Curiosity

Textbook of Science for Grade 6

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 0677 – Curiosity ISBN 978-93-5292-972-6
Textbook of Science for Grade 6

First Edition ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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 Foreword
The National Education Policy 2020, envisages a system of
education in the country that is rooted in Indian ethos and its
civilisational accomplishments in all domains of human endeavour
and knowledge while at the same time preparing the students to
constructively engage with the prospects and challenges of the
twenty-first century. The basis for this aspirational vision has been
well laid out by the National Curriculum Framework for School
Education (NCF-SE) 2023 across curricular areas at all stages. Having
nurtured the students’ inherent abilities touching upon all the five
planes of human existence, the pañchakośhas, in the Foundational
and the Preparatory Stages have paved the way for the progression
of their learning further at the Middle Stage. Thus, the Middle Stage
acts as a bridge between the Preparatory and the Secondary Stages,
spanning three years from Grades 6 to 8.
This framework, at the Middle Stage, aims to equip students
with the skills that are needed to grow, as they advance in their
lives. It endeavours to enhance their analytical, descriptive, and
narrative capabilities, and to prepare them for the challenges and
opportunities that await them. A diverse curriculum, covering
nine subjects ranging from three languages—including at least two
languages native to India—to Science, Mathematics, Social Sciences,
Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational
Education promotes their holistic development.
Such a transformative learning culture requires certain essential
conditions. One of them is to have appropriate textbooks in
different curricular areas as these textbooks will play a central role
in mediating between content and pedagogy—a role that will strike
a judicious balance between direct instruction and opportunities
for exploration and inquiry. Among the other conditions, classroom
arrangement and teacher preparation are crucial to establish
conceptual connections both within and across curricular areas.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training, on
its part, is committed to providing students with such high-quality
textbooks. Various Curricular Area Groups, which have been
constituted for this purpose, comprising notable subject-experts,
pedagogues, and practising teachers as their members, have made

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 all possible efforts to develop such textbooks. Curiosity, Textbook
of Science for Grade 6, is one of these. It has been developed in
consonance with the recommendations of NEP 2020 and the
NCF-SE 2023 to take students on a journey of experiential learning
by citing examples from the world of the learners. The content
stimulates curiosity, a sense of exploration, questioning, and critical
thinking. The content seamlessly weaves together concepts from
physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science, along with cross-cutting
themes like environmental education, value education, inclusive
education, and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). The textbook aims
to engage learners through an integrated approach by including
multiple activities and thoughtful use of technology. The textbook
offers ample opportunities for reflection and group discussions.
To encourage creativity and innovation, it is feasible to regard
students as active participants in the learning process, rather than
mere recipients of a predetermined set of knowledge. This can
only be achieved if the necessary number of hours are dedicated to
science teaching–learning annually as outlined in NCF-SE 2023. The
pedagogical approach of the textbook also considers how important
it is for students to think critically, reason well and make decisions.
It also provides students with numerous opportunities to learn from
each other, making the learning experience more engaging for both
teachers and students.
However, in addition to this textbook, students at this stage
should also be encouraged to explore various other learning
resources. School libraries play a crucial role in making such
resources available. Besides, the role of parents and teachers will
also be invaluable in guiding and encouraging students to do so.
With this, I express my gratitude to all those who have been
involved in the development of this textbook and hope that it
will meet the expectations of all stakeholders. At the same time, I
also invite suggestions and feedback from all its users for further
improvement in the coming years.

Dinesh Prasad Saklani

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
30 June 2024 Research and Training

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 About the Book
Curiosity, Textbook of Science for Grade 6 learners has been crafted
in alignment with the recommendations of the National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for
School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. The policy advocates a radical shift
from a content-based education to a competency-based education,
particularly in the realm of science. Therefore, the formulation of
curricular goals for Science, subsequent competencies and learning
outcomes are tailored towards competency-based learning. These
curricular goals encompass various scientific concepts, including
matter, the physical and living world, health, hygiene, and the
exploration of the interface between science, society and technology.
Additionally, the goals focus on the nature of science, its processes,
historical and contemporary aspects of the development of science
and science communication. While these goals are explicitly
articulated, they are interdependent and collectively contribute
to a better understanding of the world around us. Accordingly, the
chapters of this textbook are structured around creative activities,
reflective questions, processes and illustrations. The integration of
the concepts from biology, chemistry, physics and earth science, and
cross-cutting themes, such as value education, inclusive education,
Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and environmental education
have been interwoven in the content. Thus, the textbook aims to
provide experience-based learning, rather than simply reading and
memorising the concepts.
In the Middle Stage, science teaching–learning adopts
an integrated approach. This integrated approach develops
fundamental capacities across biology, chemistry, physics and
earth science. The use of an integrated approach helps the learners
to appreciate the interrelations between subjects and make sense
of their observations and experiences.
Curiosity, Textbook of Science for Grade 6, comprises twelve
chapters. As the name of the textbook suggests, there are numerous
opportunities for the learners to explore the world of science and
its nature. Through the chapters, learners will embark on a journey
that will connect them to the world around and spark curiosity for
further exploration. The hands-on activities embedded within each
chapter engages the learners and provide them an opportunity to

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 reflect on learning. These activities are inclusive in nature. Some
activities require both the teacher and learners to prepare in
advance.
Chapter 1, titled ‘The Wonderful World of Science’, provides a
holistic view of the new topic of Science introduced in the Middle
Stage. It showcases, through examples, the essence of Science—a
way of thinking, observing, and finding out by doing, and by asking
questions. This chapter weaves together the concepts covered in
the rest of the book, and aims to excite the readers as they start
their adventures into the world of science. There are no assessment
exercises in this chapter and is designed to be non-evaluative.
Also, every chapter in the book begins with an introduction that
makes the learners curious and tries to show different ways with
which the goals of the curriculum can be achieved effectively.
The chapters begin with the stories related to real-life situations,
these are meant to capture learners’ interest and connect them
with what is already known. The various activities given are based
on scientific processes, designed to provide hands and minds-on
experiences. Following each activity, there are questions to help
learners understand and assess how well they have grasped the
information. Questions are significant in the learning process. They
help learners to explore and reinforce their understanding. One will
also find many thought-provoking questions designed to encourage
deep thinking, self-awareness and critical analysis. These questions
prompt learners to ponder and delve deeper into their thoughts.
In order to sustain the interest of the readers, some of the
challenging ideas, additional information, poems, stories, strange
facts and other interesting materials are also presented as add on
non-evaluative content in the boxes labelled ‘Do you know?’, ‘More
to know!’, ‘Think it over!’ and ‘More to do!’. The thrill of scientific
inquiry comes from pursuing the unknown, giving learners the
opportunity to think and explore beyond the syllabus. Some chapters
also include a section called ‘Know a scientist’, which presents the
contributions of Indian scientists related to that concept. All these box
items, including brief biographies of scientists, are non-evaluative.
The important ideas and steps in understanding a given concept
of science are included as ‘Keywords’ at the end of each chapter.
These ‘Keywords’ will help learners to acknowledge various

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 ideas and encourage them to think more deeply about the content.
The keywords related to scientific processes depict the steps or
procedure involved in the scientific activities. These words guide
learners on how scientific knowledge is generated, tested and
applied. ‘Summary’ offers an overview of the chapter’s main points,
reinforcing the key ideas discussed. It serves to outline the content
presented in the chapter. A non-evaluative interesting element that
has been incorporated in some of the chapters is the introduction of
certain verses from various Indian texts to promote rootedness in
the learners as envisaged in NEP 2020.
The primary aim of Curiosity is to prepare the children for
becoming the responsible members of the society, and therefore
efforts have been made to raise awareness about various issues, such
as gender, region, environment, health and hygiene, water scarcity
and energy conservation. Activities given in the book endeavour to
promote peer-learning and group activities.
The assessment exercises, ‘Let us enhance our learning’, play
a vital role in the learning process. They help to reinforce the
understanding and identify areas for improvement, making them
essential components of effective teaching and learning. Assessment
consists of various exercises, from pictorial questions to creating
puzzles and multiple-choice questions, to create a challenging
and interesting experience for the learners. These questions also
facilitate the evaluation of various competencies expected to be
developed through a particular chapter. Peer and group activities
to explore answers to the questions are also encouraged.
A significant feature of the book is what we termed as ‘Learning
further’. In this section, some projects and activities are designed to
increase learners’ interaction with experts, teachers, parents and
the wider community. Learners are encouraged to gather diverse
information and draw their own conclusions.
The textbook is just one way to learn. Learners should enhance
their knowledge by exploring and observing their surroundings.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can also be a
valuable tool for learners’ learning and development, when used
appropriately. Learners can explore ICT with the help of Quick
Response (QR) codes provided in the textbook. QR codes make the
reading experiences more interactive and enjoyable. These QR

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 codes that have additional resources can be accessed by the learners
at their own convenience and pace. These additional resources
include videos, puzzles, games, quizzes, audio, documentaries and
additional content on some topics.
At the end of this book, learners will find a page titled ‘It is not the
end, my friend!’. This includes words of encouragement, motivating
learners to continue their educational journey and ignite their
curiosity for further learning. It is meant to be non-evaluative.
May the journey of every learner be filled with joy and continue
the curiosity in the higher grades as well!
We express our gratitude to all the members of the textbook
development committee for their contributions in shaping this
textbook. We look forward to the feedback of the readers.

Anjni Koul
Professor, Academic Convener
Department of Education in
Science and Mathematics
NCERT

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 National Syllabus and Teaching Learning
Material Committee (NSTC)
1. M.C. Pant, Chancellor, National Institute of Educational
Planning and Administration (NIEPA), (Chairperson)
2. Manjul Bhargava, Professor, Princeton University
(Co-Chairperson)
3. Sudha Murty, Acclaimed Writer and Educationist
4. Bibek Debroy, Chairperson, Economic Advisory Council–Prime
Minister (EAC–PM)
5. Shekhar Mande, Former Director General, CSIR, Distinguished
Professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
6. Sujatha Ramdorai, Professor, University of British Columbia,
Canada
7. Shankar Mahadevan, Music Maestro, Mumbai
8. U. Vimal Kumar, Director, Prakash Padukone Badminton
Academy, Bengaluru
9. Michel Danino, Visiting Professor, IIT–Gandhinagar
10. Surina Rajan, IAS (Retd.), Haryana, Former Director General,
HIPA
11. Chamu Krishna Shastri, Chairperson, Bhasha Samiti, Ministry
of Education
12. Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, Economic Advisory Council–Prime
Minister (EAC–PM)
13. M.D. Srinivas, Chairperson, Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai
14. Gajanan Londhe, Head, Programme Office, NSTC
15. Rabin Chhetri, Director, SCERT, Sikkim
16. Pratyusha Kumar Mandal, Professor, Department of Education
in Social Science, NCERT, New Delhi
17. Dinesh Kumar, Professor and Head, Planning and Monitoring
Division, NCERT, New Delhi
18. Kirti Kapur, Professor, Department of Education in Languages,
NCERT, New Delhi
19. Ranjana Arora, Professor and Head, Department of Curriculum
Studies and Development, NCERT (Member-Secretary)

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 Textbook Development Team

Chairperson, Curricular Area Group (Science)

Shekhar C. Mande, FNA, FASc, FNASc, Former Director General, CSIR,
Distinguished Professor, Bioinformatics Centre, Savitribai Phule Pune
University, Honorary Distinguished Scientist, National Centre for Cell
Science, Pune.
Contributors
Arnab Bhattacharya, Centre Director, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science
Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai,
Professor, Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material
Science, TIFR, Mumbai (Chairperson, Physics Sub-group)
Ashish Kumar Srivastava, Assistant Professor, Department of Education
in Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Gagan Gupta, Associate Professor, Department of Education in Science
and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Meher Wan, Scientist, CSIR-National Institute of Science Communica-
tion and Policy Research, New Delhi
M. S. Sriram, Former Professor and Head, Department of Theoretical
Physics, University of Madras, Chennai and President, K. V. Sarma
Research Foundation, Chennai
Ritika Anand, Principal, St. Mark’s Senior Secondary Public School,
Meera Bagh, New Delhi
Sarita Vig, Professor, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
(IIST), Thiruvananthapuram
V. B. Bhatia, Former Professor, Department of Physics and Astrophysics,
University of Delhi, Delhi
Rachna Garg, Professor, Department of Education in Science and
Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi (Coordinator, Physics Sub-group)
R. Shankar, Adviser, International Geoscience Education Organisation,
Coordinator, International Earth Science Olympiad and Former
Professor, Mangalore University, Mangaluru (Chairperson, Earth
Science Sub-group)
Abhay Kumar, Assistant Professor, Central Institute of Educational
Technology, NCERT, New Delhi

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 H. L. Satheesh, Principal, Maharshi Public School, Mysuru
Poonam Katyal, Former TGT, Zeenat Mahal Sarvodaya Kanya
Vidyalaya, Jafrabad, Delhi
R. Srinivasan, Visiting Professor, Divecha Centre for Climate Change,
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
T. A. Viswanath, Former Associate Professor, Goa University, Goa
R. R. Koireng, Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies
and Development, NCERT, New Delhi (Coordinator, Earth Science
Sub-group)
Saroj Ghaskadbi, Former Senior Professor, Savitribai Phule Pune
University, Pune (Chairperson, Biology Sub-group)
C. V. Shimray, Associate Professor, Department of Education in Science
and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Dinesh Kumar, Professor and Head, Planning and Monitoring Division,
NCERT, New Delhi
Karthick Balsubramanian, Scientist F, Agharkar Research Institute,
Pune
K. V. Sridevi, Associate Professor, Regional Institute of Education,
NCERT, Ajmer
Pankaj Jain, Director, Academic and Operations, Seed2Sapling
Education Foundation, Bengaluru
Pooja Gokhle, Assistant Professor, Sri Venkateshwara College,
University of Delhi, New Delhi
Preeti Khanna, Rehabilitation Professional (Visual Impairement),
National Association for The Blind, New Delhi
Pushplata Verma, Associate Professor, Department of Education in
Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Sarita Kumar, Professor, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of
Delhi, Delhi
Somdutta Karak, Science Communications and Outreach Officer,
CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research, Hyderabad
Sujata Bhargava, Former Professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University,
Pune
Yukti Sharma, Professor, Department of Education (CIE), University of
Delhi, Delhi

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 Sunita Farkya, Professor and Head, Department of Education in
Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi (Coordinator, Biology
Sub-group)
Uday Maitra, Honorary Professor and INSA Senior Scientist, Indian
Institute of Science, Bengaluru (Chairperson, Chemistry Sub-group)
Anand Arya, Associate Professor, Regional Institute of Education,
NCERT, Ajmer
Jaya P. Swaminathan, Teacher Developer, Royal Society of Chemistry,
Bengaluru
Padma Prabhu, Former TGT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and
Teacher Developer, Royal Society of Chemistry, Bengaluru
Pramila Tanwar, Associate Professor, Department of Education in
Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Ravindra Kumar Parashar, Professor, Department of Education in
Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Ravijot Sandhu, PGT (Chemistry), Navyug School, Laxmibai Nagar,
New Delhi
Ruchi Verma, Professor, Department of Education in Science and
Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Sandhiya Lakshmanan, Scientist, CSIR-National Institute of Science
Communication and Policy Research, New Delhi
Sekar Venkatraman, Head of Department, Isha Home School,
Coimbatore
Sunita Malhotra, Professor, Indira Gandhi National Open University,
New Delhi
Tarun Choubisa, Director, Pedagogy and Innovation (Science),
Seed2Sapling Education Foundation, Bengaluru
Vijay Pal Singh, Professor, Department of Education in Science and
Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Reviewers
Aditi Murlidhar, Scientific Officer, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science
Education, TIFR, Mumbai
Ankush Gupta, Associate Professor, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science
Education, TIFR, Mumbai
Anurag Behar, CEO, Azim Premji Foundation, Member, National
Curriculum Framework Oversight Committee

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 B. K. Sharma, Former Professor, Department of Education in Science
and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi
Gajanan Londhe, Director, Samvit Research Foundation, Bengaluru
K. K. Arora, Former Professor, Zakir Husain Delhi College, University
of Delhi, Delhi
Manjul Bhargava, Professor, Princeton University & Co-Chairperson, NSTC
Manjushree Chaudhuri, Former PGT (Physics), Delhi Public School,
R.K. Puram, New Delhi, La Grande Boissière Campus of International
School, Geneva
Mridula Arora, Principal, Navyug School, Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi
Pushpa Tyagi, Former Head of Department (Physics), Sanskriti School,
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi and Former PGT (Physics), Kendriya
Vidyalaya, Delhi
Ravi S. Nanjundiah, Professor, Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic
Sciences (CAOS), Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
Sanjay P. Sane, Professor, National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR,
Bengaluru
Savita Ladage, Professor, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education,
TIFR, Mumbai
Surendra Ghaskadbi, Former Scientist G, Agharkar Research Institute,
Pune
Vijay Sarda, Former Associate Professor, Zakir Hussain Dellhi College,
University of Delhi, Delhi
V. P. Srivastava, Former Professor, Department of Education in Science
and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi

Member-convener, Curricular Area Group (Science)

Anjni Koul, Professor, Department of Education in Science and
Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi (Coordinator, Chemistry Sub-group)

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 Acknowledgements
The National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT) acknowledges the guidance and support of the esteemed
Chairperson and members of the Curricular Area Group (CAG):
Science and other concerned CAGs for their guidelines on cross-cutting
themes in developing this textbook.
The Council is grateful to the members of the Textbook
Development Team, for their contribution in the development
of this textbook. The Council also gratefully acknowledges the
contribution of the participating members for giving inputs in
refining of the textbook—Ankita Dureja, TGT Science, DAV Public
School, Gurugram; Anupa Kumbhar, Assistant Professor, Savitribai
Phule Pune University, Pune; Ganti S. Murthy, Professor, IIT Indore;
Jatinder Mohan Mishra, Professor, DEL, NCERT, New Delhi; Lalmin
Kipgen, Assistant Professor, Division of Educational Kits, NCERT,
New Delhi; Mayuri Rege, Reader, HBCSE, TIFR, Mumbai; Meenakshi,
Assistant Professor, DEL, NCERT; Michel Danino, Visiting Professor,
IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Neeraja Dashaputre, Assistant Professor,
IISER, Pune; Paresh Joshi, Professor, HBCSE, TIFR, Mumbai; Poonam
Bhadoria, Ph.D Scholar, IIT Varanasi; P. V. Raghavendra, Associate
Professor, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi; Rahul S. Chatterjee, Assistant
Lecturer (Physics), Boys’ Higher Secondary School, Shillong; Rama
P. Jayasundar, Head, Department of NMR, AIIMS, New Delhi; Saket
Bahuguna, Assistant Professor (Linguistics), Central Institute
of Hindi, Delhi Centre, Ministry of Education, Government of
India; Santosh Gharpure, Professor, IIT Bombay; Shirish Pathare,
Scientific Officer, HBCSE, TIFR, Mumbai; Sudesh Kumar, Associate
Professor, DESM, NCERT; Vijay Singh, Former Professor, IIT Kanpur,
Former Professor, HBCSE, TIFR, Mumbai, Visiting Professor, Centre
for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS), Mumbai; V. P. Arya,
Assistant Professor, Regional Institute of Education, NCERT, Ajmer;
V. Ramanathan, Assistant Professor, IIT BHU, Varanasi.
The Council is thankful to Manoj Nair, Scientific Officer, HBCSE,
TIFR, Mumbai for making some of the illustrations for Chapter 7
‘Temperature and its Measurement.’ The Council is also thankful

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 to L. N. Aggarwal, Former Director, Geological Survey of India; R.
Shankar, Former Professor, Mangalore University; Ravi Korishettar,
Adjunct Professor, National Institute of Advance Studies, Bengaluru;
Prabhakar Sangurmath, Former Executive Director, Hutti Gold Mines
Company Limited, Bengaluru for providing some photographs of
rocks and minerals for Chapter 11 ‘Nature’s Treasures.’ The Council
is also thankful to Dorje Angchuk, Engineer-in-charge, Indian
Astronomical Observatory (IIA), Hanle, Ladakh for providing the
photographs and to Pritesh Ranadive, Scientific Officer, HBCSE, TIFR,
Mumbai for providing some illustrations from Stellarium (a free
open-source planetarium) for Chapter 12 ‘Beyond Earth.’
Acknowledgements are due to Sridhar Srivastava, Joint Director,
NCERT; Amrendra P. Behera, Joint Director, CIET, NCERT; Ranjana
Arora, Professor and Head, DCS&D, NCERT; Sunita Farkya, Professor
and Head, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi for providing academic,
administrative and technical support.
The Council is thankful to Fanindra Sharma, Consultant,
Programme Office, NSTC, NCERT, New Delhi; M Pramod Kumar,
Senior Consultant, Programme Office, Assistant Professor, Amrita
Darshanam Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore;
Suparna Diwakar, Educator and Development Sector Professional
and Chief Consultant, Programme Office, NSTC, NCERT, New Delhi.
The Council acknowledges the efforts of Annu Dahiya, Archana,
Neha Dhingra, Manish Joshi, Tanya Kaur, Senior Research Associates,
Nitika Rani, Course Administrator, and Neha Yadav, Junior Project
Fellow, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi; and the support provided by the
APC office and administrative staff of DESM.
Acknowledgements are due to Ankeeta Bezboruah, Freelance
Editor and Mathew John, Former Editor, NCERT, New Delhi, for their
valuable assistance in editing the manuscript of this textbook. The
Council acknowledges the contribution of Pawan Kumar Barriar,
In-charge, DTP Cell, Publication Division, NCERT; Vipan Kumar
Sharma, Manoj Kumar, Shiv Shankar Dubey, and Rajshree Saini,
DTP Operators (Contractual), Publication Division, NCERT for giving
this document a final shape.

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 Contents
Foreword iii
About the Book v
Chapter 1
The Wonderful World of Science 1
Chapter 2
Diversity in the Living World 9
Chapter 3
Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body 35
Chapter 4
Exploring Magnets 61
Chapter 5
Measurement of Length and Motion 79
Chapter 6
Materials Around Us 101
Chapter 7
Temperature and its Measurement 123
Chapter 8
A Journey through States of Water 143
Chapter 9
Methods of Separation in Everyday Life 163
Chapter 10
Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics 183
Chapter 11
Nature’s Treasures 207
Chapter 12
Beyond Earth 231

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0 [Link] 18 10-07-2024 18:12:45
 Chapter

1 The Wonderful World of Science

As human beings, we have always been curious about our

surroundings. We start exploring our surroundings and
asking questions right from our childhood. Did you enjoy
discovering and exploring the world around you in the
Preparatory Stage of school? As you enter the Middle Stage,
we will continue this fascinating journey, trying to explore
and understand the beautiful world we live in. And for that,
we have a new subject, Science. Welcome to the

?
wonderful world of Science!
Science is a way of thinking, observing and What is
doing things to understand the world we live in Science?
and to uncover the secrets of the universe. Think
of it as a big adventure—we ask questions,
explore the world and try to understand how
things work. For this, the most important thing is to have
‘Curiosity’, which is where the title of this book comes
from.
Whether it is studying tiny grains of sand or massive
mountains, a leaf of grass or a vast forest, there is always
something new and exciting to discover. Have you ever
looked up at the night sky
and wondered why the stars
shine? Or watched a flower
bloom and wondered how
it knows when to open?
These are just a few of
the many mysteries that
science helps us unravel.
The most wonderful thing
about science is that it
is everywhere. From the
depths of the ocean to the A mountainous region

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 A Desert A Coast

vastness of outer space, from what is cooking in the kitchen

to what is happening on the playground, some of the
most groundbreaking discoveries have often come from
unexpected places.

An underwater view of an Ocean A Galaxy

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Science is like a giant and unending jigsaw puzzle. Every

new discovery we make adds another piece to that puzzle.
And you know the best thing about this puzzle? There is
no limit to what we can discover, since every new piece
of knowledge leads to more questions and more things to
find out. Sometimes, we find that a piece of this puzzle has
been put in the wrong place and needs to be moved. New
discoveries often change our understanding of the world.
As you go through this book, you will encounter
interesting ideas, do some thought-provoking experiments,
and see how some of what we will find out is useful in our
2

Chapter [Link] 2 08-07-2024 05:23:26 PM

 daily lives. And guess what happens as we

?
discover more and more? We start realising What will we
that these ideas are all connected. explore with
We will start off by looking at our the help of this
home, planet Earth. It is the only planet book?
we know that supports life, and it has an
environment that we must protect. There
is an amazing variety of life on Earth—plants
and animals that have managed to survive and thrive in
different regions on this planet. You might have seen a seed
grow into a plant, a caterpillar transform into a beautiful
butterfly and many more such observations. How do these
plants and animals grow?

Of course, to grow, we need food to eat, and especially in

a large and diverse country like India, food is so fascinating.
Across the country, we have different cuisines with their many
tasty dishes. What are they made of? How do we find out?
The Wonderful World of Science

Chapter [Link] 3 08-07-2024 05:23:39 PM

 Along with food, we need water to survive. Water is such
a delightful substance. Have you ever run and jumped in a
puddle when it rained? Do you ever wonder why and how it
rains?
Have you noticed that water freezes and becomes ice
when we cool it and boils and becomes steam when we
heat it? Do you enjoy drinking cool water in the summer
or showering with warm water in the winter? How do we
understand hot and cold? Whether it is water, or our own
body when we have fever, finding out how hot something is
can be important!

Then again, there are so many different things around

us—the paper we write on, the metal key, the plastic ruler
and the rubber eraser in our box, the magnet that keeps the
box closed, the clothes we wear, the cup we drink milk in
and so many other things. What are they made of? Are they
made of different materials? How do we separate different
materials from one another?
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Chapter [Link] 4 08-07-2024 05:23:48 PM

 We will have an almost unending list of questions about
everything on Earth as we further explore this book. But
why limit our questions to the Earth alone? We can ask
questions on things beyond—the Sun, the Moon, and the
millions of stars that shine in the sky!
Whether you are learning about the

?
structure of a leaf, discovering how things
How can we try
move, or separating the skin of a peanut seed,
to find answers
we hope each chapter of this book will ignite
to our questions
your spirit of inquiry. And hopefully you will on our own?
have lots of questions in your mind!
Even though you may not realise it, you
have already been finding answers to many
of your questions. Suppose your pen stops
writing. What would you do? You would ask yourself the
question, “Why did my pen stop writing?”. You might guess
that the ink finished.
You would then test this guess by opening
the pen and checking the ink refill. If it is
empty, you would know that your guess
was correct. But suppose you find that
the ink was not finished. Now what
would you do? You would make another
guess—perhaps the ink might have
dried up. To test if this guess is correct
or not, you will try something else.
This is exactly how Science
works! The way you tried to find
out why your pen stopped writing
is an example of the scientific
method.

Activity 1: Let us think and write

The Wonderful World of Science

‹‹ Write about a similar problem that you tried to solve.

‹‹ What steps did you take?
Science is not just about memorising facts and figures or
doing experiments. It is about following a step-by-step
process that helps us find answers to our questions. So what
are the steps that we can follow?
5

Chapter [Link] 5 08-07-2024 05:23:50 PM

 First, we observe something that we find interesting
or we do not understand.

This makes us wonder and perhaps think of a question

about it.

Then, we guess a possible answer to that question.

We test this guess through experiments or more

observations.

We then try to analyse the results to see if it actually answered

our question.

Scientists are people who

follow the scientific method to
solve problems or to discover
new things. But anyone who
follows the scientific method is
working like a scientist. Someone
cooking food may be wondering
why the dal has spilled out of
the cooker—was there too much
water?
Think of a bicycle repair
person trying to find out why a
tyre is flat—from where did the
air leak out? Or an electrician
trying to find why a light bulb
is not working—is there some
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

problem with the bulb or the

switch? When we try to ask
questions and find out answers,
in a way, we are all scientists!

Activity 2: Let us think and write

‹‹ Describe a daily life situation where you feel someone
was following a scientific method.
Do you now realise that there are several daily life situations
where we knowingly or unknowingly apply the scientific
6

Chapter [Link] 6 08-07-2024 05:23:53 PM

 method? Though we all apply the scientific method to
some extent, learning science will develop our capabilities
for finding solutions to bigger problems and solving
more mysteries of the universe. And to be able to learn
science well, the first and foremost thing is to be curious
and observe your surroundings keenly. And when we are
curious, we start posing questions, asking how and why?
Just remember, the world is full of things we do not know,
things that are waiting to be explored.

Activity 3: Let us think and write

‹‹ If you have to ask “Why?” about something, what would

you ask about?
‹‹ Try to write down how you would attempt to find an
answer to your question.
Science is rarely done alone. Scientists across the world
work together, often in large teams. So, if you cannot find
an answer yourself, ask your friends to help you out! It is
always more fun to discover things together.

The Wonderful World of Science

Of course, remember that you will not find answers to

all your questions within Grade 6. Do not worry, you are
embarking upon a journey of science for the next five years
or even beyond!
7

Chapter [Link] 7 08-07-2024 05:23:55 PM

 ?
Much like children enjoying After all, to be
the rain, science is all about joyful a wise person,
exploration. Enjoy your scientific you must be a
journey, keep exploring and never “whys” person!
stop wondering about the amazing
mysteries of the universe and asking
questions.
Are you ready to embark upon the exciting journey of
Science? Let us get started!!
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Chapter [Link] 8 08-07-2024 05:23:57 PM

 Chapter

2 Diversity in the Living World

छायामन्यस्य कुर्वन्ति तिष्ठन्ति स्वयमातपे ।

फलान्यपि परार्थाय वक ृ ्षाः सत्पुरुषा इव ॥
(सभ
ु ाषित)
Trees stand in the Sun and give shade to others. Their
fruits are also for others. Likewise, good people bear all
hardships and bring welfare to others. They give to others
whatever they have earned.
(Wise saying)

It is a pleasant morning after yesterday’s refreshing rain.

Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha (uncle) have been invited
to the school by the science teacher, Madam Sulekha, to

Chapter [Link] 9 10-07-2024 18:14:30

 facilitate an exciting nature walk. Dr Raghu is a scientist at
the nearby Research Laboratory and Maniram chacha is an
elderly person from a nearby community. Maniram chacha
is an expert in mimicking bird calls. He is also brilliant at
identifying a variety of plants and animals.
To prepare them for the nature walk, Dr Raghu informs
the students that the objective of this walk is to experience
the beauty and variety of plants and animals in the nature.
The students are excited to join them. They are curious
to interact and learn from them. The teacher advises the
students to carry a notebook, a pen and a water bottle.
As they walk, they begin exploring the plants and animals
around them. Dr Raghu advises the students to notice the
variety of smells in the park and emphasises respecting all
living creatures and observing them without disturbing.
Maniram chacha tells the students to not only observe different
plants and animals but also to carefully listen to different
sounds. The students come across a variety of plants, including
grasses, bushes, and large trees. They also observe a variety
Wow! It is
of birds sitting on the branches of trees, butterflies moving
amazing how
each bird has from flower to flower and monkeys jumping from one tree
its own unique to another. They record their observations in their notebooks
chirp. and discuss them with Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha.
The students can hear the chirping of birds. Dr Raghu
informs them that each bird has a unique chirp. This is an
example of diversity in nature. Dr Raghu requests Maniram
chacha to mimic calls of some birds. Maniram chacha
mimics different bird calls. The students enthusiastically
start copying him.
Have you ever observed different plants and animals
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

around you? Share and discuss your observations with your

friends and teacher.

2.1 Diversity in Plants and Animals Around Us

Activity 2.1: Let us explore and record
‹‹ Plan for a nature walk with your teacher to a park or a
nearby forest.
‹‹ While on the nature walk, observe different plants,
insects, birds, and other animals. Also, note the weather
10 conditions, whether it is hot, cold, windy and so on.

Chapter [Link] 10 10-07-2024 18:14:45

 ‹‹ You can collect different types of fallen leaves or
flowers and create a scrapbook.
‹‹ Take care of the plants and animals in nature. Ensure
that you do not disturb the plants and animals in the
park. Do not pluck leaves and flowers.
‹‹ Record your observations in Table 2.1 about the
features of stems, leaves, flowers and anything
interesting in various plants. Some examples have been
given for you in Fig. 2.1 and Table 2.1.

(a) Grass (b) Tulsi (Holy Basil) (c) Hibiscus (Gudhal)

Fig. 2.1: Examples of different features of some plants

Table 2.1: Observations of different plants around us

Local Leaves (shape/ Any other
S. no. name of Stem arrangement of Flowers observations
plant leaves) and features
A single leaf grows
Common Soft and alternatively from
1. Green leaves
grass thin different points on
the stem
Arrangement of
Hard a pair of leaves Pinkish
2. Tulsi
and thin in the opposite purple
Diversity in the Living World

directions

3. Hibiscus Hard

Hard Leaves with

4. Neem and smooth
thick surfaces

5. Any other

11

Chapter [Link] 11 10-07-2024 18:15:04

 What similarities and differences did you find among the
plants that you observed?
You must have observed that plants have a variety of
features such as—
‹‹ tall/short, hard/soft stem
‹‹ different shapes of leaves and their arrangement on
the stem or branches
‹‹ flowers varying in colour, shape, and scent
Now, create a list of animals you observed during this
walk or from your previous experiences. Record the places
where they live, the food they eat and the ways they move
around in Table 2.2. Some examples have been provided
for you.
Table 2.2: Observations of different animals around us

Name of Place where Food they The way Any other

the animal they live eat they move observations
(local name) around and features
Carrying a
Crow Tree Insects Fly and walk twig in its
beak

Nest in soil Leaves, seeds

Ant Have six legs
and burrow and insects

Grasses,
Cow
leaves

Any other
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

What are the similarities and differences among the

animals that you have observed and recorded in Table 2.2?
You would have observed that some animals live on land
while some others live on trees. Birds live on trees. Fish live
in water and some animals like frogs live on land as well as
in water. Animals also have a variety of foods they consume
and movements they exhibit.
Sketch the plants and animals observed by you in your
notebook or prepare a scrapbook with leaves, flowers from
different plants and feathers from animals. Write all the
12 details you have gathered about them.

Chapter [Link] 12 10-07-2024 18:15:04

 While travelling to and from school, observe your
surroundings and look out for a variety of plants and
animals. Add the name of any plant or animal that you have
not listed before in Tables 2.1 and 2.2.
Activity 2.2: Let us appreciate
‹‹ Close your eyes for 30 seconds and think of one plant
and one animal that you have closely observed and
have appreciated very much.
‹‹ Now each one of you can draw the plant and animal
that you thought of on the blackboard.
‹‹ What are your observations about the various plants
and animals that have been drawn?

Diversity in the Living World

‹‹ How many different plants and animals did the entire

class draw on the blackboard?
‹‹ Do you think that there may be many more varieties
of plants and animals other than those drawn on
the board?
The variety of plants and animals found in a particular
region contributes to the biodiversity of that region.
13

Chapter [Link] 13 10-07-2024 18:15:06

 Each member in the biodiversity of a region has a different
role to play. For example, trees provide food and shelter to
some birds and other animals, animals help in spreading
seeds after eating fruits, and so on. Can you think of more
such examples? This shows that plants and animals are
dependent on each other.

2.2 How to Group Plants and Animals?

How would you arrange your books and notebooks in
groups? Would arranging them in groups help you better
organise your school bag?
Now, let us look at the world around us. We are surrounded
by a variety of plants and animals with different features
about which you have learnt in section 2.1. We can group
them based on similarities and differences among them.
Activity 2.3: Let us group
‹‹ Collect pictures of various other plants and animals. Cut
their pictures from old magazines, newspapers, charts
and other sources. Paste each of these pictures on a
different card.
‹‹ Divide your class in groups of 5–6 students each.
‹‹ Pool the cards prepared by the students in your group.
‹‹ Observe various features of plants and animals shown
on the cards.
‹‹ Recall the features of plants and animals that you have
listed in Tables 2.1 and 2.2.
Group them on the basis of common features.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹

‹‹ Share and discuss the basis of grouping you have made

with other groups in your class.
You will be surprised to see that the basis used by different
groups may vary. What do you think are the reasons behind
it? Different students might have chosen different common
features for the grouping. For example, some students may
have chosen the height of plants as the basis for grouping
while others might have chosen presence or absence of
flowers as the basis for grouping of plants (See Fig. 2.2).

14

Chapter [Link] 14 10-07-2024 18:15:06

 Presence/
Hard/soft Eating Place they
absence of
stem habits live
flowers
Fig. 2.2: Some possible criteria of groupings of plants and animals

You may have grouped animals based on varied features,

such as what they eat, where they live, what colour they are
and how they move.
What is the importance of grouping? Grouping makes it
easier to understand and study plants and animals on the
basis of their similarities and differences.
You will learn more about the importance of grouping in
our daily lives in the chapter, ‘Materials Around Us’.

2.2.1 How to group plants?

You must have noticed that plants show variation in the
features related to stems, leaves, flowers, and more. The
stems of different plants vary in thickness, height, and
hardness, while the leaves vary in shape, colour, size and
arrangement. You might have tried grouping the plants in
Activity 2.3 using one of these features.
You might have also learnt in earlier classes that plants
can be grouped into herbs, shrubs, and trees based on their
height and types of stem. Let us study the features of plants
in more detail and group them on that basis.

