Basic of Classification of Objects

Basic of Classification of Objects

The classification of various objects into groups can be done on the basis of their similarities and dissimilarities such as: living or non-living; plant or animal, nature of material, use colour, shape, size, appearance, hardness, texture, etc. Thus, the various objects can be classified (or grouped) as follows:

(i)         All the objects can be classified into two main groups: Living objects and Non-living objects.

(ii)        Living objects can be classified further into two groups: Plants and Animals.

(iii)       Non-living objects can be classified into many groups on the basis of their nature of material, use, colour, shape, size, appearance, hardness, texture, etc.

It should be noted that the classification of objects into groups can be done only when the objects have some similarities and some dissimilarities (differences).  The objects cannot be classified into groups if all of them are similar or all of them are dissimilar (different). Thus, if we have some objects which are similar in all respects, they cannot be classified into different groups.

Classification of Objects as Living and Non-living

All the living objects need food, water and air for their survival whereas non-living objects do not require these things. Based on this difference, all the objects around us can be classified into two groups living objects and non-living objects. As an example, let us classify the following objects into living objects and non-living objects.

Table, Toy, Dog, Clothes, Rose, Algae. Pencil, Knife, Shoes, Hydrilla, Grass-hopper, Blackboard, Cactus, Wool, Earthworm, Tree, Fish, Feather, Nail, Hen.

If we look at these objects carefully, we will find that out of these objects, dog, rose, algae, hydrilla, grasshopper, cactus, earthworm, tree, fish and hen are living objects. On the other hand, table, toy, clothes, pencil, knife, shoes, blackboard, wool, feather and nail are non-living objects. So, we can classify (or divide) all the above objects into two groups as ‘living objects’ and ‘non-living objects’ as follows.

Classification of living objects as plants and animals

All the plants can make their food by using carbon dioxide, water and sunlight whereas animals cannot make their food in this way. Based on this difference, all the living objects can be classified into two groups, plant and animals. Let us classify the following living objects into plants and animals:

Dog, Rose, Algae, Hydrilla, Grasshopper, Cactus, Earthworm, Tree, Fish, Hen

Now, out of these living objects, rose, algae, hydrilla, cactus and tree are plants whereas dog, grasshopper, earthworm, fish and hen are animals. So, we can classify these living objects into two groups, plant and animals, as follows:

Classification of Non-Living Objects

The non-living objects can be classified on the basis of the material (or which they are made), their uses, colour, shape, size, appearance, hardness and texture, etc. We will give an example of the classification of non-living objects on the basis of the nature of their material. Consider the following non-living objects:

Table, Nail, Beaker, Toy, Chair, Utensils, Test-tube, Ruler, Bed, Magnet, Funnel, Mug, Door, Coin, Mirror, Polythene bag

Out of these objects, table, chair, bed and door are made of wood, nail, utensils, magnet and coin are made of metals, beaker, test-tube, funnel and mirror are made of glass whereas toy, ruler, mug and polythene bag are made of plastics. So, we can classify all the above objects into four groups on the basis of nature of material of which they are made: objects made of wood, objects made of metal, objects made of glass and objects made of plastics.