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Earth & Life

Science
Quarter 1 – Module 1
Uniqueness of Earth
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you know
more about the uniqueness of Earth. The scope of this module permits it to be used
in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using.

This module will help you recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being the only planet
in the solar system with properties necessary to support life.

The module contains:

• Lesson 1 – Earth: A Unique Planet

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being the only planet in the solar
system with properties necessary to support life; and
2. identify the factors that allow a planet to support life.

What I Know

PART I. Directions: Choose the letter of the correst answer. Write the chosen letter
on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following serves as protection or shield of the earth from galactic
radiation, meteors and harmful radiation from the sun?
A. atmosphere C. ozone
B. blanket D. water
2. Which of these is the process by which water continually changes its form and
circulates between oceans, atmosphere and land?
A. Condensation Cycle C. Physical Change
B. Earth cycle D. Water Cycle

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 3. Why life is possible on earth?
A. Earth is larger than mercury and mars but smaller than Jupiter and
Saturn.
B. Earth has an atmosphere, liquid water, and a moderate temperature.
C. Earth is just the right size to support both plant and animal life.
D. Earth is the only planet with a magnetic field.
4. How often does the earth orbit the Sun?
A. Every 30 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes and 35 seconds
B. 180 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes and 35 seconds
C. Every 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds
D. Every 90 days, 6 hours, 30 minutes and 50 seconds
5. Which planet is the hottest?
A. Earth C. Mercury
B. Mars D. Venus
6. What percentage of the water on earth is fresh water?
A. 3 C. 33
B. 22 D. 37
7. Water flows from upward to downward and humans walk on the surface and not
floating. Which of the following is responsible to this?
A. Earth’s Gravitational pull C. Moons Gravitational Pull
B. Sun’s Gravitational Pull D. Earths’ Motion
8. What is the circumference of the Earth at the Equator?
A. 45, 066 km C. 39, 444 km
B. 40, 075 km D. 12, 435 km
9. What percentage of the Earth is land?
A. 29.1 % C. 19.89 %
B. 50.5 % D. 10.3%
10. Which of the following has a moderate amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere?
A. Earth B. Venus C. Jupiter D. Mars

PART II. Directions: Read the following statement below. Write true if the
statement is correct and false if the statement is wrong. Write your
answer on the separate paper.

_____________1. Plants absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

_____________2. The Earth’s atmosphere does not help block out harmful
sun radiation such as ultra-violet light
_____________3. The Earth is the only planet that has all the three phases of
matter: solid, liquid and gas.
_____________ 4.Around seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is water.
_____________ 5. Earth sustain life because of its unique shape.

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 Lesson
Earth: A Unique Planet
1
As far as science "knows," the planet earth is unique in the entire
universe. Certainly this is true in our own solar system. Nothing that we
have observed leads us to believe that there is any other planet like earth.
In this lesson, you are going to find out the uniqueness of planet earth to other
planets in the solar system.

What’s In

The oxygen cycle and the carbon dioxide cycle (carbon cycle) are two of the
biogeochemical cycles on Earth that make life possible. They act separately but are
dependent on each other because the carbon cycle gives off oxygen for the oxygen
cycle to use, and in turn, the oxygen cycle emits carbon dioxide (CO2) which goes
back into the carbon cycle. Plants are the main vehicle by which the oxygen and
carbon cycles are connected.

Let’s do a recall on the carbon dioxide and oxygen cycle.

Direction: Examine the diagram and answer the following questions below.

B
.

A C
. .

D
.

Figure 1. Carbon Dioxide-Oxygen Cycle

Source: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XUfdV-1IR8g/hqdefault.jpg

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Questions:

1. Label the phases of Oxygen/Carbon dioxide cycle.

A. __________________ C. ___________________
B. ___________________ D. ___________________

2. Based on the illustration above, list down the properties that support life
on earth?
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________

What’s New

4 Pics, 1 Word

Direction: Guess the word or term using the 4 pics 1 word below.

https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/water-300x295.jpg?quality=65&strip=all https://4pics1word.info/wp-content/uploads/4-pics-1-word-3-letters-Air.jpg

____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ ______ ______

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTmmanLY2Yp94wM2Dd_13xR3uql1NmRr53miA&usqp=CAU https://4pics1word-answers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/4pics1word-large-0893.jpg

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___ ______ ______ ______ _____

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 What is It

The Earth, our home planet is the third

planet from the Sun, and the only place we know
so far that is inhabited by living things.
While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in
the solar system, it is the only world in our solar
system with liquid water on the surface. Just
slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the
biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of
which are made of rock and metal.

