Materials science resources
The Properties of Materials – Materials Science Resource
Following requests from teachers for up-to-date information, we have produced a teaching resource focusing on The Properties of Materials content within the GCSE Chemistry and Physics courses. We see this as an opportunity to bring some of the exciting developments in Materials Science to the classroom in order to enthuse and inspire pupils and teachers alike.
This resource is aimed at developing an understanding of the basic principles behind the common properties of materials (metals, ceramics and polymers) due to the differences in structure of these materials. This understanding can be used to manipulate the properties of materials. This is illustrated by case-studies designed to assist with the teaching of materials science, and to demonstrate how and why this understanding is important to minimise the economic and environmental impacts of the automotive industry.
Examples include alloying, precipitation strengthening, surface coatings and other innovative processing methods which are currently being developed by researchers at The University of Manchester in order to improve the performance of engineering alloys.
Disaster at Guadalajara
Based on a real event, a series of 10 explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1992 (which destroyed over 1000 buildings, killed over 200 people, injured almost 2000 people and left over 20,000 people homeless) this toolkit uses video and web-based materials to address components of KS4 in support of the Materials and Performance Module of the GCSE and also includes a classroom experiment that can be undertaken either as a demonstration or as small group work.
The force of the explosions was equivalent to an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale – it was one of the most powerful, non-nuclear explosions ever measured. The cause of the explosion was the ignition of gasoline (petrol), which was found to be leaking into the main sewer system from an underground pipeline. The cause of the leak was metal-to-metal (galvanic) corrosion of the pipeline, a problem that is easily preventable using the application of an external (sacrificial) metal such as zinc or magnesium. The materials show that a commonplace, even mundane event, corrosion, can result in catastrophic and tragic consequences.
LOST!
This is an exercise which imagines a group is stuck on the moors after a car break-down and have to develop a reliable power source from the materials available as quickly as possible in order to be rescued.
This is aimed at KS3/4 and is intended to get away from the "potato battery" idea where the potato (or lemon, etc.) is often confused as the power source, rather than the reaction between the two metals. The toolkit includes all components necessary to perform the experiment and demonstrators are available to assist if requested.
So You Think You Can Design A Jet Engine?!
Developed as a toolkit for teaching Materials in schools, the So you think you can design a Jet Engine?! team have already had a great deal of success trialling a number of individual tools using the jet engine to communicate materials research to school-age children. In this way everyone can experience how innovative research combined with systematic materials selection, novel manufacturing techniques, and rigorous testing allow engine designers to create more environmentally friendly engines.
Advances in materials and technology have improved jet engine efficiency by some 70% over the last 40 years and it is expected to improve at a rate of around 1-2% per year for some time to come. This has largely been enabled by improved materials and materials processing. At this stage of research development, there is a need to attract bright young people to undertake the materials research and development needed to bring new designs to life.
Our primary aim is to focus on KS4, and in particular to support schools/students with the 'Materials and Performance' Module (AP6) of the new 21st Century Science GSCE. Here students 'explore the design and testing of materials and artefacts'. Teachers should use contexts, which can be relevant to their locality. With the NW being the largest region for aerospace manufacturing, the jet engine is well suited to this task.
- For more information, visit www.tools4schools.org.uk or email Max Rowe