Gs Grade 4

General science book for grade 4
Unit One
The human body (external and internal structure )
Unit Objectives:‐ At the end of this unit, the students should be able to,
 List and de ine the internal and external body parts .
 Tell the special functions of the parts of a human body.
 Explain the types of muscular tissue .
1.1 External structure :- skin , muscles, bones
The human body consists of head, neck, trunk, upper limbs and lower
limbs .
The trunk can be divide into three parts.
a) The thorax or chest
b) The abdomen and
c) The pelvis or lower end of trunk associated with hip
The major organs that are seen from outside are :- limbs, ears, eyes , nose,
skin, etc .
Exercise
Write at least 10 external parts of a human body.
1 6
2 7
3 8
4 9
5 10
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1.1.1 Skin
 Skin is the largest organ of the body.
 The skin is an organ of double layered tissue stretched over the sur-
face of the body and protecting it from drying or losing luid from
harmful extremes of temperature .
 Skin regulates body temperature and stores water, fat and vitamin D.
 The skin forms a continuous layer over the surface of the body . The
skin body consists of two main layers.
1) An outer layer - epidermis
2) An inner layer - dermis
1. Epidermis :‐ This is the outer layer of the skin. The skin is thickest on
areas of the body that regularly rub against object such as the palms
of the hands and the soles of the feet. It is thin on the lips and other
parts of the skin specialized parts of the skin are the nails and hairs.
This layers also contains hairs. The epidermis, contains pigments, pore
and ducts and its surface is made of dead cells that it sheds from
the body.
2. Dermis :- The dermis is thicker than the epidermis blood capillaries,
nerves, sweat glands and bases of hair and nails. The sweat glands ex-
crete waste and cool the body through evaporation of luid droplets.
The blood vessels of the dermis supplement temperature regulation
by contracting to preserve body heat and expanding to dissipate it.
In short, the epidermis is the outer layer, serving as the physical and
chemical barrier between the interior body and exterior environment.
The dermis is the deeper layer providing the structural support to the
skin.
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Exercise 1
I. Fill in the blank spaces.

1. is the largest organ of the body.
2. is the outer layer of the skin.
3. The two layers of the skin are and .
4. The epidermis contain , and
5. The layer of our skin (dermis) contains ,
, and .
6. excrete wastes and cools the body through evaporation of
luid droplets .
7. The is the deeper layer of a skin providing the
structural support to the skin.
1.1.1 .1Special function of the skin
The dermis contains numerous different types of specialized nerve cell or

sensory receptors at the base of the hair follicles. These sensory receptor
defect various stimuli, including pain, heat cold itch and pressure.
Scattered in the epidermis are a dairy pigment called melanin. This
pigment gives color to the skin, and protects it from the sun’s ultraviolet
rays.
3
Different skin color among people of different race is due to the differ-
ence in the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is more in dark skinned
people particularly in those who live in hot and humid climatic conditions.
The sweat gland of the skin produces sweat which is a mixture of water, salt
and waste.
If dust and dirt collect on the skin, the openings of the sweat glands
are blocked. This leads to certain skin diseases such as infection. Hence,
one should take daily baths to keep the body clean .
The skin also helps to regulate body temperature.
1.1.1.1 General functions of the skin
1. It protects the tissues, from mechanical injury, cold and heat.
2. It prevents harmful micro organism, and chemicals from entering the
body.
3. The skin also helps to regulate body temperature through sweating.
4. It excretes some waste products.
Exercise 2
Give Short answer
1. The sensory receptors in the skin defect various stimuli including
A) B) C)
D) E)
2. What is melanin ?
3. The differences in skin colour among individual race is due to
4. What is the cause of skin disease?
5. Write at least four functions of the skin A)
B) C) D)
4
1.2 Internal structures muscle ,skeleton

1.2.1 Muscle
The bones of the skeleton are covered by the muscles which in turn is covered
by fatty tissue and skin. Muscle characterized by the ability to contract. The
muscle cells are arranged in layers. There is about 75 percent of water in the
muscles.
In general, the muscles contract as required and then return to their
original state. This contraction and relaxation of muscles help the body to move
from one place to another, and also to carry out the function of respiration
Your muscles need glycogen (muscle sugar) in order to function. So that
the muscles can contract and relax. There are more than 600 muscles in the
human body
Your heart is made up of a very special type of muscle called cardiac
muscle. It keeps working hard from before the day you are born until the
moment of your death. It never gets needs to stop and rest like your skeleton
muscles do.
Muscles are needed for the following functions:-
 pump blood
 breathe
 produce body heat and regulate body temperature
 protect internal organ
Exercise 3
Fill in the blank spaces .
1. Our heart is made up of muscle.
2. Our muscles need in order to function .
3. There is about percent of water in the muscles.
4. There are more than muscles in the human body.
5. The contraction and relaxation of muscles help a body to
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II. Give short answers.

Write five functions of muscles.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
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1.2.2 Types of muscular tissue

Some of the muscles in the body can be brought into action at one’s will or
consciously. For example: muscles, of the limbs. There are some muscles
that are not under one’s voluntary control. These muscles work on their
own. For example: the muscles in the intestine and stomach.
Basically, muscles are of two kinds
1. voluntary
2. Involuntary
1) Voluntary muscle:‐ when the elbow is bent, the muscles in the front
of the upper arm contract and pull the forearm upwards.
Similarly when the elbow is extended, the muscles in the back of the upper
arm contract and at same time those in the front relax and the elbow is ex-
tended.
This bending or extending of the elbow is under one’s control or wish.
Muscles that respond to conscious effort. That is the muscles that can be
moved at will are the voluntary muscle. Most of the muscles in the body are
voluntary in nature .
Another example of voluntary muscle are skeletal muscles. They help
in movement of different parts. Such as; your bones, face, eyes etc...
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2) Involuntary muscles
In most case, the internal activities of our body can contract and relax
our muscles without our conscious mind or unconsciously . Such as :-
 Cardiac muscle :- Movement of your hearts, and central blood vessels
 Smooth muscle:‐ Movement of your intestine esophagus and other in-
ternal organ including
 Alimentary canal (the passage along which food passes through the
body during digestion)
Exercise 4
Give short answer
1. What are involuntary muscles?
2. What are voluntary muscles?
3. Give three examples of voluntary muscles?
4. Give three examples of involuntary muscles?
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1.2.3 Skeleton
Children frequently play with dolls. These dolls may be made of clay,
cotton, jute iber. To these
dolls, irst two strong sticks
are tied together such that they
cross each other. This forms
the framework over which
clay, cotton or jute are
molded to give the required
shape of a doll. It is then
coloured and made attractive
for children. Similarly, human
body has a framework too,
which is formed by the bones
joined together as the skeleton.
Muscles, fat and skin cover
this skeleton.
Thus, skeleton is the rigid or semi - rigid structures supporting the soft
tissues of an animal's body and providing leverage for muscular action. In
vertebrates, such as humans, the skeleton is known as the endoskeleton as
it is formed within the body.
Functions of skeleton:
1. Skeleton provides the framework, and supports the soft tissue.
Without a skeleton the body would have been a mass of lesh only.
2. It helps humans to stand upright and move about.
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3. It affords special protection to highly important structure and organs.

For example, the skull protects the brain, the thorax protects the heart
and lungs.
4. It bears the weight of the body. The weight of the different parts pass
through different bones and inally through the lower limb to the
ground.
5. It provides attachment for muscles so that movement may take place
at the joints.
6. The bones are a storehouse for minerals such as calcium and
phosphorus.
Human body is formed of 206 big and small bones. The bones are of
different size and shape. Some are long, some short, again some are lat.
The longest bone is femur, and the smallest is stapes, a small bone in the
middle ear. According to the arrangement the skeleton is made of four
main parts–the skull, trunk, upper and lower limbs.
Skull: The skull is a bony covering that protects the brain from exter-
nal
injury. In it lodges the ear, nose, and eye.
Trunk: The middle part consisting of the vertebral column, and the
ribs
and their cartilage–the thorax. The vertebral column consists of thirty
Human
Body: External Structures, Skin, Muscles, Bones (Skeleton) 209
three small bones–the vertebrae–attached to one another. The vertebral
column keeps the body upright, and bears the weight of the skull.
Thorax: This is like a cage. It is formed by the vertebral column behind
and twelve pairs of curved ribs that pass to front and attach to the sternum
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in front. Thorax protects the heart and lungs.
Upper and lower limb: The upper limb is for med of 64 bones, and the lower
limb is formed of 62 bones. They help in movement The bones join one another
to form the complete skeleton. The regions of union between bones or cartilages
is the joints. Joints are two types: moveable and immovable.
In moveable joints: the bones for ming the joint can move against each oth-
er. For example, elbow joint, wrist joint. In immovable joints: the bones are
fused together and so cannot move against each other. For example, the skull
bones.
Structure of bone: The bones are for med of bone cells or osteocytes.
The bones are very strong. They are composed of calcium and phosphorus,
along with water. The ends of the bones are covered by cartilage, which are
formed of softer tissue than bones. The tip of the nose, the pinna of external ear
are formed of cartilage.
Cartilage is softer, more elastic, and more compressible than bone. The skeleton
is formed of bones and cartilage. The bones are covered by the periosteal, and
inside it are the blood vessels and nerves. At the two ends of long bones are a
region of soft bone with pores. This is the spongy bone. In the central hollow of
the long bones is the bone marrow. Between the spongy bone and the cartilage is
the cortex. It is the hardest part of bone.
New Words Learned in this Chapter
 Skin ,Involuntary muscle ,Thorax Joints
 Melanin ,Cardiac muscle, Vertebral column, Upper limb,
 Sweat gland ,Skeleton Bones, Lower limb
 Voluntary muscle, Skull Cartilage, Bone marrow
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Exercise 5
I. Fill in the blank spaces .
1. and cover the skeleton.
2. Human body is formed of big and small bones.
3. The longest bone is and the smallest one is
4. is a bony covering that protects the brain from injury.
5. Protects the heart and lungs.
6. The upper limb is formed of bones and the lower limb
is formed of bones.
7. joints are like elbow .
8. The bone is composed of and along
with water .
9. External ear and the tip of the nose are formed from .
Review exercise
Write “True” if the statement is correct and “false” if the statement is incorrect
1. Hair is the part of the skin that covers the internal part of a body .
2. Stomach is external part of a body .
3. The skin is the largest organ of the body.
4. The dust and dirt in the skin can cause skin disease .
5. Muscle can contract and relax only by a person’s will .
Match the item under column “A” with their best alternatives under column “B”
A B
1) Epidermis A) This is like a cage.
2) Dermis B) Are very strong.
3) Cartilage C) Protect brain .
4) Bone D) Blood capillaries, nerves, sweet glands.
5) Skull E) formed of softer, more elastic bones .
6) Thorax F) Pigments, Pores, ducts .
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Circle the correct answer for the following questions.

1. Which one of the following is function of a skin?
A) protect the body from ultra violet rays
B) regulate body temperature
C) Excrete some waste products
D) All of the above
2. The dark pigment scattered in the epidermis are called
A) skull B) melanin C) Thorax D) Muscles
3) In which part of the bone is cartilage present?
A) Inside B) Outside C) at the end D) In all places
4) On which muscle of the organ we have no control ?
A) of hand B) of leg C) of jaw D) of intestine
5. Which mineral is more available in bone?
A) calcium B) Iron C) Sulphur D) zinc
6. Which one is present in the epidermis ?
A) hairs B) nails C) bone D) A and B are answer
7. Which one of the following parts is useful for movement?
A) skeleton B) muscle C) skin D) skull
8. Which one of the following can be moveable joint?
A) Elbow joint B) the skull bones
C) wrist joint D) A and C are answers
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Unit Two
2. The circulatory system
Unit objective :- At the end of this unit, the students should be able to
 define cell and circulatory system.
 List the components of circulatory system.
 Describe the kinds and diseases of blood circulation.
2.1 What is cell?
 Organs are formed of groups of tissues. Tissues are again formed of groups of
cells. The origin of these cells and their function are same. Integrated function of
two or more organs form system .
N.B cell tissue organ system
 In the previous grade, you have learned how food is digested. In this unit ,
you will learn how the digested food is distributed throughout the body. The
digested food is transposed and distributed all over the body through blood.
Questions:- What is digestion?
What are the main organs of the digestive system ?
2.1.1 Blood circulation

Blood circulation is the movement of blood in the blood vessels. Bloods circula-
tion has various functions .These are :-
1. Transporting digested food from the intestine to all over the body
2. Transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide
3. Preventing the body from disease causing organism
4. Keeping the body temperature constant
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Components of circulatory system.

