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Year 11 - Design and technology

Enhancing the properties of metals

Metals

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will develop technical principles knowledge with an explicit focus on exam technique.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how metal material properties can be enhanced.

Key Notes

  • Combining materials creates improved properties, compared to the individual materials alone.
  • Material properties can be modified with the use of heat and/or additives.
  • Reinforcing techniques can improve a material's structural integrity.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • properties: words used to describe how a material appears (physical/characteristic) or behaves when worked (working/mechanical)
  • combine: to join two or more things to create something new
  • modify: to change something to make it perform differently
  • reinforce: to make something stronger
  • structural integrity: how well something stays together and holds up without breaking

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • A material's properties are fixed and cannot be changed.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Combining materials creates improved properties, compared to the individual materials alone. Material properties can be modified with the use of heat and/or additives.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'properties'

words used to describe how a material appears (physical/characteristic) or behaves when worked (working/mechanical).

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: A material's properties are fixed and cannot be changed. Correction: Many materials can be altered after they are made to improve their properties, e.g. strength.

More Lessons In This Unit

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