Grouping materials
• Objects around us are made up of a large variety of
materials. They are grouped based on their shape, size, colour,
appearance, texture and many other criteria.
• A given material could be used to make a large number of
objects. It is also possible that an object could be made of a
single material or of many different types of materials.
• Classification of objects
1. Appearance : Materials look different from each other.
2. Lustre : Some materials are shiny in appearance while
others are not.
3. Hardness : Materials can be hard or soft. Hard materials
are difficult to compress. Soft materials can be
compressed easily.
4. Roughness : Some materials are rough or smooth to the
touch.
5. States of matter : All substances are made up of matter.
They can occur in three different states i.e. solid, liquid
or gas. The difference in these three states is due to the
arrangement of particles constituting them.
6. Solubility : Different materials have different solubility
in water. Based on their solubility, materials can be
soluble, insoluble, miscible or immiscible.
7. Flotability : Certain materials float on water whereas
others sink.
8. Transparency : Different materials allow different
amount of light to pass through them depending on a
property called transparency. Based on transparency
materials can be of three types : transparent, translucent
and opaque.
9. Attraction towards a magnet : Materials that are attracted
to a magnet are called magnetic materials. This property
is called magnetism.
10. Conduction of heat : Materials that allow heat to
flow through them are called as conductors of heat
whereas materials that do not allow heat to flow through
them are insulators of heat.
11. Conduction of electricity : Materials that allow
electricity to flow through them are called as conductors
of electricity whereas materials that do not allow
electricity to flow through them are insulators of heat.
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