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MATSEC SEC Design and Technology study materials
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MATSEC SEC Design and Technology practice questions

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Question 1Design process and problem solving

A design team is writing the brief for a new school bag. Which statement belongs in the design brief rather than in the specification?

  1. The bag must use 600 denier recycled polyester fabric
  2. The bag must have a padded back panel of at least 15 mm thickness
  3. The bag must withstand a 20 kg load without strap failure
  4. The bag must appeal to students aged 11 to 16 who carry heavy textbooks Correct answer.

Explanation

The design brief states the problem and the target user in broad terms, so describing the intended user and their needs belongs there. Precise measurable requirements such as thickness, load capacity and material choice are specification points that come later in the process.

Question 2Design process and problem solving

During evaluation of a prototype torch, a designer records that the switch is stiff for users with limited grip strength. At which stage of the design process is this finding most useful?

  1. When calculating the retail price of the torch
  2. When writing the original design brief
  3. When feeding back into redesign of the switch and grip Correct answer.
  4. When selecting the colour of the casing

Explanation

Evaluation findings are used to identify weaknesses and drive the next iteration of the design. A usability problem with the switch therefore feeds directly into redesign of the switch and grip so the next prototype improves.

Question 3Design process and problem solving

A designer produces a quick sketch to explore several different layout ideas before committing to one. What is this sketching stage called?

  1. Ideation sketching Correct answer.
  2. Exploded view
  3. Orthographic projection
  4. Working drawing

Explanation

Ideation sketching is the rapid, loose drawing used early in the process to generate and compare many possible concepts. Working drawings, orthographic views and exploded views are technical communication drawings produced later to define a chosen solution.

Question 4Design process and problem solving

Which activity best describes market research carried out at the start of a design project?

  1. Gathering information about existing products, users and competitors Correct answer.
  2. Writing the manufacturing instructions for the product
  3. Testing the finished product with a sample of users
  4. Producing a scale model of the proposed solution

Explanation

Market research collects information about what already exists, who the users are and what competitors offer, so the designer understands the opportunity. Product testing, modelling and writing manufacturing instructions all happen at later stages.

Question 5Design process and problem solving

A designer needs to record how a user's hand actually moves when operating a hand whisk. Which research method gives the most direct evidence?

  1. Observing and filming the user making the whisking motion Correct answer.
  2. Measuring the mass of the whisk with a balance
  3. Surveying shoppers about their favourite kitchen colour
  4. Reading the manufacturer's product catalogue

Explanation

Observing and recording the user performing the task captures real movement and grip patterns, which is exactly the evidence needed for an ergonomic design. The other methods give product data or opinions rather than information about how the hand moves.

Question 6Design process and problem solving

Anthropometric data are used in design primarily to do which of the following?

  1. Size products to fit the range of body dimensions of users Correct answer.
  2. Determine the selling price of a product
  3. Decide the colour scheme of packaging
  4. Choose the manufacturing process for a component

Explanation

Anthropometric data describe human body measurements such as reach, height and hand size. Designers apply percentiles of these measurements so that products fit the intended user population, including adjustable or one-size-fits-most solutions.

Question 7Design process and problem solving

A designer is setting the height of a workbench for a workshop used by many different adults. Which approach best applies anthropometric data?

  1. Set the height to the 95th percentile so tall users are comfortable
  2. Set the height to the average and accept that many users are uncomfortable
  3. Make the height adjustable to cover a wide percentile range Correct answer.
  4. Set the height to the 5th percentile so short users can reach

Explanation

When a product must suit a wide spread of users and no single fixed dimension can accommodate them all, adjustability is the accepted ergonomic solution. A fixed percentile excludes a large part of the population, and using the mean leaves many users outside the comfortable range.

Question 8Design process and problem solving

A designer builds a full-size model of a chair from card and foam board to check proportions and comfort. What type of model is this?

