CLASS 7 SCIENCE NOTES

ENVIRONMENT

 Means the surrounding of a living thing

 The natural home of a living thing is called its habitat.
 Things which make up the environment are called components of environment

COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

They are classified into two

 Major components
 Minor components

MAJOR COMPONENTS

They include

 Plants
 Animals
 Water
 Air
 Soil
 Water, Air and Soil are called the major non-living components
 Plants and Animals are called the major living components

MINOR COMPONENTS

They include things like

 Sound
 Light
 Buildings

WATER

 Water is an essential component because it ;

Is needed by plants for healthy growth

Plants need water

a) To make food during photosynthesis
b) During germination of seeds
c) Humans need water for domestic and industrial uses
d) Habitat-Some animals live in water e. g Fish

Water can exist in the environment in different forms e. g Snow, Smog, Vapour, Mist etc

Water covers the largest part of the earth surface i. e 75%

SOIL

 Soil is formed through weathering of rocks

 Soil is needed by plants for healthy growth
 Plants get water and mineral salts from the soil
 Many plants are also anchored in the soil by roots
 Soil acts as habitat for small animals e.g
  Worms
 Ants
 Earthworm
 Insect larvae
 Moles
 Termites
 Bacteria
 Groundhogs

Importance of small animals in the soil

They help to

 Improve drainage
 Add humus in the soil
 Enable decomposition of organic matter
 Improve air circulation.

AIR

The air in the atmosphere consists gases;

 78%-Nitrogen
 0.03%- carbon dioxide
 0.97%- Inert gases
 21% -Oxygen
 Plants need the air for healthy growth
 Oxygen is needed in plants during Germination and respiration
 Carbon dioxide is needed during Photosynthesis
 Nitrogen is used by plants to make proteins
 Leguminous plants fix nitrogen in the soil using special bacteria in the root nodules.

PLANTS

 Plants absorb water and mineral salts from the soil

 Plants breathe in carbon dioxide which is given out by animals
 Plants get humus from dead and decayed animals

ANIMALS

 Obtain shelter from trees

 Get medicine from plants
 Get oxygen from plants
 Are anchored in the soil
 Some animals like fish get oxygen from water

PLANTS
INTERDEPENDENCE
 The relationship in which living things depend upon each other is called interdependence
 There are two forms of interdependence
 Plants and plants
 Plants and animals

Plants depend upon plants for

 Support
  Shade
 Habitat

SHADE

 Some plants grown under big trees to protect them against direct sun and strong winds
 Such plants depend on the trees for Shade eg Fern

HABITAT

 Some plants use other plants as their home where they get food and shelter
 Plants which depend upon others for habitat are either parasites or saprophytes
 Saprophytes are plants which feed on dead and decaying matter e. g
 Mushroom
 Toad stools
 Puffballs
 Bracket tree
 Moulds
Parasitic plants depend wholly on the host plants e. g Mistletoe

SUPPORT

 Plants with weak stems obtain support from big trees

 Structures used by plants to get support include
 Thorns
 Coiled Stem
 Tendrils
 Tendrils are modified leaves used by weak stems to get support
 They are found in plants like passion, beans pumpkins etc
 Some plants like bougainvillea use thorns to get support

INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS

 Plants and animals depend upon each other on the following

 Food
 Oxygen and Carbon dioxide
 Shelter
 Pollination
 Decomposition
 Medicine
 Animal waste Nutrients

FOOD

 Plants make their own food

 Animals depend on plants for food directly or indirectly

OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE

 Plants depend on animals for carbon dioxide

 Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and out oxygen
 Animals depend on plants for oxygen
 Animals take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide

SHELTER

 Some animals obtain shelter in trees e. g

 Birds build their nests on trees
 Monkeys live in the forest

POLLINATION

 insects like bees and butterflies enable pollination as they visit flowers to feed on nectar
 In this case the plant depends on the animal for pollination
ANIMAL WASTE

 Animal waste (dung, droppings, urine) is used as manure which is needed by plants for
healthy growth.
 Animal manure contains nutrients needed by plants for healthy growth

DECOMPOSITION

 It is the process of decaying or rotting of organic matter

 Plants depend on animals for decomposition
 The main agents of decomposition are bacteria and fungi

MEDICINE

 Animals depend on plants for medicine

 Medicine obtained directly from plants is called herbal medicine
 Some medicinal plants include
 Neem plant
 Aloe vera
 Ginger
 Cinchona
 Penincillium
 Eucalyptus

NUTRIENTS

 Some plants depend on animals for nutrients

 Plants growing in soils lacking nitrogen salts feed on insects to get proteins
 They are called insectivorous or carnivorous plants
 They include
 Cobra lily
 Pitcher plant
 Sundew
 Bladderwort
 Venus flytrap
 They have a cup shaped leaf for trapping insects

