NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science (Curiosity) Chapter 6: Materials Around Us (2026–27)

These Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 6 solutions cover Materials Around Us from the new NCF-2023 textbook (2026–27). The chapter teaches you what a material is, how objects are made from one or more materials, and how we classify materials by their properties — lustre, hardness, transparency, solubility, mass and volume — finally building up to the idea of matter. Every “Let us enhance our learning” question is reproduced exactly from the book and solved step by step.

Class: 6 Subject: Science Book: Curiosity Chapter: 6 Type: Materials & their properties Session: 2026–27
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Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 6 Solutions – Overview

Everything around us — a notebook, a pen, a tumbler, a brick — is made from some material such as paper, wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic or clay. The chapter shows that a single object can be made from different materials and a single material can be used to make many objects, so we choose a material based on its properties and the purpose of the object. We learn to classify materials by appearance (lustrous or non-lustrous), by feel (hard or soft), by how much we can see through them (transparent, translucent, opaque), and by whether they dissolve in water (soluble or insoluble). Finally we meet two properties shared by all materials — mass (quantity of matter, measured in g and kg) and volume (space occupied, measured in L and mL) — which together define matter: anything that occupies space and has mass.

Key Concepts & Definitions

Material: any substance that is used to create an object — for example paper, wood, glass, metal, plastic or clay.

Classification: the method of arranging objects (or materials) into groups on the basis of a common property they share.

Lustrous and non-lustrous: materials with a shiny surface (usually metals such as iron, copper, gold) are lustrous; those without a shiny surface (paper, wood, rubber, jute) are non-lustrous.

Hard and soft: materials that are difficult to compress or scratch are hard; those that can be compressed or scratched easily are soft. These properties are relative — rubber is harder than sponge but softer than iron.

Transparent, translucent, opaque: through transparent materials (glass, water, air) things can be seen clearly; through translucent materials (butter paper, frosted glass) things are seen but not clearly; through opaque materials (wood, cardboard, metals) nothing can be seen.

Soluble and insoluble: materials that dissolve and disappear in water (sugar, salt) are soluble; those that do not mix or disappear (chalk powder, sand, sawdust) are insoluble.

Mass and volume: mass is the quantity of matter in an object (units: g, kg); volume is the space it occupies (units: L, mL; SI unit m3, where 1 m3 = 1000 L).

Matter: anything that occupies space and has mass. All materials around us — water, sand, pebbles, even air — are examples of matter.

“Let us enhance our learning” — NCERT Solutions

All questions below are reproduced exactly as they appear in the NCERT Curiosity textbook; the answers are original and exam-ready.

1. Visit your kitchen and observe how your parents have organised various edibles. Can you suggest a better sorting method? Write it in your notebook.

ANSWER In most kitchens, edibles are already sorted by type — spices kept together, pulses and grains in separate jars, oils and liquids near the cooking area, and perishables (milk, vegetables, fruit) in the refrigerator. A better sorting method is to group items first by how often they are used (everyday items like salt, oil and tea on a handy lower shelf; rarely used items higher up), and within that to arrange by type — whole spices, ground spices, pulses, grains, dry snacks — in clearly labelled, transparent, air-tight containers. Keeping similar and frequently used materials together saves time and prevents spoilage. (Your own sensible method based on your kitchen is accepted.)

2. Unscramble the letters (Column I) and match with their properties (Column II).

ANSWER
Column I (scrambled)Unscrambled wordMatching property (Column II)
(i) T R E M A TMATTER(b) Occupies space and has mass
(ii) U L S B E L OSOLUBLE(d) Mixes completely in water
(iii) T N E R P A S N A R TTRANSPARENT(a) Objects can be seen clearly through it
(iv) E R U S T LLUSTRE(c) Shiny surface
So the matching is: (i) → (b), (ii) → (d), (iii) → (a), (iv) → (c).

3. The containers which are used to store materials in shops and at home are usually transparent. Give your reasons for this.

ANSWER Transparent containers let us see clearly what is kept inside without opening them. This makes it easy to identify the material (which spice, pulse or grain it is) at a glance. They also help us judge how much is left so we can refill in time, and let us check the condition or quality of the contents (for example, whether food has gone stale or insects have got in). This saves time and avoids mistakes, which is why shops and homes prefer transparent jars and bottles.

