GRADE 7 ENHANCED SCIENCE

FOURTH QUARTER

Lesson 1 Locating Places Using Coordinate System

All places on Earth have specific addresses. This address makes it easy to find a place. To help us locate places on the
earth’s surface, we use a coordinate system. This coordinate system is like placing a giant grid over the earth. This grid has
lines extending from east to west called lines of latitude and lines extending from North to South called lines of longitude.

Lines of latitude and longitude are both seen in maps and globes. But have you asked yourself which one is better to
use? Well, globes and maps are tools used to display and locate places on Earth but in different ways. Each tool has its own
advantages and disadvantages.

A globe is a round model of Earth. That means it’s round just like the Earth but smaller. A globe shows accurate shapes,
sizes, and distances of land and water. Accurate means something is exactly right or correct. Globes are the most accurate tool to
show the real size and shape of a place. However, have you ever tried to take a globe in the car for a road trip? It wouldn’t be very
useful for several reasons. First, a globe is not very portable due to its size. Second, a globes’ main purpose is to display the
continents and oceans, not roads or landmarks. Another disadvantage is that you can only see one side of the world at a time.

On the other hand, a map is a flat drawing of the earth. A map is more convenient than a globe because it is flat.
Convenient means that something is easy to use. You can fold a map and take it anywhere. Computers and smartphones with
GPS systems use maps. Another advantage is that maps can be more detailed for a special purpose such as: focusing on one
place, road maps, elevation maps, population maps or climate maps. Even though maps are convenient, a major disadvantage is
that they are not as accurate compared to globes. Maps show distortion which means the sizes and shapes are not accurate. The
distortion is caused because map makers have to display around the Earth into a flat map

Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines that extend east and west across the Earth. Latitudes are divided into five lines
that are parallel to the equator. The equator is an imaginary line that measures 0° latitudes and serves as a reference point that
divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The first latitude line in the upper of the equator is the Tropic of
Cancer with a latitude of (23.5°N) followed by the Arctic Circle at the uppermost part with a latitude of (66.5°N). People who live
between the zone of the equator and the Tropic of Cancer experience a warm and humid climate.

Below the Equator is the latitude of Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S) followed by the bottom-most part Antarctic Circle with
a latitude of (66.5 °S). People who lived between the zone of the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn experienced four seasons-
winter, spring, summer, and autumn.

Like lines of latitude, lines of longitude are imaginary vertical lines that extend north and south. Lines of longitude are
evenly spaced at the Equator but meet at the poles. The starting point for longitude is the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is
located at 0° longitudes and the 180° line divides the Earth into two hemispheres- the Western and the Eastern Hemisphere.
Places located east of the Prime Meridian have an east longitude and is written as 15 °E, 30 °E and so on. Places located west of
the Prime Meridian have a west longitude and is written as 15°W, 30 °W and so on.

While the world is divided into 24 time zones, there has to be a place where there is a difference in days, somewhere the
day truly “starts” on the planet. The 180° line of longitude is approximately where the International Date Line passes. The time at
this longitude is exactly 12 hours from the 00 longitude, irrespective of whether one travels westward or eastward from the Prime
Meridian. We know that time increases east of the Prime Meridian and decreases to its west. Hence, for a person moving east of
the Prime Meridian, the time would be 12 hours less than the time at 0° longitude. For another person moving westward, the time
would be 12 hours more than the Prime Meridian.

If we see this imaginary line, then we find that it is not straight but zigzags to avoid political and country borders and to
not cut some countries in half. But, if it is a straight line, then it determines the same landmass into two parts and then both places
have different dates on the same day. It would be very inconvenient if one part of a country had one date of the week while
another part would have a different date.

If you wish to find the absolute location of the Philippines on the map or globe, for example, using latitude and longitude.
The first step is to see if it is in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere. Then, look to see if it is in the Eastern
Hemisphere or Western hemisphere. Finally, find its exact location using lines of latitude and longitude. Not all lines of latitude
and longitude are shown on the map or globe. So, if we want to find the approximate latitude and longitude of the Philippines, we
can say that it is located in the North-Eastern Hemisphere near the equator, between 0° latitude and 20°N latitude and 100°E of
the earth’s surface. Look at the Philippine country encircled on the map below. To get detailed, in locating certain places on Earth
using the lines of latitude.

