AQA A-level Product design Paper 1
Technical Principles Exam Review
Mechanical Properties
How a material reacts to an external force
Compressive Strength
The ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by
pushing forces
Tensile Strength
The ability to resist stretching or pulling forces
Bending Strength
The ability to resist forces that may bend the material
Shear Strength
The ability to resist sliding forces on a parallel plane
Torsional Strength
The ability to withstand twisting forces from applied torque
or torsion
Hardness
The ability to resist abrasive wear such as scratching,
surface indentation or cutting
Toughness
The ability to absorb impact force without fracture
Plasticity
The ability to be permanently deformed and retain the
deformed shape.
Ductility
The ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing the
cross-sectional area without cracking
Malleability
, The ability to withstand deformation by
compression without cracking. Malleability increases
with a rise in temperature
Elasticity
The ability to be deformed and then return to the original
shape when the force is removed
Physical Properties
The actual make-up or structure of the material
Electrical Conductor
allows the flow of electrical current through the material. A
good conductor gives very little resistance to the flow of
charge
Electrical Insulator
DOES NOT allow the flow of electricity through the
material
Thermal Conductor
Allows the transfer of heat energy through the material. A
material with high thermal conductivity allows the transfer
of heat to occur quickly across the material.
Thermal Insulator
Prevents the transfer of heat through the material
Thermal Expansion
The increase in material volume, in response to a heat
input.
Opaque
Prevents light from travelling through
Translucent
Allows light through but diffuses the light so that objects
appear blurred. Frosted glass is an example of a
translucent material
Transparent
Technical Principles Exam Review
Mechanical Properties
How a material reacts to an external force
Compressive Strength
The ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by
pushing forces
Tensile Strength
The ability to resist stretching or pulling forces
Bending Strength
The ability to resist forces that may bend the material
Shear Strength
The ability to resist sliding forces on a parallel plane
Torsional Strength
The ability to withstand twisting forces from applied torque
or torsion
Hardness
The ability to resist abrasive wear such as scratching,
surface indentation or cutting
Toughness
The ability to absorb impact force without fracture
Plasticity
The ability to be permanently deformed and retain the
deformed shape.
Ductility
The ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing the
cross-sectional area without cracking
Malleability
, The ability to withstand deformation by
compression without cracking. Malleability increases
with a rise in temperature
Elasticity
The ability to be deformed and then return to the original
shape when the force is removed
Physical Properties
The actual make-up or structure of the material
Electrical Conductor
allows the flow of electrical current through the material. A
good conductor gives very little resistance to the flow of
charge
Electrical Insulator
DOES NOT allow the flow of electricity through the
material
Thermal Conductor
Allows the transfer of heat energy through the material. A
material with high thermal conductivity allows the transfer
of heat to occur quickly across the material.
Thermal Insulator
Prevents the transfer of heat through the material
Thermal Expansion
The increase in material volume, in response to a heat
input.
Opaque
Prevents light from travelling through
Translucent
Allows light through but diffuses the light so that objects
appear blurred. Frosted glass is an example of a
translucent material
Transparent