  1. A computer-generated rendering
  2. A full-size mock-up Correct answer.
  3. A scale model
  4. A working prototype

Explanation

A full-size mock-up is built at 1:1 from cheap, easily worked materials to check form, proportion and ergonomics. It is not a scale model, a digital image, or a functional prototype that performs the product's job.

Question 9Design process and problem solving

In a design specification, which pair of criteria are both measurable and therefore useful for later evaluation?

  1. Maximum mass of 400 g and a minimum drop height of 1.5 m without damage Correct answer.
  2. Suitable for teenagers and good value
  3. User-friendly and easy to use
  4. Attractive appearance and modern styling

Explanation

A useful specification criterion must be measurable so that the finished design can be tested against it objectively. Mass in grams and a drop height in metres are both quantities that can be checked, unlike vague descriptive words.

Question 10Design process and problem solving

A designer uses a decision matrix to compare three concepts against weighted criteria. What is the main benefit of this technique?

  1. It removes the need for a design brief
  2. It makes the comparison of concepts against criteria explicit and traceable Correct answer.
  3. It guarantees the cheapest concept is selected
  4. It replaces the need for any prototyping

Explanation

A decision matrix scores each concept against criteria and weights their importance, so the reasoning behind a choice is recorded and can be reviewed. It supports judgement but does not guarantee the cheapest option, and it never removes the need for prototyping or a brief.

Question 11Design process and problem solving

A designer needs to communicate the exact dimensions and material of a bracket to a machinist. Which output is most appropriate?

  1. A rough ideation sketch
  2. A mood board of inspirational images
  3. A dimensioned working drawing Correct answer.
  4. A mind map of user needs

Explanation

A dimensioned working drawing gives the precise sizes, views and material notes a machinist needs to make the part. Mood boards, mind maps and rough sketches communicate ideas and inspiration but lack the exact information required for manufacture.

Question 12Design process and problem solving

A design team wants to find out quickly whether users can understand the icons on a new remote control before tooling is made. Which approach is most suitable?

  1. Measure the mass of the remote control
  2. Show printed icon layouts to a sample of users and record their interpretations Correct answer.
  3. Produce the injection mould tooling and test the final product
  4. Read the competitor's instruction manual

Explanation

Testing printed icon layouts with users gives fast feedback on comprehension before any expensive tooling is committed. Making tooling first risks costly changes, while mass measurement and reading manuals do not test whether icons are understood.

Question 13Design process and problem solving

During evaluation of a kettle prototype, the designer finds the handle becomes uncomfortably hot. Which action best follows the iterative design process?

  1. Record the fault, modify the handle design, and retest Correct answer.
  2. Change the specification so that hot handles are acceptable
  3. Abandon the project because the prototype failed
  4. Ignore the finding because the kettle still boils water

Explanation

Iteration means using evaluation findings to modify the design and test again until the specification is met. Abandoning the project, ignoring a safety-relevant fault or weakening the specification all defeat the purpose of evaluation.

Question 14Design process and problem solving

A designer plans a product for a client who insists on a very short development time. Which strategy best manages this constraint?

  1. Design every component from scratch to ensure originality
  2. Add many new features late in the process
  3. Use existing standard components and proven materials where possible Correct answer.
  4. Delay all testing until the final product is complete

Explanation

Reusing standard components and proven materials reduces design and testing work, which shortens development time and lowers risk. Designing everything from scratch, delaying testing or adding late features all increase time and uncertainty.

Question 15Design process and problem solving

Which statement correctly describes a design constraint rather than a design criterion?

  1. The product must fit within a packaging box of 200 by 150 mm Correct answer.
  2. The product should be comfortable to hold
  3. The product should be as lightweight as possible
  4. The product should look attractive to young users

Explanation

A constraint is a fixed limit imposed on the design, such as a maximum size set by packaging or a budget. Criteria describe desirable qualities that are aimed for and later evaluated, such as lightness, appearance or comfort.

