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Leaving Cert Engineering: Material properties & selection

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

HL Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Engineering course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

Material properties & selection, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Material properties & selection.

(a)Property that lets a metal be drawn out into wire?
  1. Malleability
  2. Ductility
  3. Brittleness
(b)Toughness is the ability of a material to?
  1. Return to its original shape after loading
  2. Resist scratching and indentation by a harder body
  3. Absorb energy and resist fracture under impact
(c)Best material for an aircraft skin panel that must be light, strong and corrosion resistant?
  1. Aluminium alloy
  2. Lead
  3. Grey cast iron
Show the answers

(a) Ductility

(b) Absorb energy and resist fracture under impact

(c) Aluminium alloy

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

Higher Level

Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1(d), Q1(m)
2024Q1(f), Q1(g), Q9
2023Not asked
2022Q1(k)
2021Q1(e)
2019Not asked
2018Q1(c), Q1(d), Q1(k), Q1(l)
2017Q1(e)
2016Q1(a), Q1(d), Q1(j), Q1(m)

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

More Material properties & selection questions

Material properties & selection, 3 marks

Overhead power lines often have aluminium strands around a steel core. Why?

  1. The steel carries most of the current; aluminium adds strength
  2. Aluminium is magnetic and holds the steel core in place
  3. Aluminium is light and conductive; steel adds strength
Show the answer

Aluminium is light and conductive; steel adds strength

Aluminium conducts well for its weight, so it carries the current. The steel core gives the tensile strength to span between pylons without sagging.

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

Hardness is the ability of a material to?

  1. Stretch a long way without breaking
  2. Resist scratching, wear and indentation
  3. Absorb energy under a sudden impact
Show the answer

Resist scratching, wear and indentation

Hardness is resistance to surface indentation and wear, e.g. a file. Absorbing impact energy is toughness; stretching without breaking is ductility.

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

Suitable material for a twist drill used to drill mild steel?

  1. High-speed steel (HSS)
  2. Mild steel
  3. Aluminium alloy
Show the answer

High-speed steel (HSS)

HSS stays hard at the high temperatures made at the cutting edge. A mild steel or aluminium drill would be softer than the work and blunt at once.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1(h), Q2, Q3
2024Q1(b), Q1(g), Q1(l), Q2, Q3
2023Q1(b), Q1(k), Q2, Q3
2022Q1(h), Q1(k), Q1(l), Q2, Q3
2021Q1(k), Q2, Q3
2019Q1(c), Q2, Q3
2018Q1(k), Q2, Q3
2017Q1(k), Q2, Q3
2016Q1(c), Q1(k), Q1(l), Q2, Q3

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

More Material properties & selection questions

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

What does malleability mean?

  1. Can be drawn out into a long, thin wire without breaking
  2. Resists scratching and wear on its surface
  3. Can be hammered or rolled into shape without cracking
Show the answer

Can be hammered or rolled into shape without cracking

Malleable metals like lead, copper and gold can be beaten into sheets or curved panels. Drawing into wire is ductility; resisting scratches is hardness.

Material properties & selection, 2 marks

What does ductility mean?

  1. Returns to shape when a load is removed
  2. Can be drawn out into a wire without breaking
  3. Can absorb a sudden blow without breaking
Show the answer

Can be drawn out into a wire without breaking

Copper is very ductile, which is why it is drawn into electrical wire. Absorbing a blow is toughness; springing back is elasticity.

Material properties & selection, 3 marks

Why is aluminium a good choice for the body of a satellite?

  1. Light in weight and resists corrosion
  2. Heavy, so it stays steady in orbit
  3. Magnetic, so it can be steered in space
Show the answer

Light in weight and resists corrosion

Aluminium is about a third the density of steel, so it saves launch weight, and its oxide layer protects it. It is not magnetic.

Other Engineering topics

All of Leaving Cert Engineering