The science of materials is the basis of much recycling knowledge and helps scientists work out how to recycle stuff better. Many of the sorting machines used to separate out recycling rely on scientific principles; for example, metals are separated using magnets.

Metals can be recycled everywhere in Devon. Cans and tins are recycled in kerbside collections (see our District Recycling Sheets) while larger metal household objects can be taken to local Recycling Centres. Find your nearest one on our main Recycling website.

The worksheets on this page will help young people understand the science of the material called metal. We hope doing these activities will create better scientists and more critical thinkers. We know the wicked problems (complex and difficult issues like climate change and biodiversity loss) we are leaving the next generation will need some innovative thinking to solve them!

Downloadable Worksheets

Metal Quizzes

Key Stage 1 Worksheet: Ice Magnets

(pdf) Download KS1 Worksheet: Ice Magnets

(Word) Download KS1 Worksheet: Ice Magnets

Link to KS1 Magnets & Metals Zone Youtube Playlist

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Created on By Millie Green

Science of Materials : KS1 Metals Quiz

Have you just completed our KS1 science activity worksheet about materials and magnets? This is a quick quiz to test your knowledge!

1 / 8

What materials stick to a magnet? (Select all correct answers)

Horseshoe shaped magnet with north in red and south in blue

2 / 8

Name some other properties of metals

Pile of gold bars

3 / 8

Where do we get metals from?

The Blue Marble picture is the iconic image of the Earth floating in space taken by astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission to Mars. It remains the best image of Earth taken from space.

4 / 8

Are metals a renewable or non-renewable resource?

Image of energy sources

5 / 8

Which kind of your recycling would stick to a magnet?

6 / 8

When the ice melted in your experiment did the magnet attract different things?

Image of ice cube tray and ice magnets

7 / 8

Name an object that you would never make out of metal.

Pair of gold rings

8 / 8

Choose the reasons why we should recycle.

Recycling Centre street sign

Your score is

The average score is 68%

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Key Stage 2 Worksheet: Magnetic Barriers

(pdf) Download KS2 Worksheet: Magnetic Barriers

(Word) Download KS2 Worksheet: Magnetic Barriers

(Word) Download KS2 Recording Sheet: Magnetic Barriers

Link to KS2 Magnets & Metals Zone Schools Playlist

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Created on By Millie Green
Pair of gold rings

Science of Materials: KS2 Metals Quiz

Have you just completed our science activity worksheet about Metals and Magnetism? This is a quick quiz to test your knowledge!

1 / 11

What materials stick to a magnet? (Select all correct answers)

Horseshoe shaped magnet with north in red and south in blue

2 / 11

Name some other properties of metals

Pile of gold bars

3 / 11

What's the name of the place where magnetism was discovered?

Open pit bauxite mining in Guinea

4 / 11

Where do we get metals from?

The Blue Marble picture is the iconic image of the Earth floating in space taken by astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission to Mars. It remains the best image of Earth taken from space.

5 / 11

Are metals a renewable or non-renewable resource?

Image of energy sources

6 / 11

Which kind of your recycling would stick to a magnet?

7 / 11

Choose the reasons why we should recycle.

Recycling Centre street sign

8 / 11

What is the name of the type of train that uses magnets to move?

Image of a silver metal train on a track

9 / 11

How are magnets used in the recycling process?

10 / 11

Name an object that you would never make out of metal.

Pair of gold rings

11 / 11

Can you recycle all metals?

Your score is

The average score is 80%

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Key Stage 3/4 Worksheet:

(pdf) Download KS3/4 Worksheet: Comparing the Material Life Cycles of Iron and Aluminium

(Word) Download KS3/4 Worksheet: Comparing the Material Life Cycles of Iron and Aluminium

(Powerpoint) Download KS3/4 Powerpoint: Comparing the Material Life Cycles of Iron and Aluminium

(pdf) Download KS3/4 Info Sheet: Comparing the Production Life Cycles of Iron and Aluminium

(pdf) Download KS3/4 Info Sheet: Extraction methods of Iron and Aluminium

Link to KS3/4 Zone Youtube Playlist about Production and Recycling of Aluminium & Iron

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Created on By Millie Green

KS3/4 Metals Quiz: Recycling

Test Your Knowledge on comparing production of metals with recycling of metals.

1 / 9

What is a Circular Economy? (Select all correct answers)

Circle made of arrows of different colours

2 / 9

What is a Carbon Footprint?

3 / 9

What is the name given to an analysis of a product's entire environmental impact, from its production until its disposal?

Life cycle analysis diagram, blue earth in centre and factories, transport, usage, disposal, material extraction.

4 / 9

Which sector had the highest emissions of greenhouse gases in 2016?

