Smart and modern materials for GCSE Design and Technology
GCSE Design and Technology, Materials. Usually met in years 9 to 11.
Learn about smart and modern materials, composites and technical textiles, and what each is used for.
What you practise
Thermochromic and photochromic pigments and shape memory alloys
Composites such as GRP and CFRP
Graphene, metal foams and technical textiles
Starts with smart materials and builds to nanomaterials and micro-encapsulation. 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 does ‘composite’ mean?
A metal filled with gas bubbles, making it light but stiff
A light, strong metal that resists corrosion, used in medical implants
A fabric made for its performance rather than its looks, such as fire-resistant cloth
Two or more materials combined to make one with better properties
A composite of glass fibres set in polyester resin
Show the answer and method
Answer: D, Two or more materials combined to make one with better properties
The method: Composite means two or more materials combined to make one with better properties.
Why the other options are wrong:
A, A metal filled with gas bubbles, making it light but stiff: That describes metal foam.
B, A light, strong metal that resists corrosion, used in medical implants: That describes titanium.
C, A fabric made for its performance rather than its looks, such as fire-resistant cloth: That describes technical textile.
E, A composite of glass fibres set in polyester resin: That describes glass reinforced plastic.
Sample question, level 4 of 5
Which term means: an aramid fibre that is strong enough to be used in body armour?
Metal foam
Carbon fibre reinforced plastic
Shape memory alloy
Liquid crystal display
Kevlar
Show the answer and method
Answer: E, Kevlar
The method: Kevlar means an aramid fibre that is strong enough to be used in body armour.
Why the other options are wrong:
A, Metal foam: Metal foam means a metal filled with gas bubbles, making it light but stiff.
B, Carbon fibre reinforced plastic: Carbon fibre reinforced plastic means a light, very strong composite of carbon fibres set in resin.
C, Shape memory alloy: Shape memory alloy means a metal, such as nitinol, that returns to a set shape when heated.
D, Liquid crystal display: Liquid crystal display means a flat screen made of liquid crystals that change when a voltage is applied.
