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Chapter 6: Materials Around Us
1. Introduction to Materials and Objects
Every object we see around us is created from one or more substances. Any substance used to create an object is called a material. Science helps us understand that:
- An object is the final item (e.g., a chair, a pot, or a pencil).
- A material is what it is made of (e.g., wood, clay, or lead).
- A single object can be made using multiple materials (e.g., a pen made of plastic, metal, and ink).
- A single material can be used to make different types of objects (e.g., iron used for nails, gates, and utensils).
Historical Perspective: Indian Pottery
India has a sophisticated history of material science, specifically in pottery production:
- The earliest pottery in the Indian subcontinent dates back $7,000$ to $8,000$ years in the Ganga plains (Lahuradewa).
- The Sindhu-Sarasvatī (Harappan) Civilisation ($2600-1900$ BCE) excelled in:
- Wheel-turned pottery.
- Applying decorative coats called ‘slips’.
- Creating Terracotta (baked clay) items for cooking and storage.
| Object | Primary Material |
|---|---|
| Notebook | Paper |
| Tumbler | Glass / Steel |
| Crucible | Clay / Iron |
| Pot | Terracotta (Baked Clay) |
2. Classification and Grouping of Materials
The world is full of diverse objects. To study them effectively, we use Classification, which is the method of arranging objects into groups based on common properties.
How do we choose a Material?
We do not choose materials randomly. The selection depends on two main factors:
- Properties of the Material: Does it have the required strength, texture, or ability?
- Purpose of the Object: What will the object be used for?
Consider these examples of purpose-driven selection:
- Tumbler: Must be made of materials like glass, plastic, or metal that can hold water. A cloth tumbler would be useless for storing liquids.
- Cooking Utensils: Must be made of heat-resistant materials like metals. Using paper would result in the utensil burning.
- Sports Equipment: Balls for different sports (Cricket vs. Tennis) are made of different materials to achieve specific bounce levels and durability.
Example 1. A student in Mumbai visits a sports complex. He observes three types of balls: a Leather Cricket ball ($\text{₹} \ 500$), a Rubber Tennis ball ($\text{₹} \ 80$), and a Foam Hand exercise ball ($\text{₹} \ 120$). Identify the most elastic ball and find the total cost of all three.
Answer:
The Tennis ball is the most elastic as it achieves the highest bounce due to its rubber material.
$\text{Total Cost} = \text{₹} \ 500 + \text{₹} \ 80 + \text{₹} \ 120 = \text{₹} \ 700$
3. Physical Properties: Appearance and Hardness
Materials are often classified based on their Physical Appearance (how they look) and their Texture/Hardness (how they feel).
Appearance: Lustre
Materials that have a shiny surface are said to have Lustre. This is a primary characteristic of Metals.
- Lustrous Materials: Iron, Copper, Aluminium, and Gold.
- Non-lustrous Materials: Paper, Wood, Rubber, and Jute.
- Important Note: Metals may lose their shine and look dull when exposed to air and moisture. Therefore, we should check for lustre on freshly cut surfaces.
- Caution: "All that glitters is not gold"—materials can be made shiny through polishing or plastic coatings, which does not make them metals.
Hardness and Compressibility
Hardness refers to how difficult it is to scratch or compress a material.
- Soft Materials: Can be easily compressed or scratched (e.g., Sponge, Eraser, Candle, Chalk).
- Hard Materials: Are difficult to compress or scratch (e.g., Stone, Iron, Brick).
- Relative Nature: Hardness is relative. For instance, Rubber is harder than sponge but softer than iron.
Property Classification Table
| Material | Gold Ornament | Wooden Log | Sponge | Iron Key | Chalk |
| Appearance | Lustrous | Dull | Dull | Lustrous (if new) | Dull |
| Hardness | Hard | Hard | Soft | Hard | Soft |
4. Transparency: Seeing Through Materials
The property of a material that allows us to see through it is known as transparency. Based on this, matter is divided into three categories:
Types of Materials Based on Light Transmission
- Transparent Materials:
- These allow light to pass through completely.
- We can see through them clearly.
- Examples: Glass, clear water, air, and cellophane paper.
- Opaque Materials:
- These do not allow any light to pass through.
- We cannot see through them at all.
- Examples: Wooden boards, cardboard, and metal sheets.
- Translucent Materials:
- These allow light to pass through partially.
- We can see through them, but not clearly (hazy view).