4. State whether the statements given below are True [T] or False [F]. Correct the False statement(s).

(i) Wood is translucent while glass is opaque.(ii) Aluminium foil has lustre while an eraser does not.(iii) Sugar dissolves in water whereas sawdust does not.(iv) An apple is a matter because it occupies no space and has mass.

ANSWER (i) False [F]. Correct statement: Wood is opaque while glass is transparent. (ii) True [T]. Aluminium foil is a metal and has lustre (shine), while an eraser (made of rubber) is non-lustrous. (iii) True [T]. Sugar is soluble and dissolves in water, whereas sawdust is insoluble and does not dissolve. (iv) False [F]. Correct statement: An apple is matter because it occupies space and has mass.

5. We see chairs made up of various materials, such as wood, iron, plastic, bamboo, cement and stones. Following are some desirable properties of materials which can be used to make chairs. Which materials used to make chairs fulfil these properties the most?

(i) Hardness (does not bend or shake on sitting even after long use).(ii) Lightweight (easy to lift or to take from one place to another).(iii) Does not feel very cold when sitting during winters.(iv) Can be cleaned regularly and made to look new even after long use.

ANSWER (i) Hardness: Iron, stone and cement chairs are the hardest — they do not bend or shake even after long use. (ii) Lightweight: Plastic and bamboo chairs are light and easy to lift and carry from one place to another. (iii) Does not feel very cold in winter: Wood, bamboo and plastic are best, because they do not become very cold to touch (metals like iron feel very cold in winter). (iv) Easy to clean and looks new: Plastic (and smooth iron) chairs can be wiped clean easily and made to look new even after long use.

6. You need to have containers for collection of: (i) food waste, (ii) broken glass and (iii) wastepaper. Which materials will you choose for containers of these types of waste? What properties of materials do you need to think of?

ANSWER (i) Food waste: a plastic or metal container with a lid. Food waste is wet and may leak or smell, so the material must be waterproof (insoluble in water), non-absorbent and easy to wash. (ii) Broken glass: a thick plastic or metal container. Broken glass has sharp edges, so the material must be hard and strong so the pieces cannot pierce or cut through it. (iii) Wastepaper: a simple cardboard, plastic or metal bin is enough. Paper is dry, so the container only needs to be light and roomy; it need not be waterproof. The main properties to think of are strength/hardness, whether it is waterproof, and how easy it is to clean, chosen to suit the kind of waste.

7. Air is all around us but does not hinder us from seeing each other. Whereas, if a wooden door comes in between, we cannot see each other. It is because air is ______ and the wooden door is ______. Choose the most appropriate option:

(i) transparent, opaque(ii) translucent, transparent(iii) opaque, translucent(iv) transparent, translucent

ANSWER The correct option is (i) transparent, opaque. We can see clearly through air, so air is transparent. We cannot see at all through a wooden door, so wood is opaque.

8. Imagine you have two mysterious materials, X and Y. When you try to press material X, it feels rigid and does not change its shape easily. On the other hand, material Y easily changes its shape when you press it. Now, when you mix both materials in water, only material X dissolves completely, while material Y remains unchanged. What can materials X and Y be? Can you identify whether material X is hard or soft? What about material Y? Justify your answer.

ANSWER Material X is rigid (does not change shape easily) and dissolves completely in water. A common example is sugar (or salt) — its grains feel hard and it is soluble in water. So material X is hard, because it resists being compressed or changing shape. Material Y changes its shape easily when pressed and does not dissolve in water. A good example is a sponge, rubber or clay — it is easily compressed and is insoluble in water. So material Y is soft, because it can be compressed and changes shape easily. Justification: hardness is judged by how difficult a material is to compress or scratch — X resists pressing (hard) while Y gives way to pressing (soft); solubility is a separate property, which here happens to be different for the two materials.

9. (i) Who am I? Identify me on the basis of the given properties.

(a) I have lustre.(b) I can be easily compressed.(c) I am hard and soluble in water.(d) You cannot see clearly through me.(e) I have mass and volume but you cannot see me.

(ii) Make your own ‘Who am I?’

ANSWER (i) (a) I have lustre → a metal such as gold, copper or iron (lustrous materials are usually metals). (b) I can be easily compressed → a sponge (or rubber/foam) — a soft material. (c) I am hard and soluble in water → sugar (or salt) — its grains are hard yet it dissolves in water. (d) You cannot see clearly through me → an opaque material such as wood, cardboard or a metal sheet. (e) I have mass and volume but you cannot see me → air — it is matter (occupies space and has mass) but is invisible. (ii) Make your own: For example — “I am transparent, I dissolve nothing of myself, you drink me daily and I take the shape of my container. Who am I?” (Answer: water.) (Any original riddle based on material properties is accepted.)

