All around us we use materials to 'package' substances. (Store or put things in)

In class you will have seen a selection of packaging materials like in the picture below:

Select five different types of packaging and for each one, name the material used and give a reason for that material being used. Put your answers in a table like the one below

From your materials selected you should be able to classify them into 3 groups. What do you think are the 3 groups?

B. Classifying Materials (available as pdf download)

We can classify materials into 3 groups

1. Metals. Examples iron, copper aluminium etc.. Metals will be looked at in more detail in section 3 "A Closer Look at Metals."

2. Organic materials Examples: Plastics, paper and carton (cardboard). Also includes fibres.

There are many types of plastics and because they have quite long names an abbreviation is used.

Link to plastics activity

3. Ceramics Examples: Glass, porcelain and clay

C. Examples with descriptions

Link to homework activities

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