The components of circulatory system include;
a. blood
b. heart
c. blood vessels
Exercise 1
I. Give shot answer for the following questions.
1. What is blood circulation ?
2. Write the four functions of blood circulation .

A) C)
B) D)
3. Write the three components of the circulatory system .
A)
B)
C)
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A. Blood
 What is plasma ?
 What is heart ?
Blood:- is a reddish fluid which flows in the blood vessels. The compo-
nents of blood are :-
1. Blood cells
2. Plasma
1. Blood cells
There are three kinds of blood cells. These are :-
A. Red blood cells -that transport oxygen .
B. White blood cells -that defend the body from disease causing organisms .
C. Platelets -that are important in the process of blood clotting .
B. Plasma
Plasma:- is the liquid component of blood. It is mainly composed of water.
Plasma also contains digested foods, different chemicals, carbon dioxide and
blood proteins and so on. Plasma therefore transports digested food, carbon
dioxide and other chemicals.
B. The heart
 The heart is a strong muscular organ. It pumps blood into blood vessel.
Pumping of the heart is felt as a heartbeat. Your heart beat continuous even
when you are asleep.
 The human heart has for division of chambers– rooms. These are :-
1. Left ventricle
2. Left atrium (auricle)
3. Right ventricle
4. Right atrium (auricle)
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The left atrium receives blood from the lung and passes to left ventricle.
This blood has more oxygen.
The left ventricle pumps the blood to all over the body. The blood from all
over the body returns back and enters to right atrium. This blood has less oxy-
gen.
The right atrium this blood then passes to the right ventricles. pumps to the
lungs .
The right ventricles pump blood to the lungs.
The lungs add oxygen to the blood. In this way blood circulation continues.
C. Blood vessels
 Blood vessel is a tube in which blood is transported throughout the body.
There are three types of blood vessels. These are:-
1. Arteries
2. Veins
3. Capillaries
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1. Arteries
These blood vessels carry pure blood (rich in oxygen) to all the body parts.
Arteries are thick walled blood vessels. Digested food gets dissolved in the
blood. This blood is carried to all organs by the arteries. The largest artery is
aorta. Aorta rises from the left ventricle and branches to many arteries. The
blood in arteries are bright red in color.
2. Veins
These blood vessels are comparatively thinner than arteries. They carry impure
blood (containing carbon dioxide and other wastes) away from different body
parts.
This impure blood is taken to the heart by vein. The heart pumps it into the
lungs where the carbon dioxide gas is exchanged for oxygen from the lung, the
blood containing oxygen comes back to the heart. The arteries take this pure
blood to the various parts of the body. The largest vein is vena cava. Vena cava
collects blood from many veins. The blood in veins is dark red in color.
Exercise
I . Fill in the blank spaces
1. are tubes in which blood is transported throughout the body .
2. Carry pure blood to all the body parts .
3. The largest vein is called .
4. The largest artery is called .
5. The blood in veins is in color .
6. The blood in arteries is in color.
7. The impure blood is taken to the heart by the .
8. is where the carbon dioxide gas is exchanged for oxygen .
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II. Fill in the blank spaces.

1. blood cell defends the body from disease causing organism .
2. are important in the process of blood clotting .
3. is the movement of blood in blood vessels .
4. blood cell transports oxygen .
5. contains digested foods, different chemicals, carbon dioxide,
blood, proteins, etc .
3. Capillaries
 Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels. Capillaries may not be seen by the
naked eyes. They are located between arteries and veins. Capillaries are in di-
rect contact with body cells.
 Capillaries serve as a medium of exchange of food, oxygen and carbon diox-
ide between blood and body cells.
Kinds of blood circulation

There are many systems of blood circulation in our body. The two major ones
are
1. Systemic circulation .
2. Pulmonary circulation .
Systemic circulation
Systemic circulation is the movement of blood from the heart to all the body and
returning back to the heart .
Pulmonary circulation
Pulmonary circulation is the movement of blood from the heart to the lung and
returning back to the heart.
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Heart beat
 Heart beat is the contraction and relaxation of the heart. Heart beat helps to
pump blood to all organs in the body. During heart beat, when the ventricles
contract, the atrium relax. When the atriums contract, the ventricles relax.
This contraction helps the heart to pump and push blood through arteries.
 When blood is pushed into arteries, the size of arteries increase. This
increase and decrease in the size of artery is the result of heart beat. The
average number of heart beat in normal adult man is 72 per minute. In
children, it is a little more.
Important factors for healthy blood circulation
1. Enough rest
2. Physical exercise
3. Balanced diet
4. Vaccination
5. Avoiding cigarettes smoking
6. Avoiding drinking alcohol
Disease of blood circulation

There are various diseases that affect the circulatory system. Some of these are:-
1. AIDS
2. SYPHILIS
AIDS
 AIDS is an abbreviation for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS
is a disease caused by virus known as HIV. This virus kills the white blood
cells in our body. As a result, our body cannot defend its self from disease
causing organisms. It can result in death.
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SYPHILIS
 Syphilis is caused by bacteria. It attacks organs in our body and result in
death.
Exercise
Give short answers..
1. What are capillaries ?
2. What is systemic circulation ?
3. What is pulmonary circulation ?
4. Write four important factors of blood circulation.
5. Write two diseases that affect blood circulation .
6. Define the abbreviation of AIDS.
7. Why do people die when they are affected by AIDS?
8. What is the cause of syphilis?
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Review Exercise
Write “true” if the statement is correct and “false” if the statement is
incorrect .
1. Cells are the smallest unit of the organ in the body .
2. Blood transports oxygen and nutrients.
3. The final products of digestion go to blood circulation.
4. Preventing the body from disease is one function of blood circulation
5. Blood is a brown fluid that flows in the blood vessels.

Choose the correct answer
1. Who discovered cell?
A) Hensley B) Robert Hook C) Leuyen Hook D) Mandela
2. Which blood cell transports oxygen in our body ?
A) white blood cell B) red blood cells C) platelets D) all
3. The plasma of blood is mainly composed of .
A) water B) oxygen C) food D) none
4. The blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart are known as
A) veins B) arteries C) capillaries
5. Which of the following blood vessels are the smallest and used for exchange
of food and gases between blood and body cells?
A) veins B) Arteries C) capillaries
6. Which disease is caused by virus?
A) AIDS B) cholera C) typhoid D) syphilis
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Unit Three
3. Brain
Unit Objective: At the end of this unit, the students should be able
to:
 Define the human brain and nervous system.
 Understand what the brain does.
 List and explain the three main parts of the brain.
3.1 What is the brain?

The brain is the control center for your body, and it exists in your skull at the
top of your spinal cord.
The brain has three main parts. These are:-
1. The cerebellum.
2. The cerebrum, which has two parts, the left and right cerebral hemi-
spheres.
3. The brain stem, controls a lot of the 'automatic' actions of your body such
as breathing and heart beat, and links the brain to the spinal cord and the
rest of the body.
Your brain is wrapped in 3 layers of tissue
and floats in a special shock-proof fluid to
stop it from getting bumped on the inside
of your skull as your body moves around.
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What the brain does

Your brain is more powerful, more complex
and more clever than any computer ever
built.
It is constantly dealing with hundreds of
messages from the world around you, and from your body, and telling your
body what to do.
It gets the messages from your senses - seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling,
touching and moving. The messages tr avel from ner ve cells all over the
body. They travel along nerve fibers to nerve cells in the brain.
Cranial nerves car r y messages to and from the ear s, eyes, nose, throat,
tongue and skin on your face and scalp.
The spinal cord carries messages to and from the arms, legs and trunk of the
body.
Sensory nerves collect the infor mation and send it to the br ain along one
network then motor nerves take the br ain's or der s back along another
network (like cars travelling along their own side of the highway.)
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Your brain collects all the information, sorts it out, thinks, re-
members, creates, compares, solves problems and coordinates
actions all at the same time - even when you're asleep! (And
you don't have to be 'plugged in' and 'online' either!)
If you get too tired or don't eat enough food, your brain can't do this as
well as usual.
If you get too tired or don't eat enough food, your brain can't do this as well as usual.
Control centers of the brain

Doctors and scientists have found that different parts of the brain are in charge
of different things. Look at the diagram for
an easy way to understand.
The cerebellum controls and coordinates
movements of the muscles, like walking or
swinging the arms. This means that the
movement is smooth and controlled and
you don't fall over when you turn around.
The outside layer of the cerebrum has spe-
cial areas, which receive messages about
sight, touch, hearing and taste. Other areas
control movement, speech, learning, intelligence and personality.
The brain stem is in char ge of keeping the automatic systems of your body
working. You don't have to think about breathing, you just do it automatically,
but you can decide if you want to hold your breath for a short time. You don't
have to think about your heart beating because your brain keeps it going auto-
matically.
Interesting facts about the human brain
 Do you know that your brain has around 100 billion nerve cells?
 It also has 1,000 billion other cells, which cover the
nerve cells and the parts of the nerve cells which form the
links between one cell and another, feed them and keep
them healthy.
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 Your brain keeps on growing until you are about 20 years old. By then the
brain has made lots of links which it no longer needs so it is able to shed any
unwanted connections and still have billions of brain cells left to cope with
whatever you may want to do. You can still make new connections even when
you are 100 years old, so get Grandma going on the computer - she may not
learn as fast as you but she can do it!
 The front of the human brain is larger than any other animal's, even the dino-
saur's!
 The left side of your brain is usually better at problem solving, maths and
writing.
 The right side of the brain is creative and helps you to be
good at art or music.
 The brain stores all sorts of things in the memory includ-
ing facts and figures and all the smells, tastes and things
you have seen, heard or touched.
 Your brain can also find things that you have remembered
---like how to spell ce-re-bell-um.
 The adult brain weighs about 1.5kg.
Looking after your brain

Your brain is protected inside your skull but could still be damaged if your head
is hit or bumps into something hard.
 Always wear a helmet if you are riding a bike, scooter or skate board.
 Always wear a helmet for sports where you could be hit or fall, Example :
baseball or horse-riding .
Never dive into water unless you know how deep it is. (Your
brain should let you know that this is not a smart thing to do.)
Apart from making sure that you don't injure your brain, you can
also make sure that you help your brain by:
 Eating healthy food like fish and fresh vegetables.
 Exercising your brain by learning new things and trying to re-
member them.
Getting plenty of sleep.
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What is the nervous system?

The nervous system is the highway along which your brain sends
and receives information about what is happening in the body and
around it. This highway is made up of billions of nerve cells, or
which join together to make nerves.
 A nerve is a fiber that sends impulses through the body.
 These fibers are covered by fatty substance called myelin.
Myelin helps the messages go fast through the neurons.
Nerve cells work by a mixture of chemical and electrical action.
The two main parts of the nervous system are the central nervous
system and the peripheral (say per-if-er-al) nervous system.
How nerve cells work?
At the end of each nerve cell there is a synaptic terminal . This is full of
extremely tiny sacs which hold neurotransmitter chemicals
 These chemicals transmit nerve impulses from one nerve to another or from
nerves to muscle cells.
 An electrical nerve impulse travels along the neuron to these sacs which
then release the neurotransmitter chemicals.
 The chemicals move along to the next neuron sparking an electrical charge
which moves the nerve impulse forward.
 This happens several times until the message gets where it's going.
The central nervous system

The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system. The brain
lies protected inside the skull and from there controls all the
body functions by sending and receiving messages through
nerves.
The peripheral nervous system
The peripheral nervous system carries messages to and from
the central nervous system. It sends information to the brain
and carries out orders from the brain.
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Messages travel through the cranial nerves, those

which branch out from the brain and go to many
places in the head such as the ears, eyes and face.
Messages can also travel through the spinal nerves
which branch out from the spinal cord.
There are two major parts to the peripheral nervous
system.
The somatic (say so-mat-ik) system:
 sends sensory information to the central nervous sys-
tem through peripheral nerve fibers. Sensory means that it
sends the information coming from all your senses, touch,
vision, hearing, taste, smell and position.
sends messages to motor nerve fibers to get the muscles to
move the body.
The autonomic (say or-tow-nom-ik) system

is responsible for making sure that all the automatic things
that your body needs to do to keep you going, like breathing, digesting etc
continue working smoothly without your having to think about them. (How
hard would it be to have to keep thinking, "Breathe in, breathe out," or "Start
digesting the food stomach!")
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Dr. Kate says

You can help your nervous system work well and be healthy
by being active, having a healthy diet and keeping yourself
busy and happy.
 Exercise releases a chemical, called serotonin, in the
brain which makes you feel good, relaxes muscles and

gets rid of stress.
 Good food gives your body the vitamins and minerals
needed to build healthy nerves and tissue.