Question 16Design process and problem solving

A designer is analysing why a folding chair prototype wobbles. Which activity is being carried out?

  1. Producing a final working drawing
  2. Writing the design brief
  3. Diagnosing a fault in the prototype to inform redesign Correct answer.
  4. Selecting the target market

Explanation

Investigating why a prototype behaves badly is fault diagnosis, which identifies the cause so the design can be corrected. It is an analytical evaluation activity, not brief writing, market selection or drawing production.

Question 17Design process and problem solving

A designer wants to know the typical hand span of the intended users of a new games controller. Which data source is most appropriate?

  1. The manufacturing tolerance of the circuit board
  2. The retail price list of existing controllers
  3. The material safety data sheet for the casing plastic
  4. Published anthropometric tables for the relevant age group Correct answer.

Explanation

Anthropometric tables give measured body dimensions such as hand span for defined populations and age groups. Price lists, safety data sheets and tolerances describe commercial, chemical and manufacturing information, not body measurements.

Question 18Design process and problem solving

A design team produces a scale model of a bus shelter at 1:20 to present to a client. Which limitation should the team be aware of?

  1. The model cannot show the overall proportions of the shelter
  2. The model cannot reliably predict full-size structural strength Correct answer.
  3. The model cannot communicate the appearance to the client
  4. The model cannot be photographed for the presentation

Explanation

A reduced scale model is useful for showing form, proportion and appearance, but scaling changes structural behaviour, so strength predictions are unreliable. Proportions, appearance and photography are all things a scale model does well.

Question 19Design process and problem solving

Which sequence best represents the order of stages in a typical iterative design process?

  1. Specification, manufacture, brief, research, evaluation
  2. Evaluation, concept generation, brief, research, manufacture
  3. Manufacture, brief, evaluation, research, specification
  4. Brief, research, specification, concept generation, development, evaluation Correct answer.

Explanation

The process normally starts with a brief, moves through research and a specification, then generates and develops concepts, and finally evaluates the outcome before iterating. The other sequences place manufacture or evaluation before the problem has even been defined.

Question 20Design process and problem solving

A designer is analysing the results of a user trial in which several participants misunderstood a bottle cap. What is the most appropriate conclusion?

  1. The cap needs redesign because repeated user confusion indicates a design weakness Correct answer.
  2. The participants were at fault and the design should not change
  3. The product should be released because the cap is cheap to make
  4. The trial should be repeated until participants give the expected answer

Explanation

Consistent confusion among trial participants is evidence of a design weakness in the interface between product and user. Blaming users, repeating the trial to get the desired answer, or releasing on cost grounds all ignore valid evaluation evidence.

Question 21Design process and problem solving

A designer must choose between two concepts using a decision matrix. Concept A scores highly on cost and durability but poorly on user comfort; Concept B scores the reverse. Which reasoning is soundest?

  1. Always choose Concept B because comfort matters most
  2. Always choose Concept A because cost is the most important factor
  3. Choose the concept with the most features regardless of the criteria
  4. Compare the weighted scores against the priorities set in the specification Correct answer.

Explanation

A decision matrix is only meaningful when the weighting reflects the priorities established in the specification. Choosing on a single unweighted factor or on feature count ignores the relative importance of the criteria the product must satisfy.

Question 22Design process and problem solving

A client asks for a product that is 'as cheap as possible' and 'as strong as possible'. Why is this brief problematic for the designer?

  1. The two aims conflict, so the designer must establish priorities and trade-offs Correct answer.
  2. The brief contains too many measurable criteria
  3. Strength can never be measured in a product
  4. Cheap products are always weak, so the request is impossible

Explanation

Cost and strength usually pull in opposite directions, so the designer must clarify which matters more and agree an acceptable balance. The request is not literally impossible, strength is measurable, and the aims are vague rather than over-measurable.

