SCIENCE 7 REVIEWER

MODULE 1: SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE AND SOLVING PROBLEMS

Science is a way of thinking and a way of gathering knowledge about the world that is both accurate and
reliable. It is the quest to understand and improve our knowledge of the world around us, and how the things in it
work or why they work the way they do.

The scientific method is like the road map that you follow to get to that destination. It is the process by
which science is carried out, as in other areas of inquiry; science through scientific method can build on previous
knowledge and develop a more sophisticated understanding of its topics of study over time.

When using scientific method to carry out your own investigation, the first thing you need to do is observe
then ask questions. Just look at all the things around you. Does something make you curious? Does something seem
strange to you? Do you wonder what causes something or why something happens? Have you asked yourself; why is
the sky blue? What makes soda fizzy? The possibilities for observations and questions are endless.

The next scientific method will involve you to test hypothesis. Hypothesis is an educated guess. It is a
preliminary answer to the question you have asked that you will test to see if it seems to be true. Keep in mind that it
does not matter whether your hypothesis is “right” or “wrong.” The next step is to test your hypothesis wherein you
will design and conduct an experiment. After your experiment, make sure to record the observations and data so you
will be able to analyze the results.

BASIC STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD

1. MAKE OBSERVATIONS

There are tons of everyday activities that would make cool science experiments using the scientific method. A
student noticed that ice melted fast in water.

2. COME UP WITH A QUESTION

The students’ observations should lead to some sort of questions. Does ice melt faster in different liquids?
Curiosity on what happens to the ice in liquids is a simple science experiment perfect for using the scientific method.

3. DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS OR PREDICTION

You have made your observations and you have your questions. Now you need to make a prediction about
what you think will happen next.

A hypothesis is not simply a guess! A hypothesis is an educated guess or tentative answer to a problem. The
student thinks that ice will melt faster in juice than it will in water. Maybe he just wants to get a drink of juice out of it.

Example:

1. What happens to the growth of mongo seeds if table salt was added to the soil?
2. Tomato seeds may grow faster in colder temperature.
Hypothesis:
1. If the amount of salt added to the soil increases, then the growth of mongo seeds decreases.
2. If tomato seeds were planted in colder temperature, then the seeds will grow at a faster rate.

Variables in an experiment may be independent or dependent. The variable that is being manipulated or
controlled is called independent variable. The dependent variable changes because of a test. It is the effect that
arises from the changes in the independent variable.

4. CONDUCT AN EXPERIMENT OR TEST THE HYPOTHESIS

We made a prediction that ice will melt faster in juice than in water, and now we must test our hypothesis. We
set up an experiment with a glass of juice, a glass of water and an ice cube for each. For the best experiments, only
one thing should change! Here, we are changing the type of liquid we use but keeping the ice cube, the temperature,
and measurements of the liquid the same. If too many factors change at once, you cannot accurately state what the
results are.
 The liquids should be roughly the same temperature (as close as possible) and measured to the same amount,
so we left them out to come to room temperature. This could also be tested right out of the fridge! Set up a stopwatch
or set a time limit to observe the changes!

5. RECORD AND ANALYZE THE RESULTS

Make sure to record what is happening as well as the results. Note changes at specific time intervals or after
one set time interval. When each ice cube is completely melted, add drawings if you wish at the end results. Was your
prediction accurate? If it is not accurate, state the reason/s.

6. DRAW CONCLUSIONS

This is the opportunity to talk about your hypothesis, your experiment, your results, and your conclusion which
is the final answer to your problem or experiment!

MODULE 2: ELEMENTS ARE LIKE SPICES, WHEN MIXED TOGETHER, THEY BECOME BETTER

Elements and Compounds are all around us. Elements are made up of atom or atoms of the same kind. They
are the simplest type of matter and cannot be broken down into components. Each element is made entirely from one
type of atom. Each element is unique, and no two elements have the same set of properties. Some are in the same
state, but they have different properties. Some elements are metals like iron, gold, and silver. Others are nonmetals like
Nitrogen, Oxygen and Hydrogen. There are elements that are metalloids like Boron, Silicon and Germanium.
Compounds are combination of two or more elements like water which is a combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen;
salt which is made up of sodium and chlorine; and rusts formed when an iron reacts with oxygen. Compounds can be
broken down into its components through a chemical process and formed when two elements are combined. It has
unique properties that are different from the properties of the elements that make them up.

