Physical & Working Properties
Design & Technology: AQA GCSE, topic 1.7.1
Physical Properties
All materials have physical or inherent properties.
Absorbency
- The material's ability to absorb or take on an element such as water, electricity, heat or light.
Density
- How compact is the material.
- The mass of the material per unit volume.
Fusibility
- The material's ability to be converted through heat to a liquid state and then fused (combined) with another before cooling down as one material.
Electrical conductivity
- The material's ability to conduct electricity.
Thermal conductivity
- The material's ability to conduct heat.
Working Properties
All materials respond to a certain environment or in a certain manner.
Strength
- The material's ability to withstand force such as tension, shear or pressure.
Hardness
- The material's ability to resist abrasive wear and indentation through a sudden impact.
- Very hard materials can become brittle and can crack, shatter or snap suddenly.
Toughness
- The material's ability to absorb energy through shock without fracturing.
Malleability
- The material's ability to deform (change shape) under compression without tearing, splitting or cracking.
Ductility
- The material's ability to be stretched out or drawn out into a thin wire strand without breaking.
Elasticity
- The material's ability to return to its original shape after being compressed or stretched.