Activity 2.4: Let us group

‹‹ Let us go on a nature walk again for some more
interesting observations.
‹‹ Look closely at the heights of different plants. Are these
plants shorter than you, as tall as you, or taller than you?
Diversity in the Living World

‹‹ Is the stem brown or green? Touch and feel their stems

and try to bend them gently. Can you bend the stem
easily, or is it stiff? Take care that stems do not break.
‹‹ Also, observe from where the branches of the plants
arise—whether they arise close to the ground or higher
up on the stem. Fill in your observations in Table 2.3.
A few examples are already given.

15

Chapter [Link] 15 10-07-2024 18:15:06

 Table 2.3: Grouping of plants based on height and nature of stem

S. Name of Height Nature of stem Appearance of Name

no. the plant branches of plant
group
Short/ Green/ Tender/ Thick/ Close Higher
Medium/ Brown Hard Thin to the up on
Tall ground the
stem

1. Mango Tall Brown Hard Thick Yes Tree

2. Rose Medium Brown Hard Thin Yes Shrub

3. Tomato Short Green Tender Thin Yes Herb

What differences do you observe

among herbs, shrubs, and trees? How
can you group plants as herbs, shrubs,
and trees based on the data entered in
Table 2.3?
Some plants grow really tall and have
hard, thick, brown, and woody stems.
Their branches typically start higher up
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

on the stem and away from the ground.

(a) Tree These plants are called trees. For
example, a mango tree (Fig. 2.3a).

16
(b) Shrub (c) Herb
Fig. 2.3: Types of plants

Chapter [Link] 16 10-07-2024 18:15:35

 Some plants are not as tall as trees. These plants often
have many brown woody stems that start branching very
close to the ground. These stems are hard but not as thick
as the stem of a tree. These plants are called shrubs. For
example, a rose plant is a shrub (Fig. 2.3b).
Some plants are typically small with soft and green stems.
These are known as herbs. For example, a tomato plant is a
herb (Fig. 2.3c).
Some plants with weak stems need support to climb and
grow, and are called climbers. Some plants creep along the
ground and are called creepers.
What can be other features on the basis of which you can
group plants? Let us perform another activity.
Activity 2.5: Let us compare
‹‹ Look at the leaves of different plants collected by you,
during the nature walk.
‹‹ Do you notice the variation in the shape and structure
of these leaves?
You may observe thin lines on the leaves of the plants
(Fig. 2.4a). These are veins. The pattern of veins on the leaf
is called venation. What differences do you see in the veins
of leaves shown in Fig. 2.4a and Fig. 2.4b?

(a) Hibiscus leaf with (b) Banana leaf with (c) Grass leaf with
reticulate venation parallel venation parallel venation
Diversity in the Living World

Fig. 2.4: Leaves showing different types of venation

In some leaves, you can observe a net-like pattern of
veins on both sides of a thick middle vein. This pattern is
called reticulate venation. For example, leaves of hibiscus
exhibit reticulate venation (Fig. 2.4a). In some leaves, you
may observe that the veins run parallel. This pattern is called
parallel venation. For example, the leaves of banana plants
and grasses exhibit parallel venation (Fig. 2.4b and Fig. 2.4c).
17

Chapter [Link] 17 10-07-2024 18:15:36

 Do you think that plants can be grouped on the basis of
venation present in their leaves?
Now, let us try to explore roots of the plants. Do all plants
have roots? Are these roots similar?
Activity 2.6: Let us find out
‹‹ Visit an open area where wild herbs and grasses are
growing. You may use small herbs for this exercise.
‹‹ Using a khurpi (trowel), carefully dig out a few different
herbs without damaging the roots. To do this, you may
wet the soil and loosen it.
‹‹ Wash the roots with water and observe them.
‹‹ After you are done observing, make sure to replant the
herbs so that they may continue to thrive and grow.
What are the similarities and differences in the roots of
the plants collected by you? What differences do you see in
the roots of plants shown in Fig. 2.5a and Fig. 2.5b?
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) Taproot system in (b) Fibrous root system

a mustard plant in common grass
Fig. 2.5: Types of roots
Observe carefully the roots of a mustard plant in Fig.
2.5a. The roots of this plant consist of one main root and
small side roots arising from it. The main root is called
taproot. Another example of a plant having taproots is
hibiscus observed by you in Activity 2.1. The plant in Fig.
2.5b is a common grass plant. The roots of this plant appear
as a bunch of similar-sized thin roots arising from the base
of the stem. Such roots are called fibrous roots (Fig. 2.5b).
18 Does your collection include any other grasses? What kind
of roots do they have?

Chapter [Link] 18 10-07-2024 18:16:03

 Is there any relation between the type of leaf venation
and the type of root of the same plant? How do we find
this out?
Activity 2.7: Let us relate and analyse
‹‹ Collect saplings of five common plants from your school
nursery or any other nurseries to plant in your school
garden. Examples of such plants can include lemongrass,
marigold, sadabahar (periwinkle), and others.
‹‹ Before planting them, observe their roots and the
venation in their leaves.
‹‹ Record your observations in Table 2.4.

Table 2.4: Types of leaf venation and roots

S. no. Name of the Type of leaf Type of root

plant venation (fibrous/tap)
(reticulate/
parallel)

1. Lemongrass Parallel Fibrous

2.

3.

4.

5.

Do you observe any relation between the leaf venation

and types of root in these plants? A sadabahar plant has
a taproot and its leaves have reticulate venation. Do
Diversity in the Living World

other plants with reticulate venation have taproots too?

Lemongrass, on the other hand, has fibrous roots and its
leaves have parallel venation. Do other plants with parallel
venation have fibrous roots too? Generally, plants with
reticulate venation have taproots while those with parallel
venation have fibrous roots.
Chickpea (chana) is another example of a plant with
taproots and reticulate venation in leaves. Wheat is an
example of a plant with fibrous roots and parallel venation
19
in its leaves.

Chapter [Link] 19 10-07-2024 18:16:03

 Is there any relation among the seed of a plant, types of
root and leaf venation? Are all seeds similar?
Activity 2.8: Let us compare
‹‹ Soak some chickpea and maize seeds in water for two
or three days.
‹‹ Remove the seed coat of a chickpea. Now, observe the
structure of the chickpea and maize seeds. Are they
similar or different?
Cotyledons

(a) Dicot seed (chickpea) (b) Monocot seed (maize)

Fig. 2.6: Dicot and monocot seeds

You would notice that chickpea seeds are split into two
parts (Fig. 2.6a). Each part is called a cotyledon. Plants that
have seeds with two cotyledons are called dicotyledons
(dicots). Maize has a single thin cotyledon (Fig. 2.6b). Plants
with such seeds are called monocotyledons (monocots).
What relation do you observe among leaf venation, root
types and the number of cotyledons in seeds of a plant?
Dicot plants have reticulate venation and a taproot system
while monocot plants have parallel venation and a fibrous
root system.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

You have learnt about some features used for grouping

plants. Now, let us explore the grouping of animals in more
detail.

2.2.2 How to group animals?

Just like plants, animals too are significantly different from
one another. How can we group such a wide variety of
animals? What features can you think of to group them? In
Activity 2.3, you have already set some bases for grouping
animals. Let us explore a few of these in more detail.
20

Chapter [Link] 20 10-07-2024 18:16:03

 Activity 2.9: Let us find out
You have recorded the movement of a few animals in
Table 2.2. You may have also observed how other animals
move from place to place. Let us now think about the types
of movement in animals. A number of animals are shown
in Fig. 2.7. You can add more animals that you may have
observed and create a poster on the variety of animals.
Which body parts are used by the animals in the poster you
created and those in Fig. 2.7 for movement?

Diversity in the Living World

Fig. 2.7: Diversity in animals

‹‹ List these animals in Table 2.5.

‹‹ Note the ways in which these animals move and name
the body parts used for movement. Some examples are
given in Table 2.5.

21

Chapter [Link] 21 10-07-2024 18:16:05

 Table 2.5: Movements in animals and their body parts involved

S. no. Name of the Type of Body parts used

animal movement for movement
1. Ant Legs
2. Goat Walks and jumps Legs

3. Pigeon Flies Wings

4. Housefly Walks and flies Legs and wings
5. Fish Fins
6. Any other
7.
8.

What conclusions can you draw from the data given in

Table 2.5?
Different animals have different types of movement.
Animals can fly, run, crawl, walk, hop or jump, and so on.
These animals use different body parts for moving from
one place to another. They may use wings, legs, and other
parts that help them to move. Here, we have identified
animals based on the types of movement and the body
parts used for movement. How can we group animals
based on their movements? Additionally, many animals
differ from each other in shape, size, structure, colour, and
other features. Some of these features can also be used to
group animals in various ways. Like plants, grouping of
animals is important for understanding their diversity.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Know a scientist

Janaki Ammal (1897–1984) was an Indian botanist

dedicated to environmental work and helped
to document and preserve India’s rich plant
biodiversity. She played a key role in the ‘Save Silent
Valley’ movement. As the head of the Botanical
Survey of India, she initiated programmes to
22 document the plant diversity of India.

Chapter [Link] 22 10-07-2024 18:16:21

 Success Story—Save Silent Valley Movement
This is a real story of a forest in Palakkad district of Kerala.
It is about preserving untouched beauty of a moist evergreen
forest and its rich biodiversity. The now-famous Silent Valley
was saved by a remarkable movement led by common people
who were not even residing in the vicinity of the forest. The
battle against the proposal of a hydroelectric dam across
the Kunthipuzha river persisted for 10 years. At that time,
people used all possible available means, such as widespread
awareness programmes, letters to editors, articles in,
newspapers, seminars, and petitions and appeals in court. The
movement was successful in saving the Silent Valley. More to
know!

2.3 Plants and Animals in Different

Surroundings
You might have observed during nature walks that
different animals live in different surroundings. You
have also recorded movement of animals in Table 2.5.
Does the movement of these animals depend upon their
surroundings? Let us consider fish and goats as examples.
Fish live in water. They have streamlined bodies and fins
for movement in water (Fig. 2.8a). Goats live in grassy
areas and move with the help of legs (Fig. 2.8b). The sizes
and shapes of animals also differ from one another.

Diversity in the Living World

Legs
Fins
(a) A fish swims in water (b) A goat walks on ground
with the help of fins with the help of legs
Fig. 2.8: Body parts used by animals for movement

23

Chapter [Link] 23 10-07-2024 18:17:04

 Activity 2.10: Let us compare and analyse
‹‹ Look at Table 2.6. Recreate a similar table on the
blackboard.
‹‹ List the names of plants and animals you or your
classmates have observed in these regions or already
know about. A few examples are given. You can add more.

Table 2.6: Animals and plants found in different surroundings

S. In the On In the In the Any other

no. desert mountains ocean forest

1. Camel Deodar tree Fish Lion

2. Any other

3.

What are your observations

regarding plants and animals
found in various regions? Discuss
your observations with your
classmates.
You might observe from Table
2.6 that the plants and animals
found in one kind of region are
different from those found in
Fig. 2.9: Cactus with thick and another kind of region.
fleshy stems in a desert
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

During a discussion in the classroom,

Alex recalls that he observed cactus
plants with thick and fleshy stems in
the deserts of Rajasthan (Fig. 2.9). Maya
shares that she saw deodar trees in
the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh
(Fig. 2.10). These trees are conical in
shape and have flexible and sloping
branches.
Notice that these two types of plants Fig. 2.10: A deodar
24 found in different regions are different tree in the mountains

Chapter [Link] 24 10-07-2024 18:17:08

 from each other. Why is it so? Why does the biodiversity of
a region vary from that of another? Let us find out.
There is very little water available in the deserts. A hot
desert is typically very hot during the day and very cold at
night. Therefore, you will find plants and animals in these
areas that can tolerate and survive both the hot conditions
during the day and cold conditions at night. The fleshy stems
of plants found in the desert can store water and help them
tolerate the hot conditions in these places.
The mountains in extremely cold regions experience
frequent snowfall. In order to survive in such conditions,
some of the trees have the ability to let the snow slide off
easily. Conical shape and sloping branches of deodar trees
enable them to do so easily.
You must have understood by now that the biodiversity
varies from region to region because of diverse conditions.
Look at the images of a camel from the hot desert of
Rajasthan (Fig. 2.11) and a camel from the cold desert of
Ladakh (Fig. 2.12). What are the differences you observe
between them? What advantages do these differences
provide to these camels?

Hooves Hooves
Fig. 2.11: A camel living in the hot Fig. 2.12: A camel living in the
desert of Rajasthan cold desert of Ladakh
Diversity in the Living World

The camel in the hot desert has long legs with wide hooves.
Alex shares that his grandmother told him that the long legs
and wide hooves help these camels to walk on the sandy
desert without sinking into the sand. On the other hand, the
height and legs of camels in a cold desert are comparatively
shorter than those found in a hot desert. These short legs
allow them to walk easily in mountainous regions.
25

Chapter [Link] 25 10-07-2024 18:17:19

 In deserts, food is not available easily. Camels store food
in their humps. Camels in the hot desert have one hump
each that helps them to survive during the scarcity of food.
Camels in the cold desert have two humps each. These two
humps shrink in late winters because there is not much food
available in the cold desert and they have to use food stored
in their humps during that time. Moreover, they grow long
hair from head to neck, which help them survive the cold
winters of Ladakh.
What other features can help camels to survive in the
desert?
Other students also start sharing their observations.
Kashi from Rajasthan says that camels excrete small
amounts of urine, their dung is dry, and they do not sweat.
As camels do not lose much water from their bodies, they
can survive for many days without drinking water.
Maya talks about seeing plants
with beautiful bright flowers,
rhododendrons, in the Shola
forests of Nilgiris (Fig. 2.13a). Here,
rhododendrons are of shorter
height and have smaller leaves to
survive through the heavy winds
on mountain tops. However, Pema,
who is from Sikkim, mentions that
she has observed rhododendrons in
(a) Rhododendron in Nilgiris the nearby mountains to be taller
(Fig. 2.13b). So, even plants such
as rhododendrons may exhibit
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

different features in different

regions to survive the conditions of
those regions.
Sagar tells his classmates that he
went to the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands with his parents for a special
event. He saw huge whales and
colourful fish in the ocean. His father
explained that the streamlined body
(b) Rhododendron in Sikkim of fish makes it easier for them to
Fig. 2.13: Different features of swim in water.
26 rhododendrons in two different regions

Chapter [Link] 26 10-07-2024 18:17:22

 We have learnt that the plants and animals living in a
particular region have special features that make them fit
to survive there. The special features that enable plants
and animals to survive in a particular region are called
adaptations.
The shape of the deodar tree and the height of the
rhododendron are adaptations that enable them to survive
in the mountainous regions.
The place where plants and animals live is called their
habitat. For example, the habitat of sea turtles is the sea
or the ocean. The habitat of a camel is the hot or the cold
desert, and the habitat of a rhododendron is the mountains.
The habitat of plants and animals provides them food,
water, air, shelter and other needs for their survival. Many
types of plants and animals may share the same habitat.
Habitat plays an important role in shaping the biodiversity
of a region.

Know a scientist

Salim Ali (1896–1987) travelled across India

to observe diversity in birds. He prepared a list
of birds and documented their travel routes
and habitats. He recorded the regions with
high diversity of birds and took measures to
conserve these regions. Keoladeo National Park
in Bharatpur, Rajasthan and Ranganathittu Bird
Sanctuary in Mandya, Karnataka are examples of
regions he preserved. He wrote a landmark series
of 10 books on birds of the Indian Subcontinent.
He is referred to as the ‘Birdman of India’. He was
Diversity in the Living World

awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1976.

What are the different ways you can group plants and
animals based on their habitats? One way is to group them
into those ‘that live on land’ and those ‘that live in water’.
The plants and animals that live on land are said to live in
terrestrial habitats. Some examples of terrestrial habitats
are forests, deserts, grasslands, and mountains.
27

Chapter [Link] 27 10-07-2024 18:17:28

 The plants and animals that live in water are said to live
in aquatic habitats. Some examples of aquatic habitats are
ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
Some animals, such as frogs, can live in water as well as
on land. These are called amphibians.
What would happen if the habitat of a plant or an animal
is damaged? What would happen if a goat does not get grass
to eat? Can a fish survive without water?
Check with your parents, grandparents and neighbours
to know about the plants, birds, insects or any other animal
they used to see frequently in their childhood but do not see
as often now. These changes often happen when habitats
are damaged. The damage to habitats of plants and animals
results in loss of their homes, food, and other resources.
This leads to the loss of biodiversity.

The populations of the Bengal Tiger, Cheetah, and Great Indian

Bustard have declined in India due to loss of natural habitats
caused by human activities. The Government of India has
initiated several projects to conserve our biodiversity. ‘Project
Tiger’ was initiated in 1973 to protect the declining population
of the Bengal Tiger. The ‘Cheetah Reintroduction Project’ was
initiated in 2022 to restore the population of the Cheetah.
Similarly, habitats of the Great Indian Bustards have been
declared as Protected areas in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan
and Maharashtra.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Bengal Tiger Cheetah Great Indian Bustard

Do you
know?

28

Chapter [Link] 28 10-07-2024 18:18:23

 Traditionally Protected Forests: Sacred Groves
Sacred groves are undisturbed patches of forests. Their sizes
may vary from quite small to very large. Sacred groves are
found all over India. They are home to different kinds of
plants and animals, including
numerous medicinal plants.
These are protected by the
local community and no one is
allowed to harm any animals
and cut trees in these groves,
or disturb the area. This
way, sacred groves are
a community protected
Sacred grove from the Western treasure of biodiversity.
Ghats
Find out about the sacred More to
groves in your region. know!

We must protect biodiversity to ensure our planet is full

of life, helping plants and animals to survive and thrive.

Keywords

Adaptation Monocot plants Analyse

Amphibians Parallel venation Compare

Aquatic Reticulate venation Create

Biodiversity Sacred groves. Explore

Diversity in the Living World

Cotyledon Shrubs Group

Dicot plants Taproot Observe

Fibrous root Terrestrial Record

Habitat Tree Relate

Herbs Venation 29

Chapter [Link] 29 10-07-2024 18:19:26

 Summary

‹‹ We are surrounded by a large variety of plants and animals.

Such variety of plants and animals is a part of biodiversity.
‹‹ Plants and animals can be grouped on the basis of similarities
and differences among them.
‹‹ Plants have similarities and differences based on features
associated with roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and so on.
‹‹ The method of arranging things into groups based on their
common features is called grouping.
‹‹ Plants can be grouped into herbs, shrubs, and trees based on
their heights, types of stem, and branching patterns.
‹‹ Plants can also be grouped as dicotyledons (dicots) and
monocotyledons (monocots) based on the number of
cotyledons in their seeds.
‹‹ Monocots generally exhibit parallel venation in their leaves
and possess fibrous roots while dicots typically exhibit
reticulate venation in their leaves and possess taproots.
‹‹ Animals have different types of movement that can be a
basis for their grouping.
‹‹ Biodiversity of different regions varies because of distinct
environmental conditions.
‹‹ The special features that enable plants and animals to
survive in a particular region are called adaptations.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ The place where plants and animals live is their habitat.

‹‹ Based on their habitats, animals and plants can be grouped
into terrestrial and aquatic.
‹‹ Due to damage of their habitats, plants and animals lose
their homes, food and other resources resulting in the loss
of biodiversity.
‹‹ We must protect biodiversity to ensure that our planet is full
of life, helping plants and animals to suvive and thrive.

30

Chapter [Link] 30 10-07-2024 18:19:40

 Let us enhance our learning

1. Here are two types of seeds. What differences do you find

among the roots and leaf venation of their plants?

(a) Wheat (b) Kidney beans

2. Names of some animals are given below. Group them based

on their habitats. Write the names of aquatic animals in the
area marked ‘A’ and terrestrial animals in the area marked
‘B’. Enter the names of animals living in both habitats in
part ‘C’.
Horse, Dolphin, Frog, Sheep, Crocodile, Squirrel, Whale,
Earthworm, Pigeon, Tortoise

A C B

3. Manu’s mother maintains a kitchen garden. One day, she

Diversity in the Living World

was digging out radish from the soil. She told Manu that
radish is a kind of root. Examine a radish and write what
type of root it is. What type of venation would you observe
in the leaves of radish plant?
4. Look at the image of a mountain goat and a goat found in the
plains. Point out the similarities and differences between
them. What are the reasons for these differences?

31

Chapter [Link] 31 10-07-2024 18:19:48

 (a) Mountain Goat (b) Goat found in the plains

5. Group the following animals into two groups based on

any feature other than those discussed in the chapter—
cow, cockroach, pigeon, bat, tortoise, whale, fish,
grasshopper, lizard.
6. As the population grows and people want more comfortable
lives, forests are being cut down to meet various needs.
How can this affect our surroundings? How do you think
we can address this challenge?
7. Analyse the flowchart. What can be examples of ‘A’ and ‘B’?

Plant

Yes

Does it have leaves?

Yes
No
Does it have reticulate B
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

venation?

Yes

8. Raj argues with his friend Sanjay that “Gudhal (hibiscus)

plant is a shrub”. What questions can Sanjay ask for
clarification?

32

Chapter [Link] 32 10-07-2024 18:19:53

 9. Based on the information in the table, find out examples of
these plants for each group.

Group Type of seed Type of root Examples

A Dicot Taproot

B Monocot Fibrous roots

(a) What other similarity do plants of group A have?

(b) What other similarity do plants of group B have?
10. Observe the labelled part of a duck in the picture given
below. What differences do you observe in the feet of the
duck compared to the other birds? Which activity would the
duck be able to perform using this part?

Webbed
feet

(a) Duck (b) Pigeon

Learning further
Diversity in the Living World

‹‹ Read about one Indian scientist or a wildlife biologist

who is working towards protection of India’s biodiversity.
Prepare a brief report.
‹‹ Explore the contributions of Divya Mudappa, Usha Lachunga,
Ghazala Shahabuddin, Nandini Velho, Vidya Athreya, Uma
Ramakrishnan and Divya Karnad towards biodiversity in
India. Prepare a report of the work done by any three of them.
33

Chapter [Link] 33 10-07-2024 18:20:01

 ‹‹ Label the plants in your school with their local names with
the help of your teacher or the gardener. List them in your
notebook.
‹‹ With the help of your teacher, plan a field visit or a nature
walk. Record your observations. Prepare a class biodiversity
register by consolidating the observations and notes of all
the students taken during the field visit or nature walk.
‹‹ Find out about ‘Project Tiger’ and other similar projects
initiated in India to protect our biodiversity. Prepare a
presentation for your class.
‹‹ Divide your class into groups of six students each. Initiate a
discussion in the class on how you can protect biodiversity
around you. Prepare a group-wise report that includes
suggestions given by members of each group.
‹‹ Interact with elders in your family or neighbourhood to find
out various plants and animals that they see now but were
not seen earlier and vice-versa. Collect pictures of these
plants and animals and paste them in a scrapbook. Find out
more about them from your teacher.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

34

Chapter [Link] 34 10-07-2024 18:20:01

 Chapter

3 Mindful Eating: A Path

to a Healthy Body

कोऽरुक्? कोऽरुक्? कोऽरुक्?

हितभुक् मितभुक् ऋतुभुक्
(सभु ाषित)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities,
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)

Medu and Mishti read

‘thought of the day’ on the
अन्‍नेन जातानि जीवन्‍त‍ि
annena jātāni jivanti
school noticeboard every
day. Today’s thought,
‘annena jātāni jivanti’,
makes them curious.
Mishti tells Medu that it is
a Sanskrit saying which
means ‘food gives life to
living beings.’
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.

3.1 What Do We Eat?

Activity 3.1: Let us record
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed
over the week in Table 3.1.

Chapter [Link] 35 10-07-2024 17:10:55

 Table 3.1: Food items consumed over a week

Day Food items

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

What observations can you make about your food from the
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends.
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook.
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

of our country?

3.1.1 Food in different regions

Activity 3.2: Let us explore

‹‹ Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and
the crops grown in various states of India. You may
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to
collect information.
36

Chapter [Link] 36 10-07-2024 17:10:56

 ‹‹ In Table 3.2, add more states and fill the collected data.
A few examples are already given.

Table 3.2: Some traditional food items in various states of India

Locally grown Traditional food items

State Beverages
crops eaten

Maize,
Makki di roti, sarson da Lassi, chhach
wheat,
Punjab saag, chhole bhature, (buttermilk),
chickpea,
parantha, halwa, kheer milk, tea
pulses

Buttermilk,
Idli, dosa, sambhar, coffee,
Rice, ragi,
Karnataka coconut chutney, ragi tea
urad, coconut
mudde, palya, rasam, rice

Rice, eromba (chutney),

Rice,
utti (yellow peas and
Manipur bamboo, Black Tea
green onion curry) singju,
soya bean
kangsoi

Any other

Why do we see diversity in traditional food consumed in

various states of our country?
Analyse the data collected by you in Table 3.2. Are there
food items that are common across many states? Make a
list of those food items. You may find that some food items
are common in many states while some are eaten only in a
particular state.
What relation do you find between the traditional food
items and the locally grown crops? You must have observed
that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the
Mindful Eating: A Path

crops grown in that state. India is an agricultural country

with diverse soil and climate types. Various crops are
to a Healthy Body

grown in its different regions depending on the soil

types and climatic conditions.
In various regions of India, the choice of food may vary
according to the cultivation of food crops in that particular
region, taste preferences, culture, and traditions.
37

Chapter [Link] 37 10-07-2024 17:10:57

 3.1.2 How have cooking practices changed
over time?
You have learnt that food habits vary across states. Our
food choices as well as practices of food preparation may
differ from one another. Have our food habits and cooking
practices changed over time?

Activity 3.3: Let us interact and find out

‹‹ Prepare a list of questions for gathering information
from elderly people about their food habits and cooking
practices. Following are some of the sample questions­—
„„ What kind of food do you still eat and what is new?
„„ What are the changes in cooking practices over time?
„„ What has caused these changes?
‹‹ Conduct interviews with some elderly people based on
the questions prepared.

(a) Chulha (Traditional stove) (b) Modern gas stove

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(c) Sil-batta (Stone grinder) (d) Electrical grinder

Fig. 3.1: Changes in cooking tools over time

38

Chapter [Link] 38 10-07-2024 17:11:06

 What are your findings from the interviews you conducted?
Cooking practices, also called culinary practices, have
changed over time. There is a significant difference between
traditional and modern culinary practices. Earlier, most
cooking was done using a chulha (Fig. 3.1a). Nowadays, most
of us cook using a modern gas stove (Fig. 3.1b). Earlier, most
grinding was done manually using a sil-batta (Fig. 3.1c).
These days, we use an electrical grinder for ease of grinding
(Fig. 3.1d). Find out what were the other ways of cooking
and grinding. Why have these culinary practices changed
over time? These changes may be due to factors such as
technological development, improved transportation and
better communication.

3.2 What are the Components of Food?

Medu and Mishti visit the ‘Traditional Food Festival’
organised in their school. The theme of the festival is ‘Eat
Healthy, Live Healthy’.

स्वस्थ आहार, स्वस्थ जीवन

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy

Mindful Eating: A Path

to a Healthy Body

The festival features various stalls displaying different

kinds of traditional dishes. Dr Poshita, a nutritional expert,
explains to students that ʻHealth is the Ultimate Wealthʼ.

39

Chapter [Link] 39 10-07-2024 17:11:10

 Let us understand what Dr Poshita means by this
statement.
Have you ever missed a meal? How do you
feel when you miss a meal?
We feel tired and less energetic when we do not
eat for some time. Why do you think a marathon
runner drinks glucose water during and after a race?
Glucose provides instant
Potato Sugarcane Banana energy. Glucose is an example of
a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates
Sweet
potato
are one of the primary sources
of energy in our diet. Cereals like
Wheat Pineapple
wheat, rice, and maize, vegetables
Rice Mango like potato and sweet potato, and
fruits like banana, pineapple,
Bajra Maize
and mango are some sources of
Fig. 3.2: Some sources of carbohydrates carbohydrates (Fig. 3.2).
Do you know that common
sugar is also a type of carbohydrate?
Why do you think we prefer to have laddoos as a part of
our traditional diet in winters?
Besan or wheat flour (aata) and ghee
are among the main ingredients of
laddoos along with goond (edible
gum), nuts, and seeds. Ghee and
various kinds of oils are grouped
under another kind of food
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

component, which is called fat.

Sources of fats can be from
Yes, my grandma told plants or animals (Fig. 3.3). Nuts,
me that laddoos rich in such as groundnuts, walnuts,
ghee and nuts provide coconuts, and almonds, and
energy to keep us warm. seeds, such as pumpkin seeds
and sunflower seeds, are some
sources of fat. Fat is a source of
stored energy.

40

Chapter [Link] 40 10-07-2024 17:11:16

 Butter

Pistachios

Sunflower
seeds
Curd
Almonds Walnut

Cashew nut Groundnut

Sesame seeds Soya bean

Fig. 3.3: Some sources of fats

Carbohydrates and fats provide us energy for performing

various activities. Therefore, they are called energy-giving
foods. Identify more food items that are rich sources of
carbohydrates and fats .

Polar bears accumulate a lot of fat under

their skin. This fat serves as an energy
source. It supports them during their months-
long winter sleep (hibernation), enabling them More to
to survive without eating. know!
Polar bear

Proteins are also an important part of our food.

Milk products and pulses are good sources of protein.
Sportspersons need proteins in larger quantities to build their
muscles. People get proteins from plants as well as animals.
Some excellent plant sources of protein are pulses, beans,
peas and nuts (Fig. 3.4a). Animal sources of protein are milk,
paneer, egg, fish and meat (Fig. 3.4b). Protein-rich foods help
in growth and repair of our body. These are, therefore, called
body-building foods.
Moong Tuar Dal Kidney beans Chicken
Mindful Eating: A Path

Gram
to a Healthy Body

Paneer
Peas

Soya bean Fish Eggs

(a) Plant sources (b) Animal sources
Fig. 3.4: Some sources of proteins 41

Chapter [Link] 41 10-07-2024 17:11:48

 The right amount of protein must be included in the diet of
growing children for their proper growth and development.
Which of these food components are part of your daily diet?

Have you ever seen mushrooms? They grow

mostly in dark and moist places. Edible
More to mushrooms are good sources of protein.
know! Mushroom

Why do you think we are advised to include servings of

fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods in our daily
diet? Let us understand the importance of some other food
components by reading the following two cases—

Case 1
In earlier times, during long voyages, sailors often suffered
from bleeding and swollen gums. During a voyage in 1746,
Scottish physician James Lind observed that sailors who
consumed lemons and oranges recovered from these
symptoms. Bleeding and swollen gums are symptoms of a
disease called scurvy.

What do you interpret by reading Case 1? What cures

scurvy? Lemons and oranges help in curing scurvy. Scurvy
is caused due to deficiency of Vitamin C. Vitamin C present
in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges helps in curing this
disease.
Case 2
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

In the 1960s, Indian scientists found that among the

human population in the Himalayan region and
the Northern plains of India, symptoms of swelling
at the front of the neck were prevalent. As per
norms of the Government of India, an effort was
made to supplement common salt with iodine for
preparing iodised salt. Consumption of iodised
salt visibly reduced the above symptoms. These symptoms were
due to a deficiency of iodine in the soil of this region resulting
in a lack of iodine in the local food and water supply. Swelling
at the front of the neck is a symptom of a disease called goitre.
42

Chapter [Link] 42 10-07-2024 17:12:57

 What do you infer from Case 2?
You may have learnt about iodised salt through
newspapers, advertisements or by reading about it on a salt
packet. What does it mean? Iodised salt is simply common
salt mixed with required quantities of salts of iodine.

Salt farming is a traditional practice of a tribal

community named Agariyas. They practice salt
farming in the Little Rann of Kutch and other
parts of Gujarat. For eight months, they live in
the extreme heat of the desert and work very
hard to get salt from seawater. More to
know!

How would you find out more about other food

components that protect our body from various diseases?

Activity 3.4: Let us conduct a survey

‹‹ Study the chart given in Fig. 3.5 to explore the functions
and sources of various food components. Find out more
sources of vitamins and minerals. Also, understand the
symptoms of the diseases caused by the lack of these
food components.
‹‹ Visit your neighbourhood, interact with people and
find out if any individual shows the symptoms listed on
the chart (an investigatory project of this kind can be
taken by the students under the guidance of a teacher).
‹‹ Correlate these symptoms with their diet and identify
the deficiency disease(s) or disorder(s).
Mindful Eating: A Path

‹‹ Suggest the possible cause(s) for the symptoms observed

to a Healthy Body

and changes required in the diet for improvement.

‹‹ Suggest them to visit a doctor for further advice.

43

Chapter [Link] 43 10-07-2024 17:13:19

 Food
component Deficiency
(Vitamin/ disease/
Mineral) Functions Some sources disorder Symptoms
Poor vision,
loss of vision
in darkness
Keeps eyes
Papaya, carrot, Loss of (night
Vitamin A and skin
mango, milk vision blindness),
healthy
sometimes
complete loss
of vision
Swelling,
Keeps heart
tingling or
healthy and
Legumes, nuts, burning
supports
whole grains, sensation
Vitamin B1 body to Beriberi
seeds, milk in feet and
perform
products hands,
various
trouble in
functions
breathing
Bleeding
Helps body Amla, guava,
gums, slow
Vitamin C to fight green chilli, Scurvy
healing of
diseases orange, lemon
wounds
Helps body
absorb Exposure to
calcium for sunlight, milk, Soft and bent
Vitamin D Rickets
bone and butter, fish, bones
teeth eggs
health

Keeps Milk/soya milk,

curd, cheese, Bone and
bones Weak bones,
Calcium paneer tooth
and teeth tooth decay
decay
healthy
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Helps to Seaweed,
Swelling at
perform water chestnut
the front of
Iodine physical (singhada), Goitre the neck
and mental iodised salt
activities

Important Green leafy Weakness,

component vegetables, shortness of
Iron of blood Anaemia breath
beetroot,
pomegranate

44 Fig. 3.5: Chart of vitamins and minerals, their functions, some sources,
related deficiency disease(s)/disorder(s) and symptoms

Chapter [Link] 44 10-07-2024 17:13:19

 From Fig. 3.5, you have learnt that vitamins (A, B1, C
and D) and minerals (calcium, iodine, and iron) are two
groups of food components that protect our body from
various diseases. But, how can we overcome vitamin and
mineral deficiency diseases or disorders?

Rice
Papaya Wheat

Flax seeds

Mango Carrot Paneer Pumpkin seeds

(a) Some sources of Vitamin A (b) Some sources of Vitamin B1

Orange Guava Butter

Fish

Green
Tomato
chilli

Eggs Edible
Amla Lemon Mushroom

(c) Some sources of Vitamin C (d) Some sources of Vitamin D

Fig. 3.6: Some sources of different vitamins

Food components that provide energy, support growth,

help repair and protect our body from diseases, and maintain
Mindful Eating: A Path

various bodily functions are called nutrients. The major

to a Healthy Body

nutrients in our food include carbohydrates, proteins, fats,

vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins and minerals are also called protective
nutrients. These nutrients protect our body from diseases and
keep us healthy. Your parents may have advised you to have
45

Chapter [Link] 45 10-07-2024 17:13:20

 milk, green vegetables, fruits and wholegrains regularly.
These food items are some sources of vitamins (Fig. 3.6) and
minerals. Although vitamins and minerals are required in
small amounts, they are essential to keep our body healthy.
What differences do you observe in raw and cooked
vegetables? Have you ever noticed that vegetables
sometimes lose their bright colour, or become softer and
less crisp when cooked? Some nutrients like vitamin C and
others are lost during cooking due to high heat. Would it
not be wise to include fruits and uncooked vegetables into
our diet? Washing cut or peeled vegetables and fruits may
also result in the loss of some vitamins. However, it is highly
recommended that all fruits and vegetables be thoroughly
washed before consumption.

Do we ob
tain all like
Nutrients
nutrients
from No, Medu. om
plants an obtained fr
d animals salt can be ks.
? r from roc
seawater o

Also, Vitamin D can be

naturally produced by our
body upon exposure to
sunlight.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fibres. Let us see

how dietary fibres are beneficial for us.
In addition to the essential nutrients, our body needs dietary
fibres and water. Dietary fibres, also known as roughage, do
not provide any nutrients to our body. However, they are an
essential component of our food. They help our body get rid of
undigested food and ensure smooth passage of stools. Roughage
in our food is provided mainly by suitable plant products.
46

Chapter [Link] 46 10-07-2024 17:13:22

 Green leafy vegetables, ulty in
a has diffic
fresh fruits, wholegrains, My grandm rstand
g s to o l. N ow I unde
pulses and nuts are good passin d her to
th e d o ctor advise
w hy bre.
sources of roughage.
fo o d th a t is high in fi
eat
Eating food that is
locally grown and plant
based, to the extent possible, is
not only healthy for the body but is also good for
our environment and our planet.
Water is also an essential
part of our diet. It helps the
What are the body absorb nutrients from
food sources th food. It removes waste from

?
at
provide water to
the body through sweat
our body? List a
few and urine. We should drink
of them.
sufficient water regularly to
keep ourselves healthy.

