Sharm El Sheikh College

Science
Second Term
Primary Six
2023 / 2024

Name: ________________________________
Class: ________________________________

1
 Unit 3
Water, Weather, and Climate
Concept 1
Energy Transfer in the Water Cycle
Lesson 1
 Water in nature exists in three states on Earth:
1. Solid (ice)
2. Liquid (water)
3. Gaseous (water vapor)
 Water changes from one state to another when it gains or loses energy.
 The Sun is considered the most important source of energy that drives the
water cycle.
 The amount of water remains constant on Earth due to the water cycle.

How do water, wind and sunlight drive (affect) energy transfer in

the water cycle?

Sunlight provides Sunlight provides Wind causes ocean

the energy needed the energy needed currents that
to melt ice and to generate wind transport
evaporate water. movement. water to different
locations on Earth.

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We will study the processes and steps that affect the water cycle, which are:

1. Evaporation process.
2. Condensation process.
3. Precipitation process.
4. Runoff.
5. Collection.
water cycle is affected by three main processes, which are evaporation,
condensation and precipitation.

1. Evaporation process :
It is the process in which matter changes from liquid state to gas state.
2. Condensation process :
It is the process in which matter changes from gas state to liquid state.
3. Precipitation process :
It is the process in which water falls on Earth in the form of rain, sleet, snow or
hail (snow pellets).

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After precipitation happen, the water cycle can be affected by two steps, which are
runoff and collection.
4. Runoff :
It is the step in which water flows along the Earth's surface into the river and then
into the ocean or sea.

5. Collection :
It is the step in which rainwater falling on the Earth's surface is collected in
different water bodies.

Solar Energy Distribution

The amount of solar radiation that reaches any area on the Earth’s surface is
unequal.
We can divide the Earth into three different climatic zones:

Hottest regions Moderate regions Coolest regions

They are regions They are regions located They are regions
close to the equator. between the hottest and close to the two
coolest regions. Poles of the Earth

They have high They have moderate They have very low
temperature and rainfall. temperature. temperature.

They have the They have a moderate They have the least
highest rate of rate of evaporation. rate of evaporation.
evaporation.

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Put ( T ) or ( F ):
1. The regions near the two poles have moderate temperatures. ( )
2. The amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth is equal. ( )

Put these words in front of the suitable sentence :

(Condensation — Evaporation — Precipitation — Runoff)
1. A shallow river dries up. (__________________ )
2. Snow falls in a cold afternoon. (__________________ )
3. Fog forms over a field in the morning. (__________________ )
4. Water in a river flows down to bottom of a mountain then to a sea.
(__________________ )

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Energy transfer in the water cycle leads to increasing or decreasing the levels
of water in some lakes.

There was a Salt Lake in Turkey.

Over time, it turned into a puddle, then it dried up completely in the summer.

For centuries, this lake has hosted huge colonies of flamingos.

They migrate and breed (reproduce) there when the weather is warm.
They feed on the algae in the lake’s shallow waters.
The energy transfer in the water cycle leads to completely drought of this lake due
to increase in the evaporation of the lake water in summer.

So, scientists try to discover ways to conserve and rehabilitate the ecosystem
at this lake and protect it from climate changes.

Flamingos at the lake The lake after drought

Put (T) or (F) :

1. Flamingos migrate and reproduce when the weather is cold. ( )
2. The increase of evaporation in summer season leads to drought of some lakes.
( )
3. Transferring of energy in the water cycle causes increasing and decreasing the
levels of water in some lakes. ( )

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 Worksheet 1
1) Choose the correct answer:

1. All the following processes are involved in the water cycle, except __________
a. evaporation b. filtration c. precipitation d. condensation

2. Water vapor condenses when it is cooled in the atmosphere forming _________

a. wind b. lakes c. clouds d. floods
3. _______________ is the main reason why evaporation occurs.
a. The Sun b. Gravity c. The moon d. Rain
4. Which of the following is NOT a result of condensation?
a. Clouds b. Water vapor c. Fog d. both a and c
5. The distribution of _______________ energy on the Earth’s surface plays an
important role in evaporation process in the water cycle.
a. electrical b. solar c. sound d. kinetic
6. In __________________ regions, the rate of evaporation would be the highest.
a. moderate b. Arctic c. the hottest d. polar
7. Flamingos feed on the ______________ in the lake’s shallow water.
a. algae b. sharks c. hawks d. ducks

2) Cross out the odd word:

1. Evaporation - Migration - Condensation - Precipitation (________________)
2. North Pole - Hottest regions - Coolest regions - South Pole
(________________)

3) What happens to ...?

1. The level of water in a lake when the rate of evaporation increases.
_____________________________________________________________

2. The snow when sunlight falls on it

_____________________________________________________________

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4) Study the following figure, then complete the sentences below:

1. This area belongs to the

__________________ regions.
2. The falling snow in this region represents
the ____________________ process.
3. The main source of energy needed to melt the ice is the ___________

5) Study figure, then answer the questions below:

1. This figure the following represents __________________

2. Label each process or step:

A. _____________________
B. _____________________
C. _____________________
D. _____________________

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 Lesson 2
How Do Solar Energy and Gravity
Drive the processes of the Water Cycle ?

The Sun provides the needs of almost everything on Earth.

Even in a dry desert environment, the water cycle is taking place.
There is no starting point or ending point for the water cycle.

Water cycle:
It is the continuous movement of water among different water reservoirs.

Water reservoirs :
They are storage locations of water on Earth.

There are many forms of reservoirs, such as:

Soil Oceans and Seas
Rocks Lakes
Living organisms Rivers
Atmosphere Glaciers

The main processes and steps that move water among these reservoirs are:
1. Evaporation process.
2. Condensation process.
3. Precipitation process.
4. Runoff.
5. Collection.

All these processes and steps depend on energy and force.

How do energy and force drive the water cycle?

• The two basic factors of the water cycle are the heat (thermal) energy and gravity.

1. Effect of energy on the water cycle:

•The most important source of energy that drives the water cycle is the Sun.
The role of solar radiation:
•Solar radiation provides the energy to melt ice and evaporate water.

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When water changes from solid state (ice) to liquid state (liquid water), it gains
energy.
When water changes from liquid state (liquid water) to solid state (ice), it loses
energy.

2. Effect of force on the water cycle:

•Water starts to move or change its way of movement when a force affects it.
•There is a main force that affects the water cycle, which is gravity.
•Wind is another type of force that affects the movement of water.
Gravity pulls The result is

The ice crystals and water Liquid water flowing

droplets in clouds back to downhill in streams
the Earth’s surface. and rivers towards
larger bodies of water.

Solid water to flow in The water melting and

glaciers from areas of higher flowing across the land or
elevation to lower elevation. into other bodies of water.

Liquid water to percolate Groundwater flowing

(leakage) down into the from areas of higher
ground to the groundwater elevations to lower
reservoir. elevations.

Note:

Thermal energy that comes from the Sun and gravity force are factors affect the
movement of water in the water cycle.

Put (T) or (F):

1. The most important force that drives the water cycle is the sun. ( )
2. Liquid water releases energy as it freezes. ( )

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Complete the following sentences using the words below :
(gravity- condenses- thermal energy- ice- energy- evaporation)
1. Sunlight provides _________________ that causes melting of ______________
and also it causes _________________ of water.
2. Water vapor releases energy when it ___________________
3. Water can be pulled downward by _________________ force.
4. Factors that move the water cycle are __________________ that comes from the
Sun and gravity force.

Energy and the water cycle

 When water changes from one state to another, it gains (absorbs) or losses
(releases) energy.
 As the movement of air from one place to another in the atmosphere, it can gain or
lose energy
 Changing of liquid water to water vapor and this process is known as "evaporation".
 Changing of water vapor to liquid water (in the form of water droplets) and this
process is known as "condensation".

Transfer of Energy

Condensation and freezing are two processes occur when water particles lose
thermal energy.
* Melting, evaporation and transpiration (in plant leaves) are processes occur when
water particles gain thermal energy.

So,

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Factors involved in changing the states

Changes in Energy Motion of Air

The motion of air from one place

Gaining or losing energy to another can result in changing
affects what happens to the the water state according to the
water molecules in the air. molecules of water that absorb or release
energy.

1.Evaporation:

•The Sun heats water in different aquatic lakes bodies, such as:
Rivers Seas Oceans Streams

•This leads to the evaporation of water and changing it into water vapor.

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Transpiration:
It is a type of evaporation that takes place through the stomata on the plant's leaves.
•About 10% of water vapor in the air comes from transpiration of plants.
You can observe transpiration when a plant is set in the Sun with a plastic bag tied
around the leaves.