FOOD CHAINS

 It is a relationship which shows the flow of food in the environment

 It shows who eats who
 Arrows in a food chain point to the eater

Examples

Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake

Grass Zebra Lion Vulture

From the above food chains

 Green plants are called producers because they make food

 Other members of the chain are called consumers
 Primary consumers feed on plants directly (herbivores)
 Secondary consumers feed on plants indirectly by eating primary consumers(carnivores)
 Tertiary consumers feed on the secondary consumers
 Most tertiary consumers are scavengers
 Decomposers feed on dead plants and animals
PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

Draw the pyramid of numbers

CROP PESTS

 A pest is any troublesome living thing that destroys crops

 Pests are classified into
 Field pests
 Storage pests

FIELD PESTS

 They destroy crops in the field

 Examples
 Aphid
 Cutworm
 Stalk borer
 Weaver birds
 Quelea birds
 Locusts
 Crickets
 Thrips
 Moles
 Weevils

STORAGE PESTS

 They destroy crops which have been stored

 Examples
 Termites
 Ants
 Weevils
 Rodents –Squirrels, Rabbits, Rats, Mice
 Some pests are both field and storage
 Examples
 Weevils
 Rodents
 The destruction on crops by pests depends on the nature of the mouth part
 Biting and chewing mouth parts
 Piercing and sucking mouth parts
 The aphid sucks sap from the plants
 Cutworms cut the stem of young crops at the base making them to fall
 Stalk borer bore holes of cereals and destroys the stalk
 Army worms feed on the leaves
 Rodents and weevils destroy grains

EFFECTS OF PESTS ON CROPS

Crops attacked by pests show the following signs

 Stunted growth or retarded growth.

 Folding leaves
 Wilting(drying)
 Discolouration and malformation of leaves.

The effects of pests on crops include

  Low yields
 Reduced quality produce
 Transmission of diseases to crops
 Death of the plant
 Transmission of diseases to the consumer

PEST CONTROL MEASURES

 Trapping-Mainly done on rodents and birds using a trap

 Scaring- Done using a scarecrow or throwing objects on the pests
 Hand picking
 Weeding- Some pests usually hide on the weeds
 Pruning- Cutting and destroying the infected branches
 Spraying chemicals –Chemicals called pesticides are sprayed on the crops to kill the pests
 It is the most effective method

ANIMALS

Livestock parasites

 A parasite is any living organism that fully depends on another organism for survival
 The animal depended upon is called the host
 The animal depending on the other is called the parasite e. g

Cow Tick

(Host) (Parasite)

 Parasites are also called pests

TYPES OF LIVESTOCK PARASITES

 There are two types of livestock parasites

a) External Parasites
b) Internal Parasites

EXTERNAL PARASITES

 They are found on the skin of livestock

 They attack and destroy the external organs
 The organs where the external parasites are found include
a) Hide
b) Ears
c) Base of horns
d) Around the eyes
e) Udder
f) Teats
g) Under the tail

Summary of external parasites

Parasite Animal attacked

a. Tick Cattle, Sheep, Goats

b. Mites Pigs, Goat, Sheep, Poultry, Camels, Horses, Cattle, Rabbit
c. Fleas Pigs, Poultry, Rabbits
d. Louse Poultry, pigs, Sheep, Cattle, Horses
e. Tsetse fly All domestic animals
Pictures of parasites

INTERNAL PARASITES

 These are parasites which live in the body of the host

 They attack and destroy the internal organs of the animal
 They attack parts such as,
a) Liver
b) Stomach
c) Intestines
d) Lungs
e) Tongue
f) muscles
g) Brain
h) Heart

SUMMARY OF INTERNAL PARASITES

Parasite Animal attacked Part of body found

a) Liver fluke Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Pigs Liver, Lungs

b) Tapeworms Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Pigs Liver, Small intestines
c) Hook worms Sheep, Goat Small intestines
d) Lung worms Cattle, sheep, Goat, pigs Lungs, Brain, Stomach
e) Round worms Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Poultry Liver, Lungs, Small intestines
Fish

Note

 Tapeworms affect the quality of meat in beef animals and pigs

 Mite destroys wool in sheep
 Ticks and fleas make holes on the skin and hides.
 Ticks and louse transmit diseases in livestock

EFFECTS OF PARASITES ON LIVESTOCK

i. POOR HEALTH Livestock attacked by parasites will eventually have poor health
Due to loss of appetite and diseases
ii. ANAEMIA Some parasites suck blood from the host. Such parasites cause loss of blood
which easily can cause anaemia
iii. IRRITATION External parasites cause irritation on the skin of the host
They also cause discomfort to the livestock, This affects the feeding
and results to poor health and low production
iv. POOR QUALITY PRODUCTS The quality of product like milk, meat, eggs can be affected
by attack by parasites

CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK PARASITES

 Ways of controlling external parasites include

i. Rotational grazing
 This method controls parasites by cutting off their life cycle.
 The young pests die before maturity as the animals move about in the rotation cycle
 Rotational grazing methods include
a) Strip grazing
b) Paddocking
 c) Tethering

Dipping

 This is then most effective method of controlling external parasites

 A dip consists of a constructed structure with a roof and a tank
 Inside the tank is a mixture of water and chemicals called the dip wash or plunge
 Animals are dipped in the tank
 The chemicals used to control parasites are called acaricides
 Picture of a dip

Spraying

 This is done using a sprayer

 Water is mixed with chemicals to form spray wash.
 The animals are put in structure called a crush to restrict their movement when spraying
 Picture of a crush

Hand picking

 This method involves removing the parasites from the body of the animals using hands

CONTROL OF INTERNAL PARASITES

 The methods of controlling internal parasites include

Deworming
 This is giving of medicine to control internal parasites
 Deworming is done in two ways

Drenching

 It is the giving of liquid medicine to control parasites

 It is done using an equipment called a drenching gun

Dosing

 This is giving solid medicine to animals to control internal parasites

 Dosing is done using an equipment called the bolus gun
Picture of drenching and bolus gun

Rotational grazing

 Controls internal parasites like liver fluke, tapeworms etc

 It cuts off the life cycle of the parasites

HUMAN INTESTINAL WORMS

 These are the worms that are found in the humans body
 They include
a) Tapeworm
b) Thread worms
c) Hookworm
d) Roundworms
e) Whipworms
 These worms feed on the digested food in the body
 Others suck blood from the intestines

Methods of controlling the human intestinal worms

Proper sanitation

 This involves keeping the environment clean such as

a) Proper use of latrines and toilets
b) Washing hands after using the toilets
c) Boiling drinking water
d) Washing hands before handling foods
e) Proper washing of foods eaten raw like fruits and vegetables
f) Proper cooking of foods

Regular deworming should be done after every three months.

WATER
WATER POLLUTION

 It is the introduction of harmful substances in water and water sources

 The things which pollute water are called pollutants or contaminants

CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

 Floods -Add mud and solid wastes in water

 Acid rain –Formed when rain water mix with carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide
 Oil spills –Reduce the amounts of oxygen in water
 Wastes from industries
 Uncontrolled use of farm chemicals
 Human and animal wastes
 Sewage

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION ON

PLANTS

 Acid rain destroys plant leaves

 Oil spills clog roots and interfere with absorption
 Floods destroy vegetation cover
 Oil spill reduce oxygen in water killing water plants.

ANIMALS

 Acid rain kills aquatic animals

 Oil spills reduce oxygen in water killing water animals
 Human and animal wastes cause water borne diseases
 Excess fertilizers increase the growth of water plants

NON LIVING THINGS

 Acid rain destroys soil composition and structure

 Acid rain corrodes iron sheets

CONTROL OF WATER POLLUTION

 Practising proper hygiene

 Checking soil erosion
 Practise proper farming methods
 Draw water for animals to avoid water contamination by wastes
 Treating industrial waste gases before release
 Controlled use of farm chemicals
WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES

 Water conservation is the careful use of water and water sources to prevent waste and
contamination

METHODS

 Harvesting rain water

 Re-using
 Recycling
 Using water sparingly
 Constructing dams
 Mulching and shading

HARVESTING RAIN WATER

 During rainy season the water is collected and stored in tanks and buckets to be used when
rain is over

RECYCLING

 It is the treatment of water in industries to make it useful.

REUSING

 It’s the using of already used water again for a different purpose
 Water which remains after bathing can be used to mop the floor
o Water that remains when washing can be used to water crops

MULCHING AND SHADING

 Mulching is putting dry grass and leaves at the base of the plant
 The main reason for mulching is to conserve moisture.
 Other reasons for mulching
 To prevent growth of weeds
 To prevent splash erosion
 To add humus in the soil after rotting

CONSTRUCTING DAMS

 A wall is constructed across a gulley to hold the water

USING WATER SPARINGLY

 This is using only the amount of water needed to avoid wastage

 Water can be used sparingly by
 Closing taps after use
 Using drip irrigation instead of over head sprinklers
 Repairing leakages in water pipes.

SOIL

SOIL FERTILITY
 It is the ability of the soil to produce and sustain high crop yield
 Yield is the amount of harvest that a farmer gets from the crops.
 Soil loses fertility through
 Uptake by plants
 Soil erosion
  Poor farming methods e. g mono cropping, cultivating in river banks.