The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old.

All of the planets, except for Earth, were named Figure 1. Planet Earth
after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. Source:http://static.icr.org/i
/wide/earth_east_wide.jpg
However, the name Earth is a Germanic word,
which simply means “the ground.”

Earth: A Unique Planet

Earth is the only planet circling our sun on which life as we know it
could (and does) exist.

Like no other planet, ours is covered with green vegetation, enormous

blue-green oceans containing thousands of islands, thousands of streams and
rivers, huge land masses called continents, mountains, ice caps, and deserts
that produce a spectacular variety of color and texture. Some form of life is
found in virtually every ecological niche on the earth's surface. Even in
extremely cold Antarctica, hardy microscopic beings thrive in ponds, tiny
wingless insects live in patches of moss and lichen, and plants grow and flower
yearly. From the apex of the atmosphere to the bottom of the oceans, from the
coldest part of the poles to the warmest part of the equator, life thrives here.
To this day, no evidence of life has been found on any other planet.

The earth is immense in size, about 8,000 miles in diameter, with a

mass calculated at roughly 5.97×1024 kilograms. The earth is on average 93
million miles from the sun. If our planet travelled much faster in its 584-
million-mile-long journey around the sun, its orbit would become much larger
and it would move farther away from the sun, resulting in average
temperatures that are too cold for life to exist. If it travelled much slower in its
orbit, the earth would move closer to the sun, resulting in average
temperatures that are too high for life to exist. Earth's rotation and axial tilt
also keep surface temperatures from becoming too extreme.

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 Our planet's "normal" processes are assuredly unique among our solar
system and, according to what we know, in the entire universe.

The Planet Earth is Unique because of the following features:

Distance of the Earth from the Sun. The Earth and the Sun are
equally important because without the Sun's heat and light, the Earth would
be a lifeless ball of ice-coated rocks. It regulates the temperature of water
bodies, weather patterns and provides energy to the growth of plants. The
distance of the Earth from the Sun makes it a perfect reason for the life
because it receives the perfect amount of heat and light to allow life to be
created and to support it.

Uses sun as the major source of energy. Earth is the only planet that
uses the Sun’s light as useful as a source of energy. That energy is used to
convert elements, by living things, into a useable form. A plant uses the energy
provided by the sun to drive photosynthesis and provide food to grow. As a
by-product, oxygen is released which we then use as an energy source of our
own.

Surrounded by a blanket of
gases. It is the layers of gases
surrounding the earth that consists
of exosphere, thermosphere,
mesosphere, stratosphere and
troposphere. The air content and
favorable atmospheric pressure also
supported life of most creatures. The
air content of carbon dioxide on the
Earth is less than that of planets like
Venus and Mars. Hence, the less air
content of carbon dioxide helps to
Figure 3. Earth’s Atmosphere
moderate the Earth's temperature
and is absorbed by plants during
photosynthesis to produce oxygen.

Favorable climatic condition. It has a suitable climate for the

existence of all forms of life because of moderate amount of carbon dioxide,
which is the driving factor for the survival of life forms. The temperature of
planet Mercury ranges from 200°c below freezing to 375°c above. At 375°c, the
water would only exist as a gas, and the planet would be completely dry. Venus
has a surface temperature of 480°c, which would be much too hot for anybody
to live in. Mars, although it can reach 25°c, is usually freezing and can be as
cold as -140°c, a temperature which would freeze blood and water. Other
planets are colder still.

Water. Water is very important for life because it contains the oxygen
needed for life and allows life-providing molecules to move around easily. It
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continually changes its form through the water cycle. The process by which
water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans,
atmosphere and land is known as the water cycle.

