Purposes of Materials - 2nd Grade Science

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Question

Based on the data provided, which material should Myles NOT use to build his shelf?

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Answer

This data table provides information to analyze different materials. In the case of Myles, "Material 2" is weak and soft, which does not make an excellent material for a shelf. He would want to pick a material that is hard and would support the weight of items displayed.

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Question

Which of the following properties are most important for the purpose of building a bookshelf?

Answer

Building a bookshelf is a big project, and the material needs to be able to support a lot of weight. The most important property for the building of a bookshelf is strength. If the bookshelf material is weak, it will fall, and the books will spill everywhere.

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Question

Blair and her class build two bridges as a competition. The goal was to get the most cars across before the bridge collapsed. They have to choose the best design to improve on and send to the science fair.

Based on the data table, which bridge should they select and why?

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Answer

When building a bridge in real-life, there is a massive amount of planning and testing done to ensure it is safe and sturdy. This class had good plans and materials for building both bridges, but "Bridge A" seems like the most reliable choice for the science fair entry. It was able to hold up six toy cars and did not fall. It did wobble some so the class can make improvements on that portion of the bridge. "Bridge B" collapsed after the weight of three toy cars, so it doesn't seem like the most sturdy bridge.

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Question

Charlie decided to test the rocks he found in his yard. He took each one and squeezed it as hard as he could and recorded what happened. Then he put them in a hard plastic container and shook each one as hard as he could. He recorded his observations.

Below are the observations Charlie recorded. Based on this information, which rock is the weakest of the group?

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Answer

The rock that was the least hard out of the group is "Rock 4". This rock not only broke when it was shaken but also when it was squeezed. It is the only rock from all four tests to break under both conditions. After collecting and analyzing the data, "Rock 4" is the weakest.

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Question

Charlie decided to test the rocks he found in his yard. He took each one and squeezed it as hard as he could and recorded what happened. Then he put them in a hard plastic container and shook each one as hard as he could. He recorded his observations.

Below are the observations Charlie recorded. Based on this information, which rock is the hardest of the group?

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Answer

The hardest rock of the group based on the data Charlie collected is "Rock 2". This rock did not break when shaken or squeezed. All of the other stones broke during one or more of the tests. After analyzing the data, it can be concluded that "Rock 2" is the hardest.

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Question

Based on the data provided, which material should Ash use to build his shelf?

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Answer

This data table provides information to analyze different materials. In the case of Myles, "Material 2" is weak and soft, which does not make an excellent material for a shelf. He would want to pick a material that is hard and would support the weight of items displayed. This leaves "Materials 1 and 3" for consideration. "Material 1" is flexible, which could be a poor quality for a shelf. "Material 3" is strong, hard, and not flexible; it would be the best material for a shelf.

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Question

Which of the following properties are most important when choosing a paper towel to clean up a spill?

Answer

Paper towels are used to clean up spills, and no one wants to waste money on something that doesn't work. The material needs to clean up the mess quickly and efficiently. The most important property for a paper towel is its absorbency. If the paper towel is not absorbent, it will not clean up the mess.

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Question

Ms. Dube's class was testing the strength of different types of adhesive products to determine which was best for holding up classroom posters. She split the groups up and gave them four products and four signs. Their results are in the data table below.

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Which material would be the best for Ms. Dube to use in her classroom to hang posters?

Answer

Materials can be tested for a specific purpose or quality. The data from that test can be analyzed to determine which material is preferred for a job or task. Ms. Dube's class discovered that sticky putty held the poster up to the wall for the longest amount of time, so it would be the best choice for an adhesive in the classroom.

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Question

Ms. Dube's class was testing the strength of different types of adhesive products to determine which was best for holding up classroom posters. She split the groups up and gave them four products and four signs. Their results are in the data table below.

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Which material would be the worst for Ms. Dube to use in her classroom to hang posters?

Answer

The liquid glue would be the worst adhesive product for hanging posters in Ms. Dube's classroom. The liquid glue only held the poster in place for three minutes before it fell off the wall. This material is suited for other purposes, but based on this data, holding signs on the wall is not one of them.

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Question

Hayley is baking a cake for the school bake sale. She is trying to choose a frosting flavor and wants to make something that is a bit healthier. She compares the amount of sugar in each frosting and wants to choose the one with the least sugar. Which frosting should she choose?

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Answer

After analyzing the sugar content of each frosting, Hayley wants to choose the frosting with the least amount of sugar. Strawberry Sunset has only 15 grams of sugar, which is the lowest amount of the four choices. If she wants a cake that is lower in sugar, she should use the strawberry frosting.

