Science Olympiad Preparation Material for Class 6

Motion and Measurements

a. Motion and its Types

b. Measurements

Light, Shadows and Reflections

a. Light

b. Shadows

c. Reflection of Light

Electricity and Circuits

a. Electricity and Circuits

Fun with Magnets

a. Fun with Magnets

Our Environment

a. Water

b. Types of Waste

Sorting and Separation of Materials

a. Properties of Material

b. Methods of Separation

c. Solubility

Changes Around Us

a. Changes Around Us

Living Organisms and Their Surroundings

a. Living Organisms and Their Characteristics

b. Habitats and Adaptations

Food and its Components

a. Sources and Components of Food

b. Nutrient Deficiency and Malnutrition

Fibre to Fabric

a. Fibre to Fabric
Motion - Class 6 Sub Topics

 Motion

 Types of Motion

 Objects in Simultaneous Motion

 Distance and Displacement

 How Distance and Displacement are Different?

 Solved Questions on Motion

Motion

a) Motion is when an object moves or changes its position over time.

b) Imagine a soccer ball rolling across the field or a car speeding down the road. Both of these examples show motion
because the objects are changing their positions as time goes on.
c) On the other hand, when something is at rest, it means it's not moving at all. For instance, think of a book sitting on
a table or a stationary bicycle. These objects are not changing their positions over time, so we say they are at rest.
d) So, motion is all about things moving and changing their positions, while being at rest means staying still and not
moving around.

Types of Motion

Motion can be divided into different types based on how objects move. Some of these types are:

Translatory or Linear Motion

In this type of motion, all the parts of an object move the same distance in the same amount of time.

There are two specific kinds of translatory motion: rectilinear and curvilinear.

1. Rectilinear motion

a) Rectilinear motion is when an object moves in a straight line.

b) For example, a car driving on a long, straight road or a person walking in a straight line.

c) In rectilinear motion, the object keeps moving forward without changing direction.

2. Curvilinear motion

a) Curvilinear motion, on the other hand, is when an object moves along a curved path.
b) For example, a roller coaster ride where the track twists and turns, or a bicycle going around a circular path.
c) In curvilinear motion, the object still moves, but its path follows a curve or a bend.

Circular Motion

a) Circular motion occurs when an object moves around a fixed point or follows a circular path.
b) For example, swinging a yo-yo in a circle or spinning around on a playground carousel.
c) Circular motion can be called uniform when an object moves around a circle at a constant speed.
d) Non-uniform circular motion, on the other hand, is when an object moves around a circle but changes its speed.

There are two types of circular motion: revolutionary motion and rotational motion.

1. Revolutionary motion

a) In revolutionary motion, the entire object moves in a circular path.

b) This means that the object as a whole is moving around the same fixed point like the Earth moving around the Sun
or a car driving on a circular track.

c) The object changes its position as it moves, continuously circling around the fixed point.

2. Rotational motion

a) This type of motion involves the object spinning or rotating around an axis that passes through it.
b) For example, the blades of a rotating fan or a potter's wheel. The object stays in the same place with respect to
time, but different parts of it move at varying distances.
Periodic Motion

a) Periodic motion refers to the type of motion where an object repeats its movement over and over again in a regular
pattern.
b) It means that after a certain amount of time, the object goes back to its original position and starts the same motion
again.
c) There are many examples of periodic motion.
d) One example is the motion of a simple pendulum, like a weight hanging from a string. When you push the weight to
one side and let it swing, it will keep swinging back and forth in a regular pattern. The pendulum goes through the
same motion, swinging back and forth, over and over again.
e) Another example is the motion of a swing. When you swing back and forth on a playground swing, you go through
the same motion repeatedly. Each time you swing forward and then backwards, it's a cycle of motion that keeps
repeating.