- Examples: Butter paper, frosted glass, and oily paper.
Understanding these properties helps us in daily activities, like playing hide and seek or choosing the right material for window panes in Indian homes.
5. Solubility in Water
Water is known as a universal solvent because of its remarkable ability to dissolve a wide variety of substances. This property is essential for the survival of living organisms, including the transport of nutrients in our blood and the survival of aquatic life.
Classification based on Solubility
Substances behave differently when mixed with water. We can classify them as follows:
- Soluble Materials: These are substances that completely disappear or dissolve when stirred in water.
- Examples: Common salt, sugar, honey, and lemon juice.
- Insoluble Materials: These are substances that do not mix with water and remain visible even after being stirred for a long time.
- Examples: Sand, sawdust, chalk powder, pebbles, and mustard oil.
Solubility of Liquids and Gases
It is not just solids that dissolve in water. Many liquids and gases also interact with water:
- Liquids: Some liquids like vinegar and lemon juice mix completely with water. Others, like coconut oil or kerosene, form a separate layer on top of the water.
- Gases: Oxygen gas is slightly soluble in water. This dissolved oxygen is extremely important for the survival of fish and other aquatic plants and animals.
| Material | Behavior in Water (On Stirring) | Inference |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Disappears completely | Soluble |
| Sand | Settles at the bottom | Insoluble |
| Chalk Powder | Makes water cloudy and settles | Insoluble |
| Salt | Disappears completely | Soluble |
| Sawdust | Floats on the surface | Insoluble |
| Observation | Stirring result | Solubility status |
Indian Perspective: Shikanji and ORS
In Indian households, the property of solubility is used to prepare refreshing drinks and medicine:
- Shikanji (Lemonade): A mixture of sugar, salt, and lemon juice in water where all ingredients dissolve to create a uniform taste.
- ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution): A life-saving mixture used to treat dehydration.
The standard formula for Home-made ORS involves:
- $1 \text{ Litre}$ of boiled and cooled water.
- $6 \text{ teaspoons}$ of Sugar.
- $0.5 \text{ teaspoon}$ of Common Salt.
6. Understanding Matter: Mass and Volume
Everything we see, touch, or feel in our surroundings is composed of Matter. Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. This includes everything from the Himalayas to the tiny grains of sand in Rajasthan.
Mass: The Quantity of Matter
The property that tells us how heavy or light an object is refers to its mass. In scientific terms, mass gives the actual quantity of matter present in an object.
- SI Unit: The International System of Units uses kilogram ($kg$) as the standard unit for mass.
- Smaller Units: For smaller quantities, gram ($g$) and milligram ($mg$) are used.
- Rules for Writing: Always leave a space between the number and the unit. For example, write $5 \text{ kg}$ and not $5\text{kg}$. Also, symbols are never written in plural (avoid $5 \text{ kgs}$).
$\text{Formula: } 1 \text{ kg} = 1000 \text{ g}$
Volume: The Space Occupied
Every object, whether solid, liquid, or gas, occupies some space. This space is called its volume.
- SI Unit: The standard unit for volume is the cubic metre ($m^3$).
- Liquid Measurements: In daily life, we measure liquids in Litres ($L$) and millilitres ($mL$).
- Relation between Units:
- $1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}$
- $1 \text{ m}^3 = 1000 \text{ L}$
Example 2. A student buys a $2 \text{ L}$ bottle of mineral water for $\text{₹} \ 40$. Convert the volume of water into millilitres ($mL$) and cubic metres ($m^3$).
Answer:
Conversion to Millilitres:
Since $1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}$
$\text{Volume} = 2 \times 1000 \text{ mL} = 2000 \text{ mL}$
Conversion to Cubic Metres:
We know that $1000 \text{ L} = 1 \text{ m}^3$
Therefore, $1 \text{ L} = \frac{1}{1000} \text{ m}^3$
$\text{Volume in } m^3 = \frac{2}{1000} \text{ m}^3 = 0.002 \text{ m}^3$
So, a $2 \text{ L}$ bottle occupies $2000 \text{ mL}$ or $0.002 \text{ m}^3$ of space.
Why is Classification of Matter Useful?
Grouping materials based on mass and volume helps us observe patterns and organize our life. For instance:
- Grocers: Organize items by mass (pulses and grains in $kg$).
- Milkmen: Measure volume in litres ($L$).
