Question

1. Which among the following materials would you identify as soft materials and why?

Ice, rubber band, leaf, eraser, pencil, pearl, a piece of a wooden board, cooked rice, pulses, and fresh chapati.

Answer 1

Part 1: Classification of materials on the basis of softness and hardness

Soft materials:

• The materials that can easily be compressed by applying normal pressure are known as soft materials.
• Example: Sponge is a soft metal because it can be easily compressed with the help of a hand.

Hard materials:

• The materials that can not be easily compressed by applying normal pressure are known as hard materials.
• Example: Steel is a hard metal because it can not be compressed.

Part 2: Example of soft materials

Rubber band, leaf, eraser, cooked rice, and fresh chapati are soft materials because they can be compressed by applying pressure on them.