--- title: "NCERT Solutions Class 6 Science Methods of Separation in Everyday Life" url: https://www.swavid.com/science/class/6/chapter/methods-of-separation-in-everyday-life/ncert-solutions dateModified: 2026-10-07T16:02:28+00:00 --- # NCERT Solutions Class 6 Science Methods of Separation in Everyday Life This chapter's questions cover various methods of separating substances such as handpicking, winnowing, sieving, sedimentation, decantation, and filtration. They assess students' understanding of physical and chemical separation techniques used in everyday life. Free PDF (6 pages): https://www.swavid.com/api/seo/pdf/ncert/science/class-6/swavid-ncert-solutions-class-6-science-chapter-9-methods-of-separation-in-everyday-life-1c412b5bc2.pdf ## Let us enhance our learning ### Question 1 *1 mark · MCQ* What purpose does handpicking serve in the process of separation? - Filtration - Sorting - Evaporation - Decantation **Solution** 1. Handpicking is a method used for sorting and separating solid materials from a mixture on the basis of differences in size, colour, and shape. **Answer:** (ii) Sorting > Common mistake: Confusing handpicking with filtration or decantation. ### Question 2 *1 mark · MCQ* Which of the following substances are commonly separated using the churning method? - Oil from water - Sand from water - Cream from milk - Oxygen from air **Solution** 1. Churning is the process used to extract butter from curd or cream from milk, where the lighter butter floats at the top. **Answer:** (iii) Cream from milk > Common mistake: Choosing oil from water, which is separated by decantation. ### Question 3 *1 mark · MCQ* Which factor is usually essential for the filtration? - Apparatus size - Presence of air - Pore size - Temperature of the mixture **Solution** 1. Filtration relies on the size of the pores in the filter material compared to the particle size of the insoluble substances to be separated. **Answer:** (iii) Pore size > Common mistake: Selecting apparatus size instead of pore size. ### Question 4 *1 mark · True or false* State with reason(s) whether the following statements are True [T] or False [F]. Also, correct the False statement(s). (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. **Part (i)** 1. Water in the salt solution evaporates completely under the Sun, leaving behind common salt. Answer (i): True **Part (ii)** 1. Handpicking is convenient and used when the quantity of the undesirable or minor component is small. Answer (ii): True **Part (iii)** 1. A mixture of puffed rice and rice grains is separated by handpicking or winnowing, not by threshing. Answer (iii): False. A mixture of puffed rice and rice grains cannot be separated by threshing. **Part (iv)** 1. Mustard oil and lemon water form separate layers and can be separated by decantation. Answer (iv): True **Part (v)** 1. Rice flour and water form a mixture that is typically separated using filtration or sedimentation, not sieving. Answer (v): False. Sieving is used for solid-solid mixtures with different particle sizes. **Answer:** (i) True, (ii) True, (iii) False, (iv) True, (v) False > Common mistake: Not correcting the false statements fully as required by the instruction. ### Question 5 *3 marks · Short answer* Match the mixtures in Column I with their method of separation in Column II. Column I: (i) Gram flour mixed with black gram (ii) Chalk powder mixed with water (iii) Corn mixed with potatoes (iv) Iron powder mixed with sawdust (v) Oil mixed with water Column II: (a) Handpicking (b) Magnetic separation (c) Decantation (d) Sieving (e) Filtration **Solution** 1. (i) Gram flour mixed with black gram is separated by sieving (d). 2. (ii) Chalk powder mixed with water is separated by filtration (e). 3. (iii) Corn mixed with potatoes is separated by handpicking (a). 4. (iv) Iron powder mixed with sawdust is separated by magnetic separation (b). 5. (v) Oil mixed with water is separated by decantation (c). **Answer:** (i)-(d), (ii)-(e), (iii)-(a), (iv)-(b), (v)-(c) > Common mistake: Mixing up decantation and filtration for solid-liquid mixtures. ### Question 6 *3 marks · Short answer* In what situations would you use decantation instead of filtration to separate solids from liquids? **Solution** 1. Decantation is used when the heavier solid component has settled completely at the bottom through sedimentation. 2. It is preferred when a quick separation of a liquid from settled heavy sediment is needed without using filter paper or strainers. 3. It is also used when the quantity of liquid is large or when filtering through fine pores is time-consuming. **Answer:** Decantation is used when heavier insoluble solids have settled at the bottom and can be separated by tilting the vessel. > Common mistake: Stating that decantation removes all suspended fine particles just like filtration. ### Question 7 *3 marks · Short answer* Can you relate the presence of nasal hair to any separation process? **Solution** 1. Nasal hair acts as a natural filter inside the nose. 2. When we breathe in air, dust particles, smoke, and germs present in the air are trapped by the nasal hair. 3. This process prevents these unwanted and harmful impurities from entering our respiratory system, similar to the process of filtration. **Answer:** Nasal hair acts as a filter that traps dust and impurities from the air we breathe, preventing them from entering the respiratory system. > Common mistake: Thinking nasal hair only keeps the nose warm instead of acting as a physical filter. ### Question 8 *3 marks · Short answer* During the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us wore masks. Generally, what material are they made of? What is the role of these masks? **Solution** 1. Face masks are generally made of porous materials such as cloth, non-woven fabric, or specialized filter layers like filter paper. 