Keeping busy and happy helps you to deal with life when
things go wrong.
Give short answers

1. What are the three main parts of a brain ?
2. Write three functions of the brain?
3. What are the functions of nerve cells?
4. What are the methods that help us to look after our brain?
5. What are sense organs?
29
Unit Four
4. Water and air
Unit Objective:- At the end of this unit, the students should be able to,
 Define water and air
 List and explain the sources of water
 Identify the causes of water pollution.
 Explain the methods of purifying water
4.1 Water is the most easily available liquid of all the liquids present on the
earth. Three fourth of the earth surface consists of water. Human body contains
about 70% water. Fish, meat and vegetable contain almost 60% to 90% water.
No one can survive with out water. That is why the other name of water is life.
 Water is composed of two elementary gases - hydrogen and oxygen.
4.1.1 The importance of water for saving the animal and plants life .
No life can exist without water. Plants and animals need water for different
purposes .
 Water is required to build the cells of a body:- The water secreting from
mouth helps to swallowing food. The fluid of blood transport food items to
different organs and then produces energy and builds body similar the toxic
substances are leaving out through this water.
Sufficient amount of water are required to washing clothes, bathing, cooking
and cleaning of utensils .
30
There is a hydroelectric power station in our country. In this power station
water is used to run generator to produce electricity, and this electricity
supplies energy to different place for industries, bulbs, TV or radio etc…
 Cultivation of lands is not possible with out water .
 Cultivation of land in our country mostly depends upon rainfall. But at the
time of requirement sufficient rainfall do not occur. Thus, the farmers
cultivates their land by irrigation .
 Water is essential for plant kingdom from the time of germination of food
until the end of the life of the plant. Water is crucial. Water reacts with carbon
dioxide in presence of chlorophyll and sunlight to produce food . The plant
and animal world live by taking this food .
31
Exercise
Fill in the blank spaces.
1. Water is composed of and gases.
2. Write 4 importance of water.
A)
B)
C)
D)
3. Explain the above importance of water.
A)
B)
C)
D)
32
4.1.2 Sources of water

We get water in nature from the following sources .
(1) Rain water
(2) Fountain water
(3) River water
(4) Sea water
1. Rain water
Rainwater is the purest form of natural
water. Water in the sea, river canal,
lake, pond etc vapors due to sunshine
and go into the air. In contact with the
upper cold air this vapors condenses
into cloud and make rainfalls from the
cloud. As a result, the rivers, ponds, canals, Fig.4.1 water cycle
lakes, swamps etc fill with water. In the hill track ar-
ea there is more rainfall. This rainwater goes into the river and sea. This cycle of
water is called water cycle.
2. Fountain water
Rainwater enters into the soil after rain. Sand, clays and stones filter when
water passes through them. After a long storage in the ground, this water comes
up on the surface as fountain. This water is also obtained from wells and
tube-wells. Various substances present in the soil get dissolved in this water. For
this reason, fountain water is not always pure. But as it comes out through the
layers of sand and stone, it looks almost clear.
3. River water
Molten snow from mountains, rain and fountain water flow into the river.
There are floating and dissolved material present in river water waste.
33
materials from surroundings also fall in to the river water. For this river water
looks muddy and un-clean in rainy season. The river-flow carries various
materials with it. Some of these materials are soluble and some are insoluble.
Soluble materials contain different salts and insoluble materials contain sand,
clay etc. In rainy season river water looks turbid due to the presence of clay and
mud.
4. Sea water
Sea is the main source of water. River flow into the sea. Seawater looks clear.
But it contains the largest amount of dissolved impurities. Excess amount of
different salts contain in seawater. For this seawater is undrinkable and salty.
Besides these, we get water from wells, tube-wells, ponds, lake. Water from
these sources is used for drinking and other domestic purposes. Now a day’s
water is supplied to the city areas and in cultivating land from deep tube-wells.
4.1.3 Pure and impure water
We should be very careful about the purity of our drinking water. Water is
polluted in various ways. The water which contains germs of diseases, waste
materials, darts etc. and which by drinking causes diseases in our body is called
impure water. Pure water cannot be obtained except rainwater. Rain water
generally pure. But rainwater at the beginning of rain remains dirty due to the
presence of dust particles in the air. The rainwater in industrial areas is not pure.
Water in ponds, ditches, canals and rivers become polluted in different ways.
Some of the common causes of pollution of water are mentioned here.
34
Exercise
Give short answers
1. Explain how rain is formed.
2. Explain how fountain water is formed.
3. What is the characteristic of rain water?
4. Soluble material in the river contains and insoluble

materials contain and .
5. Excess amount of different salt contain in water.
6. Write some water bodies we use for drinking and other domestic purposes.
7. Water which by drinking causes disease to our body is called

water .
8. water is pure.
9. What is the reason for rain water to be dirty at the beginning ?
10. How is rain created? (show it by using picture )
35
4.1.4 Causes of pollution of water

(1) River and pond water is polluted by washing of household utensils, taking
bath, washing of dirty clothes, giving bath to cattle’s, rotting of jute, defeat-
ing and throwing dead bodies in water.
(2) Urine and stools of patients attacked by cholera, typhoid, dysentery and diar-
rhea, contaminates water with germs of these diseases.
(3) Plants and herbs, leaves of trees, straws, moss etc pollute water by decay and
decomposition.
(4) When the walls of wells are very low, then due to washing of utensils,
clothes etc around it, and also due to percolation from the nearby waste pits
privies, the well water becomes polluted. Use of soap and detergents also
pollute water to a high extent.
(5) The waste of industries contains toxic and poisonous chemicals. When the
wastes thrown to lake and river the water gets polluted by it and fishes are
killed.
(6) Various insecticides are applied on a large scale. These poisonous chemicals
are washed by the rainwater and fall into pond and river. Thus water is
polluted and fishes die in it.
(7) Excess use of chemical fertilizers in the land is harmful to different living
bodies in pond and river. These excess chemical fertilizers are washed down
by rainwater and brought into the pond or river. As a result moss and other
aquatic weeds grow more in the river and pond.
These weeds use dissolved oxygen in water. Due to this fishes die for oxygen
deficiency. Dead fishes make water polluted. This polluted water is harmful to
use. Production of mosses and weeds in water are decreased due to shortage of
oxygen.
36
4.1.5 Pure water

The water which is transparent, colorless, odorless, there is no floating organic
or inorganic matter and is free from any germs is called pure water. There is no
risk to drink pure water. We should always drink pure water. Tube-well water is
usually pure.
4.1.6 Methods of purifying water
Meanwhile, you have known the causes of pollution of water. Water pollution
can be prevented by not doing such things by which water pollution occurs.
Usually water can be purified by two methods. Such as – natural method and
artificial method.
A. Natural methods of purification of water
In nature, water is being purified through natural process but it is being polluted
the next time. Hence one cannot depend on natural methods of purification of
water for drinking purpose. Water from preserved pond, well or tube-well, that
cannot be polluted easily, can be used for drinking purpose. Usually, water is
purified by the following natural methods, - such as: -
(1) Sunlight damages the bacteria in water and removes bad smell.
(2) The dissolved oxygen in water makes organic substances in water harmless
and removes bad smell.
(3) Many aquatics live in water. They eat dirty particles of water and thus wa-
ter is about purified.
(4) Aquatic plants produce oxygen in water by which water is purified.
(5) When bacteria is present in great extent in preserved water, they destroy
themselves. So water is purified.
37
Activity
Traditional water purifying device
Procedure :-
 Prepare a plastic container, cotton, sand, ash, gravel (bigger sand stone), wa-
ter mixed with soil.
 Cut the plastic container just a few centimeters above the bottom.
 Cover the opened end of the plastic contained with a piece of cloth
 Keep the container upside down.
 Put/pack/ the materials mentioned above in the order– cotton, ash , sand ,
gravels.
 Keep the cut out part of the container just below the cloth covered part of the
container to collect the filtrate (the pure water)
 Pour the soil mixture into the set up and wait until you get enough amount of
filtrate.
 Show the class the residue and the pure water (filtrate).
38
B. Artificial methods of purification of water

There are several artificial methods by which water is purified. The following
three methods are most commonly used to make water pure and germless.
(1) By boiling : At fir st insoluble floating substances, muds, clays etc con-
tained in water are filtrated out. Then the water is boiled for 20-25 minutes.
All the germs are killed due to boiling. It is now free from germs and ready
for drinking. But the boiling container should be cleaned and then dried by
heating. This method of purifying water is dependable, cheaper and suitable.
(2) Potassium, bleaching powder, potassium per manganate, chlorine etc are
added to water and allowed to settle down the impurities. Then decant the
clear water from upper portion and then it is ready for use.
(3) Some tablets are available for the pur ification of water which are called
water-purifying tablets. Using these tablets can purify water. Sometimes
floodwater enters into the tube-wells and wells etc and pollutes water. At that
time water-purifying tablets can be used to purify water.
4.1.7 Prevention of wastage and pollution of water
Water is the most valuable natural asset. Excessive use of any asset ends once
upon a time. Deposit of water is not also unlimited. So never misuse water. To
avoid wastage of water carefully close the water tap. You have observed that
there is much difference between the water in the rural area and town. You will
astonish to know that the layer underground water in our country is gradually
going down. That is why the rivers, and canals of our country become dry in
summer. For that reason our country is going to be a desert. So you need to be
conscious that there is no wastage of water.
39
In this chapter, you have known about the various information of water. You
should use pure water for different activities such as cooking, washing, bathing,
drinking etc. You must drink boiled water after cooling. In the big cities, the
water is first purified with chlorine and other chemicals and then it is supplied.
Bacteria may form in the water tanks in the city if it is not cleaned periodically.
For that reason, water should be boiled to drink. By using polluted water you
can be attacked by diseases like dysentery, cholera, typhoid and jaundice. Water
should not be polluted. You must be take care of it. Avoid those activities, which
may cause pollution of water. Water is polluted by leaving stools or urine near
the rivers and ponds, washing clothes of patients, washing utensils and bathing
of cattle in the ponds. So try to avoid such activities. Now a days the farmers in
our country use chemical fertilizers and insecticides in a large extent. These
chemicals are drainage away by the rainwater and cause pollution of river and
pond water. Farmers need to be motivated not to use excess chemical fertilizers
and insecticides out of necessity. Following the above-mentioned steps can
prevent pollution of water and you can obtain pure water easily.
40
Exercise
Give short answers.
1. Write at least 6 causes for pollution of water .
2. What are the two methods by which water is purified?
3. Write 3 ways of natural purification of water.
4. Write artificial methods of purification of water.
5. What is the cause if the water is not purified ?
41
Exercise
II. Choose the correct answer and circle it.
1. Which one is the correct stage of water cycle ?
a. river → rain → vapor → sea → cloud
b. sea → cloud → vapor → rain → water
c. water → river → cloud → rain → vapor → sea
d. water → vapor → cloud → rain → river → sea
2. Why do the fishes die when water of the pond is polluted by chemical
fertilizer?
a. the fish takes polluted water
b. the food of the fish becomes poisonous
c. there is scarcity of oxygen in water
d. the amount of oxygen in water increases
3. Why chlorine is added in drinking water?
a. to make water tasty
b. to destroy harmful germs of water
c. to remove the insoluble matter of water
d. to increase the nutritious value of water
42
4.2 Air
Existence of Air
Air exists surrounding the earth. We are sunk into this air. We cannot survive
even for two or three minutes in the absence of air. It is not only the human
beings, but also other living creatures, trees and plants also cannot exist with-
out air. For this reason air is also called life. There is no living being on the
moon as there is no air on it.
We cannot see air. But we can easily feel the movement of air. The leaves of
trees move when air flows. In summer the cool air refreshes our body. Flow of
air at a violent speed is called a storm. Storm uproots big trees and overturns
houses. You observe festivals by filling in air into coloured balloons. You fill air
into the tire of a bicycle and ride it. Again you inflate football and volley balls
with air and play with them. From all these, we can easily realize the existence
of air, although we cannot see it. Air is a matter.
You have learnt earlier what matter is. Can you remember the three main
characteristics of matter? Matter has weight, volume and it occupies space and it
resists forces applied to it. Knowing these properties of matter, naturally you
may ask whether air possesses these properties like matter. In a word, is air a
matter?
You have learnt the answers to these questions in former classes. You have
observed that when air is pumped into balloons, footballs, bicycle, tires, etc they
swell up. Do you know why they swell up? It is because, air occupies space
inside them.
43
Activity:-
 Do an experiment by filling air into a balloon.
 Air not only occupies space, but it also has weight.
 You inflate two balloons and fasten at the two ends of a stick.
 Then fasten a thread just at the middle of the stick and make it like a balance.
Now perforate one of the balloons with a pin and you see that the other end of
the stick leans down. Can you say why does it lean?
 Air goes out from the perforated balloon and it becomes lighter.
 The other balloon being heavier the stick at that end leans down.
Air resists any external force. Take a bucket of water and try to immerse in it an
empty glass upside down. The more you try to dip it down into the water; you
will see that water does not get into it. The reason is that the space inside the
glass is already occupied by air, which resists water to rise up in the glass. This
testifies that air resists any external force to act upon.
So from the discussion above we can conclude that air occupies space, it has
weight and it offers resistance to any external force. Therefore, air is a matter.
Air is a mixture
In chapter two you have studied matters and their classification. Air is neither an
element nor a compound. It is a mixture. Do you remember what a mixture is?
 A mixture is a substance, which is formed of two or more elements of
compounds, mixed together in any proportion; the components lie side by
side and can be separated by easy mechanical means.
 The following arguments testify that air is a mixture.
1. The components of a mixture can be easily separated. As air is a
mixture, its components can be separated easily.
44
2. In air sometimes the amount of oxygen increases and sometimes that of
carbon dioxide increases. The amount of these components do not remain the
same in air at all places. In marshy lands and big towns , air contains more
of carbon dioxide and methane. It is because of dense population and large
number of transports and factories in the town. The smoke emitted from the
transports and factories contain more of carbon dioxide. Besides, there are
fewer trees in towns than in villages. The amount of oxygen in air is more
where there are more trees. For this reason, in the forest areas and in the corn
fields, air contains more of oxygen and less of carbon dioxide. Again the air
in the upper layer contains less amount of oxygen than in the lower layer.
This is why the mountaineers and the air passengers should have arrange-
ment of additional oxygen supply to avoid problems in breathing due to
shortage of oxygen in the air. These examples demonstrate that the amounts
of the components of air vary from place to place. Hence air is a mixture.
3. The density of air is not the same at all places. That is to say, air is a hetero-
geneous matter. If air were a compound, it would be homogeneous and its
density would be the same at all places.
4. The components of air do not lose their individual properties. The properties
of air are the sum total of the properties of its components.
45
Exercise
Fill in the blank spaces
1. Flow of air at a violent speed is called .
2. , , and
are some components of air.
3. Write three argument that testify air is a mixture .
A
46
As for example, both oxygen and nitrogen are colorless and odorless gases. Air,
too, is a colorless and odorless gas. Oxygen facilitates combustion and air also
facilitates combustion. If air were a compound, neither oxygen nor nitrogen
could retain their properties: they would lose them. All these arguments prove
that air is a mixture.
Testing the presence of different ingredients in air.
 Testing the presence of oxygen and nitrogen in air:
Burning a fire is not possible without air.

