4

Kinds of Material
NCF Competencies Covered:
Expected Learning Outcomes C-1.1 and C-1.2

Knowledge to be gained: •Classi cation of materials based on their properties

Skills to be developed: •Identi cation of materials based on their observable features •Selection of
materials for various uses
Attitude to be inculcated: •Students will be able to understand the need for classifying materials.

OBJECTS AROUND US e matter of which an object is made is

Anything that can be seen or touched is called material. Materials are used to make
called an object. In our everyday life, we see different kinds of objects we use. Wood,
a wide variety of objects around us. ese metal, bre, leather, plastic and rubber are
objects have different shapes, sizes and colours. examples of materials.
For example: Book, pencil-box, pencil, ball, Objects like pencil, chair, table, door, etc.,
coin, etc., all have different shape, size and are made of wood. We can group these
colour. objects on the basis of:
Objects are made of different materials. Some u Materials they are made of, and
objects are made of paper while others are u eir shapes.
made of soil or mud. Some may be made of Let us now do an activity to understand the
plastic, while others are made of glass. grouping of objects more clearly.

46 Exploring Science-6
 Activity-1
Aim: To group objects on the basis of materials they are made of.
Materials required: Objects like–a pencil, a sharpener, an eraser, a mug, a pen, a pencil-box, a
chalk, a duster, a bread, toys, a lunch-box, a soap, a toothbrush, etc. You may collect as many
objects as possible.
Procedure: Identify the objects that are made of plastic and that are not made of plastic, i.e., non-
plastic. Write their names in the table given below.
Conclusion: Objects can be grouped on the basis of materials from which they are made.

Objects made of plastic Objects not made of plastic

Fig.1 Objects made of different materials

Objects can also be grouped on the basis of their similarities and dissimilarities. For example:
All objects can be grouped into living and non-living objects. e non-living objects can
further be grouped into natural or man-made objects.

Living objects Non-living objects Natural objects Man-made objects

Plant Table Stone Pen
Tree Chair
Water Pencil
Dog Clothes
Cat Jar Sun Book
Ant Shoes Moon Table
Objects can also be grouped on the basis of the primary material from which they are made.
Objects made of different materials
Objects made of Objects made of Objects made of Objects made of
metals wood glass plastic
Coin Door Tumbler Pen
Nuts and bolts Table Mirror Sharpner
Cooking pot Chair Test tube Tooth-brush

Objects can be classi ed into many such groups. e process of grouping things on the
basis of some criteria is known as classi cation.
Kinds of material 47
Advantages of Classi cation make an object, we need to keep the
u Classi cation of objects helps in their following things in mind:
identification. u e purpose for which the object is to be
u Classi cation makes it convenient to used.
study the properties of the objects of a u e properties of the material being used.
category and also observe any pattern in Let us understand this more clearly. Why are
these properties. most of the cooking vessels made from
u Classi cation helps in the location of aluminium and steel and not from paper or
the things. It is only because of the cloth?
classi cation that we can sort out a book e reason is that aluminium and steel allows
out of thousands in our school library. heat to pass through them easily and cook the
MATERIALS food quickly. But paper and cloth catch re
Remember these three important points and burn down when heated.
about objects and materials: Let us study some important properties of
1. An object can be made of different materials.
materials. For example, a chair can be APPEARANCE
made of wood or plastic.
Objects around us look very different from
2. Many kinds of objects can be made of each other. is is because the nature of
the same material. For example, wood materials, from which they are made, differ.
can be used to make a chair, a table or a Rubber appears very different from wood.
bed. Copper appears very different from silver or
3. M a n y o b j e c t s a r e m a d e o f a gold. But, at the same time, if you look at
combination of materials. For example, them carefully, metals like copper, iron,
tea is made from water, tea leaves, sugar silver, gold and aluminium have a common
and milk. property, i.e., they all shine. Similarly,
PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS wood or rubber have a common property,
Why are most cooking vessels made of i.e., they do not shine.
aluminium and steel? How can you know On the basis of shining property, materials
which material should be used to make an are classi ed as:
object? is is only possible by knowing the 1. Lustrous materials: ese are the
properties of materials. materials which shine. All materials
Different types of materials have different having a shiny appearance are said to
properties. In order to choose a material to have lustre. Most metals (like gold,
48 Exploring Science-6
 silver, iron, aluminium, etc.), metal alloys
(like bronze and steel) and also other
materials like diamond (non-metal) are
examples of lustrous materials. Aluminium pot Gold bangles

