Science - Unit 1 - Water And Carbon Cycle

How Are Clouds Formed?

Students will know that energy from the sun makes water evaporate from the land and the sea, this turns it into water vapour. Students will be able to explain that warm air rises and as it does so it carries the water vapour upwards. As the water vapour rises its temperature cools causing it to condense to form clouds.

Where do you find groundwater?

Students will be able to explain that water falls as precipitation onto land where it provides fresh water for plants and animals. Students will know that ground water is absorbed by the soil and is taken up by plant roots. Students will know that water that is not absorbed by the soil will run off into streams and rivers. Some water is returned to the ground through animal excretion and streams and rivers carry water.

What is the water cycle?

Students will be able to explain that the water cycle is a continuous process of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and transpiration with no beginning or end. Students will know that transpiration is the loss of water from a plant in the form of water vapour. Students will be able to draw and annotate a water cycle diagram, and answer diagnostic questions including how water moves from the land into the air (evaporation and transpiration), how the water cycle helps plants and animals (by providing them with fresh water).

What is the carbon cycle?

Students will be able to explain that carbon is essential for life and that living things need carbon to make most of the molecules in our body (fats, carbohydrates, nucleic acids (DNA) and proteins).

They will know that 0.04% of Earths atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide Producers use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make their own food via the process of photosynthesis. Animals consume producers, the carbon is transferred from the plants to the animals in the form of glucose. The animals use this glucose to perform respiration so that energy can be released for movement and so that essential molecules can be built. Carbon is released back into the air via respiration in both animals and plants.

When organisms die their bodies will become part of the Earth therefore, bacteria and fungi are decomposers breaking down dead organisms and releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere via respiration. Layers of sediment may fall on dead organisms and due to pressure, these organisms may fossilise forming fossil fuels where carbon is locked up. When Fossil fuels react with oxygen during the process of combustion, then carbon dioxide is formed and released back into the atmosphere. The cycle then starts all over again.