Know a scientist

Coluthur Gopalan (1918–2019) initiated

nutrition research in India. He analysed
more than 500 Indian foods for their
nutritional value and recommended an
appropriate diet in the Indian context.
He led surveys on the nutritional status
of the Indian population, identifying
widespread deficiencies in protein, energy, and other food
components. This led to the implementation of the Mid Day
Mindful Eating: A Path

Meal Programme in 2002, now a ‘PM POSHAN’ initiative,

to provide balanced food in the government-run and
to a Healthy Body

government-aided schools of our country. This scheme

has played a role in improving the health and nutrition of
millions of children nationwide.

47

Chapter [Link] 47 10-07-2024 17:13:24

 3.3 How to Test Different Components
of Food?
Let us find out which nutrients are present in various
food items.
Some nutrients like starch (a type of carbohydrate), fat
and protein can be detected using fairly simple tests, while
others can be detected only in a well-equipped laboratory.
Let us explore how we can detect the presence of starch,
fat and protein in some food items.

3.3.1 Test for starch

Activity 3.5: Let us investigate

‹‹ Take a small quantity of the food items such as a slice of
potato, cucumber, bread, some boiled rice, boiled gram,
crushed peanuts, oil, butter and crushed coconut. You
can take other food items too for testing.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 3.7: Testing for the presence of starch in various food items

‹‹ Place a small piece of each item on a separate dish.

‹‹ With the help of a dropper, put 2–3 drops of diluted
iodine solution on each food item (Fig. 3.7).
‹‹ Observe if there are any changes in the colour of the
food items. Have they turned blue-black? Record your
observations in Table 3.3.
A blue-black colour indicates the presence of starch.

48

Chapter [Link] 48 10-07-2024 17:13:25

 3.3.2 Test for fats
Activity 3.6: Let us investigate
‹‹ Take a small part of the food items that you tested for
the presence of starch in Activity 3.5.
‹‹ Place each food item on a separate piece of paper.
‹‹ Wrap the paper around the food and press it. Be careful
not to tear the paper.
‹‹ If a food item contains a little water, allow the paper
to dry.
Does the paper develop an oily patch? What do you think
is the reason for this patch? If oil or butter is present in the
food item, it leaves an oily patch on the paper. Now, hold
the paper against light. Can you see the light faintly shining
through this patch? An oily patch on the paper shows that
the food item contains fat. Which of these items contain fats?
Record your observations in Table 3.3.

3.3.3 Test for proteins

Activity 3.7: Let us investigate
This activity may be demonstrated by the teacher.
‹‹ Take the food items tested in previous activities.
‹‹ Make a paste or powder of the food item using pestle
and mortar (Fig. 3.8).
‹‹ Put about half teaspoon of each food item in a separate
clean test tube.

Precautions
• These chemicals are harmful and need to be handled with
care. Do not touch any of these chemicals unless asked
Mindful Eating: A Path

to do so.
to a Healthy Body

• If any chemical gets spilled on your body, immediately wash

the affected area with water.
• Do not put any of these chemicals into your mouth, or try to
smell them.

49

Chapter [Link] 49 10-07-2024 17:13:26

 ‹‹ Add 2–3 teaspoons of water to each test tube and shake
them well.
‹‹ Add two drops of copper sulphate solution to each test
tube using a dropper.
‹‹ Now, take another dropper and add 10 drops of caustic
soda solution to each tube (Fig. 3.8).
‹‹ Shake well and leave the test tubes undisturbed for a
few minutes.

Soya bean

Peas

Pestle and mortar Bread Rice Peanuts

Fig. 3.8: Testing for the presence of protein in various food items

What did you observe? Did the content of some test tubes
turn violet? This violet colour indicates the presence
of proteins in the food item. Write your observations in
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Table 3.3.
What conclusions can you draw from Table 3.3? Which
food items show the presence of more than one nutrient?
Which food items show the presence of both proteins and
fats? Peanuts show the presence of both proteins and fats.
This indicates that any food which we eat may contain
multiple nutrients. Is there a food item that lacks any of
these nutrients? Which of these foods do you consume
daily? Try to find out other foods that are good sources of
starch, fats, and proteins.

50

Chapter [Link] 50 10-07-2024 17:13:27

 Table 3.3: Exploring nutrients present in various food items

Starch Fat Protein

Name of Colour of the
Oily patch for fat Colour of the food item present present present
the food food item for
test for protein test (Yes/ (Yes/ (Yes/
item starch test
No) No) No)

Before After Predic- Observa- Before After

iodine iodine tion tion protein protein
test test (Yes/No) (Yes/No) test test

Potato
Cucumber
Boiled rice
Boiled
gram
Peanuts
Bread/
Chapati
Butter
Coconut
Any other

3.4 Balanced Diet

Are nutritional requirements the same for everyone? Do
you and your grandparents need the same type or the same
amount of nutrients? Requirements of the type and amount
of nutrients in a diet may vary according to age, gender,
physical activity, health status, lifestyle, and so on.

Activity 3.8: Let us find out

You have listed food consumed by you during the week
in Activity 3.1. Check whether your food contains all the
nutrients and other essential components necessary for
growth and development. If not, check which nutrients or
Mindful Eating: A Path

other food components need to be added.

A diet that has all essential nutrients, roughage, and water
to a Healthy Body

in the right amount for proper growth and development of

the body is known as a balanced diet. What changes would
you make in your diet to make it a balanced diet?

51

Chapter [Link] 51 10-07-2024 17:13:27

 Activity 3.9: Let us compare
Read the nutritional information given below for a packet
of potato wafers and a packet of roasted chana shown here.

(a) Potato wafers (b) Roasted chana

Nutritional Information Nutritional Information

(per 100 g) (per 100 g)
536.0 kcal 355 kcal
Energy Energy
(kilocalories) (kilocalories)

Fats 35.0 g Fats 6.26 g

Carbohydrates 53.0 g Carbohydrates 58.58 g

Proteins 7.0 g Proteins 18.64 g

Dietary Fibre 4.8 g Dietary Fibre 16.8 g

Based on the nutritional information on the food packets

given above, which food would you choose? Why?
Some foods have high calories due to high sugar and
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

fat content. Moreover, they contain very low amounts of

proteins, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibres. These foods
are called junk foods. These foods include potato wafers,
candy bars and carbonated drinks. Consuming these foods
frequently is not good as these are not healthy for our body.
They make a person obese. Such a person may suffer from
several health problems. You should always remember
Dr Poshita’s statement that ʻHealth is the Ultimate Wealth.ʼ
We should take care of our body to stay healthy. Eating a
balanced diet and avoiding junk food contribute towards

52

Chapter [Link] 52 10-07-2024 17:13:30

 a healthy body. Good health is essential for leading a
happy life.
Which of the two foods you studied in Activity 3.9 could be
labelled as junk food?

Packaged food items must have information about

the nutrients on their cover. The information should
list the amount of each nutrient. Sometimes, more
nutrients are added to the food during processing
(fortification) to improve its nutritional quality.
Iodised salt and some baby foods are examples
of fortified foods. The Food Safety and Standard
Authority of India (FSSAI) is a government agency
More to
that regulates food quality in India.
know!

3.5 Millets: Nutrition-rich cereals

You may have heard
of jowar, bajra, ragi,
and sanwa (Fig. 3.9).
These are native crops
of India (Fig. 3.9).
These can be easily
cultivated in different
climatic conditions.
These highly nutritious
grains are also called
millets. Have you ever
had food items made
from these millets? Fig. 3.9: Sanwa (Barnyard millet)

Millets are small-sized grains and have been an integral

Mindful Eating: A Path

part of the Indian diet for centuries. They have regained

popularity due to their numerous health benefits. They are
to a Healthy Body

good sources of vitamins, minerals like iron and calcium,

and dietary fibres as well. That is the reason they are
also called nutri-cereals. They contribute significantly to
a balanced diet required for the normal functioning of
our body.
53

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 3.6 Food Miles: From Farm to Our Plate
How does food reach from a farm to our plate? What are the
steps involved in this process? Who are the people involved
in this process? Do you know how much time and effort is
required to get the wheat flour once seed grains germinate
in the farm? Let us look at Fig. 3.10 to understand the entire
process of making the chapati that we eat.

Farmer growing wheat

Food on our plate Threshing and

winnowing of
grains

STORY OF CHAPATI:
FROM FARM TO
PLATE

Transport to retail shop Storage of

grains

Grinding of grains and packing

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 3.10: From farm to plate

The entire distance travelled by a bag of wheat or any

other food item, from the producer to the consumer, is
known as its food miles. Reducing food miles is important
because it helps to cut down the cost and pollution during
its transport, it helps support local farmers, and it also
keeps our food fresher and healthier.

54

Chapter [Link] 54 10-07-2024 17:13:52

 Many people waste food, leaving it
How would
unconsumed on their plates. One must

?
eating local
remember the time and effort put by our food help
farmers and other community members in reduce food
getting the food from the farm to our plate. miles?
We must take only as much food as we can
consume. It would reduce food wastage. Try
to find the timeline for the various processes
involved in getting the food from farm to plate (Fig. 3.10).
Eat healthy, share, and respect food. Support local
producers!

Keywords

Carbohydrate Millets Analyse

Culinary practices Minerals Compare

Deficiency diseases Nutrients Infer

Fats Proteins Interpret

Food components Rickets Investigate

Food miles Roughage Observe

Iodized salt Scurvy Prediction

Vitamins Survey

Summary
Mindful Eating: A Path

‹‹ People across India eat diverse types of food, containing

to a Healthy Body

various food components.

‹‹ Choice of food may vary according to the cultivation of food
crops in a region, taste preferences, culture and traditions,
and so on.

55

Chapter [Link] 55 10-07-2024 17:13:58

 ‹‹ Culinary practices have changed over time. There is a
significant difference between traditional and modern
methods of cooking food.
‹‹ Food provides us energy, support growth, repairs our bodies
and protects us from diseases.
‹‹ The major nutrients in our food are carbohydrates, fats,
proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, food also
contains dietary fibres and water.
‹‹ Carbohydrates and fats are primary energy sources, while
proteins are body-building nutrients.
‹‹ Vitamins and minerals strengthen our body, protect us from
infections, and keep us healthy.
‹‹ A balanced diet provides all the essential nutrients in the
right quantities, along with adequate roughage and water.
‹‹ Deficiency of one or more nutrients in our diet for a long
time can lead to deficiency diseases and disorders.
‹‹ Junk foods are unhealthy as they contain high levels of sugar
and fats but little protein, minerals, vitamins, and dietary
fibres.
‹‹ Millets are known as nutri-cereals as they provide most of
the nutrients required for the normal functioning of our
bodies. They can be easily cultivated in different climatic
conditions.
‹‹ Eating food that is locally grown and plant based, to the
extent possible, is not only healthy for our bodies but is also
good for our environment and our planet.
‹‹ The distance travelled by a food item, from the place of its
production to the consumer, is called food miles. We must
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

aim to minimise food miles.

‹‹ We should never waste food and only take as much as we
can consume.

Let us enhance our learning

1. Pick the odd one out and give reasons:

(i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana
(ii) Kidney beans, Green gram, Soya bean, Rice
56

Chapter [Link] 56 10-07-2024 17:14:03

 2. Discuss traditional versus modern culinary practices in
India.
3. A teacher says that good food may act as medicine. Ravi is
curious about this statement and has some questions for his
teacher. List at least two questions that he can ask.
4. Not all delicious foods are necessarily healthy, while not all
nutritious foods are always enjoyable. Share your thoughts
along with a few examples.
5. Medu does not eat vegetables but enjoys biscuits, noodles and
white bread. He often has stomach ache and constipation.
What changes should he make in his diet to get rid of these
problems? Explain your answer.
6. Reshma had trouble seeing things in dim light. The doctor
tested her eyesight and prescribed a particular vitamin
supplement. He also advised her to include a few food items
in her diet.
(i) Which deficiency disease is she suffering from?
(ii) Which food component may be lacking in her diet?
(iii) Suggest some food items that she should include in
her diet to overcome this problem (any four).
7. You are provided the following:
(i) Canned fruit juice
(ii) Fresh fruit juice
(iii) Fresh fruit
Which one would you prefer and why?
8. Gourav got a fracture in his leg. His doctor aligned the bones
and put on a plaster. The doctor also gave him calcium tablets.
On the second visit, the doctor gave him Vitamin D syrup
along with calcium tablets. Refer to Fig. 3.5 and answer the
following questions:
Mindful Eating: A Path
to a Healthy Body

(i) Why did the doctor give calcium tablets to Gourav?

(ii) On the second visit, why did the doctor give Vitamin D
syrup along with calcium tablets?
(iii) What question arises in your mind about the choices
made by the doctor in giving the medicines?
57

Chapter [Link] 57 10-07-2024 17:14:03

 9. Sugar is an example of carbohydrates. Sugar is tested with
iodine solution but it does not change to blue-black colour.
What can be a possible reason?
10. What do you think of Raman’s statement, “All starches are
carbohydrates but not all carbohydrates are starches.’’
Describe the design of an activity to test your answer.
11. While using iodine in the laboratory, a few drops of iodine
fell on Mishti’s socks and a few fell on her teacher’s saree.
The drops of iodine on the saree turned blue-black while the
colour on the socks did not change. What can be a possible
reason?
12. Why are millets considered a healthy choice of food? Can
eating just millets suffice for the nutritional requirements
of the body? Discuss.
13. You are given a sample of a solution. How would you check
the possibility of it being an iodine solution?

Learning further

‹‹ Help your mother in unpacking the packets of various

food items after shopping for grocery next time. Read the
nutritional information of at least three fortified food items
and analyse those.
‹‹ The Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh produces a salt
called tapyo to fulfil their dietary requirements. Collect
more information from the internet about their salt making
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

process and the need to make their own salt. Collect pictures
and paste them on a chart paper. Also, write a paragraph
about the process of making this salt and its usefulness.
‹‹ Vegetables or fruits that grow naturally in the forest or
nearby fields without being cultivated by farmers are
considered wild varieties. Traditionally, many tribal groups
in India depend on these wild varieties, which form a part
of their food. Read about ranbhajis from Maharashtra and
edible mushrooms from Himachal Pradesh. Are you aware
of any such wild varieties of food from your region? Discuss
in class.
58

Chapter [Link] 58 10-07-2024 17:14:08

 ‹‹ List junk foods you eat frequently. Ask your friends also to
make such lists. On the basis of these lists, write a letter to
your principal requesting to ban certain junk foods inside
the school campus. Suggest some healthy options.
‹‹ Find out the variation in nutritional requirements of
different individuals based on age, physical activity and
health conditions. Record your observations. Discuss and
analyse.
‹‹ Prepare a diet chart to provide a balanced diet to a
twelve-year-old child. The diet chart should include food
items that are not expensive and are commonly available
in your area.

Mindful Eating: A Path

to a Healthy Body

59

Chapter [Link] 59 10-07-2024 17:14:08

 Notes

Chapter [Link] 60 10-07-2024 17:14:08

 Chapter
4 Exploring Magnets

Reshma lives in a coastal town of

Kerala and is very fond of writing
short stories. Her grandmother
loves listening to her stories, so
Reshma was writing a new story
to share with her grandmother
on her 60th birthday.

The story was based on a ship

carrying spices from Kerala for
trade in the olden days. Reshma
was aware that in those days,
the sailors used stars to find
directions at night. But in her
story, a situation arose wherein
the sailors got caught in a storm
with an overcast sky and stars
were not visible. Reshma could not take her story forward
as she could not think of a way for sailors to find directions.
She searched for information on the internet and her
school library. She learnt that the travellers used a device,
known as a magnetic compass, for finding
directions.
Reshma had seen pencil boxes and
purses which had magnets to keep them
closed. A writing board in her school
also had a duster with a magnet. But
she had never looked at those carefully.
She now became curious to learn more
about magnets and magnetic compasses.

Chapter [Link] 61 10-07-2024 14:45:56

 Fig. 4.1: Some common items that have magnets attached to them

The magnets used by sailors in the olden days were based

on naturally occurring magnets, known as lodestones which
were discovered in ancient times. Later on, people found
out that magnets could also be made from pieces of iron.
Nowadays, we have magnets made of different materials.
The magnets that you find in your school laboratory and
those used in pencil boxes, stickers, toys are all artificial
magnets (Fig. 4.1). The magnets can be of various shapes,
some of which are shown in Fig. 4.2.

Do magnets

?
stick to objects
made of certain
materials only?

Bar U-shaped Ring

magnet magnet magnet

Fig. 4.2: Magnets of different shapes

4.1 Magnetic and Non-magnetic Materials

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Activity 4.1: Let us explore

‹‹ Collect a few objects made of different materials and
also a magnet.
‹‹ Predict which of the objects will stick to the magnet.
Write your prediction in Table 4.1.
‹‹ Now hold a magnet in your hand and bring it near
the objects one by one (Fig. 4.3). Observe which of the
objects stick to the magnet.
62

Chapter [Link] 62 10-07-2024 14:45:58

 Fig. 4.3: Identifying the materials attracted by a magnet

‹‹ Record your observations in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Identifying the materials attracted by a magnet

Material which the Attracted by the

Name of the object is made of magnet (Yes/No)
object (plastic/wood/glass/
iron/any other) Prediction Observation

Pencil Wood

Eraser Rubber

Exploring Magnets

63

Chapter [Link] 63 10-07-2024 14:46:14

 Was your prediction correct for all objects? Which
materials stuck to the magnet? What conclusion can you
draw?
Through this activity, we found out that some of the
objects were attracted to the magnet and stuck to it, while
others were not. The materials which are attracted towards
a magnet are called magnetic materials.
The metal iron is a magnetic material.
Do all parts of a Nickel and cobalt are other metals that are
magnet attract also magnetic. Some of their combinations

?
magnetic with other metals are also attracted
materials towards magnets. The materials which are
equally? not attracted towards a magnet are called
non-magnetic materials.
Which materials listed in Table 4.1 were
found to be non-magnetic?

4.2 Poles of Magnet

Activity 4.2: Let us investigate
‹‹ Spread some iron filings (very small pieces of iron) on a
sheet of paper.
‹‹ Place a bar magnet over them. Tap the paper and
observe carefully what happens to the iron filings.
Do you observe anything special about the way they stick
to the magnet? Do the iron filings stick all over the magnet
uniformly? Or do the iron filings stick more at some places?
We find that maximum iron filings stick near the ends of
the bar magnet, as shown in Fig. 4.4, while a very few iron
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

filings stick at the remaining part of the magnet.

If we repeat this
activity with
magnets of other
shapes, do we get
the same result?
Fig. 4.4: Iron filings sticking
to a bar magnet

64

Chapter [Link] 64 10-07-2024 14:46:16

 These ends of the magnet are called the Can we find

?
two poles of the magnet—the North pole and a magnet
the South pole. Most of the iron filings stick with a
to the poles of a magnet of any shape. single pole?
It is not possible to obtain a magnet with
a single pole. If a magnet is broken into
smaller pieces, North and South poles always
exist in pairs even in the smallest piece of the magnet.
A single North pole or a South pole cannot exist.

4.3 Finding Directions

Activity 4.3: Let us experiment
‹‹ Suspend a bar magnet with a thread tied to the middle of
the magnet as shown in Fig. 4.5. You may need to adjust
the position of the string till the magnet is balanced
horizontally.
‹‹ Now rotate the magnet gently in the
horizontal direction and let it come to rest.
‹‹ Mark the position corresponding to the
ends of the magnet on the ground (or on
a piece of paper stuck to the ground). Join
these two points on the ground with a
line. This line indicates the direction along
which the magnet comes to rest.
‹‹ Now again rotate the magnet by giving a
gentle push at its one end and wait till it Fig. 4.5: A freely suspended
bar magnet
comes to rest. Does the magnet rest along
the same line?

Wha
td
this irection If we have noticed the direction
lin d
alon e indic oes where the Sun rises or sets, we
g a te
Exploring Magnets

mag wh
net r ich the have an approximate idea of
can e
we fi sts? How where East or West is. Hence, we
nd i
t ou can locate the direction along
t?
which the magnet rests.

65

Chapter [Link] 65 10-07-2024 14:46:16

 A freely suspended magnet comes to rest along the
north-south direction. The end of the magnet that points
towards north direction is called the North-seeking pole or
the North pole of the magnet. The other end that points
towards the South direction is called the South-seeking
pole or the South pole of the magnet. A freely suspended
magnet rests along the north-south direction because our
Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet.
Repeat this activity with a small iron bar in place of
the bar magnet. What do you observe? Does it always rest
along north-south direction? It does not. It can rest along
any direction. This implies that only magnets rest along
north-south direction. This activity provides us with a way
to test whether a piece of metal is a magnet or not.
The property of a freely suspended magnet to always rest
along the north-south direction is used to find directions.
Based on this, a small device called a magnetic compass was
developed in olden days for finding directions. It
has a magnet in the shape of a needle which can
rotate freely (Fig. 4.6). The needle of a magnetic
compass indicates the north-south direction.
The compass is kept at the place where we
wish to know the directions. After some time, the
needle comes to rest in the north-south direction.
The compass box is then gently rotated until the
north and south marked on the dial are aligned
with the needle. Now all directions at that place
Fig. 4.6: A magnetic are as indicated on the dial.
compass
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

How can we
A magnetic compass is usually a small circular box
make our
with a transparent cover on it, as shown in Fig. 4.6. own magnetic
The magnet, in the shape of a needle, is mounted compass?
on a pin standing on the bottom of the box. This
needle is balanced on the pin in such a
manner that it can move around this point
easily, that is, it can rotate freely. The end of
the needle which rests in the North direction
More to is usually painted red. Below the needle,
know! there is a dial with directions marked on it.
66

Chapter [Link] 66 10-07-2024 14:46:39

 Activity 4.4: Let us construct
‹‹ Collect a few materials like a cork piece, iron sewing
needle, a permanent bar magnet, a glass bowl, and water.
‹‹ Place the iron sewing needle on a wooden table. Then
keep any one pole of the magnet at one end of
the needle. Move the magnet over the needle
along its length as shown in Fig. 4.7a. When it
reaches the other end of the needle, lift it up.
‹‹ Bring the same pole of the magnet you started Fig. 4.7(a): Making an iron
with to the same end of the sewing needle from needle a magnet
which you began, and repeat the previous
step. Repeat this process at least 30 to 40 times.
‹‹ Bring some iron filings or steel pins near the needle. If
the pins or iron filings get attracted to the needle, then
that means that the needle has become a magnet.
‹‹ Pass this needle through the cork horizontally.
Float the cork in a glass bowl filled with water,
such that the needle always remains above the
level of water as shown in Fig. 4.7b.
‹‹ When the needle comes to rest, your magnetic
compass is ready for use. Note the direction in
Fig. 4.7(b): A compass needle
which either side of the needle points. in a bowl of water
‹‹ Rotate the cork gently and wait till it stops
rotating. Repeat this a few more times. Do the ends of
the needle always point in the same direction?

What happens
when we bring
Much before the widespread use of the modern two magnets
magnetic compass (Fig. 4.6), a device similar to closer to each
the compass needle made by you (Fig. 4.7b) was other?
used by Indians for navigation at
Exploring Magnets

sea. It consisted of a magnetised

fish-shaped iron piece, kept
in a vessel of oil. It was called
Do you matsya-yantra (or machchh-
know? yantra).

67

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 4.4 Attraction and Repulsion between Magnets
Activity 4.5: Let us experiment
‹‹ Take a pair of bar magnets on which North and South
poles have been marked. Mark the two bar magnets as
A and B.
‹‹ Place the longer side of magnet A over 5–6 round shaped
pencils as shown in Fig. 4.8a.
‹‹ Now bring one end of magnet B near the end of magnet
A placed on the pencils. Make sure that the two magnets
do not touch each other. Observe what happens.
‹‹ Next, bring the other end of magnet B near the same end
of magnet A (Fig. 4.8b). Does the magnet A on the pencils
begin to move? Does it always move in the direction of
the approaching magnet? What do these observations
suggest?

Magnet A

Magnet A

Magnet B Magnet B
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) (b)
Fig. 4.8: Interaction between two bar magnets

You will see that unlike poles of two magnets, that is, the
North pole of one magnet and the South pole of another
magnet, attract each other. The like poles, that is, either
the North poles or the South poles of both magnets, repel
each other.
68

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 ‹‹ Repeat the activity by using an iron bar in place of one
of the magnets. What do you observe this time?
You will find that both the ends of the iron bar will be
attracted by both the North and South poles of the magnet.
From this activity, we find that a magnet can be identified
by its property of repulsion.

Activity 4.6: Let us experiment

‹‹ Take a magnetic compass and a bar
magnet. The compass needle
‹‹ Place the magnetic compass over is also a magnet. Will
a horizontal surface and wait it show the same
for its needle to come to rest. behaviour if a magnet is
brought closer to it?
‹‹ Now slowly bring North pole of
the bar magnet close to the North
pole of the compass needle as shown in
Fig. 4.9a. Observe the compass needle carefully.
What do you observe? Does the needle deflect? If yes, in
which direction?
‹‹ Now repeat the above step with the South pole of the
bar magnet. Do you observe any difference this time?

(a)
Exploring Magnets

(b)
Fig. 4.9: A compass needle and a magnet
69

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 When the North pole of a magnet is brought closer to the
North pole of the compass needle, it moves away as shown
in Fig. 4.9a. When the South pole of the magnet is brought
closer to the North pole of the compass needle, it moves
closer (Fig. 4.9b).

Suppose we place a piece

of wood between the
compass needle and the
magnet. Will this affect the
deflection of the compass
needle?

Activity 4.7: Let us investigate

‹‹ Repeat the first

or second part of
Wood Activity 4.6.
‹‹ Without
disturbing the
bar magnet
and magnetic
compass, place
a piece of wood
between them,
perpendicular
to the table as
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

shown in Fig.
Fig. 4.10: Compass needle and a magnet 4.10. Observe the
with a piece of wood in between compass needle
carefully.
‹‹ Is there any effect on the deflection of compass needle
due to the piece of wood? Record your observation in
Table 4.2.
‹‹ Repeat the process by replacing the piece of wood by a
cardboard sheet, thin plastic sheet, and a thin glass sheet.

70

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 Table 4.2: Observing the effect of magnet through
non-magnetic materials

Material placed
S. no. between the magnet Observations
and the compass needle

1. Wood

2. Cardboard

3. Plastic

4. Glass

You would observe that there is no appreciable change in

the deflection of the needle when a sheet of any of the above
material is placed between the magnet and the compass
needle. So, we can conclude that the magnetic effect can act
through non-magnetic materials.

4.5 Fun with Magnets

After learning about magnets, Reshma was very excited and
decided to set up some fun activities using magnets at her
school fair. You may try making these yourself and may also
think of some more fun ideas.
Can we make a garland? (Fig. 4.11)

Magnets can move

some objects without
touching them! Is
that not amazing?
Exploring Magnets

Fig. 4.11: Magnetic garland

71

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 Can we take the steel balls out of the maze by moving a
magnet below the cardboard tray? (Fig. 4.12)
Can we pick out a steel
paper clip fallen in water using
a magnet, without making our
fingers or the magnet wet?
(Fig. 4.13)

Fig. 4.12: Steel balls in a maze Fig. 4.13: Steel paperclip in water

Will the two cars speed towards each other or run away
from each other when brought closer? (Fig. 4.14)
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 4.14: Two matchbox-magnet cars with

like poles of the magnets facing each other

In some magnets, the North and South poles are

marked as N and S. In some other magnets, the
North pole is indicated by a white dot. Sometimes,
the North pole of a magnet is painted red and
More to South pole is painted blue.
know!
72

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 How to keep the magnets safe?
Magnet says, N S
Iron
“Store me properly. Keep piece
S N
me in pairs with unlike
poles on the same side. Wooden
piece
Keep a piece of wood
in between. Place two
pieces of soft iron across
the ends.”
Caution
“Do not heat me or drop me
Have fun,
More to or hammer me.
but treat
know! Do not keep me near mobile magnets
phones or remote controls.” with care

Keywords

Attraction Conclude

Bar magnet Construct

Magnetic compass Experiment

Magnetic materials Explore

Non-magnetic materials Investigate

North pole of a magnet Observe

Repulsion Predict
Exploring Magnets

Ring magnet Record

South pole of a magnet

U-shaped magnet
73

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 Summary
‹‹ ­A magnet has two poles—the North pole and the South pole.
‹‹ The poles of a magnet always exist in pairs. A single North
pole or a single South pole cannot exist.
‹‹ Magnetic materials are the materials that are attracted
towards a magnet.
‹‹ Non-magnetic materials are the materials that are not
attracted towards a magnet.
‹‹ A freely suspended magnet rests along the north-south
direction.
‹‹ The needle of a magnetic compass indicates the north-south
direction.
‹‹ When two magnets are brought close to each other, like poles
(North-North, South-South) repel each other while unlike
poles (North-South) attract each other.

Let us enhance our learning

1. Fill in the blanks

(i) Unlike poles of two magnets each other,
whereas like poles each other.
(ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are
called .
(iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

direction.
(iv) A magnet always has poles.
2. State whether the following statements are True (T) or
False (F).
(i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to
obtain a single pole. [ ]
(ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each other. [ ]
(iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar
magnet when it is brought near them. [ ]
(iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always
aligns with the north-south direction. [ ]
74

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 3. Column I shows different positions in which one pole of a
magnet is placed near that of the other. Column II indicates
the resulting interaction between them for different
situations. Fill in the blanks.

Column I Column II

N–N

N– Attraction

S–N

–S Repulsion

4. Atharv performed an experiment in

which he took a bar magnet and
rolled it over a heap of steel U-clips
(Fig. 4.15).
A B C
According to you, which of the
Fig. 4.15: Bar magnet and heap
options given in Table 4.3 is likely
of steel U-clips
to be his observation?

Table 4.3: Number of pins attracted by the magnet

at its various positions

Position A Position B Position C

(i) 10 2 10

(ii) 10 10 2

(iii) 2 10 10

(iv) 10 10 10

5. Reshma bought three identical metal bars from the market.

Exploring Magnets

Out of these bars, two were magnets and one was just a
piece of iron. How will she identify which two amongst the
three could be magnets (without using any other material)?
6. You are given a magnet which does not have the poles
marked. How can you find its poles with the help of another
magnet which has its poles marked?
75

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 7. A bar magnet has no markings to indicate its poles. How would
you find out near which end its North pole is located without
using another magnet?
8. If the earth is itself a magnet, can you guess the poles of earth’s
magnet by looking at the direction of the magnetic compass?
9. While a mechanic was repairing a
gadget using a screw driver, the steel
screws kept falling down. Suggest a way
to solve the problem of the mechanic on
the basis of what you have learnt in this
chapter. X
10. Two ring magnets X and Y are arranged as
shown in Fig. 4.16. It is observed that the
magnet X does not move down further. Y
What could be the possible reason?
Suggest a way to bring the magnet X in Fig. 4.16: Two ring magnets
contact with magnet Y, without pushing
either of the magnets.
2
11. Three magnets are arranged on
a table in the form of the shape 3
shown in Fig. 4.17. What is the 1
polarity, N or S, at the ends 1, 2, 3,
4 and 6 of the magnets? Polarity 6
of one end (5) is given for you.
4
5 N
Fig. 4.17: Three bar magnets
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Learning further

‹‹ Using 3–4 different magnets, try to lift steel pins or U-clips

and check which magnet picks up the largest number of
pins. Discuss with your friends why different magnets might
have picked up different numbers of pins.
‹‹ Make a toy ‘Hopping Frog’ as a combined class activity
with the help of your teacher. For constructing the toy, fix
ring magnets in an alternate North-South fashion along the

76

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 length of a scale using glue (Fig. 4.18a). Paint a frog on
paper, cut along the outline and glue a ring magnet
at its base. Take a transparent, flexible plastic strip
(Fig. 4.18a) of a smaller size and glue it to the ring magnet
which is attached to the frog.

(a) (b)
Fig. 4.18: My hopping frog

When you slide the plastic strip (with frog) over the
scale (Fig. 4.18b), you can observe the frog hopping.
‹‹ Find out about the Maglev Train and try to make its
model.
‹‹ Try to find out why there is a need to make magnets of
different shapes.
Exploring Magnets

‹‹ Collect information related to the use of magnets in the

field of medicine.

77

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 Magnet says “Humans have made me in
to
o re different shapes and sizes as per their
M ow!
kn requirements. However, my poles always
occur in pairs, no matter my shape”.

Bar Disc Cylindrical Ring Spherical

Magnet Magnet Magnet Magnet Magnet

S
N
N
N
N
S S N

S N S

N S N S S

N S
N S
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

78

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 Chapter

5 Measurement of Length
and Motion

Deepa, a curious eleven-year old girl, lives in a

town of the state of Haryana. The new school
year has started. Deepa needs a new uniform
since she has grown taller. Her mother takes
her to a cloth shop. She asks for a two-metre
cloth piece. The shopkeeper measures the
cloth using a metal measuring rod.
Then, the tailor takes her measurements
using a flexible measuring tape. Her mother
instructs the tailor to increase the length of her
uniform by char angula (four fingers width).

Are
the tape and rod
similar to the scale that the
elder sister has in her geometry
box? What did mother mean
by char angula?

Deepa shares her experience with her school friends

Anish, Hardeep, Padma, Tasneem and this leads to a
discussion amongst them.

Chapter [Link] 79 10-07-2024 14:28:57

 Anish Hardeep Padma

Deepa Tasneem

5.1 How do we Measure?

Hardeep says, “I have seen my grandmother measuring
cloth by the length of her arm.”
“Have you ever seen how a farmer measures length to
divide his field into beds? He walks and counts the number
of his strides,” says Padma.
“Oh, not just the length of the strides—sometimes they
also use the length of their feet to measure,” adds Anish.
Deepa says excitedly, “Measuring length using body parts
must be so much fun! Let us also measure something using
a body part.”
“What should we measure? Okay, let us
measure the length of the table in our classroom,”
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

says Tasneem.
Padma adds, “And which body part should
we use to measure it?”
Deepa says, “Let us use our handspan. I will
show you how to use it. I have seen my mother
using it. She calls it balisht.”
Hardeep adds, “Okay. Let us also note down
Fig. 5.1: Use of handspan our measurements.”
for measuring

80

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 Table 5.1: Measuring the length of the table

Name of the Student Number of Handspans

Anish Slightly more than 13

Padma 13

Tasneem Slightly less than 13

Deepa Between 13 and 14

Hardeep 14

Padma says, “Oh, the number of handspans is different for

all of us. So, what can we say about the length of the table?”
“But why should the number be different?” Hardeep
asked thoughtfully.
Tasneem says, “I can guess. Our handspans are of
different sizes.”
Anish gives an idea, “Let us check this.”
So, all five of them put their handspans along each
other and arrive at the conclusion that the lengths of their
handspans are different.
Deepa says thoughtfully, “No wonder people use scales
and measuring tapes.”
Deepa and her friends compare the length of the table
with the length of their handspans. The length of the table is
expressed in terms of their handspans. Here, the handspan
used for measurement is an example of a unit. And the length
Measurement of Length and Motion

is expressed in two parts, a number and a unit. For example,

if the length of the table is found to be 13 handspans, then
13 is the number and ‘handspan’ is the unit selected for the
measurement.
However, handspans and other similar units, such as
length of hand, foot, fist or fingers, differ from person to
person. Thus, there is a need for such a unit for which
measurements of the same length made by different people
do not differ.
81

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 India has a rich history of measurement
systems dating back to ancient times. Angula
(finger width), multiples of angula, dhanusa,
and yojana are some of the units mentioned
in ancient Indian literature, and used in
measuring artefacts, architecture, and
town planning. The angula is still used by
traditional craftspeople like carpenters
and tailors. Several objects with ruled
markings which could be scales have been
More to excavated from sites of the Harappan
know! Civilisation.

5.2 Standard Units

Several systems of units evolved with time in
different parts of the world. However, when
people started travelling from one place to
another, it created a lot of confusion. This led
to the different countries coming together
and adopting a set of standard units of
measurement. The system of units now used is
known as the ‘International System of Units’ or
SI units.
The SI unit of length is metre. Its symbol
is m. A metre scale is shown in Fig. 5.2. One
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

metre (m) is divided into 100 equal divisions.

Each division is called a centimetre (cm). You
may be familiar with a smaller part of the
metre scale, typically 15 cm long, shown in
Fig. 5.3.
Look carefully at the 15-cm scale. It has
markings (in cm) from 0 to 15. The length
of any section between two consecutive big
Fig. 5.2:
marks, such as between 1 and 2 or between A metre scale
5 and 6, is 1 cm. Observe that these sections
82

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 Fig. 5.3: A 15-cm scale

of 1 cm length are further divided

into 10 equal parts. The length of
one of these smaller parts is called
Would it be convenient to use
a millimetre (mm). 1 mm is the
the unit metre to measure
smallest value of length that you

?
larger lengths, such as the
can measure using this scale. 1 mm
length of a railway track
is equal to one-tenth of a centimeter
between two cities, or to
(1 mm = 0.1 cm).
measure smaller lengths,
For measuring larger lengths, we
such as the thickness of a
use a larger unit called a kilometre
page of a book?
(km) which is equal to 1000 metres.
And for measuring smaller lengths,
we use units such as centimetre or
millimetre.

