Everything around you is made from materials. There are natural materials such as metal, wood, glass, rubber, and there are also synthetic (man-made) materials such as polythene, plastic, nylon, etc. There are also composite materials, which are made by combining the properties of different materials.
A material scientist develops and chooses materials to carry out certain jobs. They decide what characteristics a material should have to be able to carry out its function.
Material science has changed our world forever. Early man used metals such as copper, bronze, and iron to make tools and ornaments. Today we use a wide range of materials, imagine a world without copper wires, glass optical fibre cables, concrete, and silicon chips.
We can also re-use and re-cycle materials. For example this bench is made from
re-cycled plastic bags.
Everything is made up of atoms, which when joined together with other atoms make molecules. By understanding how the molecules in a material are arranged we can choose the best material for the job. Scientists can also change a material's properties by changing its molecular structure.