2. The primary role of these masks is to act as a filter. 3. They trap dust particles, droplets, and germs, preventing them from entering our nose and mouth during breathing. **Answer:** Masks are made of porous cloth or filter materials and act as filters to trap dust, droplets, and germs. > Common mistake: Describing masks only as a fashion accessory or forgetting their filtering function. ### Question 9 *5 marks · Long answer* A mixture containing potatoes, salt and sawdust has been given to you. Outline a stepwise procedure for separating each component from this mixture. **Solution** 1. First, pick out the potatoes manually since they are large and easily visible, using the handpicking method. 2. Add water to the remaining mixture of salt and sawdust and stir well, as salt dissolves in water while sawdust does not. 3. Allow the mixture to stand undisturbed so that the sawdust floats or settles separately, and remove it using filtration or decantation. 4. Take the salt solution collected in the filtrate and heat it in a container. 5. The water evaporates completely through evaporation, leaving behind solid common salt. **Answer:** Potatoes are separated by handpicking, sawdust by adding water and filtering, and salt from the water by evaporation. > Common mistake: Trying to evaporate water before removing sawdust and potatoes. ### Question 10 *4 marks · Case-based* Read the following story titled 'Intelligent Leela' and tick the most appropriate options. Provide a suitable title of your choice for the paragraph. 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/hungry, she went to the nearby pond to fetch some water/grains. After obtaining some water in the container, she noticed that the water was muddy and fit/unfit for drinking. To purify the water, she kept it for some time and then she filtered/churned the muddy water using a piece of paper/muslin cloth. Leela, then, cooled/boiled the water for about 10 minutes in a covered pan. After cooling/boiling, she filtered/churned it again and made it fit/unfit for drinking. She served this water to her father while having food, who blessed her and appreciated her efforts. **Part (i)** 1. Leela went to the pond because her father felt thirsty. Answer (i): thirsty **Part (ii)** 1. She fetched water because the drinking water was left at home. Answer (ii): water **Part (iii)** 1. The pond water was muddy and unfit for drinking. Answer (iii): unfit **Part (iv)** 1. She filtered the muddy water using a muslin cloth and boiled it for about 10 minutes to make it fit for drinking. Answer (iv): filtered, muslin cloth, boiled, fit **Answer:** Title: Intelligent Leela. Correct options selected for water purification steps. > Common mistake: Confusing the order of filtration and boiling in water purification. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many questions are there in NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 9 Methods of Separation in Everyday Life? The exercise section titled Let us enhance our learning contains 10 questions. You can find step-by-step solutions for all of them in the free PDF available on this SwaVid page. ### Which topics are covered by the questions in this chapter? The questions cover concepts such as the churning method, decantation versus filtration, essential factors for filtration, and the filtering function of nasal hair. They also include matching mixtures with separation methods, materials and roles of face masks, water purification, story comprehension, and the purpose of handpicking. ### What types of questions are included in the new NCERT book for Class 6 Science Chapter 9? The questions are of various types including multiple choice questions, true or false, short answer, long answer, and case-based questions. SwaVid provides detailed answers for all these question formats in the free PDF on this page. ### Which is considered the hardest question type in this chapter and how should I approach it? Case-based and long answer questions are often considered the hardest because they test your deep understanding of practical applications like water purification or decantation versus filtration. To score full marks, break down the scenario carefully and link it directly to the core scientific principles explained in the SwaVid solutions. ### Is the free PDF for Class 6 Science Chapter 9 Methods of Separation in Everyday Life available for the 2026-27 session? Yes, the complete chapter based on the new NCERT book for the 2026-27 session is available. You can access SwaVid's free PDF and detailed step-by-step solutions directly on this page. ## Related pages - [Class 6 Science chapters](https://www.swavid.com/science/class/6) Solutions written by SwaVid, a personal AI tutor for Class 6 to 10 Maths and Science. Practise this chapter free: https://www.swavid.com/start/student