1 km = 1000 m 1 m = 100 cm 1 cm = 10 mm

In some scales, you might have noticed another scale

marking. This scale marking is in inches, where
1 inch = 2.54 cm. In earlier days, units, such as inch and foot,
were used to measure length. These units are still used by
Measurement of Length and Motion

some people.

Do you
know?

83

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 re
o s e w e all measu
Sup p le
of the tab
the length sing No, bu
, b u t th is time u t we sh
again l our first le ould
cale. Wil arn th
a metre s nt? way of e corre
u lt s s ti ll be differe using a ct
res to mea scale
sure le
ngth.

5.3 Correct Way of Measuring Length

For measuring any length, we need an appropriate scale.
For example, if you want to measure the length of your
pencil, you may use a 15-cm scale. Similarly, if the height of
a room is to be measured, you may need a metre scale or a
measuring tape. You cannot directly measure the girth of a
tree or the size of your chest using a metre scale. For such
measurements, flexible measuring tape, such as a tailor’s
tape is more suitable.
While measuring lengths, we need to take care of some
points.
What is the correct way to place the scale?
Place the scale in contact with the object along its length as
shown in Fig. 5.4.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) Correct (b) Incorrect

Fig. 5.4: Method of placing the scale

What is the correct position of the eye while reading

the scale?
For example, if you are trying to measure the length of a
pencil by aligning it with a scale, the position of your eye
should be directly above the tip of the pencil (Fig. 5.5).
84

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 B
A C

Fig. 5.5: Correct position of the eye is ‘B’

How to measure the length if the ends of the scale

are broken?
If the ends of the scale are broken or the zero marking
is not clear, it can still be used for measurement. With
such a scale, use any other full mark of the scale, say, 1.0
cm (Fig. 5.6). Then you must subtract the reading of this
mark from the reading at the other end. For example, in
Fig. 5.6, the reading at one end is 1.0 cm and at the other
end, it is 10.4 cm. Therefore, the length of the object is
10.4 cm–1.0 cm = 9.4 cm.

Measurement of Length and Motion

Fig. 5.6: Correct method of placing the scale with broken end

How do visually challenged students measure lengths?

They use scales with raised markings that can be felt by
touching them.

Do you
know?
85

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 Activity 5.1: Let us measure
‹‹ Select some objects around you, such as a comb, a pen,
a pencil, and an eraser to measure their lengths.
‹‹ Measure their lengths one by one using a metre scale
and note down the measurements in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2: Measuring lengths

Object Length of the object

Why are s While writing the length, do not forget

ome
length me
asuring to write the unit also. Thus, your result
devices m
ade will consist of two parts—one part is a
up of flex number and the other part is the unit of
ible
materials measurement.
?
Some of your friends in the class
would have measured the length of the same
objects. Compare the lengths measured by you with that of
your friends. Are the measured lengths the same or slightly
different? If not the same, discuss the possible reasons for
the differences.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Units of length, such as kilometre, metre, centimetre and

millimetre, begin with a lowercase letter, except at the
beginning of a sentence. Their symbols km, m, cm and
mm are also written in lowercase letters, and are never
followed by ‘s’ for the plural. Note that a full stop is not
written after the symbol, except at the end of a sentence.
While writing the length, always leave a space between the
Do you
number and the unit.
know?
86

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 5.4 Measuring the length of a curved line
Anish and his parents fixed electric string lights on the
arches of the verandah of their
house, as shown in Fig. 5.7, for a
celebration at home. How would
they have measured the required
length of string lights?
In the case of a curved line,
measurements can be made with
the help of a flexible measuring
tape or by using a thread as
shown in Fig. 5.8.
Fig. 5.7: House decorated with string lights

The thread can then

be straightened and its
length can be measured
using a metre scale.

Fig. 5.8: Measuring the length of a curved line

5.5 Describing Position

One day the teacher informs her students that she has
planned an educational visit to a nearby garden. She asks
the students to reach there directly in the morning. Deepa
and her friends start discussing whether the garden would
be closer than their school or farther. Tasneem and Padma
say that the garden would be closer, while Deepa and Anish Measurement of Length and Motion

feel that the school would be closer, Hardeep thinks that

both would be almost at an equal distance (Fig. 5.9).
Deepa’s Anish’s Hardeep’s Tasneem’s Padma’s
Bus stand School Garden
house house house house house

Fig. 5.9: Location of bus stand, school, garden and houses of Deepa and her friends
87

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 Who do you think is correct? All of them are correct
(Fig. 5.9). Then, why are their observations different? They
are locating the distances of the school and garden from their
houses. If, instead, each of them had thought of distances
from a same object or point, say, the bus stand, then their
observations would have been the same.
When distance is stated with respect to a fixed object or
point, then this point is called a reference point.
A few days later, Hardeep tells his friends excitedly,
“Let us all go to the playground. The sports teacher wants
us to help her to draw lines with chuna powder (limestone
powder) for making the Kabaddi court for the sports day.”
Padma: “We will need a longer measuring tape. Let us
take it from the sports room.” (Fig. 5.10)
Deepa: “Let us first decide the point on the ground
from which we will measure the distances to start
drawing the lines. Let us call this our reference
Fig. 5.10: point.” (Fig. 5.11)
A measuring tape

Reference
Point
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 5.11: Drawing lines for Kabaddi court

88

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 After a few days, Padma was travelling
by bus to visit her grandparents in Delhi.
She was eager to reach Delhi and was
reading the kilometre stones on the side of
the road. On one of the kilometre stones, it
was written ‘Delhi 70 km’ (Fig. 5.12).
Further on, the next kilometre stone
read ‘Delhi 60 km’. Each kilometre stone
Fig. 5.12: indicated to her that she was getting closer
A kilometre stone
to her grandparents’ house.

?
These kilometre stones indicated
What do such
her distance from Delhi. So, Delhi is
kilometre stones
the reference point in this situation.
indicate? How could
Padma conclude that
she was getting closer
to her destination?

Fig. 5.13: Positions of kilometre stones with respect to Delhi as a reference point

If the kilometre stone reads ‘Delhi 70 km’ as shown in

Fig. 5.13, we can say that the position of Padma is 70 km
from Delhi. When the kilometre stone reads ‘Delhi 60 km’,
the position of Padma is at 60 km from Delhi.
Measurement of Length and Motion

Does this mean that the position of

?
Padma, with respect to the reference
point, is changing with time? When
does the position of an object change
with respect to a reference point? Does
it change when an object is moving?

89

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 5.6 Moving Things
Activity 5.2: Let us explore
‹‹ Look around and prepare a list of five objects that are
in motion and five objects that are at rest.
‹‹ Record your observations in Table 5.3.
‹‹ Think about how you decided whether an object was in
motion or at rest. Write your explanation (justification)
in Table 5.3.
Table 5.3: Observing things around you

Objects in Objects at
Justification Justification
motion rest

Cow grazing
Tree
in the field
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Compare and analyse your justifications. How can one

decide if an object is in motion or at rest?
An object is said to be in motion if its position changes
with respect to the reference point with time. If an object is
not changing its position with respect to the reference point
with time, it is said to be at rest.
90

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 Deepa looked around her in the bus and noticed that all
the passengers were seated. She looked around again after
a minute and found them still occupying their seats. She
wondered, ‘Are they moving?’ She concluded that the position
of the passengers was not changing with time. Therefore, they
were certainly at rest. However, when she looked outside, she
felt they were in motion as their positions were changing with
respect to things outside.
The reference point is important in deciding whether an object
is at rest or in motion. If Deepa considered herself (or
the bus) as the reference point, then passengers were
at rest. However, if she considered any object outside
the bus (say a building) as the reference point, then
the passengers (and the bus) were in motion. More to
know!

Suppose you are travelling on a ship which is

moving at a constant speed along a straight
line on a calm sea. Suppose there is no window
Think it on the ship. Is there any way that you can
over! determine whether the ship is moving or is
stationary?

5.7 Types of Motion

Activity 5.3: Let us explore Measurement of Length and Motion

‹‹ Take an eraser and drop it from a certain height.

‹‹ Observe its motion.
Does it move along a straight line? When an orange drops
from the tree, does it move in a straight line? Have you seen
the Republic Day parade? Recall the march-past of students
during the parade. Do they move on a straight-line path?
When a heavy box is pushed, it may also move along a
straight line (Fig. 5.14).
91

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 When an object moves along a straight line, its motion is
called linear motion. Identify such linear motion in your
surroundings.

Fig. 5.14: Linear motion

But do things always move along a straight line? You

might have enjoyed playing on swings and merry-go-rounds.
Are these types of motion also linear motion?

Activity 5.4: Let us investigate

‹‹ Tie an eraser (or a potato) at one end of a thread.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ Hold the other end of the thread with your hand and
whirl it (Fig. 5.15).
‹‹ Observe its motion.
Is the motion of the eraser the same as that of a merry-go-
round?
When an object moves along a circular path, its motion is
called circular motion.

92

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 Fig. 5.15: Circular motion

Activity 5.5: Let us investigate

‹‹ Tie an eraser (or a potato) at one end of a thread.
‹‹ Hang the eraser by holding the other end of the thread
(Fig. 5.16). Keep your hand steady.
‹‹ Using the other hand, take the eraser slightly to one
side and then release (Fig. 5.16).
Does it start moving to and fro? Is its motion similar to the
motion of a swing?
When an object moves to and fro about some fixed
position, its motion is called oscillatory motion.

Measurement of Length and Motion

Fig. 5.16: Oscillatory motion

93

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 Activity 5.6: Let us investigate
‹‹ Take a thin metal strip of about 50 cm long.
‹‹ Hold its one end pressed to a table. You may use a few
books or a brick to hold it (Fig. 5.17).
‹‹ Press the free end of the strip slightly and let it go.
‹‹ Observe the motion of this end of the strip.
Does it move up and down? This is also an example of
oscillatory motion.

Fig. 5.17: Oscillatory motion of a metal strip

If an object repeats its path after a fixed interval of time, its

motion is said to be periodic. When an object is in circular
motion, it moves along the circular path again and again.
An object in oscillatory motion also repeats its motion while
More to moving to and fro. Both circular and oscillatory motion are
periodic in nature.
know!
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Activity 5.7: Let us identify

‹‹ Look at the picture of a children’s park (Fig. 5.18) or
visit a children’s park.
‹‹ Observe different kinds of motions. Classify them as
linear, circular or oscillatory motion.
List them in Table 5.4. Give your justification for why you
put each in a certain category.
94

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 Fig. 5.18: Types of motion observed in a children’s park

Table 5.4: Types of Motion

Linear Circular Oscillatory

Object
motion motion motion
Measurement of Length and Motion

Swing Moving to and fro

95

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 Keywords

centimetre Measurement Classify

Circular motion metre Explore

Distance millimetre Identify

kilometre Motion Investigate

Length Oscillatory motion Justification

Linear motion Reference point Observe

SI Unit of Length

Summary

‹‹ The International System of Units (SI units) has been

adopted by countries as standard units of measurement.
‹‹ The SI unit of length is metre. Its symbol is m.
‹‹ 1 km = 1000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 cm = 10 mm.
‹‹ When distance is stated with respect to a fixed object or
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

point, then this point is called a reference point.

‹‹ An object is said to be in motion if its position changes
with respect to a reference point with time.
‹‹ When an object moves along a straight line, its motion
is called linear motion.
‹‹ When an object moves along a circular path, its motion
is called circular motion.
‹‹ When any object moves to and fro about any fixed
position, its motion is called oscillatory motion.
96

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 Let us enhance our learning

1. Some lengths are given in Column I of Table 5.5. Some units

are given in Column II. Match the lengths with the units
suitable for measuring those lengths.
Table 5.5

Column I Column II

Distance between Delhi and

centimetre
Lucknow

Thickness of a coin kilometre

Length of an eraser metre

Length of school ground millimetre

2. Read the following statements and mark True (T) or False

(F) against each.
(i) The motion of a car moving on a straight road is an
example of linear motion. [ ]
(ii) Any object which is changing its position with respect
to a reference point with time is said to be in motion.
 [ ]
(iii) 1 km = 100 cm [ ] Measurement of Length and Motion

3. Which of the following is not a standard unit of measuring

length?
(i) millimetre (ii) centimetre (iii) kilometre (iv) handspan
4. Search for the different scales or measuring tapes at
your home and school. Find out the smallest value that
can be measured using each of these scales. Record your
observations in a tabular form.
5. Suppose the distance between your school and home is
1.5 km. Express it in metres.
97

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 6. Take a tumbler or a bottle. Measure the length of the curved
part of the base of glass or bottle and record it.

7. Measure the height of your friend and express it in (i) metres

(ii) centimetres and (iii) millimetres.

8. You are given a coin. Estimate how many coins are required
to be placed one after the other lengthwise, without
leaving any gap between them, to cover the whole length
of the chosen side of a notebook. Verify your estimate by
measuring the same side of the notebook and the size of the
coin using a 15-cm scale.

9. Give two examples each for linear, circular and oscillatory

motion.

10. Observe different objects around you. It is easier to express

the lengths of some objects in mm, some in cm and some in
m. Make a list of three objects in each category and enter
them in the Table 5.6.

Table 5.6: Sizes of objects around us

Size Objects

mm

cm

m
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

11. A rollercoaster track

is made in the shape A
shown in Fig. 5.19. D
A ball starts from
point A and escapes
through point F. E
Identify the types of F
B
motion of the ball
on the rollercoaster C
and corresponding
portions of the track. Fig. 5.19: Rollercoaster track

98

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 12. Tasneem wants to make a metre scale by herself. She
considers the following materials for it—plywood, paper,
cloth, stretchable rubber and steel. Which of these should
she not use and why?
13. Think, design and develop a card game on conversion of
units of length to play with your friends.

Learning further

‹‹ Can you find the thickness of a single page of your notebook

or textbook using a scale? Think of a way and write it. Carry
out the activity and report your result.

‹‹ Collect fallen leaves from the same tree. Identify the name of
the tree whose leaves you have taken. Measure length and
breadth of all these leaves using a 15-cm scale, as shown in
Fig. 5.20. Record your observations in the Table 5.7.

Fig. 5.20: Measuring a leaf

Table 5.7: Length and breadth of leaves

Length Breadth
Measurement of Length and Motion

S. no. Name of tree

of leaf of leaf

1.

Discuss why the leaves of the same tree vary in length

and breadth.

99

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 ‹‹ Discuss with elders in your community what units were
used for measurement of length in the olden days. Also,
using the internet, try to find out about the length scales
found in excavations of archaeological sites in India.
‹‹ Create a maze using lines of 1 cm, 2 cm and their combination.
Part of it has been made for you in Fig. 5.21. Now use your
imagination and expand it to a size as big as you want.
‹‹ How tall am I? Stand along
Fig. 5.21: A maze a wall and with the help of
an adult, mark your height
(Fig. 5.22). Repeat it every
three months to maintain a
height record for yourself
and your siblings.
‹‹ Let us design a fun method
for measuring the distance
between two places by using
a bicycle. Attach a flexible
metal strip to the spoke of
the front wheel in such a
manner that it hits the frame Fig. 5.22: Measuring height
of the bicycle holding the
wheel, every time it crosses it
and produces a sound (Fig. 5.23).
Now ride the bicycle slowly and count the number of times
in which sound occurred. The number will give you the
number of turns of your wheel made. Now measure the
length of the outer boundary of
the wheel using a string as done in
Fig. 5.8. Multiply this length by the
number of turns of the wheel. This
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

is the distance you travelled.

Such methods are actually used
to measure the distance for road-
running races. Try to find out about
a ‘Jones Counter’ which is attached
to a bicycle wheel and is used for
measuring distances.

Fig. 5.23: Measuring distance

100

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 Chapter

6 Materials Around Us

उपादानं भवेत्तस्या (मूषाया:) मृत्ति‍का लोहमेव च ।

 (रसरत्नसमुच्चय–१०.३)
The materials used to make the crucible
(a vessel used to melt substances) are clay and iron.
(Rasaratnasamuchchaya–10.3)

6.1 Observing Objects Around Us

Ghulan and Sheeta are thrilled to go to their new class
after the summer break. They enter their classroom and
start talking. “What have you brought to school today?”
asks Sheeta.
Look, I I also have a
have a new new notebook
notebook. and a pen.

After some time, Madam Vidya, their science teacher,

enters the class and starts interacting with the students to
draw their attention to many things they use in their daily
life. She asks, “How are they similar to or different from
each other? What are their shapes and colours? How does it
feel when you touch them? Are some of them heavier than

Chapter [Link] 101 09-07-2024 10:39:51

 others?” All things are made up of some materials like paper,
wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic, clay, and so on.
Any substance that is used to create an object is referred to
as material.

Activity 6.1: Let us identify

Make a list of objects you see around and also write the
names of the materials they are made up of in Table 6.1.
Table 6.1: Identify materials

Materials they are

I observe
made up of

Based on everyday observations, one can conclude that

objects are made up of various materials.

The earliest pottery found in the Indian subcontinent dates

back to 7,000 to 8,000 years in the Ganga plains (Lahuradewa)
and in Baluchistan (Mehrgarh). About 4000 BCE onwards,
Sindhu-Sarasvatī developed techniques of wheel-
turned pottery production, pigmentation, application
of protective or decorative coats (called ‘slips’) of
multiple colours, decorative painting, etc. These
techniques became further sophisticated during the
Sindhu-Sarasvatī (also known as ‘Harappan’) Civilisation
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(2600–1900 BCE), with a bright red surface

painted with black-coloured designs displaying
geometric patterns, and aquatic and terrestrial
animals. The clay used for making pots, dishes,
bowls and other items was carefully selected
and cleaned, sieved, kneaded, turned over a
wheel and finally baked in kilns (baked clay
is called ‘terracotta’). Pots were used for various
purposes, from cooking to storage of food grains,
oil, ghee, and so on. Some very large storage
jars and other pottery items are exhibited at the Do you
102 National Museum, New Delhi. know?

Chapter [Link] 102 09-07-2024 12:15:19

 Let us explore materials further.

6.2 How to Group Materials?

Activity 6.2: Let us group
‹‹ Group the objects shown in Fig. 6.1 based on any common
property, such as shape, colour, hardness, softness, shine,
dullness or materials they are made up of.

Fig. 6.1: Objects around us

‹‹ Which property did you use to group the objects in

Activity 6.2?
‹‹ Did your friends group objects based on similar
properties?
‹‹ What did you learn from this activity?
You must have noticed that an object can be made from
different materials and some materials can be used to make
Materials Around Us

more than one object.

The method of arranging the objects into groups is called
classification. Objects can be classified on the basis of a
common property that they have.
Similarly, we can classify materials based on certain
properties.
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 Activity 6.3: Let us think
Let us think what materials we can use to make a tumbler.
Fill in the names of the materials in the spaces provided in
Fig. 6.2.

Tumbler

Fig. 6.2: Materials used to make tumbler

Would it be a
Why cannot a
good idea to
tumbler made of

?
use paper-like cloth be used for
materials for storing water?
making cooking
utensils?
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

The materials that are required to make a tumbler should

be capable of holding water.
What decides which material should be used for making
an object? We choose a material to make an object depending
on its properties and the purpose for which the object is to
be used.
We may use different materials for making different
parts of an object. For example, a pen may be made up of
different materials like plastic, metal and ink.
104

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 Can a cricket ball
Why are different
be used to play
materials used for
tennis?
making balls for
various sports?

Activity 6.4: Let us explore

Fig. 6.3 illustrates a variety of balls that are of the same size
but made up of different materials.
‹‹ Take each ball and drop it from a fixed height.
‹‹ Note the height to which the ball bounces and record it
in Table 6.2.
‹‹ Identify the ball that achieves the highest bounce.

Tennis ball Cricket ball Hand exercise ball

Fig. 6.3: Different types of balls used for various purposes

Table 6.2: Bouncing level of the balls

Ball Bounces (high, medium or low)

Tennis ball
Materials Around Us

Cricket ball

Hand exercise ball

Any other
105

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 Discuss in class other properties of sports balls, such as size,
colour, texture and how high they bounce and understand
why balls are made up of specific materials for specific sports.
Observe Fig. 6.4 and group the objects in as many different
ways as possible.
You might have grouped
these objects according to
their shapes or by their
colour or materials they are
made up of.
We have learnt that
materials may be classified on
the basis of their properties.
For example, in the
kitchen, we usually store
things in such a manner that Fig. 6.4: Grouping of objects
similar utensils are placed
together. Similarly, a grocer usually keeps all types of spices
in one corner, pulses and grains in another corner and so
on. You may also visit any chemist shop and enquire about
how medicines are arranged.

6.3 What are the different Properties of

Materials?
Let us learn some more properties of materials.

6.3.1 O
 bserve and identify appearance of materials
Materials often look different from each other. Freshly cut
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

wood, which is unpolished, has a distinct appearance, quite

different from that of iron. Similarly, iron looks different
from copper or aluminium. However, there might be some
similarities among iron, copper and aluminium that make
them different from wood.
Let us do a sorting challenge! Collect small pieces of paper,
cardboard, wood, chalk, copper wire, aluminium foil and any
article made up of brass, bronze, steel, etc. Take a look at the
pieces you have collected. Do any of these materials shine
when light falls on them? Observe their texture (whether
106

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 rough or smooth), colour and other noticeable features,
and record your observations in the notebook. Group the
collected pieces based on their appearance.
Materials that typically have shiny surfaces are said to
have a lustrous appearance. Such materials with lustre are
usually metals. Examples of metals include iron, copper, zinc,
aluminium, gold, etc. However, some metals may lose their
lustre and start to look dull or non-lustrous due
to the effect of air and moisture on them. As
a result, we often notice the lustre only on
their freshly cut surfaces. Non-lustrous Are all lustrous
materials are those that do not have a shiny materials metals?
surface. Some examples of non-lustrous
materials are paper, wood, rubber, jute, etc.
“All that glitters is not gold” goes an old
saying! Not all the materials that shine are metals.
Surfaces of some materials are made shiny by
polishing or coating them with thin layers of plastic,
wax or any other material which makes them look
shiny. These materials may not be metals.

6.3.2 Which materials are hard?

When you press different objects or materials with your
hands, some of them like stones, may be hard to compress,
while others, like an eraser, can be easily compressed. Take
a metal key and use it to scratch the surface of a piece of
wood, aluminium, stone, iron, candle, chalk and any other
material or object. Can some materials be scratched more
easily than others? Materials which can be compressed or
scratched easily are soft, while other materials which are
difficult to compress or scratch are hard. However, these
properties are relative in nature. For example, rubber is
harder than sponge but softer than iron.
Materials Around Us

Activity 6.5: Let us observe

‹‹ Hold the objects given in Table 6.3 with your hands.
Feel whether the objects are hard or soft. Find out the
materials they are made up of. Enter your observations
in Table 6.3.
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 Table 6.3: Hard or soft objects and the materials
they are made up of

Object Hard/Soft Material(s)

Brick Hard Baked clay

Water bottle

Pillow

Tumbler

Table

Sweater

Any other

‹‹ Compare your observations with the observations of

your friends and discuss.
You have learnt that materials can have different properties,
like lustre, hardness, softness and colour. Can you think of
any other properties that are shown by materials? Let us
explore it further.

6.3.3 Explore materials through which one can

see or cannot see
Ghulan, Sheeta and Sara are playing hide and seek with
their friends. Ghulan hides behind a wall, Sheeta hides
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

behind a big tree in the garden while Sara hides behind

the frosted glass door (which has a hazy surface). Sheeta’s
younger brother can see all of this happening through a
glass window of his house.
The materials, through which things can be seen clearly,
are called transparent. Glass, water, air, cellophane paper,
etc., are some examples of transparent materials.
Why did Ghulan, Sheeta and Sara choose these places to hide?
Do you think it would be possible for Sheeta’s brother to
see her and her friends through a closed wooden window of
108 the house?

Chapter [Link] 108 09-07-2024 12:15:33

 There are many materials through which you are not
able to see at all. These materials are called opaque. Wood,
cardboard and metals are examples of opaque materials.
The materials through which objects can be seen, but not
clearly, are known as translucent. Butter paper and frosted
glass are examples of translucent materials.
Look at Fig. 6.5. Identify and label the nature of materials
used by Ghulan (A), Sheeta (B), Sara (C) and Sheeta’s
brother (D).

C D

B
A

Fig. 6.5: Identify the nature of different materials

(A) (B) (C) (D) .

Activity 6.6: Let us classify

Classify the following objects as transparent, translucent or
opaque in Table 6.4.

Glass tumbler Butter paper Eraser

Materials Around Us

Frosted glass Wooden board Window glass 109

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 Table 6.4: Classification of objects
Is water
transparent?
Transparent Translucent Opaque
Can it

?
be made
opaque?

6.3.4 What is soluble in water; what is not?

Ghulan was sweating when he came home after
playing in the evening. He was feeling tired and
thirsty. Ghulan’s mother mixed a spoonful of sugar,
a pinch of salt and some lemon juice in a glass of
water and offered him this shikanji (lemonade)
to drink.
Ghulan noticed that while his mother was
mixing sugar and salt in water, the salt and the
sugar disappeared after a while.
Let us try a simple activity to explore how
different materials behave when we mix them
in water!

Activity 6.7: Let us explore

‹‹ Collect small amounts of sugar, salt, chalk powder, sand

and sawdust.
‹‹ Take five glass tumblers and fill them about two-third
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

with water.
‹‹ Put a teaspoonful of sugar in the first glass tumbler, salt
in the second one, chalk powder in the third, sand in the
fourth and sawdust in the fifth glass tumbler.
‹‹ On stirring, predict what will happen in each case.
‹‹ Use a spoon to stir well the contents of each glass tumbler.
‹‹ Wait for a few minutes and watch what happens.
‹‹ Write down your observations in Table 6.5.

110

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 Table 6.5: Mixing different materials in water

Prediction Observation

Material Will disappear Disappears in water/

in water/will not does not disappear
disappear in water in water

Sugar

Salt

Chalk powder

Sand

Sawdust

Any other

You might have noticed that some materials

completely disappear when mixed in water. Does

?
We say that these materials dissolve in everything you
water or, in other words, they are soluble put in water
in water (Fig. 6.6a). Some materials do not disappear?
mix with water and do not disappear even
after we stir them for a long time. These
materials are insoluble in water (Fig. 6.6b).
Water plays an important role in the functioning
of our body because it can dissolve a large number of
materials. Materials Around Us

(a) Soluble material in water (b) Insoluble material in water

Fig. 6.6: What disappears, what does not? 111

Chapter [Link] 111 08-07-2024 19:07:31

 Make your own ORS!
ORS—Oral Rehydration Solution— is used to treat dehydration due
to diarrhoea or other illnesses. These ready-made ORS packets are
available in primary health centres and also in the market. Each packet
is dissolved in a litre of water before use. If these are not available,
ORS can be prepared at home by mixing six teaspoons of sugar and
half a teaspoon of common salt in one litre of boiled and cooled water.

l,
Do liquids like oi What about the gases
ney
vinegar and ho present in water?
er?
dissolve in wat
Explore.

Some liquids get completely mixed with water. Some do

not mix with water and form a separate layer when left
undisturbed for some time. Similarly, some gases are soluble
in water whereas others are not. For example, oxygen gas
dissolves in water. It is very important for the survival of
animals and plants that live in water.

6.3.5 How heavy or light?

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Activity 6.8: Let us measure

‹‹ Let us take three identical paper cups (or bowls). Fill
each cup half with the provided materials.
‹‹ Fill one with water and mark it as ‘A’, second with sand
and mark it as ‘B’, and the third with pebbles and mark
it as ‘C’.
‹‹ Predict which one would be heavier and which one
would be lighter?
112

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 ‹‹ Weigh each cup using a balance (Fig. 6.7)
and record the readings in your notebook.
‹‹ Compare the data and infer which is
heavier or lighter.
From Activity 6.8, we can say that any object
which is heavier or lighter can be measured in
terms of a property called mass.
The one which is heavier has more mass
and the one which is lighter has less mass.
Fig. 6.7: Weighing a paper
cup containing water

Weight is sometimes used in common language for mass as it is

determined by weighing. You will learn more about mass and weight
and their relation in higher classes.

6.3.6 Space and volume

Next day, Madam Vidya enters the class. All the students
stand up to greet her. She reciprocates and deliberately
says, “Please keep your bags on your seats and sit down.”
Students are not able to sit because bags are kept on their
seats. Madam Vidya asks, “Why are you not sitting?” The
students reply that there is no place to sit because the bags
have occupied that space.
Continuing the conversation,
she provides two identical glass
tumblers to two students and
encourages them to pour the
remaining water from their
drinking water bottles into
the respective glass tumblers.
On pouring water in the glass
Materials Around Us

tumblers, the students observe

that one glass tumbler gets half-
filled with water (Fig. 6.8a) while
the other is almost completely (a) Half-filled (b) Fully-filled
filled with water (Fig. 6.8b). Fig. 6.8: Glass tumblers with varying levels of water

113

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 Why is the level of water different in the two tumblers?
Madam Vidya elaborates that both tumblers have the
same capacity. The water levels differ in each case, which
indicates that the amount of water in each tumbler is
different.
The water in the first tumbler occupies less space,
indicating that the volume of water in this tumbler is less
than the water in the other tumbler. The space occupied by
water represents its volume.

Why was I not able to

transfer water from the
jug into an empty water
bottle completely?
Now I know the reason
behind it …

You may have noticed drinking water bottles of different

sizes being sold in the market. Have you noticed 1 L, 500 mL,
200 mL, etc., written as net quantity on the bottles? These
indicate the volume of water in the bottles.

The bottles of drinking

water and milk are
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

labelled as 500 mL,

indicating the volume.

Milk Drinking Milk Drinking

500 mL water 500 mL water
500 mL 500 mL

114

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 Now you have become familiar with many properties
of materials. However, all
materials do not possess all
these properties. Are there any
properties whic
h
6.4 What is Matter? can be shown b
y all

?
materials? If ye
s,
Mass and volume are the two what are those
?
properties that are possessed
by all materials. Can we give a
general name to anything that
possesses these two properties?
Anything that occupies space and has
mass is called matter. The mass gives the quantity of matter,
and the units to measure it are gram (g) and kilogram (kg).
The space occupied by matter is its volume. The units to
measure the volume are litre (L) and millilitre (mL).

Kilogram is the unit of mass in the International System

of Units (SI). Kilogram is abbreviated in lower case as kg.
There is no space between ‘k’ and ‘g’ in kg, and no full
stop after the symbol, except at the end of a sentence.
While writing the mass, always leave a space between
the number (numerical value) and the unit. For example,
if we have mass of 7 kilograms, it would be written as
7 kg and not as 7 kgs.
Similarly, litre is abbreviated as capital L and
millilitre as mL. There is no space between ‘m’ and ‘L’
in mL. For example, if you have 500 millilitres of water,
it would be written as 500 mL, m will be in lower
case and L will be in upper case. The SI unit for
volume is cubic metre, abbreviated as m3. The
abbreviation is written with a superscript 3 to
Materials Around Us

denote cubic metre. For example, if you have

volume of 2 cubic metres, it would be written Do you
as 2 m3. Always leave a space between number know?
(numerical value) and the unit. 1 m3 =1000 L.

115

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 Can all the materials around us be
Is air
considered as different examples of
matter?
matter? Discuss with your friends.
For example, water is matter, sand and
pebbles are matter and so is the cup.
Materials are types of matter used in the
creation or making of objects.
We learnt that materials look different
and behave differently. We grouped materials
on the basis of similarities or differences in
their properties.
We find grouping useful as it helps us study and
observe patterns in the properties of things. Humans have
been classifying not only things, but also rocks, plants and
animals. We have learnt about the classification of the living
world in the chapter ‘Diversity in the Living World’. Just like
in the living world, classification of the non-living world is
also done on the basis of their properties.

Can you think about what changes the

invention of plastic brought to humans?
Think it Is it a boon or a bane?
over!

Yes! But most of the materials

that we see today would have
We have explored also existed earlier. I am
and understood the curious to know how people
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

various properties of classified them then.

materials.

116

Chapter [Link] 116 10-07-2024 10:41:38

 A similar classification system existed in ancient India.
Ayurveda, one of the Indian medical systems, too has a
system of grouping things.
गु मन्द हिम स्निग्ध श्‍लक्ष्ण सान्द्र मृदु स्थिराः|
गणु ाः ससक्ू ष्म विशदा: विंशतिः स विपर्ययाः||
(Aṣhtanga hṛidaya Sūtra sthāna 1.18)
The shloka precisely talks about the 20 properties (guṇa—ten
pairs of opposite properties), which are used to describe all
physical matter in Ayurveda. These properties can also be used
to describe all living systems (plants, animals and humans), the
environment and also food.
These properties are:
(i) guru (heavy)  laghu (light in weight)
(ii) manda (slow)  tīkṣhṇa (quick, fast)
(iii) hima (cold)  uṣhṇa (hot)
(iv) snigdha (unctous)  rukṣha (dry)
(v) śhlakṣhaṇa (smooth)  khara (rough)
(vi) sāndra (solid)  drava (liquid)
(vii) mṛidu (soft)  kaṭhina (hard)
(viii) sthira (stable)  khāla (moving, unstable)
(ix) sūkṣhma (subtle, small)  sthūla (big, gross)
(x) viśhada (non slimy)  picchhila (slimy) Do you
know?

Keywords

Classification Non-lustrous Classify

Hard Opaque Explore

Insoluble Soft Identify

Lustrous Soluble Observe

Materials Around Us

Mass Translucent Predict

Material Transparent Record

Matter Volume
117

Chapter [Link] 117 08-07-2024 19:08:23

 Summary

‹‹ Objects are made from a large variety of materials. An object

can be made up of a single material or a combination of
different materials.
‹‹ We can use different materials to make objects with similar
functions.
‹‹ The method of arranging objects into groups is called
classification.
‹‹ Materials possess different properties which determine
their use.
‹‹ Materials are grouped or classified based on their similarities
or differences in their properties.
‹‹ Materials can be grouped based on appearance, such as
lustrous or non-lustrous and based on the feel, such as hard
or soft.
‹‹ Materials are grouped as transparent, translucent or opaque
depending on how much we can see through them.
‹‹ Some materials are soluble in water, while others remain
insoluble.
‹‹ Anything that occupies space and has mass is called matter.
‹‹ The space occupied by matter is its volume.
‹‹ Mass quantifies the amount of matter present in an object.

Let us play
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

1. Find the companion.

Link the following words by putting arrows between words
that have a connection.

Iron
Transparent Copper
Solid Bottle
Plastic Lustrous
Wood Opaque
118 Glass

Chapter [Link] 118 08-07-2024 19:08:28

 2. Win the ‘Word-hub’
The following words from the chapter like lustrous, non-
lustrous, soluble, insoluble, hard, soft, matter, mass,
transparent, opaque, volume and translucent are picked up.
Grid

‹‹ Students should randomly choose nine words from the given

list and write them in the grid.
‹‹ Then, the facilitator either reads the definition of a word or
the word itself (randomly) from the given list.
‹‹ The learners have to tick if the particular word is there in
the grid.
‹‹ Whoever finishes ticking off all nine words first will shout
out ‘Hurray!’. That person will be the winner if his/her words
are marked correctly.

Let us enhance our learning

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

Column I Column II

(i) T R E M A T (a) Objects can be seen

Materials Around Us

clearly through it
(ii) U L S B E L O (b) Occupies space and
has mass
(iii) T N E R P A S N A R T (c) Shiny surface
(iv) E R U S T L (d) Mixes completely in water
119

Chapter [Link] 119 08-07-2024 19:08:32

 3. The containers which are used to store materials in shops and
at home are usually transparent. Give your reasons for this.
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. [ ]
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.
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?
7. Air is all around us but does not hinder us from seeing each
other. Whereas, if a wooden door comes in between, we
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

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
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
120
its shape when you press it. Now, when you mix both
materials in water, only material X dissolves completely,

Chapter [Link] 120 10-07-2024 10:43:55

 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.
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?’
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.