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Question

Grace wants to see which object she should NOT choose to clean up a spill. Based on the absorbency (ability to soak up something) property of each item, which item would be the worst to select?

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Answer

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. In this case, "Item 1" is not absorbent at all, and Grace is trying to clean up a spill. This item would NOT be the best choice to clean up a liquid. If Grace wants to clean it up quickly, "Item 3" would be her best choice instead!

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Question

How can we determine if a material is appropriate for a specific purpose?

Answer

Some materials are suited for a specific purpose and were designed to be the best material for the job. Analyzing the properties of a material can help someone to determine if it is a good fit for a specific purpose or project. An example could be analyzing the softness of an object if you want to turn it into a pillow. You do not wish to pick something hard or rough.

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Question

Straw, sticks, bricks, and mud are all materials that can be used to build a house. Which would be the best option and why?

Answer

Building materials for a house have to be selected with a specific purpose in mind because the structure of the house has to be secure and safe. Of the four materials, the best option would be the bricks. Bricks are sturdy, stable, and reliable building materials. They are level, so they stack neatly and are not going to crumble or slide when wet. Straw, sticks, and mud would not be the best materials suited for this purpose.

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Question

Micah's class tested two bridge models to see which materials would build the strongest structure. They noticed that "Bridge B" collapsed under the weight of the toy cars and they want to improve it.

Which set of materials would be the best choice to replace what they used?

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Answer

"Bridge B" did well until a fourth car was added, so there may have been a failure in the materials somewhere. None of the objects they initially chose are very strong or sturdy, and if the gum were freshly chewed, it would be wet, and things could slide. By choosing building blocks that stack neatly and fit together well, very strong super glue, masking tape to wrap around the blocks, and paint for decoration, they may create a much stronger structure. Construction paper and tape are good for arts and crafts but may not be the best materials suited for bridge-building.

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Question

Jamal lost his baseball over the fence and into his mean neighbor's yard. He found four rocks and tested their hardness. He decides to use one as a replacement for his baseball until he gets a new one.

Based on the data table below, which rock(s) should Jamal NOT use for the baseball?

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Answer

If Jamal is looking for a rock that is best suited to his specific purpose (replacing his baseball), he needs to find a stone that will not break when hit with the bat. The rocks that Jamal should not choose are "Rocks 1, 3, & 4" because they broke when shaken or squeezed. The best rock to use would be "Rock 2" because it did not break when tested at all.

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Question

Jessa mixed sand and paperclips. She wants to remove the paperclips without touching them. Her teacher gives her the choice of three different tools to use. Which tool is best suited for removing paperclips without touching them?

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Answer

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. Jessa has to remove small, metal paperclips without touching them. The size and color of the tool do not matter in this case, and they do not affect Jessa's decision. The bar magnet is magnetic, so it should pick up the paperclip when it is moved close to it. Magnets do not need to touch other objects to affect them if they have magnetic qualities. This would be the tool most suited to her task.

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Question

Angelica mixed dirt and rocks in a large tray. She has to separate the stones from the soil in one minute. Her teacher gives her the choice of three different tools to use. Which tool is best suited for separating the dirt and rocks quickly?

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Answer

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. Angelica has to separate rocks from dirt in one minute. The size and color of the tool do not matter in this case, and they do not affect Angelica's decision. The sifter would be the best tool to use to get the job done quickly. She can scoop up the dirt and rocks into the sifter and shake it, so the dirt falls out, and the stones remain. She can repeat this until her one-minute timer is complete.

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Question

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks.

Answer

Materials can be analyzed to determine if they would work for a specific purpose. Someone can observe the properties of the object or material and see if it fits their needs. Absorbancy, magnetism, size, and shape are just a few properties that might make something suited for a specific purpose.

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Question

Juana's class tested two bridge models to see which materials would build the strongest structure. They noticed that "Bridge B" collapsed under the weight of the toy cars and they want to improve it.

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Why did "Bridge B" fail and collapse under the weight of the cars?

Answer

"Bridge B" did well until a fourth car was added, so there may have been a failure in the materials somewhere. None of the objects they initially chose are very strong or sturdy, and if the gum were freshly chewed, it would be wet, and things could slide. The materials selected were weak and not suited for this project.

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Question

Based on what you know about sponges, which item is most likely a sponge?

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Answer

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. In this case, "Item 1" is not absorbent at all, and "Item 2" absorbs some liquid. Background knowledge about sponges allows readers to recognize that "Items 1 and 2" do not have the characteristics of a sponge. They are porous, absorbant, and used to clean up spills. "Item 3" is described as very absorbent, so this item is most likely the sponge.

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