Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology key terms

The gradual deterioration of a metal through chemical reactions with its surroundings.

The ability of a material to resist chemical deterioration caused by its surroundings.

Board with a fluted paper layer between liner layers, providing a lightweight structure with stiffness and cushioning.

Forming a sheet into waves or flutes; in corrugated board, this sheet sits between flat outer sheets.

The average production cost of one product, found by dividing total production costs by the number of products made.

A vegetable-based natural fibre obtained from the cotton plant, used for clothing, towels and bed linen.

Short cotton fibres left attached to cotton seeds after the longer fibres have been removed; they provide cellulose for manufacturing materials such as acetate.

A decorative stitching technique in which yarn or cord is laid on the fabric surface and secured with smaller stitches.

A stored value that increases or decreases to keep track of events or repetitions.

A tapered recess that allows a countersunk screw head to sit flush with the surface.

A screw head shaped to sit level with or below the surrounding surface when fitted into a matching recess.

The area that a stated quantity of a coating can cover, for example 18 m² per litre.

An approach that considers a product’s entire life, from obtaining its raw materials to its final disposal.

A cutting tool with a small, sharp blade used for controlled cuts in paper and board, normally with a cutting mat and safety rule for straight cuts.

A lever attached to a rotating shaft, with a connection away from the shaft’s axis that travels in a circle.

A line pressed into paper or board that allows it to fold neatly.

Forming a controlled fold line in board so that it folds accurately without cracking.

Gradual deformation of a material under a sustained load.

The natural waviness or curl of a fibre. In wool, the arrangement of internal cells and their unequal expansion produce this curved shape.

A reasoned judgement of a technology’s strengths, limitations and suitability for a particular purpose, used to guide a choice or improvement.

A permanent chemical bond joining polymer chains, helping to form the rigid network in a cured thermosetting polymer.

The shape exposed by cutting across an object. Its area can be used to calculate the volume of an object with a constant cross-section.

The area of the face exposed by a cut perpendicular to a material’s length.

Raising money for a project through contributions from many people, usually using an online platform.

A naturally occurring mixture extracted from underground and refined to provide chemical starting materials for polymers such as acrylic, HIPS and ABS.

A range of envelope sizes designed to hold the corresponding A-series paper unfolded, such as C4 for A4.

A three-dimensional shape with six equal square faces.

A consideration arising from a community’s beliefs, traditions, values or meanings attached to materials and products.