Transpiration depends on the temperature and the size of the leaves.

 Transpiration in big leaves is greater than in small leaves.

 The rate of transpiration increases when the amount of solar radiation
increases.
 Give a reason for:
The transpiration process plays a vital role in the water cycle.
Because trees and other plants help balance the water cycle.

2. Condensation
•Condensation occurs when the saturated air that is full of water vapor
cools.
•As a result of cool temperatures, water vapor turns back into a liquid.
•Condensation occurs when clouds are formed.

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How are clouds formed?
1. Water vapor in the air is condensed forming water droplets.
2. Water droplets attach to the particles of dust, smoke, and pollens.
3. Billions of these water droplets join together, forming a cloud.

Clouds consist of millions of tiny water droplets that have condensed out of
the air.
The following sentences describe evaporation and condensation
processes, classify each of them in the table below :
- Warm air rises and moves over cooler mountain.
- Energy from the Sun heats the top layer of water in the sea.
- A puddle in the hot desert decreases in size until it disappears.
- Warm moist air touches a cold glass of water

Evaporation Condensation

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 Worksheet 2
1. Choose the correct answer:
1. Gravity causes the _______________ process.
a. evaporation b. condensation c. precipitation d. transpiration
2. Plants' leaves give off _____________________ during the transpiration process.
a. oxygen b. water vapor c. carbon dioxide d. nitrogen
3. All the following processes require absorbing heat energy, except the
_________________ process.
a. evaporation b. condensation c. melting d. transpiration
4. ___________________ and ________________ processes release energy.
a. Evaporation - condensation c. Freezing - condensation
b. Condensation - transpiration d. Transpiration - evaporation
5. Melting of snow at the two poles, is due to the thermal energy that comes from
the ______________
a. wind b. moon c. Sun d. electricity
6. Leakage of water into groundwater reservoirs is due to the action of
a. condensation , b. gravity c. precipitation , d. evaporation
7. The condensed water vapor in clouds returns back to the Earth's surface in the
form of all the following, except _____________________
a. water vapor b. rain c. snow d. sleet
8. All the following factors can change the state of matter, except
a. the motion of air b. the change in thermal energy
c. the change in temperature d. the gravity force

2. Cross out the odd word:

Evaporation - Condensation - Melting - Transpiration (____________________)

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 Lesson 3
Importance of water :

1. Humans, animals and plants need fresh water to survive.

2. The water we need to live on Earth can be found in rivers, some lakes and clouds
in the sky.
3. Most of plants depend on rain that falls from the clouds in the sky to grow.
Nature recycles water:
The water cycle involves the continual movement of water from oceans and
freshwater sources to the atmosphere.

The same water eventually falls back to Earth in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

 You have known from the previous activities the processes and steps that form
and affect the water cycle which are evaporation, condensation, precipitation,
collection and runoff.
Give reason
Amount for of water on Earth does not change even if water changes from one
state to another.
Because it can be replaced (recycled) through the water cycle.

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In this figure, we will explain how water moves through the water cycle
from water bodies to the atmosphere, then back to the Earth's surface to
start the water cycle all over again.

What happens when:

1. The Sun heats up the water of oceans, lakes, and rivers?
Liquid water will change into water vapor and rise in the atmosphere.

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2. The water vapor rises into the atmosphere?
•The water vapor will be cooled and condensed into clouds.
3. Water droplets become too heavy in the clouds?
•Water droplets will fall in the form of precipitation.
4. Precipitation hits Earth?
•It may flow across the land as runoff and then it will be collected in different bodies of
water.

You have known from the previous activities the meaning of Convection.

 Convection is one way by which heat can transfer.

Convection :
It is the process in which heat transfers in liquids and gases, where hot molecules
(less density) rise upward, while colder molecules (more density) fall down.
 Solar energy transfers heat through space to Earth’s atmosphere through
radiation.

 Heat energy is transferred throughout the Earth’s atmosphere through

convection in the form of convection currents.

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 The unequal heating of land and oceans causes difference in temperatures
and densities in water of oceans and atmosphere.
 Convection help in determining the regional climate.
The Relationship Between Convection and Condensation
1. As warm, moist air rises (as it gains heat by convection), it cools (loses its
heat) and condenses into water droplets forming clouds.
2. The rising of warm fluid and the sinking of cold fluid create a cycle of
convection currents.

3. Gravitational force allows for the rise and fall of the different densities, creating a
circulation of convection currents.

Put (T) or (F) :

1. The warm air moves downward, while the cold air moves upward. ( )
2. Precipitation is the process in which water falls on Earth in the form of rain,
snow or sleet. ( )
3. Evaporation is the process in which matter changes from gas state to liquid
state. ( )

Water Cycle Model

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 The Heating of Earth
The climate you experience depends on your location on Earth, as it is affected
by:
1. The amount of sunlight that reaches Earth and the
2. Angle of sun rays falling on the Earth's surface.
 The temperature and precipitation depend on climate.

 The weather of the areas near the equator is hot and humid.
 Some areas on Earth have very little rains and this causes the formation of
large areas of deserts.

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How the inclination of sun rays affects the weather?

In the figure (1), when the sun rays fall

perpendicular on Earth’s surface in the area
near the equator, the sun rays are concentrated
on a small area giving high effect of heat,
so the weather is hot.

In the figure (2), when the sun rays fall

semi-inclined (semi-slanted) on Earth’s
surface in the area at the north and south of
the equator, the sun rays are distributed on
a large area giving low effect of heat, so the
weather is warm.

In the figure (3), when the sun rays fail very

inclined (very slanted) on Earth’s surface in the
area far away from the equator, the sun rays are
distributed on a very large area giving the lowest
effect of heat, so the weather is very cold

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Give reason for:
1. If you live near the equator, you feel hotter.
Because the perpendicular rays of the Sun are focused on a small area, so their
effect is greater.

2. If you live in the farthest regions, you may feel the warm and moderate
weather.
The sun rays are slanted, they are distributed over a larger area, and their effect is
less.

3. If you live in an area near the two poles, you may feel very cold.
Because the sun rays are very slanted and they are distributed over a much larger
area, so their effect is less, and we feel very cold.

Put (T ) or (F ):
1. If you live near the equator, you feel extremely cold. ( )

2. The climate is not affected by your location on Earth. ( )

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 Worksheet 3
1. Choose the correct answer:
1. Plants give off water vapor through the _________________ process.
a. photosynthesis b. condensation c. transpiration d. precipitation

2. Humans and animals can get fresh water from all the following, except
_____________
a. rivers b. clouds c. seas d. lakes

3. Fresh water stored underground in the form of groundwater by the effect of

_____________
a. condensation b. electricity c. gravity d. evaporation.

4. Due to convection, _______air moves upward above________ air.

a. cold – hot b. hot – cold c. cold – warm d. warm- hot

5. Which statement is true about the relationship between convection and

condensation?
a. Convection causes condensation.
b. Condensation causes convection.
c. Convection and condensation are unrelated.
d. Convection and condensation are the same process.

6. Convection currents are created because the ______________ heats the Earth
unevenly.
a. moon b. wind c. planet d. Sun

7. Heat transfers by convection currents in ________________

a. fluids b. metals c. solids d. space

2. Correct the underlined words:

1. A cold fluid is lighter than a warm fluid. ( ______________ )
2. In convection currents, warm air sinks. ( ______________ )
3. On cooling a liquid, it becomes lighter and rises up. ( ______________ )
4. When water molecules lose energy, they expand and become less dense.
( ______________ )

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 Lesson 4

Convection currents and water cycle

Experiment:

1. Fill one jar completely with hot water and fill the other jar completely with cold
water.
2. Add yellow food coloring to the hot water and blue food coloring to the cold water.
3. Cover the jar of cold water with thin plastic sheet.
4. Turn the jar of cold water upside down and place it on the top of the jar of hot
water, where the openings of the two jars are touching and separating by the thin
plastic sheet (case 1).
5. Remove the thin plastic sheet gently.

Observation
The yellow and blue water are mixed
producing green color.

Repeat the steps by placing the jar of cold water

at the bottom and the jar of hot water at the top(case 2).

Observation
The yellow and blue water don’t mix.

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Explanation
•Convection currents are the reason for:
- Mixing of water in case 1, where the hot water molecules (less density) rise
upward, while the colder water molecules (more density) fall down by the help of
gravity force.
- Not mixing of water in case 2, where the less dense hot water molecules are at
the top and the (more dense) colder water molecules are at the bottom, so mixing
doesn’t occur.
Conclusion
Convection currents and gravity force affect the movement of water through
the water cycle.

