common material basics from mikecurtis check their website

List of Common Materials        source:http://www.mikecurtis.org.uk/ks2_materials.htm

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SUBSTANCE	Description	USE/PROPERTY
Iron	Grey metal	Cheap and strong but rusts easily. The only magnetic metal.
Sulphur	Yellow solid	Soft and crumbly. Burns to make a gas with a chocking smell.
Brass	Yellow metal	An ALLOY of copper and zinc. Used to make water taps. (Often covered with a shiny layer of CHROME metal)
Copper	Pink Metal	Used to make water pipes and electric wires.
Mercury	Grey metal	The only liquid metal. Very heavy and very poisonous. Used by dentists for 'fillings'.
Aluminium	Pale grey metal	Low density (very light). Used to make saucepans and kitchen foil.
Gold	Yellow metal	Very heavy precious metal. Does not corrode. Used for jewellery and electrical contacts.
Perspex	Colourless, transparent	Often used instead of glass as it is strong and light but scratches and melts easily.
Glass	Pale green, transparent	Very hard (does not scratch easily) but easy to break.
Zinc	Grey metal	Plated over iron to stop it rusting (called GALVANIZED iron and is used for buckets, water tanks)
Lead	Grey metal	Soft and bendy. Melts easily. Used on roofs. Used to used in pencils.
Tin	Grey metal	Placed in a very thin layer on the inside of 'tin' cans to stop the iron going rusty.
GMaterials can be placed into groups:       Metals Shiny, conduct electricity and heat, strong, often heavy Girders, Bicycle frames, Electric wires, Tools, Saucepans and good quality cuttlery. Ceramics Substances made from pottery. They have been 'fired' at some stage in their manufacture. They look attractive, do not burn or melt but are usually brittle and break easily Tiles, kitchen plates, good quality cups Plastics Plastics usually melt or burn easily,. They are not very strong but can easily made into different shapes. They arecheap to produce and are good electrical insulators Washing up bowls, covering to electric wire, plugs, cheap cuttlery, containers for food Glass :Glass looks attractive and can eaily be made into different shapes. Transparent, Is not effected by liquids. Brittle but hard. (Breaks easily but will not easily scratch) Windows, mirrors, glasses, bottles Wood Cuts easily and can be polished so it is shiny. Looks attractive Furniture, building materials	Grey /black solid	Formed from carbon. Used in pencils instead of lead (which is poisonous). Properties of materials A property of a material is something about it that we can measure, see or feel Examples of different properties Strong Weak Heavy Light in weight Rough Smooth Shiny Dull Hard Soft Flexible Brittle Magnetic Non-magnetic Transparent Opaque Conduct electricity Electrical insulator Conductor of heat Thermal (heat) insulator Burns when heated Does not burn Melts easily  Does not melt easily