Soil fertility is restored by adding manures and fertilizers

PLANT NUTRIENTS

 Plant nutrients are found in the soil in form of mineral salts

 They are classified into
 Macro nutrients(major)
 Micro nutrients(minor)

MACRO NUTRIENTS

 They are needed by plants in large quantities

 They include
 Nitrogen
 Phosphorus
 Sulphur
 Oxygen
 Carbon
 Hydrogen
 Potassium
 Magnesium

MICRO NUTRIENTS

 They are needed by plants in small quantities

 They include
 Iron
 Copper
 Zinc
 Manganese
 Molybdenum
 Boron
 Chlorine

MANURES

 Are substances added in the soil to improve fertility

 They are classified into
 Organic manures
 Inorganic manures

ORGANIC MANURES

 They are also called natural fertilizers

 They are made from plant and animal remains
 Examples
 Green manure
 Farm yard manure
 Organic mulches
 Compost manure

FARM YARD MANURE

 Made by heaping together animal waste (dung and urine)and the beddings
 It should be left to rot completely before it is taken to the farm
  The heap should d be sheltered against direct sun and rain to avoid loss of nutrients

GREEN MANURE

 It is made from green crops which are ploughed back to the soil before flowering
 Crops for making green manure should be
 Leafy and vegetative
 Able to grow fast
 Able to rot easily
 Contain high nitrogen content
 Leguminous plants are highly preferred because they are able to fix nitrogen in the soil
 Green manure takes the longest time to prepare.

ORGANIC MULCH

 It is made from plant remains which are left in the farm to rot.
 Materials used in mulching eventually rot and form humus

COMPOST MANURE

 Made by heaping organic matter in a compost heap

 It is made using the heap or pit methods.
 Materials for making compost
 Kitchen remains
 Wood ash
 Maize stalks
 Farm yard manure
 Top soil
 Materials are arranged in the heap as shown below
 Picture of compost heap

Facts about compost heap.

 It should be kept moist not wet

 It should be turned occasionally to allow free air circulation and speed up decomposition
 When dry water should be sprinkled to speed up decomposition
 A layer of top soil should be added to introduce decomposers
 Wood ash is added for additional nutrients
 Far yard manure is added to provide food for decomposers
 No plastics and polythene bags should be added in the heap for they do not rot.
 Heap should be covered with dry grass or leaves to prevent direct sun and rain
 The manure should be taken to the farm when it is fully decomposed to avoid scorching
crops

ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZRES

 Also called inorganic manures or chemical fertilizers

 They are applied in small amounts
 They contain high quantities of nutrients
 They usually contain specific nutrients
 They are classified into
 Straight Fertilizers
 Compound Fertilizers

STRAIGHT FERTILIZRES

 They contain only one macro/major nutrient

  They are grouped into
 Nitrogenous fertilizers- Contain nitrogen e. g urea, CAN. Sulphate of ammonia
 Phosphatic fertilizers –Contain Phosphorus e. g SSP, DSP,TSP
 Potassic fertilizers- Contain potassium. E. g muriate of potash
 Nitrogenous fertilizers are needed for formation of healthy leaves
 They are applied as top dressing.
 Phosphatic fertilizers are needed for formation of healthy leaves
 They are applied during planting time

COMPOUND FERTILIZES

 They contain more than one major nutrient

 The nutrients contained are usually indicated in ratios

Examples

 N.P.K
 Mono ammonium phosphate(MAP)
 Diammonium phosphate(DAP)

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF MANURES AND FERTILIZERS

ADVANTAGES

 Results in high growth rate in crops

 Leads to high crop yields of high quality
 Leads to growth of crops with deep green colour
 Leads to quick ripening of fruits
 Increase size of grains, seeds and fruits
 Improve the soil fertility by;
o Improving soil ability to hold water
o Binds soil particles together
o Releases nutrients to the soil
o Improve air circulation in the soil

DIS ADVANTAGES

 Green manure is expensive and takes a lot of time to prepare

 Inorganic manures(fertilizers) pollute the soil
 Some fertilizers evaporate when exposed to sunlight
 Some fertilizers are corrosive they have a burning effect
 Some fertilizers absorb water and stick together when exposed
 Most fertilizers scorch(burn) crops when applied in excess
 Organic manure are bulk to handle
 Fertilizers are expensive to buy

HEALTH EDUCATION:

DRUG ABUSE AND DRUG MISUSE

 A drug is any chemical substance which when taken changes the normal functioning of the
body
 Drugs affects the nervous system
 Drugs are of different types
E. g

 Medicinal drugs-taken for medical reasons

 Stimulants-drugs which excite the body and make the user active and alert
 Depressants-Drugs which calm the body and induce sleep
 Narcotic drugs- drugs which have very strong effects when taken

MEDICINAL DRUGS

 They include
 Curative medicines-for curing diseases(antibiotics)
 Preventive medicines-for preventing diseases(vaccines)
 Pain relievers-relief pain(analgesics)
 Vitamin supplements

