Please do not write on this booklet
Planet Earth
Summary Booklet
S1 Science
Kelso High School 2010
Biodiversity
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Biodiversity is the variety of living things and habitats found all over
Planet Earth.

A choice chamber is a piece of equipment which tells us whether animals
spend more time in one environment than another.
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The choice chamber allows one variable in the environment
to be changed at a time.
Animals spend more time in environments where they
are most likely to survive

A light meter is a piece of equipment
that can be used to measure how
much light there is in environment.
Test Yourself Questions
1.
Many plants and animals are found living in and around the school pond area.
What is the word used to describe the variety of plants and animals living
here?
2.
What piece of equipment could you use to find out if woodlice spend more
time in dark or light surroundings?
3.
How many variables will you change in the choice chamber to find this
out?
4.
Which variable will you change?
5.
Woodlice are more likely to be found in dark environments. Suggest a
reason why this makes them more likely to survive.
6.
What equipment could you use to find out the differences between the
light levels under a bush compared to the lawn at the front of the school?
7.
Describe how you would use the light meter to make sure your results
were reliable.
Answers
1. Biodiversity
2. Choice chamber
3. One
4. Whether there is light present or not.
5. Hidden from predators/Dark environments tend to be cooler or other suitable suggestion.
6. Light meter
7. Don’t cover sensor with hand or stand directly in front of meter. Take several readings ….
……..and calculate an average.
Photosynthesis
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Life on earth depends on plants
Plants can be used as
medicine
food
raw materials
decoration
oxygen
Carbon
dioxide
habitats

to produce oxygen
for
life support
a genetic store (different varieties of plants for various purposes e.g.
corn with a high oil content for making corn oil / low oil content and high
carbohydrate content for making corn flour)

Plants are NEEDED for food, oxygen, shelter

The destruction of rainforests is leading to:- a loss of species diversity due
to destruction of habitats
- less oxygen being produced
since forest is replaced with
crop plants (smaller, so produce
less oxygen by photosynthesis)
- crop plants remove
minerals from the soil and these
are lost by harvesting

Iodine is used to test for the
presence of starch

Iodine changes from an orange/
brown colour to a blue/black colour
in the presence of starch

A control experiment is set up to allow us to compare the results of our
experiment with a plant grown in normal conditions

Plants need light, carbon dioxide
and chlorophyll in order to photo
synthesise

Plants make food (starch) by
photosynthesis

Chlorophyll is the green colouring in
leaves which traps light energy for
use in photosynthesis and changes
it into a store of chemical energy in
food
I


The word equation for Photosynthesis (reverse of Respiration/
combustion) is
light
CARBON DIOXIDE + WATER + ENERGY


At night, when there is no light,
plants use their stored food
(starch) and oxygen to make energy

FOOD + OXYGEN
(starch)
Plants provide us with food and oxygen to stay alive
Without plants, animal life on earth would cease to exist
Answers
1. We can use them for as food, medicine, raw materials, decoration, habitats,
……..to produce oxygen for life support and as a genetic store (different
……..varieties of plants for various purposes).
2. Plants are NEEDED for food, oxygen, shelter.
3. Without plants all animals would die.
4. The destruction of rainforests is leading to a loss of species diversity due
to destruction of habitats.
5. Iodine is used to test for the presence of starch.
6. Iodine changes from an orange/brown colour to a blue/black colour in the
presence of starch.
7. The input variable.
8. All other variables must be kept the same to allow the results to be
compared fairly.
9. Plants need light, carbon dioxide and chlorophyll in order to make food by
photosynthesis
light
CARBON DIOXIDE + WATER + ENERGY  FOOD + OXYGEN
(starch)
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
How are plants useful to humans?
Why are plants essential for life on earth?
What would happen if all the plants on earth were wiped out?
What effect is destroying the rainforests having on species diversity?
What chemical is used to test for the presence of starch?
What colour change occurs if starch is present?
What do you call the variable that is deliberately changed during an
experiment?
Why should other variables be controlled?
What do plants need to make food by photosynthesis?
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
Test Yourself Questions
Fertilisers
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Fertilisers are substances that supply plants with minerals. Without
them plants would not grow and crop yields would fall.
Minerals are dissolved in soil water and plants absorb them through their
roots
The main minerals are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and
Magnesium (Mg) which plants absorb as Nitrates, Phosphates, Potassium
salts and magnesium salts.
Nitrogen deficiency
Phosphorus deficiency
upper leaves purple leaves lower leaves yel‐
low, brown curling edges and dead weak stem Potassium deficiency
poor flower and fruit yellow leaves with dead spots small roots Magnesium deficiency
upper leaves normal (leaves turn yellow from bo om up‐
wards) lower leaves pale green or yellow Mineral
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Magnesium

