Diversity How does the diversity of

living and non-living things

contribute to our lives?

How can we classify things in

our world?

How do we find out the

properties and characteristic
of things around us?
The diversity of the rich We have to use the
resources in the natural rich resources in
world is important for nature responsibly
the continual survival of and sustainably.
living things

We need to continually
seek to understand the
complexity in the natural
world by studying it in a
systematic manner
Utensils used by
stallholders at
hawker centres
 Textbk 1A Pg 36

Learning outcomes
1. Why is it important to know the physical properties of
matter?
2. What are some common physical properties of matter?
3. How do we investigate the density of objects?
4. What are the effects of different densities?
5. How can understanding the physical properties of materials
affect our choices for sustainable living?
Textbook 1A Pg 38
2.1 Why is it important to know the physical
properties of matter?

Given the diversity of things around us, it is important to

classify things so that we can study them in a more systematic
way.

Classification helps us to recognise patterns, which in turn,

allows us to understand the physical properties of matter.
Classification
of groceries in
a supermarket
Classification of items at home according to the materials and their physical
properties
The items we use in our daily
life are mainly made up of
these five classes of
materials:
ceramic, metal, glass,
fibres and plastics.

To manufacture these items,

the materials are obtained by
extracting natural resources.
These natural resources are
fast dwindling.
Textbk 1A Pg 38

Why is it important to know the physical

properties of matter?

Understanding the similarities and differences in the

physical properties of different materials helps us make
informed decisions on the use of materials.

Our choices can have a big impact on the environment.

We need to use
Earth’s resources
responsibly in
order to conserve
them.
Let’s do our part
to conserve
Earth’s resources.
2.2 Physical Properties of Materials (Textbk 1A Pg41)
The physical properties of a material are qualities that can be
observed and measured without changing its composition.
Electrical Conductivity

The electrical conductivity of a

material is the measure of how easily
an electric current can flow through it.

Materials that allow electric current to

flow through them easily are called
electrical conductors.
E.g. Metals ( copper, iron, silver).
They have high electrical
conductivity.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

What is electrical conductivity?

A. The measure of how easily an electric current can flow through a material.
The measure of how hard it is for an electric current to flow through a material.
The measure of how much voltage a material can handle.
The measure of how long a material can conduct electricity.

Correct answer: A
What are materials called that allow electric current to
flow through them easily?
A. Electrical conductors
Electrical insulators
Semiconductors
None of the above

Correct answer: A
Metals like copper, iron, and silver have _____
electrical conductivity.

Answer: high
1) Electrical Conductivity

Materials that do not allow an electric current to flow

through them easily are called electrical insulators.
E.g. Rubber, plastic
They have low electrical conductivity.
2) Thermal Conductivity
A frying pan has a plastic handle as it does not
allow heat to flow through it easily.
We are able to hold the handle without burning
our hand.
Materials such as plastic have low thermal
conductivity.

The metal pan allows heat to flow through it

easily. If feels hot if it is touched while cooking.
Materials such as metals have high thermal
conductivity.
The high conductivity of the metal pan allows
food to be cooked quickly.

Thermal conductivity of a material is the

measure of how easily heat flows through it.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

Why is it possible to hold a frying pan's plastic handle
without burning your hand?
A. It is made of wood
It has high thermal conductivity
It does not allow heat to flow through it easily
It is too heavy to heat up

Correct answer: C
The thermal conductivity of a material is the measure
of how ______ heat flows through it.

Answer: easily
How does the high thermal conductivity of a metal pan
affect how quickly food is cooked?

Suggested answer:
The high conductivity allows heat to flow through the pan easily, which means food
can be cooked quickly.
3) Melting Point
and Boiling Point

Temperature affects the

state of matter.

The melting point of a

material is the temperature
at which it changes from
the solid state to the liquid
state.
E.g. when ice (solid)
changes into water (liquid)
The boiling point of a material
is the temperature at which it
changes from the liquid state
to the gaseous state.

E.g. When water (liquid) boils, it

changes into steam (gas).

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

4) Strength

The metal wire has high strength.