DRUG MISUSE

 It is taking drugs for the wrong reasons

Examples

 Taking wrong medicine

 Taking wrong dosage
 Taking medicine when one is not sick.
 Taking sleeping pills to induce sleep
 Taking medicine made for someone else
 Sharing medicine
 Some drugs are legal and others are prohibited
 Legal drugs are allowed by the law to be taken

Examples

 Khat
 Tobacco
 Alcohol
 Coffee
 Cocoa
 Tea
 Illegal drugs are not allowed to be taken by the law
 They are called prohibited drugs

Examples

 Cocaine
 Heroin
 Mandrax
 Inhalants

DRUG ABUSE

It is taking drugs to a point that one becomes depended on it, you cannot do without

COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS

Examples

 Tobacco
 Alcohol
  Miraa
 Coccain
 Mandrax
 Inhalants
 Bhang

TOBACCO

 It is made from dried crushed leaves of tobacco shrub

 Rolled as cigarette and taken by smoking
 It can also be sniffed or added to food
 A burning cigarette produces three active substances
 Nicotine
 Tar
 Carbon monoxide
 Nicotine causes addiction
 Tar causes discoloured teeth, cancer
 Carbon monoxide destroys haemoglobin
 There are two types of smokers
 Active smokers
 Passive smokers

EFFECTS OF TOBACCO

 Discoloured teeth
 Asthma attack
 Can cause heart attack
 Highly addictive

EFFECTS OF TOBACCO TO EXPECTANT MOTHERS

 Underweight babies
 Poor physical growth
 Poor mental growth
 Weak immune system
 Deformed organ

ALCOHOL

 It is a stimulant when taken in small amounts and a depressant when taken in large
quantities
 It is manufactured or brewed locally.
 Distilled alcohol contains ethanol which causes addiction and alcoholism
 Locally brewed alcohol contains methanol which causes blindness
 Excess taking of alcohol causes a disease of the liver called CIRRHOSIS

MIRAA

 Also known as Khat

 Obtained from the leaves of Miraa shrub
 Abused mainly by chewing leaves and twigs

EFFECTS

 Lack of sleep
 Malnutrition
 Dryness of the mouth and lips
  Can lead to heart attack
 Stomach ulcers

COCCAINE

 It is a stimulant
 Obtained from coca plant
 Was initially used as an aesthesia during medical operations
 Mainly abused through injection, it can also be smoked or sniffed

EFFECTS

 Lack of sleep
 Loss of appetite
 Malnutrition
 Hallucination
 Highly addictive
 Brain damage

BHANG (CANNABIS SATIVA)

 Obtained from hemp plant.

 Taken by smoking.
 Can also be taken by adding it to food.

EFFECTS

 Highly addictive
 Causes hallucination
 Causes blood shot eyes
 Increased appetite
 User becomes aggressive and daring

HEROINE

 Obtained from poppy plant

 It’s is usually in form of white crystalline powder
 Mainly abused by
o Injection
o Sniffing
o Adding to food

EFFECTS

 Drowsiness
 Difficulties in breathing
 Memory loss
 Vomiting
 Overdose can cause death

MANDRAX

 Obtained from mandrake plant

 It is manufactured artificially in a laboratory
 Mainly taken through injection and sniffing

EFFECTS
  Memory loss
 Staggering
 Breathing problems
 Inability to talk properly
 It is poisonous and can kill

INHALANTS

 They are taken by inhaling and sniffing

 They are depressants and are illegal
 Examples of inhalants:
 Cobblers glue
 Petrol
 Jet fuel
 Turpentine
 Nail polish remover

EFFECTS

 Breathing problems
 Dizziness
 Vomiting
 Brain damage

HEALTH EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE

 Addiction
 Hallucination
 Diseases
 Brain damage
 Loss of concentration
 Memory loss
 Impaired judgement
 Unconsciousness
 Withdrawal symptoms

SOCIAL EFFECTS

 Marital conflicts
 Family separation
 Divorce
 Truancy
 Drunk induced accidents
 Fighting and quarrels
 Anti- social behaviours e.g Rape Robbery etc

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS

 A myth is a false story which people believe it is true

 Misconception is a false story which people believe because they have no facts to support it.
 Misconceptions about HIV and AIDS
 Aids does not exist
 Aids can be cured through witch craft
 Aids can be cured by having sex with a virgin
 Aids affects only immoral people
 Aids can be spread through insect bites
FACTS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS

 Aids is real and exists

 Anyone can contract aids
 Aids cannot be spread through:
 Sharing utensils
 Sharing a meal in one plate
 Shaking hands
 Swimming together
 Mosquito and other insect bites
 Playing together
 Living same room with an infected person

CARE AND SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE INFECTED WITH HIV AND AIDS

