Materials Properties Make a Difference
Materials properties are observable and measurable characteristics of solids. The designers of the Sydney Opera House made design decisions about the materials used to create it.Copyright (top) 2012 Rezwana Uddin, Polytechnic Institute of NYU; (bottom) 2005 Matthew Field, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sydney_opera_house_side_view.jpg
Students investigate the materials properties—such as acoustical absorptivity, light reflectivity, thermal conductivity, hardness, and water resistance—of various materials. They use sound, light and temperature sensors to collect data on various materials. They practice making design decisions about what materials would be best to use for specific purposes and projects, such as designing houses in certain environments to meet client requirements. After testing, they use the provided/tested materials to design and build model houses to meet client specifications.
**Note: This activity uses the retired LEGO NXT robot which is no longer available for purchase.
In the design of any project, scientists and engineers are very aware of the properties of the materials they use, and the most suitable materials for a project are carefully chosen based on those properties. For example, civil engineers must have a thorough understanding of available materials and the properties of those materials used in their projects in order to plan how the structures they design (such as houses, bridges, buildings, dams, opera houses, skyscrapers, roller coasters or highways) will hold up to environmental and usage stresses. Architects and civil engineers work together to make sure that while the design of a structure satisfies the necessities of safety and reliability, the materials chosen also help create a beautiful and comfortable atmosphere for those who interact with it daily.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe a variety of materials properties in addition to the ones they can observe with their senses.
- Explain the design decisions engineers make when choosing materials specific to a project.
- Determine materials properties of objects using sensors and other tests.