IMO Practice Test — Materials Around Us
6 Questions • 12 min • Olympiad level
12:00
Question 1 of 6
medium
Why is a raincoat made of plastic, not cloth?
Cloth is shiny
Plastic is warm
Plastic keeps water out
Plastic is heavy
Explanation: Plastic does not let water through, keeping you dry.
Question 2 of 6
hard
You drop a plastic spoon and a metal spoon in water. What happens?
Both fly
Both float
Both sink
Plastic floats, metal sinks
Explanation: Light plastic floats; heavy metal sinks.
Question 3 of 6
hard
A property is the way a material feels or behaves. Which is a property?
Being a name
Being a chair
Being a toy
Being hard
Explanation: Hard, soft, rough and smooth are properties of materials.
Question 4 of 6
medium
Rubber for tyres first comes from a…
Glass factory only
Rubber tree
Stone
Metal mine
Explanation: Rubber comes from the sap of the rubber tree, then people shape it.
Question 5 of 6
hard
A good material for a window must be…
Bumpy
Soft and furry
Smelly
See-through
Explanation: A window needs a see-through material so we get light.
Question 6 of 6
hard
Why is a water bottle NOT made of paper?
Paper is shiny
Paper is too heavy
Paper is too strong
Paper gets soggy and leaks
Explanation: Paper soaks up water, so it cannot hold water.