2. Non-lustrous materials: ese are the

materials which do not shine. All
materials lacking or not having a shiny
appearance are said to have no lustre. For Copper wire Iron nails
example: Wood, rubber, chalk, cotton, etc.
Fig.2 Metals are lustrous

Activity-2
Lustrous/
To group objects as lustrous and non-lustrous. Sl.No. Objects
Non-lustrous
Collect objects like a wooden spoon, a metal spoon, a
rubber band, a piece of copper wire, a coin, a pencil, a
plastic comb, a piece of aluminium foil, a metal key, a tin
can, a pair of scissors, a piece of silk cloth, a clean iron
nail and a piece of silver foil. Now, observe these objects
carefully and group them as lustrous/non-lustrous
objects in the given table.

TEXTURE Soness or hardness is yet another property

Try to press the wooden handle of the duster on which materials can be grouped. For
of your class. Does it compress? Now, try to example: e wooden handle of the duster is
press a cotton boll. Does it compress? hard and the cotton rubbing part is soft.
Materials which can be compressed are
Wooden handle (hard)
said to be so. Materials which cannot be
compressed are said to be hard. Cotton pad
(so)

Checkpoint-1 Fig.3 Wooden duster

Write True or False

1. Placing or sorting similar things together is called grouping. _________
2. Objects can be made from a combination of different materials. _________
3. Objects which shine are called lustrous objects. _________
4. Wood is an example of a lustrous object. _________
5. Materials cannot be grouped on the basis of soness or hardness. _________

Kinds of material 49
SOLUBILITY NCF C-1.2 u Materials that dissolve in water are
A large number of materials can be materials that are soluble in water.
dissolved in water, but water cannot u Materials that do not dissolve in water
dissolve all the materials. e property of are materials that are insoluble in
dissolving an object in a liquid is called its water.
solubility. We can group objects on the Let us understand this with the help of a
basis of their solubility. simple activity.

Activity-3
To group objects on the basis of their solubility in water.
Collect sugar, chalk powder, baking powder, talcum Material Soluble/Insoluble
powder, vinegar, mustard oil, corn our, milk, wax,
turmeric powder, coconut oil, lemon juice and honey.
Add small amounts of each one of these objects to a
glass tumbler half- lled with water and stir. Identify
the materials that are soluble/insoluble in water.
Group them in the table given alongside.

Some liquids are soluble in water. ese Some gases are soluble in water, like oxygen
liquids are difficult to separate from water and carbon dioxide, whereas others are
once they are mixed. For example, milk, insoluble in water, like nitrogen.
vinegar, fruit juice, glycerine, alcohol and Aquatic plants and animals use oxygen
sanitiser are easily soluble in water. dissolved in water for their survival. Aquatic
Liquids that mix with each other are called plants use carbon dioxide dissolved in water
miscible liquids. Some examples of miscible for photosynthesis.
liquids are milk and water, alcohol and water,
vinegar and water, etc. State of
Soluble Insoluble
things
Some liquids are not soluble in water. ese
Sand, Chalk
liquids do not mix with water. For example, Solid Salts, Sugar
powder
hair oil, cooking oil and petrol are
immiscible in water. Milk, Vinegar, Fruit Hair oil, Cooking
Liquid
juice, Glycerine oil, Petrol
Liquids that do not mix together are called
immiscible liquids. For example, oil and Gas
Oxygen, Carbon- Noble gases like
dioxide Helium and Neon
petrol are immiscible in water.

50 Exploring Science-6
DENSITY dropped in water. For example, wood, dry-
Ability to Float or Sink in Water leaves, oil, etc.
We can group the materials on the basis of TRANSPARENCY
their ability to oat on water. Let us perform Transparency is the property of a material
an activity to understand this. which tells whether we can see through the
material or not. Let us try to understand
Activity-4 this.

