Science Notes
Class 7
1. Nutrition in Plants
Nutrition is the process by which living organisms obtain and utilise food. Green plants
prepare their own food through a process called photosynthesis, and are therefore called
autotrophs. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of plants, mainly in the presence of a
green pigment called chlorophyll, which is found inside chloroplasts.
During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny pores called
stomata, and absorb water and minerals from the soil through their roots. Using sunlight as
the energy source, the plant converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The
overall word equation is: Carbon dioxide + Water, in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll,
produces Glucose and Oxygen.
Besides autotrophic nutrition, some plants show other modes of nutrition. Parasitic plants
such as Cuscuta (Amarbel) derive nutrition from a host plant. Insectivorous plants such as the
pitcher plant trap and digest insects to obtain nitrogen. Saprotrophs such as fungi obtain
nutrients from dead and decaying matter. Symbiotic relationships, such as that between fungi
and algae in lichens, allow both organisms to benefit from each other.
2. Nutrition in Animals
Unlike plants, animals cannot prepare their own food and depend on plants or other animals
for nutrition; hence they are called heterotrophs. The process of taking in food is called
ingestion, followed by digestion, absorption, assimilation, and finally egestion of undigested
waste.
In human beings, digestion begins in the mouth, where teeth break food into smaller pieces
and saliva, containing the enzyme salivary amylase, begins the breakdown of starch. The
food then passes through the oesophagus into the stomach, where gastric juices containing
hydrochloric acid and pepsin act on proteins. Further digestion occurs in the small intestine
with the help of bile from the liver and pancreatic juice from the pancreas, which help digest
fats, proteins and carbohydrates completely. Digested food is absorbed into the blood
through finger-like projections called villi, and undigested material passes into the large
intestine before being egested through the anus.
Different animals have different modes of obtaining food. Ruminants such as cows chew cud,
re-swallowing partially digested food for further digestion with the help of bacteria present in a
special part of the stomach. Amoeba, a single-celled organism, engulfs food using
pseudopodia in a process called phagocytosis.
3. Heat
Heat is a form of energy that flows from a hotter object to a colder object until thermal
equilibrium is reached. Temperature is a measure of the degree of hotness or coldness of a
body and is measured using a thermometer, most commonly a clinical thermometer for
measuring human body temperature or a laboratory thermometer for other purposes.
Heat can travel by three methods: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the
transfer of heat through a medium without the actual movement of the particles of the
medium, and it occurs mainly in solids. Convection involves the actual movement of heated
particles and occurs in liquids and gases. Radiation is the transfer of heat without any
medium, as in the heat we receive from the Sun.
Materials that allow heat to pass through them easily are called conductors, such as metals,
while materials that do not allow heat to pass through easily are called insulators, such as
wood and plastic. Clothes we wear in winter, such as woollens, trap air, which is a poor
conductor of heat, helping to keep us warm.
4. Acids, Bases and Salts
Substances can be classified as acidic, basic, or neutral based on their chemical properties.
Acids taste sour and turn blue litmus paper red; common examples include lemon juice,
vinegar, and hydrochloric acid found in our stomach. Bases taste bitter and feel soapy to
touch, and they turn red litmus paper blue; common examples include soap, baking soda,
and lime water.
Indicators are substances used to test whether a solution is acidic or basic. Litmus, an
indicator extracted from lichens, is the most commonly used indicator in laboratories. Natural
indicators such as turmeric and China rose petals can also be used; turmeric turns red in a
basic solution.
When an acid reacts with a base, they neutralise each other's effect, forming salt and water;
this is called a neutralisation reaction. This principle is useful in daily life, for example using
antacids to relieve acidity in the stomach, or applying lime to soil to reduce excess acidity.
5. Physical and Chemical Changes
A physical change is a change in which no new substance is formed and the change is
usually reversible, such as melting of ice, dissolving of sugar in water, or stretching of a
rubber band. A chemical change results in the formation of one or more new substances with
different properties, and is usually irreversible, such as burning of paper, rusting of iron, or
digestion of food.
Rusting is a common chemical change in which iron reacts with oxygen and moisture in the
air to form iron oxide, commonly known as rust. Rusting can be prevented by painting, oiling,
galvanising, or applying a coat of grease on iron articles to prevent them from coming into
contact with air and moisture.
Crystallisation is a technique used to obtain pure crystals of a substance from its solution,
and is an example of a physical change that helps in purifying substances such as copper
sulphate or common salt.
6. Weather, Climate and Adaptations of Animals
Weather refers to the day-to-day condition of the atmosphere at a place with respect to
temperature, humidity, rainfall, and wind, while climate refers to the average weather pattern
of a region taken over a long period, usually 25 years or more.
Animals living in different climatic regions have special adaptations that help them survive.
Animals in polar regions, such as the polar bear, have thick fur and a layer of fat to keep them
warm, along with white fur for camouflage. Animals in tropical rainforests, such as monkeys,
have adaptations like long limbs and tails for climbing trees, while animals in deserts, such as
camels, have adaptations like broad feet and the ability to conserve water for long periods.