Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. In this case, "Item 1" is not absorbent at all, and "Item 2" absorbs some liquid. Background knowledge about sponges allows readers to recognize that "Items 1 and 2" do not have the characteristics of a sponge. They are porous, absorbant, and used to clean up spills. "Item 3" is described as very absorbent, so this item is most likely the sponge.

Different materials have specific purposes and are best suited for certain tasks. Angelica has to separate rocks from dirt in one minute. The size and color of the tool do not matter in this case, and they do not affect Angelica's decision. The sifter would be the best tool to use to get the job done quickly. She can scoop up the dirt and rocks into the sifter and shake it, so the dirt falls out, and the stones remain. She can repeat this until her one-minute timer is complete.

This data table provides information to analyze different materials. In the case of Myles, "Material 2" is weak and soft, which does not make an excellent material for a shelf. He would want to pick a material that is hard and would support the weight of items displayed.

Building a bookshelf is a big project, and the material needs to be able to support a lot of weight. The most important property for the building of a bookshelf is strength. If the bookshelf material is weak, it will fall, and the books will spill everywhere.

When building a bridge in real-life, there is a massive amount of planning and testing done to ensure it is safe and sturdy. This class had good plans and materials for building both bridges, but "Bridge A" seems like the most reliable choice for the science fair entry. It was able to hold up six toy cars and did not fall. It did wobble some so the class can make improvements on that portion of the bridge. "Bridge B" collapsed after the weight of three toy cars, so it doesn't seem like the most sturdy bridge.

The hardest rock of the group based on the data Charlie collected is "Rock 2". This rock did not break when shaken or squeezed. All of the other stones broke during one or more of the tests. After analyzing the data, it can be concluded that "Rock 2" is the hardest.

The rock that was the least hard out of the group is "Rock 4". This rock not only broke when it was shaken but also when it was squeezed. It is the only rock from all four tests to break under both conditions. After collecting and analyzing the data, "Rock 4" is the weakest.

This data table provides information to analyze different materials. In the case of Myles, "Material 2" is weak and soft, which does not make an excellent material for a shelf. He would want to pick a material that is hard and would support the weight of items displayed. This leaves "Materials 1 and 3" for consideration. "Material 1" is flexible, which could be a poor quality for a shelf. "Material 3" is strong, hard, and not flexible; it would be the best material for a shelf.

Materials can be tested for a specific purpose or quality. The data from that test can be analyzed to determine which material is preferred for a job or task. Ms. Dube's class discovered that sticky putty held the poster up to the wall for the longest amount of time, so it would be the best choice for an adhesive in the classroom.