To group objects on the basis of their ability

to oat or sink. Activity-5 NCF C-7.2

Collect materials like dried leaves, a lemon, To understand the transparency of objects.
lid of a pen, a sharpener, an eraser, thin You will need a book, a butter paper and a
wooden sticks, a coin, a metal key, a sponge, a piece of glass.
sewing needle, pins and an iron nail.
Now hold the book upright on a table and
Take a tumbler and ll water in it. One by place your hand behind the book. Ask your
one, place each of these materials in the
friend if he is able to see your hand behind the
tumbler. Observe whether they oat or sink
book. Repeat the same with the butter paper
in water. Group them in the table given
below: and the glass piece. Record your friend's
observations in the following table:
Denser than water or
Object Floats/Sinks less dense than water
Objects Observations

Book Not able to see the hand

Butter paper Able to trace the hand

Substances that are heavier (denser) than
water, sink. On the other hand, substances Glass piece Able to see the hand clearly
that are lighter (less dense) than water,
oat. We can, therefore, group materials on the
All materials can be classi ed into two basis of transparency.
groups. Objects through that we are able to see
Materials that are heavier (denser) than clearly are called transparent objects. For
water: ese materials sink when dropped in example, air, water, glass, etc.
water. For example, glass, stone, iron nail, Objects through that we are able to see, but
metal keys, etc. not clearly, are called translucent objects.
Materials that are lighter than water: ese For example, ground glass, thin sheet of
materials do not sink, but oat, when plastic, butter paper, etc.

Kinds of material 51
Objects through which we are not able to see through them are called insulators or bad
at all are called opaque objects. For example, conductors of electricity. For example, wood,
notebook, wood, brick, etc. air, plastic, etc.
OTHER PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Behaviour
Now, we know that all materials can be Materials which can be attracted by magnets
classi ed on the basis of some properties, are called magnetic materials. For example,
like: appearance, texture , solubility, iron, nickel, cobalt, etc. On the other hand,
materials which cannot be attracted by
density,and transparency.
magnets are called non-magnetic materials.
ere are many other ways by which
For example, wood, paper, glass, etc.
materials around us can be grouped. A few
more properties are as follows: HOW MATERIALS ARE ALIKE
Heat conductivity: Materials that allow heat Even though different objects look different
to pass through them are called conductors and have their unique properties, there are
or good conductors of heat, e.g., gold, silver, two properties that are common to all
etc. On the other hand, materials that do not materials (matter).
allow heat to pass through them are called u All materials (matter) occupy space.
insulators or bad conductors of heat. For e amount of space occupied by any
example, coal, cardboard, etc. matter is called its volume. Even the
Electrical conductivity: Materials that allow things you cannot see, such as air, occupy
electric current to pass through them are space.
called conductors or good conductors of u All materials have mass. e mass of
electricity. For example, copper, aluminium, your study table could be tens of
tap water, etc. On the other hand, objects that kilograms; whereas the mass of a bird’s
do not allow an electric current to pass feather could be as light as a few grams.

Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. e property of dissolving an object in a liquid is called _____________.
2. Oxygen gas is _____________ in water.
3. Aquatic plants use _____________ gas dissolved in water to make their own food.
4. _____________ is the property of a material which tells whether we can see through the
material or not.
5. Materials which can be attracted by magnets are called _____________ materials.

52 Exploring Science-6
Keywords
Object : Anything that can be seen or touched.
Material : The matter of which an object is made.
Lustre : A gentle sheen or so glow.
Solubility : The ability of a substance to dissolve in the given liquid.
Soluble : Materials that dissolve in water.
Insoluble : Materials that do not dissolve in water.
Transparency : The condition of being transparent (see through).
Opaque objects : Objects through which we cannot see.
Translucent objects : Objects through which we can see, but not clearly.
Transparent objects : Objects through which we can see very clearly.

Points to Remember
u Materials are used to make different objects.
u e matter of which an object is made is called material.
u Organising objects in groups helps us to nd things easily when we need them.
u Objects are classi ed on the basis of similarities or differences in their properties or
characteristics.
u Materials can be classi ed on the basis of their appearance, texture, solubility, density and
transparency.
u On the basis of appearance, materials are classi ed as lustrous and non-lustrous materials.
u On the basis of texture, materials can be classi ed as so and hard.
u e property of dissolving an object in liquid is called its solubility.
u Materials which dissolve in water are called soluble materials.
u Materials which do not dissolve in water are called insoluble materials.
u Liquids which mix with each other are called miscible liquids.
u Aquatic plants and animals use oxygen gas dissolved in water for their survival.
u Materials lighter than water oat on it.
u Materials denser than water sink in it.
u Materials through which we are not able to see at all are called opaque objects.
u Materials through which we are able to see very clearly are called transparent objects.
u Materials that allow heat to pass through them are called good conductors of heat.
u Materials that allow electric current to pass through them are called good conductors of
electricity.
u All materials occupy space and have mass.