The ingredient of air that helps burning is
oxygen.
Presence of nitrogen in some common fertilizers:
Urea and ammonium sulphate are the nitrogenous chemical fertilizers. Urea
contains 46% and ammonium sulphate contains 21% nitrogen. Use of these two
fertilizers helps rapid growth of the branches and twigs of the trees. These give
deep green colour to the trees and increase their yields.
Air pollution and its prevention:
Polluted air
The air that contains poisonous gases, germs of diseases, dust particles, etc is
called polluted air.
Pure (or fresh) air
Air that contains moderate amount of oxygen, nitrogen, moisture etc, and do
not, contain dust particles, smoke, germs of diseases, poisonous gases
or any other harmful substances in it is called pure or fresh air.
47
Reasons for pollution of air

The reasons for which air becomes polluted, are stated below:
1. Air is polluted by dust, sands, smoke, soot, jute fibers and other organic and
inorganic substances.
2. Gases emitted from rubbishes, open drains, stagnant ponds, boggy swamps,
open latrines, etc pollute air.
3. Smoke emitted from the mills and factories and the gases and smoke emitted
from the railway engines, motorcars, launches, and other automobiles due to
the combustion of fuel, oils pollute air.
4. Gas that is given out by the decomposed dead bodies of animals, pollute air.
5. The sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide gases produced due to the
combustion of kerosene oil, pit coal etc, and the smoke from cooking pollute
air.
6. Germs of various airborne diseases such as pox, TB, etc mix with air
through sneezing, coughing and spitting of the patients pollute it.
7. Gases that are given out from the brickfields, smoking of cigarettes, tannery,
fish drying fields, cremation ground etc. pollute air.
Purification of air and prevention of pollution:
Air can be purified by the following two methods:
1. Natural process and
2. Artificial process.
1. Natural process:
A. By the rays of the sun: The ultr a violet r ays and heat of the r ays of
the sun destroy the floating germs of diseases and other harmful germs in the
air and purify it. Besides this, the sunshine dries up all moist things and checks
their decay. Thus it helps keep the air fresh.
48
B. By the plants and herbs: In presence of sunlight the green leaves of the
plants and herbs take carbon dioxide from air and gives out oxygen. Thus air is
purified.
C. By rainfall: Gases and floating substances in the air drop down with the
rain and get mixed with the soil. This purifies air.
2. Artificial process:
Air in homesteads, industries and their surroundings become polluted due to
various reasons. By arranging artificial circulation of air in these areas such
pollution can be removed. This method is more suitable for town areas than ru-
ral areas.
A. By circulating air: To remove the stagnant air from a closed space and to
bring dry, cool and blowing air in that place is called circulation of air.
B. By propulsion method: An electr ic fan is fitted in an opening made in
wall on any side of the house. With the help of this fan fresh air is drawn in from
outside and polluted air is driven out from inside.
C. By air conditioning: The air inside of a house may be kept fresh by air
conditioning. Nowadays this method is widely used in railway carriages,
motorcars, cinema halls, hotels, offices, residences, etc.
Besides these, for prevention of air pollution, the waste materials should be
collected at a particular place and kept covered, they should not be thrown here
and there, the premises should be kept neat and clean, the drains should be kept
clean, and smoke should not be created unnecessarily by burning things.
49
Exercise
1. The two main ingredients of air are and
2. Other gases included in the air are ,
and
3. Nitrogen percentage by volume
4. oxygen percentage by volume
5. carbon dioxide percentage by volume
6. Write three reasons for pollution of air.
A)
B)
C)
7. Air can be purified by and methods
8. Write three natural method of purifying air.
A)
B)
C)
9. Write three artificial method of purifying air .
A)
B)
C)
50
Point to remember
 Water and air are the most crucial liquid and gas for the existence of
living things.
 Water constitute 71% of the human body.
 Air is matter and mixture .
 Air is a mixture of nitrogen 77.1% , Oxygen 20 % , carbon dioxide
0.04% and other gasses.
 Water and air can be easily polluted by different means .
 Water can be polluted by wastes of industries.
 Air can be polluted by smoke of different industries.
 Air and water can be purified by both natural and artificial methods.
51
Review exercise
I. Write “True” if the statement is correct and “False” if the state-
ment is incorrect .
1. No life can exist without water and air.
2. Boiling of water is artificial methods of purifying water.
3. Air is both element and compound .
4. Air can be purified by the ray of the sun.
5. Ponds are sources of pure water .
II. Circle the correct answer
1. Rivers flow into
A) sea B) lakes C) Ponds D) all
2. Which one of the following is not the cause of water pollution ?
A) chemical fertilizer B) smoking of industries
C) plant and herbs
3. Which one is the stage of water cycle?
A) sea cloud vapor rain water
B) water vapor cloud rain river sea
C) water river cloud rain vapor sea
4. Which one of the following is true about air?
A) Air is a mixture and compound.
B) Air is matter and mixture .
C) Air is element and mixture.
5. Main ingredients of air are and
A) helium and oxygen
B) argon and oxygen
C) Nitrogen and oxygen
52
III. Give short answer for the following questions.

1) Write four causes for pollution of water.
A)
B)
C)
D)
2) Write four causes for pollution of air.
A)
B)
C)
D)
3) What is fountain water?
4) What is impure water ?
5) Write four natural methods of purification of water .

A)
B)
C)
D)
6) Write three artificial methods of purification of air.
A)
B)
C)
53
Unit Five
5. Substances, Compounds and Mixtures
Unit Objective:- At the end of this unit, the students should be able to,
 Define substances, compounds and mixtures.
 Describe the three states of matter.
5.1 Substances
What are substances ?
Substances are matter that have distinct properties and fixed composition.
Anything that has mass and occupies space is known as matter. In most cases
(not always) matter can be perceived by our senses of sight and touch. Examples
of matter are gold, iron, oxygen, sugar, salt, plants, animals, star, moon, book,
and glasses. All the things we call them as objects, substance, bodies or matter.
Matter occurs in various shapes , sizes, colors, textures and soon . Heat, light
and sound are not considered as matter because, heat, light and sound do not oc-
cupy space and do not have mass.
5.2 Classification of matter
Matter is made up on of tiny particles called molecules. Matter can be classified
into two major groups as pure substance and mixtures.
The pure substances include elements and compounds. Elements are further
classified as metals, metalloids and non metals. Compounds include organic and
inorganic substance. The mixture are classified homogeneous and
heterogeneous.
54
 These classification schemes can be summarized in the following

chart.
Matter
Pure substance Mixtures
Elements Compounds Heterogeneous Homogeneous
Metals Organic Inorganic
Acid
Metalloids
Non metals Base
Oxide
Salt
Fig4.1 classification of substance
Students, we will discuss this chart inbreed. Depending upon the arrange-
ment of these molecules we get three states of matter, solids, liquids and
gases.
5.3 Some substance can exist in three states
Some substance can exist in three state such as solid, liquid and gaseous
state. Water is the best example of this. At ordinary temperature water is
liquid.
55
Water when cooled becomes solid ice and when heated it becomes vapor.
Thus water can exist in all three states, solid, liquid and gaseous states.
Exercise
1. Anything that has mass and occupies space is known as .
2. Matter is made up of tiny particles called .
3. Matter can be classified into two major groups as .
and .
4. Compound is classified into and .
5. Element is classified into , and .
6. existed in three states - solid , liquid and gas .
56
5.4 The Three States of Matter

1. Solid
In solid, the molecules are tightly packed. They attract each other very
strongly.
 Solid has a definite shape. When

placed on a table or floor, the brick does not change its shape.
 Solids also occupy space. In both the positions, the brick occupies
some space.
 Solids have definite volume and size. In both the positions, the amount
of space occupied by the brick is the same.
Properties of solids
Let us now learn some more properties of solids.
1. Solids have different textures.
Feel a rock and a feather. Press them. What do you feel? The rock is
hard, while the feather is soft. Some solids are hard while some others are
soft. Also some are rough and some are smooth.
57
2. Solids may change shape.

The clay and cotton be can change shape. On releasing pressure, they
do not come back to their original shape. This property of solids is known as
plasticity. But the sponge and the rubber can come back to their original
shape. This property of solids is known as elasticity.
3. Solid may float or sink in water.
Fill a bucket of water. Drop a piece of cork and pebble into the water.
The pebble sinks while the cork floats.
4. solids are brittle, malleable or ductile.
On dropping a glass container, it falls down and breaks into several
pieces. This is because glass is brittle. Some light plastics break easily into
pieces. Wood and stone can also break into pieces when hammered.
 Materials like gold, silver, copper and aluminum do not break in-
to pieces when hammered. They can be hammered into flat sheets. These
solids are said to be malleable .
 Some solids like copper can be rolled into thin wires. This solids
are ductile .
5. Solid melt on heating.
You must have seen the wax of a candle melting when lighted. Solid
wax melts into liquid wax. Ice melts when warmed. Iron is melted to make
objects like wheels or bars. Aluminum is melted to make utensils gold, and
silver are melted and made into jewelry.
58
6. Solids may be transparent, opaque or translucent.

