STUDENT HANDOUT

BASICS SHEET - 4
AIR AND WATER
Air and water are two important resources that we have on earth.

AIR
Air is all around us. Air is colorless so; we cannot see but can feel it. It is a natural
resource and useful for us in many ways. The layer of air that surrounds the earth is
called atmosphere.
Air is a mixture of different types of gases. It also contains dust particle, smoke and
germs. The three major gases in the air are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. All
living things need air to breathe. Plants breathe in oxygen; they also use carbon dioxide
to perform photosynthesis. Plants use nitrogen for their growth and development.

Nitrogen Oxygen
78% 20.9 % Argon gases
0.90 %
Other gases
0.17 %
Carbon dioxide
USES OF AIR 0.03 %

Air is used for:

a) burning
b) breathing
c) synthesizing fertilizers
d) putting off fire
e) moving sail boats
f) rotating the wheels of wind mills to draw water from tube wells

FACT: The amount of water present in the air is called humidity. Humidity is more
during summer than in winter or monsoons.

1
 WATER
Water is an important natural resource. In absence of water there is no life on earth.
About ¾th of earth’s surface is covered with water.

Rain is the main source of water. The other sources of water are:

Rivers Ponds Seas Lakes Oceans

Water is called as universal solvent as it can dissolve many substances in it. Pure water
has no taste, color and odour (smell). Water changes its state upon heating or cooling.
Water exists as solid, liquid and gas.
One state of matter can be changed into another state without losing its properties.
The solid ice melts into liquid when heated, again the water can change into ice by
cooling.
Heating Heating

Cooling Cooling
Solid Liquid Gas

Evaporation is the process of changing a liquid into a vapour or a gas

Condensation is process of conversion of a vapour or a gas into a liquid
Precipitation is the process of release of water from the sky. It can be in the form of
rain, snow, sleet or hail.

USES OF WATER
Water is used for:

Drinking Cooking Washing Cleaning Bathing

Growing crops Putting off fire Cleaning floor Transportation

2
 EXERCISES
I. Give two examples:

1. Gases in air :

2. Natural resources :

3. Sources of water :

4. Liquid state of matter :

II. Observe the pictures and mention whether it is the use of air or water.

_________________________ _________________________ _________________________

_________________________ _________________________ _________________________

III. Complete the passage with the help of clues.

Gases, oxygen, three, argon, Colourless, 0.04%, 21%, atmosphere.

Air is a mixture of __________. It contains ________ main gases nitrogen,

________ and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen constitutes more than three fourth of
the ___________ (which is 78% of air by volume). It is a __________ and
odourless gas. Oxygen constitutes ___________ and carbon dioxide constitutes
__________ of the atmosphere. Apart from these, air also contains gases like
neon, _________, and water vapour, dust and smoke.