 Love and care

 Adequate diet
 Hygiene
 Medical care

CARE AND SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE AFFECT WITH HIV AIDS

 Financial assistance
 Collecting water
 Cooking food
 Caring for the children
 Helping with digging
 Cleaning the compound
 Washing clothes

ELECTRICITY:
 Electricity is a form of energy
 Other forms of energy include
 Light
 Heat
 Sound
 Magnetism
 There are two forms of electricity
 Static electricity
 Current Electricity
 Uses of current electricity
 Lighting
 Heating
 Operating electric appliances.
 Current electricity is produced from
 Hydro electric dams
 Diesel generators
 Car batteries
 Geo thermal wells
 Torch cells
 Solar batteries

STATIC ELECTRICITY

 It is a stationery form of electricity,

  It is created by rubbing objects together and is a weak form of electricity
 It is in form of charges
 The charges are
 Positive
 Negative
 The charges are only created on the rubbed part
 It cannot be moved from one point to another.
 Examples
 A nylon pullover removed suddenly from the body crackling sound is heard and sparks
produced
 When a cat is rubbed gently in darkness sparks are produced
 When combing hair using a plastic comb crackling sound is heard
 Fluff sticks on glass panes when wiped using a piece of cloth on a dry day
 A comb rubbed against the hair is able to pick small pieces of paper

ACTIVITY Producing static electricity using balloons

Activity Observations
[Link] Two balloons When the inflated balloons are brought close together
Put the balloons close together nothing happens
Note the observations
2. Rub one of the inflated balloons When the rubbed and the un rubbed balloons are put
above using a piece of cloth close together nothing happens
Put the two balloons close together
Note what happens
3. Now rub the two balloons , one The balloons attract each other
using a piece of cloth and the other on
your hair and note what happens
when you place them close together
4. Rub the two balloons using a piece The balloons Push each other away
of clothe The act of pushing each other away is called repelling
Place the rubbed balloons close ( repel )
together
Note what happens

Note

 Rubbing the balloons creates the static charges

 When the balloons are rubbed using the same material they acquire similar charge
 When balloons are rubbed using different materials they acquire unlike charges
 When like charges are brought close together they repel
 When unlike charges are brought close together they attract
 A rubbed and un rubbed balloons put together will have no effect
 The charges can be removed by wiping then rubbed part using a wet clothe
 Lightning is a very strong form of static electricity

CURRENT ELECTRICITY

 It is electricity which can be moved from one point to another

 The movement of current electricity is called electric current
 It is carried through wires
 It can be stored in form of chemicals in dry cells or batteries

SOURCES OF CURRENT ELECTRICITY

 Dry cells and car batteries

  Solar panels
 Generators
 Dynamo
 Hydro electric generators
 Geo thermal generators
 Petrol and diesel generators
 Wind driven generators
(a) DRY CELLS
 It stores electricity in form of chemicals
 It has positive and negative terminals at the ends
 When two or more cells are connected they form a battery
 They cannot be recharged.
 Picture of a dry cell (leave space to draw)
 Dry cells are used to operate
 Radios
 Torch
 Camera
 Remote
(b) CAR BATTERY
 It contains chemicals which generate electricity
 They can be recharged when the current runs out.
 They have a negative and positive terminal
 Used in motor vehicles, lighting Operating electric appliances
 Picture of car battery (leave space to draw)

© GENERATORS

 They are machines used to produce electricity

 They are rotated to generate electricity
 Examples of generators
 Bicycle dynamo-
 Rotated using a bicycle wheel to produce electricity
 Hydro electric generators-
 Big generators rotated using water to produce large quantities of electricity
 Petrol and diesel generators-
 Uses petrol or diesel to run
 They pollute the environment since these fuels produce smoke when they burn
 Geo thermal generators-
 Geo means Earth.
 They are run using steam from under ground
 They use steam from underground hence Geo .
 (d) Wind driven turbines-
 A fan driven by wind is used to run a big generator to produce electricity
 To make them more efficient fun;
a) Increase the surface area of the blades
b) Make blades using a light material
c) Allow the blade to freely rotate on the axle

(e) SOLAR ENERGY PANELS

 They are light sensitive cells which transform light from the sun to electrical energy
 They are placed on top of building where they can trap sunlight
 The electricity can be stored in batteries to be used later when there is no sun.

