Materials for GCSE Design and Technology
GCSE Design and Technology, Materials. Usually met in years 9 to 11.
Name the main groups of materials, from hardwoods and ferrous metals to polymers, fibres, paper and board, with examples of each.
What you practise
- Woods, manufactured boards and metals
- Thermoforming and thermosetting polymers
- Natural and synthetic fibres, papers and boards
Starts with woods and metals and builds to polymers, textiles and paper. Practice moves up a level when a round goes well and down when it does not.
Sample questions
Each sample comes with the method and the reason every wrong option is wrong. Real practice rounds are ten questions at your level.
Sample question, level 2 of 5
What kind of material is MDF?
- Paper
- Manufactured board
- Alloy
- Board
- Softwood
Show the answer and method
Answer: B, Manufactured board
The method: MDF is a manufactured board, like plywood and chipboard.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A, Paper: Examples of papers are cartridge paper and tracing paper.
- C, Alloy: Examples of alloys are brass and bronze.
- D, Board: Examples of boards are corrugated card and foam board.
- E, Softwood: Examples of softwoods are pine and spruce.
Sample question, level 4 of 5
Which of these is a paper?
- Mild steel
- Layout paper
- Solid white board
- Cedar
- Oak
Show the answer and method
Answer: B, Layout paper
The method: Layout paper is a paper. Others include cartridge paper and tracing paper.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A, Mild steel: Mild steel is a ferrous metal.
- C, Solid white board: Solid white board is a board.
- D, Cedar: Cedar is a softwood.
- E, Oak: Oak is a hardwood.
See where this fits: every GCSE option topic and Key Stage 3.
Related topics: Material properties, Smart and modern materials.