Absolute Location describes precise locations of a place based on a fixed point on earth. The most common way to
identify a location is by using coordinates such as latitude and longitude. It is expected to give the latitude of a place first, and the
longitude second.
 GRADE 7 ENHANCED SCIENCE
FOURTH QUARTER

Lesson 2 Earth’s Resources

Planet Earth is made up of different things- air, water, plants, animals, soil, rocks, minerals, crude oil, and other fossil
fuels. These things are called natural resources because they are not made by people; rather they are gathered from nature.
Humans need food as a source of energy. We need water to maintain body temperature, air to breathe in, firewood for cooking
and a source of light. Wind and water are also harnessed for electricity generation.

Kinds of Resources
Kinds of Resources
1. Renewable resources
2. Non- renewable
resources
Description Examples
Resources that can be used repeatedly and Solar energy
do not run out because they are naturally Geothermal energy Water
replaced. Wind energy
No harm is done to the environment because
of their uses
Natural substances that are not Coal, oil, natural gas
replenished with the speed at which they are
consumed. Metallic mineral resources such as
They are finite resources. Their supply iron, copper, and aluminum
replenishes naturally.
Huge harm is done to the environment because Non-metallic mineral resources
of the harmful emissions such as clay and sand

A. Water Resources
The Philippines is surrounded by bodies of water that are the sources of seasonal rain that fall on land. The two bodies
of water: the Pacific Ocean in the East and the South China Sea in the West are the origins of typhoons. Typhoons bring lots of
rain to the Philippines.
Where does the water in your community come from? You collect them when the rain falls or get them from the river,
deep well, or spring. But rain does not come everyday, so water must be stored in nature somewhere else. These waters come
from a watershed. It comes in all shapes and sizes. They cross towns and provinces. This is the reason why a watershed is
sometimes called a catchment area.

B. Energy Resources
The Philippines is still dependent on imported oil for our domestic and industrial needs. But the presence of geologic
structures or the presence of volcanoes and trenches and our tropical climate provides several possibilities to get clean and
cheap energy. The images showed the different types of alternative energy resources that our country has.

• Solar Energy. We have lots of sunshine all year round. It is free, but the cost of production is expensive and requires a
large area to collect them.
• Geothermal Energy. We have large deposits because of the presence of many volcanoes. Geothermal energy or heat
from the ground is less polluting than crude oil. But when they are taken from deep under the ground, areas that have
high biodiversity are destroyed. Geothermal reservoirs are pools of water heated by magma deep below the surface.
Water or steam can escape from cracks in the earth in the form of geysers (or sometimes as magma from a volcano).
The ability to harness the steam is what powers a geothermal power plant.
• Hydropower / Hydroelectric. We have abundant rain that can be stored in dams and rivers and other bodies of
water. Hydroelectric power plants use water to generate electricity. Hydropower (hydro meaning water) is energy that
comes from the force moving water. Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. The
most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir.
• Natural Gas is a form of fossil fuel, so are coal and crude oil (sometimes called petroleum). In the Philippines, we have
coal and natural gas deposits. Coal is a black or brownish-black, solid rock that can be burned. Fossil fuels were
formed from plants and animals that lived on Earth millions of years ago. They are buried deep in the Earth. Natural gas
and oil are taken from the deep through oil rigs. Fossil fuels are used to produce electricity, run vehicles, and factory
machines. Crude oil or petroleum is used as fuel to run engines in factories and vehicles. However, the use of
petroleum or crude oil causes many environmental problems. Natural gas is the cleanest of all fossil fuels because when
burned, it produces the least carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the air in small amounts. However,
studies show that an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere results in an increase in atmospheric temperature
globally.
• Wind Energy. Wind power is a clean energy source that we can rely on for a long-term future. A wind turbine creates
reliable, cost-effective, pollution- free energy. It is affordable, clean, and sustainable.