A metal can
is easily
crushed.
The metal
can has
low
strength.
The strength of a material is its ability to support
heavy loads without breaking.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

What is the strength of a material?

A. Its color
Its weight
Its ability to support heavy loads without breaking
Its ability to fly

Correct answer: C
Which substance will be scratched
when both are rubbed together?

30
 5) Hardness
The hardness of a material refers to its ability to
__________ ________
withstand scratches

Diamond
Hardest substance: ________

Drills studded with diamonds can cut

through rocks 31
What does the term 'hardness' refer to in materials?

A. The ability to withstand heat

The ability to withstand pressure
The ability to withstand scratches
The ability to withstand moisture

Correct answer: C
Why are they flexible?

33
6) Flexibility
Flexibility of a material is its ability to bend without breaking and return
to its original shape and size after bending.

The flexibility of the

wire allows it to be
coiled easily

Flexibility of the
water hose enables
allows water to be
directed easily.
What is the flexibility of a material?

A. Its ability to melt

Its ability to stretch without limit
Its ability to bounce back after bending
Its ability to change color

Correct answer: C
7) Density
An iron block and a wooden block of the same volume are placed on
a beam balance.
Density
Density is the amount of
matter an object has in
proportion to its volume.

What happens when the iron

block and wooden block are
placed in a tank of water?
Density
Why does the wooden
block float but the iron
block sink in water?

The wooden block is less dense

than the iron block as the wooden
block has a smaller mass in
proportion to its volume.

When placed in water, the wooden

block with a lower density than
water floats, while the iron block
with a higher density than water
sinks.
What is the reason for the iron block to sink in water?

A. It has a larger mass than the wooden block

It has a lower density than the wooden block
It has a higher density than water
It has a larger volume than water

Correct answer: C
Density
An iron block and a wooden block of the same volume are placed on
a beam balance.
Density
Density is the amount of
matter (mass) an object has
in proportion to its volume.
Activity book: Why is it important to know
the physical properties of matter?
Apparatus and Materials

❑ Cloth
For items that you do not
❑ Drink can have, cancel it from the list
❑ Glass bottle with cap and replace with something
❑ Milk carton with cap that you have right now.
❑ Mobile phone charger
❑ Plastic bottle with cap
Activity bk 1A
Activity 2.1.1
Pg 34
Examples
Activity bk 1A Activity 2.1.1 Pg 35

Questions
1. Choose one material that an item in Table 2.1 is made of. How
do its physical properties make it suitable for making the item?

Answer (This should be based on your answers on Pg 34)

Example, based on the suggested answers,

Plastic that makes up the milk carton is waterproof. It is light and

easy to carry.
Question 2
To avoid depleting our natural resources, we should ensure that the products we use are sustainable.
A sustainable product provides economic, social and environmental benefits throughout its life cycle.
The life cycle of a product is shown in Figure 2.1.
Consider the life cycle of each item in Table 2.1 on page 34.
Classify the items into sustainable and non-sustainable products.
Give a reason for your answer.

Type of Items Reason(s)

Products
Sustainable

Non-
sustainable
Question 3
Suggest some factors that should be considered when choosing
materials for making a product. Use one example of a product to
illustrate your answer.
Answer:
Product: water bottle
What is the purpose of the product?
To contain water for drinking
What are the physical properties of the material used to make the
product?
Plastic. Plastic is waterproof, light and easy to carry around, not
corrosive
Is the source of the material sustainable?
Activity bk 1A Activity 2.1.1 Pg 36
Essential Takeaway on Diversity

Why is it important for us to have a variety of materials with

different physical properties in our daily life?

The different physical properties of materials allow us to use the

materials for various purposes. The rich diversity of the natural
world is needed for our continual survival.
• Activity Book
• 2.2 Understanding Physical Properties
• Pages 37 – 40
• Deadline: Thursday (27 Jun)
Textbk 1A Pg 46
2.3 How do we investigate the density of
objects?

The density of an object depends on its mass and volume.

