Home › Free notes › Class 6 Science › Materials Around Us

Materials Around Us – Class 6 Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 6 Science, chapter 6. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Objects are made of materials like wood, metal, glass, plastic and cloth. We choose materials based on their properties.

Properties of materials

Appearance: lustrous (metals) or non-lustrous (wood).
Hardness: hard (iron) or soft (cotton, sponge).
Solubility: soluble (salt, sugar) or insoluble (sand) in water.
Float or sink; transparent, translucent or opaque.

Grouping and use

Grouping materials makes them easy to study and use.
Choice depends on purpose: glass for windows (transparent), metal for pans (conduct heat), plastic for buckets (light, waterproof).
Reduce, reuse and recycle materials to cut waste.

Key terms

Lustre: shine on the surface of a material
Soluble: dissolves completely in water
Transparent: lets light pass clearly

Formulas

Material choice = property + purpose

Important questions with answers

Give two examples each of soluble and insoluble substances in water.2 marks

Soluble: sugar, salt. Insoluble: sand, chalk powder.

Why are cooking pans made of metal but their handles of plastic or wood?3 marks

Metals are good conductors of heat, so food cooks quickly. Plastic and wood are poor conductors, so the handle stays cool and safe to hold.

Group the following by properties and explain each group: iron nail, glass tumbler, wooden scale, aluminium foil, cotton cloth, plastic bottle.5 marks

Lustrous (shiny) materials: iron nail (when new), aluminium foil – metals. Transparent: glass tumbler (and a clear plastic bottle). Hard vs soft: iron nail, glass and wood are hard; cotton cloth and foil are soft or flexible. Conductors of heat/electricity: iron and aluminium; insulators: wood, glass, cotton, plastic. Grouping helps us choose the right material for a use.

Quick revision

Metals are lustrous.
Sand is insoluble.
Choose materials by their properties.

Exam tips

Oil does not dissolve in water and floats on top.
Frosted glass is translucent.

Practice MCQs

Which material is transparent?
1. wood
2. glass
3. iron
4. cardboard
Show answer
Answer: (b) glass. Light passes clearly.
Which dissolves in water?
1. sand
2. sugar
3. chalk powder
4. sawdust
Show answer
Answer: (b) sugar. Soluble.
Cooking pans are made of metal because metals
1. are lustrous only
2. are transparent
3. are soft
4. conduct heat well
Show answer
Answer: (d) conduct heat well. Good heat conductors.
Butter paper is
1. translucent
2. transparent
3. opaque
4. lustrous
Show answer
Answer: (a) translucent. Lets some light pass.
Which material is transparent
1. wood
2. clear glass
3. cardboard
4. butter paper
Show answer
Answer: (b) clear glass. We see clearly through it.
Which group contains only soluble substances?
1. sand, sugar
2. sugar, salt
3. chalk, salt
4. oil, sand
Show answer
Answer: (b) sugar, salt. Both dissolve.
Why is plastic better than glass for a child's water bottle?
1. plastic is transparent only
2. glass is lighter
3. plastic does not break easily and is light
4. plastic is lustrous
Show answer
Answer: (c) plastic does not break easily and is light. Safety and weight.
Oil and water kept together
1. mix completely
2. form two separate layers
3. become solid
4. change colour
Show answer
Answer: (b) form two separate layers. Oil is insoluble and lighter.

All chapters of Class 6 Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.