Testing material properties and comparing fuels

Integrated ScienceMatter & MaterialsAges 11–12

Pick a material (copper, aluminum, steel, plastic, glass, wood, rubber) and run a test: wire it into a circuit to check for electrical conductivity, heat one end of a rod to see how fast heat travels along it, scratch it with a steel point to compare hardness, or leave it somewhere damp to see if it rusts. The summary table on the right fills in the results and suggests everyday items made from that material. Switch to fuel mode to burn 1 kg of firewood, coal, alcohol, kerosene, gasoline or LPG: the simulation works out the heat released Q = m·q, how many liters of water it can boil, and how much CO₂ is released.