AAPS VISION “Every child is a God given Amana, to be educated and developed into
balanced individuals with well-rounded personality”
Subject: Science Reference Notes
Unit 1
Human Body
1.1 Circulatory System
Parts of the Circulatory System
• The Circulatory System is a system that carries food (nutrients) and oxygen to all parts of the
body and removes waste substances from the body
• 3 main Parts
o Heart – pumps blood to the body
o Blood Vessels – carry blood throughout the body
o Blood – transports oxygen, food (nutrients), and waste
Heart
• Location: In the chest, slightly to the left, protected by the ribs
• Structure: Strong muscle, about the size of your fist
• Function: Pumps blood to all parts of the body (circulation) and works all the time
How it Pumps:
• Left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood (with oxygen) to the body
• Right side of the heart pumps deoxygenated blood (without oxygen) to the lungs to pick up
oxygen
• Speed: Can pump blood through the whole body in less than one minute
Blood
• Blood is a red liquid that flows through the body.
• It carries food particles (nutrients) and oxygen to all parts and removes waste products such as
carbon dioxide to the lungs and kidneys.
Blood Vessels
• Blood vessels are tubes that carry blood throughout the body
• 3 kinds of blood vessels:
o Arteries – carry blood away from the heart
o Veins – carry blood to the heart
o Capillaries – tiny vessels connecting arteries and veins
Pathway of Blood
1. Heart pumps blood in arteries to the lungs to pick up oxygen
2. Oxygen-rich blood travels back to the heart in veins (only veins that carry oxygenated blood)
3. Heart pumps oxygen-rich blood in arteries to the rest of the body
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4. Blood low in oxygen returns to the heart in veins
• Oxygenated blood delivers oxygen and food (nutrients) to body cells
• Deoxygenated blood carries waste (like carbon dioxide) away to be removed
Circulatory Systems in Other Animals (Vertebrates)
• All animals have heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries, but the type of circulation and gas
exchange organs differ.
o Fish: Single circulation
Heart → gill capillaries (oxygen) → body capillaries → heart
o Frog: Double Circulation
Heart → lung & skin capillaries (oxygen) → heart → body capillaries → heart.
Frogs absorb oxygen through lungs (in land) and skin (in water)
o Bird: Double Circulation
Heart → lung capillaries (oxygen) → heart → body capillaries → heart (similar to humans)
Heartbeat and Pulse
• Heartbeat Rate (number of heart beats per minute)
o Children: about 90 beats per minute
o Adults: about 70 beats per minute
• Heartbeat is faster when you exercise to supply more food and oxygen
• Pulse: The pressure of blood as the heart pumps. It is felt on the side of the neck or inside the
wrist. Each beat equals one heart contraction.
1.2 The Respiratory System
Parts of the Human Respiratory System
• Two lungs
• Air tubes leading from the mouth and nose to the lungs
• Chest muscles, including the diaphragm, that move air in and out
Lungs
• We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide to stay alive.
• Lungs are in the chest and protected by the ribs.
• They are soft and stretchy like sponges.
• Inside the lungs, there are bronchi, which branch into smaller bronchioles ending in tiny air
sacs called alveoli
• Gas exchange (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out) happens in the alveoli
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Breathing
Exercise and Breathing
• During exercise, our body needs more oxygen.
• Breathing rate increases so the lungs can supply extra oxygen and remove more carbon
dioxide.
Respiratory System in Other Vertebrates
• Fish breathe using gills, which take oxygen directly from water.
• Amphibians like frogs breathe through their skin and lungs.
• Reptiles, birds, and mammals breathe with lungs, but birds have air sacs for a more efficient
flow of air.
1.3 The Reproductive System
Growing and Developing
• Puberty is the stage when the body changes from a child’s body into an adult body.
• During puberty, the body becomes able to reproduce.
• Puberty usually begins around 13 years of age for boys and 11 years of age for girls.
• The changes happen gradually in different stages.
• Puberty is caused by special chemicals in the body called hormones.
• Hormones make the body grow, develop, and change.
General Body Changes During Puberty
• The body grows taller and heavier very quickly.
• Boys can grow about 10 cm in a year, and girls can grow up to 12 cm in a year as puberty
starts.
• Hair grows in the armpits and other parts of the body, and on the face for boys.
• The skin may become oily and pimples can appear.
Changes in Boys
• Shoulders and chest become broader as body muscles develop.
• The voice becomes deeper.
• The body starts to produce sperm, which are the male sex cells.
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Changes in Girls
• Hips widen and breasts develop.
• The voice becomes slightly deeper.
• The body begins to develop ova (eggs), which are the female sex cells.
• Menstruation usually starts about a year after puberty begins.
• Menstruation is the monthly process in which an unfertilized egg is released from the body
along with the lining of the uterus, causing some bleeding.
Reproductive System Changes
• The reproductive system’s main job is to make special cells called sex cells.
• In males, the sex cells are called sperm.
• In females, the sex cells are called eggs or ova (one egg is called an ovum).
• During reproduction, a sperm joins with an egg in a process called fertilization, which can
create a new living being.
• Menstruation stops if an egg is fertilized.
Parts of the reproductive system
• Male Reproductive System
o Testes – produce sperm.
o Sperm duct – carries sperm to the penis.
o Penis – transfers sperm into the female’s body.
• Female Reproductive System
o Ovaries – produce eggs (ova).
o Uterus/Womb – where the baby develops.
o Oviducts – where fertilization occurs.
o Birth canal – receives sperm and allows baby to be born.
1.4 Diseases
Living things that cause disease
• Any living thing that lives on or in the body of another living thing is called a parasite.
• The living thing that a parasite infects is called the host.
Type of Living Thing Diseases Caused Notes
Very small; some helpful, some
Bacteria Cholera, Pneumonia
harmful
Viruses Flu, Chickenpox, Measles Smaller than bacteria; all harmful
Some fungi are used in food (e.g.,
Ringworm, Athlete’s
Fungi yeast, mushrooms); some harmful
Foot, Rusts in plants
parasites
Infect humans, animals, or plants;
Other Parasites Malaria, Dysentery
live on or in a host
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The body’s defences against diseases
• Tears - our tears contain a chemical substance that kills some bacteria
• Mucus - sticky mucus in our nose, windpipe and other air passages traps germs
• Skin - the skin acts as a barrier to stop germs from getting into the body
• Acid - acid in the stomach kills any germs in food we have eaten.
Controlling the Spread of Diseases
• Diseases can spread through body contact, food, water, and air.
• Good Hygiene to Prevent Diseases
• Hygiene is the practice of keeping ourselves, our surroundings, and the things we use clean
to prevent illness and maintain good health.
o Wash hands with soap and water: Before eating or working with food, after using the toilet,
after handling animals, waste, or gardening
o Dry hands on a clean towel.
o Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating.
o Keep food covered to prevent contamination.
o Do not leave food at room temperature, as warmth helps germs grow fast.
o Keep kitchen, toilet, and surroundings clean.
o Wash knives and surfaces with hot soapy water.
o Drink safe, clean water (boil or treat with bleach).
o Do not use rivers as toilets.
o Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing (use a tissue or elbow).
o Keep wounds covered and avoid touching others’ open wounds.
Preventing Insect Bites
• Mosquitoes and tsetse flies spread diseases like malaria, yellow fever, and sleeping sickness.
• They carry the parasite but do not get sick, so they are called vectors.
• Best protection: avoid bites by
o Sleeping under bed nets
o Wearing long sleeves and trousers
o Closing doors and windows at night
o Using insect repellents
o Burning mosquito coils
Note: Refer to the Learner’s book for diagrams
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