Building Material Quiz

A team of engineers is designing a suspension bridge. Combining which set of parts would be their best choice? A) steel posts, steel cables, concrete roadbed B) wood posts, plastic cables, concrete roadbed C) steel posts, concrete cables, wood roadbed D) steel posts, glass cables, steel roadbed

A) steel posts, steel cables, concrete roadbed

Which of these materials is a man-made material? A) vinyl B) aluminum C) copper D) salt

A) vinyl

A company is making plans for a skyscraper. They consider adding extra supports to it. They also want to use stronger materials. What is a disadvantage of doing these things? A) it will be safer B) it will cost more C) it will last longer D) it will take longer to build

B) It will cost more

Which of the following is an alloy? A) seawater B) milk C) steel D) granite

C) steel

Which is an important advantage of wood as a building material? A) Wood can be bent or molded into any shape B) Wood is the strongest building material available C) Nails and screws can be used to join wood pieces together easily D) Wood resists all forms of damage over time

C) Nails and screws can be used to join wood pieces together easily

In order to engineer a new aircraft material that is lightweight and strong, information about which of the following would be most useful? A) nuclear properties B) biological properties C) material properties D) chemical properties

C) material properties

A desirable property of stainless steel is that it: A) is not magnetic B) is softer than regular steel C) does not melt D) does not rust

D) does not rust

Which of these materials is most brittle? A) leather B) paper C) cotton D) glass

D) glass

An outdoor bird feeder made of which material is most likely to be the most durable? A) cardboard B) plastic C) wood D) cotton cloth

B) plastic

Engineered materials are materials that are: A) created by modifying existing materials B) found on the earth naturally and obtained by mining C) obtained from outer space D) made f rom newly discovered atoms

A) created by modifying existing materials

Engineered materials have often replaced natural materials for many applications. This is because those engineered materials: A) have more desirable properties than natural materials B) cost less to produce than natural materials C) decompose more slowly in landfills than natural materials D) contain less complex molecules than natural materials

A) have more desirable properties than natural materials

Compared to other materials, steel has the advantage of being A) stronger B) lighter C) more flexible D) less expensive

A) stronger

When two or more metals are melted, combined and allowed to cool and harden, the new substance that is formed is known as: A) a compound B) an alloy C) a polymer D) a semiconductor

B) an alloy

To make a bird feeder, a student may select either a plastic mil jug, a cardboard tube, or a large metal can. Which advantage does the cardboard provide over each of the other materials? A) durability B) ease of cutting and shaping C) stiffness D) appeal to the birds

B) ease of cutting and shaping

Wood is often used to build the framework of houses, while steel is used in taller buildings. Which is an advantage of steel in comparison to wood? A) cost B) strength C) ease of assembly D) flexibility

B) strength

Sam suggests that a pyramid shape will support more weight than a cube shape. He conducts a science experiment to test the idea. Which of these steps should NOT be included in the experiment? A) Glue a set of craft sticks into a pyramid B) Glue a set of craft sticks into a cube C) Glue a set of craft sticks into a shape that is half pyramid half cube D) Pile books one at a time on top of both the pyramid and the cube

C) Glue a set of craft sticks into a shape that is half pyramid half cube

Lily folds a sheet of construction paper into a rectangular prism. She rolls another sheet into a cylinder. Then she places thin books on top of each shape. Which question is she investigating? A) How wide can a table leg be? B) Which shape is larger? C) Which shape is stronger? D) Which shape is easiest to use?

C) Which shape is stronger?

In many new cars, the frame is made of steel, while the doors and roof are made of plastic. Compared to using steel parts only, the combination of using steel and plastic parts make the car: A) stronger and heavier B) larger but weaker C) stronger and more durable D) lighter in weight, but still strong

D) lighter in weight, but still strong

Workers pour concrete to make the floor of a building. Before the concrete id dry, they place steel bars within it. Why do they add the steel bars? A) to make the floor look nicer B) to make the concrete bend easier C) to make the concrete stick together D) to make the concrete stronger

D) to make the concrete stronger

Where do wood, paper and cardboard come from? A) water B) animals C) grass D) trees

D) trees