygen
in the air in the chemical reaction called
combustion.
You will investigate:
• Physical Properties:
– Color: Does it resemble the color of something else?
– Hardness: How resistant to scratching is it relative to
another substance?
– Luster: How is light reflected from the material? Is it
shiny, dull, metallic, glassy, waxy, etc.?
– Light transmission: Does light pass through the it?
– Texture: How does the material feel between the
fingers? Is it gritty, smooth, etc.?
– Flexibility: Does the material bend with gentle pressure?
• Chemical Property:
– Reaction with hydrochloric acid: Does it react?
The Objects Have Different Shapes
• Strips, Blocks, Cylinders, Irregular
• These shapes are common and inexpensive
• BUT, each material can be produced in any
shape
• Shape cannot be used to classify a material
• SHAPE IS NOT A PHYSICAL OR
CHEMICAL PROPERTY
Procedure:
Follow procedure from pg. B-15 to B-17.
Table 1 on B-16
• Be organized in your testing
• Follow directions on how to test
• BE GENTLE WITH THE MATERIALS!
Data:
Testing Physical and Chemical Properties
(class handout to be glued into the
notebook – student sheet 14.1)
Grouping Materials
• After you finish testing the materials, put
them into categories based on their
properties.
Results:
Categories of Materials (use your data to
come up with 2-4 categories)
Title of
Categories
Characteristic
Propetites
List the actual
material
Analysis
4. In your science notebook, make a copy
of the table, “Selecting Materials for
Products.” For each product listed in
the first column, complete the table by
listing one material you tested that
would work well and one that would not
work well. Explain your reasons for
each choice in the appropriate column.
Selecting Materials for Products
Use of
material
Electrical wire
Garden
statue
Toy boat
Tabletop
Inexpensive
container for
an acid, such
as vinegar
Materials that
would work well
Reason
Materials that
would NOT
work well
Reasons