10. You are provided with the following materials—vinegar, honey, mustard oil, water, glucose and wheat flour. Make any two pairs of materials where one material is soluble in the other. Now, make two pairs of materials where one material remains insoluble in the other material.

ANSWER Two pairs where one material is soluble in the other: (1) Glucose in water — glucose dissolves completely in water. (2) Vinegar in water (or honey in water) — vinegar mixes completely with water and dissolves in it. Two pairs where one material remains insoluble in the other: (1) Mustard oil in water — oil does not mix with water and forms a separate layer. (2) Wheat flour in mustard oil (or wheat flour in water, where it does not truly dissolve) — the flour does not dissolve and settles down. (Other sensible pairs from the given list are accepted.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these

  • Confusing object and material — a chair is an object; the wood or iron it is made from is the material.
  • Thinking all shiny things are metals — “all that glitters is not gold”; plastic or waxed surfaces can shine too without being metals.
  • Mixing up translucent and transparent — through translucent materials (butter paper, frosted glass) you see something but not clearly; through transparent ones you see clearly.
  • Believing a material that spreads out in water has dissolved — chalk powder and flour make the water cloudy but stay insoluble and settle down.
  • Saying air is not matter — air is invisible but has mass and occupies space, so it is matter.
  • Writing units wrongly — it is 7 kg (not “7 kgs”), and 500 mL (small m, capital L), with a space between number and unit.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is a material? Give two examples.

ANSWERAny substance used to create an object is called a material. Examples: wood and glass (also paper, metal, plastic, clay).

Q2. Define classification. Why is it useful?

ANSWERClassification is arranging objects or materials into groups on the basis of a common property. It is useful because it helps us study things easily and observe patterns in their properties.

Q3. Differentiate between transparent and opaque materials with one example each.

ANSWERThrough transparent materials things can be seen clearly (example: glass). Through opaque materials nothing can be seen at all (example: wood).

Q4. Name two soluble and two insoluble materials in water.

ANSWERSoluble: sugar and salt. Insoluble: sand and chalk powder (also sawdust).

Q5. Why does a tumbler made of cloth not work for storing water?

ANSWERCloth cannot hold water — water leaks through it because cloth is porous. A tumbler must be made of a material that can hold water, such as glass, metal or plastic.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Explain, with examples, why different materials are chosen to make different objects.

ANSWERWe choose a material for an object depending on its properties and the purpose the object must serve. A cooking utensil is made of metal because metal is hard and can stand heat, while a paper-like material would burn; a tumbler is made of glass, metal or plastic because these can hold water, while cloth cannot. Sports balls use different materials — a hard cricket ball for one game and a softer, bouncy tennis ball for another — because each sport needs a different bounce and feel. The same object can even use several materials for different parts: a pen uses plastic, metal and ink. So matching the material’s properties (hardness, lustre, ability to hold water, bounce, etc.) to the object’s use is the key idea.

Q2. What is matter? Explain how mass and volume are linked to matter, with their units.

ANSWERAnything that occupies space and has mass is called matter. All materials around us — water, sand, pebbles, a cup, even air — are examples of matter. Two properties are shared by every material: mass, which gives the quantity of matter and is measured in gram (g) and kilogram (kg); and volume, which is the space occupied by matter and is measured in litre (L) and millilitre (mL) (the SI unit is the cubic metre, m3, with 1 m3 = 1000 L). An object that is heavier has more mass; one that takes up more space has greater volume. Because mass and volume are present in every material, they are used to define matter itself.

Q3. Describe an activity to find out which materials are soluble in water and which are not.

