AQA A-LEVEL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
PRODUCT DESIGN PAPER 1 – TECHNICAL
PRINCIPLES QUESTIONS, ANSWERS &
RATIONALES | 2026 LATEST UPDATE | 100%
PASS GUARANTEE
AQA A-LEVEL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY: PRODUCT DESIGN
PAPER 1 – TECHNICAL PRINCIPLES
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & RATIONALE LATEST UPDATE
QUESTION 1
Which property describes a material's ability to be drawn into a wire?
A) Malleability
B) Elasticity
C) Ductility
D) Hardness
E) Toughness
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Ductility
RATIONALE: Ductility is the property that allows a material to be stretched or drawn
into a wire without breaking. Copper and aluminium are highly ductile metals commonly
used in electrical wiring.
QUESTION 2
Which of the following is a thermosetting polymer?
A) Polypropylene
B) Polyethylene
C) PVC
D) Epoxy Resin
,E) Polystyrene
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Epoxy Resin
RATIONALE: Epoxy resin is a thermosetting polymer. Once it has been cured through
a chemical reaction, it cannot be remelted or reshaped. Thermoplastics such as PVC
and polystyrene can be reheated and reshaped.
QUESTION 3
What term describes a material that returns to its original shape after a force is
removed?
A) Plastic
B) Ductile
C) Malleable
D) Brittle
E) Elastic
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Elastic
RATIONALE: Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after
the deforming force is removed. Rubber is a classic example of an elastic material.
QUESTION 4
Which of the following woods is classified as a hardwood?
A) Pine
B) Spruce
C) Balsa
D) Oak
E) Cedar
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Oak
,RATIONALE: Oak is a hardwood derived from deciduous trees that shed their leaves
annually. Pine, spruce, and cedar are softwoods from coniferous trees. Balsa, despite
being very soft in texture, is botanically classified as a hardwood.
QUESTION 5
Which material property describes resistance to scratching and indentation?
A) Toughness
B) Elasticity
C) Malleability
D) Ductility
E) Hardness
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Hardness
RATIONALE: Hardness refers to a material's resistance to surface indentation,
scratching, or abrasion. Diamond is the hardest known natural material. The Brinell and
Vickers tests are commonly used to measure hardness.
QUESTION 6
What is the main characteristic of a composite material?
A) It is made from a single pure element
B) It is always transparent
C) It cannot be recycled
D) It is made from two or more materials combined to improve properties
E) It melts at a very low temperature
CORRECT ANSWER: D) It is made from two or more materials combined to
improve properties
RATIONALE: Composite materials combine two or more constituent materials with
different properties to produce a material with superior characteristics. Carbon fibre
reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a common example used in aerospace and sports
equipment.
, QUESTION 7
Which of the following is an example of a smart material?
A) Aluminium
B) Shape memory alloy
C) Plywood
D) Polyethylene
E) Concrete
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Shape memory alloy
RATIONALE: Smart materials respond to changes in their environment. Shape
memory alloys such as nitinol return to a pre-set shape when heated. They are used in
medical stents, eyeglass frames, and actuators.
QUESTION 8
Which process is used to harden steel by heating and then rapidly cooling it?
A) Annealing
B) Normalising
C) Case hardening
D) Quenching
E) Tempering
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Quenching
RATIONALE: Quenching involves heating steel to a critical temperature and then
rapidly cooling it in water or oil. This traps carbon atoms in the steel's crystal structure,
increasing hardness. Annealing does the opposite — it softens the metal.
QUESTION 9
What does the term 'malleable' mean in materials science?
PRODUCT DESIGN PAPER 1 – TECHNICAL
PRINCIPLES QUESTIONS, ANSWERS &
RATIONALES | 2026 LATEST UPDATE | 100%
PASS GUARANTEE
AQA A-LEVEL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY: PRODUCT DESIGN
PAPER 1 – TECHNICAL PRINCIPLES
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & RATIONALE LATEST UPDATE
QUESTION 1
Which property describes a material's ability to be drawn into a wire?
A) Malleability
B) Elasticity
C) Ductility
D) Hardness
E) Toughness
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Ductility
RATIONALE: Ductility is the property that allows a material to be stretched or drawn
into a wire without breaking. Copper and aluminium are highly ductile metals commonly
used in electrical wiring.
QUESTION 2
Which of the following is a thermosetting polymer?
A) Polypropylene
B) Polyethylene
C) PVC
D) Epoxy Resin
,E) Polystyrene
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Epoxy Resin
RATIONALE: Epoxy resin is a thermosetting polymer. Once it has been cured through
a chemical reaction, it cannot be remelted or reshaped. Thermoplastics such as PVC
and polystyrene can be reheated and reshaped.
QUESTION 3
What term describes a material that returns to its original shape after a force is
removed?
A) Plastic
B) Ductile
C) Malleable
D) Brittle
E) Elastic
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Elastic
RATIONALE: Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after
the deforming force is removed. Rubber is a classic example of an elastic material.
QUESTION 4
Which of the following woods is classified as a hardwood?
A) Pine
B) Spruce
C) Balsa
D) Oak
E) Cedar
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Oak
,RATIONALE: Oak is a hardwood derived from deciduous trees that shed their leaves
annually. Pine, spruce, and cedar are softwoods from coniferous trees. Balsa, despite
being very soft in texture, is botanically classified as a hardwood.
QUESTION 5
Which material property describes resistance to scratching and indentation?
A) Toughness
B) Elasticity
C) Malleability
D) Ductility
E) Hardness
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Hardness
RATIONALE: Hardness refers to a material's resistance to surface indentation,
scratching, or abrasion. Diamond is the hardest known natural material. The Brinell and
Vickers tests are commonly used to measure hardness.
QUESTION 6
What is the main characteristic of a composite material?
A) It is made from a single pure element
B) It is always transparent
C) It cannot be recycled
D) It is made from two or more materials combined to improve properties
E) It melts at a very low temperature
CORRECT ANSWER: D) It is made from two or more materials combined to
improve properties
RATIONALE: Composite materials combine two or more constituent materials with
different properties to produce a material with superior characteristics. Carbon fibre
reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a common example used in aerospace and sports
equipment.
, QUESTION 7
Which of the following is an example of a smart material?
A) Aluminium
B) Shape memory alloy
C) Plywood
D) Polyethylene
E) Concrete
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Shape memory alloy
RATIONALE: Smart materials respond to changes in their environment. Shape
memory alloys such as nitinol return to a pre-set shape when heated. They are used in
medical stents, eyeglass frames, and actuators.
QUESTION 8
Which process is used to harden steel by heating and then rapidly cooling it?
A) Annealing
B) Normalising
C) Case hardening
D) Quenching
E) Tempering
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Quenching
RATIONALE: Quenching involves heating steel to a critical temperature and then
rapidly cooling it in water or oil. This traps carbon atoms in the steel's crystal structure,
increasing hardness. Annealing does the opposite — it softens the metal.
QUESTION 9
What does the term 'malleable' mean in materials science?