An object which allows light to pass through it is said to be
transparent. A car wind screen is transparent so that one can see the traffic
while driving.
 An object through which light can not pass is opaque. A wooden
door or a book are opaque objects.
 An object through which light can pass partially is said to be
translucent. An oily sheet of paper is a translucent object.
7. Some solids conduct heat.
Metals are good conductors of heat. If a metal rod is heated at one end,
heat is conducted from that end to the other end. Wood and plastic are poor
conductors of heat and electricity.
8. Some solids are inflammable .
Coal and wood are inflammable materials. They burn easily and are
used as fuels. Materials like stone are not inflammable.
9. Some solids are soluble .
Take a little each of salt, sugar, sand and chalk powder then put them in
four different glasses filled with water. The salt and sugar will dissolve in the
water.
 Materials that dissolve in liquids are soluble materials.
59
Exercise
Write “True” if the statement is correct and “False” if it is incorrect.
1. Solids have indefinite shape and volume .
2. Solid can be soft or hard as well.
3. A solid can not change its shape.
4. Solid may be transparent, opaque or translucent.
5. Solid melts on heating .
6. Some solids do not burn easily .
7. Some solids are soluble and some are not.
8. In solid, the molecules are so tightly packed.
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2. Liquids
In liquids, the molecules are not so highly packed. They have some space
between them. The molecules do not attract each other strongly. Liquids do
not have definite shape. Liquids take the shape of the container in which they
are kept.
Pour water from bottle into a jar. Next, pour the same water into a glass.
Water takes the shape of the containers into which it is poured. In each
container, water occupies some space. Liquids occupy space. The amount of
water in all the containers is the same. Liquids have a definite volume.
Property of liquids
Let us learn some more properties
1. some liquids have smell and colour.
Liquids like kerosene or petrol have smell, while water has no smell and
colour. In certain liquids, water takes the colour of matter dissolved in it.
When blue ink is dissolved in water the colour of the water becomes blue.
2. Some liquids are inflammable.
Petrol diesel and kerosene are inflammable liquids and are used as fuels.
Petrol and diesel are used to run vehicles . While kerosene is used to light
lamps or stokes. Water is a non inflammable light.
3. Some liquids dissolve in each other
As solids dissolve in the given liquid, some liquids also dissolve in each
other.
Example: Milk dissolves in water.
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Fill in the blanks

1. The molecules of liquids are .
2. Liquids have shapes.
3. Liquids take the shape of on which ever they are put in.
4. Liquids like and have smell but
has no smell .
5. The smell we get when we turned on gas burner is called .
6. Gases like and are not inflammable .
7. Soft drinks like oxygen or carbon dioxide contain gases.
Property of gas
1 . Some gases have smell .
When gas burner in the kitchen is turned on we get smell. This is the smell of
cooling gas called L.P.G (liquefied petroleum gas) coming out of the burner.
This gas is actually a mixture of gases .
2. Some gases are inflammable .
The LPG gas when it burns it is said to be inflammable similarly hydrogen is
also inflammable. Gases like oxygen or carbon dioxide are not inflammable.
3. Some gases are soluble .
Carbon dioxide gas dissolve in water. Soft drinks like soda or coca cola con-
tain this gas. When the bottle seal is opened, the fizz indicates the presence of
this gas.
Oxygen gas dissolves in water. Fish are able to breath and survive in water
because of the oxygen in water.
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Cruise gas also dissolves in water. Very little amount of this gas is added to
drinking water to kill germs.
4. Gases mix with one another
Air that surrounds us contains oxygen , carbon dioxide , nitrogen and many
other gases. We can not distinguish them. They are all mixed with one
another.
We breathe in oxygen present in the air. We breathe out carbon dioxide.
Smoke from vehicles or big chimneys mix with gases present in the air. This
way, many gases mix with one another.
Exercise
1. Write the three properties of liquid.
A)
B)
C)
2. Write three properties of gases.
A)
B)
C)
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5.5 Pure substances

What is a pure substance?
A pure substance is a homogenous sample of matter that has fixed
composition and distinct properties .
Most forms of matter that you encounter in everybody’s life are not pure
substance . Air , tap , river or sea water , soft drinks, milk and so on are not
pure substances. They are mixtures.
A pure substance consists of particular kind of matter. Common
examples of pure substance are gold, copper, iron, pure water, carbon dioxide,
mercury, oxygen, pure table salt or sugar and hydrogen.
Pure substances are classified into two as elements or compounds.
5.5.1 Elements
What are elements ?
Elements are pure substances which cannot be broken down into sim-
pler substances. Elements cannot be formed from two or more substances by
any known physical or chemical process. An element is made up of one kind
of atom. Examples of element are nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, copper, sodi-
um, chlorine , zinc and carbon .
Based on their property, elements are further classified as metals,
metalloids and non metals.
64
A. Metal
About 80% of the elements known today are metals.
The physical properties of metal include
1. At room temperature, they are solid except mercury. Mercury is liquid at
room temperature .
2. Usually they are hard and dense. Mostly their surface is shiny.
3. They have high densities .
4. They have high melting and boiling point .
5. They are good conductors of heat and electricity.
6. They are malleable. They can be hammered into thin sheets .
7. They are ductile. They can be pulled out into thin wires .
8. They are sonorous. They make pleasing sound when struck .
9. Common examples are iron, silver, aluminum, zinc, tin, mercury,
calcium, lead, nickel, copper and gold.
B. Non metal
The number of non-metal is very low. The characteristic of non-metals
include.
1. At room temperature : They can appear solid, liquid and gas. Exam-
ple of solid non metals are carbon, sulphar, iodine and phosphorus. The only
liquid non-metals is bromine. Example of gaseous non-metal is hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine and helium .
65
2. They have no luster. Most of them are dull.

3. Most of them have low boiling and melting points .
4. Generally, they are poor conductors of heat and electricity .
5. They are not ductile, not malleable and not sonorous .
6. Solid non metals are brittle . They are hared or easily broken .
7. Most of solid non-metals are softer and lighter than metals .
Exercise
I. Fill in the blank spaces
1. are pure substances which can not be broken down into sim-
pler substances .
2. has fixed composition and distinct property.
3. An element is made up of one kind of .
4. Element is classified as , and .
5. 80% of elements are .
II. Give short answers.
1. Give three examples of metals and non-metals.
Metals Non– metals
i. i.
ii. ii.
iii. iii.
2. Write three properties of metal .
i.
ii.
iii.
3. Write four characteristic of non-metals.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
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C. Metalloids
Metalloids are elements with some characteristics of metals and non-metals.
Generally, they have characteristics intermediate between metals and non-
metals.
The following are some examples of metalloids.
1. silicon, silicon is metalloid which shows bright metallic luster, but it is
not good conductor of heat and electricity. It is also brittle.
2. Other examples of metalloids are boron, silicon, germanium, antimony,
tellurium and arsenic.
5.6 compounds
Compounds are substances formed from two or more elements. Each
compound has definite chemical and physical properties. The elements in
compound are combined fixed ratio by mass. Examples of compound are
water, sugar, carbon dioxide, sulphuric acid , calcium carbonate, sodium ,
hydroxide , etc.
They are classified as
I. Oxides
II. Acids
III. Bases
IV. Salt
67
I. Oxides :- are compounds of oxygen. Oxides are formed when oxygen

combines with other elements .This can be illustrated as follows:
Elements + Oxygen= Oxide
Oxides are highly reactance. They can react with almost all metals and
non-metals.
 Oxides can not combine with non metals.
When oxygen combines with metals. It forms metallic oxides .
The following are examples of metallic oxides.
A. magnesium oxides.
B. Potassium oxides.
C. Sodium oxides.
D. Aluminum oxides.
E. Calcium oxides.
When oxygen combines with non-metals, it forms non metallic oxides
The following are examples of non-metallic oxides.
A. carbon dioxide
B. sulphur dioxide
C. Nitrogen dioxide
D. Hydrogen dioxide
68
II. Acids :- are compounds formed from non-metallic oxides and water.
This can be illustrated as follows :
Non metallic oxide + Water = Acid
Example of Acids
A. carbonic acid
B. nitric acid
C. sulphric acid
III. Bases :- are compounds formed by the combination of metallic ox-
ides with water. This can be illustrated as follows:
Metallic oxides + water bases
Examples of bases
A. sodium hydroxide
B. calcium hydroxide
C. magnesium hydroxide
D. Aluminum hydroxide
IV. Salt :- are compounds formed when acids combine with bases. This
can be illustrated as follows:
Acid + Base salt + water
Examples of salts
A. sodium chloride
B. calcium sulprate
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Compounds are also classified as organic and inorganic .

I. Organic compounds are compounds of car bon found in living things.
Examples are proteins, fats, carbohydrates and so on .
II. Inorganic compounds are compounds found in non-living things mat-
ter. Examples are table salt , water, sodium hydroxide are nitric acid.
Exercise
1. are formed from two or more elements .
2. Write 4 examples of compound . ,
, and .
3. are formed when oxygen is combined with other
elements .
4. are compounds formed from non-metallic oxide and
water .
5. are compounds formed by the combination of metallic
oxides with water .
6. are compounds formed when acids combine with
bases .
7. What are organic compounds?
8. What are inorganic compounds?
70
Elements Compounds
 The matter when broken into  Compounds are substances

the smallest part does not when broken produce more
produce any other matter than one element. Examples
than itself is called an water, sugar, oil, salt, soap,
element. For example:- gold, soda etc are compounds.
silver, copper, iron,
hydrogen, oxygen are ele-
ments.
 In free states, elements can  The properties of compound

retain their respective are totally different from the
properties or characteristics . properties of its constituent
elements.
 The smallest parts of  The smallest parts of

elements are atoms. Atoms compound are molecules.
retains properties of element Molecules retain properties of
itself. compound itself .
 Similar atoms constitute  Molecules of compounds are

molecules of elements. constituted by different
atoms.
 Total number of elements in  Compounds are innumerable

this world is 109 in this world.
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5.6 Mixtures
 Mixtures are combination of two or more substances which are not
chemically combined. Most materials found in nature or used at home are
not pure substances. They are mixtures. Our environment is mixture of
many substances. Soil is mixture of many elements and organic and
inorganic compounds. Sea water is a mixture of salt, water and other
inorganic and organic compounds .
Mixtures can appear in the form of solids , liquids or gases.
 Sandy soil is solid mixture .
 Alcohol and water is liquid mixture.
 Our surrounding air is gaseous mixture.
Classification of mixtures
Mixtures can be classified into two. These are:-
1. Heterogeneous
2. Homogeneous
1. Heterogeneous mixtures
Heterogeneous mixtures whose constitutes can be seen by the naked eye or by
the help of magnifying glass. In a heterogeneous mixture, the compounds do
not mix with one another.
Examples
- Oil mixed with water - vegetable soup
- Soil - ice floating on water
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2. Homogeneous mixtures
Homogeneous mixtures are whose constituents can not be seen by the naked
eyes or even through a magnifying lens. In a homogeneous mixture, the
components mix with each other and form one phase.
Examples:
- Alcohol and water - Soft drinks
- Air - Solution of salt and water
Distinction between compounds and mixtures
Compounds Mixtures
 The weight of the constituents in a  In simple mixtures, the constituents
compound are in definite proportion may be present in any proportion by
as for example water contains one weight. As for example air is
part by weight of hydrogen and eight mixtures of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon
parts by weight of oxygen. dioxide, water vapor, dust
particles ……...
 The properties of constituent  In ordinary mixture the constituents

elements of compound get lost a new retain their own properties and they
substance of different properties is remain dude by side.
formed.
 In preparing a compound, heat is  In the preparation of mixture, heat is

needed to be applied or drown out. neither applied nor removed.
 Constituents of compound can not  The constituents of ordinary mixture