Question 23Design process and problem solving

A designer claims a new backpack design is 'ergonomically superior' to competitors. Which evidence would most strongly support this claim?

  1. A photograph of the backpack on a model
  2. Measured pressure and posture data from trials with representative users Correct answer.
  3. The opinion of the designer who created it
  4. A statement in the marketing brochure

Explanation

A claim of ergonomic superiority requires objective evidence about how the body interacts with the product, such as measured pressure distribution and posture in user trials. Marketing statements, photographs and the designer's own opinion are not evidence of ergonomic performance.

Question 24Design process and problem solving

A designer uses a focus group of eight users to discuss a new kitchen tool. Which limitation is most significant when interpreting the results?

  1. Focus groups always produce numerical measurements
  2. The users cannot express opinions about products
  3. Focus groups cannot discuss appearance
  4. The group is small and may not represent the wider user population Correct answer.

Explanation

A focus group of eight people gives useful qualitative insight but a small sample may not reflect the wider population, so findings should be treated cautiously. Participants can express opinions, appearance can be discussed, and focus groups produce discussion rather than numerical data.

Question 25Design process and problem solving

A designer needs to evaluate whether a new bottle opener suits users with arthritis. Which evaluation method gives the most relevant evidence?

  1. Asking representative users with arthritis to use it and reporting their experience Correct answer.
  2. Calculating the material cost of the opener
  3. Comparing the colour with competitor products
  4. Measuring the mass of the opener on a balance

Explanation

Evaluating suitability for a specific user group requires testing with people who have those characteristics and recording their experience. Mass, colour and cost data do not show whether the opener can be used comfortably by people with arthritis.

Question 26Design process and problem solving

A design team is writing a specification for a reusable water bottle intended for schoolchildren. Which entry is a design constraint rather than a design criterion?

  1. The bottle must be manufactured on the client's existing blow-moulding machine Correct answer.
  2. The bottle should be available in three colours
  3. The bottle should feel comfortable to grip with one hand
  4. The bottle must hold at least 500 ml

Explanation

A constraint is a fixed limit imposed on the solution, such as the machinery the client already owns, and it cannot be traded off against other factors. Criteria are the desirable targets the design is judged against and can be balanced or prioritised. The moulding machine therefore restricts the range of possible solutions before any evaluation begins.

Question 27Design process and problem solving

A designer is planning the development of a new desk lamp and wants to reduce the risk of costly changes late in the project. Which approach best reflects good practice in an iterative design process?

  1. Complete all detailed drawings before any model is made
  2. Postpone all user feedback until the final product is manufactured
  3. Freeze the specification at the start and refuse to change it
  4. Build and test simple mock-ups early, then refine the design in repeated cycles Correct answer.

Explanation

Iteration means designing, testing and improving in repeated loops, so early low-cost models reveal problems while changes are still cheap. Detailed drawings made before any testing lock in decisions that may later prove wrong. Feedback gathered only at the end cannot influence the design without major rework.

Question 28Design process and problem solving

A designer is investigating why a prototype phone stand tips over when a phone is placed on it. Which activity is being carried out?

  1. Preparation of a manufacturing specification
  2. Preparation of a client presentation
  3. Market research into competitor products
  4. Analysis of a design failure Correct answer.

Explanation

Investigating why a prototype fails is analysis: the designer identifies the cause, such as an unstable centre of gravity, before deciding how to correct it. Market research gathers information about users and competitors rather than diagnosing a fault. A manufacturing specification and a client presentation are outputs produced after the design is resolved.

Question 29Design process and problem solving

A designer is preparing a questionnaire to find out how often people use a reusable shopping bag. Which question design gives the most reliable data?

  1. Do you agree that reusable bags are much better than plastic bags?
  2. How many times have you used a reusable shopping bag in the last seven days? Correct answer.
  3. How often do you use a reusable shopping bag? (tick one: daily / weekly / monthly / rarely / never)
  4. Why do you think people should use reusable bags more often?