C. Mineral Resources
The Philippines has metallic mineral deposits. They are found near volcanoes and trenches. The important metallic
minerals found in various parts of the Philippines include gold, copper, iron, nickel, cobalt, and platinum.
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FOURTH QUARTER

What is the importance of metals? The properties of metals make them useful for specific purposes. Iron is the main
material for steel bars used in buildings and road construction. Copper is used in making electrical wires. Tin is the material for
milk cans. Gold is important in making jewelry.
The Philippines has also varied non-metallic resources including sand and gravel, limestone, clay, and other quarry
materials. The richness of the Philippines in terms of mineral resources is being attributed to its location in the so-called Pacific
Ring of Fire.

Lesson 3 Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere

Did you know that the atmosphere of the Earth is like a blanket? It maintains Earth’s temperature and protects all living
things here on Earth. There are five layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.

• Troposphere is the closest layer to the Earth’s ground. Its altitude ranges from 0-10 kilometers high. In this layer, there
are lots of water vapor, that is why all weather conditions take place here. You cannot possibly drive an airplane in this
layer because it is so bumpy, just like a rocky road.
• Above 10 to 50 kilometers is the next layer which is called the stratosphere. Here, you can fly an aircraft smoothly
because the air is stable. As the altitude increases, the temperature also increases. You can find the ozone layer here. It
absorbs solar radiation which in turn heats up the stratosphere. Take note that the ozone layer is important because it
protects us from the harmful UV rays coming from the Sun.
• Mesosphere, the next layer, is found 50 to 80 kilometers above the Earth. In this layer, the temperature decreases with
altitude to the atmosphere's absolute minimum. It is also the coldest layer of the atmosphere surrounding the Earth. The
mesosphere burns up most meteors and asteroids before they reach the earth's surface.
• The fourth layer is called the Thermosphere. Its altitude ranges from 80 to 110 kilometers from the Earth’s ground. The
temperature in the thermosphere increases as the distance from the earth becomes greater. Orbiting around this layer is
the International Space Station and the space shuttle. The International Space Station is located 200 to 240 miles from
the earth's surface. Aurora borealis (also known as the northern/southern lights) is one of the most amazing sky
phenomena that occurs mostly in the thermosphere.
• The last layer which merges into outer space is the Exosphere. The exosphere begins at 311 to 621 miles from the
earth's surface and ends at 6,200 miles from the earth's surface. Although the exosphere is the most distant layer of
earth's atmosphere, it is the planet's first line of defense against the sun's rays. It is also the first layer to come into
contact and protect the earth from meteors, asteroids, and cosmic rays. The temperature in the exosphere varies greatly
and can range from zero to over 1700 degrees Celsius. It is colder at night and much hotter during the day. The
exosphere is perfect for placing satellites as there is little friction. They can orbit easily without being disrupted.

The Earth’s atmosphere is made up of three-fourths nitrogen, while one- fifth is oxygen. The remaining 1% contains traces of
gases. It has a mixture of carbon dioxide, ozone, and water. These gases are important in producing weather features such as
clouds and rains, and these also have an influence on the overall climate of the Earth through the greenhouse effect and global
warming.

Lesson 4 Seasons

The Earth’s Tilt and Length of Daytime

It takes 24 hours for the Earth to rotate on its axis, resulting in one solar day. However, daytime and nighttime are not
always equal. This is because the Earth’s axis is not straight, rather it is tilted at 23.5 degrees. The length of day and night varies
from month to month.
When the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun, daytime will be longer than nighttime in Northern Hemisphere. This
condition is called the summer solstice. Summer solstice refers to the longest day which may occur every June 21-22 where the
Sun travels the longest in the sky. Thus, the warmness during the day will be longer than cooling down at night. As a result, the
Northern Hemisphere becomes warmer, which then causes summer.
After this event, the length of daytime begins to decrease and the length of nighttime increases. The same is true with
the winter solstice. During winter solstice (Dec. 21-22), which is the longest night of the year, the Sun travels the shortest in the
sky.
After the winter solstice, the length of daytime starts to increase, and the length of nighttime starts to decrease. With this,
when the Earth has tilted away from the sun, warmness during the day is shorter, and it takes a longer time to cool down. Hence,
the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter. In Tropical countries, it is called the cold season.
On the other hand, the tilt of the Earth causes different areas to receive different amounts of solar energy. Longer hours
of daylight mean that the Sun is in the sky for a longer time. Hence, there is a longer time to heat up the surface of the Earth,
while a short night means the time to cool down is less. Because of this, the heat adds up day after day. The result is summer. In
contrast, a short day means a shorter time that the Sun is in the sky, and there is less time for the surface to warm up. A long
night means there is more time to cool down. This leads to the cold months that we experience.