be separated easily. Constituents of can be separated by easy means.
compounds are the same or
homogenous. For example: Water
collected from any where contains
equal proportion of hydrogen and
oxygen.
 The constituents of mixture may be
both homogenous or heterogeneous
as for example solution of water and
sugar is a homogeneous but a
mixture of sand and salt is
heterogeneous.
73
Points to remember
Substance are matter that has distinct properties and fixed
composition.
Anything that has mass and occupies space is know as matter.
Property of solids
 Solids have different textures.
 Solids may change shape.
 Solids may float or sink in water .
 Solids melt on heating.
 Some solids are soluble.
Property of liquid
 Some liquids dissolve in each other .
 Some liquids are inflammable.
 Some liquids have smell and color.
Property of gas
 Some gases have smell .
 Some gases are inflammable .
 Some gases are soluble.
 Gasses mix with one another .
 Pure substances have fixed composition and distinct
properties.
 Elements are pure substance which can not be broken down
into simples substance .
74
Metal
 80% of elements are metals.
 Metals are shiny and have high density.
 They are good conductors of heat and electricity.
Non metal
 Have low boiling point and melting point.
 Poor conductor of heat and electricity.
Metalloid
 Metalloids are elements with some characteristics of metals
and non-metals.
Example: boron, silicon, antimony, arsenic, etc.
Compounds
 Compounds are substance formed from two or more elements.
 Compounds are classified as oxide, acid bases and salt .
Mixtures
 General method of separating mixtures.
 Sedimentation, Filtration, Evaporate.
75
Review Exercise
Write “True” if the statement is correct or
“False” if it is incorrect.
1. Matter is made up of high particles called molecules.
2. Some substance can exist in the three states.
3. Solids are brittle, malleable or ductile.
4. Solid can not be melted at high temperature.
5. Solids have definite shape and volume .
6. Liquids like kerosene and petrol have smell.
7. Carbon dioxide can be dissolved in water .
8. Elements are mixtures that can be broken down .
9. 80% of elements are non-metals.
10.An element is made up of one kind of atom.
11.Oxides are formed when oxygen combines with other
elements.
12.Hydrogen + oxygen = Nitrogen dioxide .
13.Metalloids are elements intermediate between metals and
non-metals.
14.Acids are formed from non-metallic oxides and water .
15.Organic compounds contain proteins and fat.
76
Unit Six
6. Use and care of plants and Animals
Unit Objective:- At the end of this unit, the students should be
able to,
 List the uses of plants and animals
 Give care and protection for plants and animals
 Explain the reproduction of plants.
Plants and animals are useful to us in many ways. They

provide us with things we need in our day to day life. They
protect us from cruelties of weather too.
6.1 Uses of plants
1. Plants give us oxygen:- during photosynthesis plants make
food and oxygen. Some oxygen used during respiration and the
excess oxygen is given by plants. All living things breathe in
oxygen. It helps them to stay alive. It is used to grow plants
and animals near our homes. In that way, we get plenty of
oxygen
2. Plants give us wood:- trees have thick stems and branches
that are sources of wood for us. We use this wood in different
ways. Thick logs of woods are lumbered and then sawn as
needed. We make beams, doors and windows, furniture, toys
and sport goods out of wood.
Common wood giving trees include teak, mulberry pine,
sheeshmam, keeker and deodar. Dry boughs and twigs, that
are left over after using the useful wood are used as fuel.
3. Plants give us food
Plants are the main source of food. We depend on plants for food
directly or indirectly. Plants are also used as sources of medi-
cine, gum, paper, rubber etc.
77
4. Plants give us medicine.

We know that a number of herbs are used as various
medicine. These herbs are indeed very small plants. Also leaves
of neem trees are used to wash up wounds. The leaves of
tulsi plants are build in tea as a cure for common fever. The
leaves of kumar plant is used to bring boils head. Quinine a
patent Medicine for malaria is made from the bark of the
cinchona tree.
5. Even dead plants are useful .
Like dead animals, dead plants are also useful to man. Their
woods are used for various purposes. Their twigs are used as fuel
and leaves as manure in our fields .
6. Plants are protective too.
Windstorm and floods are natural forces that carry away bare
fertile soil with them. But plants do not allow them to do, so they
preserve the soil from floods and wind storms.
Moreover, plants give us shade in which we take shelter.
Grown trees serve as natural homes for some animals. Bird also
make their nest in trees. In rain, cold and hot sun too, they
provide protective large extent.
Exercise
Write 6 importance of plants.
1
2
3
4
5
6
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6.2 Reproduction in plants

Reproduction is multiplication. There are two types of
reproductions in plants. These are :-
1. Asexual reproduction
2. Sexual reproduction
1. Asexual reproduction:- is a kind of reproduction by which the
plant multiplies without flowers and seeds. Plants multiply by
asexual reproduction in different ways. These are:-
 By their stems:- plants such as roses and grapes multiply by
cutting the stem parts and planting them.
 By their roots:- plants such as ginger multiply by their roots.
 By their leaves:- plants such as cactus multiply by cutting
their leaves.
2. Sexual reproduction:- is a kind of reproduction by which
plants multiply using seeds. In most plants, seeds develop in
flowers. Many plants such as maize, teff, bean, junipers,
multiply by using seeds.
Development of seeds
Seeds develop after the fusion (combination) of the male and
female cells. In most plants, seeds develop in the ovary of the
flower. The germination of seeds requires the following conditions.
1. Moisture(water)
2. Warmth
3. Air
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Ways of dispersal of seeds

Many seeds have wings on them:- these wings help them to
fly away to far places along with wind and they grow into new
plants at their new places.
Some seeds are Ejected away:- some plants bear their seed in
pods. When the pods are over ripe, they kick and breast
themselves open.
Dispersal of edible fruits:- many fleshy fruits are eaten by
men and animals but their seeds are thrown away as a waste
and they get scattered at various places.
Some fleshy fruits are eaten along with their seeds. These seeds
remain undigested and come out with stool. They reach new
soil and grow up as a new plant. Example: Tomato,
cucumber, etc.
Dispersal by water:- seed of plant that stand near
water- courses, rivers etc. are carried to distance places by
the flowing of water. The seeds may flow within the fruit
with water current.
Exercise
1.Reproduction in plants can be and .
2.Asexual reproduction in plants can be ,
and .
3. Sexually plants reproduce through their .
4. Plants’ seeds develop in of flower .
5. The germination of seeds requires ,
and .
6.Seed can be dispersed by ,
and .
80
6.3 Care and protection of plants

1. Proper water and sunlight for plants:- regular watering of
plants are essential. Too little or too much water may harm
plants. As sun light is the main source of energy to the plant, it
must be provided to all plants.
Certain plants grow well in mild sunlight, yet others can get
damaged due to intense heat or cold. All plants need proper sun-
light.
2. Minerals and Adulterants
Plants need nutrients and minerals for their growth. These are
supplied by soil. In order to insure plants growth, you have to
add manure mineral and nutrients in the form of dung of
animals or dried plants matter to the soil. At times, certain
chemicals called fertilizers are also added to soil.
3. Insecticides and pesticides
They are chemical substances. They protect plants and crops
from the attack of pests.
4. Preservation of forests
Large areas of land which are covered with tall trees are called
forests. In order to preserve plants, we must protect our forest.
We must continue planting trees. Trees must be planted on bar-
ren land and on hill slopes.
Exercise
Write the three care we should take for plants.
A) C)
B)
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Uses of animals
Human beings are the head of living world. They are gifted two
special power by nature. They posses the power of thinking and
can speak clearly too. So they are in position to use animals for
their good. The reason is that animals can not think beyond their
three basic needs (food, shelter, cloth )
 Animals give us drink and food.
 Beasts of burden carry our loads/ animal carry out loads.
 Farm animals work for famers .
 For clothes and so on .
82
Exercise
1. are the head of living world
2. Human being s posses the power of and
3. Write the uses of animals
Care and protection of animals

A) Providing food and shelter
We must provide shelter and food for domestic animals such as
cows, dogs, horses, goats & hens.
Their shelters must be kept neat and hygienic. They should
receive sufficient air and sunlight.
B) Medication:- sick animals must be treated well in time
veterinary hospitals. Veterinarians take care of sick animals.
C) Good treatment:- as animals provide us with many useful
things, we should look after them and treat them properly.
D) Cleanness of surroundings:- keeping the surroundings and
living places clean ensures good health for domestic animals.
Harmful plants
Weeds are unwanted plants. They grow very fast. They prevent
the healthy growth of the other useful plants. Weeds growing on a
field use up the minerals from the soil. This results in unhealthy
crops.
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Aquatic weeds like plankton cover the water surface. Oxygen

from the air cannot reach the water this decreases. The oxygen
content of water, making it difficult for the water animals to
breathe. Water plants too cannot receive enough sunlight be-
cause of the weeds above so ponds and fields need to be cleared
of weeds.
Harmful animals
There are certain animals that are harmful to plants and animals
life.
For example: being veracious eaters locusts can damage an
entire field of crops within minutes.
A locust rosebush the grass hopper. Locusts fly in swarms.
They lay their eggs in autumn when farmers plough the land.
These eggs hatch and destroy crops. Harmful animals shouldn’t
be allowed to grow in large numbers .
Exercise
Give short answers.
1. Write three care and protection that we should take for

animals.
A)
B)
C)
2. is harmful plant.
3. is harmful animals.
84
Point to remember
 Plants give us oxygen, fire wood, food and medicine.
 Plants reproduce through sexual and asexual reproduction.

 Care and protection of plants.
Review Exercises
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. What do plants give us?
A)oxygen B) carbon dioxide
2. Twangs and manure is used as.
A) food B) fuel
3. Which one of the following is false about plants?
A) Plants can reproduce only sexually.
B)Plants preserve the soil from floods and wind storm.
C)Seeds develop in the ovary of the flower.
D)All can be answer
4. Plants asexual reproduce by:
A) their stems C) their roots
B) their leaves D) All can be answer
5. The germination of seed requires .
A) moisture B) warmth C) air D) All
85
Unit Seven
7. Surface of the earth