Explanation

Asking for a count over a defined recent period produces a numerical answer that can be compared and averaged across respondents. Closed tick-box frequency scales are usable but rely on the respondent's own rough judgement of habit. Leading and open questions give opinions that are hard to quantify.

Question 30Design process and problem solving

A design team must choose between three concepts and has scored each one against weighted criteria in a decision matrix. One concept scores highest overall but fails a mandatory safety standard. What should the team do?

  1. Average the three concepts into a single combined design
  2. Select it because the highest total score always identifies the best concept
  3. Reject it, because a mandatory requirement cannot be traded off against weighted scores Correct answer.
  4. Select it and adjust the weighting of the safety criterion until it wins

Explanation

Mandatory requirements are constraints rather than weighted criteria, so a concept that breaches one must be eliminated before the matrix is used to rank the survivors. A decision matrix only balances criteria that are genuinely negotiable. Adjusting weights to force a result is a form of manipulating the evidence.

Question 31Design process and problem solving

A designer is writing a design specification for a child's scooter. Which pair of statements is both measurable and suitable for later evaluation?

  1. The scooter must be safe and attractive
  2. The scooter must weigh under 2.5 kg and fold in under 10 seconds Correct answer.
  3. The scooter should be fun to ride and easy to store
  4. The scooter must use good-quality materials and look modern

Explanation

A specification is useful for evaluation when each criterion can be checked against a number or a clear test. Mass in kilograms and folding time in seconds can both be measured objectively. Words such as safe, attractive, fun and modern depend on opinion and cannot be verified consistently.

Question 32Design process and problem solving

A designer wants to find out whether users can assemble a flat-pack shelf without help before the instructions are printed. Which method gives the most direct evidence?

  1. Observe representative users assembling the shelf with the draft instructions and record where they hesitate Correct answer.
  2. Compare the draft instructions with those supplied by three competitors
  3. Show the instructions to a focus group and ask whether they look clear
  4. Ask users to complete an online survey about their past furniture assembly

Explanation

Observation of real assembly with the draft instructions reveals the specific points where users struggle, which is direct evidence of usability. Asking people whether instructions look clear relies on opinion and prediction rather than behaviour. Surveys about past experience and competitor comparison do not test the draft itself.

Question 33Design process and problem solving

A designer is producing a set of working drawings for a workshop technician. Which combination of features is most important on the drawings?

  1. Dimensions, tolerances and material callouts Correct answer.
  2. Colour renders and marketing slogans
  3. Photographs of the prototype and a written description
  4. Hand-drawn sketches with approximate sizes

Explanation

Working drawings communicate the information a technician needs to make the part, so sizes, permitted variation and materials must be stated precisely. Tolerances tell the maker how much variation is acceptable. Renders, sketches and photographs do not define the geometry with enough precision for manufacture.

Question 34Design process and problem solving

A designer is evaluating a prototype kitchen peeler. Users report that the handle slips when their hands are wet. Which action best follows from this finding?

  1. Redesign the handle with a textured or contoured grip and retest it with wet hands Correct answer.
  2. Add the complaint to the final report and proceed to manufacture
  3. Change the specification to remove the grip criterion
  4. Reduce the size of the blade so the peeler is lighter

Explanation

Evaluation findings should feed back into the design loop, so the identified weakness is corrected and the revised version is retested under the same conditions. Recording the problem without acting on it wastes the evaluation. Removing the criterion hides the fault, and changing the blade does not address grip.

Question 35Design process and problem solving

A designer is using a scale model at 1:10 to present a new bus shelter to a client. Which limitation should the designer explain to the client?

  1. The model cannot show how the roof relates to the supporting columns
  2. The model cannot show the colour scheme chosen for the shelter
  3. The model cannot reproduce how the shelter feels at full size or how people move through it Correct answer.
  4. The model cannot show the shape or proportions of the shelter

Explanation

A scale model is reliable for shape, proportion and layout but cannot convey full-size experience, such as head clearance, crowding or the sense of enclosure. Those qualities require a full-size mock-up or a simulated walk-through. Colour, shape and structural relationships are all represented adequately at reduced scale.