Oscillatory motion

a) Oscillatory motion refers to the type of motion where an object moves back and forth around a fixed point, also
known as its mean position. It means that the object keeps repeating its motion in a to-and-fro pattern.
b) There are several examples of oscillatory motion. One example is the oscillation of a simple pendulum.
c) The motion of a needle in a sewing machine is another example of oscillatory motion. The needle moves up and
down, continuously repeating the same motion as it stitches fabric.
d) It's important to note that every oscillatory motion is periodic because it repeats after a fixed interval of time.
However, not every periodic motion is oscillatory.
e) Periodic motion refers to any motion that repeats in a regular pattern, but it doesn't necessarily have to be back and
forth like in oscillatory motion.
f) For example, the circular motion of a planet around the Sun is periodic, but it's not oscillatory since it doesn't move
back and forth.

Vibratory motion

a) Vibratory motion is a specific type of oscillatory motion where an object doesn't move as a whole but instead
undergoes changes in shape or vibrates.
b) In this type of motion, the object rapidly moves back and forth, creating vibrations.
c) There are various examples of vibratory motion. The swinging movement of a swing is a common example. When
you swing on a playground swing, you move back and forth, creating a vibratory motion.
d) Another example is the movement of vocal cords when we speak or sing. The vocal cords vibrate rapidly, producing
sound.
e) Additionally, the motion of a stretched wire in a guitar, when plucked, is a form of vibratory motion. The wire vibrates
back and forth, creating musical tones.

Objects in Simultaneous Motion

a) It's worth noting that objects can exhibit multiple types of motion simultaneously. For example, the Earth
demonstrates both rotational motion (as it spins on its axis) and revolutionary motion (as it revolves around the Sun).
b) Some more examples of objects exhibiting multiple types of motion simultaneously:

a. A spinning top: When a spinning top rotates around its axis (rotational motion) while also moving in a circular
path on a table (circular motion).

b. A car moving: The wheels of a car rotate (rotational motion) while the car moves along a path (translatory
motion)

c. A cyclist pedalling uphill: The cyclist's legs rotate the pedals (rotational motion) while the bicycle moves in a
linear path (translatory motion).
Distance and Displacement

Distance

a) Distance refers to the total length of the path travelled by an object.

b) It is always positive.
c) For example, imagine you walk in a park. If you walk from point A to point B and then return back to point A, the
total distance you covered would be the sum of the distances from A to B and from B back to A.

Displacement

a) Displacement, on the other hand, refers to the change in the position of an object from its starting point to its final
position.
b) Displacement can be positive, negative, or zero.
c) For instance, if you walk from point A to point B in a straight line, the displacement would be the straight-line
distance and the direction from A to B.

How Distance and Displacement are Different?

To understand it better, let's consider an example.

a) Suppose you start at your house (point A) and walk 2 kilometres to the park (point B). After spending some time at
the park, you walk back home following the same path. In this case, the distance you covered would be the sum of the
distance from home to the park and from the park back to home, which is 2 + 2 = 4 kilometres.
b) However, the displacement would be zero because you ended up at the same point where you started. Even
though you walked a distance of 4 kilometres, your displacement is zero because there is no change in your position
relative to your starting point.

Questions with Explanations for Class 6 on Motion

Solved Questions on Motion

1. Charles wants to conduct an experiment to study oscillatory motion. Which of the following setups would
be suitable?

a) Observing the motion of a ball rolling down a slope

b) Measuring the distance covered by a bicycle on a straight road
c) Investigating the swinging motion of a pendulum
d) Analysing the rotational motion of a spinning top

Answer: c) A pendulum exhibits oscillatory motion as it swings back and forth. By observing and analysing the
swinging motion of a pendulum the characteristics of oscillatory motion can be studied.

2. Which of the following is an example of non-uniform circular motion?

a) A spinning top slowing down gradually
b) A planet orbiting around the Sun
c) A car moving on a circular track at a constant speed
d) A pendulum swinging back and forth

Answer: a) Non-uniform circular motion refers to a motion where the speed of the object changes over time. In the
case of a spinning top, as it slows down gradually, its speed decreases, indicating a non-uniform circular motion.

3. Objects can exhibit multiple types of motion simultaneously. Which of the following examples illustrates
this phenomenon?

a) A car moving in a straight line at a constant speed.

b) Clothes spinning in a washing machine
c) The hands of a clock ticking
d) A fan rotating

Answer: a) A car moving in a straight line at a constant speed exhibits both translatory motion (straight line
movement) and rotational motion (the wheels rotating). Therefore, it is an example of an object exhibiting multiple
types of motion simultaneously.