able to
 Classify mountains into different categories.
 Define valley, platue and plains.
 Identify the renewable and non renewable natural resources.
7.1 Land mass
The earth, our living place was initially in a hot gaseous
state. Later it became gradually cool and then liquid. After cooling
farther more it became solid. In this way, a hard crust was creat-
ed on the surface of the earth. During the time of solidification,
the crust became uneven portion of the earth. Crust is called
land mass and water containing lower portions are called water
body.
71% of the earth’s crust is covered by water and the rest
29% builds the landmass. That means, the area of land mass is
smaller. This land mass is called continent. There are seven con-
tinents covering the different areas of the earth’s crust. These are
1, Asia 2. Africa 3. Europe 4. South America 5. North America 6.
Australia and 7. Antarctica
86
The land deformation natural energies are earth quakes,
volcanic eruptions, heat, winds, rains, snow, glaciers, river, seas
etc. The change of the earth’s crust is the result of their single or
combined effect. In such ways, land deformation occurs. On the
basis of land deformation, the earth’s crust is divided into three
categories. These are:-
a. Mountains
b. Plateaus and
c. Plains
A) Mountain
Very high and far flung rocky mounds with sharp inclines are
called mountains. Rocky mounds comparatively lower and
smaller than the mountain are called hills. Another landform is
found between two hills is called valley.
87
Classification of mountains
Mountains are found in many countries of the world in different
shapes and size. These mountains have been formed in different
ways. The mountains are classified into four groups depending
upon their structure and characteristics.
1. Fold mountain
Certain places of the earth’s crust may gain altitude due to
earth quake or shaking. Fold mountains are created when the
layers of rocks get folded and gain altitude.
Example: the atlas of Africa
2. Block mountain
Sometimes the earth’s crust get cracked vertically and on side
of the crack subsides. Such subside of the earths crust is
called Fault. Sometimes the layers of rocks between two faults
create mountain by uplifting the land due to side or low pres-
sure. The type of mountain is called block mountain.
88
3. Volcanic mountain
The mountains which are created by the cooled and solid
state of lava, ashes, gas etc erupted by the volcanoes are
called volcanic mountains.
Example: Kilimanjaro of Africa
4. Erosional mountain
The soft mounds of rocks of the mountain may be eroded by
the rain, wind, etc. Then the unevoded mound of hard rock
remains as a small mountain. This hard rock mountain is
called erosional mountain.
Example Kongo mountain of Africa
89
B. Valley
The low land in between two hills or two mountains is called val-
ley. The valleys are formed by three ways:
1. Mountain valley
Low land between the two mountains is called mountain val-
ley. The mountain valleys are seen between the fold mountain
2. Rift valley
The valley created by the depression between two parallel of
the earth’s crust due to earth’s quakes are called rift valleys.
3. River valley
The intense flows of the river create deep gorges in their path.
Such gorges are called river valleys over a long time. The river
flows erodes land of both sides. As a result, river gorges
gradually became wide and shallow.
C. Plateau
Extensive elevated plain land above the sea level is called the
plateau or table land.
D. Plains
The vast land mass, which have almost same level of the sea
surface are called plains. The plains on the crust of the earth
were formed in different ways such as:-
1. Coastal plain
The coastal plain was created due to deposit of sands, stones
and various tinny matters from the land mass, which were
brought in different ways.
90
2. Flood plain
Deposits of sediments on both sides of the river produce the
flood plain during flood.
Water area
You have already known that 71% of the total area of the earth’s
crust is contained with water. The whole water area of the world
has been divided into five bigger parts on the basis of their
location; each part of these is called ocean water areas smaller
than the ocean are called seas. The large water areas surrounded
land on three sides is called the bays. Water areas surrounded
by land on all sides are called lakes.
Ocean
There are five oceans in the world. These are:-
1. The pacific ocean:- It is the largest in size and depth.
2. The Atlantic ocean:- This ocean is second in size and third
in depth.
3. The Indian ocean:- It is third in size but second in depth.
4. The northern ocean:- This ocean is fourth in both size and
depth.
5. The southern ocean:- This ocean is fifth in both size and
depth.
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Natural resources
 A natural resource is anything given to us by nature .
 People cannot make natural resources , and they need to take measures to
conserve them.
 Natural resources occur naturally in the environment.
Natural resources are classified into two categories.
1. Renewable natural resources.
2. Non renewable natural resources
1. Renewable natural resources.
Some resources that we have are naturally regenerated after consumption. They
are known as renewable resources.
Example : air, water, soil, forest and wild life .
A. Air:- Air is the most important natural resource we cannot live without it.
 All living things need air to breathe .
 Moving air is called wild. Wind has a lot of energy .
 Plants use carbon dioxide to make their own food.
 Animals breathe in oxygen.
 The most prominent gas in the air is nitrogen, which makes up 78% of the air.
 Air can be protected from pollution by controlling the amount of carbon di-
oxide released into the air.
Summary:- We cannot live without air. We have to grow plants ever ywhere
to protect the air from pollution.
B. Soil: Soil is a natur al body consisting of layer s of miner als .
 Soil differs in structure, color, mineral composition, etc.
 Soil is the source of food of all living things. It is important for agriculture,
pottery and construction.
92
 Based on the particle size, soil can be classified into three: loam soil, clay soil
and sandy soil.
C) Water:- This is the second most impor tant natur al resources after air. We
may live without food for several weeks, but we can only live a few days with-
out water and only a few minutes without air.
 Nearly two-thirds of the earth is covered by water.
 Water is found beneath the earth, in lakes, streams, rivers, ponds, springs,
seas and oceans.
 Water is used for drinking , cooking, washing, bathing, irrigation of crops,
cleaning and generating electricity through dams.
 The electricity generated using water is called hydro electricity.
D) Forest:- The forest is an area that is covered with many trees (plants).
Forests contain many different types of living things including ;
 Trees
 Birds fungi
 Insects
 Shrubs, mosses
 Mammals, bacteria
 Herbs, ferns
 Forests can be used as sources of ;
 Firewood and fuel
 Food
 Supplies for house construction
 Shelter for wild animals
 If trees are cut down , other trees should be planted.
93
E. Wild animals: Should be restr icted to tour ism and income gener ating
activities such as selling body parts like skins and tusks.
Wild animals are important for:
 Food
 Tourism
 Recreation
 We have to protect wild animals from:-
 Hunting
 Habiting destruction
 Food and water shortage
 Illegal killing
2) Non-renewable natural resource
Resources that cannot be replaced after use are known as non-renewable re-
sources.
Minerals (copper, iron, etc) and fossil fuels (coal, oil, etc) are not non renewable
natural resources.
Example: miner als , fossil fuels, coal, petroleum or cr ude oil, natur al gas
A) Minerals: our ear th is a big storehouse of miner als.
Example of minerals to make useful things for ourselves. The mineral are gifts
of nature to us. However, they are there only in a limited quantity.
Therefore, we should use them carefully.
B) Fossil fuels: Coal, petroleum and oil are fossil fuels. Thousands of years
back , plants and animals got buried under the surface of the earth due to earth
quakes and volcanoes. They remained buried there for thousands of years and
changed into fuel. That is why this fuels are known as fossil fuels.
94
C) Coal: Coal is used in homes and factor ies. It is used for cooking food and
running industries.
D) Petroleum or Crude oil: Petroleum is the most impor tant fossil fuel. It is
dug out of deep wells.
The crude oil is pumped out and is then refined in oil refineries.
Petroleum is used as a fuel.
E) Natural gas: Natur al gas is used for cooking. It is cheap and easily avail-
able.
95
Points to remember
Mountains are classified into:
1. Fold mountain :- created by earth quake or shaking
2. Block mountain:- when the earth cracked vertically
3. Volcanic mountain:- when lava or ashes cooled down
4. Erosional mountain :- created by eroded areas by rain, wind

etc
Valley :- is low land area found between two hills. The valley
are formed by three ways
1. Mountain valley:- low land between two mountains
2. Rift valley:- created by the depression between two parallel

of earth crest
3. River valley:- the intense flows of the rivers create deep

gorges such gorged are called river valley .
Plateau:- Extensive elevated plain land above the sea level is

called plateau
Plains:- the vast land mass which have almost same level of
the sea surface
96
Review Exercises
I . Fill in the blank spaces.
1. mountain is created because of earth quake or

shaking.
2. mountain is created by the cooled and solid

state of lava.
3. Mountain is created by the unevoded mound of

hard rock.
4. is the low land in between two hills or two

mountains .
5. is an extensive elevated plain land.
6. has a vast land mass.
7. is low land between two mountains.
8. valley is created by flow of the river .
9. percent of the earth’s crust is covered with

water.
10. ocean is the largest in size and depth .
11. ocean is second in size and third in depth .
97
Unit Eight
8. Soil and its conservation
able to:
 Explain about the formation of soil.
 Identify the layers of soil.
8.1 Soil formation
Millions of years ago the surface or the crust of earth was made
up of rocks
The rocks were heated by the sun during the day. At night
the rocks cooled down.
The constant heating and cooling of the rocks caused them
to develop cracks. Rain water or flowing water trapped in such
cracks became ice in cooling. In cold regions, ice has a greater
volume than water. The cracks become wider. finally breaking the
rocks into pieces.
In other places, strong winds and fast flowing water would
strike big rock pieces with one another. Gradually large rocks
broke down forming pebbles, graves, and sand.
Remains of dead and decayed plants and animals called
humus is mixed with the sand and gravel together form soil.
98
Even today the process of soil formation is continuing and

will go on. Very frequently, we find sections of ground dug up
when some road work is carried out. Have you observed deference
in the various layers of soil? The top most layers of soil is
different in colour and size from the layer below.
The weathered rocks are transported to new places by winds
and by flowing water. The rock- powder gets deposited at new
places. This deposited rock powder is called soil.
Exercise
I. Give short answer.
1. Give four reasons for the formation of soil.
A.
B.
C.
D.
8.2 Layers of soils

Top soil
The uppermost layer is dark in colour and is only few in
crust thick. Being the uppermost layer, it is called top soil. Roots
of most of the plants are found in this layer. This layer is rich in
soil nutrients and humus.
99
Subsoil
This layer exists just below the top soil and is lighter in colour.
This layer consists of sand and small stones as there are very few
nutrients in this layer. Roots of very few plants reach this layer.
Bedrock
This layer is mainly rocky. The top layers of the rocks are soft and
porous. As one goes deeper, the rocks get bigger and harder.
83 Classification of soil
Soil is of different kind and is found in different places.
Clay is very fine soil. It feels soft and smooth. The particles of
this soil are closely and tightly packed. It can absorb a lot of
water but very little air. It also has humus. Clay is found very
close to the river banks.
Sand is granary made up of the fine particle of hard rocks. It is
coarse to touch sand flows through the fingers very easily. It can’t
hold water and has no nutrient. It can hold plenty of air. Sand is
found near seashores deserts.
Loam is mixture of sand and clay. This is found mainly in top
soil layer. It has plenty of humus and can hold enough water and
air. Loam is found in gardens. Loam mixed with humus is best
for the growth plants.
Gravel is mixture of small pieces of rock. Particles of sand and
clay. Gravel can be found in shallow river beds .
100
Exercise
I. Give short answers.
1. Write about top soil.
2. Write about sub soil .
3. is a very fine soil.

4. is made up of fine particles of hard rock .
5. is a mixture of sand and clay, found mainly in
top soil layer .
6. is a mixture of small pieces of rock particles of
sand and clay .
8.4 Uses of soil
Growth of plants
Roots of most plants are found in the top soil. Top soil is the layer
that supports the roots and provides water and nutrients to the
plants. Soil rich in humus is very fizzle for plants.
Source of nutrients
Microbes which exist in the soil feed on dead animals and plants.
The decomposed matter or the humus is rich in nutrients. The
soil germs mixed is humus.
Underground life
Many living creatures take shelter in soil ants looms, millipedes,
centipedes, scorpions, snakes, rats mice and even rabbits make
their homes in ground .
101
Other uses
We use different kinds of soil to build bricks, earth non ports and
roof tiles.
Exercise
Give short answers
1. Write three use of soil.
A)
B)
C)
Crops
Trees and plants grow in the soil. They use water and different
nutrients present in soil to grow.
Plants such as wheat or rice that are growth in large
ghantives in field are called crops. Farmers grow crops for us.
They take good care to grow a healthy crop. When a crop of corn
is grown in a field, the plants absorbs nutrient from the soil once
the crop is harvested, the soil becomes bare of those nutrients on
the same field. Can the farmer grow corn immediately? What
would happen if he did so?
It the next crop taken is again of corn, the plants will not have
the required nutrient to grow well thus for any crop to grow well.
The soil must be rich in nutrients.
102
Different crops grow in different types of soil. Again each crop

uses particular nutrients from the soil. A single type of crop does
not use all types of nutrients from the soil.
Fertility of soil
Soil can be made more fertile or rich in nutrients in a number of
ways.
Fertilizers and nutrients are added to soil to make it more fertile.
Fertilizers are two kinds
Chemical fertilizers Natural fertilizers

These are made these are made using
Using chemicals animal and plant wastes
Example urea, phosphate examples dung compost
Phosphate dried leaves
After growing and harvesting a particular crop a different
crop is grown in the same field. This is called crop rotation. This
helps to keep the soil fertile.
Certain crops like peas or grain make nutrients. This increases
the fertility of the soil. A farmer grows these crops after the har-
vest of the main crop.
Along with increasing the fertility of soil to obtain bumper crop a
farmer must take care of certain other things too. Seeds sown to
yield crop must be of good quality- poor quality seeds yield a poor
crop.
Insecticides and pesticides are used to keep away the insects
and pests which destroy or damage crop.
Different crops require different amount of water. Adequate
water must be supplied to particular crops.
103
8.5 Erosion of soil

The top –soil is very useful to us. We feed it with manure and
make it more and more fertile. Then we grow different crops in it.
It is pity that some natural forces always take away our fertile
soil from us. These forces are flowing water and strong wind. The
taking away of the soil by flood or wind is called erosion.
The flowing water and winds transport the weathered rock to
plays and we make fields to use this soil. Now when it rains
heavily, the fields are full of water. If there is more rain, the rain
water may over flow the bounds of the field or a breach may be
there.
Winds also do a lot to erode the fertile soil of our fields. In
dry season, the soil is loose and light wind storms carry it away.
When the top soil is blown away, the subsoil is discovered. It is
not as fertile as the topsoil. We have to labor hard once again to
make it fertile by filling and manure.
How to prevent soil erosion?
The fertile top soil is very useful to us. It took long to develop
indeed. Is it wise for us to allow it to be eroded away by flowing
water or by strong winds? No, certainly not .
So we must take necessary steps to prevent Erosion. It is
called conservation of soil. We can conserve the fertile top soil
through the following ways.
104
A. Planting grass and trees: Naked or bare top-soil can be
easily eroded away. But if it has plants and grass over it, they do
not allow the running water or the strong wind to carry it away.
 So grass, bushes, trees should be planted along the bounds of
the fields. All the uncultivated area around farms should have
groves of trees. Trees are known for checking the force of
yawing water .
B. Building yokes: small dykes i.e bounds around the field are
very useful. They don’t allow the flowing rain water to dissolve
the fertile soil in it and carry it away. If a water course (river
stream) is there near the fields .
C. Contour plough: If the fertile are on hill. They should be
ploughed across the slope, especially before and during
rainy- season. The tut rows across the slope will check the force
of flowing rain-water and thus save the fertile soil. Such
plough is called contour plough.
 Terracing: In hilly areas hill- sides should be cut into small
flat steps and field be made on them. Those are called
terraces terracing prevents erosion of soil by checking the
force of water flowing down the hill side.
105
Exercise
1. is the taking away of the soil by flowing

water and strong winds.
2. and are the cause for ero-

sion of soil.
3. The process of preventing soil from erosion is called
4. protect top– soil from erosion.
5. Write 4 methods to prevent soil erosion.
106
Unit Nine
9. Force, work and Energy