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
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


Use in plant
Deficiency signs
Making Leaves
stunted growth and
yellow leaves
Making roots
poor roots and
purple leaves
Making Flowers and
Fruits
Making Chlorophyll
yellow leaves with
dead spots
leaves turn yellow
from the bottom
If there are not enough minerals in the soil, they can be supplied by adding
fertilisers.
Fertilisers can either be Organic (Natural) or Inorganic (Artificial or man
-made). Organic fertilisers are broken down by bacteria and
therefore
release their minerals very slowly.
Fertilisers can be supplied as liquids or as granules (small pellets).
Granules are easy to apply and break down slowly to release minerals.
They are not blown away by the wind. Liquid fertilisers are quick acting
but nitrogen is ‘leached’ (drains away quickly from the plant roots).
Fertilisers can also be single (just supply one mineral) or compound (supply
two or more minerals).
Pesticides/ Insecticides are chemicals that kill pests and insects.
Herbicides are chemicals that kill weeds.
Rodenticides are chemicals that kill rodents (eg rats and mice).
Test yourself Questions
1.
Write down the symbol of each mineral element and the names of three
different types of plant that would benefit by applying a fertiliser rich in:
Mineral Element
Nitrogen (
)
Phosphorus (
)
Potassium (
)
Name of Plant
2. What is the difference between an inorganic and an organic fertiliser?
2.
Inorganic= man-made/Artificial
Organic= natural
Mineral Element
Nitrogen ( N )
Phosphorus
( P )
Potassium ( K )
1.
Answers
Strawberry
Tomato
Name of Plant
Lettuce
Carrot
Grass
Beetroot
Apple
Spinach
Parsnip
Heat Energy

Heat energy moves from hot to cold objects and can move in 3 ways –
Conduction, Convection and Radiation.

Conduction
This is the way that heat energy travels through
solids.

Metals are good conductors of heat.
When the metal rod is heated, the particles that make up the metal vibrate
faster and pass the heat energy on to the neighbouring particles.
Substances that are poor conductors of heat are called insulators.
Plastics, wood, polystyrene, paper, glass and air are good insulators
Convection

Heat energy travels through a liquid or gas, mainly by convection.
waterr
Convection
current
Purple
crystal

When the water particles gain heat energy, the particles rise taking the
heat energy with them.

When the particles lose heat energy, they fall.
Radiation

Out in space, there are no particles (a vacuum). Heat energy travels from
the sun to Earth by a process called radiation.

Dull black surfaces radiate heat faster than shiny silver surfaces.
Heat loss from Houses
Method of heat loss
Way of reducing this heat loss
Conduction
Loft insulation
Double glazing
Carpets
Draught excluders
Cavity wall insulation
Foil backed plaster board
Convection
Radiation
Test Yourself Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
What is the process that heat travels through solids called?
What are substances that do not allow heat to easily pass through
them called?
Which of the following materials do not allow heat to travel through
them easily?
(aluminium, copper, glass, brass, air, plastic,
polystyrene, iron)
What is the name given to the way that heat energy travels if there
are no particles present?
(E.g. from the sun to us)
What is the name given to the way that heat travels through a liquid
or gas called?
For each method of heat loss name one way in which heat loss in a
house can be reduced.
( a) conduction (b) convection
(c) radiation
Draw a bar graph showing where heat is lost from the house. (Use
the information from the diagram on page ? )
Carole and Allan tried to find out which of the two insulating
materials was better at keeping in heat. The diagrams below show
(a)
(b)
Give two reasons why this was not a fair experiment.
Say how the experiment could be improved.
Answers
1. conduction 2. insulators 3. glass, air plastic, polystyrene 4. radiation. 5. convection 6. see table page 7. show teacher 8. (a) different volumes of water,
different thicknesses (b) use same volume and thickness
Energy Sources

Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels.

Non-renewable sources of energy get used up.

Some non-renewable sources are;
Coal
Oil
Gas

Renewable sources will not run out.

Some renewable sources are;
Solar Wind
Geothermal

Wave
Nuclear (uranium)
Hydro
Tidal
Biomass
You should be able to state one advantage and one disadvantage of
renewable and non-renewable resources.
Source
Advantage
Disadvantage
wind
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Not always windy.
Use a large area of land.
Can be unsightly and noisy.
solar
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Expensive to install.
Sun not always shinning.
wave
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Suitable sites are distant
from user.
Possible shipping hazard.
tidal
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Expensive to set up.
Few available sites.
Loss of wildlife habitat.
hydroelectric
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Expensive to build.
Reservoirs use a large area of land.
geothermal
Cheap to run.
Clean.
Expensive to set up.
Few suitable locations.
biomass
Can use waste products.
Produce greenhouse gases.
Uses land that could produce food.
Test Yourself Questions
1. What do we mean by a renewable source of energy?
2. Name 7 renewable sources.
3. Choose 2 renewable sources and give one advantage and on disadvantage of it.
1. They will not run out. 2. Wind, wave, solar, tidal, hydroelectric, geothermal,
biomass
3. See table page ?
Answers
States of Matter
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All substances are made from very small particles.
These particles are constantly moving.
The higher the temperature the faster the particles move. This is called
the Kinetic Theory.
Particles can exist in 3 states - solid liquid and gas.
The state that they exist in depends on the temperature.
When a substances is heated the particles that form it vibrate faster and
faster.
When particles vibrate faster the forces of attraction between them become weaker.
Particles in a solid 
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
Can vibrate in a fixed position
The forces of attraction between the particles
are strong
There is very little space between particles
Solids have a fixed shape - it is difficult for the
particles to change position
Solids have a high density.
Particles in a liquid 





Vibrate faster than the particles in a solid and
can change position
The forces of attraction between the particles
are weaker than in a solid
There is slightly more space between particles
Liquids take the shape of the container they are
in UP TO A LEVEL.
It is easy for the particles to change position
Liquids have a lower density than solids.
Particles in a Gas






Vibrate much faster than the particles in a
solid or a liquid and can change position
very easily.
The forces of attraction between the particles are very weak.
There is a lot of space between particles
Gases expand to take the shape of the container they are in.
It is very easy for the particles to change
position
Gases have a very low density.
Heating Particles - (adding vibration energy)


The temperature at which a solid turns into a liquid is called the melting point.
The temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas
is called the boiling point.
Cooling Particles- (removing vibration energy)


The temperature at which a gas turns into a liquid
is called the condensing point.
The temperature at which a liquid turns into a
solid is called the freezing point.
Some substances can change from solid to a gas and
back to solid again missing out the liquid state - this
change is called sublimation.
Diffusion—where one substance moves and
spreads out through another
substance

Diffusion in solids is very slow - it is very difficult for the particles to
move as there is very little free space for movement and allow particles to
change position.

Diffusion in a liquids is slow - there are small spaces between particles allowing some particles to move into the gaps and spread out.

