Unit 4 · Things Around Us · NCERT Class 4 Our Wondrous World

How Things Work

Have you ever wondered how a door opens, a cycle rolls or a torch lights up? Tap each idea to discover pushes and pulls, the clever simple machines that make work easy, and the electricity and magnets hidden in everyday things.

⚙️ 3 topics⏱ ~12 min📝 10-question quiz

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Six ways things work

Everyday things work in clever ways. Tap each term to see the science behind them.

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The three big ideas

A push moves a thing away and a pull brings it nearer. Both are kinds of force.
A force can start a thing moving, stop it, make it go faster, or change its direction.
Friction is a force that appears when surfaces rub. It helps us grip and stop, but rough surfaces make moving harder.

Everyday example. It is hard to drag a heavy box across a rough floor. Why does it get easier on a smooth floor?

A smooth floor has less friction, so there is less rubbing to slow the box down.

A wheel rolls instead of dragging, so it moves heavy loads with much less effort.
A lever — like a see-saw, a bottle opener or scissors — helps us lift or cut with less force.
These are simple machines. They do not run on electricity; they just make our work easier.

Common mix-up: Mix-up: a simple machine does not make energy. It only changes how much force we need or which way we push — it makes work easier, not magic.

A battery stores electricity, and a switch turns the flow on or off — that is how a torch lights up.
We must be careful with electricity from sockets; we never poke wires or sockets.
A magnet pulls iron things to it. Two magnets can pull together or push apart, depending on which ends meet.

Everyday example. You press the switch of a torch and it glows. What made the bulb light up?

The switch let electricity flow from the battery to the bulb, so it lit up.

Where you'll see it

How everyday things work

Opening a bottle

A bottle opener is a lever — a small push on the handle lifts a tight cap that your fingers alone could not.

Cycle wheels

Round wheels roll smoothly, letting you carry yourself and a bag far more easily than walking and dragging.

Using a torch

Flick the switch and the battery sends electricity to the bulb — light at the press of a button.