Consider the following statements regarding the separation of fibres: 1. Ginning separates cotton fibres from seeds. 2. Retting is the process used to separate silk fibres from the cocoon. 3. Shearing is the process used to separate silk fibres from the cocoon. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the separation of… - NCERT Class 6 Science MCQ

NCERT Class 6 Science — Chapter 1: Fibre to fabric

mcqmedium

Consider the following statements regarding the separation of fibres:

Ginning separates cotton fibres from seeds.
Retting is the process used to separate silk fibres from the cocoon.
Shearing is the process used to separate silk fibres from the cocoon.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

NCERT textbook question

From NCERT Science - class 6 · Page 20

Options

A1 only
B2 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is (a).

Explanation

Natural fibres, which are essentially biopolymers (cellulose or protein-based), require specific mechanical or biological processes to separate the usable fibre from the raw plant or animal source.

Statement 1 is Correct: Ginning is the process used to separate cotton fibres from the cotton seeds. Traditionally done by hand, it is now performed using machines called gins. Cotton is a cellulosic biopolymer.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Retting is a process associated with bast fibres like jute and flax. It involves submerging the plant stems in water to allow bacteria to decompose the pectin (gum) holding the fibres together, facilitating their separation. Silk fibres are separated from the cocoon through a process called reeling (or boiling to soften the sericin gum).

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Shearing is the process of removing the fleece (hair) from the body of a sheep or other wool-yielding animals. It is not used for silk. As mentioned above, silk is obtained by boiling cocoons and unwinding the fibre.

Key Takeaway: Distinct terms define fibre extraction: Ginning for cotton (seed separation), Retting for jute (stem decomposition), Shearing for wool (fleece removal), and Reeling for silk (cocoon unwinding).

Your note

More from Chapter 1: Fibre to fabric

With reference to the cotton boll, consider the following statements: 1. It is the root of the cotton plant. 2. It bursts open upon maturing. 3. It contains seeds covered with silk fibres. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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With reference to devices used for spinning, consider the following statements: 1. A takli is a power-operated device used for spinning. 2. The charkha was popularised by Mahatma Gandhi to promote homespun cloth. 3. Spinning of yarn on a large scale is done with the help of spinning machines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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The process of separating cotton fibres from seeds by combing is technically referred to as:

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With reference to Flax, consider the following statements: 1. Flax is a plant that yields synthetic fibres. 2. In ancient Egypt, it was cultivated near the river Nile. 3. It was used for making fabrics in ancient times. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Consider the following statements regarding the process of Weaving: 1. It involves arranging a single yarn to make a fabric. 2. Weaving of fabric is done on looms. 3. Looms are exclusively hand-operated devices and cannot be power-operated. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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