Blade

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/blade

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the contemporary relevance?Indispensable in domestic, medical, industrial, and technological applications, with ongoing material innovation
2. Why were early blades made from flint or obsidian?In the Paleolithic era, people used flint and obsidian because they could be flaked into very sharp edges that helped with hunting and cooking.
3. How does a blade stay sharp?A blade stays sharp when it is made from hard materials like steel, and its edge is kept very thin so less force is needed to cut.

Lithic Technology: The study and creation of tools made from stone, particularly during prehistoric periods.
Metallurgy: The science and engineering of metals, including their extraction, processing, and creation of alloys.
Radius of Curvature: A geometric measurement describing how sharply an edge curves, directly impacting its cutting ability.