Revolution of the Earth and Seasons

The axis of Earth is not perpendicular to its plane of orbit, it is inclined.
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Figure 1 demonstrates that the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun in June. That means that
the Northern Hemisphere is also tilted toward the Sun. At the same time, in December, the
North Pole is tilted away from the Sun. Thus, the Northern Hemisphere is also tilted away
from the Sun.

Figure 2 shows the orientation of the Earth and the Sun during the
month of June. During this time, the Northern Hemisphere receives direct rays
from the sun.
This is the reason why it is warm during this time in the Northern
Hemisphere.

Figure 3 shows the orientation of the Earth and the Sun during the month of
December. At this time, the Southern Hemisphere receives direct rays from the
sun. From this figure, the axis of the Earth is not perpendicular to the plane of
its orbit. It is tilted away from the vertical position by 23.5 degrees. So, what
does it mean?
In June, when the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun, the Northern
Hemisphere receives direct rays from the Sun. During this time, the North Pole
has warmer temperature since the rays coming from the sun is directly hitting
the ground. This explains why the North Pole is experiencing the summer
season in June.

Since the Earth is continuously revolving around the sun, there are also times when the North Pole receives very low or
no level of solar rays. This usually happens in December when the North Pole is tilted away from the sun. At this time, the North
Pole has a very cold temperature and experiences the winter season.
For temperate countries in the Northern Hemisphere, they will also be experiencing the winter season. However, in a
tropical country like the Philippines, it is simply a cold season.

Sun Rays and Height of the Sun Dictate Seasons

Direct rays can be observed when the rays of the Sun hit the ground at 90 degrees. The rays can either be vertical or
perpendicular to the ground. When the Sun’s rays strike the ground at a high angle, each square meter of the ground receives a
greater amount of solar energy than when rays are inclined. This results in more heat being absorbed by the Earth’s surface.
On the other hand, when the Sun’s rays come in at an oblique angle, each square meter of the ground will receive a
lesser amount of solar energy. This is because, at a lower angle, solar energy will be distributed over a wider area. The place will
then experience less heating up. (See Figure 5).
In December, the South Pole receives a high amount of solar energy because it is tilted toward the Sun. During this time, the
Sun’s direct rays strike the Southern Hemisphere; hence, hotter temperature will be experienced all over the place. As a rule of
thumb, when it is cold in the Northern Hemisphere, it is warm in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Latitude of an Area and the Amount of Energy It Receives

The difference in solar energy received at different latitudes drives atmospheric circulation. Places that get more solar
energy have more heat. Places that get less solar energy have less heat. Warm air rises, and cool air sinks. These principles
mean that air moves around the planet. The figure below shows the heat received in different amount of sunlight.
The Sun strikes the Earth’s surface most directly at the equator. This focuses the rays on a small area. Near the poles,
the Sun’s rays strike the surface at a slant. This spreads the rays over a wide area. The more focused the rays are, the more
energy an area receives, and the warmer it becomes. The less focused the rays are, the less energy an area receives, and the
cooler it becomes. The lowest latitude gets the most energy from the sun. The highest latitude gets the least.
To summarize our lesson, the warm season is brought on by the direct rays of the Sun. But since Earth is tilted, only
one hemisphere receives direct rays at any one time, and that hemisphere will experience summer at that time. When the other
hemisphere of the Earth is experiencing summer, the other hemisphere experiences winter. We do not experience winter in the
Philippines because we are located near the equator. On the other hand, when the Sun’s rays strike the ground at a high
angle, each square meter of the ground receives a greater amount of solar energy, resulting in greater warmth. Moreover, the
longer hours of daylight mean that the Sun is in the sky for a longer time. Thus, there is a longer time to heat up the surface of
the earth.
At this point, you now know why seasons change. There are several factors affecting the seasons of a place, namely:
the tilt of the Earth, Earth’s revolution around the Sun, direct rays of the Sun, and length of daytime.
 GRADE 7 ENHANCED SCIENCE
FOURTH QUARTER

Lesson 5 Eclipses

The formation and darkening are the same as the emergence of shadows that we commonly observed around us. When
shadows are formed on celestial bodies, a darkening effect is observed. This phenomenon is called eclipse.
An eclipse occurs when one heavenly body such as a moon or planet moves into the shadows of another heavenly body.
This happens when the Moon and the planet are perfectly aligned with the Sun during their orbits. From Earth, we routinely
experienced two kinds of eclipses: an eclipse of the Sun, commonly known as Solar Eclipse, and an eclipse of the Moon,
commonly known as Lunar Eclipse.

