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Lesson 1 of 10

Object or material?

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4 min

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Two spoons. One is steel. One is wood. What is the same? What is different?

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The idea

Both are spoons, so the object is the same. The materials differ: steel and wood.

  • Object — the thing itself. A spoon, a chair, a bucket.
  • Material — what the object is made of. Steel, wood, plastic.

One object can be made of many materials. One material can make many objects.

Two spoons. Same shape. Same name: spoon.
Step 1 of 4
  1. Two spoons. Same shape. Same name: spoon.
  2. The left spoon is steel.
  3. The right spoon is wood.
  4. Same object. Different material.
Objects and their materials
ObjectMaterial
Steel spoonSteel
Wooden rulerWood
Glass tumblerGlass
Rubber bandRubber

A pencil has more than one material. Graphite is the black part you write with. The other parts are wood and often rubber.

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