Learning Module in

Science 7
Module 2: Week 3 - 4
 LEARNING MODULE IN SCIENCE 7
S.Y. 2020-2021

MODULE
Unit 2: Diversity of Materials in the Environment
2

Content Standards Performance Standards

The learner demonstrates understanding of The Learner should be able to make a chart,
classifying substances as elements or compounds. poster, or multimedia presentation of common elements
showing their names, symbols, and uses...

Most Essential Learning Competencies

Recognize that substances are classified into elements and compounds.

Time Frame: 2 weeks

Learning Targets:

1. Identify what elements are.

2. Distinguish the elements found in our environment and their uses.
3. Relate how elements got their names and symbols
4. Identify what compounds are.
5. Recognize which elements and compounds are used in our daily life.
6. Classify which elements can be gained from which food we eat.

Introduction
In this module, we will discuss the fact that everything around us is made of matter. From the tiny atom to
the vast solar system, matter is so diverse that we need to classify it. Matter can be classified in different ways.
Generally, it is classified into mixture and pure substance. Below is a diagram on how matter can be classified.

Matter

Pure
Mixture
Substance

Homogeneo Heterogeneo
Elements Compounds
us us

Metal Nonmetal Metal Acid Base Salt Solution Suspension Colloid

To begin with we will discuss the first classification of matter, the Pure Substance which is further divided

Explore
Activity 2.1
Everything has Matter

Matter composes be the very ground we walk on, the material your medium your reading this on, the water
you drink and the air that we breathe. Can you name the three states in which we classify matter, from your studies in
elementary, and cite some examples of each?

Write it down, with a short description on a piece of paper.

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Lesson 2.1
Elements

An Element is the simplified form of matter which cannot be decomposed or broken down by ordinary
chemical means. It contains only one kind of atom. Examples of elements are oxygen, aluminum, cooper, and carbon.
At present, there are 118 known elements. Of these, 92 occurs naturals on Earth and the rest are synthetically prepared
in labs.
Elements are further subdivided into Metals, Nonmetals and Metalloids. Metals are substances with
lustrous or shiny appearance, and they are malleable (can be hammered into sheets), ductile (can be drawn into wires),
and good conductor of heat and electricity.
Nonmetal (or non-metal) is a chemical element that mostly lacks the characteristics of a metal. Physically, a
nonmetal tends to have a relatively low melting point, boiling point, and density. A nonmetal is typically brittle when
solid and usually has poor thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. Chemically, nonmetals tend to have
relatively high ionization energy, electron affinity, and electronegativity. They gain or share electrons when they react
with other elements and chemical compounds. These are composed of Reactive Nonmetals, Halogens and Noble
Gases.
A metalloid is a type of chemical element which has properties in between, or that are a mixture of, those
of metals and nonmetals. There is neither a standard definition of a metalloid nor complete agreement on the elements
appropriately classified as such. Despite the lack of specificity, the term remains in use in the literature of chemistry.

Elements are arranged across the Periodic Table presented below in the order of increasing atomic number.

Activity 2.2
A. List down the elements according to the following.

Metals Metalloids Nonmetals

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Lesson 2.2
Elements in the Environment

Elements are not equally abundant in the environment. To further analyze this, let us study the tables below.

Table 2.1: Earth’s Element Composition

In the Earth’s Crust In the Earths’ Water In the Earth’s Atmosphere
Oxygen 46% Oxygen 85% Nitrogen 78%
Silicon 28% Hydrogen 11% Oxygen 20%
Aluminum 8% Chlorine 2% Other Gases 2%
Iron 5% Sodium 1% 100%
Calcium 3% Others 1%
Sodium 3% 100%
Potassium 2%
Magnesium 2%
Others 3%
100%

Table 2.2: Human Body Element Composition

Element Percentage
Oxygen 65%
Carbon 18%
Hydrogen 10%
Nitrogen 3%
Calcium 2%
Phosphorus 1%
Others 1%
100%

The table shows the great abundance of Oxygen and implying its importance in the Earth and our bodies.
Most organisms need it to lie. It combines with food in the body, and this process releases energy for the activities of
the organisms. It is used for burning fuels. Oxygen supports the process of combustion – a fire will stop when the
supply of oxygen is cut off. Furthermore, dead bodies and other waste materials will not decompose without oxygen.

There are other elements that are useful because of their properties. Gold is easily shaped because it melts
when heated. In pure form, it is a very soft metal. It is used in jewelry, but it is mixed with other metals to form a
harder alloy.

Nitrogen comprises 78% of air. It does not react chemically with other elements. It serves to dilute the air.
Oxygen comprises only 21% of air. It is good thing because breathing 100% oxygen gas can lead to some problems
and sometimes even poison the body. Also, if there were more oxygen in the air, things would burn more rapidly, and
the decay process would be faster. Magnesium is used in flashbulbs of cameras. Helium is used to fill balloons and
make them float.

Many elements are useful. However there are elements in the environment that are dangerous to human
beings. Consider Mercury, the only liquid metal at room temperature. It is used in thermometers. It is also used in
batteries as well as purifying gold from its ores. The inhalation of mercury vapors can produce harmful effects on the
nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of  mercury are
corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.

There are also radioactive elements in the environment that emit radiation. An example is Uranium. The
radiation it emits is used in nuclear power plants to heat water to form steam. The steam is used to turn turbines of
generators to produce electricity. However, when Uranium atoms leak into the air during nuclear power plant accidents,
they can destroy cells of organisms. They pose danger because they stay in the environment for a very long time.

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 LEARNING MODULE IN SCIENCE 7
S.Y. 2020-2021
Activity 2.3
A. Write ten (10) Elements not listed in the lecture of lesson 2.2 and where we could find them.

1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

Lesson 2.3
Names and Symbols of Elements
The names of the elements have originated from a variety of sources. By international agreement, the names
of chemical elements have been standardized for use throughout the world.

Table 2.3: Some Elements and Their Symbols

Element Symbol Latin Name
Gold Au Aurum
Carbon C Carbos
Cooper Cu Cuprum
Hydrogen H Hydro
Calcium Ca Calx
Iron Fe Ferrum
Nitrogen N Nitrum

The system of chemical symbols was proposed by the great Swedish chemist, Jons Jakob Berzelius, in 1811.

Berzelius suggested that the first letter of the element be used as the symbol for the element. He later
suggested that if two or more elements start with the same letter, the first and second letters will be used for the
symbol. You may observe that sometimes symbols appear to be very different from the names of the elements. This is
because their Latin or Greek names were used.

Some Elements and the Origin of their Names

Aluminum Latin "alumen"

Carbon Latin "carbos" meaning charcoal
Fermium Named after Enrico Fermi
Hydrogen Greek "hydro" meaning water and "genes" meaning forming
Gold Latin "arum" meaning 'shining dawn'
Mendelevium After Dmitri Mendeleev, creator of the periodic table
Oxygen Greek "oxys" meaning 'sharp or acid' and "genes" meaning 'forming'
Praseodymium Greek "prasios" meaning 'green' and "Didymus" meaning 'twin'
Sodium Latin "sodanum", a headache remedy
Uranium After the planet Uranus

Activity 2.4

A. Search ten different Elements along with the Origin of their Name and their Symbol

Element Symbol Origin

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Lesson 2.4
Compounds

A Compound is a pure substance that can be decomposed by a chemical change into simpler substances with
a fixed mass ratio. For example, when sugar is heated, it changes to a black material while it gives off water vapor.
The sugar has decomposed to a new substance, and the new substance is carbon. Meanwhile, this carbon has
properties completely different from sugar. Heat produces a chemical change by decomposing the sugar into carbon
and water vapor.

The decomposition of sugar always produces the same mass ratio of carbon to water, so sugar has a fixed definite
composition.

Definite Composition of Compounds

A molecule of a compound has a definite number of atoms. Consider the elements carbon and oxygen.

If one atom of carbon combines with one atom of If one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen
oxygen, the resulting compound is carbon combine, the resulting compound is carbon dioxide.
monoxide, which is a poisonous gas. This is the gas that is used by plants for making food.

Most Pure Substances are compounds. There are millions of compounds around the world. Compounds may
be classified into Acids, Bases and Salts.

Acids are compounds that contain hydrogen and have a pH number below than 7, which when dissolved in
water breaks loose as a hydrogen ion (H+). Most acids have a chemical formula starting with H or Hydrogen.

Acid Formula May Be Found In

Acetic acid HC2H3O2 Vinegar
Hydrochloric acid HCl Muriatic acid
Nitric acid HNO3 Cleaning Solutions

Bases are Alkaline substances (having a pH number greater than 7), and they release Hydroxyl ions (OH -)
when dissolved in water. Most bases end in OH or hydroxide.

Base Formula Common Name

Sodium hydroxide NaOH Lye, “Sosa”

Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 Limewater, “Lihiya”
Magnesium Hydroxide Mg(OH)2 Milk of Magnesia

Salts are formed when an acid and base react, their hydrogen and hydroxyl ion combine to form water
molecules. What remained of the acid and base after the ions combine are the salts.

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Examples:

HCl NaOH NaCl H22O

HBr KOH KBr H22O

In the first example, the salt is NaCl or Sodium Chloride while on the second it is the KBr or Potassium
Bromide.

Activity 2.5
A. Identify whether the following compounds are base, acid or salt.

1. HBr
2. KOH
3. SiCl2
4. LiOH
5. BrBO2
6. Mg(OH)2
7. HClO3
8. H2SO4
9. CsOH
10. CoSe

Lesson 2.5
Elements and Compounds that are used in Daily Life
Even without serious study you might already know some of the elements and compounds that we use daily.
Here we will summarize the elements and compounds and identify their use in our daily life.

1. Oxygen – This is the gas that everyone needs for breathing. Without oxygen, we will die.
2. Carbon – This element had many uses for man. Below are some of its uses:
a. Coal – used for fuel.
b. Crude oil – indispensible material in which we use to make diesel, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline, and
many more.
c. Graphite – used as lead of pencil for writing.
d. Diamonds – a pure carbon material which is one of the most expensive and hardest components of
jewelry.
3. Gold – It is used for jewelry, crowns, decoration, and building palaces. It is once used as currency or money.
4. Iron – Many implements or tools used by humans are made of this element.
5. Chlorine – A gas that is mainly used as disinfectant and as a cleaning material.
6. Iodine – Essential to maintain a healthy Thyroid Gland.
7. Hydrogen – Element needed to produce water.
8. Potassium – Important composition of the cell fluid in the body to maintain normal electrolyte balance.
Abnormal presence of this element indicates disease.
9. Calcium – Mineral that makes up our bones and teeth.

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The compounds that are necessary in our daily lives include the following:

1. Water – It is the most important compound in the universe. It is the means of carrying nutrients to the cells in
animal and plant bodies. It also transports waste produced by cellular processes. Water is used for drinking,
cleaning, washing, cooking, and other activities or chores in our homes.
2. Sodium chloride – This compound is the most useful to the humans in seasoning and preserving our foods. It is
commonly called as “salt”. Sodium ions found outside the cells of the body facilitates the transmission of nerve
impulses and controls the amount of water retained by cells.
3. Calcium carbonate – Commonly known as “limestone”. It is used as a building material since early civilizations.
It is a component of mortars.
4. Hydrochloric acid – An acid found in our stomachs that primarily aids digestion.

Activity 2.6

A. Search online for the uses of the following substances:

1. Sucrose – C12H22O11
2. Quinine – C20H24N2O2
3. Acetaminophen – C8H9NO2
4. Ammonia – NH4
5. Caffeine – C8H10N4O2

B. Search 3 Elements and 3 Compounds, not listed in this module, and find their uses.

I. Elements
a.
b.
c.
II. Compounds
a.
b.
c.

Lesson 2.6
Elements in the Foods We Eat

The food that we eat contains many elements which are mostly nutrients that the human body needs in order to
function well. The element in food combined with other elements creates compounds that are referred to as minerals in
our body.

An example of a commonly used mineral is sodium chloride, which is a compound made up of the elements
sodium and chlorine. It is also known as salt and is used as a food seasoning and natural preservative. Salt should be
consumed in the right amount, since excessive consumption may lead to kidney failure. It is very important that one reads
the product labels where information about the contents of the food is written.

Do you know how much iron, calcium, or magnesium you need to consume in a day?

Avoid taking them beyond the recommended amounts. This will be further explained in higher grade levels. For
now, study the table below which shows some elements in the food you eat that is essential in making your body function
well.

Avoid taking them beyond the recommended amounts. This will be further explained in higher grade levels. For
now, study the table below which shows some elements in the food you eat that is essential in making your body function
well.

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 LEARNING MODULE IN SCIENCE 7
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Element Food Sources Function Deficiency Condition
Macro-minerals
Essential for building and
Diseases of the bones in
Green leafy vegetables, maintaining strong bones
adults such as softening of
Calcium sesame seeds, milk, cheese, and teeth, strengthens heart
the bones and rickets in
and fish with bones. muscles, and regulates
children.
blood clotting.
Helps turn the food we eat
Green leafy vegetables,
into energy and helps the Heart failure due to heart
cereal grains, soy beans,
Magnesium parathyroid glands that spasm and fluid loss due to
sea food, almonds and
produce hormones too much alcohol intake.
chocolate.
important for bone health
Maintains regular
Green leafy vegetables, Irregular heartbeat, poor
heartbeat, controls balance
Potassium bananas, dried fruits, nerve function, sudden
of fluid, helps in lowering
potatoes, nuts, and milk. death during fasting.
blood pressure.
Acts as vitamin E and is
Milk, meat, grain, brown
Selenium important in preventing Heart disease.
rice, sea food, vegetables.
breakdown of cells.
Needed for normal cell
Table salt, salt-processed function throughout the Physical weakness, thirst,
Sodium
food. body and regulates amount appetite loss, headache.
of body fluid.
Egg yolk, shellfish, meat, Infertility, stunted growth,
Zinc Part of insulin.
oats, and legumes. anemia.
Micro-minerals or Trace elements
Meat, liver, broccoli, Influence how hormone Loss of insulin efficiency
Chromium
potatoes, and whole grain. insulin behaves in the body. with age.
Copper Shellfish, liver, kidney, Helps in the hemoglobin Lead to problems with
nuts, egg yolk, and whole formation. connective tissue, muscle
grains. weakness, and paleness.
Iron Liver, meat, green leafy Component of hemoglobin Anemia, tiredness, and
vegetables, whole grains, and myoglobin. apathy.
and cocoa beans.
Iodine Sea food, iodized salt. Part of thyroxin, regulates Goiter.
rate of energy use.
Manganese Tea, bread, liver, kidney, Helps make and activate Weight loss.
nuts and legumes. some of the enzymes in the
body.

Activity 2.7

A. Identify which Elements can be gained from the food listed below.

Food Elements
1. Green Leafy Vegetables
2. Meat
3. Egg Yolk
4. Whole Grains
5. Sea Food

B. Write your 3 most favorite food and search the elements that can be found in them

Favorite Food Elements

1. -
2. -
3. -

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C. Create your own Periodic Table of Elements listing all the Atomic Numbers, Names, and Symbols of each
Element. You may arrange and design the Periodic Table however you want but take into consideration the
different properties of Element, for example their State of Matter (Solid, Liquid and Gas), Division (Metal,
Metalloid, and Nonmetal), etc. Do this on a piece of bond paper/coupon bond.

Rubrics for Grading of Periodic Table

1 - Poor 2 - Fair 3 - Good 4 - Excellent

Content
 Atomic Many content of the Some content of the All the content of the All the content of
Number Periodic Table are Periodic Table are Periodic Table are the Periodic Table
either missing and / or missing and / or correct and but not are correct and well
 Name
incorrect incorrect easily understandable understandable
 Symbol

The Periodic Table is The Periodic Table

The Periodic Table is The Periodic Table is
designed poorly is designed with
designed well enough designed with
Design without any great consideration
with little regard to the consideration to the
consideration to the to the element’s
element’s properties element’s properties
elements properties properties
The elements are
The elements are arranged with great
Arrangement The elements are arranged carefully and care and in a way
/Layout The elements are
arranged well enough is easy to comprehend that the elements
arranged poorly and is
and is not organized why the elements are are clustered
organized confusingly
confusingly clustered together or together or
organized organized are
logical
Periodic Table is
Effort is extremely Shows some effort in Shows great effort in made with great
lacking in making the making the Periodic making the Periodic care & effort to
Neatness
Periodic Table neat Table neat and Table neat and avoid any mess and
and presentable presentable presentable the table is well
presentable

References:

Madriaga, Esrellita A., et.al (2015). SCIENCE LINKS 7; Work text for Scientific and Technological Literacy. Manila,
Philippines: REX Book Store SYSTEMS INC., (pp. 39, 63 - 71)

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