ANSWERTake five glass tumblers and fill each about two-thirds with water. Add a teaspoonful of a different material to each — sugar in the first, salt in the second, chalk powder in the third, sand in the fourth and sawdust in the fifth. Stir each tumbler well with a spoon and wait for a few minutes. We observe that sugar and salt disappear completely — they dissolve and are soluble in water. The chalk powder, sand and sawdust do not disappear; they stay as separate particles and settle down or float, showing they are insoluble in water. This activity shows that some materials dissolve in water while others do not.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Any substance that is used to create an object is called a:

(a) machine    (b) material    (c) mixture    (d) metal

2. The method of arranging objects into groups is called:

(a) classification    (b) observation    (c) prediction    (d) measurement

3. Which of the following is a lustrous material?

(a) paper    (b) wood    (c) copper    (d) rubber

4. Through which of these materials can things be seen clearly?

(a) cardboard    (b) frosted glass    (c) clear glass    (d) wood

5. Butter paper and frosted glass are examples of materials that are:

(a) transparent    (b) translucent    (c) opaque    (d) lustrous

6. Which of the following is insoluble in water?

(a) sugar    (b) salt    (c) glucose    (d) sand

7. The space occupied by a material is called its:

(a) mass    (b) volume    (c) lustre    (d) hardness

8. The units used to measure mass are:

(a) litre and millilitre    (b) metre and centimetre    (c) gram and kilogram    (d) second and minute

9. Anything that occupies space and has mass is called:

(a) material    (b) matter    (c) object    (d) liquid

10. Which statement is correct?

(a) all shiny materials are metals    (b) rubber is harder than iron    (c) rubber is harder than sponge but softer than iron    (d) wood is transparent

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(a), 3-(c), 4-(c), 5-(b), 6-(d), 7-(b), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(c).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: Metals such as iron and copper usually appear shiny.

Reason: Lustrous materials have a shiny surface and most metals are lustrous.

A-R 2. Assertion: We cannot see through a wooden door.

Reason: Wood is an opaque material.

A-R 3. Assertion: Sand is soluble in water.

Reason: Materials that settle down and do not disappear in water are insoluble.

A-R 4. Assertion: Air is matter.

Reason: Air has mass and occupies space even though we cannot see it.

A-R 5. Assertion: A tumbler can be made of cloth to store water for a long time.

Reason: The material used to make a tumbler should be capable of holding water.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(A), 5-(D).

Quick Revision Summary

  • A material is any substance used to make an object; one object can use many materials and one material can make many objects.
  • We choose a material from its properties and the object’s purpose; arranging things into groups by a common property is classification.
  • By appearance: lustrous (shiny, usually metals) vs non-lustrous; by feel: hard vs soft (relative properties).
  • By how much we see through them: transparent (clear), translucent (hazy), opaque (none).
  • By behaviour in water: soluble (dissolves, e.g. sugar, salt) vs insoluble (does not, e.g. sand, chalk powder).
  • Mass (g, kg) and volume (L, mL; SI m3, 1 m3 = 1000 L) are shared by all materials.
  • Matter = anything that occupies space and has mass; even air is matter.

Real-life Applications

Choosing materials by their properties is something we do every day. Shops and kitchens use transparent jars so we can see and check what is inside; raincoats and water bottles use insoluble, waterproof plastics; sports balls are made of different materials so each gives the right bounce; winter chairs are made of wood or plastic because they do not feel as cold as metal; and waste is separated into different bins (food waste, broken glass, paper) using containers whose strength and water-resistance suit the waste. Even the labels “500 mL” or “1 L” on bottles and “kg” on packets show how the ideas of volume and mass from this chapter are used in real life.

How to score full marks in this chapter

Always separate the object from the material it is made of, and learn the property-pairs cleanly: lustrous/non-lustrous, hard/soft, transparent–translucent–opaque, soluble/insoluble. For “True/False” questions, do not just write F — rewrite the corrected statement. Remember air is matter, and write units correctly (7 kg, 500 mL) with a space between number and unit. Back up each answer with a clear example from the chapter (sugar dissolves, sand does not; wood is opaque, glass is transparent).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 6 about?

Chapter 6, Materials Around Us, explains what a material is and how we classify materials by their properties — lustre, hardness, transparency and solubility — and introduces mass, volume and the idea of matter (anything that occupies space and has mass).

What is the difference between transparent, translucent and opaque materials?

Through transparent materials (glass, water, air) we can see clearly; through translucent materials (butter paper, frosted glass) we can see but not clearly; through opaque materials (wood, cardboard, metals) we cannot see at all.

Is air considered matter in this chapter?

Yes. Air has mass and occupies space, even though we cannot see it, so air is matter. Anything that occupies space and has mass is called matter.

Are these Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 6 solutions free?

Yes. All solutions are free and follow the official NCERT Curiosity textbook for 2026–27.

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