Exploring Materials Quiz

Bronze, brass, sterling silver, and solder are all examples of

• plastics
• polymers
• alloys

Which of the following properties in NOT characteristics of steel?

• hardness
• reacts readily with air
• strength

Wood is a natural composite made of two plant polymers, lignin and cellulose.  Without cellulose, a tree branch would probably

• snap more easily
• bend more easily in the wind
• be made of denser wood

What strong alloy, containing carbon, iron, and another material like chromium or nickel, is used to make construction equipment, bicycle frames, and train rails?

• bronze
• steel
• amalgam

One useful property of ceramics is their ability to 

• conduct electricity
• resist moisture
• melt a low temperatures

Which of these is an alloy?

• pewter
• copper
• tin

A mixture that is made of two or more elements--one that is a metal--that has the properties of metal is a(n)

• monomer
• alloy
• polymer

What materials are being used to replace copper telephone and cable television lines?

• optical fibers
• alloys
• composites

Hard, crystalline solids made by heating clay and other minerals to high temperatures are

• ceramics
• glasses
• alloys

Which of the following is NOT a useful property of glass?

• carries light messages
• bends light
• conducts electricity