Satellite image of the earth

5 / 9

What proportion of the global emissions of greenhouse gases did the iron and steel industries contribute in 2016?

Open pit bauxite mining in Guinea

6 / 9

What is the main method of transporting bauxite or aluminium oxide from where it is made to where it is processed?

Man carrying a stack of 5 cardboard boxes, almost falling over with a pile of cardboard boxes behind

7 / 9

In terms of tons per mile which is the least polluting way of transporting heavy materials around the world?

Image of a plane in the sky over clouds

8 / 9

What process do you think is better than mining aluminium from the ground and then extracting the aluminium through electrolysis?

Steel cans of assorted sizes

9 / 9

What actions could you do at home to reduce the need for metal mining globally? (Select all correct answers)

Recycling Centre street sign

Your score is

The average score is 61%

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Created on By Millie Green
Open pit bauxite mining in Guinea

KS3/4 Metals Quiz: Aluminium

Test Your Knowledge on Aluminium extraction – mining and electrolysis.

1 / 10

What form is aluminium present in rocks?

Image of two cans

2 / 10

What is the name of the compound produced when bauxite is purified?

Aluminium in rocks

3 / 10

What is the name of the process used to extract aluminium from alumina?

A picture of Norilsk Nickel plant in Siberia showing bare hillsides and large industrial buildings with red and white chimneys and large electrical pylons in Norilsk, Siberia

4 / 10

What other elements are needed in the extraction of aluminium from its ore?

Open pit bauxite mining in Guinea

5 / 10

How often must the graphite be replaced in the electrolysis reaction?

4 glass beakers from large to small

6 / 10

Which of the following is NOT a reaction that happens in the electrolysis?

Diagram of the Hall Heroult process for smelting aluminium

7 / 10

What are the main waste products of the electrolysis process?

Picture of chimneys with yellow coloured smoke emerging

8 / 10

What temperature must the aluminium oxide be heated up to in the electrolysis process?

Man tending to a fire in a dark room

9 / 10

What process do you think would be better than mining aluminium from the ground and then extracting the aluminium through electrolysis?

10 / 10

What can I do at home to prevent unnecessary mining of aluminium? (Select all correct answers)

Your score is

The average score is 64%

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Created on By Millie Green

KS3/4 Metals Quiz: Iron extraction

Test your knowledge on iron extraction in a blast furnace.

1 / 9

How and where does iron occur naturally?

Image of iron links

2 / 9

What is the name of the process where iron ore is concentrated before being turned into metal?

3 / 9

What is the name of the structure used in the extraction of iron from iron ore?

A picture of Norilsk Nickel plant in Siberia showing bare hillsides and large industrial buildings with red and white chimneys and large electrical pylons in Norilsk, Siberia

4 / 9

What other compounds are needed in the extraction of iron from its ore?

5 / 9

What kind of reaction happens in the blast furnace where iron ore is turned into iron?

Image of liquids in beakers of various colours and solid objects

6 / 9

Which of the following is NOT a reaction that happens in the furnace?

Man tending to a fire in a dark room

7 / 9

What are the main waste gases from the blast furnace?

Image of energy sources

8 / 9

Where is the largest factory in the UK where steel is processed into food packaging grade product?

Picture of chimneys with yellow coloured smoke emerging

9 / 9

What process do you think would be better than mining iron from the ground?

Your score is

The average score is 66%

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Home Education Worksheet:

(pdf) Download Home Education Worksheet: Can Balancing

(Word) Download Home Education Worksheet: Can Balancing

Visit our Home Education pages for more Activities suitable for Home Learning.

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Created on By Millie Green
Scrapheap of metal and other materials

Science of Materials: Metals Quiz

This is a quick quiz to test your knowledge of metals and their recycling!

1 / 10

What materials stick to a magnet? (Select all correct answers)

Horseshoe shaped magnet with north in red and south in blue

2 / 10

Name some other properties of metals

Pile of gold bars

3 / 10

What's the name of the place where magnetism was discovered?

Open pit bauxite mining in Guinea

4 / 10

Where do we get metals from?

The Blue Marble picture is the iconic image of the Earth floating in space taken by astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission to Mars. It remains the best image of Earth taken from space.

5 / 10

Are metals a renewable or non-renewable resource?

Image of energy sources

6 / 10

Which kind of your recycling would stick to a magnet?

7 / 10

Choose the reasons why we should recycle.

Recycling Centre street sign

8 / 10

How are magnets used in the recycling process?

9 / 10

Name an object that you would never make out of metal.

Pair of gold rings

10 / 10

Can you recycle all metals?

Your score is

The average score is 64%

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0%