Which of the following is a 'soft wood'?

• A. maple
• B. mahogany
• C. birch
• D. pine

Answer: (D)

Softwood versus hardwood comes from the type of tree the wood comes from. Softwoods come from conifers, like pines, spruces, and firs, while hardwoods come from deciduous broadleaf trees.

Pine is a softwood because it’s a conifer and generally lighter and easier to work with than the dense, hard woods. Maple, birch, and mahogany are hardwoods; they come from deciduous trees and tend to be denser and harder. So, the softwood in the list is pine.