4. A stretched rubber band is plucked and left to quiver. What type of motion is observed?

a) Revolutionary motion
b) Translatory motion
c) Curvilinear motion
d) Vibratory motion

Answer: d) When a stretched rubber band is plucked and left to quiver, it undergoes back-and-forth motion. This
motion is known as vibratory motion, characterised by oscillations or vibrations.

5. Match the following types of motion with their corresponding examples.

a) 1:C, 2:B, 3:D, 4:A

b) 1:B, 2:C, 3:D, 4:A
c) 1:A, 2:C, 3:B, 4:D
d) 1:C, 2:D, 3:B, 4:A

Answer: b) Rectilinear motion: Earth rotating on its axis

Curvilinear motion: Train moving on a straight railway track
Oscillatory motion: Car moving on a curved path
Rotational motion: Child on a swing moving back and forth

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CREST Olympiads has launched this initiative to provide free reading and practice material. In order to make this
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Science Related Topics

 Measurements

 Electricity and circuits

 Light

 Shadows

 Reflection of light

 Fun with magnets

 Water

 Methods of separation

 Fibre to fabric

 Types of waste

 Properties of Material

 Solubility

 Changes around us

 Living organism and their characteristics

 Habitats and Adaptations

 Sources and Components of food

 Nutrient Deficiency and Malnutrition

Measurements - Class 6 Sub Topics

 Measurement

 Measurement of Length

 Correct Way to Measure Length

 Measurement of Length of Curved Line

 Measurement of Mass

 Measurement of Time

 Measurement of Temperature

 Measurement of Area

 Measurement of the Area of an Irregular Surface

 Solved Questions on Measurements

Measurement

a) Measurement is the process of determining the quantity or size of something by comparing it to a known or
standard value. In other words, it involves using a reference point or unit to express a physical quantity accurately.
b) In the past, people used various units to measure length, such as hand spans, cubits (the distance from the elbow
to the tip of the middle finger), or feet. However, these units were not consistent across individuals and lacked
accuracy due to variations in body proportions. To address this, scientists established a system of standard units of
measurement to ensure uniformity and precision.

c) The International System of Units (SI) is the globally accepted standard system of measurement used by scientists
worldwide. It provides a set of base units for measuring physical quantities such as length, mass, time, and
temperature. Some of the SI units include:

a. Length: The unit for measuring length is the metre (m).

b. Mass: The unit for measuring mass is the kilogram (kg).

c. Time: The unit for measuring time is the second (s).

d. Temperature: The unit for measuring temperature is Kelvin (K).

d) These SI units form the foundation of modern scientific measurement and enable consistency and comparability
across different fields of study.

Measurement of Length

a) Length is a measurement that refers to the distance between two points or objects.
b) In the International System of Units (SI), the standard unit for length is the metre (m), denoted by 'm'. It provides a
consistent and universally accepted reference for measuring length.
c) There are various measuring devices that can be used to measure the length of an object. Common tools include a
metre scale, measuring tape, Vernier callipers, and screw gauges.

d) Depending on the precision required, different devices may be used. For very small lengths, Vernier callipers and
screw gauges are particularly useful.
e) In addition to the metre, there are several other units commonly used for measuring length. These units are derived
from the metre and have specific relationships with it. The relationship between these units and the standard unit
(metre) is as follows:

Unit Symbol Relationship with SI unit (m)

Kilometre km 1 kilometre is equal to 1000 metres (1 km = 1000 m)

Decimetre dm 1 decimetre is equal to 0.1 metres (1 dm = 0.1 m).

Centimetre cm 1 centimetre is equal to 0.01 metres (1 cm = 0.01 m).

