Lesson T8.2.1

T8.2.1 Ceramics, polymers and composites Quiz: KS3 Chemistry, Unit 8

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T8.2.1, Ceramics, polymers and composites: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Chemistry (National Curriculum), Unit 8: Materials, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What are ceramics typically like?

    • Good conductors of electricity and heat, so they feel warm
    • Hard, brittle and good at withstanding high temperatures
    • Liquid at room temperature, with a low melting point
    • Soft, flexible and easily stretched when pulled apart

  2. Which material is a typical ceramic?

    • Carbon fibre used in sports gear
    • Polythene bags for shopping
    • Glass or clay bricks
    • Copper wire for electrical cables

  3. Why are ceramics used to make insulating parts for electrical cables?

    • They conduct heat very well through their structure
    • They are good electrical insulators
    • They are good electrical conductors
    • They are very soft and flexible when heated

  4. What is a polymer?

    • A metal alloy made by mixing two different elements
    • A mixture of two different metals joined by heat
    • A ceramic made by heating clay in a kiln at high heat
    • A material made of long chains of repeating units

  5. Which property is typical of polymers such as polythene?

    • They are dense and very heavy for their size, like metal
    • They are flexible and good electrical insulators
    • They have very high melting points above 1000 °C
    • They are hard, brittle and good conductors of heat

  6. Which polymer is used to make plastic bags?

    • Polythene
    • Carbon fibre
    • Clay
    • Copper

  7. What is a composite material?

    • A material made from two or more different materials combined
    • A material that is always a metal with a shiny surface finish
    • A material that changes colour when it is heated in a flame
    • A material made from only one element, with no mixing at all

  8. Which material is a typical composite?

    • Pure copper wire, drawn from a single metal
    • Table salt, a single compound from the sea
    • Fibreglass, made of glass fibres in a resin
    • Pure gold, a single element used in jewellery

  9. Why is reinforced concrete a composite?

    • It is made of only one material, which is cement and sand
    • It combines concrete and steel bars, which resist different forces
    • It is a liquid at room temperature until it is set in a mould
    • It is a pure metal with no other material added during shaping

  10. Which property do ceramics and polymers often share?

    • They are both always liquids
    • They are both very good conductors of heat
    • They are poor conductors of electricity
    • They are both always shiny metals

  11. Why are polymers used to make waterproof coats?

    • They dissolve in water and form a layer that keeps you dry
    • They are hard, brittle and stiff, which keeps the wearer dry
    • They conduct electricity well and so keep the wearer warm
    • They are flexible and do not let water pass through easily

  12. Why are ceramic tiles used on kitchen walls?

    • They are soft, flexible and absorb water quickly
    • They are good conductors of electricity in wet conditions
    • They are hard, waterproof and easy to clean
    • They melt easily at room temperature and pressure

  13. Which material would be best for a lightweight, strong tennis racket frame?

    • A pure sheet of gold, which is soft and costly
    • A ceramic brick, which is hard but very heavy
    • A pure lead bar, which is very heavy for sport
    • A composite such as carbon fibre in a resin

  14. Which statement about the use of composites is correct?

    • Composites cannot be used in sports equipment or in aircraft parts
    • Composites are always weaker than the materials they are made from, in use
    • Composites are made only from metals, such as steel and tin alloys
    • Composites combine the strength of one material with the lightness of another

  15. A material is hard, brittle and does not conduct electricity. Which group is it most likely to be in?

    • Metals
    • Plastics
    • Ceramics
    • Alloys

  16. Which type of material is most likely to be flexible and light, and made from long molecules?

    • A ceramic
    • A pure metal
    • A polymer
    • A composite of glass only

  17. Why is it not always easy to recycle composite materials?

    • They are made of gases that escape from the material over time
    • They are made of different materials that are hard to separate
    • They are always biodegradable and break down in soil quickly
    • They are always made of only one material, so they are easy

  18. Which property of ceramics makes them useful in ovens?

    • They melt easily at low temperatures in a normal oven
    • They are flexible at room temperature and bend easily
    • They conduct heat very slowly and tend to crack under heat
    • They withstand high temperatures without melting

  19. A composite is used in aircraft wings to save weight. Which property is most important?

    • High electrical conductivity for power lines
    • A high density that makes it heavy to lift
    • A high strength to weight ratio
    • A very low melting point for easy shaping

  20. Why are ceramics used in spark plugs?

    • They are shiny and reflect sparks away from the engine
    • They insulate and withstand high temperatures
    • They are soft and bend in the heat of the engine
    • They conduct electricity and melt easily in the heat

All KS3 Chemistry quizzes