Work through these seven questions in order, and write your own answer before you open each one. They mix the four moves from materials and technology through practical evidence.
The timed practice session builder can turn the set into a timed run.
Questions
Question 1 (3 marks). A shelf bracket must hold a load, must not rust, and lower mass is preferred.
Metal A: holds the load, rusts, 400 g. Metal B: holds the load, does not rust, 450 g. Polymer C: does not rust, cannot hold the load, 80 g. Choose a material and show the two-pass reasoning.
Answer
Pass 1: A fails because it rusts. C fails because it cannot hold the load. B passes both must-haves.
Only B remains, so it is chosen even though it is 50 g heavier than A (450 − 400). Assumption: the load and conditions match the test.
Question 2 (3 marks). Helmet shell J has a mass of 300 g and survives a drop from 4 m. Shell K has a mass of 220 g and survives a drop from 2 m. State the trade-off and recommend one for a cyclist.
Answer
K is 300 − 220 = 80 g lighter, but it survives only 2 m compared with 4 m for J.
K gives up protection for lower mass. Recommend J for a cyclist, because protection in a fall matters more than 80 g.
Question 3 (2 marks). Why is “Material J is best” a weak answer to a comparison question?
Answer
It gives a verdict with no use and no figures, and it hides what J gives up. A stronger answer says “J is better for [use] because [figure], but it gives up [figure]”.
Question 4 (3 marks). A model says more added atoms make a metal harder. Dent diameters are 3.5 mm at 0%, 3.0 mm at 3% and 2.6 mm at 6% added atoms. State whether the data fits the model.
Answer
The dent shrinks from 3.5 mm to 3.0 mm to 2.6 mm as added atoms rise, so the sample gets harder. The data is consistent with the model.
Limit: only three amounts were tested, so the data cannot show the trend continues beyond 6%.
Question 5 (2 marks). A student writes, “The data proves the model.” Rewrite the sentence.
Answer
“The data is consistent with the model.” Three measurements can agree with a model without proving it.
Question 6 (4 marks). A fictional advert says a rope “never snaps”. Five ropes were loaded with 50 kg, 100 kg and 150 kg.
All 5 held at 50 kg, 4 held at 100 kg and 1 held at 150 kg. Write a conclusion.
Answer
Restate: the claim means every rope holds every load.
At 50 kg, 5 of 5 held. At 100 kg, 1 of 5 snapped. At 150 kg, 4 of 5 snapped.
The data does not support “never snaps”. It supports that all five held 50 kg. Limit: one rope design, five samples and three loads.
Question 7 (4 marks). A fictional cloth claims to be “30% lighter than cotton”. The table gives cotton as 200 g per square metre and the cloth as 150 g per square metre. Is the claim supported?
Answer
Difference = 200 − 150 = 50 g. Percentage = 50 ÷ 200 × 100 = 25%.
The cloth is 25% lighter, not 30%, so the claim is not supported. It is supported as “25% lighter per square metre in this table”.
If you got these wrong
For question 1, revisit choosing a material from a property table. For 2 and 3, see explaining a trade-off. For 4 and 5, go to connecting a material model to a measured property. For 6 and 7, see evaluating a product claim from test data.
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