Design and Technology A-Level
Hardness
What Hardness means in Design and Technology A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Hardness
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The ability of a material to resist scratching, wear and tear, and indentation.
The ability of a material to resist scratching, indentation, and surface wear.
The ability of a material to resist scratching, indentation, or surface wear.
The ability of a material to resist scratching, wear, and indentation.
The ability of a material to resist scratching, indentation, or wear.
The resistance of a material to scratching, wear, or indentation.
Topics that use Hardness
- Part 1: Identifying and outlining possibilities for design (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Part 3: Making a final prototype (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Part 4: Evaluating own design and prototype (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 2: Performance characteristics of materials (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 3: Processes and techniques (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 4: Digital technologies (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 5: Factors influencing the development of products (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 6: Effects of technological developments (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Topic 8: Features of manufacturing industries (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
Using Hardness in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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