The major sources of fresh water are the

rivers, ponds, springs and glaciers. The ocean
bodies and the seas contain salty water. The
water of the oceans is salt or saline as it
contains a large amount of dissolved salts.
Most of the salt is sodium chloride or the
common table salt that we eat. The earth is
covered by three-fourth of the water. 97.3%
water is saline or salty in oceans and seas, 3%
is fresh water that consists ice-cap, ground
water, fresh water lakes, inland and salt lakes. Figure 3. Earth’s water

Force of attraction (Earth's gravitational pull). Think for a second

why water flows from up to downwards- why don’t float in the air; what hold
our atmosphere; why we walk on the surface not floating in the air. The Sun's
gravitational pull keeps our planet orbiting the Sun and the Earth firmly hold
everything from topography to all forms of life through its gravitational pull.
The force of gravity doesn’t just keep us anchored to the ground, but also
affects our biological system.

Hence, we can say, Earth is the only planet which hosts liquid water
on its surface, allowing for a direct transfer of energy from the sun in order for
photosynthetic life forms to evolve. It has unique surface which neither too
hot nor too cold for the occurrence of complex biochemical process.

Divided into several layers. Has a solid outermost zone called the crust
forming continents called continental crust and beneath the ocean is called
oceanic crust. Beneath the crust is the mantle, outer core and inner core.

Has three phases of matter. The only planet that has all the three
phases of matter… solid, liquid and gas.

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 What’s More

Activity 1. Compare and Contrast

What you need:
Paper, Pen, Copy of table 1
What to do:
A. On a separate sheet of paper make a similar table below and write
down the similarities and differences among the planets Venus,
Earth and Mars (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Venus, Earth & Mars.

Images from NASA

VENUS EARTH MARS

Mass (1,024 kg) 4.87 5.97 0.642
Diameter (km) 12,104 12,756 6,792
Density (kg/m3) 5,243 5,514 3,933
Gravity (m/s2) 8.9 9.8 3.7
Escape Velocity (km/s) 10.4 11.2 5
Surface Pressure (bars) 92 1 0.01
Composition of Atmosphere 96% 77% N 95 % CO2
CO2 21% O2 2.7% N
3.5% N 1% Ar 1.6% Ar
Major Greenhouse Gases (GHG) CO2 CO2 H2O CO2
Mean Temperature (C) 464 15 -65
Temperature if no GHG -46 -18 -57
Change in Temperature (C) due
+ 523 + 33 + 10
to GHG
Distance from Sun (106 km) 108.2 149.6 227.9
Orbital Period (days) 224.7 365.2 687
Orbital Velocity (km/s) 35 29.8 24.1
Length of Day (hours) 2,802 24 24.7
Global Magnetic Field No Yes No

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B. Study Table 1 below to answer the assessment questions.

Table 1. Venus, Earth, Mars Comparison

(modified(from(http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/)

Assessment:

1. Which planet is considered as the Earth “twin planet”?

2. From your answer in number 1 why are they considered twin planet?
3. Which among the three planets is closest to the sun? farthest from
the sun?
4. Give a supporting fact/s from your answer in number 3 based from
the data found in table 1.
5. Which planet has the slowest rotational speed?
6. What makes Earth the only planet that can cater life?

Activity 2. What Makes Earth Habitable?

What you need:

Paper
Pen
What to do:
1. Copy the graphic organizer on a separate sheet of paper
2. Draw a picture of Earth at the center.
3. Fill the frames with words that make Earth sustain life.

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 What I Have Learned

FILL IN THE BLANKS

Directions: Read each statement below carefully and fill in the blank(s)
with the correct answer found in the box.

atmosphere layers convert moderate

water Earth third three-fourths
distance fresh crust salty

1. Living things ____________ sun’s energy into a usable form.

2. Blanket of gases is also known as __________________.
3. ______________ amount of carbon dioxide makes earth suitable for life to
exist.
4. Aside from the atmosphere, oxygen is also present in ____________.
5. The Earth is covered by _______________ of water.
6. __________ is the only planet with life surviving in it.
7. The _____________ of the Earth from the Sun makes it a perfect reason
for life to exist.
8. Earth is divided into ____________.
9. Earth is the _______________ planet from the sun.
10. Major sources of _____water are rivers, ponds, spring and glaciers.

What I Can Do

It is a common knowledge that the Earth is the only planet that is

habitable or can sustain life. From the discussion mentioned in this module
you have learned the different factors that makes Earth a unique planet
among others. Being one of the many lives here on Earth, what can you
contribute to sustain or continue the existence of life.