Give reason for:

The colors are mixed when the jar containing blue cold water is placed on top
of the jar containing yellow hot water.
Because yellow hot water (less dense) rises and the blue cold water (more dense)
sinks, which causes the two colors to mix, forming a green color.

Put (T) or (F):

1. Hot water is denser than cold water. ( )
2. The convection currents happen on the ground only. ( )

Earth's Wind
 Earth has a global wind system that consists
of winds that blow in a constant direction over
long periods of time.
 Wind is a main factor in determining weather
and climate.
 Daily weather conditions depend on wind,
where it carries heat, moisture, rain, snow,
dust, sand, ...etc.
 So, the change in wind causes change in weather.
 Unequal heating of the Earth between the poles and equator generates wind.
 Wind helps in transporting water through water cycle by carrying water vapor
or by forming of ocean currents.

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What are the factors that determine the wind direction ?
1. Amount of solar radiation that reach the Earth.
2. Rotation of the Earth.

How does wind form?

1. As warm air from the Sun's radiation rises, it is replaced by cooler air flowing from
nearby.
 This process causes wind.
2. If the rising warm air contains enough water vapor.
 It loses this water in the form of rain.
3. When warm air flows away from the Earth's surface.
 It cools and descends over time, so it reaches the Earth’s surface again
4. When the air reaches the Earth's surface again
 The air becomes dry.
5. When the dry air flows again to the same place.
 It forms a band (group) of deserts around the planet.

What would happen if there is no wind on Earth?

•The regions around the equator becomes extremely hot and the poles will completely
freeze.
•Some ecosystems will change completely.
•Some ecosystems may disappear completely.

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 Worksheet 4
1. Choose the correct answer:
1. Wind is produced by the help of __________________
a. water turbine. b. electric generator
c. solar radiation d. electric motor

2. When warm air is cooled, it will move ___________________

a. upward. b. downward c. forward d. backward

3. All the following are examples of convection currents effect, except ___________
a. cold air moves above hot air.
b. very hot air moves above warm air.
c. hot water moves above cold water.
d. warm water moves above cold water.

4. When air is warmed by the Sun's radiation, ________________

a. warm air rises to replace the cooler air
b. cooler air sinks to replace the warmer air
c. warm air sinks to replace the cooler air
d. cooler air rises to replace the warmer air

2. Write the scientific term of each of the following :

1. It is caused when air warmed by the solar radiation rises and then replaced by
cooler air that flows from nearby areas. ( ___________________)
2. It is the main source which is responsible for warming of air and forming wind.
( ______________________)
3. Large areas of land which are formed due to the effect of dry air. ( ___________)

3. Give reasons for :

1. On adding warm water to cold water without shaking, the warm water stay
above cold water without mixing.
____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

What happens to ?
The air temperature if there is no wind on Earth.
___________________________________________________________________

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 Concept 3.2
Heat and Weather Changes
Lesson 1

The weather may change throughout the day from clear and sunny to cloudy
and rainy.

What are the causes that lead to this change in weather?

 The density of cold and dry air is more than that of hot and humid air.
 When a part of air is heated by the Sun, it becomes hot and humid.
 When the hot and humid air meet the cold and dry air, the hot air rises.
 As the hot air rises, it becomes colder and this coldness causes water
vapor in hot air to condense, then the rain falls.

Meteorology:
It is the science of studying and predicting the weather.

Meteorologist:
scientist who uses different tools to study and forecast the weather.

Meteorologists predict the weather by:

Depending on some instruments to collect data and study changes of weather for
long periods of time that help him to predict what the weather will be.
Farming the Desert
Population growth pushes more people to settle on desert land.
Farmers face a particular challenge in deserts. G.R?
Because more water evaporates than falls by precipitation.

Properties of the Desert Biome

Climate: Hot and dry or arid.

Rainfall: The desert has the least amount of rain compared to other biomes
Deserts receive about 250 millimeters of rain per year.
Farmers have had to adapt by developing highly water-efficient farming practices that
focus on getting the maximum benefit of water in deserts.
Farmers come up with innovative ways to make the dry desert soil fertile and fruitful.

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Innovative ways to make the dry desert soil fertile and fruitful:
Crops Water Energy

Farmers grow Irrigating crops by Powering farms with

specific crops reusing water and solar energy from
improving soil quality wind turbines
That are able to To overcome To take advantage
withstand the heat the little rain. of wind and sun
and low-fertility soil conditions.

Put (T) or (F):

1. The two biomes (Desert- Rainforest) receive the same amount of rain throughout the
year. ( )
2. Farming in the desert is difficult because it has a wet climate. ( )

Mountain Effects
Mountain ranges often have two sides: a wet side and a dry side.
 A wet side: that faces the coast.

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  A dry side: that is away from the coast.

Rain shadow phenomenon:

 At the wet side that faces the coast:
When warm and humid air encounters (faces) this side of a mountain range, so
this air rises and cools.
Water vapor in the cold air condenses, so the precipitation occurs.

 At the dry side that is away from the coast:

The air descends and becomes warm, so this air dries the land of this side.

Rain Shadow:
An area on the dry side of a mountain range where rainfall is reduced.

Give reason:
A rain shadow area phenomenon is formed.
Because the mountain blocks the humid air.

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Changes in the Atmosphere
The properties of the atmosphere are different from those at the top of
a mountain to those at the bottom of the mountain, where:
As the elevation from the sea level increases, all the following decrease:
Temperature - Atmospheric pressure - Air density

At the bottom of a mountain, At the top of a mountain,

there is: there is:

- High atmospheric pressure - Low atmospheric pressure

- High temperature - Low temperature
- High air density - Low air density

Atmospheric Pressure:
It is the weight of the air column above a location
Atmospheric pressure is the amount of force that air exerts on its surroundings.

Put (T) or (F) :

1. A wet side of a coastal mountain range is away from the coast. ( )
2. The air density at the top of a mountain is more than that at the bottom of a
mountain. ( )

Worksheet 1
1. Choose the correct answer:

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1. The atmospheric pressure at 4 km above sea level is higher than that at
_____________
a.2 km b.6 km c.3 km d.1 km

2. On the dry side of the mountains, you might find ______________

a. more rainfall b. a desert c. more evaporation d. more plants

3. If the temperature at the top of a mountain is 18 °C, so the temperature

at its bottom might be ______________
a.18 °C b. 0 °C c.10 °C d. 25 °C

4. Desert farming depends on the maximum use of ________________ as its quantity

is very small.
a. sand b. sunlight c. water d. winds

5. Water vapor in the atmosphere can condense and form _________________

a. air b. clouds c. sunlight d. wind

6. The density of cold dry air is ____________________that of hot humid air.

a. more than b. equal to c. less than d. similar to

2. Complete the following using the words between the brackets:

(fertile - Meteorologists - rain shadow - precipitates - increases - fruitful - humid
air - decreases - condenses)

1. _________________ depend on tools to collect data to study patterns of weather

over a long period of time.
2. Farmers use innovative ways to make the dry desert soil __________________
and ____________________.
3. When humid air cools, it ___________________ then ___________________.
4. A _________________ is formed when a mountain range blocks the
___________________ coming from a nearby ocean.
5. During climbing a mountain, atmospheric pressure ___________________ , while
air density _________________ when we go down.

3. Give reasons for :

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1. Desert farming faces many difficulties.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Hot air moves up, while cold air moves down.
____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

4. Cross out the odd word:

1. Desert - Rainforest - Climate - Grassland (_______________)
2. Less rainfall - Dry air - More precipitation - Less Plants (_______________)
3. Wet side - Dry side - Humid air - Heavy rain (_______________)

5. Look at the following figure, then complete the sentences below:

1. The air in area ____________ is dry.

2. Condensation of air occurs in area ___________

3. Precipitation occurs in area ___________

4. The air in area __________ is wet.

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 Lesson 2

Meteorology: The science of studying and predicting weather.

Weather: Is the atmospheric condition in a specific place over a short period of time.
Meteorologist: Is a scientist that uses a variety of tools and instruments to study and
forecast weather.

People studied and predicted weather well before there were televisions.

Meteorologists predict and forecast weather through different stages:

1. Gathering Data

Thermometer that measures the temperature.

Thermometer

Barometer that measures the atmospheric pressure.

Atmospheric pressure:

It is the amount of force that air exerts on its surroundings.

It is the weight of the air above a certain area.

Barometer

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2. Collecting data:

 Meteorologists use some tools like satellites, airplanes and weather balloons to
carry measuring instruments high into the atmosphere to measure
conditions of weather from different altitudes.

Satellites weather balloons

 Satellites and weather stations have devices designed to transmit data from the
satellite or station to meteorologists.