How do Solar and Lunar Eclipses occur?

One way to categorize eclipses is based on the position of the Sun, Moon, and Earth. When the Moon orbits Earth, it
moves between the Sun and Earth. When this happens, the Moon blocks the light of the Sun from reaching Earth. This
causes a Solar Eclipse. This eclipse occurs every New Moon. During a solar eclipse, the Moon actually casts a shadow towards
the Earth.

From your previous activity, you have observed that there is a shadow falls on the big ball cast by the small ball. It has a
lighter part and a darker part. Just like what you do cast shadows. Have you observed that? In the case of the Moon’s shadow the
lighter region is called the penumbra, which becomes larger as it reaches the Earth while the darker region is called the umbra,
which becomes smaller as it reaches the Earth.

There are three types of Solar Eclipse: Total, Partial, and Annular Solar Eclipse.

If you are a viewer from Earth and standing within the umbra of the Moon’s shadow, you will see the Sun disappear from
your view. The sky becomes very dark as if it were night. In this case, you are observing a total solar eclipse. For a total solar
eclipse to take place, the Sun, Moon, and Earth must be perfectly aligned.
On the other hand, if you are in the penumbra, you will see the Sun partially covered by the Moon. The Sun appears to
have a dark shadow on only a small part of its surface and there are no dramatic changes in the surroundings; there is no
noticeable dimming of sunlight. In this case, you are witnessing a partial solar eclipse. This happens when the Sun, Moon, and
Earth are not exactly lined up.
Lastly, an annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon is farthest from the Earth in its orbit. In this case, the Moon
casting the third type of shadow, the antumbra, the part of the Moon’s shadow that extends beyond the umbra. This makes the
Moon look smaller, so during the eclipse, you see an outer ring of light or annulus from the Sun.
In comparison to the solar eclipse, when Earth orbits the Sun, it comes between the Sun and Moon. By the time that the
Moon is in the shadow of the Earth, a Lunar Eclipse may occur. During a lunar eclipse, the Moon becomes dark as it moves
directly on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun. Earth blocks the sunlight that is normally reflected by the Moon. Instead of
light hitting the Moon’s surface, the Earth’s shadow falls on it. A lunar eclipse can be seen from Earth at night and can occur only
during
The appearance of the Moon relies on its location in the Earth’s shadow. There are three types of a lunar eclipse. When
the entire Moon passes completely within the umbra of Earth’s shadow, it will look totally dark. At this time, you will observe a
total lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse usually happens when the Moon and the Sun are on exact opposite sides of the Earth.
Although the Moon is in the Earth's shadow, some sunlight reaches the Moon. The sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere,
which causes Earth’s atmosphere to filter out most of the blue light. This makes the Moon appear red to people on Earth.
The second type is the partial lunar eclipse. When some part of the moon enters only through a part of the umbra, a
partial lunar eclipse will be observed. A part of the Moon will look dark while the rest will be lighter.
The third type of lunar eclipse is called a penumbral lunar eclipse, it is when the Moon is entirely within the penumbra
of Earth’s shadow.

What you see from Earth during eclipse depends on how the Sun, Earth, and Moon are lined up.

Solar eclipses happen once every 18 months and last for a few minutes. It is not safe to look on without wearing a
device. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse usually lasts for a few hours. At least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year,
but total lunar eclipses are rare. It is safe to look at a lunar eclipse. But why do we need to study the occurrence of eclipses? Is
there any importance for us humans in this kind of phenomenon?

People discovered that the shape of the Earth is round due to the occurrence of eclipses during ancient times. For
scientists, they took advantage of this to study the details of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and to learn more about how weather works in
space.