MODULE 3: TWO WORLDS APART: PURE SUBSTANCES VS. MIXTURES

Pure Substances are one of the classes of matter. Substances are homogeneous or with uniform composition
and appearance are the same all throughout. The temperature of a substance is fixed and sharp. During melting, a
substance melts completely/smoothly within a short time. In pure substances, the components are chemically
combined. The component parts are difficult to separate except for water. During the process called electrolysis or by-
passing electric current the components Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O) of water are separated. During boiling, the
temperature of a substance changes at the start then it becomes the same and constant. During melting, a substance
melts completely/ smoothly within a short time.

Substances and mixtures are classes of matter. Mixtures are heterogeneous or without uniform composition
and appearance are not the same all throughout. The temperature of a mixture is different at different times. During
melting, a mixture has portions that seem to be not melting. There are a lot of ways to separate mixtures. Physical
manipulation separates using a spoon or any scooping material or by picking. The use of magnet can be done to
separate the metallic materials from nonmetallic materials.

Filtration is the separation of an insoluble solid from a liquid mixture using filter paper. In decantation, the
large particles of insoluble solid are separated from the liquid mixture. Evaporation separates the soluble solid from
the liquid component of the solution by evaporating the liquid substance.

MODULE 4: I HAVE LESS, SHE HAS AMPLE, HE HAS MORE, LET US SEE WHAT’S IN STORE

The substances that make up a homogeneous solution are called components of the solution. These
components are called solvent and a solute. What is solvent? What is solute?
Solvent it is a component of a solution which dissolves the other component in itself. It institutes the larger
component of the solution. For example, water is a solvent that dissolves solid substance like sugar. Solute it is the
component of the solution which dissolves in the solvent. It has the lesser component of the solution. For example,
sugar is a solute that dissolves in water.
When sugar is dissolved in water, the particles of sugar gets between the spaces of the particles of water and
creates a single phase of solution. However, when you slowly add more amount of sugar into a solution and stir it, you
will observe that the solution reaches already the point at which it cannot dissolve more solute and the sugar you add
sinks to the bottom in solid form.
 You have observed that there is a maximum amount of solute like sugar that can dissolve in a given amount of
solvent like water at a certain temperature. The process took place between sugar and water is called the solubility of
the solute.
The solution that contains the maximum amount of solute dissolved by a given amount of solvent is called a
saturated solution. The presence of an excess solid which can no longer dissolve is evidence that the solution is
saturated. A solution is unsaturated when it contains less solute than the maximum amount it can dissolve at a given
temperature.
When you add more amount of solute in a solution and then you will observe some particles are left at the
bottom of the solution, at this point the solution is saturated. It is a solution in which the amount of solute is equal to
the solute’s solubility at a given volume and temperature.
During heating of solution, you continue added solute in a solution and it still dissolved. At this portion the
solution is saturated at a higher temperature. Allowing the solution to cool down at normal temperature and no solute
crystallizes, the solution is Supersaturated Solution. It is a solution in which the amount of solute is greater than the
solute’s solubility at a given volume and temperature. This state is unstable, which by slight agitation causes
precipitation. In this process, some of the solute will come out of the solution. Once precipitation occurs, the end
result is a saturated solution.

MODULE 5: QUANTITY REALLY MATTERS

You can describe the concentration of solutions qualitatively (by simply observing their appearance) and
quantitatively (by comparing the number of drops per volume of water). Therefore, we need more exact, quantitative
methods of expressing concentration.
You can express concentration in other ways such as: percent by volume, it is defined as the volume of solute
present in 100 mL of solution (% v/v)

When we express the concentration of a solution as the percent one component in the solution, we call it the
mass percentage (w/w). Assume, we have a solution containing component A as the solute and B as the solvent, then
its mass percentage is expressed as:
Mass % of A = Mass of component A ÷ Total Mass

For example, we have a 10% solution of sugar by mass means that 10 grams of sugar are present in 100 grams of the
solution.