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Junior Cycle Engineering: Material properties & selection

How often Material properties & selection comes up on the Engineering papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

CL Asked on 5 of the last 5 Common Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Material properties & selection, Common Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Material properties & selection.

(a)Which property means a material resists scratching, wear and dents?
  1. Elasticity
  2. Hardness
  3. Ductility
(b)Which property means a material can take a sudden knock or impact without breaking?
  1. Brittleness
  2. Hardness
  3. Toughness
(c)Which property allows a metal to be stretched out into a thin wire?
  1. Ductility
  2. Hardness
  3. Malleability
Show the answers

(a) Hardness

(b) Toughness

(c) Ductility

Your turn: Common Level questions on Material properties & selection.

Common Level

Asked on 5 of the last 5 Common Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q1b
2025Q1a, Q1c, Q3a
2024Q1e, Q2c, Q2e, Q3a, Q4c
2023Q1b, Q1c, Q2d
2022Q2d, Q4b

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Material properties & selection questions

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

A car windscreen must let the driver see clearly. Which property is this?

  1. Elasticity
  2. Conductivity
  3. Transparency
Show the answer

Transparency

A transparent material lets light pass straight through, so you can see through it. Glass, acrylic and polycarbonate are transparent; frosted glass is only translucent.

Material properties & selection, 3 marks

Which item most needs a material that conducts heat well?

  1. An oven glove
  2. The base of a saucepan
  3. The handle of a frying pan
Show the answer

The base of a saucepan

A good thermal conductor lets heat through quickly, so a metal pan base heats food fast. Handles and oven gloves need the opposite: insulators that protect your hand.

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

Which of these materials is brittle and would shatter if struck with a hammer?

  1. Glass
  2. Mild steel
  3. Copper
Show the answer

Glass

A brittle material breaks suddenly with little or no bending first. Glass, cast iron and hardened, untempered steel are brittle. Mild steel and copper bend before they break.

Other Engineering topics

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