Science:

Nature and Scope of Science

Meaning of Science

Science is the systematic (step by step) study of nature.

Nature means everything around us- living things (plants, animals, humans)
and non-living things (water, rocks, light, machines)

Science is a method of obtaining knowledge through observation and

experimentation.

Science is a way of doing and knowing things.

Branches of Science

There are three main branches of science. They are:

1 Biology
2 Chemistry
3 Physics

1) Biology is the study of living things (plants and animals). Biology is

divided into two:

I. Botany is the study of plants

II. Zoology is the study of animals

2) Chemistry is the study of matter in relation to their properties and

changes they undergo

3) Physics is the study of matter in relation to energy

Other Branches of Science

Astronomy is the study of the heavenly bodies (solar system and its planets)

Geology is the study of the origin, composition and structure of the earth.

Mathematics is the science of numbers and counting.

Importance of Science

Life
Science makes life easier and better by giving us new things like electricity,
phones and clean water
Health
Science helps us stay healthy by giving us medicines, clean hospitals, and
ways to prevent diseases

Communication
Science helps people talk and share messages quickly through telephones,
radios, and the internet

Transportation
Science gives us cars, motorbikes, boats, and airplanes to move from one
place to another faster

Agriculture
Science helps farmers to grow more food

Topic: Living and Non-Living Things

Living things are things that have life. They grow, move, breathe, eat,
reproduce, and respond to changes around them.

Examples: plants, humans, animals.

Characteristics of living things

Living things are alive and have special features or characteristics. There are
seven characteristics of living things. These are:

1 Movement: Living things can move on their own even if it is very slowly.

Example: Animals walk, fly or swim. Plants turn towards the sunlight

2 Respiration (Breathing): Living things take in air (oxygen) and give out
air (carbon dioxide)

Example: Humans and other animals take in oxygen and give out carbon
dioxide. Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen

3 Growth: Living things grow bigger and change as they get older.

Example: A baby grows into an adult.

4 Feeding: All living things need food to grow and get energy.

Examples: Humans eat rice, goats eat grass, plants make their own food
through photosynthesis.

5 Excretion: Living things remove waste from their bodies.

Examples: Human urine, sweat, and stool. Plants give out oxygen and water
vapour
6 Reproduction: Living things can produce young ones of their kind.

Example: Hens lay eggs, and humans give birth to babies.

7 Irritability: Living things can feel and react to their surroundings.

Example: you move away from something hot. A plant bends toward light.

Differences between living and non-living things.

Living things Non-Living things

Can feed Cannot feed
Can move Cannot move
Can breathe Cannot breathe
Can reproduce Cannot reproduce
Can grow Cannot grow
Can give out waste Cannot give out waste
product product
Can respond to Cannot respond to
changes around them changes around them

Topic: Plants

Plants are living things that can produce their own food through the use of
sunlight by a process called photosynthesis.

Plants can be grouped into two main ways:

A) Based on reproduction
B) Based on size

Types of plants based on reproduction

1 Flowering plants: These are plants that produce flowers, fruits and
seeds.

Examples: mango, orange, pawpaw

2 Non-Flowering plants: These are plants that do not produce flowers,

fruits, or seeds. They reproduce through spores or other parts.

Examples: Fern, moss, mushroom, algae.

Types of plants based on size

1 Herbs: These are small plants with soft, green stems. They live for a short
time.
Examples: Grass, okra, pepper, mint, etc.

2 Shrubs: These are medium-sized plants with woody stems and many
branches near the ground. They live longer than herbs.

Examples: Cassava, hibiscus, rose, etc.

3 Trees: These are plants with thick hard trunks called stems. They live for
many years.

Examples: Mango, palm, coconut, etc.

4 Climbers: These are plants with weak steams, so they cannot stand
straight. They need support to grow upward.

Examples: Bean plant, yam plant, etc.

5 Creepers: These are plants with weak stems, but they grow along the
ground.

Example: Pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber.

Importance of plants

1 plants provide food.

2 plants provide shade and shelter.

3 plants beautify our environment.

4 plants produce oxygen for breathing.

5 plants provide medicine.

6 Plants provide materials.

Topic: Parts of a plant and their functions

The parts of plants are:

1. Root
2. Stem
3. Leaf
4. Flower
5. Fruit
6. Seed
Root: The root is the part of the plant that holds the plant firmly in the
soil. It transports water and nutrients(minerals) to the plant. Some
roots store food for the plant.
 Examples: cassava, carrot, and yam roots
Types of roots:
1 Tap Root
2 Fibrous Root
Tap Root is a root that has one main root that grows deep into the soil
with small side roots growing from the main root.
Examples: carrot, bean

Functions of the root:

1. It holds the plants in the soil

2. It takes water and nutrients from the soil for plants growth.

Functions of the stem:

1. It holds up the plants above the ground.

2. It transports water and nutrients to the other parts of the plants.

Leaf: The leaf is the food-making part of a plant.

What does the leaf use to make food?

The leaf uses sunlight, air, and water to make food.

The leaf makes food through a process called photosynthesis.

Why are most leaves green?

Most leaves are green because they contain green pigment called
chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll captures the sunlight.

Examples of leaves: mango and cassava leaves.

Types of leaves

There are two types of leaves:

Simple leaf

Compound leaf

Simple leaf is a leaf that has only one leaf blade attached to a petiole.

Examples: mango leaf, guava, leaf

Compound leaf is a leaf that has many leaf blades attached to one petiole.
Examples: cassava leaf, groundnut leaf

Parts of a leaf

1 Leaf blade (Lamina) is the flat, wide part of the leaf.

It helps the plant make food.