Question 36Design process and problem solving

A designer wants to find the typical grip diameter for the handles of a new hand tool aimed at adults. Which source of data is most appropriate?

  1. The designer's own hand measurements
  2. Sales figures for similar tools already on the market
  3. The average measurements of three colleagues in the studio
  4. Published anthropometric tables for the target population Correct answer.

Explanation

Anthropometric tables give measured distributions of body dimensions across a defined population, so the designer can choose a suitable percentile for the target users. A single person or a small convenience sample is not representative. Sales figures describe demand rather than hand size.

Question 37Design process and problem solving

A designer must decide how much of a product's development to complete before committing to expensive tooling. Which reasoning best justifies a decision to delay tooling?

  1. Delaying tooling guarantees the product will need no further changes
  2. Tooling is cheapest when ordered at the very start of a project
  3. Tooling costs fall as the project deadline approaches
  4. Early testing of prototypes can reveal faults while changes are still inexpensive to make Correct answer.

Explanation

The cost of a design change rises sharply once tooling exists, so testing prototypes beforehand lets faults be corrected cheaply. This is the commercial argument for iterating before committing to production. Tooling does not become cheaper early or late, and no process can guarantee that no changes will ever be needed.

Question 38Design process and problem solving

A client's brief states that a new backpack must be 'lightweight' and 'very strong'. Why does this brief need to be developed further before design work begins?

  1. The two requirements pull in opposite directions and neither is stated as a measurable target Correct answer.
  2. The brief mentions materials that are not yet available
  3. The brief is too short to be read by the design team
  4. The brief contains no information about the target user

Explanation

Lightness and strength often conflict, because adding material or reinforcement increases mass. Without numbers or a stated priority the designer cannot tell how much of one to trade for the other. A good brief is developed into measurable criteria that can later be evaluated.

Question 39Design process and problem solving

A design team has a very short time to develop a new desk organiser and cannot build several full prototypes. Which strategy best manages this constraint while still reducing risk?

  1. Skip all testing and rely on the team's experience
  2. Begin manufacture immediately and correct faults in later production batches
  3. Reduce the number of criteria in the specification so the design appears to succeed
  4. Produce quick low-fidelity models of the key features and test only the highest-risk aspects Correct answer.

Explanation

When time is short, risk can still be reduced by concentrating limited testing on the features most likely to fail, using fast and cheap models. This targets effort where it matters rather than spreading it thinly. Skipping testing, weakening the specification or shipping known faults all transfer risk to the user.

Question 40Design process and problem solving

A designer claims a new rucksack is more comfortable than rival products. Which evidence would most strongly support this claim?

  1. A single user's comment that the bag felt good on one walk
  2. Measured pressure readings and comfort ratings from a representative sample of users carrying loaded bags Correct answer.
  3. A comparison of the rucksack's price with that of three competitors
  4. A statement from the company director praising the design

Explanation

A claim is supported by objective measurements taken from a representative group under realistic conditions, because the results can be repeated and compared. Pressure data and comfort ratings together link a physical measure to user experience. Anecdotes and price comparisons do not test comfort.

Question 41Materials and their properties

Which property describes a material's ability to be drawn into thin wire without breaking?

  1. Ductility Correct answer.
  2. Brittleness
  3. Hardness
  4. Malleability

Explanation

Ductility is the property that allows a metal to be stretched or drawn into wire, as seen when copper is pulled into cable conductors. Malleability concerns flattening into sheets, brittleness concerns fracturing, and hardness concerns resistance to scratching.

Question 42Materials and their properties

A workshop bench top must resist scratching from tools and abrasion from workpieces. Which property is most directly required?