Learning further

‹‹ Gather information on different materials which can be

recycled. You can take help from various sources such as
newspapers, magazines, talking to elders in your community,
and the internet.
‹‹ Recyclers buy old objects based on properties of the
materials and do not bother even if an object is broken.
Conduct a survey with recyclers near you and find out what
properties of materials they check before buying objects
from households. Which materials do they not buy and why?
‹‹ Collect 20–30 objects from your household and classify
them based on the properties of the materials they are
made up of. Were you able to put them in separate groups?
Materials Around Us

What relationship do you see between the properties of the

materials and the use of the objects?
‹‹ Create and decorate a useful object of your choice using
discarded materials and bring it to the class. Discuss with your
friends what they have made and the materials they have
used. Additionally, provide constructive feedback on areas for
improvement, considering functionality and any other points. 121

Chapter [Link] 121 08-07-2024 19:08:37

 Notes

Chapter [Link] 122 08-07-2024 19:08:37

 Chapter

7 Temperature and
its Measurement

Wrong measurements are worse than

no measurements at all.
— Anna Mani

Lambok and his elder sister

Phiban live in Shillong. One day
they came home from school.
Their parents were away at
work and Lambok complained
that he was feeling feverish.
Phiban touched his forehead
and felt that he might be
having a fever. To confirm this,
she took out the thermometer
kept in the almirah. She
washed its tip with soap and
water, and measured Lambok’s
temperature. To her relief, she
found that his temperature
was normal. She washed the
thermometer tip again, dried

it and put it back. She then asked Can it always be

?
Lambok to change his school correctly judged, that
uniform, eat his lunch, and rest for a person has fever,
some time. only by touching the
person?
7.1 Hot or Cold?
We know from experience that some bodies are hotter than
others. For example, during summers, the tap water may be
hotter than the cold water from a matka (earthen pot) or a

Chapter [Link] 123 10-07-2024 12:50:47

 refrigerator. We can realise this by merely touching the two
samples of water. But can we always rely upon our sense of
touch? Let us find out.

Activity 7.1: Let us investigate

‹‹ Take three large containers and label them A, B and C,
as shown in Fig. 7.1.
‹‹ Pour warm water in container A, tap water in B and ice-
cold water in C.
‹‹ We will conduct this activity in two parts — prediction
and observation.
‹‹ Firstly, predict what will you feel if you
—— dip your right hand in A and left hand in C and
keep them there for 1–2 minutes.
—— take out your hands from containers A and C, and
place both hands simultaneously in B.

A B C A B C
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

Fig. 7.1: Feeling hotness or coldness of water by dipping hands

‹‹ Write down your predictions.

—— What will my right hand feel on dipping in B?

—— What will my left hand feel on dipping in B?

‹‹ Now, conduct the activity and write your observations.

124

Chapter [Link] 124 10-07-2024 12:50:48

 Compare whether your observations match with your
predictions. Did your right hand feel that the water in
container B is cool, while your left hand felt that
the same water is warm? What do you infer
from these observations? Then how do we
find out how hot
We cannot always rely upon our sense of
or cold a body
touch to decide correctly whether a body is is?
hot or cold.

7.2 Temperature
A reliable measure of hotness (or coldness) of a body is
its temperature. A hotter body has a higher temperature
than a colder body. The difference in temperature between
the two bodies tells us how hot a body is in comparison to
another body. A device that measures temperature is called
a thermometer.
There are two kinds of thermometers that you are likely
to come across—clinical thermometers and laboratory
thermometers. Clinical thermometers are used to
measure human body temperatures whereas laboratory
thermometers are used for many other purposes. Let us
now learn more about thermometers and how to use them
to measure temperature.

7.3 Measuring Temperature

7.3.1 Clinical thermometer
You might be familiar with a thermometer, like that shown in
Fig. 7.2, which is used for measuring our body temperature.
It is called a clinical thermometer. Such thermometers show
Temperature and its Measurement

temperatures digitally. These are also known as digital

clinical thermometers and run on batteries. These measure

Tip
Fig.7.2: A digital clinical thermometer

125

Chapter [Link] 125 10-07-2024 12:50:49

 temperature when the thermometer is placed in contact
with a person’s body.
For measuring temperature, the clinical thermometers
generally use a scale called the Celsius scale. On this
scale, the unit of temperature is degree Celsius and is
denoted by °C.

Earlier, mercury thermometers were used for measuring

the body temperature. But mercury is an extremely toxic
substance and is difficult to dispose of if the thermometer
breaks accidently.

Digital thermometers pose no such risk and also the

numbers in its display are easier to read. Therefore,
mercury thermometers are being replaced by digital
thermometers. Temperature in a digital thermometer
is determined with the help of heat sensors.

Dur Do you
pand ing the C know?
ther emic, so OVID-19
m me s
whic ometer
h co s we pecial
temp uld m re us
from e ra ture e a sure ed,
a dis o th
tanc f a pers e
e. on
thos What w
e? ere
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

They are non-contact thermometers,

also called infrared
thermometers. Such
thermometers can
measure temperature
without touching a
person’s body and
thus reduce the risk of
spreading disease.

126

Chapter [Link] 126 10-07-2024 12:50:58

 Activity 7.2: Let us measure
Let us now use a digital clinical thermometer
to measure body temperature. You may
measure your own temperature as well as Precautions
the temperature of some of your friends. to be taken while
Talk to your friends to find out who would using a digital clinical
be willing to get their body temperatures thermometer
measured by you. • To be used after reading the
‹‹ Wash your hands and the tip of the instruction manual of the
digital thermometer with soap and thermometer.
water. • Tip of the thermometer to
‹‹ Reset the thermometer by pressing the be washed with soap and
reset button. water before and after use.

‹‹ Place the thermometer under the • While washing, care to be

taken to keep the digital
tongue and close your mouth.
portion such as the display
‹‹ Wait till the thermometer makes a out of water.
beeping sound or flashes a light.
• Do not hold the thermometer
‹‹ Take it out from the mouth and read by the tip.
the temperature on the digital display.
‹‹ Record the temperature in Table 7.1.
‹‹ Clean the tip of the thermometer with soap and water,
and dry it.
‹‹ Repeat the above steps for measuring the temperatures
of your friends.

Table 7.1: Body temperatures of 10 persons Temperature and its Measurement

S. no. Name Temperature (°C)

10 127

Chapter [Link] 127 10-07-2024 12:50:59

 The normal temperature of a healthy human body is taken
to be 37.0 °C. But in this activity, did you find that the normal
temperature of every person was 37.0 °C? Or did you find the
temperature slightly higher or lower for some people?
The temperature of every person may not
be 37.0 °C. What we call normal temperature

?
Do small children
is the average body temperature of a large
generally have number of healthy people. A perfectly
slightly higher body
healthy person may, therefore, have a
temperatures as
normal temperature slightly different from
compared to adults?
37.0 °C. The body temperature is influenced
by several factors, such as age, time of the
day and activity level.

?
Do old people, even You may try measuring your own
when healthy, generally temperature at different times of the day and
have lower body
on different days. Record the thermometer
temperatures than
readings in your notebook. After a month,
young adults?
analyse your temperature record and see if
there are any variations. If yes, try to think
what might be the reasons for that.
I have seen The temperature of human beings does
a friend of not normally go below 35 °C or above 42 °C.
using a dig m
ital thermo ine For measuring the body temperature
that reads meter
temperatu
a different re on of small children or old people, the digital
scale. It sh
the norma ows thermometer can also be placed in the
l temperatu
a healthy h re of armpit. The temperature measured this way
uman bod
98.6 °F. W y as
hat is the r
eason
is about 0.5 °C to 1 °C lower than the actual
for this diff body temperature.
erence?
There is another scale of temperature
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

known as Fahrenheit scale. On this scale, the

unit of temperature is degree Fahrenheit and
is denoted by °F. A temperature measured as
37.0 °C on Celsius scale is equivalent to 98.6 °F
on Fahrenheit scale. The Fahrenheit scale is
not used in most scientific studies anymore.
In scientific work, there is another scale of
temperature known as Kelvin scale. On this
scale, the unit for temperature is kelvin and
is denoted by K. The SI unit of temperature
128 is kelvin.

Chapter [Link] 128 10-07-2024 12:50:59

 All three temperature We can easily convert the
scales, Celsius, Fahrenheit temperature from Celsius scale to
and Kelvin are named in Kelvin scale by using:
honour of the scientists who
Temperature in Kelvin
developed these scales.
scale = Temperature in
Celsius scale + 273.15

More to
The names of temperature scales—Celsius
scale,
know!
Fahrenheit scale and Kelvin scale—start
with a capital
letter. For the units for temperature, deg
ree Celsius and degree
Fahrenheit, the word degree starts with
a lower-case letter while
Celsius and Fahrenheit start with a capital
letter. The unit kelvin
starts with a lower-case letter. The symbols
of all units (°C, °F, K) are
capital letters. Note that degree sign (°) is
not written with K. A full
stop is not written after the symbol, except
at the end of a sentence.
While writing the temperature, a space is
left between the number
and the unit. For temperatures more than
one degree, use the plural
of ‘degree’, that is, ‘degrees’, while writing
the full form of the unit.

How was fever detected before

?
? Fever
Can a clinical thermometers were developed
. This
thermometer be affects the pulse rate of a person
used for measuring was known even in olden days
the temperature of in India. However, apart from
boiling water? Or fever, some other situations
for measuring the also affect the pulse rate.
temperature of ice?
Hence, pulse rate alone is not
Temperature and its Measurement

Do you a reliable indicator of fever.

know?
No, the
temperatures of
boiling water and
ice are outside the How can we measure
range of a clinical temperatures beyond
thermometer. the range of a clinical
thermometer?

129

Chapter [Link] 129 10-07-2024 12:51:41

 7.3.2 Laboratory thermometer
There are many types of laboratory thermometers but the
one that might be available in your school laboratory may
look like the one shown in Fig. 7.3a. It consists of a long,
narrow, uniform glass tube which is sealed. At one end of
the tube is a bulb which contains a liquid. Outside the bulb,
in the tube, a narrow column of liquid can be seen. There
is a Celsius scale marked along the tube. The liquid column
rises or falls with change in temperature. The mark of the
Celsius scale with which the top level of the liquid column
coincides is the temperature reading.

The liquid used in the laboratory

thermometer is generally alcohol (coloured
red to make it easily seen) or mercury. Do you
know?

Activity 7.3: Let us observe

Let us try to find the temperature range of a given laboratory
thermometer.
‹‹ Take a laboratory
thermometer and observe it
carefully. Precautions
‹‹ Note down the following: to be taken while
using a laboratory
—— What is the lowest thermometer
temperature it
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

• Handle with care. If

can measure?
it hits against some
Bulb
hard object, it can
—— What is the highest break.
temperature it • Do not hold it by the
can measure? bulb.
Fig.7.3(a):
A laboratory —— So, the range of this
thermometer thermometer is
Now look at the thermometer shown in Fig. 7.3a carefully.
Can you tell its range? Its range is from –10 °C to 110 °C.
130

Chapter [Link] 130 10-07-2024 12:51:59

 Activity 7.4: Let us observe and calculate
Let us now try to find the smallest value that a given
laboratory thermometer can read.
‹‹ Again, take the same laboratory thermometer which
you used in Activity 7.3 and observe it carefully.
‹‹ Note down the following:
—— How much is the temperature difference indicated
between the two bigger marks?
—— How many divisions (shown by smaller marks)
are there between these two bigger marks?

—— How much temperature does one small division

indicate?
—— So, the smallest value that the thermometer can
read is
Fig. 7.3b shows a closeup of a part of the thermometer
shown in Fig. 7.3a. Can you now find the smallest value that
this thermometer can read?
For the thermometer shown in Fig. 7.3b, the
temperature difference indicated between 0 °C and
10 °C or between 10 °C and 20 °C is 10 °C. And the
number of divisions between these marks are 10
divisions. So, one small division can read 10/10 = 1 °C.
That is, the smallest value that this thermometer
can read is 1 °C.
Your school laboratory may have thermometers for
which the range and the value of the smallest division
Temperature and its Measurement

may be different. It is, therefore, always necessary to

look carefully at the thermometer you are about to use.
You have learnt how to find the temperature
range of a given laboratory thermometer. You have
also learnt how to find the smallest value that
Fig. 7.3(b):
a given laboratory thermometer can read. We
Closeup of a will now learn how to measure temperature
part of the using a laboratory thermometer. But, let us first
thermometer learn how to use a laboratory thermometer
shown in
Fig. 7.3a.
correctly. 131

Chapter [Link] 131 10-07-2024 12:51:59

 Correct way of measuring temperature using a
laboratory thermometer
‹‹  hen the thermometer
W
is immersed in water, its
bulb should not touch
the bottom or the sides
of the beaker.
‹‹ The thermometer
should be held
vertically (Fig. 7.4). It
Closeup of a part of
laboratory thermometer should not be tilted.

Laboratory thermometer
‹‹ The temperature
must be read while
Beaker
the thermometer is
Warm water
immersed in water.
Fig.7.4: Measuring temperature of warm water ‹‹ 
W hile reading the
thermometer, the eye
should be directly in line with the level of the liquid column
to be read (Fig. 7.4).

Activity 7.5: Let us measure

‹‹ Take some warm water in a beaker.
‹‹ Dip the thermometer in water so that the bulb is
immersed in water (Fig. 7.4).
‹‹ Observe the rise of liquid column in the thermometer.
Wait till the column stops rising and note the
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

Can se temperature (do not wait too long; otherwise,

u y
we rator for the water itself will start to cool).
bo ter What is the temperature of water
a la ome body
rm ng fa measured by you? Compare it with the
the asuri ure o
me perat n? readings of your friends.
o
tem pers Do you notice that, as soon as you take the
thermometer out of the water, the level of liquid
column begins to fall?
This means that the temperature must be read
while the thermometer is immersed in water.
132

Chapter [Link] 132 10-07-2024 12:52:00

 Following two experimental setups are to be arranged by your
teacher. One by one, as per your turn, go closer to the setups
and observe the readings of both the thermometers. What are
the temperatures of ice and boiling water? More to
do!

Laboratory
thermometer

Boiling
Laboratory water
thermometer
Burner
Crushed ice Caution
This activit
y
should be
performed
strictly
Read the temperatures of ice and boiling water again after only unde
r
supervisio
some time. Are the temperatures same or have changed? You n of
the teache
may have noticed that the temperature of water remains r. Do
not touch
constant while it is boiling. Also, the temperature of ice the
experimen
remains constant while it is melting. tal
setups.

Activity 7.6: Let us compare

‹‹ Phiban’s Science teacher arranged the experimental
setup for measuring temperature of boiling water. The
temperature readings of the boiling water taken by Phiban
and her classmates in Shillong are given in Table 7.2.
Table 7.2: Temperature of boiling water
Temperature and its Measurement

Temperature of boiling
Name water (in °C)

Phiban 97.8

Shemphang 98.0

Onestar 97.9

Kloi 98.0

Bandarisha 98.1
133

Chapter [Link] 133 10-07-2024 12:52:15

 ‹‹ Compare the temperatures of boiling water recorded by
different students.
Why are there differences in their readings? Discuss the
possible reasons amongst yourselves. Maybe, the correct way
of reading temperature was not followed by all the students.

7.3.3 Air temperature

You might have seen thermometers,
such as the one shown in Fig. 7.5, hung
on walls of your school laboratory,
doctor’s clinic, and hospitals. These
give an approximate idea of the
room temperature.
Have you seen weather reports
in newspapers, TV news or internet?
These reports also mention the
maximum and minimum air
temperature of the day.

Fig.7.5: Room thermometer

Activity 7.7: Let us analyse

‹‹ Read or listen to the weather reports for a place for 10
successive days.
‹‹ Record the maximum and minimum air temperature
for each day in Table 7.3.
‹‹ Analyse the data in the Table 7.3.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

Table 7.3: Maximum and minimum air temperature

Maximum air Minimum air

[Link]. Date
temperature temperature

1.

134 10.

Chapter [Link] 134 10-07-2024 12:52:16

 Does the maximum and minimum temperature stay at
the same level during these days?
Because weather depends on several factors, these
temperatures usually vary every day. Generally, as we
approach the summer season, the temperature rises and
during the winter season it falls.

There are many techniques for measuring

air temperature. Air temperature is an
important weather parameter and is
More to
monitored at weather stations all over
know!
the world. The data gathered on air
temperature along with various other
parameters are used for making weather
forecasts.

Anna Mani (1918–2001)

was an Indian scientist,
also known as the ‘Weather
Woman of India’. She
invented and built a
large number of weather
measurement instruments.
Temperature and its Measurement

This reduced the reliance of

India on other nations for
such instruments. She also
explored the possibilities
of using wind and solar
energy in India. Her work
helped India to become
one of the global leaders in
renewable energy.
135

Chapter [Link] 135 10-07-2024 12:52:30

 Keywords

Air Temperature Analyse

Celsius Scale Calculate

Clinical thermometer Compare

degree Celsius Discuss

degree Fahrenheit Infer

Fahrenheit scale Investigate

kelvin Measure

Kelvin scale Observe

Laboratory thermometer Precaution

SI unit of temperature Predict

Temperature Record

Summary
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

‹‹ The temperature of a body tells us how hot or cold it is.

‹‹ The three most-used scales of temperature are: (a) the Celsius
scale, (b) the Fahrenheit scale, and (c) the Kelvin scale. The units
of temperature in these scales are (a) degree Celsius, denoted by °C,
(b) degree Fahrenheit, denoted by °F, and (c) kelvin, denoted by K.
‹‹ The SI unit for temperature is kelvin.
‹‹ A clinical thermometer is used for measuring body temperature.
‹‹ Normal temperature of a healthy human adult is taken to be
37.0 °C or 98.6 °F.
‹‹ Laboratory thermometers typically have a temperature range
136 from –10 °C to 110 °C.

Chapter [Link] 136 10-07-2024 12:52:36

 Let us enhance our learning

1. The normal temperature of a healthy human being is

close to .
(i) 98.6 °C
(ii) 37.0 °C
(iii) 32.0 °C
(iv) 27.0 °C
2. 37 °C is the same temperature as .
(i) 97.4 °F
(ii) 97.6 °F
(iii) 98.4 °F
(iv) 98.6 °F
3. Fill in the blanks:
(i) The hotness or coldness of a system is determined by its
.
(ii) The temperature of ice-cold water cannot be measured
by a thermometer.
(iii) The unit of temperature is degree .
4. The range of a laboratory thermometer is usually .
(i) 10 °C to 100 °C
(ii) –10 °C to 110 °C
(iii) 32 °C to 45 °C
(iv) 35 °C to 42 °C
5. Four students used a laboratory thermometer to measure
the temperature of water as shown in Fig. 7.6:
Temperature and its Measurement

Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4

137
Fig. 7.6

Chapter [Link] 137 10-07-2024 12:52:40

 Who do you think followed the correct way for measuring
temperature?
(i) Student 1
(ii) Student 2
(iii) Student 3
(iv) Student 4
6. Colour to show the red column on the drawings of
thermometers (Fig. 7.7) as per the temperatures written
below:

14 °C 17 °C 7.5 °C

Fig. 7.7

7. Observe the part of thermometer shown in Fig. 7.8 and

answer the following questions:
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

Fig. 7.8

(i) What type of thermometer is it?

(ii) What is the reading of the thermometer?
(iii) What is the smallest value that this thermometer can
measure?
8. A laboratory thermometer is not used to measure our body
temperature. Give a reason.
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 9. Vaishnavi has not gone to school as she is ill. Her mother
has kept a record of her body temperature for three days as
shown in Table 7.4.
Table 7.4: Body temperature record of Vaishnavi

Temperature at

DAY 7am 10am 1pm 4pm 7pm 10pm

One 38.0 °C 37.8 °C 38.0 °C 38.0 °C 40.0 °C 39.0 °C

Two 38.6 °C 38.8 °C 39.0 °C 39.0 °C 39.0 °C 38.0 °C

Three 37.6 °C 37.4 °C 37.2 °C 37.0 °C 36.8 °C 36.6 °C

(i) What was Vaishnavi’s highest recorded temperature?

(ii) On which day and at what time was Vaishnavi’s highest
temperature recorded?
(iii) On which day did Vaishnavi’s temperature return to
normal?
10. If you have to measure the temperature 22.5 °C, which of
the following three thermometers will you use (Fig. 7.9)?
Explain.

Temperature and its Measurement

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 7.9: Three thermometers

139

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 11. The temperature shown by the thermometer in Fig. 7.10 is
(i) 28.0 °C
(ii) 27.5 °C
(iii) 26.5 °C
(iv) 25.3 °C Fig. 7.10

12. A laboratory thermometer has 50 divisions between 0 °C

and 100 °C. What does each division of this thermometer
measure?
13. Draw the scale of a thermometer in which the smallest
division reads 0.5 °C. You may draw only the portion
between 10 °C and 20 °C.
14. Someone tells you that she has a fever of 101 degrees. Does
she mean it on the Celsius scale or Fahrenheit scale?

Learning further

‹‹ Gather information from the Internet and find out how

the body temperature of animals, such as a cat, dog,
horse, camel, cow and buffalo, is measured. If there is any
veterinary hospital in your vicinity, you may visit to see the
body temperature of animals being measured.
‹‹ Find out which places in India are usually regarded to be
the coldest and hottest. Also, find out the minimum and the
maximum temperatures recorded for these places.
‹‹ Various planets in our Solar System are at different distances
Curiosity | Textbook of Science| Grade 6

from the Sun. Search the Internet and make a table with
the planets, their distances from the Sun (in increasing
order) and their temperatures written. Does the average
temperature of planets decrease as their distance from the
Sun increases? If it is not true for any planet, find out for
which planet and why.
‹‹ Hang a room thermometer in your classroom. Set up the
apparatus, as shown in Fig. 7.11, near the thermometer hung
on the wall.
Take the readings of thermometers 1 and 2 three times
during the day, say, first period, lunch break, and last period.
140

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 Record your readings. Compare the readings and draw
your conclusions. Repeat this for two weeks.

Thermometer 1
(Room thermometer)

Thermometer 2
(Laboratory thermometer)

Beaker
Water

Fig. 7.11: Set up to measure temperature of water and room temperature

The temperature at the core of the Sun reaches

as high as 15 million degrees Celsius. Are
More to there objects in the sky that have even higher
know! temperatures? There is no limit on the highest
temperature that can exist. However, as per
Temperature and its Measurement

scientific understanding, there is a limit to the

lowest temperature that can be achieved. It
is close to –273.15 °C (0 kelvin) and is called
absolute zero.

141

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 Notes

Chapter [Link] 142 10-07-2024 12:53:05

 Chapter

8 A Journey through
States of Water

If it does not rain well, even the mighty ocean

will be drained.
(Thirukkural)

On a bright summer afternoon, Aavi and Thirav enjoy their

shikanji (lemonade). After looking at the ice in the lemonade,
Thirav wonders about the nature of ice and water.

No,
Ice feels hard to these are the
touch and we can same substances.
hold it in our hands,
whereas, water
cannot be held in the
same way. So, they
must be different
substances.

Aavi has a counterview to Thirav. What do you think? Why?

We can put Yes, I know when

water in the freezer water is left in
of a refrigerator the freezer, it gets
and check if it gets converted into ice but
converted probably something
into ice. gets added to the ice in
the freezer.

Do you think Thirav is right? How can you find out?

Chapter [Link] 143 09-07-2024 10:42:25

 Activity 8.1: Let us observe
‹‹ Put an ice cube in a cup, leave it on the table and
observe.
Ice gets converted into water.
What can you conclude from the observations?
Does this mean that ice and water are the same substance?
Yes, ice and water are the two forms of the same substance.
These forms are also called states. These different states
of water show many differences in their behaviour. Water
flows but ice does not. Water splashes but ice does not.
8.1 Investigating Water’s Disappearing Act
It is a rainy morning. While going to school, Aavi and
Thirav observe that there are a lot of water puddles in the
playground. That evening, when they go to play, they are
surprised to observe that some of the water in the puddles
had disappeared.
Have you ever noticed water
I think the water has in the puddles disappearing?
been absorbed by the soil on Where does it go? Discuss with
the playground. What do you your friends.
think about it? Where else have you seen
water disappearing? Can you
think of a possible reason why this
happens?
You might have observed that after washing the
utensils, water left on the surface of the utensils, dries
up after some time. Does the reason you thought earlier
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

to explain water disappearance apply in this case also?

Aavi wonders if water has seeped through the surface of
the utensils.
Thirav thinks that water does not seep through the
surface of the utensils. Design an activity to investigate
whose idea is correct.

Activity 8.2: Let us investigate

‹‹ Take a tablespoon of water on a steel plate as shown in
Fig. 8.1.
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Chapter [Link] 144 08-07-2024 18:29:11

 ‹‹ Observe whether water seeps through to
the other side of the plate or not.
‹‹ Keep observing this at regular intervals
until the water completely disappears.
What do you infer? Is this activity enough
to come to the conclusion that water does
not seep through a steel plate?
If water does not seep through the steel
plate. Then, where has the water gone?
This water gets converted into gaseous
state called water vapour. The water vapour is
Fig. 8.1: Steel plate with
another state of water. Let us think of another a tablespoon of water
observation where you notice the water
disappearing.
While making dosa, we sprinkle some water
on the hot pan and it disappears. Where does
it go? Water vapour is
actually invisible
Let us draw but the
Draw a detailed sketch (with labels and presence of
caption) about what happens to the water. tiny droplets
of water in the
The water which is sprinkled on the hot steam makes it
pan gets converted into steam. Steam is visible.
actually water vapour, some part of which Do you
converts into water droplets. know?
The process of conversion of water into
its vapour state is called evaporation.
The process of evaporation takes place continuously,
even at room temperature. Can you think of other examples
of evaporation?
A Journey through States of Water

Drying of wet clothes, mopped floor, and sweat on our

body are some examples of it.
Now what do you think is the reason for the disappearance
of water from the puddles? Is it due to (i) seeping of water
into the ground or (ii) evaporation of water or (iii) both of
these?
Hand sanitiser disappears as you rub it on your hands.
What happens to it?
145

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 8.2 Another Mystery
Next day, Aavi, Thirav and their friends decide to make
lemonade. During the preparation, they take cold water in a
glass tumbler and add ice cubes into it. After a few minutes,
they notice something exciting about the outer surface of
the glass tumbler.
Let us find out by conducting a similar activity ourselves.

Activity 8.3: Let us experiment

‹‹ Take cold water in a glass tumbler.
‹‹ Add a few ice cubes into it as shown in Fig. 8.2.
‹‹  eave it undisturbed for five
L
minutes and observe it.
‹‹ Record your observations and the
questions that arise in your mind
in Table 8.1. You can also touch the
outer surface of the glass tumbler to
Fig. 8.2: A glass tumbler containing
cold water and ice cubes
feel if there is any change.

You may have many observations and questions here.

Table 8.1: Record the observations and questions

I observe I wonder
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

One observation that arises in Aavi’s mind is, “There are

some water droplets (tiny drops) appearing on the outer
surface of the glass tumbler.” Initially, water droplets are
deposited and these droplets combine together to form
bigger drops. You can also try the above process with a
metal container. You may be curious about where the water
droplets come from.
Suggest possible reasons explaining the appearance of
water droplets on the outer surface of the glass tumbler.
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 Discuss with your friends. Write down the possible
reasons in Fig. 8.3.

May be ice has come

out of the glass
tumbler and melted.

Fig. 8.3: Provide your possible reasons explaining the appearance

of water droplets on the outer surface of the glass tumbler
You may have various possible reasons. You may agree
or disagree with the reasons of others. Aavi and Thirav
argued with a chain of reasons. What do you think about
the possible reasons mentioned in Fig. 8.4?

I think that some of

the water may have
seeped out of the glass
No, it cannot seep
tumbler.
out. The level of water in
the glass tumbler has not
decreased.

It might have
decreased, but may With a tall and narrow
not be significant bottle, even a slight change
enough to be seen.
A Journey through States of Water

in the level of water is

noticeable.

We can take water at room

temperature in another tumbler
and find out whether any
water seeps out.
Fig. 8.4: Chain of reasoning
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 Continue the discussion on the given reasons or conduct
activities to find evidence for the reasons given to help in
this discussion. Where else have you seen water droplets
like this?
You might have seen dew drops on
plants. Why do we see dew drops more
in the morning? When we boil the
water in a half-filled utensil and cover
it with a steel plate, some water drops
accumulate on the inner side of the steel
plate. Where do these water drops come
from? What do you think?
When the water vapour present in the
Dew drops on plants
air comes in contact with a cold surface,
it forms water droplets. The process of conversion of water
vapour into its liquid state is called condensation.
After understanding the concept of condensation of water,
let us go back to Activity 8.3. Could the water appearing on
the outer surface of the glass tumbler in Activity 8.3 also be
due to condensation of water vapour present in the air? Let
us investigate it.

Activity 8.4: Let us measure

Aavi and Thirav conduct an activity to find evidence for
their reasons. You can also conduct the activity by following
the steps given below. Record your data in Table 8.2.
‹‹ Take a glass tumbler half-filled with water containing a
few ice cubes. Cover it with a small steel plate. Weigh it
on a digital weighing balance.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ Observe the reading on the balance and record the

weight after every five minutes.
‹‹ Continue observing for 30 minutes. Record your
observations in Table 8.2.
Predict what will happen to the mass of cold water kept on
the digital weighing balance. Will it increase or decrease or
remain the same?

148

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 Table 8.2: Measurement of mass in condensation
experiment using a digital weighing balance

Time Mass of water

0 min

5 min

10 min

15 min

20 min

25 min

30 min

Do your findings match with

your predictions? Explain your
observations. The amount of water vapour in
You may observe some water the air is also known as humidity.
droplets on the glass tumbler. The daily humidity data for
your area is reported in the
Water vapour from the air
newspapers and other sources.
comes in contact with the cold Compile the data for the year and
More to
surface of the glass tumbler study any patterns, if present.
and gets converted into water do!
droplets on the glass tumbler
through condensation. There is an increase in the reading
on the digital weighing balance. Can we conclude that water
is not seeping through the wall of the tumbler? Can we also
conclude that the water collected outside the tumbler is only
due to condensation? No, we cannot say that conclusively
from Activity 8.4. What more can you do to show that water
A Journey through States of Water

is not seeping from the glass tumbler? How would you

modify Activity 8.4 to find the answer?
Repeat Activity 8.4 with the following modifications—
‹‹ Mark the water level on the glass tumbler with a
permanent marker or a visible tape.
What do you observe? Water level in the glass tumbler
does not go down but the extra water gets collected on the
outer surface of the glass tumbler. What can you conclude
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 from this? This activity shows that water is not seeping from
the glass tumbler and the extra water is getting collected
because of condensation.
8.3 What are the different States of Water?
Water is a substance that can be observed in three different
states in our daily life. In the solid state, it exists as ice. On
heating, the ice melts and gets converted into its liquid state.
On further heating, water gets converted into its gaseous
state. Let us perform Activity 8.5 to identify the properties
of different states of water.

Activity 8.5: Let us identify

‹‹ Put an ice cube in one container and transfer it to
another container of different shape. What changes do
you notice in the shape of the ice cube? Record your
observations in Table 8.3.
‹‹ Pour water from one container to another container of a
different shape. Observe how water behaves compared
to the ice cube and make a record. Did you notice how
water flows from one container to the other? What
happens to its shape?
‹‹ Pour water on a clean surface and observe how it
spreads.
‹‹ When water gets converted into water vapour, how
does this water vapour spread? Compare this with the
spreading behaviour of water.
Table 8.3: Compare different states of water
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Water
Water vapour
Ice (Liquid (Gaseous
Property (Solid state) state) state)

Shape

Ability to flow

Ability to spread

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 What are the differences in the properties of water in
solid, liquid and gaseous states?
Ice (solid state) retains its shape irrespective of the
container in which it is placed while water takes the shape
of the container. Ice does not flow or spread.
Water (liquid state) flows and changes its shape. Water
does not have a fixed shape. It takes up the shape of the
container in which it is kept, but the volume of water remains
constant. Does water also possess the property to spread?
Yes, water also has the property to spread while keeping the
volume constant.
Water vapour (gaseous state) exhibits a property of
spreading out in the entire available space. Gases do not
possess a fixed shape. Water vapour exists even at room
temperature; though it is invisible to us. It is present in the
air around us. The water that evaporates during processes
like drying of clothes or mopping of floors contribute to the
water vapour in the air around us.
You are now familiar with the three states of water. Some
other substances also exhibit these states. For example, wax,
oil and ghee. Let us look at some more examples of solids,
liquids and gases.
Look around and find some examples of solid substances.
Some examples could be stones, wood and glass.
What are the other examples of liquids you can think of?
Here are two examples— milk and oil. Think of five more
examples.
Have you ever noticed that you can smell the food being
cooked even without entering the kitchen? How does this
smell reach us?
A Journey through States of Water

It is because the smell of yummy food from cooking

spreads through the air and reaches our nostrils, even if we
are not in the kitchen.
What are the other examples of gases you can think of?
What about oxygen and carbon dioxide?

8.4 How can we change the States of Water?

So far we have learnt that water can exist in solid, liquid
and gaseous states. How can you change the state of water?
151

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 Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) How can you quickly change
machines collect water from humid air ice to its liquid state, water?
to produce drinkable water. This is done If we have to change ice into
through condensation of water vapour water, and water into water
by cooling the air. This process vapour, we have to supply heat
is similar to the formation of to it. If we want to change
drops of water outside the water into ice, what should be
glass tumbler filled with ice
done?
More to cold water. It can be done by placing
know! water in a cold environment,
such as a freezer. Water freezes and is
converted into ice. If we take the ice out of the freezer,
it melts and is converted into water.
Can you think of any other example, besides water, that
can change from solid to liquid?
A candle, which is made of wax, is one such example.
How can we turn candle wax into liquid state? How can
we change the liquid wax back into solid state? We should
cool the liquid wax to change it into a solid. What are the
other liquids you have seen which get converted into a
solid? Have you ever seen coconut oil getting converted into
its solid state during the winter season?
Hence, we can see that water and other substances change
their states on heating or cooling. The process of conversion
of a solid into liquid state is called melting. The process of
conversion of liquid into solid state is called freezing.
Let us check the connection between different states of
water through Activity 8.6.
Activity 8.6: Let us complete the diagram
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fill up the blank boxes in Fig. 8.5 marked as A, B, C and 1, 2,

3, 4 for conversion of different states of water using the
words given in the box. Two words have been filled for you.
Liquid, Freezes, Evaporates, Gas, Condenses

1. Melts 2.

A. Solid B. C.

3. 4.
Fig. 8.5: Conversion of different states of water
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 8.5 How can Water be Evaporated Faster or
Slower?
In section 8.1, we have learnt about evaporation. Let us
explore it more!
Observe your surroundings. What are the conditions that
affect how fast water evaporates? What differences do you
see in evaporation on a cold day versus a hot day? Discuss
with your friends. The following words may help in your
discussion—fan, drying cloth, sweating, windy day, hot day,
rainy day.
Let us perform Activity 8.7 to investigate conditions that
will affect how fast water will evaporate.

Activity 8.7: Let us investigate

‹‹ Take water in a small cap of a bottle (you may use
sanitiser in place of water).
‹‹ Take the same amount of water in a plate. The exposed
area of water in the bottle cap and the plate are different.
‹‹ Keep both of them near each other.
‹‹ Record the time taken for the water to completely
evaporate in each case in Table 8.4.

What What
conditions did did we change in
What did we
we keep the same? this investigation?
measure?
A Journey through States of Water

Let us investigate
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 Table 8.4: Findings of the investigation

?
Reflect on
what you Time taken for
Exposed area of water
did really complete evaporation
well in this
activity. Less (bottle cap)

More (plate)

What can you conclude from this investigation?

If you spread out water on a plate, its area exposed to air
is larger. Therefore, evaporation is faster.
What would happen if milk is taken instead of water in
the above activity?
Other conditions which affect how fast water evaporates
Design an activity similar to Activity 8.7 to find out what are
the other conditions which can affect how fast water will
evaporate. What would you change? What would you keep
the same? Perform this activity, use Table 8.5 to record the
data and discuss your observations.

Table 8.5: Record the data of an investigation where one

condition is changed and other condition remains the same
Condition that is kept the same:

Condition that is changed Time taken for

complete evaporation
...........................................
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Other than the conditions you have explored to find how

water can be made to evaporate faster or slower, you can
also conduct Activity 8.8 to explore it further.

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 Activity 8.8: Let us explore
‹‹ Take identical caps of two bottles.
‹‹ Pour equal amount of water in each of the cap.
‹‹ Place one of the cap in sunlight and keep the other in
shade as shown in Fig. 8.6.
‹‹ Observe the two caps of bottles after every 15 minutes.
‹‹ Record the time taken for the water to completely
evaporate in each case.
‹‹ You can also repeat this activity on a windy or a rainy
day, and record your observations.

Fig. 8.6: Evaporation of water in sunlight and in shade

What conclusions can you draw from Activity 8.8 and other
similar experiences?
A Journey through States of Water

‹‹ Water evaporates faster from the cap kept in sunlight

compared to the cap kept in shade.
‹‹ It is a common observation that clothes dry faster on
a hot sunny day. Do clothes dry faster or slower on a
windy day? It is once again a common observation that
clothes dry faster on a windy day. With the increase in
the movement of air, water evaporates faster.

155

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 ‹‹ It is also a common observation
that clothes dry slowly on a
The amount of water
rainy day. On a rainy day, water
vapour in the air is
evaporates slowly. If the amount
more on rainy days
of water in the air is already
and hence rainy days
high (more humidity), water
are more humid.
evaporates slowly.
Do you
If you want to dry your clothes on a
know?
rainy day, how can you make it faster?