SIMPLE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

  Electric circuit is the path followed by electric current
 The path is made of wire
 For circuit to be complete there must be a
 Dry cell
 Wire
 Bulb

Picture of a simple circuit

Contact points of a dry cell in a complete circuit

 When two similar terminals of a dry cell are connected the bulb does not light
 For the bulb to light the positive and negative terminals are connected

See the diagrams in the pupils book

Good and poor conductors of electricity

 Those materials that make the bulb to light allow electricity to pass through them they are
called good conductors of electricity
 Those materials that do not make the bulb to light do not allow electricity to pass through
them they are called poor conductors of electricity and are used as insulators
 Insulators prevent electricity from passing through our bodies when one touches a wire that
is not insulated .uninsulated wires are commonly known as bare or naked wires they can
cause electric shock or even electrocution
 Good conductors of electricity are used for making contacts of switches

ELECTRIC APPLIANCES AT HOME AND THEIR USES

APPLIANCE DIAGRAM FUNCTION

Electric kettle Boiling water
Electric iron Pressing clothes
Electric cooker For cooking
Water heater Boiling water

SAFETY WHEN DEALING WITH ELECTRICITY

 Do not insert objects into electric sockets

 Do not use appliances with damaged plugs or wires
 Do not play near equipment with the sign DANGER OR HATARI
 Do not work near mains or overhead electrical cables
 Do not re pair on electrical appliances while it still plugged in
 Do not overload sockets by plugging in many electrical appliances in a single socket
 Do not operate an electrical equipment or touch a switch or a socket with wet hands or
while standing in water

LIGHTNING AND SAFETY MEASURES

 Lightning is a very strong form of static electricity

 It is formed when charges build up in the sky after clouds rub against the air
  The rubbing creates static charges which produce a large spark across the sky called lightning
 The impact of the charges is a loud sound called thunderstorm
 NOTE Thunder and lightning occur at the same time but the light is seen before thunder
because
 Light travels faster than sound

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST LIGHTNING DURING THUNDERSTORM

 Tall building s should be fitted with lightning arrestors

 Lightning arrester is made of a metal rod which passes the charges to the ground
 Do not shelter under tall trees during thunderstorm
 Avoid walking on open fields, if caught in a field squat away from tall trees
 Use shoes with rubber soles
 Do not stand on pools of water
 Avoid swimming and boating during thunderstorm
 Do not lean on walls or veranda during thunderstorm
 Avoid carrying sharp metallic objects when it is raining

PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Dissolving solids
 A solid that dissolves in a liquid is called a solute e. g Sugar, Salt, Glucose
 The liquid in which the solid dissolves is called the solvent
 Water is the commonly used solvent in dissolving liquids
 The complete mixture of a solute and a solvent is called a solution

E.g

Sugar + Water = Sugar solution

(Solute ) (Solvent ) (Solution)

 The complete disappearing of the solid in the liquid is called Dissolving

 Solids which dissolve in liquids are referred to as soluble solids
 Solids which do not dissolve i liquids are called insoluble solids
 The ability of a solid to dissolve in a liquid is called solubility
Diagram of insoluble solids

Soluble and insoluble solids

Soluble solids Insoluble solids
Salt Sand
Sugar Chalk dust
Glucose Flour
Milk powder

Mixing liquids
 Some liquids when put together mix while others do not
 Liquids that mix completely when put together are called Miscible liquids
 The mixture formed by miscible liquids is called an homogeneous solution
  Liquids that do not mix are called immiscible liquids
 When immiscible liquids are put together in the same container they form layers
 The liquids settle according to density
 The less dense liquid float on the denser one

Miscible and immiscible liquids

miscible Liquids Immiscible liquids
Water + Milk Kerosene + water
Water + Ink Water + Cooking oil
Spirit + Water Milk + Petrol
Milk + Spirit Ink + Cooking oil
Milk + Ink Water + Engine oil
Kerosene + Cooking oil Kerosene + Spirit
Petrol + Engine oil Cooking oil + Spirit

 Liquids which mix have the same density and those which do not mix do not have same
density
 The ability of liquids to mix is called miscibility

Magnetic and non magnetic materials

 A magnet is a piece of metal that has forces that attract some other ‘metals
 Materials that are attracted by magnets are called magnetic materials
 Those that are not attracted by magnets are called non magnetic materials

Magnetic materials Non magnetic materials

Tin Copper
Iron Aluminium
Nickel Zinc
Steel Silver
Cobalt Lead
Chromium All non metals
Alnico

Types of magnets
 There are different types of magnets
 The commonly used magnets are
 Bar magnets
 Horse shoe magnets
 Needle magnets
 Electro magnets

Methods of Separating mixtures

The methods used to separate mixtures include

 Picking
  Sieving
 Winnowing
 Use of magnets
 Decanting
 Filtration
 Evaporation

Picking
 It is used to separate solid mixtures E. g Maize and Beans
 Small and big solid mixtures can be separated using picking method
 One of the components of the mixture is picked using hands

Winnowing
 This method is used to separate a mixture of light and heavy solids e.g Beans and chuff,
Coffee and Husks
 The mix is put in a tray and tossed up and down
 The light component of the mixture is carried by wind leaving the heavy ones
 Winnowing is only possible when it is windy

Picture ( leave space )