  1. Porosity
  2. Surface hardness Correct answer.
  3. Thermal conductivity
  4. Density

Explanation

Surface hardness governs how well a material resists scratching, wear and indentation, so a bench top benefits from a hard surface layer. Conductivity, density and porosity do not directly address abrasion resistance.

Question 43Materials and their properties

Which material is a thermoplastic that softens when reheated and can therefore be reshaped repeatedly?

  1. Epoxy resin
  2. Urea formaldehyde
  3. Vulcanised natural rubber
  4. Polymethyl methacrylate (acrylic) Correct answer.

Explanation

Thermoplastics such as acrylic soften on heating because their polymer chains are not chemically cross-linked, allowing repeated reshaping. Urea formaldehyde, epoxy resin and vulcanised rubber are thermosetting or cross-linked and cannot be remelted and reformed.

Question 44Materials and their properties

Why is mild steel commonly chosen for general workshop fabrication such as brackets and frames?

  1. It has a very low melting point
  2. It is lighter than aluminium
  3. It resists corrosion without any coating
  4. It is inexpensive, tough and readily welded Correct answer.

Explanation

Mild steel offers a good balance of low cost, toughness and weldability, which suits general fabrication work. It corrodes readily unless protected, is denser than aluminium, and melts at a relatively high temperature.

Question 45Materials and their properties

Which hardwood is traditionally associated with fine furniture and boatbuilding because it is strong, durable and takes a good finish?

  1. Oak Correct answer.
  2. Spruce
  3. Scots pine
  4. Balsa

Explanation

Oak is a dense, strong hardwood with good durability and an attractive grain, historically used for furniture and boat hulls. Balsa is very light and soft, while pine and spruce are softwoods used for general joinery and construction.

Question 46Materials and their properties

A material that returns to its original shape after a load is removed is described as behaving in which way?

  1. Plastically
  2. Viscously
  3. Brittlely
  4. Elastically Correct answer.

Explanation

Elastic behaviour means deformation is recoverable: the material springs back when the load is removed, as with a rubber band. Plastic deformation is permanent, brittle behaviour involves sudden fracture, and viscous flow is time-dependent and non-recoverable.

Question 47Materials and their properties

Which material is a composite made from glass fibres embedded in a polymer matrix?

  1. Plywood
  2. Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) Correct answer.
  3. Cast iron
  4. Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)

Explanation

GRP consists of glass fibres bonded within a resin matrix, giving high strength for its weight. MDF and plywood are engineered wood products, and cast iron is a metallic alloy, so none of these is a fibre-reinforced composite.

Question 48Materials and their properties

Which property of aluminium makes it suitable for aircraft skin panels?

  1. High magnetic permeability
  2. High strength-to-weight ratio Correct answer.
  3. Low electrical conductivity
  4. High density

Explanation

Aluminium alloys give good strength while remaining light, so the strength-to-weight ratio is high, which is critical in aircraft structures. Aluminium is non-magnetic, is a good conductor, and has low density.

Question 49Materials and their properties

A manufacturer needs a plastic for a transparent safety visor that must resist impact. Which property combination matters most?

  1. Low friction with high melting point
  2. Optical clarity with high impact toughness Correct answer.
  3. Electrical insulation with low cost
  4. High density with magnetic response

Explanation

A visor must be seen through and must absorb impact without shattering, so clarity plus impact toughness is the key combination. Insulation, friction and density do not address either requirement.

Question 50Materials and their properties

A component must be electrically insulating, mouldable into a complex shape and cheap in large numbers. Which material best fits?

  1. Copper alloy
  2. A thermoplastic such as polypropylene Correct answer.
  3. Borosilicate glass
  4. Carbon steel

Explanation

Thermoplastics such as polypropylene are electrical insulators and can be injection moulded cheaply at volume into complex shapes. Copper and steel conduct electricity, and glass is difficult and costly to form into complex moulded parts.