Kinds of material 53
 Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. By organising objects into groups:
(a) we can nd things easily (b) we can study their common properties
(c) both (a) & (b) (d) none of these
2. Objects which shine are called ____________ objects.
(a) lustrous (b) non-lustrous
(c) dense (d) none of these
3. e property of dissolving an object in a liquid is called ____________.
(a) insolubility (b) solubility
(c) transparency (d) none of these
4. Objects through which we can see, but not clearly are called ____________ objects.
(a) opaque (b) translucent
(c) transparent (d) none of these
5. Which of these materials is not attracted by a magnet?
(a) Iron (b) Nickel
(c) Cobalt (d) Wood
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. ____________ objects are the objects which do not shine.
2. Aquatic plants use ____________ gas dissolved in water to make their own food.
3. ____________ is the property of a material which tells whether we can see through the
material or not.
4. Materials which can be attracted by magnets are called ____________ materials.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. De ne: (a) Object (b) Material
2. Write any two properties common to all materials.
3. Give examples of any two lustrous objects.
4. List the following substances as soluble or insoluble in water:
Chalk, Sand, Sugar, Vinegar, Common salt, Ghee, Chilli
5. Give two examples of: (a) Transparent materials (b) Opaque materials
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. List ve materials. Name two things that are made from each of them.
54 Exploring Science-6
 2. List some materials that are used for making more than one type of object.
3. Differentiate between lustrous and non-lustrous materials.
4. How can the materials be classi ed on the basis of texture?
5. Differentiate between soluble and insoluble materials.
6. Explain the difference between miscible and immiscible liquids. Give an example of each.
7. What kind of materials oat on water and what kind of materials sink in water?
8. How are translucent objects different from transparent objects?
9. Why are rice cookers made of metals and not of plastic?
10. Why is the outer covering of electric wires made of plastic and not metal?
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. What is classi cation? What are the advantages of classi cation?
2. Describe in brief, the various properties by which materials can be classi ed. Give examples
of each.
3. What is meant by transparency? Is it the same for all materials?
4. Classify the following objects on the basis of their primary materials:
Table, Mirror, Chair, Cooking-vessel, Plastic mug, Test-tube, Coin.

HOTS Critical Thinking

1. To play hide and seek, you hide behind a pole or a brick wall, but not behind a glass window.
Why?
2. Why are handles of most of the cooking utensils made of plastic or wood?
3. Mustard oil or coconut oil does not mix with water and forms a separate layer. Why?

Activity Zone
Project Work

A. Do the following experiments.

Materials required: A glass tumbler half lled with water, an egg,
ten teaspoons of salt.
Procedure: Place the egg in the glass tumbler half lled with water.
Notice how the fresh egg sinks in water. Now, remove the egg and
add ten teaspoonfuls of salt to the water. Stir until the salt dissolves
thoroughly. Now, place the egg in the solution. Does the egg sink
or oat? Discuss with your teacher and write down why the egg does not sink in the solution.

Kinds of material 55
B. Read the clues and solve the crossword. Critical Thinking
Down
Ë
2 1
1. A group of gases which are insoluble in water. I N
3S
2. A substance which does not allow electricity to pass through it. T
4. Objects through which we are able to see, but not clearly.
7. Objects through which we are not able 4

to see. 5
R 6
S E
Across Ë 7

3. A substance which can be 8

P
compressed.
O
5. A substance which cannot be compressed.
Q
6. A substance which can be dissolved
in water.
8. Objects through which we are able to C

see clearly.
9
9. A substance which cannot dissolve in L
water.

Memory Map
Lustrous Non-lustrous Opaque Translucent Transparent

CLASSIFICATION
Appearance basis of basis of Transparency
OF
MATERIALS

basis of basis of basis of

Texture Solubility Density

Miscible Immiscible Sinks Floats

Hard So with water with water in water on water

e-Resources
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56 Exploring Science-6