Material Around Us – MCQs with Answers and Explanations
Chapter 6: Material Around Us — 40 Topic-wise MCQs
Prepared strictly as per NCERT syllabus — Ideal for CBSE Class 6 exam practice
40 MCQs
CBSE Board Exam Focus — Systematic Order
- Definitions & Properties
- States of Matter & Particle Model
- Tests & Separation Techniques
- Uses, Changes & Environmental Context
Definitions & Properties (1–10)
1. Which of the following best describes 'texture' of a material?
A. The colour of the material
B. How the surface of the material feels to touch
C. The weight of the material
D. The shape of the material
Answer: B. Texture refers to how a surface feels — rough, smooth, sticky or slippery. Colour and weight are different properties.
2. Hardness of a material is tested by
A. Burning it
B. Scratching it with a harder object
C. Heating it
D. Mixing with water
Answer: B. Hardness is measured by the resistance to scratching or denting; using a harder object to scratch gives a simple test.
3. Flexibility means
A. Ability to stretch and return to original shape
B. Ability to bend without breaking
C. Ability to float
D. Ability to conduct electricity
Answer: B. Flexibility is the ability to bend without breaking. Elasticity (A) is to return after stretching.
4. Which property makes copper suitable for electrical wiring?
A. Transparency
B. Insulating nature
C. Good electrical conductivity
D. High solubility in water
Answer: C. Copper conducts electricity well due to free electrons; it is not transparent nor soluble in water for practical wire use.
5. A material that does not allow heat or electricity to pass through it easily is called
A. Conductor
B. Insulator
C. Solvent
D. Solute
Answer: B. Insulators resist flow of heat and electricity; conductors allow flow.
6. Which is an example of an elastic material?
A. Glass
B. Rubber band
C. Chalk
D. Brick
Answer: B. Rubber bands stretch and return to original shape, showing elasticity; glass and chalk are brittle.
7. Transparency is important for which of the following uses?
A. Door hinges
B. Window panes
C. Insulated wires
D. Wooden furniture
Answer: B. Window panes need transparency to let light through; door hinges and furniture do not require transparency.
8. Which of these is not a physical property?
A. Colour
B. Hardness
C. Flammability
D. Texture
Answer: C. Flammability is a chemical property (how a material reacts chemically). Colour, hardness and texture are physical properties.
9. Which property would you test to decide if a material is suitable for making a frying pan?
A. Elasticity
B. Thermal conductivity
C. Transparency
D. Solubility
Answer: B. Good thermal conductivity ensures even heating; elasticity and transparency are irrelevant, and solubility is undesirable.
10. Which is true about an insulator used for electrical wires?
A. It allows current to flow freely
B. It protects from electric shock
C. It increases conductivity
D. It reacts chemically with electricity
Answer: B. Insulation prevents current from escaping and protects users from electric shock; it does not conduct electricity.
States of Matter & Particle Model (11–20)
11. Which state of matter has a definite shape and volume?
A. Gas
B. Liquid
C. Solid
D. Plasma
Answer: C. Solids have definite shape and volume due to closely packed particles in fixed positions.
12. Liquids differ from solids because
A. Liquids have no definite volume
B. Particles in liquids are fixed in position
C. Liquids take the shape of their container
D. Liquids cannot flow
Answer: C. Liquids have definite volume but no definite shape and adopt the container's shape; their particles can move past each other.
13. Which observation supports the particle theory for gases?
A. Gases have fixed shape
B. Gases spread to fill any container
C. Gas particles are fixed in place
D. Gases do not exert pressure
Answer: B. Gases spread to fill containers because their particles move freely and are far apart, supporting the particle model.
14. When ice melts to water, which of the following is true?
A. It is a chemical change
B. New substance is formed
C. Particle motion decreases
D. Particle motion increases
Answer: D. Melting is a physical change where particle motion increases with heat, allowing particles to move freer in liquid state.
15. Diffusion is fastest in which state of matter?
A. Solid
B. Liquid
C. Gas
D. Plasma
Answer: C. Diffusion is fastest in gases because particles move more rapidly and are farther apart, allowing quick mixing.
16. Which change is reversible?
A. Burning paper
B. Melting ice
C. Cooking an egg
D. Rusting of iron
Answer: B. Melting ice is reversible by freezing; others involve chemical changes and are not easily reversible.
17. Which example shows deposition (gas to solid)?
A. Steam forming water droplets
B. Frost forming on a cold morning
C. Water boiling
D. Ice melting
Answer: B. Frost forms when water vapour deposits directly as ice on surfaces, a gas-to-solid change called deposition.
18. On heating, particles of a solid vibrate more. What is a likely consequence?
A. Volume decreases
B. Substance becomes magnetic
C. Solid may expand or melt if heated enough
D. Substance becomes transparent
Answer: C. Increased vibration can cause thermal expansion and, at higher temperatures, overcome forces to cause melting.
19. Which is true about particles in liquids?
A. Particles are fixed and do not move
B. Particles move and can slide past each other
C. Particles are far apart and move freely like gas
D. Particles disappear when heated
Answer: B. Liquid particles are close but mobile, allowing flow and shape change with container.
20. Which of these is a sign that a chemical reaction (not a physical change) may have occurred?
A. Change of state (solid to liquid)
B. Colour change accompanied by gas evolution and heat
C. Dissolving sugar in water
D. Stretching a rubber band
Answer: B. Chemical reactions often show colour change, gas evolution, temperature change or formation of a new substance; others are physical changes.