To find the density of an object, we need to measure

(i) the mass of the object and
(ii) the volume of the object.
Determining Mass
Mass is the amount or quantity of matter in an object.
All matter has mass.

The S.I unit of mass is the kilogram (kg).

Other common units include milligram (mg), gram (g) and

tonne (t).

Commonly used conversion of units

1 g = 1000 mg
1 kg = 1000 g
1 t = 1000 kg
What is mass?

A. The amount or quantity of matter in an object

The force exerted on an object due to gravity
The weight of an object
The volume of an object

Correct answer: A
1 kg = _______ g

Answer: 1000
 How is the mass
on an object
measured?

Mass can be
measured by using
an electronic
balance.

When the object is placed on the metal

pan of the electronic balance, the mass of
the object is automatically displayed on in
the panel.
Mass may
also be
measured
using a
beam
balance.
Determining Volume
Volume is the amount of space an object occupies.

The S.I unit of volume is the cubic metre (m³).

Smaller units of volumes are measured cubic centimetres
(cm³).
 Measuring the
volume of liquids
Measuring the volume
of liquids
The measuring cylinder is commonly used to measure
the volume of liquids.

The unit used is cubic centimetres (cm³).

Other units of volume are millilitre (l) or litres (l).

Commonly used conversion of units

1 ml = 1 cm³
1 l = 1000 ml
1 m³ = 1 000 000 cm³
Measuring the
Volume of
Irregular Solids
Determining the
volume of an
object that floats
on water e.g. cork
 Determining
the volume of
regular-
shaped
objects
Textbk 1A Pg 50
Determining Length to calculate Volume
To calculate the volume of regularly-shaped solids, we need to
determine length.
Length is the distance between two points.

The S.I. unit of length is metre (m).

Other common units are millimetre (mm), centimetre (cm ) and kilometre
(km).

Commonly used conversion of units

1 cm = 10 mm
1 m = 100 cm
1 km = 1000 m
Measuring Length

Length is usually
measured with a
metre rule, a
measuring tape or
a digital calipers.
Measuring Length
Measuring Length
Textbk 1A Pg 52
Determining Density

The density of an object or a substance is defined as its mass per unit

volume.

The density of an object or a substance is calculated using the formula

Density = mass
or
volume

The SI unit of density is kilogram per cubic metre (kg/m³).

Another common unit of density is gram per cubic centimetre (g/cm³).
Activity Book : Calculating Density

• Activity 2.4.2
• pg 53 to 54
Textbk 1A Pg 52
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?
The Table lists the densities of some common substances.

Substance Density /g/cm³

Air 0.00123
Pine wood 0.510
Water 1.00
Iron 7.87
Steel 8.05
gold 19.3
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?

Recall: The density of an object affects its ability to float or sink in

water.

What happens when a

block of pine wood and a
block or iron are placed
in water?
 2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?
Pine wood of density
0.510 g/cm³ floats on
water of density 1.00
g/cm³ as it has a lower
density than water.

Iron of density 7.87 g/cm³

sinks in water as it has a
higher density than
water.
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?

An object (e.g pine wood) which has a density that is lower

than the surrounding medium (e.g water) will float in that
medium.

An object which (e.g iron) which has a density that is higher

than the surrounding medium (e.g water) will sink in that
medium.
What is the effect of an object with lower density than
water?
A. It will sink in water.
It will stay suspended in water.
It will float in water.
It will melt in water.

Correct answer: C
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?

What happens when a watermelon and a grape is placed

in water?

Although the watermelon has a

greater mass than a grape, it has
a lower density than water and
thus floats.

A grape has a higher density than

water and thus sinks.
Why does the watermelon float?

A. It has less mass than the grape

It has the same density as water
It has a greater density than water
It has a lower density than water

Correct answer: D
What would happen if a brick and a feather were
placed in water?

Suggested answer:
The brick would sink because it has a higher density than water, while the feather
would float because it has a lower density than water.
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?

Do ice cubes have a lower

or higher density than
water? Give a reason for
your answer.

Ice cubes have a lower

density than water as it floats
on water.
2.4 What are the Effects of Different Densities?