2 Midrib is the thick line that runs through the middle of the leaf.

It helps support the leaf and carries water and food.

3 Veins are the small lines branching from the midrib.

They carry water and food to all parts of the leaf.

4 Leaf stalk(petiole) is the small stem that joins the leaf to the branch.

It helps the leaf stand out to receive sunlight.

5 Leaf margin is the edge or border of the leaf.

It can be smooth, rough or toothed.

Functions of the leaf:

 It makes food for plants which is sugar

 It takes carbon dioxide through tiny openings called stomata.

Functions of flower:

 It produces fruits and seeds

 It produces new plants.

Functions of fruit

 It protects the seed

 It assists in scattering the seed when ripe
The vegetative parts of the plants are:

 Stem
 Leaf
 Root

The reproductive parts of the plants are:

 Flower
 Fruit

Flower
What is a flower?
A flower is the coloureful part of a plant. It is the reproductive part
because it helps the plant make seeds.
Parts of a flower and their functions
1 Petals are bright and coloureful
Function:
It attracts insects like bees and butterflies.
2 Sepals are small green leaf-like parts.
Function:

It protects the flower when it is still a bud.

3 Stamen is the male part of a flower. It has two main parts.

I. Anther: This is the top part of the stamen that makes pollens
II. Filament: This is the thin stalk that holds the anther up.
Function
It produces pollen which is needed for fertilization.

4 Pistil is the female part of a flower. It has three main parts:

I. Stigma: This is the sticky top part of the pistil. It receives

pollen.
II. Style: This is the middle part of the pistil. It is like a tube that
holds the stigma up. It allows pollen to move down to the
ovary.
III. Ovary: This is the bottom part of the pistil. It contains
ovules(eggs).
It forms seeds and later becomes fruit.
Functions of a flower
 1 It helps the plant to produce seeds.

2 It attracts insects for pollination.

3 It produces pollen.

4 It receives pollen.

5 It beautifies the environment.

Topic: Germination

Seed

Meaning of seed.

A seed is a part of a plant that can grow into a new plant.

Parts of a seed

1 Seed coat (outer covering):

 Protects the seed from damage

 Keeps the seed safe

2 Cotyledon (seed leaf)

 Stores food for the young plant

 Feeds the seed during germination

3 Embryo (baby plant}

 Grows into root and shoot

 Grows into a new plant.

What is Germination?

Germination is the process by which a seed begins to grow into a new plant.

Conditions Necessary for Germination

I. Water: It softens the seed.

II. Air: It helps the seed breathe.
III. Warmth: It helps the seed grow.

Stages of Germination
1 Seed Takes in Water

 The seed absorbs water from the soil.

 It becomes soft and swells.

2 Seed coat Breaks Open

 The outer covering (seed coat) splits open.

3 Root Grows Downward

 The tiny root (called radicle) comes out first.

 It grows down into the soil to get water and nutrients.

4 Shoot Grows Upward.

 The shoot (called the plumule) grows up towards the sunlight.

5 Leaves Begin to Grow

 Small leaves appear.

 The plant starts to make its own food.

Types of Germination:
I. Epigeal Germination is the type of germination in which the seed
leaves(cotyledons)come above the soil.
Examples:
 Beans
 Ground nuts
 Cotton
 Castor
 Pumpkin
 Watermelon
 Okra
 Sunflower
 Cucumber
 Papaya
II. Hypogeal Germination is the type of germination in which the
seed leaves(cotyledons) remain below the soil.
Examples:
 Maize
 Rice
 Wheat
 Coconut
  Pea
 Mango
 Oil palm
 Guinea corn (sorghum)
 Millet
 Date palm
 Orange

Topic: Matter

Meaning of Matter

Matter is anything that has weight(mass) and occupies space.

Examples: water, air, wood, stone, books, tables, and people.

States of Matter

There are three main states of matter:

1 Solid: Has a fixed shape and fixed volume.

Examples: Stone, book, wood

2 Liquid: Has no fixed shape but has a fixed volume.

Examples: Water, milk, oil.

3 Gas: Has no fixed shape and no fixed volume.

Examples: Air, oxygen, carbon dioxide.

Properties of Matter

Solids

 Have a definite shape.

  Have a definite volume.
 Cannot flow easily.

Liquids

 Take the shape of their container.

 Can flow.
 Have a definite volume.

Gas

 Spread in all directions.

 Can be compressed.
 Fill the container in which they are kept.

Changes in States of Matter

1) Melting is the process by which a solid changes into a liquid when
heated.
Examples: Ice melting into water, candle wax melting.
2) Freezing is the process by which a liquid changes into a solid when
cooled.
Example: Water changing into ice.
3) Evaporation is the process by which a liquid changes into a gas
(water vapour) due to heat.
Examples: Wet clothes drying in the sun, water in a puddle drying
up.
4) Condensation is the process by which a gas changes into a liquid
when cooled.
Examples: Water droplets forming on the outside of a cold bottle,
dew forming on grass.
5) Sublimation is the process by which a solid changes directly into a
gas without first becoming a liquid.

Examples: Camphor changing directly from a solid into a gas,

mothballs gradually disappearing into the air, dry ice (solid carbon
dioxide) changing directly into carbon dioxide gas.

Note:

Mothballs are small balls made of chemicals that are used to protect
clothes from moths and other insects. They are often placed in
wardrobes, boxes, or storage containers with clothes.
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2). It is much colder than
ordinary ice and is used for cooling and creating fog effects.