 Meteorologists try to collect a lot of data about air temperature, atmospheric

pressure, wind, precipitation, humidity and other weather conditions.

Humidity:
It is the measure of how much water vapor is present in the air.

3. Analyzing the Data:

 Meteorologists usually use weather maps
to collect data from different places and over
short periods of time, so that they can analyze
these data.

 Mapping data like air temperature,

atmospheric pressure and humidity
allows meteorologists to see the important
weather conditions such as the movement
of air.

35
Putting it all together:

 Collecting and analyzing data about the atmosphere is just one part of
predicting the weather.
 Meteorologists also need to observe some other factors that affect the
atmosphere such as landforms.
 Meteorologists use complex computer models to predict how these different
factors will interact.

Weather forecasts can be uncertain for next days or weeks, where:

 Some small unexpected changes in wind, air temperature or moisture in air can
affect next week’s weather.
 Sometimes unexpected and quickly changes happen in the weather conditions
that makes meteorologists could not predict the weather of next days.

Give reason:

Weather events are nearly impossible to predict.

Because sometimes conditions change so quickly and unpredictably.

Put (T) or (F):

1. Meteorologist uses thermometer to measure temperature. ( )

2. Humidity is a measure of how much oxygen is present in the air. ( )

36
The unequal heating of Earth:

This experiment to collect data that show differences in the effect of thermal energy
from the Sun on land and water, and how these differences may impact air
temperature in a certain area.

Tools:

Steps:
1. Place a thermometer in each beaker,
then put the reading lamp at about 10 cm
from the top of both beakers, record the
starting temperature.

2. Turn on the reading lamp and record

the temperature of each beaker every
minute for 10 minutes.

3. Turn off the reading lamp and record

the temperature of each beaker every
minute for 10 minutes.

37
Results:
Starting Light Bulb on Light Bulb off
Temperature (Simulating (Simulating Night)
Daylight)
Temperature of 35°C 40°C 35°C
Sand

Temperature of 35°C 38°C 36°C

Water

Conclusions:
 Sand is heated up faster than water.
 -Sand is cooled off faster than water.
The previous experiment simulates what happens in different Earth’s environments,
where:
 When the lamp is on, it simulates daylight.
 When the lamp is off, it simulates night.
So, the effect of thermal energy of the Sun on land (sand) differs from that on
water, and this causes the change of air temperature above land or water areas on
the Earth’s surface.
Give reason:
Sand on the beach is warmer than the sea's water during the day, while sand is
colder at night.
Because sand heats up and cools faster than water.

38
 Worksheet 2
1. Choose the correct answer:
1. The temperature of the air is measured by the _____________________
a. thermometer b. barometer c. anemometer d. rain gauge
2. The barometer is used to measure _____________
a. air temperature b. mass c. atmospheric pressure d. length
3. Heat transfers from the ___________ object to the ____________ object
a. big – small b. hot – cold c. small- big d. cold - hot
4. The amount of water vapor found in air is called _______________
a. humidity b. evaporation c. condensation d. cloud
2. Write the scientific term of each of the following:
1. A device used to measure atmospheric pressure. (______________________)
2. A device used to measure temperature. (______________________)
3. It is the weight of the air above an area. (______________________)
3. Study the following figures, then complete:

1. The instrument in figure ___________ is used to measure the temperature.

2. The instrument in figure ___________ is used to measure atmospheric pressure.
3. Figures __________ and ___________ are used to get weather measurements at
high altitudes.
4. Figure ___________ transmits measurements about weather to scientists from
space.

39
 Lesson 3
Solar energy warms our Earth. But not all places on Earth receive the same amount of
sunlight, and not all surfaces absorb the warmth of the Sun equally.
 You have learned that changes in temperature affect the way that air moves.
 When air is heated, it expands as its molecules spread out away from each
other.so, the hot air becomes less dense and moves up.

 When air is cooled, it contracts as its molecules come close to each other
so, the cool air becomes more dense and moves down.

Give reason:
Hot air moves up, while cool air moves down.
Because hot air is less dense than cool air.

In this activity, we will do two experiments that show what happens when less
dense, warm air rises and replaced by more dense, cold air.
Tools:

First experiment:

Steps Figures Observations

1. Sprinkle talcum powder When the light bulb is off, the
over a cool light bulb talcum powder spreads and
(turned off light bulb). interferes with the cooler and
more dense air around the light
bulb.
Turn on the light When the light bulb is on, the
bulb, wait two powder rises above the light
minutes to heat up, bulb because the light bulb in
then sprinkle powder this case releases heat, which
again over the hot causes the air above it to rise
light bulb and carry the powder with it

40
Second experiment:
Steps Figures Observations
1. Hold the paper spiral When the light bulb is off, the paper spiral
over a cool light doesn’t spin, that shows that the air around
bulb (turned off light the paper spiral doesn’t move.
bulb).
2. Turn on the light When the light bulb is on, the paper spiral
bulb, wait two spins, because the air around the paper
minutes to heat up, spiral expanded and became hot, so the air
then hold the paper molecules became less dense and moved
spiral over the hot upward, while the cooler and more dense
light bulb molecules moved downward, which
creating a convection current that make the
paper spiral spins without stopping.

General Conclusion :
From the previous two experiments we can conclude that the movement of air
depends on its temperature, where:
 Warm air rises up.
 Cold air flows down and replaces the warm air.

 Air current:
The vertical movement of air (up and down movement)
 Wind:
The horizontal movement of air (left and right movement)

The differences of air temperature of areas that are close to each other on Earth
affects :
1. The speed of air current.
2. The speed of wind.
3. The direction of wind movement

Choose the correct answer:

1. On blowing talcum powder over a lamp that is turned off, the powder ___________
to the top of the lamp, (rises up - falls down)
2. On blowing talcum powder over a lamp that is turned on, the powder
___________ to the top of the lamp, (rises up - falls down)

41
Tools and technology can help meteorologists make more accurate predictions
about weather
Anemometer that measures the wind speed

Weather that detects the intensity

radar and speed of precipitation and
tracks thunderstorms and
hurricanes.

Rain gauge that measures the amount of

rain in a certain area.

Remember that we have studied another weather forecasting tools, such as :

 Thermometer that measures the temperature.
 Barometer that measures the atmospheric pressure.

How precipitations occur?

1. When small water droplets form in a cloud, the air can carry them away.
2. As water vapor continues to condense, the droplets become larger and heavier.
3. Gravity pulls the big and heavy water droplets toward the ground and the
precipitation occurs.

Snowfall
Snow or ice crystals form when the air in the cloud is cold enough to change the
water droplets into ice crystals that fall to the
Earth’s surface in the form of snow.

42
 Worksheet 3
1. Choose the correct answer:

1. Convection currents in the atmosphere are controlled by _____________

a. precipitation c. moon's rotation
b. the energy from the sun d. Earth's rotation

2. When air is heated, its ______________ changes

a. mass b. smell c. color d. density

3. The horizontal movement of air along Earth's surface is called ___________

a. air pressure b. atmosphere c. wind d. air current

4. Heat is transferred through the atmosphere by __________________

a. convection b. conduction. c. reflection. d. absorption.

5. Convection is a way of transferring of heat in liquids and gases due to the

difference in ____________ and _____________
a. mass – color b. shape- volume,
c. temperature – density d. color- temperature.

6. As the humidity increases, the amount of condensed water in the air

_______________
a. increases b. decreases
c. doesn't change d. disappears

2. Give reason:
When air is heated, it expands?
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. What happens to?

We boil water in a pot on the stove. (Concerning the movement of hot water and
cold water).
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

43
 Lesson 4
The effect of too much or too little precipitation:
The too much or too little rain change ecosystems and may cause:
 Damaging buildings and agricultural systems.
 Injuries and deaths.
 The occurrence of extreme weather phenomena such as drought and flood.
Drought Flood
It is the shortage of water that It is the increase in the flow of
is available for drinking, water over the
growing crops, farming animals edges of riverbank
and industry and onto the land around the river

Drought occurs when Floods occur due to :

an area is affected by dry 1. The increase in the rate of the rainfall
weather for a long period of time due that happens every two years causes
to the extreme hot temperatures, the river water flows over the edges of
where there is not enough water for the riverbank and onto the land around
people, planets and animals. the river.
2. The sudden melting of snow and ice
over a region

Notes
1. Every few decades, very extreme floods occur causing damages and loss of life.
2. Flood is more danger if the land around the flood is frozen and cannot absorb the
water.

44
Harms of floods:
•Damaging of buildings by moving or breaking them.
•Death of people and animals.
•Harming of economy.

Advantage of floods:
•Some ecosystems depend on periodic floods such as ecosystems along the Nile.

Sandstorms (dust storm):

Sandstorm occurs when very
strong winds blow up sand or
dust or both of them from
a dry area such as deserts.
We can easily see sandstorms as
they extend for several
kilometers long, and their height may reach
hundreds of meters.
Harms of sandstorms:
•Dust reduces the visibility during driving cars.
•Dust accumulates on solar panels, so they stop generating energy.
•Dust fills up irrigation canals, so the water quality decreases.
•Dust damages the plane engines.
•Dust harms the human eyes and respiratory system.

Put (T) or (F) :

1. Flooding is the shortage of water that is available for drinking,
growing crops and farming. ( )
2. Sandstorms occur when very strong winds blow up sand or dust
or both of them from a dry area. ( )

45
 Worksheet 4
1. Choose the correct answer :
1. The increase in the amount of rain may cause ______________
a. flooding b. sandstorm c. drought d. dust storm

2. Drought affects all the following, except ______________

a. people b. plants c. buildings d. animals

3. Sandstorms are most common in ________________

a. polar regions b. deserts
c. rainforests d. green landscapes

2. Put (T) or (F) :

1. Heavy rain may cause drought. ( )
2. When rain doesn't fall, soil may dry, and plants may die. ( )
3. Although flooding is harmful, it also has some benefits. ( )
4. Sandstorms decrease the visibility during driving cars. ( )

3. What happens to?

Solar panels when dust accumulates on them.
_______________________________________________________________

4. Classify the following extreme weather conditions in Venn diagram below

using sentences between brackets:
(Harmful to habitat- Overflow of water - Shortage of water - Animals and
people are affected- The land becomes wet - The land becomes dry)

46
 Unit 4: Adapting to change
Concept 4.1
Adapting to survive
Lesson 1

The dorcas gazelle is native to the desert and semidesert of Egypt and the Middle
East. The desert environment is a challenging place to survive.
How do environmental factors and genetic factors affect the
growth of living organisms?
•Living organisms can't survive easily in desert environment that has hard
environmental factors such as extreme climate conditions.
•Living organisms can grow well when there are enough environmental resources
such as water, food .... etc.
•When there is a shortage in the environmental resources, living organisms must
adapt to the changes of the environmental conditions in their habitats to survive.
•Small dorcas gazelle is similar to its parents because the small dorcas gets some
properties from its parents known as the genetic factors that allow it to survive in
desert environment such as :
- Its body color helps it to adapt its environment.
- It do not drink water for several months.

47
Adaptation:

It is the process that helps living organisms to survive in the environment in which they
live.

There are two types of adaptation

Structural adaptation Behavioral adaptation
(Physical adaptation)

Definition It is the adaptation that is It is a change in the behaviors or

related to the body structure of acts of a living organism to help it
a living survive.
organism to help it survive.
Examples 1. Thorns on the stem of some 1. The growth of some plants
plants toward light.
2. The thick fur of some 2. Bird migration.
animals that live in cold climate

Bird migration :
Migration
is a behavioral adaptation in which animals move from one place to another, usually
seasonally. Most often these animals then return to the place where they started, and
the cycle of migration repeats.
Example of migratory birds : Steppe eagle.

48
Reasons of bird migration :
Birds migrate to search for the best conditions that help them reproduce (breed)
and preserve their species, such as :
1. Different food sources.
2. Suitable habitats during different times of the year.
Environmental and genetic influences (effects) on migratory birds :
•Migratory birds may face many challenges during their journey such as:
- Extreme weather conditions.
- Shortage of food and water
- Predators.
- Limited resting sites due to habitat loss.
So, migratory birds must have structural characteristics (physical traits) that help
them to survive during their journey.
Migratory birds in Egypt:
Examples : Falcons- Eagles.
•The Red Sea and Nile River are from important
stopovers for millions of migratory birds every year.
•The main factors that attract the flocks of
migratory birds to Egypt:
1. The moderate winter climate.
2. The area of Red Sea that contains different
environments such as :
- Coastal environment - Marine environment
- Mountain environment

49
What do you already know about environmental and genetic factors influences?
Basic needs :
Living organisms need some basic needs to survive such as :
1. Food
2. Water
3. Habitat
Influencing growth :
The environmental factors and genetic factors affect the behaviors, structure and
the growth of living organisms.

1. Environmental factors:
- Availability of water - Availability of light
Affect the growth of Affect the growth of Affect the amount of
plants as they make trees and shrubs in plants on which some
photosynthesis process. an ecosystem. animals feed on.

50
 Environmental factor Environmental factor
Availability of water. Size of habitat
Affects the growth Affects the number of
of an animal during different species that
its life cycle. live in one place

Examples of genetic factors (Hereditary traits):

Genetic factor Genetic factor Genetic factor
The body size of animals The length of plants The fur color of animals

Affects the growth of Affects the growth of Affects the shape of a

a kitten when its body plants like herbs usually young rabbit when if has
size changes gradually shorter than the long brown spots on its fur,
until it becomes as its flowering plants in like its parents
parents. a forest.

Put (T) or (F) :

1. The growth of living organisms is not affected by environmental factors
around them. ( )
2. The length of plants is from genetic factors which affects their growth. ( )

51
 Worksheet 1
1. Choose from column (B) what suits it in column (A) ;

(A) (B)
1. Structural adaptation a. is an example of structural
2. Behavioral adaptation adaptation.
3. Bird migration b. like growth of plant toward light.
4. Thorns on a plant stem c. is an ecosystem.
d. like thick fur of animals that live in
cold areas.
e. is an example of behavioral
adaptation

1. ____ 2. ____ 3. ____ 4. ____

2. Put (T) or (F) :

1. It is easy for animals to live in the desert environments. ( )
2. Thorns on a plant stem, is an example of structural adaptation. ( )
3. Animals migrate from one place to another seasonally. ( )

3. Study the following two pictures, then answer the following questions :

(A) Put (T) or (F) :

1. Animals in both pictures need food,
water and habitat to survive. ( )
2. The animal in picture (B) has a body
color helps it to survive in its
desert environment. ( )
3. Animals in both pictures have a body
size similar to its parents. ( )

(B) If you know that the bird in picture (A) is

a migratory bird, write 2 reasons for its migration :
____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

52
Select all the statements that indicate that a genetic factor has most likely
influenced the living organisms.

A. A kitten becomes a full-size adult, just like its parents.

B. A rabbit has brown spots on its fur, just like its parents.

C. A plant experiences dryness after record high temperatures during August.

D. The grass plants are usually shorter than the tall flowering plants in a forest.

E. Organisms compete for survival and suitable habitat in an ecosystem.

F. The organisms that are best adapted to the surroundings survive.

53
 Lesson 2

Each environment has:

•Its specific climate.
•Different types of animals and plants with traits that help them to survive in their
environment such as:

Emperor penguin African penguin

Location The Antarctic Along the coast of South

Africa
Adaptation It has thick blubber (fatty Around each of its eyes, it
layer) and its skin is has a circle of skin that
covered with dense feathers doesn't have any feathers
to keep its body warm completely to help its body
cool fast in hot weather.

54
We will study some examples of animals and plants adaptations in different
environments.

Environment Animal Structural Reason

(Habitat) adaptation
(Physical
adaptation)
Arctic It has thick white To warm its body
environment. fur.

Arctic Fox
Tropical It has colorful To hide from its
rain forest poisonous enemies and
environment skin protect itself
from predators

Poison dart frog

Desert Its body is covered To hide among
environment with the rocks in
sandy-colored desert
scales

Lizard

55
Plants in desert environment:

Location: Egypt's Western Desert.

Examples: Acacia trees, palms, opuntia, spiny

shrubs and grasses.

Adaptations: Most of them are characterized by the following:

Size: Most of them are usually small and herbal.

Roots: Most of them have short extended roots near the Earth's surface to draw
(absorb) any available water.

Leaves: Some of them have thick leaves to store water.

Stem: - Some of them have thick stems to store water.

- Some of them have thorns on their stems and branches to keep away
herbivores which means animals that eat plants.

 When the rain falls in deserts, some plants reach the flowering stage
quickly and produce seeds that can live for a long time to adapt the
shortage of rainfall.

Put (T) or (F) :

1. In our world there are different kinds of environments. ( )
2. Most of animals which live in arctic environment have dark and thin fur. ( )
3. Some desert plants have thick stems to store water. ( )

56
 Abiotic Factors and Adaptation

An ecosystem may be:

 Small ecosystem such as:
A small area of land between buildings that contains grass, insects and weeds.

 Large ecosystem such as:

The arctic where,
- Caribou feeds on grasses.
- Wolves hunt caribou and other preys.

Any ecosystem contains :

Biotic factors Abiotic factors

They are living organisms in an They are nonliving things in an
ecosystem such as : ecosystem such as :
Human - Animals - Plants. Sunlight - Air - Water – Soil-
Temperature- Precipitation.
So,
Ecosystem
is an area that contains biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (nonliving
things) that interact with each other.

•Plants and animals live in the same ecosystem depend on each other to live
and reproduce.

The effect of abiotic factors on the growth of living organisms :

57
  Light, air and water are basic needs for plant to grow.
 Light is an abiotic factor can affect the growth of plants
 Plants respond to the amount of light and dark they
receive daily.
 Some flowering plants may (produce) bear fruits
when the days are longer than the nights in some
environments.

 But, there are some other flowering plants

can grow and produce flowers
when the days are shorter than the nights
such as Chrysanthemum plant

 Light helps in the plant's growth.

 If light is too intense, it may damage the plant's parts and cause their drying or
burning.

The plant's growth is affected by:

1. The intensity (quantity) of light can affect the plant's growth.
2. The duration of light which means the amount of time that a plant is exposed to
light affects the plant's growth.

The effect of abiotic factors on the adaptation of living organisms:

 Water and light are considered the most

Important factors for the adaptation
of living organisms in their ecosystem.
 Living organisms make adaptation according
to the availability or limitation of water
and light.
 If living organisms can get water and light, they can survive.
But, if water and light are not available, living organisms can't survive and will die.
 Living organisms have structural characteristics (physical traits) to adapt
to abiotic factors in different environments.

58
  Over time these structural characteristics transfer from parents to offspring.
So, they will have the trait that helps them to survive in extreme environmental
conditions.

Limited resources in the desert:

 Deserts are the most extreme environments on the Earth.
 Deserts may be hot area or cold area.
 All types of deserts have little rainfall

Hot deserts
 They have little amount of groundwater far below the ground surface.
 Small pools of water are formed inside rocks
during rains that falls for short periods of time
on deserts.
 Some plants which live in these environments
have long roots to get the deep groundwater.
 Other plants have short extended roots near
the Earth's surface to catch the smallest drop of dew.
Cold deserts
Antarctica is a desert biome that its temperatures
are cold all the year, where :
 Its temperatures in winter go below freezing
(below 0°C).

 Its temperatures in the short summer reach

a maximum of 21°C.

Put (T) or (F):

1. Water and air are from biotic factors in an ecosystem. ( )
2. Abiotic factors have important role in growth of living organisms. ( )

59
 Worksheet 2
1. choose the correct answer:

1. Arctic fox has _______________ to warm its body.

a. colorful poisonous skin b. sandy-colored scales
c. thick white fur d. thin white fur

2. The trait that helps emperor penguin to keep its body warm, is the ___________
a. presence of thin fatty layer.
b. presence of thick fatty layer.
c. absence of feathers around its eyes.
d. absence of feathers around its body.

2. Study the following pictures, then put (T) or (F) :

1. The four pictures show some biotic factors and some abiotic factors. ( )
2. The four pictures show some biotic factors that live in three different
environments. ( )
3. The animal in picture number (2) lives in an environment that suffers from
shortage of water, while the environment in which the animal in picture number
(3) lives has a lot of water. ( )
4. Animals in pictures numbers (2) and (4) can't live in the same environment,
while living organisms in pictures numbers (1) and (3) can live in the same
environment. ( )
5. Caribou can live in the same environment in which the animal in picture
number (4) lives. ( )
60
 Lesson 3
Inheritance of Traits in Living Organisms
Examples of inherit traits :
 In humans such as eye color, nose shape ... etc.
 In animals such as fur color, fur length .... etc.
 In plants such as plant’s length, shape of leaves ... etc.
- So, these inherited traits affect the structure of living organisms and their life.
- Genetic factors control what traits get passed down or inherited from parents
to offspring.
In animals:
Birman cat Sphynx cat
It has long, silky hair with different It doesn’t have any hair or may
colors. have only very fine hair.

A birman kitten inherits its long, silky A sphynx kitten inherits its hairless
hair from its parents. body from its parents

Give reason for

Although birman and sphynx are cats, there is no sphynx cat has long hair like birman
cat.
Because sphynx cat doesn’t have the genetic factor for long hair which is found in

birman cat.

61
Plants in the desert:

Inherited traits help plants in deserts

adapted to survive in extreme conditions
of desert such as the very hot weather
and very little rainfall.

The instruction of survival in challenging conditions built in their genes.

Genes:
Are tiny structures which found in the nucleus of cells of living organisms.

So, each generation of plants becomes more stronger and able to adapt due to
inherited traits which transfer from parent plants to their offspring.

Classify the following inherited traits in the table below :

(Hair length- Leaves shape- Place of the flower- Fur color- Leaves color- Eye color-
Ears shape- Flower color- Plant length)

Animals Plants

Inherited traits

62
Factors that affect the human growth and health behavior development.
1. Lifestyle choices.
2. Environmental factors.
3. Genetic factors.

1. Lifestyle choices:

Your lifestyle choices affect your health, where your lifestyle depends your
habits.

 Bad habits like smoking and eating

a diet full of chips and soda will negatively affect

and harm your health and your growth.

 Good habits like eating a healthy food

and doing exercises play an important

role in your growth and develop your health and behaviors.

2. Environmental factors:
Environmental factors that affect our health are outside factors which we might
not have the ability to control.
- If your environment is healthy and clean, it will positively affect your health
and your growth.
•Your health and growth will be negatively affected, if there are some problems in
your environment, such as :
- Health care is not available.
- Water may be far away or unsafe to drink.
- Difficulty to obtain food.
- Sanitation service is not available, that causes spreading of different diseases.

63
3. Genetic factors:

 Genetic factors affect your body structure as

you can observe that your hair color or eye color are like your parents.

 Genetic factors control the transfer of inherit

traits from parents to offspring.
 Genes carry inherited traits from parents
to offspring, so genes are responsible for
determining the body features such as :
- The way your earlobes hang.
- The length of your fingers.
- How tall you.
So, genetic factors, environmental factors and lifestyle choices affect human growth
and behavior development.

Classify the following factors in the table below :

(Lack of health care- Smoking- The shape of your nose)

Lifestyle choice Environmental factor Genetic factor

64
 Worksheet 3

Choose the correct answer:

1. The genetic factors transfer from _____________________

a. living organism to nonliving thing.

b. nonliving thing to living organism.

c. parents to their offspring.

d. offspring to their parents.

2. Transferring of genetic factors happens in _________________

a. humans only.

b. animals only.

c. humans and animals

d. humans, animals and plants

3. All the following are inherited traits in humans, except ___________________

a. eye color b. nose shape c. fur color d. ear shape

4. Appearance of inherited traits on offspring, is due to passing down

___________________ from their parents.

a. environmental factors b. behaviors

c. genetic factors d. leaves

Give reasons:

A birman kitten has a long and silky hair.

____________________________________________________________________

65
 Concept 4.2

Soil and environmental change

Lesson 1

Soil:

It is the loose layer (delicate skin) which covers the Earth’s crust.

 The environment varies according to the type of soil in it, because the soil has

an important role to determine the type of plants that can grow in it, and this also

affects the species of animals which live in this environment.

 And also the environment affects the soil, as when the air temperature increases

in an environment, the soil will dry and may lose its nutrients.

There are different types of soil that varies from one place to another, as they

are composed from different materials.

Medium particles Small particles Large particles

66
 Differences Similarities
They have different colors and textures. All types of soil are composed of natural
components
The size of soil particles (granules) may All types of soil keep the life on Earth.
be large, medium or small.

The soil

 The soil is a basic factor for all natural ecosystems on Earth.

The soil is formed of some ingredients (components) such as:

1. Sand, gravel and minerals which are formed due to breaking down of rocks through
the weathering process.

(Weathering and erosion processes also have an important role in the formation of
soil)

2. Organic materials such as dead plants.

3. Living organisms.

4. Water.

Some living organisms make their shelters (homes) in soil such as:

worms and insects.

Complete the following sentences using these words below :

(worms- weathering- insects- soil)

1. From living organisms that live in soil are ______________ and _____________

2. The soil is formed due to breaking down of rocks during _______________ process

3. The thin layer which covers the Earth’s crust is called _____________

67
The importance of soil:

1. Soil is important for the plants that people and animals feed on to survive.

2. Soil provides the plant with its basic needs for growth as soil contains air, water and
nutrients.

3. Soil is home to many different living organisms such as : Worms, Insects, Fungi and
bacteria.

Composition of soil:

•Soil is a mixture of different materials.

•When you examine a sample of soil by using a hand

lens, you will notice the presence of small pieces of

rocks, small pieces of leaves and branches (twigs) of

trees and other dark colored materials.