8.6 Cooling Effect

Aavi’s mother purchased a new matka (earthen pot) to
replace the stainless steel pot for storing drinking water.
Upon returning from school, Aavi notices the earthen pot
and drinks water from it. Aavi expresses surprise and
asks, “Why is the water in the earthen pot so cold? I never
observed water getting cold in a stainless steel pot.” What
do you think is the reason?
Water seeps through the surface of the
Now,
I can understand earthen pot and evaporates, which imparts
why we feel cooler if we sit a cooling effect on the water. What are the
under a fan! The wind helps other examples of cooling effect? Sprinkling
the sweat to evaporate water on the floor or the roof during summer
and cools us.
to cool it, is another example.
How do you feel when you rub sanitiser on
your hands?
Let us perform Activity 8.9 to observe the cooling effect
by making a simple and electricity-free model of pot-in-pot
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

cooler.

Activity 8.9: Let us make a model

‹‹ Take two earthen pots of different sizes.
‹‹ Fill the bottom of the larger pot with a layer of sand.
‹‹ Place the smaller pot into the centre of the larger one
as shown in Fig. 8.7.
‹‹ Fill the gap between the pots with more sand.
‹‹ Pour water in the sand area.
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 Small pot

‹‹ Place a lid or wet jute Wet jute

sack to cover the top of sack
Layer of sand
the smaller pot.
Large pot
‹‹ You can also make
a drawing of the Lid

pot-in-pot cooler once it

is ready. Fig. 8.7: A pot-in-pot cooler
Allow 4-5 hours for the mini pot-in-pot cooler to cool
down. The time range can be influenced by many conditions.
Observe and discuss how it creates a cooling effect
inside the pots. Keep some vegetables and fruits in
it and observe for a week on a daily basis to check
for the freshness of the vegetables and fruits kept
inside the cooler. You will have to add water regularly
to keep the sand moist. For how many days can the
vegetables and fruits be kept fresh in it? What are
the conditions which can affect the number of these
days? What else can be used in place of sand for
better cooling?
You all may be familiar with this unique clay pot
which is called Surahi (Fig. 8.8). In summers, surahi is
used to keep the water cold. Fig. 8.8: A surahi

8.7 How do Clouds give us Rain?

Condensation plays a significant
role in the process of bringing Why does air containing
evaporated water back to the water vapour go up in the
Earth’s surface. How does atmosphere (thin layer of air
this happen? When air moves that surrounds the Earth)?
higher above the Earth’s As we know, gas balloons
surface, it becomes cooler and containing lighter gases go
A Journey through States of Water

cooler. At certain heights, the up in the air. Similarly, water Do you

air gets so cool that the water vapour is lighter than air, know?
vapour in it turns into droplets causing it to rise.
which are generally formed
around dust particles. These small droplets float in the
air and form clouds. Many droplets join together to form
bigger drops of water. Some drops get so heavy that they
start falling. These falling water drops are what we call rain.
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 Under special conditions, it might also fall as hail or snow.
Aavi enjoys the rain and creates a poem. You can complete
the poem and present it in your class.

I wonder, oh! I wonder so,

Which path does water choose to go?
I wonder, oh! I wonder so,
When does it snow?
I wonder, oh! I got a wonder call,
How does rain fall?

………………………………………………

………………………………………………
I wonder, ponder and dream each day,
As water's journey takes its way.

Activity 8.10 demonstrates the role of dust particles in the

formation of clouds.

Activity 8.10: Let us engage in a group activity

‹‹ Take an empty discarded one litre plastic bottle. Pour
Caution about one cup of water into it.
Handle burning
‹‹ Close the lid tightly. Now quickly squeeze and release
paper carefully.
the bottle continuously for about 2–3 minutes. Observe
the space above the water in the bottle.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ Repeat the same activity after adding a small burnt

piece of newspaper into the water.
‹‹ What will you observe?
‹‹ In this case, you will observe some haziness (clouds)
above the water in the bottle.
‹‹ The burnt newspaper provides very small invisible dust
particles, around which water vapour condenses and
forms clouds.
Let us perform Activity 8.11 to represent our understanding
of how water changes its state and its movement.
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 Activity 8.11: Let us understand the process
Label Fig. 8.9 using arrows shown and the words given in
the box to show where water is stored, how water changes
its state and where it moves.

Cloud, Lake, Ocean, River, Groundwater, Evaporation,

Condensation, Rain, Snow

What did I do well?

Fig. 8.9: Change of states and movement of water Was I able to label all
the parts of the water

?
The water from the ocean and the Earth’s
cycle? Which parts of
surface evaporates into the atmosphere as
the water cycle were
vapour and returns as rain, hail or snow,
unclear to me?
ultimately flowing back to the oceans.
This circulation of water is known as the
water cycle.
Only a small portion of water available on the Earth is
A Journey through States of Water

fit for use by plants, animals and humans. Most of the water
is in the oceans and it cannot be used directly. We use water
for drinking and also for many other activities. The number
of people using water is increasing with a rise in population.
The increasing demand for water causes its shortage in
many parts of the world. Hence, it is very important to use
water wisely and avoid wasting it. Let us keep our water
bodies free from pollution. You will learn more about water
and its conservation in the chapter ‘Nature’s Treasures’.
159

Chapter [Link] 159 08-07-2024 18:30:05

 Keywords

Condensation Experiment

Evaporation Investigate

Freezing Observe

Gas Predict

Humidity Question

Liquid Reason

Melting Record

Solid

Water cycle

Water vapour

Summary
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ The process of conversion of water into its vapour state is

called evaporation.
‹‹ The process of conversion of water vapour into its liquid
state is called condensation.
‹‹ Water is found in different states—solid, liquid and gas.
‹‹ Water changes its state on heating or cooling.
‹‹ Conditions which make the evaporation faster or slower are
exposed area, humidity, air movement, etc.
‹‹ Evaporation causes cooling effect.

160

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 ‹‹ The water vapour in the air condenses to form tiny droplets
of water, which appear as clouds. Many tiny water droplets
come together and fall down as rain, hail or snow.
‹‹ The circulation of water between the Earth surface and
atmosphere is known as the water cycle.
‹‹ We have used the process of observation, questioning,
possible reason and experimenting to find out the concepts
of evaporation and condensation.

Let us enhance our learning

1. Which of the following best describes condensation?

(i) The conversion of water into its vapour state.
(ii) The process of water changing from a liquid into
gaseous state.
(iii) The formation of clouds from tiny water droplets.
(iv) The conversion of water vapour into its liquid state.
2. Identify in which of the given processes, evaporation is very
important—
(i) Colouring with
(a) crayons (b) water colours
(c) acrylic colours (d) pencil colours
(ii) Writing on paper with
(a) pencil (b) ink pen (c) ball point pen
3. We see green coloured plastic grass at many places these
days. Space around natural grass feels cooler than space
around the plastic grass. Can you find out why?
A Journey through States of Water

4. Give examples of liquids other than water, which evaporate.

5. Fans move air around, creating a cooling sensation. It might
seem strange to use a fan to dry wet clothes since fans
usually make things cooler, not warmer. Normally, when
water evaporates, it requires heat, not cold air. What do
you think about this?
6. Usually, when sludge is removed from drains, it is left
in heaps next to the drain for 3–4 days. Afterward, it is
transported to a garden or a field where it can be used as
161

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 manure. This approach reduces transportation cost of the
sludge and enhances the safety of individuals handling it.
Reflect upon it and explain how.
7. Observe the activities in your house for a day. Identify the
activities that involve evaporation. How does understanding
the process of evaporation help us in our daily activities?
8. How is water present in the solid state in nature?
9. Reflect on the statement “Water is our responsibility before
it is our right.” Share your thoughts.
10. The seat of a two-wheeler parked on a sunny day has become
very hot. How can you cool it down?

Learning further

‹‹ Wet one hand with water and leave the other dry. Blow air
across both hands and feel the cooling effect. Find out the
reasons for it.
‹‹ Make a game to navigate through different states of water
and water related concepts to reach the finish line. Challenge
cards with questions related to water cycle, evaporation,
condensation, etc., can be some game elements.
‹‹ Discuss with your teacher and act out the stages of the water
cycle through a role-playing activity in your school assembly.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

162

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 Chapter

9 Methods of Separation
in Everyday Life

साधु ऐसा चाहिए जैसा सपू सभु ाय ।

सार सार को गहि रहै थोथा दई उड़ाय ।।
 —कबीर
Just like winnowing makes the husk blow away
while retaining the grains, similarly, sages let
the virtues stay while discarding the vices.
—Kabir

Malli and his sister Valli are excited for their summer
vacations. Their parents have planned a trip to visit their
relatives and friends living across India. They always stay
in touch with their relatives and friends. Do you also keep
in touch with your loved ones?
Their first halt is at their Nani’s (maternal grandmother’s)
house in Haryana. It is surrounded by large fields. Malli
and Valli are fascinated by the variety of grains piled up
in the courtyard. Their Mami (maternal aunt) and Mama
(maternal uncle), along with other community members,
are busy separating small stones and husk from the grains
with their hands.

Malli and Valli are curious to know why this is being

done. Their Nani notices their curiosity and explains, “We are
removing these stones so that the grains are fit for cooking.”

Chapter [Link] 163 09-07-2024 12:11:51

 They go around the house to see the fields and the
cattle. To keep them busy, Nani gives them a challenge of
handpicking small stones from grains while keeping their
eyes closed.
The method of picking by hand from a mixture (when
two or more substances are mixed) such as small stones and
husk from wheat and rice is called handpicking. It is done
on the basis of differences in size, colour and
shape of the particles. If the particles to be
removed are present in small quantities and
can easily be picked by hand, handpicking
proves to be a convenient method.
At lunch, Malli and Valli are served
steaming hot vegetable pulao. While
eating the pulao, Nani observes that
Malli is separating whole black peppers
from the pulao and is placing them
Fig. 9.1: Handpicking aside on his plate (Fig. 9.1). Valli playfully teases,
“Wow! This is a handpicking method, nice one!”
Nani tells them about the benefits of black pepper and
encourages Malli to eat it.
Later in the day, their Mama takes them to the fields
where they observe bundles of harvested wheat
stalks lying in the fields. Some stalks are
spread in the sun for drying. Both of them
pick up a stalk each and notice numerous
grains attached to it. A group of farmers are
beating the stalks on a large wooden log.
Curiously, Valli asks Mama, “Why are they
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

doing this?”
Mama explains, “They are beating the
stalks to separate the grains” (Fig. 9.2). This
process of separating grains from the stalks
Fig. 9.2: Threshing is known as threshing. Farmers
work hard, yet they enjoy their
work. From time to time, they sing folk songs
while working.
Have fun
Explore folk songs of your region and try to while
sing along with your friends.
you learn
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 The separated grains get mixed with A small amount of
piles of husk. puffed rice is mixed
Valli whispers to Malli, “Will the farmers with chana dal.

?
handpick the grains to remove them from Can you think of
separating the mixture
so much husk?” She wonders, “How much
by any method other
time will the farmers take to separate than handpicking?
these?”
Let us perform an activity to find out
the answer to the questions raised by Valli.

Activity 9.1: Let us explore

‹‹ Take a handful of roasted peanuts and rub them
between your palms. What happens?
‹‹ Is it possible to separate the removed skin and the
peanuts?
‹‹ Now, try blowing it. What do you observe?
Which of these components—removed peanut skins or
peanuts are blown away?
You observe that blowing air separates the heavier and
the lighter components.
How do you think farmers separate so many grains
from husk?
Traditionally, a soop (bamboo tray) is used for separating
heavier and lighter components of a mixture (Fig. 9.3).
Next day, their Nana takes
them to the fields to show
this process at work.
Malli and Valli observe a
farmer standing on a raised
platform. The farmer is
moving the bamboo tray
which contains threshed Fig. 9.3: Bamboo tray
Methods of Separation

wheat grains in the direction

of air or wind (Fig. 9.4).
in Everyday Life

What do you infer from Fig. 9.4? Do both the components,

wheat grains and husk, fall at the same place? Which of the
two components get blown away? Can the wind separate
the two components?
165

Chapter [Link] 165 08-07-2024 17:46:55

 Direction of air or wind

Soop (bamboo tray)

Husk

Grains

Fig. 9.4: Winnowing

?
Valli is unable to This method of separating heavier and lighter
separate husk components of a mixture by wind or by blowing
from rice in a air is called winnowing. Have you seen any
closed room. How
similar kind of activity being done at your home?
can you help her?

Technological developments have

resulted in developing of threshing
machines called threshers. These
machines are used for separating
grains from the stalks and husk. They
perform both the tasks of threshing and
More to
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

winnowing simultaneously.
know!

Next day, Malli and Valli board a train to Ahmedabad to

visit their father’s friend Ghanshyam bhai. Before leaving,
Valli requests her Mami to prepare meethi puri (sweet Indian
bread made from wheat flour) for their journey.
Valli: Shall I help you knead the wheat flour?
Mami: To prepare a dish with flour, first we need to
remove bran that may be present in the flour.
Valli: How do we do it?
166

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 Mami: We use a sieve for this purpose.
Sieving allows the fine flour particles to
pass through the holes of the sieve as shown
in Fig. 9.5. The bigger particles such as bran
and small stones remain on the sieve.
Carefully observe a sieve. Are all
the holes of the sieve the same size?
Will sieving work if the holes of the
sieve are larger than the substances?
Is there any difference in the size between Fig. 9.5: Sieving
the particles that pass through the sieve
and the particles that remain on the sieve?
Sieving is used when components of a
solid–solid mixture have different sizes. Have you ever observed

?
Upon reaching Ahmedabad, they visit sieves being used at
Sabarmati Ashram along with Ghanshyam construction sites to
bhai where they learn about the Namak separate pebbles and
Satyagrah (Dandi March). stones from the sand?

What is Sabarmati Ashram famous for?

Draw a poster showing Dandi March and
More to discuss why it was organised.
do!

Malli asks, “Where is namak (common salt) obtained

from?”
“From seawater”, replies
Ghanshyam bhai.
Seawater is a mixture
of salts and some other
Methods of Separation

substances dissolved in
water. To obtain salt,
in Everyday Life

the seawater is kept in

shallow pits and exposed
to sunlight and air. In
a few days, the water
Fig. 9.6: Obtaining salt from seawater
167

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 evaporates completely, leaving behind the solid mixture
(Fig. 9.6). Common salt is then obtained from this mixture
by further purification.

Find out about some water bodies in

India that contain common salt. One such
source is Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan. More to
do!

Let us explore how salt can be separated from a salt solution.

Activity 9.2: Let us observe and create

‹‹ Take a bowl or any container and fill it half with

Have you ever water.

?
observed white
patches on the
‹‹ Add 2-3 teaspoons of salt into it and stir till the
dark coloured salt dissolves to form a solution.
clothes you ‹‹ Take a small piece of black or dark coloured
wear during hot thick paper and spread a few drops of the salt
summers? How solution on it (Fig. 9.7a).
are these patches ‹‹ You can also create any art of your choice with
formed?
this salt solution.
‹‹ Allow it to dry and then observe it (Fig. 9.7b
and Fig. 9.7c).
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) Before drying (b) After drying (c) Art created

Fig. 9.7: A few drops of salt solution spread on thick black paper

Do you observe some patches on the paper? What do you

think is left on the paper? You can feel the presence of salt
by touching the paper. Where has the water disappeared?
Recall the chapter on ‘A Journey through States of Water’.
Let us probe further to get the answer.
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 In the traditional Indian system of holistic health and medicine
called Ayurveda, the herbs or parts of plants are prescribed as
remedies. These ingredients like roots, leaves, flowers or seeds
of various medicinal plants are often dried in the shade. This
practice facilitates the evaporation of excess water, leaving Do you
behind the important part of the medicine. know?

Activity 9.3: Let us investigate

This activity may be demonstrated by the
teacher. China dish

‹‹ Take some salt solution (prepared in Wire

gauze
Activity 9.2) in a china dish. If a china
dish is not available, another suitable
vessel may be used.
‹‹ Heat and let the water Spirit lamp
boil away as shown in
Fig. 9.8.
Fig. 9.8: Heating of china dish
Caution
Be careful
‹‹ Allow the china dish containing salt solution

while heating to cool.

the china dish. ‹‹ What do you observe? What is left in
the china dish?
Did you get the salt back? You can feel the presence of salt
in the china dish by touching the salt with your fingers.

?
Observe the
Is there any figure. Does
method through it answer the
which I can get question? Can
back both salt you name the
and water? process involved?
Methods of Separation

It is now time for them to visit Dada and Dadi (paternal

in Everyday Life

grandparents) residing in Puducherry, located in southern

India. Malli and Valli are excited to meet their old
neighbourhood friend, Balan. After reaching Puducherry,
they start talking about the old times and do not realise that
it is already evening, Dadi’s tea time.
169

Chapter [Link] 169 09-07-2024 12:06:56

 Dada: I shall prepare tea for you.
Tea Children: We will also help you.
leaves As Dada makes the tea, he shares tips on how to make a
cup of tea.
Balan: After preparing tea, how do you remove the tea
leaves?
Dada: Obviously, with a strainer. You know if we do not
have a strainer, we can still remove most of the tea leaves.
Valli: How?
Fig. 9.9: Decantation Dada: Leave the sauce pan (vessel) containing tea
undisturbed for some time and gently pour the tea in a cup
(Fig. 9.9).
Valli: Oh Yes! And then the tea leaves will be settled at the
bottom.
Oh! The process of settling down of heavier insoluble
Decantation component at the bottom of a liquid is called sedimentation.
is also used in When the water (liquid) is removed by tilting the vessel,
washing and the process is called decantation.
cleaning of rice
and pulses. In the chapter ‘Materials Around Us’, you have studied

?
that oil does not mix with water and forms a separate
layer when left undisturbed for some time. Which
method of separation would you use to separate oil
and water?

Dada: But I can still get a few tea leaves in my mouth

because decantation does not completely separate all the
tea leaves from the tea.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Balan: Oh! It means it is not a proper method of separation.

Dada: Yes, you are right. The tea is ready now.
Malli picks up the tea-strainer from the shelf and gives it
to his Dada.
Dada: Let me pour the tea through this strainer. You can
see all the tea leaves collected in the strainer.
This process of separating tea leaves from tea is called
filtration.
Balan asks Malli if he could use a tea strainer to filter
muddy water. Let us try and find out.
Dada: Also, try to filter the muddy water through a piece
170
of cloth and observe the difference.

Chapter [Link] 170 09-07-2024 12:06:56

 How
many layers
Malli: Why should we use a piece of cloth? of cloth do I need
to use to get clear
Dada: In a piece of cloth, there are very small holes
water?
or pores between the woven threads. These pores in the
cloth can be used as a filter. People of ancient times also
followed this practice.
But if the water is still muddy, impurities can be
separated using a filter with even smaller holes or
pores. A filter paper is one such filter that has very fine
pores in it.

Activity 9.4: Let us experiment

‹‹ Try to fold the filter paper yourself and make a cone as

shown in Fig. 9.10.

A filter paper One-fold Two-folds Cone

Fig. 9.10: Folding a filter paper to form a cone

‹‹ Place it inside a funnel kept on a conical flask and pour

muddy water into it (Fig. 9.11).

Filter paper
Muddy
water
Funnel Tripod
stand
Conical
flask
Methods of Separation

Fig. 9.11: Filtration

in Everyday Life

‹‹ What do you observe? Do the mud particles pass through

the filter paper?
‹‹ The water coming from the funnel will be collected in
the conical flask.
171

Chapter [Link] 171 08-07-2024 17:48:15

 ‹‹ You will get mud as a residue on the filter paper and
clear water as filtrate in the conical flask.

Other than the filter paper, many materials such as

cotton, charcoal, and sand can be used as filters. The
More to choice of filter depends upon the size of the particles of
the materials to be removed.
know!

Activity 9.5: Let us design and create

Valli goes for a nature walk with her Dadi and collects
some water from a pond in a container. She observes some
unwanted substances in it. Design and create a working
model of water filter using low-cost materials.

Tea bags were initially made of soft cloth, like

silk, because it could hold the tea leaves and let
water pass through. Silk was strong and did not
fall apart when it touched hot water. Later, people
started using gauze or muslin. Eventually they began
using filter paper, which is what most tea bags are made
Do you of today.
know?

Malli and Valli go on a

boat ride in a nearby river
with their Dada and his
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

friend, Otukkam. Otukkam

is a fisherman. As they cast
the fishing net, water drains
out through the mesh. Valli
recalls the filtration method
she had learnt and realises
that this method of catching
the fish is somewhat similar.
Malli is taken aback when he saw plastic bags, broken
bottles, a large fish with a straw stuck in its mouth, and food
wrappers along with the other fish trapped in the net.
172

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 Let us raise awareness about the issues of river and
ocean pollution by composing a poem.
A few lines have been written here, add more lines—
Piece of plastic in my neck,
As in pain I cry,
Koilas, Koilas…where are you dear?
Papa fish cries and Mama fish has tears.

Aware of the harm, yet they let it flow,

Koilas faintly hears mother’s sorrow,

Stop plastic pollution at source,

Rivers are our huge resource.

Discuss with your parents

A bowl of milk in your home has gone sour. Discuss
with your parents how you can use it in another way.
Also, which method of separation will you use in the
process?

Malli and Valli take blessings from their

Dada and Dadi, bid goodbye to Balan and
travel to Madhya Pradesh.
The train reaches Bhopal in Madhya
Pradesh. The sun is rising and it is getting
hot. On their way to Maasi’s (maternal
aunt’s) home, they drink chhach
Methods of Separation

(buttermilk) in the dhaba (roadside

in Everyday Life

eatery). Malli asks the shopkeeper about

the big painting, hanging on the wall of
the dhaba. The shopkeeper explains that
the picture shows a lady performing Churning

173

Chapter [Link] 173 08-07-2024 17:48:36

 the process of churning curd
Can you name one using a big mathni (churner)
kitchen appliance to separate butter. In this
which runs on process, the butter being
electricity that is lighter floats at the top, while
used to prepare
the buttermilk is left behind.
buttermilk?
Their stay at Maasi’s place
has become enjoyable and
they are looking forward to
share all their memories with their friends upon returning
home. Now, it is time for them to reach their final destination
of the trip, Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya.
On their arrival at their Bua’s (paternal aunt’s) house in
Shillong, they notice a carpenter making a wooden door.
While working, he accidentally drops a few iron nails in the
sawdust.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 9.12: Magnetic separation

The carpenter starts handpicking the iron nails. The

children tell the carpenter to wait. They get a magnet from
their Bua. They ask the carpenter to move the magnet
through the sawdust. All the nails get attracted to it (Fig. 9.12).
Which method of separation did the carpenter use? Recall
the chapter on ‘Exploring Magnets’.
The substances which are attracted towards a magnet are
called magnetic substances. Iron is a common example of
174

Chapter [Link] 174 08-07-2024 17:48:37

 a magnetic substance. Separation of magnetic and non-
magnetic substances by using a magnet is called magnetic
separation.

Nowadays, recyclers use magnets to separate

iron articles from a heap of waste.
In many industries, the waste material
often contains scrap iron. This is
separated from the heap of waste
materials using magnets fitted to a
crane.
The scrap iron can be recycled and
More to
reused. Magnetic separation
know!

Malli and Valli had delightful holidays and the ‘Bharat ki

Yatra’ (tour of India) filled with fun will be a ever lasting
memory for them.
They not only enjoyed exploring different regions of India
but also gained a lot of knowledge about various methods of
separation of substances.

Activity 9.6: Let us play

Write the following phrases on small slips of paper—
1. Separating small stones from pulses.
2. Churning curd to obtain butter.
3. Taking out green chillies from cooked dalia (dish made
of cracked wheat) or poha (dish made of flattened rice).
4. Taking out seeds from watermelon.
5. Sorting piles of sawdust and iron nails from a mixed
heap of building material.
6. Picking marigold flowers from a heap of other flowers
Methods of Separation

to make a garland.
in Everyday Life

7. Separating pebbles from sand.

8. Separating coconut pieces from rice flour.
9. Separating oil from water.
10. Separating salt from salt solution.
175

Chapter [Link] 175 10-07-2024 10:47:59

 Now, take two baskets, each representing one of the two
purposes for which we separate substances. Form two teams
and see who will get the maximum correct entries.

Think and start

ny one of the te two diff e

o ve a co m ara re
r em t is n ot us ef u ep
a po o s e ful compon nt
To t h l n e T tu s en
bu ts

nt
s

This activity helps in assessing your understanding as to

why we separate substances.

Keywords

Churning Mixture Create

Decantation Sedimentation Design

Evaporation Sieving Experiment

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Filtration Threshing Explore

Handpicking Winnowing Infer

Magnetic separation Investigate

Observe

176

Chapter [Link] 176 08-07-2024 17:49:00

 Summary

‹‹ Handpicking is used for separating solid materials on the

basis of differences in size, colour and shape from a mixture.
‹‹ The process in which the stalks are beaten to separate grains
from them is called threshing.
‹‹ The method of separating lighter husk from heavier grains
by wind or blowing air is called winnowing.
‹‹ The process of separating solids from a mixture based on
variations in particle size using a sieve is called sieving.
‹‹ Evaporation is the process in which a liquid gets converted
into its vapour. It can be used to separate a solid dissolved
in a liquid.
‹‹ The process of settling down of heavier insoluble component
at the bottom of a liquid is called sedimentation. When the
liquid is removed by tilting the vessel, the process is called
decantation.
‹‹ Filtration can be used to separate insoluble solid components
from a liquid.
‹‹ Churning is used to extract butter from curd.
‹‹ Separation of magnetic and non-magnetic substances by
using a magnet is called magnetic separation.
Play a Game—WISE FISH
Prepare your own fishing rod with locally available eco-friendly
materials. Tie a thread to one end of the rod and a magnet to the
free end of the thread. The Tank 1 has red cardboard fish and
Tank 2 has blue cardboard slips attached to iron clips. Fish out a
red fish representing a method of separation first and then fish
out one blue slip related to the red one.
Methods of Separation

Watch out for your friends. Are they fishing out correctly?
in Everyday Life

177

Chapter [Link] 177 08-07-2024 17:49:02

 Catch me first!

Tank 1

Filtration Decantation Condensation Handpicking

Churning Evaporation Winnowing

Sedimentation Sieving Threshing Magnetic

separation

Then me!

Tank 2
difference in siz
e of solid particle
s
rties
prope
ma gnetic
ence in
differ d water extrac
own of oil an t butte
r from
le d mixture curd
s sett
rp a rticle
h eavie
remove grains
from seaw
ater beating stalks to
lt
separate sa

into
ater vapour insoluble particles get filtered as residue
on of w
conversi a te
st
its liquid
ed lighter compo
dpick nent of mixtu
s ar e han by blowing ai re is separate
d
article r
rp
large
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Let us enhance our learning

1. What purpose does handpicking serve in the process of

separation?
(i) Filtration (ii) Sorting
(iii) Evaporation (iv) Decantation
2. Which of the following substances are commonly separated
using the churning method?
(i) Oil from water (ii) Sand from water
(iii) Cream from milk (iv) Oxygen from air
178

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 3. Which factor is usually essential for the filtration?
(i) Apparatus size (ii) Presence of air
(iii) Pore size (iv) Temperature of the
mixture
4. State with reason(s) whether the following statements are
True [T] or False [F]. Also, correct the False statement(s).
(i) Salt can be separated from salt solution by
keeping it under the Sun. [ ]
(ii) Handpicking should be used only when the
quantity of one component is less. [ ]
(iii) A mixture of puffed rice and rice grains can be
separated by threshing. [ ]
(iv) A mixture of mustard oil and lemon water can
be separated by decantation. [ ]
(v) Sieving is used to separate a mixture of
rice flour and water. [ ]
5. Match the mixtures in Column I with their method of
separation in Column II.

Column I Column II

(i) Gram flour mixed with (a) Handpicking

black gram (b) Magnetic separation
(ii) Chalk powder mixed with (c) Decantation
water
(d) Sieving
(iii) Corn mixed with potatoes
(e) Filtration
(iv) Iron powder mixed with
sawdust
(v) Oil mixed with water

6. In what situations would you use decantation instead of

Methods of Separation

filtration to separate solids from liquids?

in Everyday Life

7. Can you relate the presence of nasal hair to any separation

process?
8. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us wore masks.
Generally, what material are they made of? What is the role
of these masks?
179

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 9. A mixture containing potatoes, salt and sawdust has been
given to you. Outline a stepwise procedure for separating
each component from this mixture.
10. Read the following story titled ‘Intelligent Leela’ and tick the
most appropriate options. Provide a suitable title of your
choice for the paragraph.
Leela was working in the farm with her father when she realised
that they left their drinking water at home. Before her father
felt thirsty/hungry, she went to the nearby pond to fetch some
water/grains. After obtaining some water in the container, she
noticed that the water was muddy and fit/unfit for drinking. To
purify the water, she kept it for some time and then she filtered/
churned the muddy water using a piece of paper/muslin cloth.
Leela, then, cooled/boiled the water for about 10 minutes in
a covered pan. After cooling/boiling, she filtered/churned it
again and made it fit/unfit for drinking. She served this water to
her father while having food, who blessed her and appreciated
her efforts.

Learning further

‹‹ Fun with parents: We are proud of our Indian heritage.

Under supervision of your elders, try to prepare some herbal
remedies using various parts of plants. For example—tulsi
kadha. Which methods of separation will you use while
preparing herbal kadha?
‹‹ Stage play: Imagine you and your friend are Malli and Valli.
Write dialogues of a play presenting their entire ‘Bharat ki
Yatra’, highlighting the different methods of separation of
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

substances that they observed. Enact the play in your school

assembly.
‹‹ Group activity: Observe and list separation methods you
employed and noticed in your surroundings throughout a
week. Explain the reasons behind using these methods and
compile the ones you utilised or observed the most. Compare
your observations with your group members.
‹‹ Be a stalwart of your community: Interview a ragpicker(s)
and prepare a case study about the method(s) of separation
he/she uses in his/her daily life. Encourage children of your
community below the age of 14 to join a neighbourhood
180 school.

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 ‹‹ Be a reporter: (i) Gather newspaper clippings and articles
related to various methods of separation implemented in
your society, such as in agricultural fields or at construction
sites. (ii) Conduct interviews with local farmers to explore
the latest agricultural separation methods that they use.

‹‹ Think like a scientist: You are provided with a mixture

of iron nails, sand, black pepper, stones, common salt
and water. Which steps will you follow to separate each
component of a mixture?
The given steps may help you to think like a scientist.

Reflection Steps

I observe . I wonder .

You might have wondered about questions such as—

„„ Which component should I separate first?
„„ What method of separation should I use first?
„„ How can we separate these components effectively?
„„ Will some of the components be soluble in water?
„„ What properties of the components can help us in
their separation?
„„ What is the most appropriate sequence?

Activity Steps

‹‹ Some possible answers to the questions which occurred in

my mind are

‹‹ I performed the following methods of separation—

Methods of Separation

‹‹ My findings are .
in Everyday Life

Hint: A mixture that has more than two components requires a combination
of several methods of separation.

181

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 Notes

Chapter [Link] 182 08-07-2024 17:49:11

 10 Living Creatures: Exploring
Chapter

their Characteristics

Avadhi and Aayush go for a morning walk with their parents.

Avadhi notices some shells and tries to pick them up. Her
mother advises her not to do so and explains that the shell
could be home to a living snail and is actually a part of its
body. Avadhi and Aayush wonder how the shell that is not
even moving could have a living being inside! Later that
day in school, Avadhi and Aayush share this incident with
their friends. They approach the teacher to understand how
a shell which is not even moving could be a body part of a
living snail. The teacher initiates a discussion in the class on
living and non-living.

Chapter [Link] 183 10-07-2024 18:21:03

 Activity 10.1: Let us record
We are surrounded by numerous things. Just look around
in your classroom and you may find many examples—the
pencil that you are holding, the book that you are reading or
the pigeon near the window.
‹‹ List them in Table 10.1 and identify each of them as
living or non-living on the basis of your understanding
in column II.
‹‹ Write a reason for grouping them as living or non living
in column III.
Table 10.1: Living beings and non-living things in our
surroundings
(I) (II) (III) (IV) (V)
My guess Reason/
(Living/ Reason/ Correct Remarks for
Name
Non- Remarks answer the correct
living) answer
Pencil Non-living

Book

Pigeon Living

Car

Plant

Any other

10.1 What Sets the Living Apart from the

Curiosity | Science Textbook | Grade 6

Non-living?
Look at Table 10.1. Why do you think a pencil is non-living
but a pigeon is living? What do you think are the differences
between living beings and non-living things according to
you? What similarities do the identified living beings share
with each other?
You may have identified movement as one of the
similarities among living beings. You have also seen cars
moving on a road. Does it mean that a car is living? List the
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 tasks that you can do but a car cannot. You are a wonderful
example of a living being. Whenever you attempt to group
things around you as living or non-living, you can compare
them with yourself. Which characteristics help you in
differentiating yourself from a car? For instance, a car
does not grow. Does it mean it is non-living? Now, which
characteristics have you used to classify a car as non-living?
Continue your discussion in a similar way to identify the
essential characteristics of living beings.
What are some common characteristics that make living
beings very different from the non-living things? Let us
learn about them.
Can we consider movement as one of the characteristics to
differentiate between the living and the non-living? List five
things around you that can move on their own. Do you think
that all five things that you have listed can be considered as
living just because they can move on their
own? However, unlike animals, plants do
not move from one place to another. Do
you consider them as living?
Even though plants do not move from
one place to another, they do show certain
types of movements. Opening of flowers is
one of the examples of movement in plants.
Another example of movement in plants is
seen in insectivorous plants. Insectivorous Drosera
plants are dependent on insects for their nutrition. Drosera
is one of the examples of an insectivore. Drosera is
featured with saucer-shaped leaves having many hair-like
projections of unequal length with sticky ends. Whenever
an insect enters the saucer, hairs move inward and
Living Creatures: Exploring their

trap the insect with their sticky ends. Try to observe

the mechanism of movement in other insectivorous
plants. Climbers also wind themselves around
any object placed close to them. That means,
Characteristics

even though plants do not move from

one place to another, they do show
some movements.
Compare yourself with the
picture of your childhood. Can you Growth of a child
185

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 wear the dress that you used to wear four years ago? No,
because you have become larger in size. This is due to growth
in your body. Plants and other living beings also grow. Can
we consider growth as a characteristic of living beings?
Living beings need food (nutrition) for their growth
and development. List five living beings that require food
to grow.
Now, think of a process without which we cannot live.
Count the number of breaths you take per minute after
a normal walk, after a run, and after a few dance steps.
Record the data and observe. Do you notice any difference
in the number of breaths after each situation? Do you notice
the process of breathing in other animals like dogs, cats,
cows and buffaloes? Notice the movement of their abdomen
while they are taking rest.
In the process of breathing, when we inhale, the air
moves from outside to inside our body. When we breathe
out, the air moves from inside our body to outside.
Breathing is part of a process called respiration. Do
plants also respire? There are tiny pores called stomata
on the surface of leaves. These pores help plants in taking
air in and out. Interact with senior class students in your
school and request if they can demonstrate stomata using
a microscope in your class. All living beings respire.
Have you noticed white patches forming on shirts around
the armpits during summers? These
patches are formed due to sweat. The
sweat consists of water and salts removed
by the body as waste products. Removal
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

of waste products from the body is called

excretion. Urine is also formed as a
product of excretion in animals. Do you
know that plants also excrete? You may
notice plants excrete excess water and
minerals in the form of small droplets on
leaves. For example, grasses and roses. All
living beings excrete.
Let us look at another characteristic.
What is your reaction if you unexpectedly
Water droplets on grass step on a sharp object, such as a thorn,
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 while walking without shoes, or you accidentally touch a hot
cup of tea? Stepping on a thorn and touching a hot object are
stimuli. Any thing or any event that prompts living beings
to respond is called a stimulus. List three stimuli (plural
of stimulus) and your body’s
instant response to them.
Do plants also respond to
stimuli? Yes, plants also respond
to stimuli. For example, touch-
me-not (mimosa, chhui-mui,
lajjalu) plants fold their leaves
when we touch them. Have you
also observed that certain plants
fold their leaves after sunset?
Specifically, the leaves of certain
plants facing each other tend
to come together. This can be
observed in the sleeping leaves Touch-me-not (chhui-mui) plant
of amla (Indian gooseberry)
tree. All living beings respond to stimuli. Find a few more
plants in your neighbourhood which fold their leaves after
sunset.
Why do the leaves of chhui-mui and amla plants respond
in this way? Which stimulus could be responsible for their
behaviour?
Have you seen young ones of cats, dogs or other animals?
List young ones of five different animals. Have you seen
young ones of any non-living things such as a pencil, a chair
or an electric bulb?
All living beings reproduce. Reproduction is the
process of producing new ones of one’s own kind. Why is
Living Creatures: Exploring their

reproduction necessary? It is necessary for the continuity

of life.
When a living being is not able to exhibit all of the above
mentioned characteristics, despite the availability of all
Characteristics

resources (like food, air and water) needed for being alive,
it is said to be dead.
From the above discussion, we can understand that
all living beings share some common characteristics. For
example, all living beings show movement, they need
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 food, and they grow. They also respire, reproduce, excrete,
respond to stimuli, and eventually, die. Absence of any of
these features indicates that they are non-living things.
Now that you know how to identify a living being, fill
up the remaining two columns (IV and V) of Table 10.1 and
complete the activity.
In which category would you place a seed—living or non-
living? Why?
Let us explore how a seed germinates to observe some
of these essential characteristics in plants.