Unit Objectives:- At the end of this unit, the students should be
able to:
 Define force, work and energy
 Identify the sources of energy
 List the forms of energy
9.1 Force
We read about force and its various types in the pervious
class. We know that force is an agency that makes a body at rest
move or makes a moving body come to rest.
Force can come from muscles, tools, electricity, magnets
gravity or fraction. You can see many objects. Some of them are
not moving. They are said to be at rest. Some objects are moving.
They are said to be motion. Place a ball on the ground. It is at
rest. You may kick it or roll it ahead. This brings the ball in
motion.
Force applied to an object at rest makes it move similar-
ly. Force can be applied to bring a moving object to rest. Pulling,
pushing, rolling, kicking, breaking or lifting are different types of
action which apply force.
107
Thus force applied to a moving object can:
 Change only its speed.
 Change only its direction or
 Change both speed and direction.
9.2 Work
When force is applied on a body at rest, it may move through
some distance or it may not move. If the force exerted on a body
at rest is able to move it, work is said to be done.
But if the exerted force fails to move the body, no work is
done. Take one more example. A boy lifts a stone from the
ground. He moves it in an up ward direction. So, he does work. If
after raising it to a height, he simply keeps holding it on his
hands, he does no further work.
When you lift up a bucket, close a door or even pull the
curtains work is said to be done.
9.3 Energy
 We have seen when work is done. But what makes work
possible to be done. It is energy that makes work possible.
Energy enables things to exert force and work is done. All
things need energy to move. Without energy, all things would
be at rest.
 Energy is the capacity to do work.
108
9.3.1 Sources of energy
Just like force, energy may come from different sources. It can
come from muscles of living things or from various natural
sources.
 The food we eat gives us the energy to move about .
 Running water is also a source of energy. It helps to move logs
of wood or a small boat.
 Wind is another form of energy. Ships sail faster when it is
wind. The grass sways, bits of paper fly due to the moving
wind.
Other sources of energy include – magnets- muscles – electricity
9.3.2 Forms of energy
We have known about the various sources of energy. The energy
produced by these sources can be classified into six forms.
1. Solar energy 3. Heat energy 5. Light Energy
2. Electric Energy 4. Sound energy 6. Atomic Energy
Solar Energy- Energy obtained from the sun is called solar
energy. It is the main source of energy on earth. Plants use this
energy to prepare food. We eat plants and thus we use this
energy too .
109
Electrical energy: - Can be generated from moving wind,

running water or by burning coal. Electrical energy is used to
light bulbs or run electric motors, fans or machines.
Mechanical energy:- Food helps our body to do work. We use
our body parts to do work.
Sound energy: While you speak, sing or play on a flute, you
generate a kind of energy. This is called sound energy. We can
hear the voice of one another with the help of sound. Sound
energy is used in telephone, radio and television. The vibration of
substances produces sound.
Light energy:- The other energy, which comes along with heat
energy from the sun directly is light energy. We could not see
anything in the absence of light energy.
Magnetic energy:- Another form of energy is magnetic energy. A
magnet attracts articles made of iron with this energy from a dis-
tance.
Chemical energy:- Energy stored in food or fuel is called
chemical energy. We get energy from food, petrol, gas, wood, coal
as they all have chemical energy. The batteries that you use in
the torch and radio also have chemical energy.
Heat energy:- Energy used in cooking, driving of motor cars or
rail ways engines is called heat energy. This energy is obtained
by burning coal, gas, wood, petrol or diesel. Again heat comes
directly from the sun also. Electricity generated in this way is
called hydroelectricity.
110
Atomic energy
You know that matter is composed of atoms. The inner content of
this atom is bound together by a very powerful force. If this
binding can be broken by any means, then a very powerful energy
called atomic energy is obtained. This energy can be transformed
in to electrical energy and is used in our work. It can also be used
for destruction of world by making atomic bomb.
Points to remember
Force is an agency that makes a body at rest move or makes a
moving body come to rest.
Work is done when we loose energy.
Energy is the capacity to do work.
Forms of energy include:-
 Solar energy
 Electrical energy
 Sound energy
 Light energy
 Magnetic energy
 Sound energy
 Light energy
 Chemical energy
 Heat energy
 Atomic energy
111
Exercise
1. Force can come from ,
or .
2. When an object is moving, it is called .
3. When an object is at rest, it is called .
4. is the capacity to do work.
5. energy is obtained from the sun .
6. energy is generated from moving wind, running
water or by burning coal.
II. Give short answer
Explain the following kinds of energy.
1. Mechanical energy
2. Sound energy
3. Light energy
4. Magnetic energy
5. Chemical energy
6. Heat energy
7. Atomic energy
8. Solar energy
112
Unit Ten
10. Country
able to:
 Identify the conditions that a country must fulfill.
 List and describe the neighboring countries of Ethiopia
 Explain about the languages of Ethiopia
10.1 Country
A country is a land with a permanent boundary and free and
autonomous perples with an organized government. Therefore,
every country has to fulfill at least four conditions. These are
A. Permanent boundary
The boundary of any country renters to the demarcation
between two or more neighboring countries. Mountains, rivers
and other man- made geographical aspects can serve as
boundaries.
113
B. Free and autonomous people

The people of a country are free to exercise their cultures, be-
liefs, and soon. They have their own legal and administrative sys-
tem.
C. People
The people of a country include the children, youngsters,
adults and elders.
D. Government
The people of a country are administered by their own gov-
ernment.
Exercise
1. What is country?
2. Explain what a country must fulfill to be a sovereign state?
3. What do we mean by free and autonomous people
4. What does permanent boundary mean?
114
10.2 Map
A map : is a drawing on a paper representing the boundaries of a
country including the oceans, rivers, mountains, its neigh-
boring countries and so on. A map shows the surface area of the
land of a country on paper .
Converting a map
One can convert the information on a map using the key on the
map. The relation between the size of the lines on the map and
the area and length on land is expressed on the key of the map.
The sizes of the line may be expressed in centimeters. These are
converted to kilometers on land. For example, if the key of the
map indicates that one centimeter on the map, it is equal to
twelve kilometers on land. Then five centimeter on the map
represents sixty kilometers on land.
10.2.1 Types of measurements of a map
There are three types of measurements on a map. These are:-
A. Textual:- this is when the relation between the distances on
the map and on the land is expressed in words.
For example: - the key on the map may show that one
centimeter on the map represents fifteen kilometers on land.
Therefore, ten centimeters on the map is one hundred fifty
kilometers on land
115
B. Line drawing- in this case, the distances on the map and the
land are shown by line drawings. The line is divided into
centimeters, and each centimeters represents a certain
kilometers on land.
C. Ratio method- here, the relation between distance on the
map and the land are expressed in ratios. For example, it can be
expressed as 11,000,000 or 1:1,000,000. This indicates that one
unit on the map expresses one million units on land.
Reading maps
In order to determine the distance on land by referring to the
map, one should look into the key on a map, the lines could be
straight or zigzag.
_______________________
Straight line
Zigzag line
A. Straight lines
You can convert the distances on the map into the distances on
land using straight line as follows.
 Mark two points on the map and form a straight line between
the two points.
 Measure the distance between two points using a ruler.
 Refer to the key and convert the distance according to the given
ratio.
116
For example: The distance between two points on a map

(A and B) is five centimeters. The key of the map indicates that
one unit on the map corresponds to one million units on land. If
one centimeters on the map equals to one million centimeters on
land, five centimeters on the map equals to five million
centimeters on land. One meter equals to hundred centimeters.
One kilometer equal to one thousand meter. Thus one kilometer
equal to one hundred thousand centimeters. Dividing the five
million centimeters by one hundred thousand gives us fifty.
Therefore, the distance between the two places on land is fifty
kilometers.
B. Zigzag lines
On a map, rivers, roads, railways might be represented by zigzag
lines. The following method helps you to determine the distances
of zigzag lines on a map.
 Put a string on the zigzag line of the map.
 Mark the two ends of the string that fits the zigzag line of the
map.
 Stretch the string to a straight line and measure it using a
ruler.
 Using the key of the map, determine the distance between the
two places on land.

Exercise: Fill in the blank space.
1. __________________is a drawing on a paper representing the
boundaries of a country.
2. map is expressed in word.
3. map is shown by line drawing.
4. map is expressed by ratio.
5. A line on map could be or .
6. On a map, rivers, roads, railways can be represented by
lines.
7. formed by two lines connecting together.
117
Ethiopia
Flag Emblem
Ethiopia officially known as the Fed-
eral Democratic Republic of Ethio-
pia, is a country located in the Horn
of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea to
the north and northeast, Djibouti and
Somalia to the east, Sudan and
South Sudan to the west, and Kenya
to the south. With about 87.9 million
inhabitants, Ethiopia is the most
populous landlocked country in the world, as well as the second-most pop-
ulated nation on the African continent. It occupies a total area of
1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 sq mi), and its capital and largest
city is Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is a multilingual society with around 80 ethnic groups, with the
two largest being the Oromo and the Amhara. It is the origin of the coffee
bean. Ethiopia is a land of natural contrasts; with its vast fertile West, jun-
gles, and numerous rivers, the world's hottest settlement of Dallol in its
north, Africa's largest continuous mountain ranges and the largest cave in
Africa at Sof Omar. Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
Africa. Ethiopia's ancient Ge'ez script, also known as Ethiopic, is one of the
oldest alphabets still in use in the world. It shares many similarities with
the Armenian alphabet.
118
The neighboring countries

of Ethiopia
 In the north: Eritrea
 In the south: Kenya
 In the west: south Soudan and Sudan republic
 In the east: Djibouti and Somalia
Among the six neighboring countries, Ethiopia shares its longest boundary with
Sudan. The people close to border share the same culture. The majority of the
people who live in Moyale, at the border of Ethiopia and Kenya are pastoralist.
They share the same grazing land and they come together during emergencies.
Exercise:
1. Ethiopia is located in the of Africa.

2. In the north, Ethiopia has bordered with .
3. Ethiopia is country with no harbor.
4. Ethiopia has over ethnics group .
5. The largest Ethiopian ethnic groups are and .
6. Ethiopia has the longest boundary with .
7. People who live around Moyale are .
8. In the south, Ethiopia is bordered with .
9. Ethiopia is the populous country in Africa.
119

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General science book for grade 4

I. Fill in the blank spaces.

2. is the outer layer of the skin.

3. The two layers of the skin are and .

4. The epidermis contain , and

5. The layer of our skin (dermis) contains ,

6. excrete wastes and cools the body through evaporation of

7. The is the deeper layer of a skin providing the

structural support to the skin.

1.1.1 .1Special function of the skin

The dermis contains numerous different types of specialized nerve cell or

1.2 Internal structures muscle ,skeleton

II. Give short answers.

1.2.2 Types of muscular tissue

our muscles without our conscious mind or unconsciously . Such as :-

 Cardiac muscle :- Movement of your hearts, and central blood vessels

 Smooth muscle:‐ Movement of your intestine esophagus and other in-

ternal organ including

body during digestion)

Give short answer

1. What are involuntary muscles?

2. What are voluntary muscles?

3. Give three examples of voluntary muscles?

4. Give three examples of involuntary muscles?

3. It affords special protection to highly important structure and organs.

Circle the correct answer for the following questions.

2.1.1 Blood circulation

Components of circulatory system.

2. Write the four functions of blood circulation .

II. Fill in the blank spaces.

Kinds of blood circulation

Disease of blood circulation

2. What is systemic circulation ?

3. What is pulmonary circulation ?

4. Write four important factors of blood circulation.

5. Write two diseases that affect blood circulation .

6. Define the abbreviation of AIDS.

7. Why do people die when they are affected by AIDS?

8. What is the cause of syphilis?

5. Blood is a brown fluid that flows in the blood vessels.

 Understand what the brain does.

 List and explain the three main parts of the brain.

3.1 What is the brain?

What the brain does

body what to do.

tongue and skin on your face and scalp.

Control centers of the brain

Looking after your brain

What is the nervous system?

The central nervous system

Messages travel through the cranial nerves, those

The autonomic (say or-tow-nom-ik) system

Dr. Kate says

brain which makes you feel good, relaxes muscles and

needed to build healthy nerves and tissue.

Give short answers

2. Write three functions of the brain?

3. What are the functions of nerve cells?