- Chemists: Group medicines according to their chemical properties and state of matter.
7. Ancient Indian Perspective (Ayurveda)
Centuries before modern science categorized materials, ancient Indian scholars had developed a highly sophisticated system of classification of physical matter. This is primarily documented in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine.
The Concept of 20 Guṇas (Properties)
The Aṣhtanga hṛidaya Sūtra sthāna 1.18 mentions $20$ properties or Guṇas. These properties are arranged in ten pairs of opposites. They are used to describe the nature of all physical matter, food, plants, animals, and the human body.
| Sanskrit Term (Pair A) | English Meaning | Sanskrit Term (Pair B) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guru | Heavy | Laghu | Light |
| Manda | Slow | Tīkṣhṇa | Sharp / Quick |
| Hima | Cold | Uṣhṇa | Hot |
| Snigdha | Oily / Unctuous | Rukṣha | Dry |
| Śhlakṣhaṇa | Smooth | Khara | Rough |
| Sāndra | Solid / Dense | Drava | Liquid / Fluid |
| Mṛidu | Soft | Kaṭhina | Hard |
| Sthira | Stable / Static | Khāla / Sara | Unstable / Moving |
| Sūkṣhma | Subtle / Small | Sthūla | Gross / Big |
| Viśhada | Clear / Non-slimy | Picchhila | Sticky / Slimy |
Significance of this Classification
This ancient system allows us to understand the world in a very practical way:
- Food: We classify food as Guru (heavy to digest) or Laghu (light to digest).
- Environment: Weather can be described as Hima (cold) or Uṣhṇa (hot).
- Medical Treatment: Ayurveda uses the law of opposites. For example, a dry (Rukṣha) skin condition is treated with an oily (Snigdha) material.
By studying these properties, we can conclude that classification of the non-living world is as important as the classification of the living world to maintain balance and health.
Let us enhance our learning
Question 1. Visit your kitchen and observe how your parents have organised various edibles. Can you suggest a better sorting method? Write it in your notebook.
Answer:
Question 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 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 |
Answer:
Question 3. The containers which are used to store materials in shops and at home are usually transparent. Give your reasons for this.
Answer:
Question 4. State whether the statements given below are True [T] or False [F]. Correct the False statement(s).
(i) Wood is translucent while glass is opaque.
(ii) Aluminium foil has lustre while an eraser does not.
(iii) Sugar dissolves in water whereas sawdust does not.
(iv) An apple is a matter because it occupies no space and has mass.
Answer:
Question 5. We see chairs made up of various materials, such as wood, iron, plastic, bamboo, cement and stones. Following are some desirable properties of materials which can be used to make chairs. Which materials used to make chairs fulfil these properties the most?
(i) Hardness (does not bend or shake on sitting even after long use).
(ii) Lightweight (easy to lift or to take from one place to another).
(iii) Does not feel very cold when sitting during winters.
(iv) Can be cleaned regularly and made to look new even after long use.
Answer:
Question 6. You need to have containers for collection of (i) food waste, (ii) broken glass and (iii) wastepaper. Which materials will you choose for containers of these types of waste? What properties of materials do you need to think of?
Answer:
Question 7. Air is all around us but does not hinder us from seeing each other. Whereas, if a wooden door comes in between, we cannot see each other. It is because air is _________ and the wooden door is _________. Choose the most appropriate option:
(i) transparent, opaque
(ii) translucent, transparent
(iii) opaque, translucent
(iv) transparent, translucent
Answer:
Question 8. Imagine you have two mysterious materials, X and Y. When you try to press material X, it feels rigid and does not change its shape easily. On the other hand, material Y easily changes its shape when you press it. Now, when you mix both materials in water, only material X dissolves completely, while material Y remains unchanged. What can materials X and Y be? Can you identify whether material X is hard or soft? What about material Y? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Question 9.
(i) Who am I? Identify me on the basis of the given properties.
(a) I have lustre. _______
(b) I can be easily compressed. _______
(c) I am hard and soluble in water. _______
(d) You cannot see clearly through me. _______
(e) I have mass and volume but you cannot see me. _______
(ii) Make your own ‘Who am I?’
Answer:
Question 10. You are provided with the following materials—vinegar, honey, mustard oil, water, glucose and wheat flour. Make any two pairs of materials where one material is soluble in the other. Now, make two pairs of materials where one material remains insoluble in the other material.
Answer: