NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 9 Question Answer

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 9 Methods of Separation in Everyday Life are created to help students understand how different substances can be separated from mixtures using simple methods.

These solutions are based on the latest  Class 6 Science syllabus and exam pattern, making them perfect for homework, revision, and strengthening basic science skills.

The answers explain methods like handpicking, sieving, filtration, decantation, evaporation, and magnetic separation through easy language and real-life examples. With the help of fun activities and clear explanations, students learn how these methods are used in everyday life, building a strong base in science.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 9 Introduction

In our daily lives, we often come across mixtures—like stones in rice, tea leaves in tea, or dust in water. To make these mixtures useful, we need to separate their different components.

Chapter 9 i Class 6 ntroduces us to the various methods of separation that we use at home, in farms, and in industries. These methods include handpicking, sieving, winnowing, filtration, decantation, and evaporation. 

By learning these techniques, we understand how to remove unwanted substances and get clean and usable materials. This chapter shows how simple science is all around us and helps us in everyday activities.

Methods of Separation in Everyday Life NCERT Class 6th Science Chapter 9 Question Answer

Check below for complete and accurate solutions to all the questions from Chapter 9. These answers are created to help you revise quickly and prepare confidently for your class tests and school exams. 

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?

Answer: 

1. Take a handful of roasted peanuts and rub them between your palms. What happens?
  When we rub roasted peanuts between our palms, the thin, dry skin of the peanuts comes off.

2. Is it possible to separate the removed skin and the peanuts?
  Yes, it is possible to separate the peanut skin from the peanuts because the skin is lighter and can be blown away.

3. Now, try blowing it. What do you observe?
When we blow air gently, the light peanut skin gets carried away by the air, and the heavier peanuts remain in our hand. This is an example of winnowing, a method used to separate lighter substances from heavier ones using air.

Activity 9.2: Let us observe and create evaporates completely, leaving behind the solid mixture (Fig. 9.6). Common salt is then obtained from this mixture by further purification. Have you ever observed white patches on the dark coloured clothes you wear during hot summers? How are these patches formed? ? 

Take a bowl or any container and fill it half with water. 

Add 2–3 teaspoons of salt into it and stir till the salt dissolves to form a solution. 

 Take a small piece of black or dark coloured thick paper and spread a few drops of the salt solution on it (Fig. 9.7a). 

You can also create any art of your choice with this salt solution. 

 Allow it to dry and then observe it (Fig. 9.7b and Fig. 9.7c).

 Answer: 

Have you ever observed white patches on the dark-coloured clothes you wear during hot summers? How are these patches formed?
  Yes, during hot summers, when we sweat, the water from sweat evaporates, but the salt and other minerals in it remain on the clothes. This leaves behind white patches.

1. Do you observe some patches on the paper?
  Yes, after the water dries, we see white patches or marks on the black paper.

2. What do you think is left on the paper?
  The white patches are formed by salt. When the water evaporated, it left the salt behind on the paper.

3. You can feel the presence of salt by touching the paper. Where has the water disappeared?
The water has evaporated into the air. It changed into water vapor and mixed with the atmosphere, just like we learned in the chapter ‘A Journey through States of Water’.

Conclusion:
This activity shows that when a solution of salt and water dries up, the salt stays behind, and the water evaporates. This is how salt is separated from water using evaporation, a common method used to get salt from seawater too.

Activity 9.3: Let us investigate

 This activity may be demonstrated by the teacher. 

Take some salt solution (prepared in Activity 9.2) in a china dish. If a china dish is not available, another suitable vessel may be used.

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 behind the important part of the medicine. It is now time for Malli and Valli to visit Dada and Dadi (paternal grandparents) residing in Puducherry, located in southern India. They 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. 

Heat and let the water boil away as shown in Fig. 9.8. 

Allow the china dish to cool down. 

What do you observe? What is left in the china dish?

Answer: 

Steps in the Activity:

• Take some salt solution (prepared earlier).

• Pour it into a china dish or any small metal bowl.

• Heat the dish and allow the water to boil and evaporate.

• After all the water evaporates, let the dish cool down.

Question: What do you observe? What is left in the china dish?

Answer: After heating, the water evaporates and disappears into the air. Once the dish cools, we observe a white powdery substance left behind in the dish. This is common salt that was dissolved in the water earlier.

Conclusion:  This activity shows how evaporation is used to separate solids (like salt) from a liquid (water). This is the same method used to obtain salt from seawater. It also shows the importance of this process in traditional medicine, where herbs are dried to remove water content without harming their medicinal value.

Activity 9.4: Let us experiment 

Try to fold the filter paper yourself and make a cone as shown in Fig. 9.10. Fig. 9.10: Folding a filter paper to form a cone A filter paper One-fold Two-folds Cone 

Place it inside a funnel kept on a conical flask and pour muddy water into it (Fig. 9.11). 

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. Fig. 9.11: Filtration Filter paper Funnel Tripod stand Conical flask Muddy water How many layers of cloth do I need to use to get clear water? 

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

Answer: 

Steps in the Activity:

• Take a filter paper and fold it to make a cone shape (as shown in Fig. 9.10).

• Place this cone inside a funnel, and set the funnel on top of a conical flask.

• Pour muddy water into the funnel (as shown in Fig. 9.11).

Observation Questions:

1. What do you observe? Do the mud particles pass through the filter paper?
No, the mud particles do not pass through the filter paper. They stay on top of the filter paper.

2. What happens to the water?
The clear water passes through the filter paper and gets collected in the conical flask below.

Conclusion:
This activity shows how filtration works. It helps to separate solid particles (mud) from a liquid (water).

• The mud left on the filter paper is called residue.

• The clear water collected in the flask is called filtrate.

This same method is used in many places to purify water, like in water filters at home or in laboratories.

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 broken 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 to make a garland.

7. Separating pebbles from sand. 

8. Separating coconut pieces from rice flour.

 9. Separating oil from water.

 10. Separating salt from salt solution.

Answer: 

This activity is like a matching game. You have to read each situation and figure out which method of separation is being used. Below is a list of the phrases along with the correct method of separation:

How to Play:
Write each of these phrases on slips of paper. Then, in a classroom or group, mix them up and let students pick a slip and say the method of separation aloud. It’s a fun way to learn.

Let Us Enhance Our Learning (Page 178 – 180)

Question 1.
What purpose does handpicking serve in the process of separation?
(i) Filtration
(ii) Sorting
(iii) Evaporation
(iv) Decantation
Answer:
(ii) Sorting

Question 2.
Which of the following substances are commonly separated using the churning method?
(i) Oil from water
(iii) Cream from milk
(ii) Sand from water
(iv) Oxygen from air
Answer:
(iii) Cream from milk

Question 3.
Which factor is usually essential for the filtration?
(i) Apparatus size
(ii) Presence of air
(iii) Pore size
(iv) Temperature of the mixture
Answer:
(iii) Pore size

Question 4.
State with reason(s) whether the following statements are True [T] or False [F]. Also, correct the False statements).
(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.
Answer:
(i) True
Reason : The water will evaporate leaving the salt behind.

(ii) True
Reason: It is easier to handpick small quantities.

(iii) False
Reason: Process of threshing is used to separate the grains from the stalks.
Correct statement: This mixture can be separated by handpicking or winnowing.

(iv) True
Reason: The oil and water will form separate layers which can be decanted.

(v) False
Reason: Sieving is done to separate solid-solid mixture of different particles size.
Correct Statement: Filtration is used to separate a mixture of rice flour and water.

Question 5. Match the mixtures in Column I with their method of separation in Column II.

Answer:

Question 6:

In what situations would you use decantation instead of filtration to separate solids from liquids?

Answer:
Decantation is used when the solid particles are heavy and settle at the bottom of the container on their own. In such cases, we can gently pour out the clear liquid from the top, leaving the solid behind.
For example, if sand settles at the bottom of a glass of water, we can use decantation to separate the water from the sand.

Filtration is used when the solid particles are tiny and do not settle down easily. In that case, we use a filter paper to trap the solid and get clear liquid.

Question 7:

Can you relate the presence of nasal hair to any separation process?

Answer:

Yes, nasal hair works like a natural filter. It traps dust, pollen, and other tiny particles present in the air before the air enters our lungs. This is similar to the filtration method, where solid impurities are removed from a liquid by using a filter. So, nasal hair helps protect our body by filtering out harmful particles from the air we breathe.

Question 8:

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

Answer:
Masks are usually made of materials like cotton, polypropylene, or polyester, often arranged in multiple layers. Their main role is to filter out dust, bacteria, and viruses from the air. Just like in filtration, where a filter removes solid particles from a liquid, masks filter harmful particles from the air and protect us from getting sick.

Question 9:

A mixture containing potatoes, salt, and sawdust has been given to you. Outline a stepwise procedure for separating each component from this mixture.

Answer:
Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Handpick the potatoes – Since potatoes are large in size, they can be easily separated by hand.

2. Add water to the remaining mixture – Salt will dissolve in water, while sawdust will float or remain suspended.

3. Filter the mixture – Use a filter or fine cloth to separate the sawdust (residue) from the salt solution (filtrate).

4. Evaporate the salt solution – Heat the salt solution to evaporate the water. Once the water evaporates, salt will be left behind.

Question 10:

Read the following story titled ‘Intelligent Leela’ and tick the most appropriate options. Provide a suitable title of your choice for the paragraph.

Answer:
Title: Purification of Water

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, she went to the nearby pond to fetch some water.

After obtaining some water in the container, she noticed that the water was muddy and unfit for drinking. To purify the water, she kept it for some time and then she filtered the muddy water using a piece of muslin cloth.

Leela then boiled the water for about 10 minutes in a covered pan. After cooling, she filtered it again and made it fit for drinking. She served this water to her father while having food, who blessed her and appreciated her efforts.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 9 PDF Download

Students can download the NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 9  Methods of Separation in Everyday Life in PDF format from the link provided below.

These solutions are prepared according to the latest NCERT syllabus and exam pattern, making them perfect for revision, homework, and understanding key science concepts related to separating mixtures in our surroundings.

Benefits of Using NCERT Solutions for Chapter 9

• All answers are explained in simple and easy-to-understand language to help students grasp how different methods like filtration, decantation, and evaporation are used in daily life.

• Covers all textbook activities and experiments such as filtering muddy water, evaporating saltwater, and using magnets to separate mixtures.

• Helps students relate science to real-life examples like wearing masks, boiling water, or separating vegetables while cooking.

• Encourages scientific observation and logical thinking through engaging questions and hands-on learning experiences.

• These solutions are suitable for homework, class assignments, or self-study, especially helpful for students who prefer learning without extra tuition.