Timber & Basic Building Materials is one of 9 topics in the Grade 10 Agricultural Technology CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. Which timber species is a fast-growing softwood, relatively inexpensive and easy to work, but with relatively low natural resistance to rot and insect attack?
Pine
Meranti
Blue gum
Wattle
Answer: Pine — Pine is a softwood, fast-growing and relatively inexpensive, easy to work, but with relatively low natural resistance to rot and insect attack, generally requiring preservative treatment for outdoor use.
Easy
2. Which timber species is particularly valued for timber doors, window frames and interior joinery due to its appearance and dimensional stability?
Meranti
Poplar
Wattle
Blue gum
Answer: Meranti — Meranti is a durable, attractive hardwood valued particularly for timber doors, window frames and interior joinery work, where appearance and dimensional stability matter.
Medium
3. Name the fast-growing timber species commonly grown specifically for use as farm posts and poles, whose untreated form deteriorates relatively quickly in ground contact.
Answer: wattle — Wattle is a fast-growing timber commonly grown specifically for farm posts and poles; when treated with a preservative it offers reasonable durability, but untreated wattle deteriorates relatively quickly, particularly in ground contact.