Millimetre mm 1 millimetre is equal to 0.001 metres (1 mm = 0.001 m)

f) For example, to convert a metre to a kilometre, you divide the given value by 1000 since there are 1000 metres in 1
kilometre.
Similarly, to convert kilometres to metres, you multiply the given value by 1000, since there are 1000 metres in 1
kilometre.

g) These units provide a convenient way to express length in different contexts and scales. By using appropriate unit
conversions, measurements can be easily converted from one unit to another based on their relationships with the
standard unit (metre).

Correct Way to Measure Length

To measure length accurately, it is important to follow the correct procedure. Here are some key steps to ensure
accurate length measurement:

1. Ensure proper contact

a) When using a measuring device, such as a scale or measuring tape, make sure it is placed in direct contact with
the object along its entire length.
b) Avoid any gaps or overlaps that could lead to inaccurate measurements.

2. Compensation for scale imperfections

a) If the measuring scale is broken or worn out at the ends, it may affect the measurement.
b) In such cases, it is necessary to consider the zero mark as the full mark and subtract the value accordingly to
obtain the correct reading.

3. Avoid parallax errors

a) Parallax errors occur when the eye is not directly above the point where the measurement is being taken.
b) This can lead to inaccurate readings. To avoid parallax errors, ensure that the eye is positioned directly above the
point being measured.
c) This can be achieved by aligning the eye with the measuring device, such as a scale, in a way that the scale
appears as a straight line without any apparent distortion.

Measurement of Length of Curved Line

a) When measuring the length of a curved line, you cannot directly use a metre scale or ruler. Instead, you can use a
thread and a metre scale to measure the length indirectly.
b) First, place the thread along the curved line, following its shape as closely as possible. Mark the starting and ending
points of the thread on the line to define the segment you want to measure.
c) Next, remove the thread from the curved line without altering its shape and place it on a flat surface. Straighten the
thread as much as possible.
d) Using a metre scale or ruler, measure the length of the thread from the starting point to the ending point. Make sure
the scale is in contact with the thread to get an accurate measurement.

Measurement of Mass

a) Measurement of mass involves determining the amount of matter present in an object. There are several devices
that can be used to measure mass, including beam balances, spring balances, and electronic balances.

b) In the International System of Units (SI), the standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg).
c) Other commonly used units of mass include the milligram (mg) and gram (g). Additionally, larger units such as the
tonne or metric ton (t) are used for measuring very large masses.
d) Some conversion factors for mass are:

a. 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)

b. 1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)

c. 1 quintal = 100 kilograms (kg)

d. 1 metric ton = 10 quintals

Measurement of Time

a) Time is a measure of the interval between two events or the duration of an event.
b) Various methods have been used throughout history to measure time. In ancient times, people relied on
instruments like sundials and water clocks.
c) In modern times, we use a variety of timekeeping devices such as pendulum clocks, digital watches, and
stopwatches.

d) The International System of Units (SI) establishes the second (s) as the standard unit of time.
e) Some common units of time and their relationships:

a. 1 minute = 60 seconds

b. 1 hour = 60 minutes

c. 1 day = 24 hours

d. 1 year = 365 days (in the Gregorian calendar)

e. 1 decade = 10 years

f. 1 century = 10 decades

g. 1 millennium = 10 centuries

Measurement of Temperature

a) Temperature is a measure of the degree of hotness or coldness of a body. It indicates the amount of thermal energy
present in an object or substance.
b) Temperature can be measured using various instruments, including clinical thermometers for measuring body
temperature and laboratory thermometres for scientific and industrial applications.

c) The International System of Units (SI) defines the Kelvin (K) as the standard unit of temperature.
d) In everyday use, the Celsius (°C) scale is commonly used. On the Celsius scale, the freezing point of water is
defined as 0°C and the boiling point of water is defined as 100°C.
e) The normal body temperature for a healthy human is typically around 37°C.

Measurement of Area
a) Area refers to the extent or amount of surface occupied by an object or a shape. It is a measurement of the two-
dimensional space within the boundaries of the object or shape.
b) The International System of Units (SI) defines the square metre (m²) as the standard unit of area.
c) It represents the area covered by a square with sides measuring one metre. Other common units of the area
include the square centimetre (cm²), square millimetre (mm²), and square kilometre (km²). These units are used to
measure areas of different magnitudes.

