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Science Quiz - Materials - Properties (Describing) (Questions)

Explore how we describe materials in KS1 Science using words like rough, smooth, hard, soft, stretchy, and bendy to choose the best material for each job.

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(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

Rough or smooth tells us if a surface scratches or slides, like sandpaper is rough and a glass marble is smooth.

In KS1 Science, children learn to describe materials by their properties. Words like rough, smooth, hard, soft, shiny, and bendy help us choose safe, strong, and useful objects.

  • Property: A way to describe what a material is like, such as hard, soft, rough, smooth, shiny, or dull.
  • Rough: A bumpy or scratchy surface that grips or scratches instead of sliding easily.
  • Smooth: A flat, even surface that feels soft or slippery and lets things slide easily.
How do you describe materials in KS1 science?

In KS1 science, children describe materials using simple words about what they feel and do, such as hard, soft, rough, smooth, bendy, stretchy, shiny, or dull.

Why is it important to know material properties?

Knowing material properties helps us choose the right material for a job, like glass for windows, rubber for tyres, or strong metal for tools and bridges.

What are examples of rough and smooth materials for children?

Rough materials include sandpaper, some stones, and certain carpets. Smooth materials include glass, polished tiles, plastic rulers, and many metal spoons.

1. This is a cheese grater. The surface of the cheese grater is _____.
[ ] Rough
[ ] Smooth
[ ] Weak
[ ] Invisible
2. The opposite of rough is ______.
[ ] Weak
[ ] Lumpy
[ ] Bumpy
[ ] Smooth
3. Steel girders are very ______.
[ ] Shiny
[ ] Bendy
[ ] Strong
[ ] Soft
4. There is glass in these windows. You can see through the glass. The glass is ___________.
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Elastic
[ ] Plastic
[ ] Dull
5. If you can’t see through something, it is called ______.
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Opaque
[ ] Bright
[ ] Dull
6. The slinky toy is bendy. Another word for bendy is ________.
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Runny
[ ] Opaque
[ ] Flexible
7. Mr Smith is polishing his car. It gleams. The surface of the metal is _____.
[ ] Dull
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Soft
[ ] Shiny
8. This man is carving stone. He uses a hammer and chisel because the rock is very ____.
[ ] Soft
[ ] Flexible
[ ] Pale
[ ] Hard
9. The pillow is very comfortable because the pillow is ____.
[ ] Soft
[ ] Hard
[ ] Weak
[ ] Strong
10. This catapult is stretchy. Another word for stretchy is _______.
[ ] Tight
[ ] Elastic
[ ] Runny
[ ] Fluid

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Describing materials

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Science Quiz - Materials - Properties (Describing) (Answers)
1. This is a cheese grater. The surface of the cheese grater is _____.
[x] Rough
[ ] Smooth
[ ] Weak
[ ] Invisible
Be careful using a cheese grater - mind your fingers!
2. The opposite of rough is ______.
[ ] Weak
[ ] Lumpy
[ ] Bumpy
[x] Smooth
Babies have very smooth skin
3. Steel girders are very ______.
[ ] Shiny
[ ] Bendy
[x] Strong
[ ] Soft
The picture shows the Firth Of Forth Railway Bridge in Scotland
4. There is glass in these windows. You can see through the glass. The glass is ___________.
[x] Transparent
[ ] Elastic
[ ] Plastic
[ ] Dull
You can see through transparent materials
5. If you can’t see through something, it is called ______.
[ ] Transparent
[x] Opaque
[ ] Bright
[ ] Dull
It is hard to see through opaque materials
6. The slinky toy is bendy. Another word for bendy is ________.
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Runny
[ ] Opaque
[x] Flexible
Have you ever played with a slinky toy?
7. Mr Smith is polishing his car. It gleams. The surface of the metal is _____.
[ ] Dull
[ ] Transparent
[ ] Soft
[x] Shiny
Have you ever helped to clean the car?
8. This man is carving stone. He uses a hammer and chisel because the rock is very ____.
[ ] Soft
[ ] Flexible
[ ] Pale
[x] Hard
Statues are carved from stone
9. The pillow is very comfortable because the pillow is ____.
[x] Soft
[ ] Hard
[ ] Weak
[ ] Strong
Is the pillow in your bed comfortable?
10. This catapult is stretchy. Another word for stretchy is _______.
[ ] Tight
[x] Elastic
[ ] Runny
[ ] Fluid
Rubber bands are sometimes called elastic bands. Elastic bands are stretchy - they are elastic!