Explain how soil is formed.
Soil is the thin layer of materials covering the earth’s surface and is formed from the weathering of rocks or differentiation from the parent rock. It is made up mainly of minerals particles 50%, 5% soil organic materials, 20% air and 25% water.
Formation of Soil:
Soil is formed from parent's rocks by the process of weathering. In weathering, rocks are broken down very slowly by the physical (temperature, exfoliation, water, glaciers etc.) and the chemical methods (hydrolysis, oxidation, reduction etc.) to form tiny rock particles. These tiny rock particles then mix up with humus to form fertile soil which is known as humification process. And, then release of organically bound nutrients occurs that changes into the inorganic form that are available to plants and microbes; this process is known as mineralization.
Sketch the cross section of soil and label the various layers.
Solve the following crossword puzzle with the clues given:
Across
2. Plantation prevents it.
5. Use should be banned to avoid soil pollution.
6. Type of soil used for making pottery.
7. Living organism in the soil.
Down
1. In desert soil erosion occurs through.
3. Clay and loam are suitable for cereals like.
4. This type of soil can hold very little water.
5. Collective name for layers of soil.
Match the items in Column I with those in Column II:
Column I Column II
(i) A home for living organisms (a) Large particles
(ii) Upper layer of the soil (b) All kinds of soil
(iii) Sandy soil (c) Dark in colour
(iv) Middle layer of the soil (d) Small particles and packed tight (v) Clayey soil (e) Lesser amount of humus
How is clayey soil useful for crops?
List the differences between clayey soil and sandy soil.
Razia conducted an experiment in the field related to the rate of percolation. She observed that it took 40 min for 200 mL of water to percolate through the soil sample. Calculate the rate of percolation.
Explain how soil pollution and soil erosion could be prevented.
In addition to the rock particles, the soil contains
(i) air and water
(ii) water and plants
(iii) minerals, organic matter, air and water
(iv) water, air and plants
The water holding capacity is the highest in
(i) sandy soil
(ii) clayey soil
(iii) loamy soil
(iv) mixture of sand and loam
State similarities and differences between the laboratory thermometer and the clinical thermometer.
State differences between acids and bases.
Classify the changes involved in the following processes as physical or chemical changes:
(a) Photosynthesis
(b) Dissolving sugar in water
(c) Burning of coal
(d) Melting of wax
(e) Beating aluminium to make aluminium foil
(f ) Digestion of food
Name the elements that determine the weather of a place.
Fill the missing word in the blank spaces in the following statements:
(a) Wind is——————air.
(b) Winds are generated due to —————— heating on the earth.
(c) Near the earth’s surface __________air rises up whereas ___________ air comes down.
(d) Air moves from a region of ——— pressure to a region of ———.
Why does an athlete breathe faster and deeper than usual after finishing the race?
Match structures given in Column I with functions given in Column II.
Column I Column II
(i) Stomata (a) Absorption of water
(ii) Xylem (b) Transpiration
(iii) Root hairs (c) Transport of food
(iv) Phloem (d) Transport of water
(e) Synthesis of carbohydrates
Fill in the blanks:
(a) Production of new individuals from the vegetative part of parent is called_____________.
(b) A flower may have either male or female reproductive parts. Such a flower is called_____________.
(c) The transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of the same or of another flower of the same kind is known as _____________.
(d) The fusion of male and female gametes is termed as _____________.
(e) Seed dispersal takes place by means of _____________, _____________ and _____________.
Classify the following as motion along a straight line, circular or oscillatory motion:
(i) Motion of your hands while running.
(ii) Motion of a horse pulling a cart on a straight road.
(iii) Motion of a child in a merry-go-round.
(iv) Motion of a child on a see-saw.
(v) Motion of the hammer of an electric bell.
(vi) Motion of a train on a straight bridge.
Why do organisms need to take food?
Which of the following are not correct?
(i) The basic unit of time is second.
(ii) Every object moves with a constant speed.
(iii) Distances between two cities are measured in kilometres.
(iv) The time period of a given pendulum is not constant.
(v) The speed of a train is expressed in m/h.
Mark ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if it is false:
(i) Carbon dioxide is released during photosynthesis. (T/F)
(ii) Plants which synthesise their food themselves are called saprotrophs. (T/F)
(iii) The product of photosynthesis is not a protein. (T/F)
(iv) Solar energy is converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis. (T/F)
Where is the bile produced? Which component of the food does it help to digest?
Fill in the blanks:
(i) The average weather taken over a long time is called ___________. (ii) A place receives very little rainfall and the temperature is high throughout the year, the climate of that place will be ___________ and ___________ .
(iii) The two regions of the earth with extreme climatic conditions are ___________ and __________.
How would you test the presence of starch in leaves?
When the current is switched on through a wire, a compass needle kept nearby gets deflected from its north-south position. Explain.
Look at Fig. 4.13. Mark where the heat is being transferred by conduction, by convection and by radiation.
Mark ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if it is false:
(a) The freshwater stored in the ground is much more than that present in the rivers and lakes of the world. (T/F)
(b) Water shortage is a problem faced only by people living in rural areas. (T/F)
(c) Water from rivers is the only source for irrigation in the fields. (T/F)
(d) Rain is the ultimate source of water. (T/F)
Fill in the blanks:
(a) Green plants are called _________________ since they synthesise their own food.
(b) The food synthesised by the plants is stored as _________________.
(c) In photosynthesis solar energy is captured by the pigment called ___________.
(d) During photosynthesis plants take in ______________________ and release __________________.
Explain what you understand by sexual reproduction.