OCR · Design and Technology · J310
GCSE Design and Technology: Why is it important to understand the sources or origins of materials and/or system components?
Material considerations · OCR GCSE Design and Technology (J310), specification point 5.3. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Why is it important to understand the sources or origins of materials and/or system components?", and every card links back to the page it came from. Specification © OCR — used with attribution.
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In Design and Technology, what does the 'source or origin' of a material mean?
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Where the raw material comes from and how it is obtained before being converted into a workable form (e.g. timber from forests, metals from ore).
Why should a designer understand where their materials come from?
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So they can judge the ecological, social and ethical impact of extracting and processing them, and choose more sustainable options.
What are the three categories of issue to consider when processing materials into workable forms?
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Ecological, social and ethical issues.
Which process obtains natural materials such as timber or cotton from living sources?
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Harvesting.
Which extraction process obtains metal ores and minerals from the ground?
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Mining.
What does 'extracting' a source material mean?
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Removing the raw material from its natural source (e.g. mining ore, felling timber) before it is converted into a workable form.
What is meant by the lifecycle of a material used in a product?
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The stages the material passes through: sourcing/extraction, processing, manufacture, use, and end of life (reuse, recycling or disposal).
What are the three end-of-life options for a material or component?
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Recycling, reuse and disposal.
What is the difference between reusing and recycling a material?
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Reuse means using the material or product again in its existing form; recycling means reprocessing it into a new raw material.
Define upcycling.
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Reusing a discarded material or product to create something of higher value or quality than the original.
What is an eco-material?
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A material chosen for its low environmental impact, e.g. renewable, recycled, biodegradable or low-energy to produce.
What is a recycling or sustainability scheme?
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An organised system (e.g. a take-back or deposit scheme) that collects used materials or products so they are recycled or reused instead of disposed of.
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