10.2 Essential Conditions for Germination

of a Seed
Have you observed a seed germinating? You might have
wondered what conditions are required for germination
of a seed. What conditions do you think are required for
seed germination? How will you investigate whether these
conditions have an effect on the germination of a seed?
Let us find out by performing Activity 10.2.

Activity 10.2: Let us experiment

‹‹ Take four identical pots filled with garden soil. Sow
four bean seeds in each pot. Now, keep these pots in the
following conditions for 15 days.
„„ Pot A: Do not water the soil. Place this pot in direct
sunlight.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) Pot A kept in (b) Pot B kept in (c) Pot C with (d) Pot D with moist
direct sunlight, no direct sunlight, moist soil, kept soil, kept in direct
water excess water in the dark sunlight
188 Fig 10.1: Bean seeds exposed to different conditions

Chapter [Link] 188 10-07-2024 18:21:13

 „„ Pot B: Add excess water to the soil such that water
is always present above the soil. Keep adding water
on a regular basis if water reduces. Place this pot in
direct sunlight.
„„ Pot C: Keep the soil in this pot slightly moist by adding
a moderate amount of water on a regular basis. Place
this pot in a dark location.
„„Pot D: Maintain the soil in this pot slightly moist by
adding a moderate amount of water on a regular
basis. Place this pot in direct sunlight.
‹‹ Indicate the availability of air, sunlight and water for
the seeds in each of these cases in Table 10.2.
‹‹ When a seed turns into a sprout, it is said to have
germinated. Predict whether the seeds in each pot will
germinate. Record your predictions for each pot kept
under different conditions in Table 10.2.

Table 10.2: Effect of certain conditions on seed germination

Possible
Pot with
Seed reason
bean Availability of
germination for the
seeds
observation

Air Sunlight Water Prediction Observation

A: In direct No
sunlight
and without
water
B: In direct
sunlight
Living Creatures: Exploring their

and excess
water
C: In
complete
dark and
Characteristics

moist soil
D: In direct
sunlight
and moist
soil
189

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 ‹‹ Regularly observe the pots for 7-10 days to check
the status of germination of the seeds. Record your
observations in Table 10.2.
‹‹ Compare your predictions with your observations.
Do you think sunlight is necessary for germination of
seeds? Do the seeds in all the pots receive air, water and
sunlight? Is there any pot in which air is not available to the
seeds? If so, why is it not available? What happens to the
seeds in the pot where water is provided in excess? Which
seeds receive both air and water? Identify the pots where
you can notice the germination of seeds.
Do your observations match with your predictions?
Write possible reasons in favour of your observations in
Table 10.2. Based on your observations, state the conditions
which favour seed germination.
Which of the following are essential for seed germination–
air, water and sunlight? Compare the available conditions
in each pot. Germination of bean seeds requires the right
amount of water and air. Why do seeds require these
conditions for germination? Do you think that the absence
Seed Coat of one or more of these conditions will affect
seed germination?
Embryo Let us understand how these conditions help
in seed germination. The effects of the following
conditions have been seen in Activity 10.2.
Water: Seeds require water for germination.
Water enables the seeds to carry out the
processes necessary for their growth. The outer
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

covering of the seed is called seed coat. Water

softens the seed coat and helps the tiny embryo
Germinated bean seed
inside it to develop into a plant.
Air and Soil: Seeds need air for germination. They use the
air available in the spaces between soil particles. Moreover,
spaces between the soil particles allow roots to grow easily.
Light and/or dark conditions: We have learnt that for
the bean seeds, presence of light is not essential for their
germination. In general, most seeds do not require light for
germination. But after germination, sunlight is required for
further growth of the seedling.
190

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 Some seeds of flowering plants, like Coleus and
Petunia, require light to germinate. Covering
these seeds with soil inhibits their sprouting.
Seeds of flowering plants, like Calendula and
Zinnia, need darkness to germinate. These seeds
Do you
should be covered with sufficient soil.
know?

In the Chapter ‘Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body’,

you have learnt that human beings need a balanced diet
for good health and proper growth. Similarly, plants too
need favourable conditions and nutrients
for their proper growth and development.
What other conditions do you think would How would you

?
affect seed germination? now categorise a
In Activity 10.1, what are the seed, as living or
characteristics of living beings which non-living?
made you place plants in living beings? Do
plants show growth in Activity 10.2? Are
there any other characteristics of living
beings that these plants show?
Let us study another characteristic that can be seen
clearly in plants—growth and movement.

10.3 Growth and Movement in Plants

How do plants respond to sunlight? Does sunlight affect the
direction of growth of different parts of plants? In which
direction would the root and shoot of a plant grow and
move if the plant is placed inverted? How would you design
an activity to find answers to these questions?
Living Creatures: Exploring their

Activity 10.3: Let us design

‹‹ Take some bean or gram seeds and allow them to
germinate on a moist cloth or a moist tissue paper.
Characteristics

‹‹ Let them germinate until each of them develop into a

seedling having a small root and a small shoot.
‹‹ Now, take three glass beakers or tumblers, and label
them as A, B and C.
191

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 ‹‹ Take three glass plates and attach a thick blotting paper
to one side of each plate using a thick soft cotton thread.
‹‹ Fix one seedling on each plate using a thick soft cotton
thread, as shown in Fig. 10.2, ensuring that the plant is
not damaged.
‹‹ Now, place one glass plate upright with a seedling
attached into each of the beaker A and beaker C, as
shown in Fig. 10.2a and Fig. 10.2c.
‹‹ In beaker B, arrange the plate such that the shoot of a
seedling is directed downwards and the root is directed
upwards, as shown in Fig. 10.2b.

Hole on the back side of the box

Upright plant kept

in sunlight from (a)
all directions Inner view
(b) (c)
of the box

Inverted plant kept in Upright plant kept in

sunlight from all directions sunlight from one direction

Fig. 10.2: Set-up showing plants kept in different conditions

‹‹ Pour water into all the three beakers to ensure that the
seedling in each beaker remains above the water level.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ In each case, let the bottom of the blotting paper get

completely wet by soaking in the water. In this way,
the seedling will get the moisture from the wet blotting
paper.
‹‹ Place beaker A and beaker B in sunlight as shown in
Fig. 10.2a and Fig. 10.2b.
‹‹ Position beaker C as shown in Fig. 10.2c. Place a
cardboard box in such a way that the seedling gets light
from one direction only through a small circular hole.
‹‹ Fill Table 10.3 with your predictions and observations.
192

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 Table 10.3: Growth of root and shoot under different conditions

Direction of growth of
Direction root and shoot
Direction
Beakers of
of plant Shoot/
sunlight Predictions Observations
Root

All Shoot
A Upright
directions Root

All Shoot
B Inverted
directions Root

Only Shoot
C from one Upright
direction Root

What is the direction of growth of root and shoot in

beakers A, B and C based on your observations? Do your
predictions match your observations? What do you conclude
from this activity?

Hole on the back side of the box

Upright plant kept

in sunlight from all (a)
Inner view
directions
of the box
Living Creatures: Exploring their

(b) (c)

Inverted plant kept in Upright plant kept in sunlight

sunlight from all directions from one direction
Fig. 10.3: Direction of growth of root and shoot under different conditions
Characteristics

From the results of this experiment (Table 10.3 and

Fig. 10.3), we note that—
1. When the plant is kept upright, the root grows downwards
and the shoot grows upwards.
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 2. When the plant is kept inverted, the root bends and grows
downwards. Also, the shoot bends and grows upwards.
3. When the plant gets sunlight only from one direction,
the shoot grows in the direction of light while the root
continues to grow downwards.
After conducting Activity 10.3, we can conclude that shoots
of plants grow upward and exhibit movement towards
sunlight but roots of plants grow downwords.

Know a scientist

Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858–1937) was an Indian

scientist who did some fascinating experiments
with plants. He built a machine called a crescograph
to record how plants respond to stimuli like light,
heat, electricity and gravity. With this machine, he
could measure how fast plants grow. He also showed
that plants can sense and respond to stimuli.

10.4 Life Cycle of a Plant

We have learnt about conditions required for germination
and how plants grow and exhibit movement. Let us now
explore the changes a plant undergoes in its whole life.

Activity 10.4: Let us explore

‹‹ Plant a bean seed and provide suitable conditions for
its growth. Observe regularly for three months.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹ Record your observations in Table 10.4 as and when

changes become visible.
‹‹ Note the date when any change is observed. Record
answers for the following questions—
„„ How long does it take for any change to occur? Make
sketches of various changes that you observe in
Table 10.4.
„„ After how many days does the first flower appear?

194

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 „„ After some parts of the flower have dried, can you
see any further growth?
„„ Which structure do the remaining parts of flower
develop into?
„„ Can you notice a pod or a fruit with seeds develop
from a flower?
„„ What happens to the plant after the fruits containing
seeds are formed?

Table 10.4: Changes observed during the growth of the plant

Date Observations Sketches

Seeds are sown

Go through the observations you recorded regarding the

growth of the bean plant in Table 10.4. What changes do you
observe after the fruits are formed? Does the plant become
yellow and dry even when you continue watering it? Sow
the seeds obtained from your bean plant. Watch how the
seeds give rise to a new generation of bean plants. Compare
the sketches that you have drawn in Table 10.4 with Fig. 10.4.
A seed grows into a young plant and matures to produce
Living Creatures: Exploring their

flowers and fruit. The fruit, in this case a pod, contains

seeds which give rise to a new generation of bean plants.
The entire process from a seed to a plant, and then, to the
next generation of seeds is called the life cycle of a plant
(Fig. 10.4). When a plant stops growing and all activities of
Characteristics

life gradually comes to an end, even after the availability of

all the necessary conditions, the plant is considered dead.

195

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 Stage IV Death of
(Appearance plant
of flowers)

Stage V (Appearance
of fruits) Fruit
(Pod with
seeds)

Stage I
(Seed)

Stage III
(Appearance
of leaves)

Stage II (Seed germination)

Fig. 10.4: Life cycle of a bean plant

10.5 Life Cycle of Animals

We have learnt about the life cycle of a plant. We have seen
that a plant goes through many changes in its life cycle.
Have you ever observed how animals grow over time? Draw
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

sketches of their young ones and name them.

10.5.1 Life cycle of a mosquito

Mosquitoes buzzing around is a common experience for all of
us. Female mosquitoes are bloodsucking insects that transmit
several diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya. You
might have learnt from newspapers, school noticeboards
or awareness campaigns that mosquito breeding should be
prevented. We are advised not to allow water to stagnate
anywhere in our surroundings. Why is it so? Does stagnant
water have any relation with mosquitoes laying eggs?
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 Conduct a safety audit in your school, or at your home
and surroundings to check for stagnant water (if available,
carry a hand lens to observe any small creatures). Some
common places where stagnant water is likely to gather
are desert coolers, planted pots and any open container.
You may find two different types of worm-like creatures
(Fig. 10.5). They are larva and pupa, two distinct life stages
during the development of mosquito. In case you observe
larvae and pupae, report to your teacher. Discuss with the
teacher and classmates about the necessary measures one can
take to prevent breeding of mosquitoes. What differences do
you observe in the shape of larvae and pupae?

Pupa
Larva

Fig. 10.5: Larvae and pupae of mosquitoes in a stagnant water body

Mosquito larvae and pupae observed in water bodies

repeatedly come to the water surface. What can be the reason
for this? Mosquito larvae and pupae live in water and require
air to respire. They move to the surface of the water for air.

How can the I have seen my mother

?
life cycle of a spraying kerosene oil
Living Creatures: Exploring their

on stagnant water. Why

mosquito be
does she do so?
disrupted?
Characteristics

Kerosene oil forms a thin layer over

the water surface. This layer separates
water from air, and does not allow
larvae and pupae to inhale air. As a 197
result, they die.

Chapter [Link] 197 10-07-2024 18:22:24

 Activity 10.5: Let us analyse
Let us solve an interesting puzzle.
How will you decide which stage (larva or pupa) comes
immediately after the egg stage?
Suppose you are given a container with water from a
puddle containing larvae and pupae. Design an activity to
find out the correct sequence of these stages.
You can take help of the following activity designed by
My design ... Avadhi to create your own activity—
Step 1: I have a water container with mosquito larvae and
pupae.
Step 2: I will separate 4-5 larvae and pupae into two
separate containers with the same water.
Step 3: I will observe them every day until I see them
changing to the next stage.
Step 4: If the larvae change into pupae, it would mean that
the larval stage comes before the pupal stage or
vice-versa.
Step 5: I will keep watching both the containers to see in
which one a mosquito appears first.
These observations will help us to learn the correct
sequence of growth.
Now, suppose you are given a container filled with water
from a puddle which contains larvae and pupae. Without
separating them from the container, how would you design
an activity to decide which stage, out of the two, gives way
to the next?
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Stage IV (Adult
mosquito)

Stage I
(Egg)
Stage III
(Pupa)

Stage II
(Larva)

Fig. 10.6: Life cycle of a mosquito

198

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 Let us learn more about these stages in the life cycle of a
mosquito.
Mosquitoes pass through four stages in their life cycle—
egg, larva, pupa and adult (Fig. 10.6).
The adult mosquito that emerges from the pupa rests
briefly on the surface of water and then flies away. The adult
mosquito may survive for 10 to 15 days.
We have seen that a mosquito begins its life as an egg
(stage I), the egg develops into a larva (stage II), the larva
grows into pupa (stage III), and the pupa transforms into an
adult mosquito (stage IV). The adult female mosquito lays
eggs directly on or near water, and the cycle continues.
Significant changes occur in the appearance, body shape
and structure during the various stages in the life cycle of
a mosquito. The shape of the egg is quite different from the
larva; the larva appears very different from the pupa. The
pupa appears very distinct from the adult mosquito. Is it
easy to imagine that a mosquito emerges from a pupa?

The silk moth also passes through four life stages—egg, larva,
pupa and adult. Eggs hatch into larvae, which then grow in
size. Larvae secrete thread-like material which they
wrap around themselves, before changing to pupae.
These are the fibres that are used to make silk fabric.
In India, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC) has set up several centres for silk production. Do you
know?

10.5.2 Life cycle of a frog

Living Creatures: Exploring their

Activity 10.6: Let us analyse

Avadhi and Aayush are dressed up in full sleeves shirts and
full pants today. It has been raining intermittently for a week.
Characteristics

They are going out with their classmates for an activity.

After a brief walk led by their science teacher, they reach a
shallow pond. It is surrounded by trees and tall grasses. The
teacher cautions them to watch everything from a distance
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 without causing any disturbance. You may also go to a small
water body during the rainy season with a facilitator and
explore it by taking due safety precautions.
You may notice a white jelly-like substance on the surface
of water towards the edge of the pond (Fig. 10.7). This may
also be attached to plants growing in or around the water.
This jelly-like substance is actually a cluster of eggs of a frog
and is known as spawn.
Observe the features of all the stages of a frog shown in
Fig. 10.7. How will you decide the sequence of the given stages
(A, B, C, D, E, F)? Some of the stages show distinct changes in
their initial and final shapes. Record these changes in Table
10.5.

A E
F

B
C

Fig 10.7: Different stages of a frog in a pond

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Based on the observations listed in Table 10.5, draw the

life cycle of a frog. Compare the figure drawn by you with
Fig. 10.8.
Table 10.5: Changes in different life stages of a frog

A B C D E F

It is
similar to
‘C’ but it
has two
legs.
200

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 Some of the stages have been clubbed together, for
example, stages A and F in Fig. 10.7 have been kept under
stage I. You will find four stages in the life cycle of a frog—
the egg stage, which progresses to the embryo stage; the
tadpole stage, consisting of an early stage with a tail and no
legs, and a late stage with hind legs; the froglet stage, and
the adult frog stage (Fig. 10.8).
Stage IV – Adult frog Stage IA– Spawn
(14 weeks) (Day 1)

Stage III – Froglet Stage IB– Embryo

(12 weeks) (Day 3-4)

Stage IIB – Tadpole with legs Stage IIA– Tadpole with tail
(8-10 weeks) (Day 7-10)

Fig. 10.8: Life cycle of a frog

Discuss in the class along the following points:

‹‹ How are these eggs of a frog different from the other
eggs that you may have seen?
‹‹ Which stage has the shortest duration?
‹‹ Is there a change in the habitat during the various
stages in the life cycle of a frog?
Living Creatures: Exploring their

‹‹ How do the special features support that stage?

Observe Fig. 10.8. You will see that tadpoles develop legs
but still have tails. Tails help them swim in water. Tadpoles
grow gradually and start looking like little frogs called
Characteristics

froglets. They still live in water but begin to spend some

time on land. They continue to grow and lose their tails
completely. Their legs become strong to help them jump and
land. They become fully developed adult frogs living both in
water and on land. 201

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 Do you think that birds also show
significant changes in the various
stages of their life cycle?

How
does the life cycle of
animals differ from that of
plants?

Plants and animals are a part of the living world. They

go through various changes during the course of their lives.
We have learnt that a tiny plant grows and develops into a
big tree. We have also learnt how animals grow and change
from young ones to adults. This journey varies for each
animal, making it unique and special. We have seen pupae
change into insects, and tadpoles change into frogs. Such
changes are important for plants and animals to survive
and to maintain continuity of their kind. We should also take
care of them and their homes. By nurturing and preserving
their homes, we contribute to this flourishing living world.

Keywords

Breathing Movement Conclude

Death Non-living Create

Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Excretion Nutrition Design

Froglet Pupa Experiment

Germination Reproduction Explore

Growth Respiration Identify

Larva Response Observation

Life cycle Stimulus Prediction

202 Living Tadpole

Chapter [Link] 202 10-07-2024 18:23:24

 Summary

‹‹ The objects around us can be categorised into two types

living and non-living.
‹‹ The essential features of living beings are that they move,
eat, grow, breathe, excrete, respond to stimuli, reproduce
and die. Absence of any of these features indicates that they
are not living beings.
‹‹ Each living being goes through several stages during its life.
‹‹ Germination of seeds depends upon the availability of
water, air and suitable light and/or dark conditions.
‹‹ During germination of seeds, roots generally grow
downwards, while shoots grow upwards.
‹‹ A plant’s life cycle starts with seed germination, followed by
several stages of its growth and development. These includes
flowering and seed production. Seeds produced during their
life cycle would germinate into new plants and the cycle
continues.
‹‹ The life cycle of an animal as a result of reproduction, begin
with a new born that undergoes various stages of growth and
development followed by an adult stage and finally death. The
process of reproduction maintains the continuity of its kind.
‹‹ Mosquitoes pass through the stages of egg, larva, pupa
and adult. The life stages of a frog include eggs, tadpoles,
froglets and adults.
‹‹ In some living beings, such as mosquitoes and frogs,
significant changes occur during the various stages of
their life cycles. These changes can be seen in body shape,
structure and sometimes even in the habitat.
Living Creatures: Exploring their

Let us enhance our learning

Characteristics

1. List the similarities and differences in life cycles of plants

and animals.
2. The table on the next page shows some data. Study the data
and try to find out examples appropriate for the conditions
given in the second and third columns. If you think that 203

Chapter [Link] 203 10-07-2024 18:23:37

 an example for any of the conditions given below is not
possible, explain why.

S. no. Does it grow? Does it

Example Remarks
respire?

1. No No

2. No Yes

3. Yes No

4. Yes Yes

3. You have learnt that different conditions are required for

seed germination. How can we use this knowledge for
proper storage of grains and pulses?
4. You have learnt that a tail is present in a tadpole but it
disappears as it grows into a frog. What is the advantage of
having a tail in the tadpole stage?
5. Charan says that a wooden log is non-living as it cannot move.
Charu counters it by saying that it is living because it is made
of wood obtained from trees. Give your arguments in favour
or against the two statements given by Charan and Charu.
6. What are the similarities and
distinguishing features in the life
cycles of a mosquito and a frog?
7. A plant is provided with all the
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

conditions suitable for its growth

(Fig. 10.9). Draw what you expect
to see in the shoot and the root of
Fig. 10.9: Pot kept along the the plant after one week. Write
ground down the reasons.
8. Tara and Vijay set up the
experiment shown in the picture
(Fig. 10.10). What do you think
they want to find out? How will
they know if they are correct?
9. Design an experiment to check if
Fig. 10.10: Experimental set-up temperature has an effect on seed
204
germination.

Chapter [Link] 204 10-07-2024 18:23:38

 Learning further

‹‹ Make a field trip to a local garden. Interact with a gardener

to learn about various conditions and the time required for
the growth of various plants.
‹‹ Can we grow plants without germinating their seeds?
Explore and cite some examples.
‹‹ Observe the life cycle of five plants grown at home, school,
or in a nearby garden. Create a picture book containing
pictures of various stages of their growth. Write the name
of each plant and the duration of each of its stage.
‹‹ Try to observe some of the stages in the life cycle of a
butterfly or a moth. Are these stages similar to the stages in
the life cycle of a mosquito?
‹‹ In your opinion, would the environment affect the life
cycles of insects? Explore and list the factors that affect the
life cycles of insects.

Let us create

Add more lines to the incomplete poem given below. Include

information on the different stages in development of a
frog. You may also draw and paint each stage as it appears
in your poem.
Living Creatures: Exploring their

In shaded and grassy bogs,

There lived a group of frogs.
They happily sang from dusk to dawn,
In double bass going on and on.
Characteristics

One day sitting beside a reed,

Female frogs think it’s time to breed ……..
…………………………………………

205

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 Notes

Chapter [Link] 206 10-07-2024 18:23:55

 Chapter

11 Nature’s Treasures

School vacations are always fun for Bhoomi and Surya. This
vacation, they visit their Ajji (grandmother). Ajji lives in a
village on the edge of a forest in the Western Ghats. The air
in the village is fresh and cooler than in the city. They can
see beautiful hills, streams, and many interesting plants,
animals and birds around them.
One afternoon, Bhoomi and Surya ask Ajji to tell them
more about the place. Ajji says, “Children, do you know that
this place has several treasures of nature that enrich our
lives? The pure air is refreshing and the soil is so fertile
that it supports a variety of living beings. Moreover, this
place gets plenty of sunlight which is useful in many ways.
Different varieties of trees provide food and shelter to
animals including various birds and insects. Can you think
of more such treasures of nature?”

A village

Chapter [Link] 207 10-07-2024 16:34:43

 Bhoomi replies, “Ajji, we use water for drinking and
growing vegetables.” Ajji says, “Yes. We need these treasures
for our survival and for making our lives more comfortable.
Without these treasures of nature, any form of life on Earth
is not possible.” We all are a part of nature.
Ajji explains the importance of air around us and how it
is essential for our survival. Let us find out more about air.

11.1 Air
One morning, Bhoomi and Surya see
Ajji performing some breathing
exercises. Ajji asks them to join her.
She says, “I am taking deep breaths
in, and letting them out. This helps
in getting more fresh air in the
lungs to stay healthy.” Bhoomi and
Surya sit with Ajji and start taking
deep breaths.
Let us also perform a breathing
exercise.
Breathing exercise
Activity 11.1: Let us experience
‹‹ Take a deep breath in, and then breathe out slowly.
‹‹ Take a deeper breath in again.
‹‹ Hold your breath for as long as you can and then
breathe out slowly.
‹‹ How long can you hold your breath?
How do you feel when you hold your breath?
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

‹‹

From this activity, we find that it is difficult to

hold our breath for a long time. The air which
we breathe in has oxygen. Our body needs
Caution oxygen to perform its functions. When we hold
Do not hold your our breath for a long time, the body does not
breath for so long get enough oxygen to perform its functions.
that you start feeling Thus, we need oxygen for our survival. Similarly,
uncomfortable. most of the living beings also need oxygen for
their survival.
208

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 We can survive without food or water for a few
days, but we cannot survive without oxygen for Do you
even a few minutes.
know?

The air which surrounds the Earth is a mixture of gases.

Can you name some gases which are present in the air? Air
contains nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and other
gases in small quantities. Fig. 11.1 gives the composition of air
in percentage. Notice that in Fig. 11.1 there are 100 squares.
Out of 100 squares, 78 are occupied by nitrogen,
21 are occupied by oxygen, and 1 by argon, carbon
dioxide and other gases.

Percentage is the number of parts in 100. It is

denoted by the symbol ‘%’.
More to
know!

Composition of air

Nitrogen (78%)

Oxygen (21%)

Argon, carbon dioxide

and other gases (1%)

Fig. 11.1: Composition of air

You notice the presence of air when the leaves of a tree

rustle, the clothes hanging on a clothes line sway, or the pages
Nature’s Treasures

of an open book begin to flutter once a fan is switched on.

Moving air is called wind. Sometimes it blows fast, for
example, during a storm, and sometimes it blows gently as a
breeze. You must have played with a firki (paper pinwheel)
many times. Let us make a firki by performing Activity 11.2.
209

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 Activity 11.2: Let us make and decorate
‹‹ Take a square paper of size 15 cm x 15 cm, a pair of
scissors, an all-pin and a soft stick.
‹‹ Follow the instructions shown in Fig. 11.2 to make a
firki.

1 2

3 4 5

Fig. 11.2: Firki

Now, you can hold the firki in your hand and run.
You can also blow air on it. What do you observe?
Does the firki rotate? When you move it a little back
and forth, the firki rotates. What makes a firki
rotate? It is the wind that makes a firki rotate.
The working of a windmill is similar to that
of a firki. Wind rotates the wings of a windmill.
Windmills can be used to run flour mills, to pull
up water from a well, or to generate electricity.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

In India, there are many windmill farms.

A windmill farm is an area that has a large
number of windmills which use the energy of
Fig 11.3: A windmill farm
the wind to generate electricity (Fig. 11.3).

Muppandal Wind Farm in Tamil Nadu, Jaisalmer

Wind Park in Rajasthan and Brahmanvel Wind
Farm in Maharashtra are some of the leading
windmill farms in our country. Find out more More to
other windmill farms in our country. know!
210

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 We have learnt that air is very important for us. Water too
is essential and precious for us. How do you feel when you
cannot get water to drink, especially when you are thirsty?
Let us find out more about water.

11.2 Water
Bhoomi and Surya help Ajji in
filling the troughs of water for
the cows. They also help her in
watering plants such as vegetables
and medicinal herbs in the garden.
Ajji teaches them how to water the
plants so that every drop is used
and none of it goes waste.
Can you think of some more
uses of water in your daily life?
Write down your responses in the
blank bubble. Watering the plants

We need
water for
drinking.

..................................
..................................

We need water for many daily activities such as drinking,

cooking, bathing, washing and cleaning. It is also used for
growing crops and for industrial purposes. Where do we get
water from? Make a list of the different sources of water.
Water covers about two-thirds of the Earth’s surface.
Nature’s Treasures

Most of the water is found in oceans and seas. However,

this water is saline or salty. This saline water is not fit for
domestic, agricultural and industrial use. For all these
activities, we need freshwater, which is present in the form
of ice sheets or snow, rivers or lakes on the surface of the
Earth, and underground. Freshwater present in ice sheets
211

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 and snow, or underground water is difficult to access. A very
small fraction of the freshwater present in ponds, rivers,
lakes and wells is easily accessible. Water is precious, that is
why Ajji guides them to use it with care.
Do you feel that water is being used efficiently in our
daily activities? Have you observed water being wasted in
your daily activities? Let us find out activities where water
is wasted and how this wastage can be reduced.

Activity 11.3: Let us find out

Fill the Column II and Column III in Table 11.1.

Table 11.1: Wastage of water in your daily activities

Column I Column II Column III

How is water Suggest ways to reduce

Activity
wasted? wastage of water.

1. Hand washing

2. Washing clothes

3. Washing utensils

4. Taking shower

5. Cooking

6. Gardening

7. Brushing teeth
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

What conclusion can you draw from the information

you gathered in the table? What can you and your family
do to reduce this wastage of water? There are many ways
to reduce wastage of water. For example, turning off taps
when not in use and fixing water leakages. Recycling water
and water harvesting also help in saving water.
Our country is blessed with numerous rivers, streams
and lakes. Have you ever noticed plastic bags and wrappers
floating on the surface of water? We pollute freshwater
212

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 sources by throwing trash (waste materials) in them. Waste
from homes and industries pollute our water sources when
it is dumped into them. Identify other human activities that
lead to water pollution. Discuss with your friends in the class
what you can do to reduce water pollution. Polluted water is
not fit for consumption by living beings.
As freshwater sources are limited, there is a shortage of
water in many parts of India. At some places, people have to
walk long distances to fetch drinking water. Everyone does
not have the same kind of access to water. It is important
for us to conserve water and use it judiciously. We must
also prevent it from being polluted so that water remains fit
for consumption by all living beings. In what ways can you
conserve water?
Water harvesting is one of the
methods for conserving water. In many
buildings, rainwater is collected
and stored in large quantities for
later use. This is called rainwater
harvesting (Fig. 11.4a). Do you know
that rainwater is also harvested in
many homes, residential societies or
schools? It is an age-old practice in
India.
For example, stepwells (Fig. 11.4b),
Fig. 11.4 (a): Rainwater harvesting
commonly known as Bawadi in
Rajasthan and Vav in Gujarat are
built for water harvesting as a
response to the scarcity of water in
these regions. These stepwells have
a unique system of water harvesting.
They store not only rainwater but
also water seeping from nearby
lakes, ponds and rivers. The walls of
Nature’s Treasures

the trenches (long deep holes dug in

the ground) are lined with blocks of
stones that allow seepage of water.
Find traditional water harvesting
practices in your locality. Discuss
Fig. 11.4 (b): Bawadi (Toorji ka Jhalra,
with your teachers and parents to Jodhpur in Rajasthan)
learn more about it. 213

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 World Water Day is observed on 22nd March every year.
Do you
Find out its importance.
know?

In the chapter ‘A Journey through States of Water’, we have

learnt about water cycle, where the Sun plays an important
role in evaporation of water. Have you ever observed your
mother or grandmother cut raw mangoes and expose them
to the hot sun for several days to dry? Let us explore more
about energy from the Sun.

11.3 Energy from the Sun

On a sunny day, Bhoomi and Surya are helping Ajji dry
chillies in the Sun. Ajji says, “We use the heat from the Sun
to dry it. We can use dried chillies when fresh ones are not
available. I will give you some to take home. Do you know
that the Sun is the main source of energy on Earth? All plants
and animals are dependent on it.”
We use heat and light from the Sun for various purposes.
What are some of the activities for which we need heat and
light? Bhoomi draws some pictures to show the uses of heat
and light from the Sun. Help her by adding more examples.
Draw the pictures and write their descriptions in the
space provided.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Plants make food Drying of clothes

One afternoon, Bhoomi and Surya pass by the field near

Ajji’s house, where they see a cow grazing the grass. They
talk about the Sun being the main source of energy. Read
the conversation carefully and answer.
214

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 Look at this
No, I think
cow. It is
this cow
grazing the
is getting
grass and
energy from
getting energy
the Sun.
from it.

The
The cow is eating
cow is standing grass. Grass leaves
in the Sun. But it need sunlight to grow. So,
does not mean that it the main source of energy
is getting energy from is the Sun. This way the
the Sun. cow gets energy from
the Sun.

According to you,

?
whose statement
is correct and
why?

Sunlight helps plants prepare food. The Sun also provides

all the living beings on Earth with heat and light. It is their
main source of energy.

In many households in India, water is offered to the Sun early Do you

in the morning as an expression of gratitude to the Sun.
know?

Have you seen solar panels on Solar water heater

Solar panels

rooftops, on top of street lights or

on traffic signals? The solar panels
Nature’s Treasures

capture the Sun’s energy and

produce electricity. Energy from
the Sun can also be directly used
for cooking in a solar cooker or
for heating water in a solar water
heater. Uses of solar energy 215

Chapter [Link] 215 10-07-2024 16:36:31

 One cannot imagine life on
What will happen if the Sun
Earth without the Sun. The Sun is
is not visible for a few days?
the main source of energy on the
1. We may have to depend Earth. Plants get energy from the
on artificial lighting Sun and produce food. Animals eat
during day time also. plants and grow. We get food from

?
2. both plants and animals. This cycle
on Earth is possible due to the Sun.
3.
So, we all are dependent on the
Sun as the main source of energy.
Where do we find a large variety of
plants or animals? Let us explore.

11.4 Forests
One morning, Ajji takes Bhoomi and Surya for a walk in
the forest. They find a variety of herbs, shrubs and trees in
the forest. Ajji explains, “Forests are large areas with dense
growth of various types of plants.” On the way, they collect
some nellikai (Kannada term for Indian gooseberries)
that have fallen on the ground. Ajji tells them, “We have a
tradition in the village not to pluck fruits from the trees;
they are left for animals and birds to eat.”
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

216 A forest

Chapter [Link] 216 10-07-2024 16:36:33

 Discuss with your friends and make a list of at least five
products that we get from forests.

Forests are a natural home for many wild animals,

including birds and insects. Forests provide food and shelter
to them. In nature, every animal depends on other life forms
for survival. The diversity of life forms ensures food for every
living being. However, over the years, the forest cover has
been decreasing, mainly due to human activities like large
scale cutting of trees. It takes many years to grow a new
forest or restore lost forests. Therefore, we must preserve
and use forests responsibly so that they get enough time
to regenerate.
Van Mahotsav is a week-
long event celebrated across What are the consequences of
the country during the month cutting a large forest area? Make
of July. It is a forest festival a presentation or do a role play,
during which new plants or write a story or a poem that
shows what could happen

?
and trees are planted, and
awareness about respecting if we continue to cut down
forests is raised. The aim of the trees in our forests.
event is to increase the green
cover. You too can plan a Van
Mahotsav in your community.

From ancient times, India had a tradition

of respecting, protecting and preserving
forests. You have already learnt about
sacred groves in the chapter ‘Diversity
in the Living World’. Many efforts
have been made by common people
to prevent the cutting of trees, and
thus, saving forests. One such
Nature’s Treasures

effort is the famous Chipko

movement. It started in the
early 1970s in Uttarakhand (previously part of Uttar
Pradesh). Local women actively participated in this
Do you movement. They encircled and hugged the trees to
know? protect them from being felled.
217

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 During their walk in the forests, Bhoomi and Surya notice
that there are a lot of leaves on the ground and the soil feels
damp. Ajji explains, “The roots of plants hold on to the soil
and prevent it from being washed away. The leaves that
fall from the trees decay and enrich the soil with nutrients.
This soil is used by new plants and trees to grow. This is an
example of recycling in nature.” Let us investigate the soil in
more detail.

11.5 Soil, Rocks and Minerals

Bhoomi, Surya and Ajji come back
home from the forest. Bhoomi
and Surya help Ajji in preparing
the soil in the garden for planting
some vegetables (Fig. 11.5). Ajji
asks them to dig the soil gently
and loosen the lumps. You have
already learnt in the chapter
‘Living Creatures: Exploring their
Characteristics’ that for plants
Fig. 11.5: Soil preparation for to grow, the space between the
planting vegetables
soil particles not only provides
sufficient air but also space for the
roots to grow easily. Bhoomi and Surya could see small
pebbles, the roots of plants and a few earthworms too in the
soil. Do you realise that earthworms are natural agents that
help in turning and loosening the soil?
While Bhoomi and Surya help Ajji, let us do our own
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

experiment by performing Activity 11.4.

Activity 11.4: Let us investigate

‹‹ Collect samples of soils from

different areas around your home
Caution and school.
Remember to wash your hands ‹‹ Guess what could be there in
thoroughly after touching the
soil collected from different different soils.
places. Sometimes soil that has ‹‹ Observe carefully each soil sample
garbage carries germs that may
be harmful to us.
and note its colour.
218

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 ‹‹ Touch each soil sample and feel its texture.
‹‹ Observe the soil samples with your naked eye. If you
have a magnifying lens, look at the soil through it.
‹‹ Record your observations in Table 11.2.
Table 11.2: Soil samples

Location from What I guessed Observation of soil with Observation

which soil about the naked eye including its of soil with
sample was soil? colour and texture magnifying
collected lens

‹‹ Is there any difference between your guess and what

you can actually observe when you look closely?
‹‹ Do you see any differences in the soil samples taken
from different places?
‹‹ Do you see differences in what you are able to observe
with your naked eye and what you can observe with a
magnifying lens?
There are many things in the soil such as sand, insects
and worms. There may be many small organisms that we
cannot see with our naked eyes. Plants and animals also
become part of the soil as they decompose and decay. The
soil samples collected from different
places may be of different colours
because they may contain different
materials.
Have you ever wondered how
soil is formed? Soil is formed by the
Nature’s Treasures

disintegration (breaking apart) of

rocks by actions of the Sun, water
and living organisms over a long
time (thousands of years). There
are different types of soils. Some
are good for growing certain types of Ploughing
219

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 plants while some are good for making bricks for buildings.
Forests have a variety of soils. Soil is a precious treasure
that supports biodiversity.
You may have seen rocks in your surroundings. Rocks
are used in the construction of houses, buildings, temples,
roads, dams and table tops. Some rocks, like slate, are used
for roofing (Fig. 11.6) and laterite can be used as a building
material, like bricks (Fig. 11.7). Some of the important rocks
are granite, sandstone and marble. Human beings have been
using rocks to make tools such as hand axes (Fig. 11.8a) and
arrowheads (Fig. 11.8b) since thousands of years.