Direction: Do any one of the following:

1. In a short bond paper, make an essay or an article campaigning for the

preservation of its resources, ex. water.
2. Create a poster (½ size cartolina) campaigning for the preservation of
its resources.
3. Make a slogan (½ size cartolina) campaigning for the preservation of its
resources.
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 Assessment

Directions: Choose the letter of the correst answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Mercury, venus, earth, and mars are all inner planets. Which unique
chracteristic(s) of planet earth makes life possible here?
A. earth is rocky and dense
B. earth rotates on its axis
C. earth has liquid water
D. earth has craters.
2. Which of the following serves as protection or shield of the earth from
galactic radiation, meteors and harmful radiation from the sun?
A. atmosphere C. ozone
B. blanket D. water
3. Why life is possible on earth?
A. Earth is larger than mercury and mars but smaller than Jupiter
and Saturn.
B. Earth has an atmosphere, liquid water, and a moderate
temperature.
C. Earth is just the right size to support both plant and animal life.
D. Earth is the only planet with a magnetic field.
4. Which is/are the gas(es) responsible in supporting human and
animal life?
A. oxygen and carbon dioxide C. carbon dioxide
B. nitrogen D. oxygen
5. What percentage of the water on earth is fresh water?
A. 3 C. 33
B. 22 D. 37
6. How often does the earth orbit the Sun?
A. Every 30 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes and 35 seconds
B. 180 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes and 35 seconds
C. Every 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds
D. Every 90 days, 6 hours, 30 minutes and 50 seconds
7. What is the circumference of the Earth at the Equator?
A. 45, 066 km C. 39, 444 km
B. 40, 075 km D. 12, 435 km
8. What percentage of the Earth is land?
A. 29.1 % C. 19.89 %
B. 50.5 % D. 10.3%

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9. Which of the following has a moderate amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere?
A. Earth B. Venus C. Jupiter D. Mars
10. Water flows from upward to downward and humans walk on the surface and
not floating. Which of the following is responsible to this?
A. Earth’s Gravitational pull
B. Sun’s Gravitational Pull
C. Moons Gravitational Pull
D. Earths’ Motion
11. Which of these is the process by which water continually changes its form and
circulates between oceans, atmosphere and land?
A. Condensation Cycle C. Physical Change
B. Earth cycle D. Water Cycle
12. Which of the following is NOT a unique feature of planet Earth?
A. It has life on it. C. It has a liquid water on it
B. It is sphroidal in shape D. It temperature is moderate
13. Which is the twin planet of Earth?
A. Jupiter C. Mercury
B. Mars D. Venus
14. Which planet is the hottest?
A. Earth C. Mercury
B. Mars D. Venus
15. How can you help sustain life on Earth?
I. Conserve natural resources like water, which is the basic necessities for life.
II. Plant more trees to lessen the amount of carbon dioxide that contributes to
the increase in the earth’s temperature.
III. Collect sun’s energy in solar panel.
IV. Avoid hunting animals specially the endangered species to maintain Earth’s
life diversity.
A. I, II and III C. I and II only
B. II, III and IV only D. I, II and IV only

Additional Activities

Directions: Choose one task to accomplish. Write it in a short bond paper.

A. Write a poem or a song that feature the uniqueness of planet Earth.

B. Make a letter to the future generation descining the unique features of

planet Earth and tell them how you did your part to.

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 13
What I What’s More Assessment
What’s In
Know
Activity 1 1. C
1.
Part I
A. photosynthesis Possible responses may include: 2. A
B. oxygen 3. B
1. A
C. respiration • The color blue for Earth is
2. D 4. A
D. carbon dioxide significant - liquid water. The
3. B 5. A
size difference/ similarity is 6. C
4. C 2. Possible also important. 7. B
5. C Answers
6. A • Similar size and mass of 8. A
A. Water
7. A Venus and Earth. Mars is 9. A
B. Oxygen
8. B about half the Earth's size. 10.A
C. Carbon
9. A 11.D
dioxide
10.A • All the three planets have 12.B
Part II spheroidal shape. 13.D
What’s New 14.D
16.False Activity 2
15.D
17.False Water
Possible responses may include:
18.True Air
19.True Atmosphere • It has liquid water
20.False Life • Temperature is moderate
• Uses sun as major
source of energy
• Only planet composed of
solid liquid and gas
• Has gravity that anchors
everything on it
• Made up of several
layers
• Has a favorable climate
• Surrounded by a blanket
of gases
Answer Key