Measurement of Length and Motion | Class 6 Science Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 4 min read
Measurement of Length and Motion – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Measurement of Length and Motion from Class 6 Science, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
5.1 How do we Measure?
Before the adoption of standard units, people measured length using non-standard units based on parts of the human body or everyday objects. For example, Hardeep mentions that his grandmother measures cloth by the length of her arm. Farmers may measure their fields by counting the number of their strides or using the length of their feet. These units include handspan, foot length, fist, or finger width, which vary from person to person. To explore this, Deepa and her friends decide to measure the length of their classroom table using their handspans. The results differ for each student because their handspans are different. This shows the problem with non-standard units: measurements are not consistent or comparable. The handspan used for measurement is an example of a unit, and the length is expressed as a number plus a unit (e.g., 13 handspans). However, since these units vary between individuals, there is a need for standard units of measurement that everyone can use and understand uniformly. This section highlights the importance of having a fixed, agreed-upon unit for measuring length.
📊 Diagram: Fig. 5.1: Use of handspan for measuring; Table showing number of handspans measured by different students for the classroom table.
🔗 Connection: This section leads to the need for standard units, which is discussed in the next section on Standard Units.
Table on page 3 (6×2)
| Name of the Student | Number of Handspans |
|---|---|
| Anish | Slightly more than 13 |
| Padma | 13 |
| Tasneem | Slightly less than 13 |
| Deepa | Between 13 and 14 |
| Hardeep | 14 |
Table on page 8 (5×2)
| Object | Length of the object |
|---|---|
Table on page 12 (7×4)
| Objects in motion | Justification | Objects at rest | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cow grazing in the field | Tree | ||
Table on page 17 (6×4)
| Object | Linear motion | Circular motion | Oscillatory motion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swing | Moving to and fro | ||
Table on page 18 (6×3)
| centimetre | Measurement | Classify |
|---|---|---|
| Circular motion | metre | Explore |
| Distance | millimetre | Identify |
| kilometre | Motion | Investigate |
| Length | Oscillatory motion | Justification |
| Linear motion | Reference point | Observe |
Table on page 19 (5×2)
| Column I | Column II |
|---|---|
| Distance between Delhi and Lucknow | centimetre |
| Thickness of a coin | kilometre |
| Length of an eraser | metre |
| Length of school ground | millimetre |
Table on page 20 (4×2)
| Size | Objects |
|---|---|
| mm | |
| cm | |
| m |
Table on page 21 (4×4)
| S. no. | Name of tree | Length of leaf | Breadth of leaf |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | |||
Frequently asked questions
3’R’ means ____
reduce, reuse and recycle
Following are some waste materials. Which of them cannot be used to make a compost?
Old broken photo frame
What will happen if you straighten your elbow? Choose the correct option among the following.
Bicep relaxes and tricep contracts
Eating too much of fat rich food can cause ____________ .
Obesity
Ready to ace this chapter?
Get the full Measurement of Length and Motion chapter — interactive notes, diagrams, worked solutions, polls and a free practice quiz — in the ConceptScroll app.
Study smarter with ConceptScroll
Daily NCERT-aligned reels, AI doubt solving and chapter quizzes — all free.
Start learning freeContinue reading
- पृथ्वी से परे | Class 6 Science Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on पृथ्वी से परे for Class 6 Science.
- पृथ्वी से परे | Class 6 Science Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on पृथ्वी से परे for Class 6 Science.
- पृथ्वी से परे | Class 6 Science Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on पृथ्वी से परे for Class 6 Science.