Tests & Separation Techniques (21–30)
21. Which method separates sand from water?
A. Distillation
B. Filtration
C. Chromatography
D. Electrolysis
Answer: B. Filtration traps undissolved solid particles like sand on filter paper while water passes through.
22. To recover salt from saltwater, which technique is used?
A. Filtration
B. Evaporation
C. Magnetic separation
D. Centrifugation
Answer: B. Evaporation removes water leaving salt crystals behind; filtration won't separate dissolved salts.
23. Paper chromatography separates components based on
A. Colour only
B. Solubility and affinity for paper and solvent
C. Magnetic properties
D. Density differences
Answer: B. Different components travel at different rates depending on solubility and attraction to paper vs solvent, causing separation.
24. Which observation indicates a substance dissolved completely in water?
A. Particles settle at the bottom
B. Solution looks cloudy
C. Solution looks clear and uniform
D. Bubbles form immediately
Answer: C. A true solution appears clear and uniform; undissolved particles or cloudiness show incomplete dissolution or suspension.
25. Which technique separates two immiscible liquids like oil and water?
A. Filtration
B. Distillation
C. Decantation or separating funnel
D. Chromatography
Answer: C. Decantation or a separating funnel uses density difference and immiscibility to separate layers; filtration cannot separate liquids.
26. Which test would show if a material is transparent?
A. Try to scratch it
B. Hold an object behind it and see if it is clearly visible
C. Mix it with water
D. Heat it
Answer: B. A transparent material lets light through clearly so objects behind it are visible; scratching and mixing are irrelevant tests here.
27. To test whether a material conducts electricity safely in class, you should
A. Use a simple circuit with a battery and bulb under teacher supervision
B. Touch the material to a live socket
C. Taste the material
D. Heat the material
Answer: A. Using a low-voltage battery circuit with guidance is safe; touching live sockets is dangerous and not allowed.
28. Which separation method is suitable for separating two miscible liquids with different boiling points?
A. Distillation
B. Filtration
C. Magnetic separation
D. Decantation
Answer: A. Distillation separates miscible liquids based on boiling point differences by heating and condensing vapours.
29. Which of these mixtures cannot be separated by simple filtration?
A. Sand in water
B. Sugar in water
C. Gravel in water
D. Pebbles in water
Answer: B. Sugar dissolves forming a true solution and passes through filter paper; filtration only removes undissolved solids.
30. Why is evaporation used to obtain salt from saltwater?
A. Because salt is volatile
B. Because salt dissolves in water and can be recovered by removing water
C. Because salt floats on water
D. Because salt is magnetic
Answer: B. Salt is dissolved in water; by evaporating water, salt crystals are left behind and can be collected.
Uses, Changes & Environmental Context (31–40)
31. Which material would be best for making a child's cup to avoid breakage?
A. Glass
B. Ceramic
C. Tough plastic
D. Thin sheet metal
Answer: C. Tough plastic is shatterproof and lightweight, making it safer for children compared to glass or ceramic.
32. Iron objects left in moist air change colour due to
A. Freezing
B. Oxidation (rusting)
C. Evaporation
D. Melting
Answer: B. Rusting is oxidation of iron in presence of water and oxygen, forming iron oxides that have a reddish-brown colour.
33. Which is a reversible physical change?
A. Burning wood
B. Melting chocolate and solidifying it again
C. Cooking food
D. Ripening of fruit
Answer: B. Melting and solidifying chocolate are physical and often reversible; burning and ripening involve chemical changes.
34. Which practice helps reduce plastic pollution?
A. Single-use plastic purchase
B. Burning plastic at open sites
C. Reusing and recycling plastic
D. Dumping plastic in water bodies
Answer: C. Reusing and recycling reduce demand for new plastic and limit waste; burning or dumping causes pollution and harm.
35. Which material would be least affected by moisture?
A. Iron
B. Wood (untreated)
C. Plastic
D. Paper
Answer: C. Plastic is water-resistant and does not absorb moisture like wood or paper; iron corrodes when moist.
36. Which is a suitable material for making window panes to allow light in?
A. Wood
B. Glass
C. Brick
D. Metal sheet
Answer: B. Glass is transparent and commonly used for windows to allow light while providing a barrier to weather.
37. Why are clothes often made from cotton in hot climates?
A. Cotton is heavy and traps heat
B. Cotton is breathable and absorbs sweat
C. Cotton is waterproof
D. Cotton conducts electricity
Answer: B. Cotton allows air flow and absorbs sweat, helping to keep the body cool and comfortable in hot climates.
38. Which material is biodegradable and better for environment if disposed correctly?
A. Plastic bags
B. Glass bottles
C. Paper and natural fibres
D. Styrofoam
Answer: C. Paper and natural fibres decompose naturally and are biodegradable; plastics and styrofoam persist and cause pollution.
39. To slow down rusting of iron gates, which method is commonly used?
A. Leaving them unpainted
B. Coating with paint or oil
C. Exposing them to water often
D. Burying them in soil
Answer: B. Coating with paint or oil prevents contact with moisture and oxygen, slowing rusting; exposing to water accelerates rust.
40. Which of these is not an advantage of using composite materials?
A. Combine strengths of different materials
B. Often lighter and stronger
C. Always biodegradable and eco-friendly
D. Used in specialised applications like sports equipment
Answer: C. While composites have many advantages, they are not always biodegradable or eco-friendly; some can be hard to recycle.