Diffusion in gases is fast - there are big gaps between particles so they
spread out and can move a long way before they hit another particle.
Density


The density can be calculated using
density = mass ÷ volume
Density can be measured in grams per cubic centimetre, (g/cm3)

The volume can be calculated for some solids using
Volume = length x breadth x volume
Volume can be measured in cubic centimetres (cm3).

The volume of an object can be found using displacement of water.

Solids tend to have high densities, liquids have lower densities, gases have
a very low density

Pure substances can be identified using their density.

Test Yourself Questions
1. What are all substances made from?
2 All substances exist in one of 3 states, what are these states called?
3. What do we call the theory that explains the behaviour of the particles
that make up substances?
4. What word describes each of these changes of state?
(a) solid to liquid
(b) gas to liquid
(c) gas to solid
(d) liquid to gas
5. Answer solid, liquid or gas to each of the following questions.
(a) It has the strongest attraction between the particles
(b) It has the biggest spaces between the particles.
(c) The particles move fastest.
(d) the particles are in fixed positions.
6. Calculate the volume of a cube with sides of 4 cm.
7. A brick has volume 800cm3 and a mass of 2000g. Find its density.
Remember density = mass ÷ volume
8. Tell a someone the story about Archimedes and the gold crown.
Answers
1.
very small particles 2. solid, liquid, gas 3. Kinetic Theory
4. (a) melting (b) condensing (c) sublimating (d) evapouration or boiling
5. (a) solid (b) gas (c) gas (d) solid
6.
4 x4 x 4 = 64 cm3
7.
2000 ÷ 800 = 2.5 g/cm3
Climate Change This will be a brief introduction to some of the issues surrounding Climate Change such as:
Greenhouse Gases & the Greenhouse Effect
*
Some heat from sun reflected
*
Greenhouse gases absorb heat
*
Carbon Dioxide, Methane & Water

Increased Carbon Dioxide caused by people
Burning of Fossil Fuels
*
Coal, Oil & Gas
*
Plants & Animals absorbed carbon while alive
*
Millions of years ago
*
Now burned to release Carbon Dioxide, CO2
Alternative Energy Sources
*
Solar Panels & Solar Cells
*
Wind Turbines
*
Wood Burning

Others (as taught in “Energy Sources” )
Saving Energy
*
Insulation
*
Food Miles
*
Hybrid cars

Low Energy Light Bulbs
Impacts of Climate Change
*
Droughts & Flooding
*
Melting Ice Caps
*
Rising Sea-Levels
*
Risks to Biodiversity
Rather than learning specific outcomes pupils will be expected to be able to produce a
short piece of extended writing on one of the issues above and are encouraged to plan
Is there anybody out there?

Our Sun is a star.

Moons orbit around planets.

Planets orbit around stars.

Galaxies are large groups of
stars.

Our galaxy is called the

The Universe is everything and is still expanding after the Big Bang.

Some large stars form black holes when they
collapse.

A light year is the distance that light travels in one year.
It takes 8 minutes for light to reach us from the Sun and 4.3 light years for
this light to reach the next nearest star.
Radio and TV signals travel at the same speed as light.
Nothing travels faster than light.



The basic need for living things are: Oxygen
 Water
 Food (energy supply)
 Suitable temperature.

Scientists estimate that our galaxy has over 100 billion stars, more than 10
billion could have planets going around them with at least 10 % of Sun-like
stars having planets.

We think that for there to be life that we can recognize there will have to
be liquid water.

This means that these planets can only be at certain distances from their
star this is sometimes called the Goldilocks Zone (The Habitable Zone).
Test yourself Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is the name of our galaxy?
Are there thousands, millions or billions of stars in our galaxy?
Where do black holes come from?
Do you thinks there is life elsewhere in the universe? Give reasons why.
List two problems we might have in trying to communicate with extraterrestrial life form.
6. How long would it take to send a message to Alpha Centauri, the star nearest our sun?
1. The Milky Way 2. billions 3. Large stars collapsing 4. your own opinion 5.
take a very long time for messages to travel the vast distances and we will
have not common language. 6. 4.3 light years
Answers