Fig. 11.6: Rocks used for roofing Fig. 11.7: Laterite rocks used as bricks
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Fig. 11.8 (a): Hand axes Fig. 11.8 (b): Arrowheads made from stone

What are rocks made up of?

They are made up of minerals.
Important metals, such as
aluminium, gold, copper
and iron are extracted from
minerals. Minerals are used in
the manufacturing of airplanes,
Mining of marble cars, jewellery, cosmetics, and
220

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 electrical and electronic equipment. For example, the basic
mobile phones that we use contain about a dozen minerals
like gold, silver, copper, cobalt, etc.

Naturally occurring gold Some minerals found in nature

Rocks play a vital role in our lives. It takes thousands to

millions of years to form rocks. Therefore, it is important to
conserve and use them responsibly. Do you know how rocks
and minerals are transported from one location to another?
Most vehicles that we use for transportation use fossil fuels.
Let us explore more about fossil fuels.
11.6 Fossil Fuels

Fuel Station

The reason is
Nature’s Treasures

Surya, why do that they use

different types different types
of vehicles go of fuels. For
to different example, petrol
filling stations? and diesel.

221

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 Let us explore more about it by performing Activity 11.5.

Activity 11.5: Let us conduct a survey

‹‹ Conduct a survey of vehicles in your neighbourhood.
‹‹ Which types of vehicles are there? What types of fuels
do they use?
‹‹ Record the information that you collect in Table 11.3.

Table 11.3: Types of vehicles and fuels used

Type of vehicle Type of fuel used

What are the most common types of fuels used? Petrol

and diesel are the two most widely used fuels for vehicles.
Petrol, diesel and kerosene are obtained from petroleum.
Petroleum along with natural gas and coal are commonly
called fossil fuels. They are formed essentially from the
remains of microorganisms and plants that got buried deep
inside the earth, and were converted to petroleum, natural
gas and coal. It takes millions of years for these fuels to form.
Natural gas is used for cooking and generating electricity.
Nowadays, it is also used in the form of Compressed Natural
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Gas (CNG) as a fuel for vehicles. It is a cleaner fuel than

petrol or diesel. Coal is mainly used for the production of
electricity. It is found in several parts of India. Find out the
major coal-producing states and mark them in a map of
India.

Earlier, coal, wood and dung cakes were used

as fuels for cooking. Nowadays, less polluting
Do you natural gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
have gradually replaced these domestic fuels.
222 know?

Chapter [Link] 222 10-07-2024 16:37:29

 Coal Petrol Natural gas

Fossil fuels are found in limited quantities. Hence, we

will soon run out of fossil fuels if we continue to use them in
the manner that we currently do. To avoid such a situation,
we need to explore alternate sources of energy. When fossil
fuels are burnt, smoke and carbon dioxide gas are produced
which pollutes the air. Over-dependence on fossil fuels for
transportation and as domestic fuels has resulted in large
scale air pollution.

Let us do our bit to conserve the fossil fuels by—

‹‹ Walking or cycling to nearby places.
‹‹ Using public transport.
Suggest some more ways.

11.7 Natural Resources: renewable and

non-renewable
Nature’s treasures fulfill our needs. They are essential
resources to sustain all life forms on the Earth. For example,
we get heat and light from the Sun, water from rivers, and
food from plants and animals. These resources which we
get from nature are called natural resources. We also
use natural resources to make many useful things for our
convenience. For example, electric bulbs, furniture, solar
Nature’s Treasures

panels, bicycles, etc., make our lives comfortable. All such

resources created by human beings are called human-
made resources.
You have learnt about various natural resources such
as air, water, energy from the Sun, forests, soil, rocks,
minerals and fossil fuels. Some of these natural resources 223

Chapter [Link] 223 10-07-2024 16:37:30

 get replenished through natural processes over a period
of time. If you remember, Ajji told Bhoomi and Surya that
they could collect only those nellikai that had fallen on the
ground. This makes sure that there would be enough fruits
for other animals and birds. The seeds from the droppings of
animals and birds would enable new trees to grow, though
it would take some years before we get fruits from these
new trees. Thus, resources which get renewed, replenished
or restored within a reasonable period of time are called
renewable resources. Air, water and forest are some of the
examples of renewable natural resources. Nature renews
them. We should use our natural resources judiciously.
On the other hand, fossil fuels take millions of years to
form. They are found in limited quantities and once used,
they get exhausted. They are not produced or replenished
within a reasonable period of time. These resources are called
non-renewable resources. Examples of non-renewable
natural resources are minerals, soil, rocks, coal, petroleum
and natural gas.

11.8 Resources we use

It is time for Bhoomi and Surya to go back home after a
wonderful holiday at their Ajji’s home. Their Amma (mother)
comes to pick them up. Bhoomi and Surya show her the
vegetable plants that have started to grow in the garden and
the dried chillies given by Ajji to take home.
They notice changes in the colour of the skyline and the
smell of the air once they reach the city. There are very few
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

trees. The air does not smell as good as the air at Ajji’s place.
They can smell smoke from the vehicles. The air is polluted.
Amma says, “Yes. When we use fossil fuels in our vehicles,
smoke is generated. Now, there are vehicles which cause
less pollution. For example, there are electric vehicles that
do not release any smoke. So, people are making an effort to
create alternatives.”
Can you list some alternatives for reducing air pollution?

224

Chapter [Link] 224 10-07-2024 16:37:30

 We use many natural resources in our everyday life.
Let us identify some resources that we use by performing
Activity 11.6.

Activity 11.6: Let us make a list of natural

resources used
Make a list of activities you do in your daily life and write
down the natural resources that were used directly or
indirectly for each activity. In Table 11.4, some items are
already filled in. Using them as a guide, fill the remaining
blank rows.

Table 11.4: Natural resources used

Activity Natural resource

Washing clothes Water

Making clay toys

Collecting firewood

Making kites

Having breakfast

How many natural resources did you list? Compare your

list with that of your friend.
You and your friends have listed many natural resources
that we use everyday. These resources are air, water, soil, and
food from plants and animals. We get these resources from
nature and also make things using them for our consumption.
Therefore, we must conserve our natural resources and use
them responsibly without wasting them. This way, we can
continue to fulfill our present needs while also saving for
Nature’s Treasures

the future, without harming the environment.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not
for every man’s greed.”
– M. K. Gandhi

225

Chapter [Link] 225 10-07-2024 16:37:30

 Keywords

Air Petroleum Classify

Coal Renewable resources Experience

Forests Resources Explore

Fossil fuels Rocks Investigate

Human-made resources Soil Observe

Natural gas Sun Survey

Natural resources Water

Non-renewable resources Rainwater harvesting

Summary

‹‹ Resources required for our survival are provided by nature.

‹‹ Resources provided by nature are called natural resources.
‹‹ Some important natural resources are air, water, energy
from the Sun, forests, soil, rocks, minerals and fossil fuels.
‹‹ Resources created by human beings to meet their needs are
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

called human-made resources.

‹‹ Natural resources can be classified as renewable resources
and non-renewable resources.
‹‹ Resources that get renewed, replenished or restored by
natural processes within a reasonable period are called
renewable resources.
‹‹ Resources that are in limited quantities and do not
get replenished within a reasonable period are called
non-renewable resources.
‹‹ All living beings, including humans, depend on natural
resources for their survival so we should use them
226 judiciously.

Chapter [Link] 226 10-07-2024 16:37:39

 Let us enhance our learning

1. Fig. 11.9 shows items related to natural resources. Match

them with their jumbled up names. Make another table and
write the names of these resources. Classify these resources
as renewable or non-renewable.

Item Jumbled up name

ocrk

refost

ndiw

atwre

Fig. 11.9: Natural resources

2. State whether the following statements are True [T] or

Nature’s Treasures

False [F]. If False, correct them.

(i) Nature has all the resources to meet human needs. [ ]
(ii) Machines are a resource found in nature. [ ]
(iii) Natural gas is a non-renewable resource. [ ]
(iv) Air is a renewable resource. [ ]
227

Chapter [Link] 227 10-07-2024 16:37:45

 3. Fill in the blanks using the most appropriate option—
(i) A fuel that is commonly used in two wheelers like
scooters or bikes is.........
(a) Kerosene
(b) Petrol
(c) Diesel
(d) LPG
(ii) An example of a renewable resource is ..................
(a) Coal
(b) Water
(c) Natural gas
(d) Petrol
4. Classify the following as renewable or non-renewable
resources—coal, natural gas, forests and minerals.
5. Why do we say that petroleum is a non-renewable resource?
6. It is difficult to regrow forests. Justify this statement.
7. Make a list of five daily activities in which you use natural
resources. Suggest ways by which you can reduce their use.
8. List four activities that are possible due to the presence
of air.
9. How can you contribute towards enhancing the green
cover of your locality? Make a list of actions to be taken.

10. In the given illustration, we see that food is

being cooked.
Answer the following questions—
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(i) What type of energy is being

used for cooking?
(ii) Name one benefit
and one drawback
of using this type of
energy for cooking.
11. Cutting down trees on a large
scale impacts the quality of the
soil. Why do you think it is so?
12. Explain two ways in which human activities pollute the air.
228 Propose one action which can help in reducing air pollution.

Chapter [Link] 228 10-07-2024 16:37:46

 13. A family uses solar panels to generate electricity, a gas stove
to cook food and a windmill for pumping water from a well.
What would happen if there were no sunlight for a week?
14. Fill up the blanks using the following terms—
(fossil fuels, forest, air, petroleum, coal, water and non-
renewable resource)

Natural
Resources

Renewable
Resources

Natural
gas

15. There is an increasing demand of trees to meet the

requirements of industries and for housing. Therefore, trees
are being felled. Is it justified? Discuss and prepare a brief
report.
16. Propose a plan to use less water in your school. What steps
would you take to make this plan happen and how would it
help the environment?

Learning further
Nature’s Treasures

‹‹ Rainwater harvesting is an age-old practice in India. Find

out some of the traditional rainwater harvesting techniques
being used in your state or in other parts of the country.

229

Chapter [Link] 229 10-07-2024 16:37:52

 ‹‹ Investigate the effect of air pollution on human health by
interacting with your elders or community members and
identify the main sources of air pollution in your local area.
Based on your findings, suggest two practical steps that your
school or community could take to help reduce air pollution.
‹‹ Prepare a list of the names and uses of important
minerals and rocks that are used in your village/town/city
for various purposes.
‹‹ You are an eco-club monitor. Organise a tree plantation
drive in your school with the help of your teacher. List
the steps required for organising this activity. Prepare a
one-page report listing the names of the trees planted along
with their importance.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

230

Chapter [Link] 230 10-07-2024 16:37:52

 12
Chapter

Beyond Earth

Nubra is a beautiful region in Ladakh. An eleven-year old

girl Yangdol and her twin brother Dorjay live in one of the
villages of this region.

Nubra in Ladakh, India

They love their

surroundings—the majestic
mountain peaks, and
the glaciers, but their
favourite is the night sky
when the entire sky is lit
up with thousands of stars
(Fig. 12.1). The weather in
Nubra is almost cloudless.
With almost no air or
light pollution, the night
sky is very clearly visible.
Night after night, Yangdol
and Dorjay observe the
stars and experience an Fig. 12.1: The beauty of night sky from a very dark
immense sense of awe. location in Ladakh, India

Chapter [Link] 231 10-07-2024 18:13:26

 Growing up, Yangdol and Dorjay have been hearing
interesting stories about stars from their elders. They have
heard how some particular stars in the clear skies helped
the caravans passing through Nubra in finding direction in
the ancient days. They wonder how far away and how big
the stars are. They also enjoy trying to find some patterns
among the stars that remind them of familiar objects. Have
you ever looked at the stars in the night sky and tried to
connect them with imaginary lines, just like dots and lines
in a drawing?

Activity 12.1: Let us draw

‹‹ Fig. 12.2 shows bright stars in one part of the night sky.
‹‹ Look at it carefully and try to imagine a pattern formed
by a group of stars.
‹‹ Draw lines to connect the stars and make the pattern.
‹‹ Think of an animal or an object that is similar to the
pattern drawn by you. Write its name near your pattern.
‹‹ Repeat the above
steps and make some
more patterns.
‹‹ Now think of an
interesting story
about your patterns.
Compare your
patterns with the
patterns drawn by your
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

friends. Are the patterns

same or different?
Narrate your story to
others and listen to their
stories. Do you notice
that everyone’s patterns,
names and stories are
different? Is it not fun?

Fig. 12.2: A part of the night sky

232

Chapter [Link] 232 10-07-2024 18:13:27

 12.1 Stars and Constellations
At night, when we look up at the sky, we see
many stars. Some stars are bright and others Do we find patterns
are dim. Stars shine with their own light. among the stars just
Some groups of stars appear to form for fun or is there
patterns which are like shapes of familiar some use of these
patterns?
things. Long ago, when watching stars in
the night sky was a favourite pastime of our
ancestors, they identified these star patterns with animals,
things or characters in stories. Many cultures had names
for patterns based on their own stories. These imaginary
shapes helped them in recognising stars in the sky.
Recognising stars and their patterns was a useful skill
for navigation in the olden times. Before the arrival of
modern technology or even before the invention of the
magnetic compass, it helped people, particularly sailors
and travellers, in finding directions at sea or on land. It is
still used in emergencies as a backup method.
In earlier times, groups of stars forming patterns were
called constellations. Currently, the regions of sky, which
include these groups of stars, are defined as constellations.
However, since in constellations, the patterns of stars are
often the most prominent, the term constellation is still
commonly used for these groups of stars.

Since different cultures denoted the constellation

boundaries in different ways, an internationally agreed
set of constellation boundaries were defined by the
International Astronomical Union (IAU) in the early
20th century. 88 constellations were officially listed,
thus, dividing the entire sky into 88 regions. These More to
regions of sky are now defined as constellations. know!

Some constellations are shown in Fig. 12.3. The stars

are joined by imaginary lines, drawn for easy identification.
Beyond Earth

The constellation Orion is often represented as a hunter.

There are three stars in the middle, which represent the belt
of the hunter. Some people imagine that the hunter Orion,
followed by his dog (constellation Canis Major), is battling
a bull (constellation Taurus). Canis Major contains a star 233

Chapter [Link] 233 10-07-2024 18:13:46

 called Sirius, which is the brightest star in the night sky
(Fig. 12.3).

Sirius

Orion
Taurus
Canis
Major

Fig. 12.3: Some constellations and stars

(The red lines indicate the patterns of stars while the green lines indicate the
regions of the sky. The lines are not seen in the sky and have been drawn only
for easy identification)

Betelguese
(Ārdrā)
Aldebaran Pleiades
Sirius (Rohiṇī) (Kṛittikā)

Orion
Taurus
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Canis
Major

In Indian astronomy, the term nakṣhatra is used to denote

either a certain star or a group of stars, such as Ārdrā
(a star called Betelgeuse in the Orion constellation) and
Kṛittikā (a group of stars called Pleiades in the Taurus
constellation). Aldebaran, a star in the constellation
More to Taurus, is known as Rohiṇī.
234 know!

Chapter [Link] 234 10-07-2024 18:14:03

 Two distinct patterns of stars, the Big Dipper and the
Little Dipper, are shown in Fig. 12.4. The Pole Star or Polaris,
which is part of the Little Dipper is also shown (Fig. 12.4).
The Pole Star appears stationary in the North direction,
which helps to locate the North direction in the Northern
hemisphere.

Big Dipper
The Big Dipper lies in the
constellation Ursa Major
while the Little Dipper
lies in the constellation
Ursa Minor. In India, the
Big Dipper is known
as Saptaṛiṣhi, and the
Little Pole Star is known as
Dipper Dhruva tārā. More to
know!
Pole star

Fig. 12.4: Big Dipper, Little Dipper How can

and Pole Star (The lines are not seen we identify
in the sky and have been drawn
only for easy identification)
some of these
constellations in
the night sky?
sociated
fr om co m m on regional stories as
Apa rt any forest
st ar s in th e constellations, m
with so have
g co m m un iti es or tribes of India al
dwel lin ple, the
r ow n st or ie s ab out them. For exam
thei imately
st ar s in th e Bi g Dipper that approx
four in Central
a re ct an gl e, ar e viewed by tribes
form with
ndmother’s cot”
India as the “gra
(other three stars)
the three thieves
men along the
stealing it. Fisher
Beyond Earth

agine the four

Konkan coast im
ith the last three
stars as a boat, w Do you
s as th e ne ck of the boat.
star know?
235

Chapter [Link] 235 10-07-2024 18:14:30

 12.2 Night Sky Watching
If it is a clear cloudless night, a large number of stars may be
visible in the sky. If you stay in a big city, you may find that
the sky is rarely clear and only a few stars are seen in the
night sky. This is due to light pollution, smoke and dust. The
presence of excessive artificial light at night time is referred
to as light pollution. In villages or areas where there is less
light pollution, a larger number of stars can be seen. Also,
your house may be surrounded by tall buildings and trees,
which may block your view. The night sky is best viewed
from open dark areas.

Light pollution is growing sharply globally. This is reducing our

ability to enjoy and study objects in the night sky. Some
dark sky reserves and parks have been established
around the world. Light pollution in the reserves is
controlled to preserve dark skies for research. There
are a few organisations which are working to educate
Do you people about reducing light pollution.
know?

Not all stars and constellations are visible from

all places on Earth and on all nights in a year.
Can we try to find For example, the Pole Star is not visible from
any constellation the southern hemisphere of Earth. To identify
or star of our
choice on any
a star or a constellation, you need to know
night from our how a particular constellation looks like
location? and where to look for it in the night sky. To
get familiar with the pattern of a constellation
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

you may use images such as Fig. 12.3 and Fig. 12.4.
To find out when and in which portion of the sky a star or
a constellation will be visible from your location, you may
take the help of sky mapping apps that can be downloaded
on a mobile phone, or other online resources.

Sky Map is a very handy app for identification

of stars, constellations and planets from mobile
phones. Stellarium is another such app. The More to
computer version of Stellarium is free for know!
download and has many features.
236

Chapter [Link] 236 10-07-2024 18:15:01

 Preparation for night sky watching
‹‹ Under the guidance of adults, identify a dark open area
for night sky watching. This should be away from lights,
tall buildings and trees.
‹‹ Choose the date and time based upon what you plan to
identify in the night sky.
‹‹ Choose a moonless night with no clouds, particularly
for the Pole Star which is not very bright.
‹‹ It may be useful to have access to a mobile app with a
sky map, or print out images of the constellations you
plan to view. You may also carry a magnetic compass
to find directions and a notebook to note or draw your
observations.
‹‹ On the particular day and time selected, go to the
identified place with an adult, where the night sky Caution
watching is to be done. Do not go to a
dark open place
‹‹ After reaching there, wait for about half an hour for at night time
your eyes to get adjusted to the darkness. This will without adults
accompanying you.
help you to see the night sky better (Fig. 12.5).

Beyond Earth

Fig. 12.5: Night sky watching

You may easily identify the Big Dipper and the Pole Star in the
night sky. 237

Chapter [Link] 237 10-07-2024 18:15:04

 Activity 12.2: Let us try to locate
‹‹ Look for the Big Dipper during summer time in the
early part of the night, say, around 9 pm. View the sky
above the horizon towards the northern part of the sky
and identify the Big Dipper.
‹‹ Once you identify the Big Dipper, try to locate the Pole
Star. Look at the two stars present at the end of the
Big Dipper’s cup and imagine a straight line passing
through these towards the north. At about five times
the distance between these two stars, the imaginary
line will lead to another star which is not very bright.
This star is the Pole Star.
You may also locate the bright constellation Orion and the
star Sirius in the night sky.

Activity 12.3: Let us try to identify

‹‹ In India, Orion is best viewed during the months of
December to April after sunset. So, look for it during
that period.

‹‹ Three bright stars in a short straight line

are located around the middle of Orion
Which
star is (imagined to be the belt of a hunter).
closest to Identify these three stars first, as this is
us? the easiest way to find Orion.
‹‹ Once you identify Orion, it is easy to
locate the very bright star Sirius which is
located close to Orion. Imagine a straight
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

line passing through the three middle

stars of Orion and look along this line
towards the east. This will lead to Sirius.

12.3 Our Solar System

The Sun
The Sun is a star. It is the star closest to us. It is an extremely
hot spherical ball of gases. The Sun gives out a huge
amount of energy, and that is why it glows so brightly.
238

Chapter [Link] 238 10-07-2024 18:15:05

 The Sun produces heat and
light, and is the main source
of energy on the Earth
(Fig. 12.6).
How big is the Sun? It is
about 100 times bigger than
the Earth in diameter. And
still, it looks so small because
it is very far from the Earth.
Fig. 12.6: The rising Sun

The distance of the Sun from the Earth is about 150 million
km. A useful unit for expressing distances within the
solar system is ‘astronomical unit’ (au) which is
approximately the distance between the Sun and
the Earth.

More to
know! Our
the brightest
The Sun, being Sun is also a
source of light
object and the most star. So how is it that
t on E ar th , was elevated in the Sun appears big and
and h ea a deity.
t ci vi li za ti on s to the status of lights up the sky while the
ancien rya. The other stars look like bright
ia , th e Su n is w orshipped as Sū
In Ind the Earth dots in the night sky and
p ro vi d ed b y the Sun keeps
heat ossible. are not even visible
er at u re th at makes life p
at a te m p to grow, during the day time?
gh t is es se n ti al for plants
Sunli animals,
p ro vi d e fo od and oxygen to
which sible for
d in g h u m an s. The Sun is respon
inclu cle,
e, se as on s, w eather, water cy
climat r
al l of w h ic h are important fo
wind s—
the Earth.
sustaining life on
Beyond Earth

However, the Sun is much closer to us than the other stars

hence it appears much bigger than the stars. As the stars
(other than the Sun) are much farther away, they appear
like points, even though some of those stars are much bigger
239

Chapter [Link] 239 10-07-2024 18:15:34

 than our Sun. During daytime, due to the extreme brightness
of the Sun, it is not possible to view the other stars.

The star nearest to us after the Sun is Proxima

Centauri which lies at a distance of about
269000 au. This means that its distance is about More to
269000 times our distance to the Sun. know!

There are many more objects

Are stars the only in the sky. Our Earth, along
objects in the sky? with some of these objects,
Or, are there more and the Sun together form
objects which our Solar System (Fig. 12.7).
we may not have
noticed?
Most of these objects move
around the Sun. The
movement of an object around
the Sun is called revolution.

Planets
A planet is a large, nearly spherical object that revolves
around the Sun. Our Earth is a planet as it revolves around
the Sun as shown in Fig. 12.7. The Earth takes nearly one
year to complete one revolution. Like the Earth, there are
other planets that revolve around the Sun.
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

While revolving around the Sun, the Earth is also

rotating about its axis. For one full rotation, the
Earth takes about 24 hours which is called a day.
Like the Earth, other planets also rotate about
their axes while revolving around the Sun. You
More to
will learn more about this in the next Grade.
know!

240

Chapter [Link] 240 10-07-2024 18:16:03

 Asteroid Mercury Earth Jupiter Uranus
Belt
Sun Venus Mars Saturn Neptune

Fig. 12.7: An artist’s representation of the Solar System

(To fit this figure within the page, the sizes and distances of various objects are not as per their
actual sizes and distances in relation to each other, that is, the sizes and distances are not to
scale in the figure)

The eight planets, in order of their increasing distance

from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Fig. 12.7).
The inner four planets nearest to the Sun—Mercury,
Venus, Earth and Mars—are smaller in size. They have solid
surfaces with rocks on them.

From ancient times, various names have been used

across India for the planets visible to the naked eye.
For example, Budha (Mercury), Śhukra (Venus),
Beyond Earth

Pṛithvī (Earth), Mangala (Mars), Bṛihaspati or Guru

(Jupiter) and Śhani (Saturn). More to
know!

241

Chapter [Link] 241 10-07-2024 18:16:20

 Venus is usually seen shining brightly at dawn and dusk,
and is commonly called the Morning Star or the Evening
Star, even though it is not a star. Mars is called the Red Planet
because it appears red. This is because the soil on Mars is
reddish in colour.
A large portion of the Earth’s surface is covered with
water and thus, it appears blue from the space. Due to this,
the Earth is also called the Blue Planet.
The four outermost planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune—are much larger compared to the Earth, and are
mostly made of gases. These giant gaseous planets have
large flat ring-like structures around them which are made
of dust particles and rocky material.
Planets get most of their energy from the Sun. So,
the farther they are, the colder they are in general. The
presence of an atmosphere on a planet can trap heat which
can significantly change the temperature of a planet. That is
why Venus, for example, is hotter than Mercury, although it
is farther from the Sun.

There is another object called Pluto that lies farther than Neptune,
and revolves around the Sun. It is smaller than the Earth’s
Moon. When it was discovered, it was called a planet of the Solar
System. But later, when similar more small objects
were discovered, the International Astronomical
Union (IAU) in 2006 redefined the requirements of
an object to be called a planet. As per this definition,
More to
these smaller objects, including Pluto, are now called
know!
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

dwarf planets.

Among the planets, it is

fy
i d enti easiest to identify Venus
we so,
Can lanet al e which is very bright. After
a p way w e the Sun and the Moon, Venus
the fied th ? is the brightest object in the
ti s
iden ellation sky. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter
st
con
and Saturn can also be seen
with the naked eye. They are
242

Chapter [Link] 242 10-07-2024 18:17:01

 so far away that they look like shining dots, just like stars.
So how can we distinguish between planets and the stars?
Unlike planets, the stars appear to twinkle a lot.

Activity 12.4: Let us try to identify

‹‹ For most of the year, Venus can be
located either at dawn or at dusk. How can we
‹‹ When you are viewing at dawn, see the planets
which are not
look for it near the Eastern
visible to the
direction before sunrise. naked eye?
‹‹ When you are viewing at dusk, look
for it near the Western direction after
sunset.
While many of the objects in the sky can be seen
with our naked eyes directly, we can see them brighter
and larger using a pair of binoculars or an instrument
called a telescope (Fig. 12.8). A telescope also helps us
view many dim objects not visible by our naked eyes
directly.
You may get an opportunity to view the sky through
a telescope whenever a night sky watching event is
organised in your region.

Many Higher Education

Institutions conduct night Fig. 12.8: A telescope
We know that
sky watching activities for
planets move
school students. There are around the Sun.
many Amateur Astronomy Are there any
Clubs all over the objects that move
country which around planets?
organise sky
watching events
periodically. Museums
Do you
Beyond Earth

and Planetariums
know? also organise similar
events.

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 Natural Satellites
Objects that move around planets are commonly called
satellites. They are smaller in size than planets. Moons are
natural satellites of planets. The Earth has one Moon, while
Mars has two moons. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
have a large number of moons.
The Moon
In general, any object
Earth’s natural satellite, the Moon,
that moves around a
takes about 27 days to complete
much larger object can
one revolution around the Earth.
also be called a satellite.
It is our nearest neighbour in the
For example, Earth can
space. Unlike on the Earth, there
be considered
is hardly any atmosphere on the
a satellite of
Moon. How big is the Moon as
the Sun.
compared to the Earth? The Moon
is about a quarter the size of the
More to Earth in diameter. The Moon’s
know! surface shows circular bowl-like
structures called craters (Fig.
The Moon 12.9). Most of these craters have
is about 3,84,000 km been formed due to the impact of
away from the Earth. asteroids or rocks from the space
hitting the Moon’s surface. Since
there is no atmosphere, water or
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

(a) (b)

Fig. 12.9: The Moon (a) Image taken by Cartosat, ISRO.

(b) Close-up image by cameras onboard Chandrayaan-3, ISRO.
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 life on the Moon, these features stay on the Moon’s surface
for a very long time.
Although the Moon is very far, humans have sent
spacecrafts to explore and understand more about the
Moon. India has also launched three Chandrayaan missions
to study the Moon, and a further mission is being planned.

To improve our understanding of the Moon, India’s first mission to

the Moon, Chandrayaan-1, was launched in 2008 and the second
mission, Chandrayaan-2, in 2019. The third mission, Chandrayaan-3,
was launched in July 2023 and its Vikram lander carrying the Pragyan
rover successfully soft-landed on the Moon on August 23, 2023. With
this mission, India became the first country in the world to
achieve a landing near the little explored Moon’s south pole.
To mark this success, the Government of India declared
August 23 to be celebrated as ‘National Space Day’ in India. A
Do you fourth mission, Chandrayaan-4, is being planned which aims
know? to bring back soil and rock samples from the Moon.

Asteroids
The Sun and the planets are nearly spherical in shape. There
are many small objects in the Solar System which are rocky
and irregular in shape. These are called asteroids. Many of
these asteroids revolve around the Sun
in paths that lie between those of Mars The sizes of
and Jupiter. This region is called the asteroids are
asteroid belt (Fig. 12.7). Occasionally, from 10 m to More to
asteroids pass very close to the Earth. about 500 km. know!
Comets
Sometimes we have visitors from the
outer regions of the Solar System! These objects with long
Beyond Earth

tails are called comets (Fig. 12.10). They are made up of dust,
gases, rocks and ice. As a comet approaches close to the Sun,
the frozen material in it starts evaporating. This evaporating

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 material forms the tail of the comet. Comets appear dim as
they move away from the Sun and then, it is not possible to
see them with the naked eye.
Many comets have been
found that revolve around
the Sun. These comets
approach close to the Sun
periodically. However, there
are a few comets that escape
and move out of the Solar
System. Few other comets
get broken up, or fall into the
Sun or other planets when
Fig. 12.10: A Comet
they approach them.
We have learnt about the
objects which form the Solar
One famous comet is the
System. Which are these objects?
Halley’s Comet which appears
The Sun, eight planets, their
every 76 years. Its last
moons, and many smaller
appearance was in 1986.
objects including asteroids,
and comets, together form the
Solar System.
The Sun—our star—is the
In Sanskrit and a
few other Indian More to largest and the heaviest object
in the Solar System. The Sun
languages, a comet know!
produces almost all the energy in
is called Dhūmaketu.
the Solar System. All other objects
Various tribes in
India also call it Pucchya-Taro in our Solar System shine due to
(star with a tail) or Zendya- the sunlight that they reflect from
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Taro (star like a flag). their surfaces.

In many cultures, comets have
been feared and it was earlier
believed that comets bring What is
bad luck. However, thanks to beyond the
Solar System?
scientists, we now know that
these are just icy-rocky visitors
making a trip close to the Sun!

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 12.4 The Milky Way Galaxy
In the moonless night sky, viewed from dark locations away
from city lights, one can see an extended faint band of light
from near north to south across the sky (Fig. 12.11). This
is our home galaxy called the Milky Way Galaxy or Ākāśha
Gangā. A galaxy has millions to billions of stars. Our Solar
System is part of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Fig. 12.11: Milky Way Galaxy as seen from a very dark location in Ladakh, India

12.5 The Universe What is

beyond the
There are many galaxies in the Milky Way
outer space beyond the Milky Galaxy?
Way Galaxy. Scientists study
them to understand the stars,
galaxies and the universe.
We do not know yet if life exists Is there life
elsewhere in the Universe. The search anywhere
for life has been directed mostly towards else in the
exoplanets—the planets discovered Universe?
revolving around other stars in our
Beyond Earth

galaxy. Till now, scientists have not found

any evidence of life but this search is on
and continuing.

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 Keywords

Asteroid Draw

Comet Explore

Constellation Identify

Milky Way Galaxy Observe

Moon

Planet

Revolution

Satellite

Solar System

Stars

Sun
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

Summary

‹‹ The sky is divided into regions called constellations, which

include groups of stars that appear to form patterns.
‹‹ The Pole Star appears stationary in the North direction,
which helps in locating the North direction in the
Northern hemisphere.
‹‹ The Sun is a star which produces heat and light.
‹‹ A planet is a large, nearly spherical object that revolves
around the Sun.
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 ‹‹ The eight planets, in order of their increasing distance
from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
‹‹ The Earth revolves around the Sun in nearly one year.
‹‹ Objects that move around planets are commonly called
satellites.
‹‹ The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite.
‹‹ The Moon revolves around the Earth in nearly 27 days.
‹‹ The Sun, eight planets, their moons, and many smaller
objects including asteroids and comets, together form
the Solar System.
‹‹ Our Solar System is part of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Let us enhance our learning

1. Match the column:

Column I Column II
(i) Satellite of Earth (a) Orion
(ii) Red planet (b) Venus
(iii) Constellation (c) Mars
(iv) Planet which is commonly (d) Moon
called an evening star

2. (i) Solve the following riddle.

My first alphabet is in MAN but not in CAN
My second alphabet is in ACE and also in FAN
My third alphabet is in RAT and not in CAT
My fourth alphabet is in SUN but not in FUN
I am a planet that moves around the Sun.
(ii) Make two similar riddles by yourself.
Beyond Earth

3. Which of the following is not a member of our Solar System?

(i) Sirius (ii) Comets
(iii) Asteroids (iv) Pluto
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 4. Which of the following is not a planet of the Sun?
(i) Jupiter (ii) Pluto
(iii) Neptune (iv) Saturn

5. Which is the brighter star, the Pole Star or Sirius?

6. An artist’s representation of the Solar System is given in Fig.
12.12. Is the order of the planets correct? If not, write the
correct order in the boxes in the figure.

Fig. 12.12

7. A portion of night
sky with stars is
shown in Fig. 12.13.
Look carefully and
identify the groups
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

of stars that form

the patterns—the
Big Dipper and the
Little Dipper. Draw
lines to connect
the stars for these
patterns and label
them. Also, identify
and label the Pole
Star. You may refer
to Fig. 12.4 for help.
Fig. 12.13
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 8. A portion of the night sky is shown in Fig. 12.14. Draw lines
to connect the stars for Orion and label the star Sirius. You
may refer to Fig. 12.3.

Fig. 12.14

9. You can see stars fading away at dawn and appearing at

dusk. During the day we do not see the stars. Explain why.
10. During a clear night, try to observe the Big Dipper 3–4
times at an interval of 2 to 3 hours. Also try to locate the
Pole Star each time. Does the Big Dipper appear to move?
Draw a rough sketch to illustrate this, mentioning the time
in each case.

11. Think about the night sky and write a poem or a story on it.

Learning further

‹‹ Try to find out the names of planets in your local language.

Also, find out the stories associated with stars and
constellations in your region. Present these stories in a
pictorial form.
‹‹ If there is a planetarium or a science museum nearby, then
Beyond Earth

you can visit it, especially if a night sky observation session

is scheduled by them. You will get to see the Moon, the
planets and the stars through a telescope. If you visit the
planetarium during daytime, you can also see their models,
pictures and sky shows.
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 ‹‹ Find out if the increasing light pollution is
causing problems for humans, wildlife and the
environment. Write an action that you would
take at the personal level to control light
pollution.
‹‹ Find out the weather conditions due to which
the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) found
Hanle, Ladakh a suitable place to set up an
observatory.
‹‹ If you enjoy doing embroidery, try to embroider
on a dark coloured cloth the constellations that
you have seen (Fig. 12.15). Otherwise, you may
use your creativity and depict constellations
Fig. 12.15: Embroidery
in multiple other ways using various art and
of constellations
craft ideas.

Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle,

is situated atop the highest peak of Digpa-
rasta-Ri mountain range in Hanle. This
peak has been renamed Mount Saraswati.
It has several telescopes. One of them is
called the Himalayan Chandra Telescope,
which has been named after the Nobel
Prize winning scientist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. It is an
observatory at one of the highest locations in the world.
More to
know! The area surrounding this observatory was notified as the Hanle
Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) in December 2022. The reserve is
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

open to the public throughout the year. Local people have been
provided with small telescopes and are trained to be Astronomy
Ambassadors for visitors
by the Indian Institute of
Astrophysics. It is expected
to promote astro-tourism
in the region.

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 It is not the end, my friend!
This might be the last page of this book, but it is certainly
not the end of our ‘Curiosity’. The title of this book not only
drives our journey through the amazing world of science,
but also defines what it means to be human. As a species,
we are curious. We want to find out more about the world
we live in and worlds beyond. By now, you have perhaps
read a little bit about the world of plants and animals,
done some fun activities, learnt about how we measure,
wondered about the stars that shine in the night sky, and
so on. But remember, this is just the beginning. Science is
a never-ending adventure, with new discoveries coming
up all the time. And as you progress through the Middle
Stage, the things you come across will help you find out
even more about the world around you. The key lies in that
curiosity you have nurtured throughout this journey. Keep
observing the world around you, keep asking questions,
and do not be afraid to experiment. Remember, even
the most groundbreaking discoveries often begin with a
simple “Why?”. There are countless questions waiting to be
answered, and countless answers waiting to be questioned.
You, my young scientist, can find them out. So, go forth and
explore! And see you again in the next Grade for more
adventures in science!

Chapter [Link] 253 10-07-2024 18:20:23

 Notes
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6

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