•Also, there are other components of soil that can't be

seen with naked eyes.

All types of soil are composed of:

1. Inorganic ingredients 2. Organic ingredients

1. Inorganic ingredients:

They are the nonliving components of soil.

Inorganic ingredients include:

Air, Water, Rocks and minerals.

Minerals:
They are the building units (blocks) of rocks.

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How inorganic materials of soil formed?

During weathering process:

Due to the effect of water and wind, the rocks are broken down into small pieces such
as particles of sand, silt and clay.

During erosion process:

The small pieces of rocks move from one place to another.

During deposition process:

These small pieces of rocks will deposite and mix with other ingredients forming
different types of soil.

2. Organic ingredients:
They are living components of soil.
•Organic ingredients include :
- Remains of dead plants and animals.

Decomposers organisms such as: fungi, bacteria and earthworms play an

important role in the formation of soil.

How organic materials of soil formed:

 Decomposers play an important role in keeping the balance of the ecosystem,

as they clean the environment by decomposing the dead organisms, where :
 Decomposers recycle the remains of dead plants and animals into chemical
nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen which are released into soil, water
and air that help in the flowing of energy in the environment again.

 Decomposers break down the organic material of dead organisms into

components rich with nutrients which called "humus" which increases the soil
fertility that helps plants to grow.

 Minerals and organic materials represent about half of the most types of soil.

 The other half of soil consists of spaces between the particles of the soil
known as "pore spaces (pores)", where each pore space is filled with water
and air.

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 There are different types of soil, due to the different amounts of ingredients
that form them.

 The difference of the amounts of organic ingredients in the soil lead to :

•Changing the appearance of the soil.

•Changing the amount of nutrients that is available for plants.

 The difference in the size of particles and amount of different inorganic ingredients
leads to:

•Changing the appearance and texture of the soil.

•Changing the ability of soil to retain (keep) water.
•Changing the ability of soil to allow roots to grow.

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 Worksheet 1
1. Choose the correct answer:

1. The material rich in nutrients and produced from the decomposition of dead
organisms is called ________________

a. decomposers b. humus c. sand d. water.

2. The soil provides the plant with all of the following, except _____________

a. water b. air c. nutrients d. sunlight.

3. Silt particles are larger than ___________ and smaller than _____________

a. clay particles- sand particles b. sand particles- clay particles,

c. big rocks- clay particles. d. sand particles- big rocks

4. Which of the following are from the inorganic ingredients in the soil ?

a. Rocks, air and water.

b. Plants, animals and air.

c. Decomposers, plants and humus.

d. Decomposers, air and water.

5. ___________________ is the loose layer which covers the Earth's crust.

a. Humus b. Water c. Soil d. Air

What happens to:

1. The soil if it does not contain any decomposer organisms.

____________________________________________________________________

2. The soil if the temperature in the environment increases.

____________________________________________________________________

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 Lesson 2

Types of soil are:

Sand soil Which contains large amount of sand particles.

Silt soil Which contains large amount of silt particles.

Clay soil Which contains large amount of clay particles.

Experiment to show the differences between the three types of soil.

Tools:

Steps:
1. Examine the soil samples by using a magnifying glass, then record your results
about the color and the size of particles for each sample.

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Observation:
Points of Sand soil Silt soil Clay soil
comparison (sample 1 ) (sample 2 ) (sample 3 )

Size of particles Large Medium Small

Color Yellow Gray Dark (Black)

2. Put filter paper in each funnel to close their internal holes.

3. Put three equal different samples of soil separately in the three funnels where :
- Sample 1-- Sand soil
- Sample 2 -- Silt soil
- Sample 3 -- Clay soil

4. Make the funnels inside the

measuring cups as shown in the
opposite figure

5. Pouring 50 ml of water in each

funnel, and at the same moment,
start to record the time by using
stopwatch

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6. After 3 minutes, record your results
about the amount of water collected
in each measuring cup.

Observation:
Points of Sand soil Silt soil Clay soil
comparison (sample 1 ) (sample 2 ) (sample 3 )
Amount of water The measuring The measuring The measuring
collected : cup cup contains 20 ml cup contains 10 ml
contains 35 ml of of water. of water.
water. (Filter medium (Filter less amount
(Filter more amount of water) of water slowly)
amount
of water quickly)

Conclusion :
•Sand soil (sample 1) : allows water to flow fast through it, this means that it has
large amount of pore spaces (pores) between its particles, so sand soil can retain
(hold) small amount of water.
•Silt soil (sample 2) : allows a medium amount of water to flow through it, this
means that it has medium amount of pore spaces between its particles, so silt soil
can retain (hold) medium amount of water.
•Clay soil (sample 3) : allows water to flow slowly through it, this means that it has
small amount of pore spaces between its particles, so clay soil can retain (hold)
more amount of water.

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We can summarize the differences between the three types of soil in the
following table :
Points of Sand soil Silt soil Clay soil
comparison

1. The size of Large Medium Small

particles

2. Color Yellow Gray Dark (black)

3. Flowing of water Fast Medium Slow
through it

4. Retaining water Small Medium Large

The soil that retains medium amount of water becomes more fertile because it
keeps its organic materials and this helps in the plant growth.
Put (T) or (F)
1. Sand soil has small-sized particles. ( )
2. The silt soil retains very small amount of water between their particles. ( )
3. The color of clay soil is black. ( )

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Soil and climate:
•The soil is formed of many layers.
•The soil affects the climate of the ecosystem, as :
The types of plants that grow in a certain soil have
a large impact on the temperature and the weather
of the ecosystem.
•And also, the climate of any ecosystem affects the Soil layers
characteristics of the soil in it.
For example:
1. The humid areas:
•During rainfall, the soil of humid areas retains
large amount of water, that may wash down the
nutrients of the soil, so some minerals may fall
below the soil layers this will form a hard layer
that plant root can't penetrate.

 In some humid areas, when there is too much water, the soils in these areas
become waterlogged soils that contain very large amount of water and very little
amount of air and this doesn't help roots of plants to grow and also some living
organisms in these soils to live.

2. The hot- dry areas :

•In hot and dry areas, the soil which rich with
clay particles, the clay becomes dry due to
drought conditions that will form a layer that
doesn't allow much water to flow.

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Dry soils
•The sand soil is dry and loose that drains water quickly. So, large trees can't grow in
it.
•Savannas are grassland ecosystems that contain dry sand soil.
•Savannas are common in central Africa
Like all ecosystems, living organisms live in savannas depend on each other in
feeding.
Example:
Savannah Eaten Herbivores such Eaten Large and fast
contains by as gazelles by carnivores such as
a variety of (deers) lions and cheetahs
grasses depend on these (leopards) depend
and small plants. grasses and small on herbivores as
plants gazelles (deers)

Soil in a bog:
•Clay soils which rich with clay particles retain
much water very well, so the soil may be wet
most of time.
•Most of plants that grow in this wet soil are
basic for bog ecosystem.
•The moist conditions in bogs, lead to very cool temperatures.
The most common animals live in bog ecosystems are: Frog and Mosquitoes

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 Worksheet 2
1. Put (T) or (F):
1. All types of soil contain particles with the same size. ( )
2. By increasing the amount of pore spaces between the particles of soil
it can retain more amount of water. ( )
3. The difference between sand soil and clay soil is in the color only. ( )
4. Silt soil has medium-sized particles. ( )
5. Grassland ecosystem supports large herbivorous like gazelles with food. ( )
6. Large trees can grow in dry soils. ( )
7. Savannas are wetland ecosystems. ( )
2. Complete the following table :
Points of Sand soil Silt soil Clay soil
comparison

1. The size of _____________ ______________ Small

particles

2. Color _____________ Gray ____________

3. Flowing of water Fast Medium ____________
through it

4. Retaining water _____________ ______________ Large

3. Give reasons for:

1. Water can flow very fast through sand soil
__________________________________________________________________
2. Clay soil can retain more amount of water and air.
__________________________________________________________________

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 Lesson 3
Poor agricultural practices have many impacts on the soil such as :
1. Deplete the soil :
It may happen due to:

1. Converting fertile agricultural lands (arable lands)

into cities, factories and pastures.

2. Overuse of pesticides.
3. Overuse of chemical fertilizers.
4. Air and water pollution.

2. Desertification:
It is a process by which the land becomes infertile
due to deforestation, drought or overgrazing.

 Nearly half of the agricultural soil on the Earth has been lost in the last 150
years.
 The desert area around the world increasing very quickly, as about 38% of
Earth’s land becomes very dry and exposed to desertification.

