Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology key terms

A material’s ability to be broken down by microorganisms under suitable environmental conditions.

Able to be broken down by microorganisms under suitable conditions.

A polymer that microorganisms can break down naturally under suitable environmental conditions.

The breakdown of a material by living organisms such as fungi and bacteria.

A liquid biofuel processed from vegetable oils, animal fats or used cooking fats, used to fuel suitable diesel engines.

The variety of living organisms in an area.

A fuel made from recently living biological material, such as wood or crops.

Plant or other biological material that can be used as an energy resource, including wood burned for heating.

A biodegradable thermoforming polymer made using plant-derived raw materials, suited to short-life disposable products but more expensive than conventional oil-based polymers.

A biodegradable polymer made using plant and vegetable-derived raw materials, suitable for some short-life disposable products.

An enzyme treatment that removes protruding fibres from cotton fabric to produce a smoother surface.

An enzyme treatment of denim that removes some surface fibres and dye to create a softer, faded or distressed appearance.

A semiconductor component with base, collector and emitter terminals, in which a small base current controls a larger collector current.

A textile made using yarns in which different types of fibre have been combined.

Stitching that secures a folded hem while catching very little of the outer fabric, making the stitches almost invisible from the outside.

A hole that stops within a component rather than passing right through it.

A relatively thick, stiff sheet material made from paper fibres or layers of paper, used for products such as packaging and displays.

A threaded fastener commonly passed through components and tightened with a nut to clamp them together.

A material made by gluing a main fabric to another layer to add stability or strength.

A non-woven sheet in which fibres are held together using heat, solvents or adhesives.

Joining materials using an adhesive; textile bonding can join fabric layers or attach components without sewing.

A durable writing and printing paper used for documents and stationery, made from chemical wood pulp, cotton fibres or a mixture of these.

Strips of stiff material incorporated into a garment to support and maintain its shape.

A reinforcing member, usually fitted diagonally, that helps a structure resist distortion.

The recognisable features and associations that distinguish a company’s products, such as its name, logo, colours and packaging style.

Joining metals using a molten filler metal while the parent metals remain solid.

A reusable board with internally connected sockets used to assemble temporary electronic circuits without soldering.