Why does a steel ship able to float on water when the density of
steel is 8.05 g/cm³?

The hull of the ship is hollow and contains a lot of air. This causes the
density of the entire ship to be lower than the density of the sea water,
thus allowing it to float.
Activity Book: Explaining why an object floats
or sinks

• Activity 2.4.1
• Pages 51 to 52
Textbook 1A Pg 55
2.5 How can understanding the Physical Properties of
Materials affect our Choices for Sustainable Living?
Environmental Impact of Our Actions

Every year, tonnes of solid waste are generated in Singapore.

This waste is sent to waste-to-energy plants for burning
(incineration).
Waste-to-energy is a process in which waste is used as a fuel to
generate heat and electricity.
Incineration reduces the volume of waste by 90%, saving
landfill space.
Textbook 1A Pg 55
2.5 How can understanding the Physical Properties of
Materials affect our Choices for Sustainable Living?
Environmental Impact of Our Actions

The incineration ash and non-incinerable waste are then

disposed or at Semakau landfill.

Disposal of incineration ash and non-incinerable

waste from the floating platform at Semakau Landfill
Textbook 1A Pg 55
2.5 How can understanding the Physical Properties of
Materials affect our Choices for Sustainable Living?
Environmental Impact of
Our Actions
About 800,000 tonnes of
incineration ash and non-
incinerable waste are sent to
Semakau Landfill every year.
At this rate, the Semakau
Landfill is expected to run out
of space by 2035.
Textbook 1A Pg 55
2.5 How can understanding the Physical Irresponsible
Properties of Materials affect our Choices handling of waste
for Sustainable Living? (e.g plastic waste)
can have a negative
impact on our
environment and
other living things.
Textbook 1A Pg 55 Textbook 1A Pg 56
2.5 How can understanding the Physical
Properties of Materials affect our Choices Large pieces of
for Sustainable Living? plastic can be broken
down into smaller
pieces over time,
forming microplastics
both at sea and on
land.
Microplastics cause
water pollution and
harm marine life.
Conservation of
Our
Environment
To help conserve our
environment, we can
care for Earth by
practising the 3Rs –
Reduce
Reuse and
Recycle.
Conservation of
Our
Environment
Reduce – use only what
we need
We can choose to use
reusable items over
single-use items.
E.g. When we go grocery
shopping, we can use a
cloth bag instead of a
plastic bag.
Conservation of
Our
Environment
When we buy food at the
hawker centre or in the
canteen, we can take our
own reusable containers
to pack our food.
Conservation of Our
We can also reduce the
Environment use of plastic straws
and use our own
reusable straws instead
( e.g metal straws).
Our school canteen has
already stopped
providing disposable
plastic straws since
Term 2 of 2019.
Conservation of Our
Many food companies
Environment in Singapore and other
countries have also
stopped providing
disposable plastic
straws to consumers.
This is to encourage
consumers to drink
directly from cups or
bottles or use their own
reusable straws.
Conservation of Our
Environment
Reuse – Reuse
things for the same
purpose or new
purposes
Conservation of Our Recycle – Convert waste
into useful products
Environment
We can classify our waste
into glass, paper, plastic
and metal before
disposing them into
recycling bins. These
materials can be made
into new products.
We can find recycling
bins conveniently located
at void decks and
common areas in our
neighbourhoods.
Conservation of Our Recycle – Convert
waste into useful
Environment products

Unfortunately, these
recycling bins are
sometimes not properly
used. For example, non-
recyclable items such as
used food containers,
wrappers, tissue paper are
thrown into the bins.
As a result, the contents of
the bin become
contaminated and have to
be sent for incineration
instead.
Conservation of Our
Environment
We can do our part by putting only clean
recyclable items made of glass, paper,
plastic and metal into recycling bins.

Through the practice of 3Rs, we can:

protect our environment
conserve limited resources
reduce space needed for waste disposal
facilities and
extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill.
Activity Book: Becoming more sustainable
• Activity 2.5.1
• Pages 55 to 56

Activity Book: Practice Questions

• Pages 57 to 62