Classification

of Materials

4.1 What is Classification?

Grouping products properly would help us
find what we need easily.
This system of grouping things by
organising them according to their
similarities is called classification.
Classification is the systematic grouping
of objects according to their properties.

How do we classify objects?

There are various
ways in which we
can classify objects
according to their
properties.
Can you tell how
these candies
shown here have
been classified?

colour

size

4.2 Types of Physical Properties

Physical properties are qualities that can be
detected using our five senses or through a
measuring device.
Examples of physical properties using in
classification:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Strength
Hardness
Density
Flexibility
Electrical conductivity
Thermal conductivity
Boiling point
Melting point

Strength
The strength of a material refers to its
ability to support a heavy load without
breaking or tearing.
Examples of strong materials: concrete
and steel. These are used in making
buildings, roads and bridges.
Examples of weak materials: paper and
cloth.

Hardness
The hardness of a material refers to its
ability to withstand scratches.
A material will be able to cut or scratch a
material softer than itself, but it cannot cut
or scratch something that is harder.

Hardness
Diamond is the
hardest substance
that we know of.
It is used to cut glass,
ceramic tiles and
concrete.
Drills studded with
diamonds can cut
through rocks.

This cutter is encrusted with diamonds

and can be used to cut diamonds.

Density
The density of a material refers to the
ratio of its mass to its volume.
The same volume of a denser substance
will have a greater mass than a less dense
substance.

Flexibility
The flexibility of a material refers to its ability to
bend without breaking and to return to its original
shape and size.
A material that is not flexible is rigid.
E.g. of flexible objects: rubber bands, electrical
wires and papers.
E.g. of rigid objects: tables, mirrors and
computers.

Electrical conductivity
The electrical conductivity of a material
is a measure of how readily electricity
passes through it.
Substances that let electricity to pass
through them easily are known as
conductors.
Metals are good electrical conductors.

Electrical conductivity
Substances that do not allow electricity to
pass through them easily are known as
insulators or poor conductors of electricity.
Insulators are used to protect us from the
harmful effects of electricity flowing
through conductors (e.g. in wires).

Thermal conductivity
The thermal conductivity or heat conductivity
of a material is a measure of how readily heat
passes through it.
Materials that allow heat to pass through them
easily are called heat conductors (e.g. metals).
Materials that do not allow heat to pass through
them easily are called heat insulators or poor
conductors of heat (e.g. plastic, ice).

Melting point
The melting point of a material refers to
the temperature at which it changes in
state from a solid to a liquid.
For example, the melting point of water is
0 0C.
Some substances have a very high
melting point (e.g. iron melts at 1535 0C).
Some substances have a very low melting
point (e.g. oxygen melts at 218 0C).

Boiling point
The boiling point of a
material refers to the
temperature at which it
changes in state from a
liquid to a gas.
Different liquids have
different boiling points.

Boiling point
The boiling point of water is
100 0C, while that of
ethanol is 78 0C.
Some substances have a
very low boiling point (e.g.
liquid oxygen boils at
183 0C).
Some substances have a
very high boiling point (e.g.
iron boils at 2750 0C).

4.3 Types of Materials

One way to classify objects is by grouping
them according to the materials they are
made of.
Materials

Metals

Glass

Plastics

Fibres

Ceramics

Metals
Metals are elements (e.g. aluminium, iron). They
can be found in the earths crust.
Physical properties:
o Shiny appearance (some have
dull surfaces which can be
polished to give the shiny
silvery appearance)
o Range from low to high
densities
o Flexible
o Usually have high melting
and boiling points

Metals
Physical properties:
o
o
o
o
o

Ductile can be bent or drawn into wires

Malleable can be bent or moulded into shape
Conduct heat well
Conduct electricity well
Some may corrode or
become worn away
gradually by chemical
action (e.g. rusting of iron).

Glass
Glass is composed mainly of sand (which is a
form of silica), soda ash and lime.
Physical properties:
o
o
o
o

Transparent
Inflexible
High density
Can be moulded or blown
into shapes at high
temperatures
o High melting point (about
1600 0C)

Glass
Physical properties:
o Generally brittle (easily broken)
o Does not conduct heat well
o Does not conduct electricity
o Does not corrode

Plastics
Plastics are made from crude oil.
Physical properties:
o Flexible
o Low density
o Can be moulded or blown into shapes before they
solidify
o Tough (not easily broken, although some are brittle)
o Does not conduct heat
o Does not conduct electricity
o Does not corrode

Fibres
Fibres are made from natural or artificial
substances (man-made fibres). Fibres can be
spun into threads and woven into fabrics.
Physical properties:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Flexible
Low density
Soft
Relatively less strong
Do not conduct heat
Do not conduct electricity
Can corrode or rot

Ceramics
Ceramics are materials produced using clay and
other non-metals.
Physical properties:
o Hard but brittle
o High melting point
o Can be moulded into shapes before fired in kilns or
ovens to harden
o Do not conduct heat
o Do not conduct electricity
o Do not corrode

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

The properties of materials can help you to
choose the right materials to make an object.
To choose the right material, you can ask:
o
o
o
o
o

What purpose does this object serve?

Does this object need to conduct heat or electricity?
Does this object need to be flexible?
Is it important that this object does not corrode?
Should the object be light in weight?

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

Material
Metal

Uses

Reasons for choosing material

Electrical
wires

Good conductor of electricity

Strong

Jewellery

Shiny appearance
Hard and strong

Frying pan

Conducts heat well

High boiling and melting point

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

Material
Glass

Uses
Window
pane

Reasons for choosing material

Transparent
Does not corrode

Cooking pot High melting point

Conducts heat

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

Material
Plastics

Uses

Reasons for choosing material

Water bottle Does not break easily

Does not corrode
Covering for Flexible
electrical
Does not conduct electricity
wire

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

Material
Fibres

Uses

Reasons for choosing material

Carpet

Soft
Does not conduct heat

Clothes

Flexible
Soft

4.4 Choosing the Right Material

Material

Uses

Ceramics Vase
Plate

Reasons for choosing material

Hard
Does not corrode
High melting point
Does not conduct heat

Miscellaneous
http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_materials_pr
operties
http://www.abpischools.org.uk/resource/pd
fs/propemat.pdf
http://www.ueet.nasa.gov/materials/types.
php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling