Methods of Separation in Everyday Life — Class 6 Science NCERT Solutions (Free)

Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 6 Science chapter "Methods of Separation in Everyday Life" — 8 important questions with detailed answers for CBSE board exam preparation.

TL;DR: Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 6 Science chapter "Methods of Separation in Everyday Life" — 8 important questions with detailed answers f…

By Syllab.in · Updated Jun 14, 2026

Key Questions Covered:

What is a mixture? Distinguish between homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures.
What is handpicking? Give two examples where it is used.
Explain the sieving method with an example.
What is the principle behind filtration? When is it used?
Describe the distillation process. What is it used for?
How does decantation work? Give one example.
+ 2 more questions in the full chapter

Solutions Summary:

Question	Status
What is a mixture? Distinguish between homogeneous and he…	✓ Solved
What is handpicking? Give two examples where it is used.	✓ Solved
Explain the sieving method with an example.	✓ Solved
What is the principle behind filtration? When is it used?	✓ Solved
Describe the distillation process. What is it used for?	✓ Solved
How does decantation work? Give one example.	✓ Solved

Showing 6 of 8 questions

Q1: What is a mixture? Distinguish between homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures.

A mixture is formed when two or more substances are mixed together without any chemical change. Homogeneous mixture: components are uniformly distributed and cannot be seen separately (example: salt solution). Heterogeneous mixture: components are not uniformly distributed and can be seen separately (example: sand and water).

Q2: What is handpicking? Give two examples where it is used.

Handpicking is a separation method where we manually pick out one component from a mixture using our hands. Examples: - Removing stones from grains of rice or lentils - Removing bad apples from a basket of fresh apples - Picking out insects from vegetables It works best when the components are different in size and appearance.

Q3: Explain the sieving method with an example.

Sieving is used to separate components of different sizes using a sieve (a container with small holes). The smaller particles pass through the holes and are collected below, while larger particles are retained on the sieve. Example: separating wheat flour of different grain sizes, separating sand of different particle sizes.

Q4: What is the principle behind filtration? When is it used?

Filtration separates a solid from a liquid using a filter paper or cloth. The liquid passes through the tiny pores, while solid particles are retained. It is used when: - Separating sediment from water - Removing impurities from sugar solution - Separating tea leaves from tea - Cleaning air in air filters

Q5: Describe the distillation process. What is it used for?

Distillation is used to separate a liquid from a mixture by heating and cooling. When a mixture is heated, the more volatile liquid evaporates, forming vapour. This vapour is cooled and condensed back into liquid in a separate container. Distillation is used to separate salt from salt water or to obtain pure water from saltwater.

Q6: How does decantation work? Give one example.

Decantation is a separation method where a liquid is carefully poured off from a solid that has settled at the bottom of a container. This works because the solid is heavier and sinks due to gravity. Example: pouring oil off from a mixture of oil and water where oil floats on top, or pouring clear water after sand has settled.

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