Sieving
 A mixture of coarse and fine solids can be separated by sieving
 The fine particles pass through small holes in the sieve leaving the big ones
 This method can be used to separate Coarse and fine sand, Maize and flour
 Note that sieving involves solid mixtures only

Using a magnet
 This method is used to separate a mixture of magnetic and non magnetic materials
 The magnetic part of the mixture is attracted by the magnet leaving the non magnetic part
 Note that a mixture of two magnetic materials like pieces of tin and iron fillings cannot be
separated using a magnet
 Examples of mixtures
 Iron fillings and sand
 Copper fillings and pieces of nickel

Picture( leave space )

Decanting.
  This method is used to separate an insoluble solid in a liquid
 The liquid is carefully poured to a separate container leaving the insoluble solid
 The liquid collected is called water
 The insoluble solids which remain are called sediments

Examples

 Sand and water

 Beans and water

Filtration
 This method is used to separate insoluble solids in a liquid
 A funnel fitted with a filter paper is used
 The mixture is poured in to the funnel
 The liquid passes through the filter paper leaving the solids on the mouth of the funnel
 The liquid collected is called the filtrate
 The insoluble solids which remain on the funnel are called the residue
 Note that filtering removes impurities in water
 Filtered water must be boiled to make it safe for drinking

Making a homemade water filter

Materials needed

 A clear bottle whose bottom has been cut

 A collecting jar
 Cotton wool
 Sand
 Water
 Charcoal
 Arrange the materials in the bottle as shown in the diagram below
Picture ( leave space)

 The materials are arranged in the bottle according to their size

 The fine sand layer filters the muddy part of the water
 Charcoal absorbs the colour of the water
 The liquid collected is called the filtrate
 The solids that remain in the bottle after filtration are called the residue
 The filtered water is made safe for drinking by boiling or adding chemicals

Evaporation

 It is used to separate soluble solids in a liquid

 The solution is put in a pan and heated until all the liquid evaporates
 The soluble solid remain at the bottom of the boiling vessel
 Only one component of the mixture is recovered
 The liquid is lost to the air and the solid remains in the pan
 Leave a space
MAKING WORK EASIER

Friction

 Friction is a force that opposes or hinders movement

 Friction is a force and therefore it is measured in Newtons
 The force of friction is experienced more in rough than smooth surfaces
 Friction acts to the opposite of the force creating motion

Picture

Advantages of friction

 Helps in
 Walking
 Writing using a pen or chalk
 Rubbing or erasing
 Lighting a matchstick
 Skating
 Cutting using a saw
 Braking
 ...

Disadvantages of friction

 Causes wear and tear

 Produces unwanted heat
 It makes work difficult since we have to overcome it
 It can cause blisters on our hands when working
 Increases the cost of maintenance

Ways of reducing friction

 To be able to use less force when doing work we need to reduce friction
 Methods of reducing friction include
 Using rollers and ball bearings
 Cartons and logs of wood can be easily moved along a surface by placing them on rollers
 Ball bearings are places on moving parts of machines to reduce friction
 Smoothening and polishing surfaces
 Using lubricants
 These are liquids like grease and oil which reduce ware and tear on moving parts of
machines
 Streamlining
 Bodies which move in liquids and gases have a streamlined shape to reduce air resistance
and friction
 Such bodies include Ships, Boats, fish, Birds Aeroplanes

Picture( leave space)

Increasing friction

 Methods of increasing friction include

 Making surfaces rough
 Adding weight
 Using treads
 Removing air between surfaces

Picture

Levers

 A lever is a simple machine that is used to make work easier

 Levers are machines which have a turning point
 The turning point of a lever is called the fulcrum or pivot

Parts of a lever

 Machines which are classified as levers have the following parts

 Fulcrum or pivot
 Load
 Effort

Picture

 Fulcrum- is the turning point in a lever

 Effort - Is the force applied to overcome the resistance
 Load – It is the force overcome by the effort also called resistance

Types of levers

 All levers are classified into three types according to the position of the pivot when working
 First class levers
 Second class levers
 Third class levers

First class levers

 They have the fulcrum between the load and effort.

Picture
  Examples
 Claw hammer
 Crow bar
 SeeSaw
 Scissors
 Lid opener


Second class levers

 They have the load between the effort and the fulcrum
 Examples
 Wheelbarrow

Picture

Third class levers

 They have the effort between the load and the fulcrum
 Examples
 Spade
 Coal tongs
 Fishing rod
How levers make work easier

 Levers make work easier by reducing the effort applied to do work

 This is achieved by increasing the effort distance
 The effort distance is the distance between the effort and the fulcrum
 The distance between the fulcrum and the load is called the load distance

Picture.....................................

Note

 Load and effort arm represents the load and the effort distances.
 Machines do not reduce the amount of work done
 They only make the work easier