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  Ways of soil restoration:

1. Adding nutrients which have been depleted (consumed) back into the soil by
using:
- Crop remains (residues) like: straw and stems (stalks).
- Natural fertilizers like: animals manure.

2. Crop diversification which means planting different types of crops and

rotating them with crops that keep the soil fertility

 Factors affecting crop quality:

The quality of some crops (like tomato)

is affected by many factors such as:

1. Regular and moderate irrigation.

2. Adding suitable amount of organic fertilizers

 Unsuitable environmental factors may lead to:

- Producing weak plants.

- Reducing the amount of crops.

- Spreading of plant diseases among crops.

Put (T) or (F):

1. Overuse of pesticides is a way of soil restoration. ( )

2. Desertification is a process by which land becomes more fertile. ( )

3. Adding animal manure helps to return back nutrients into the soil. ( )

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Erosion process of soil:

There are many factors that lead to the erosion of soil such as :

1. The type of soil.

2. Increasing the amount of water.

3. Increasing the inclination (slope) of the

Earth’s surface.

4. Removing plants

All these factors lead to increasing the speed of moving water

over the Earth’s surface.

Then,

The soil particles are washed down by moving water and causes soil erosion.

 Ways to reduce (decrease) the soil erosion process:

1. Increasing the planted areas.

2. Digging canals or trenches to collect the excess water in the soil.
3. Adding sand and silt to the soil that help in decreasing the effects of moving water
over the soil.

Choose the correct answer:

1. Increasing the inclination of the Earth’s surface, ______________ the erosion
process of the soil
a. increases b. decreases c. doesn’t effect

2. ________________ is a way to reduce the erosion of the soil.

a. Removing plants b. Digging trenches c. Increasing the amount of water

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Natural processes and human activities that can lead to habitat destruction and
changing the climate.
Habitat destruction

Habitat:
It is a place where living organisms live.

Habitats may be: Desert- Forest- Stream- Ocean and Grassland.

All habitats provide four important things for living organisms, which are:
Food – Water- shelter - Space to live.

 In any habitat, when one of the previous four things is depleted or taken
away, this causes habitat destruction.
 Any change, even a small one, in a habitat may cause a large reaction
from nature.
 Habitat destruction could happen due to:
1. Natural changes 2. Human activities

1. Natural changes:
Earth has a dynamic environment, which means that it is constantly going through
changes. Many of these natural changes can cause habitat destruction
Examples of some natural changes which cause habitat destruction:
•Hurricanes.
•Fires.
•Floods.
•Destructive earthquakes.
•Lack of food for many living organisms.
•Volcanic eruptions.
•Diseases of living organisms

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Although natural changes can cause habitat destruction, but they may have
some benefits such as:

Natural changes Its benefit

Volcanic eruptions Make the soil fertile.

Forest fires Release seeds from closed fruits (sealed pods).

Diseases of living organisms Keep populations of animals to a suitable

number that can be controlled in an ecosystem.

Human activities:
A. Development and waste:

•As the human population grows, people go to make many changes in their habitat
to get their needs such as:

1. Building houses.

2. Building factories to
produce goods.

3. Construction of infrastructure
such as:
roads and railway tracks
for the transportation of
both people and materials.
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These human activities lead to changes that cause many harms to the
habitats such as:
- Natural spaces, such as hills, prairies and valleys are turned into factories and
homes that led to deforestation.
- Lands have been destroyed for mining, making road and airport runways.
- Pollution and waste produced by humans have led to an increase in the
percentage of carbon dioxide gas and other gases in the atmosphere, which lead
to an increase in the Earth’s temperature.
B. Climate change:
•Human activities can cause habitat destruction which make climate change.

•The climate change may lead to extinction of living

organisms where:
 Humans cause increasing the rate of the
Climate change on the Earth.
 This rate leads to the changes of habitats
Which all living organisms depend on.
 Living organisms (plants and animals) are
affected by the changes in their habitats, so they change their behaviors to adapt
to their new habitats.
 Sometimes living organisms can’t adapt or move in new conditions and this
leads to their extinction.

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Overpopulation
•Overpopulation means that too much increase in the number of a certain species
of living organism in a habitat.
•Overpopulation leads to less food, water, shelter and space for other
populations (organisms) that live in the same habitat.

Overpopulation can occur in different ways due to natural changes or human

activities.
1. Overpopulation may happen due to natural changes:
When large predators disappear naturally from an area.
This leads to,
The number of prey increases greatly.
This leads to,
Unavailability of resources (such as food, water ... etc.) in this area for preys.

2. Overpopulation may happen due to human activities:

When new species are brought by humans into an area,
This leads to,
the species become invasive to species
This leads to,
The invasive species kill off native plants and animals that already live in this area.
Example of an invasive species:

•In some areas of the Red Sea, lionfish are the reason

for the loss of 79% of young fish of the native species

population.

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Give reason:
Sometimes humans are doing the same damage as invasive species.
because the overpopulation of humans causes shortage of some resources (such
as food, water, ... etc.) for both humans and other organisms on Earth.

Put (T) or (F):

1. From example of natural changes which cause habitat destruction are floods
and hurricanes. ( )
2. The change in climate leads to extinction of living organisms. ( )

86
 Worksheet 3
Choose the correct word:
1. Increasing the inclination of the Earth’s surface leads to _______________
a. increase the crop quality,
c. increase the soil erosion.
b. decrease the soil erosion,
d. decrease the crop quality.

2. To reduce the erosion process, we should follow all the following ways,
except __________________________
a. increasing the planted areas.
b. digging canals or trenches to collect the excess water in the soil.
c. adding sand and silt to the soil.
d. increasing the inclination of the Earth’s surface.

3. Habitat destruction could happen due to ______________________

a. natural changes only.
b. human activities only.
c. natural changes and human activities.
d. overpopulation and increasing the green areas.

4. The change in climate leads to the ____________________ of some living

organisms.
a. increase
b. extinction
c. reproduction
d. pollution

Give reasons for:

1. The increase in the inclination of Earth’s surface causes the erosion of the
soil.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

87
 Lesson 4

The human population is constantly increasing that

lead to increasing the number of industries which
use water, and also increasing the rate of
water pollution.
Methods of reducing water pollution :
•Applying laws is the most effective way to prevent water pollution.
•There are many other ways to reduce water pollution such as:

1. Treatment of sewage 3. Using suitable

2. Keeping green areas.
and industrial water amounts of fertilizers

4. Getting rid of trash 5. Using soil fences 6. Controlling air

in correct ways. and sedimentation pollution that
ponds. produced from cars
and industry can
reduce water
pollution.

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Preventing water pollution Is more effective than cleaning up pollution from
water that requires a lot of time and effort.
Healthy soil is important to maintain healthy ecosystem, as the soil keep the life on
the Earth.
•All living organisms depend on the soil to get their needs.
•Human like all living organisms need shelter to survive, but the processes of
making building materials can cause pollution which damage the environment.
Harms of traditional bricks:
•Soil scientists and engineers hope to stop depending
on traditional bricks and concrete, because they cause
harms for the environment, where :
- The bricks must be burned at more than 1000°C.
- The ingredients of cement must be burned at 1450°C
•So, the manufacture of bricks and cement require a lot
of energy and produce a lot of pollution.
Using soil to build sustainable homes :
•Scientists transform soil into building materials where
they add chemicals to the soil that turn the clay of soil into
substance look like glue which bind the materials together.
•This glue-like substance is made by chemical change of the soil.
•In this process, the scientists don’t use the topsoil which is used for agriculture,
but they use the subsoil which is found beneath the topsoil that is available around
the Earth.
•The new substance is used to build sustainable homes instead of the traditional
bricks.

89
 Worksheet 4
Choose the correct answer:
1. From the reasons which increase water pollution is _______________
a. treatment of sewage and industrial water.
b. getting rid of trash in correct ways.
c. increasing the industries which use water.
d. using soil fences and sedimentation ponds.

2. Soil scientists and engineers hope to stop depending on traditional bricks

and concrete because they ___________________
a. require a lot of energy only.
b. produce a lot of pollution only.
c. require less energy and produce a lot of pollution.
d. require a lot of energy and produce a lot of pollution
Put (T) or (F) :
1. To build traditional bricks, we need a lot of energy. ( )
2. All living organisms depend on soil to get their needs. ( )
3. Controlling air pollution doesn’t help in decreasing water pollution. ( )
4. To prevent water pollution, laws must be applied. ( )
5. Getting rid of trash in seas and canals is from the ways to prevent water
pollution. ( )
6. The subsoil which is used for agriculture, is used to make the glue-like building
material. ( )
What happens to ...?
The sea water if industrial water is thrown into the sea without treatment
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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