Measurement of the Area of an Irregular Surface

When dealing with irregular surfaces, one method to measure the area is by using graph paper. The steps to follow
are:

a) Place the graph paper over the irregular surface, aligning it so that the edges of the surface are within the
boundaries of the graph paper.
b) Observe the grid of small squares on the graph paper. Each square represents a unit of area.
c) Count the number of complete squares that are fully or partially covered by the irregular surface. Count only the
squares that are fully within the boundaries of the surface.
d) If there are squares that are only partially covered, estimate the fraction of each square that is covered. For
example, if a square is half-covered, consider it as half a square unit.
e) Add up the total number of complete squares and the partial squares to get an approximate measure of the area of
the irregular surface.

Questions with Explanations for Class 6 on Measurements

Solved Questions on Measurements

1. How can you avoid parallax errors when measuring length with a scale?

a) Hold the scale at an angle to the object.

b) Look at the scale from below.
c) Ensure the eye is directly above the measurement point.
d) Use a broken scale for more accurate readings.

Answer: c) To avoid parallax errors when measuring length with a scale, it is important to ensure that the eye is
directly above the measurement point. Parallax errors occur when the eye is not aligned with the scale and viewing
angle, resulting in an inaccurate measurement.

2. Jake purchased a candy bar weighing 500 grams, while Amy purchased the same candy bar weighing 0.5
kilograms. Who has a greater amount of candy?

a) Jake
b) Amy
c) They have the same amount
d) It cannot be determined from the given information

Answer: c) To compare the amounts, we need to convert both measurements to the same unit. We know that 1
kilogram is equal to 1000 grams.

Jake has 500 grams of the candy bar, which is equivalent to 0.5 kilograms (500 grams / 1000 grams per kilogram =
0.5 kilograms).
Amy has 0.5 kilograms of candy bar.
Both Jake and Amy have the same amount of candy.

3. Which of the following statements accurately describes the measurement of an irregular area?

a) The area of an irregular shape cannot be measured at all.

b) The area of an irregular shape can be measured using graph paper.
c) The area of an irregular shape can only be estimated by guessing.
d) The area of an irregular shape is always equal to the area of a square.

Answer: b) When measuring the area of an irregular shape, one method is to use graph paper. The graph paper
provides a grid with squares of known dimensions. By counting the number of squares covered by the irregular shape,
an estimation of its area can be obtained.

4. Which of the following represents the correct conversion between units of time?

a) 1 day = 24 minutes
b) 1 year = 365 hours
c) 1 century = 100 years
d) 1 millennium = 1000 centuries

Answer: c) 1 decade = 10 years and 1 century = 10 decades. So,

1 century is equal to 100 years.

5. Match the following measurement units with their corresponding quantities.

Column I Column II

1. mg A) Area

2. millenium B) Temperature

3. Kelvin C) Time

4. mm D) Mass
5. km² E) Length

a) 1:E, 2:C, 3:B, 4:D, 5:A

b) 1:A, 2:C, 3:B, 4:D, 5:E
c) 1:D, 2:C, 3:B, 4:E, 5:A
d) 1:B, 2:E, 3:A, 4:C, 5:D

Answer: c) mg: Mass

Millennium: Time
Kelvin: Temperature
mm: Length
km²: Area

>> Join CREST Olympiads WhatsApp Channel for latest updates.

Share Your Feedback

CREST Olympiads has launched this initiative to provide free reading and practice material. In order to make this
content more useful, we solicit your feedback.

Do share improvements at info@crestolympiads.com. Please mention the URL of the page and topic name with
improvements needed. You may include screenshots, URLs of other sites, etc. which can help our Subject Experts to
understand your suggestions easily.

Science Related Topics

 Electricity and circuits

 Motion and its types

 Light

 Shadows

 Reflection of light

 Fun with magnets

 Water

 Methods of separation

 Fibre to fabric

 Types of waste

 Properties of Material

 Solubility

 Changes around us

 Living organism and their characteristics

 Habitats and Adaptations

 Sources and Components of food

 Nutrient Deficiency and Malnutrition