7 Living things and air

7 Living things and air

7.1 Gases in the air

1 The Earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere.

2 Air is a mixture of gases. It contains nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, noble gases (e.g. neon),
water vapour and other gases.

3 Test for oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water:

Gas How to test? Result

Oxygen By using a glowing splint. The glowing splint relights.

Carbon dioxide By using hydrogencarbonate The indicator turns yellow;
indicator or lime water. the lime water turns milky.
Water By using dry cobalt chloride The paper changes from blue to
paper. pink.

4 The percentages of gases in unbreathed air and breathed air:

Gas in the air Unbreathed air Breathed air

Nitrogen 78% 78%

Oxygen 21% 16%
Carbon dioxide 0.03% 4%
Water vapour Variable Saturated

Noble gases 0.9% 0.9%

Other gases Variable Variable

5 The temperature of breathed air is higher than that of unbreathed air.

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7. 2 Air and burning

1 Burning is a chemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen.

2 The word equation of the process of burning:

high temperature
fuel + oxygen carbon dioxide + water + energy (heat and light)

3 The fire triangle shows the three conditions that are necessary for a fire to occur:

fuel oxygen

high temperature

4 To put out a fire, we can remove the fuel, cut off the oxygen supply, and/or lower the
temperature.

7.3 How humans obtain energy

1 Food stores chemical energy. We obtain energy from the food we eat.

2 The set-up for comparing the amounts of energy in different foods:

Measure and compare

thermometer burning spoon the temperature rise of
water for the food to be
burnt completely.

water (1/3 full) burning food

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 7 Living things and air

Е 3 The energy value of food is measured in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcal). It is usually
shown on the food labels on food packages.

7 . 4 How green plants obtain energy

1 Green plants can make their own food by photosynthesis.

2 Green plant cells contain chloroplasts. The chlorophyll in the chloroplasts absorbs light
energy for carrying out photosynthesis.

3 The word equation of photosynthesis:

light energy
carbon dioxide + water food (starch) + oxygen
chlorophyll

4 Test for starch in green leaves:

Step Purpose
i Boil the leaf in water. Destroy the cell membranes of the leaf cells.

ii Soak the leaf in hot alcohol. Remove the chlorophyll from the leaf.

iii Wash the leaf in hot water. Wash away the alcohol and soften the leaf.
iv Add iodine solution to the leaf. Test for the presence of starch.

If the leaf becomes blue-black in the iodine test in step iv, starch is present in the leaf.

Е 5 Chlorophyll, light, carbon dioxide and water are necessary for photosynthesis.

6 A food chain can represent the feeding relationship among living things.

7 An example of a food chain:

Grass (producer) Rabbit (consumer) Snake (consumer)

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7 . 5 Gaseous exchange in animals and plants

1 The process in which living cells use oxygen to release energy from food is called
respiration.

2 The word equation of respiration:

food + oxygen carbon dioxide + water + energy

3 The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between living things and the surroundings is
known as gaseous exchange.

Е 4 The major parts of the human respiratory system:

nasal cavity

bronchus

bronchiole
trachea

air sac lung

rib

intercostal muscle diaphragm

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Е 5 Gaseous exchange takes place at the surface of the air sac:

carbon dioxide is removed

from the body
oxygen from the air

air sac

direction of blood flow

capillary

Oxygen passes into the Carbon dioxide is produced by

blood and is carried to all respiration in body cells. The
body cells for carrying out carbon dioxide gets into the
respiration. blood and reaches the air sac.

Е 6 The breathing mechanism:

Breathing in Breathing out

 
 

 

 

 Intercostal muscles contract. Ribs move
upwards and outwards. Diaphragm
flattens
 The volume of the chest cavity
increases. The gas pressure inside the
chest cavity decreases and becomes
lower than the atmospheric pressure.
 Air is drawn into the lungs.
 Intercostal muscles relax. Ribs move
downwards and inwards. Diaphragm
returns to dome shape.
 The volume of the chest cavity
decreases. The gas pressure inside the
chest cavity increases and becomes
higher than the atmospheric pressure.
 Air is forced out of the lungs.

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Е 7 The rib cage model can show the action of the intercostal muscles during breathing.

B Part in the model Represents

A strip A backbone
C strips B ribs
rubber
band strip C chest bone
B
rubber band intercostal muscles

 Represents the situation of breathing in  Represents the situation of breathing out

Е 8 The balloon-bell jar model can show the action of the diaphragm during breathing.

tube A
Part in the model Represents
tubes B
tube A trachea
tubes B bronchi
balloons balloons lungs
rubber sheet diaphragm
rubber sheet

 Represents the situation of breathing in  Represents the situation of breathing out

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9 Gaseous exchange in green plants:

Rates of photosynthesis Results

and respiration
In the Rate of photosynthesis > Rate of respiration Net release of oxygen;
daytime net uptake of carbon dioxide
At night Stop taking in carbon dioxide for Net release of carbon dioxide;
photosynthesis; respiration continues net uptake of oxygen

10 The balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in nature:

releases oxygen taken up during

oxygen in air

photosynthesis of green plants respiration of animals and plants

taken up during releases carbon dioxide

carbon dioxide in air

Е 11 Carbon dioxide can absorb heat energy from the sun. It helps keep the Earth warm. This
natural phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect.

Е 12 Burning fossil fuels in motor cars, power stations and factories gives out a
lot of carbon dioxide.

The increasing amount of carbon dioxide enhances the greenhouse effect,

leading to global warming.

The rising temperature will speed up the melting of ice at the polar regions.

Living things in the polar regions Sea levels may rise and flood
may lose their habitats and die. the low-lying areas.

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7.6 Air pollution and smoking

1 Burning fossil fuels in power stations, factories and motor cars gives out large amounts of
air pollutants.

2 The effects of some air pollutants on health:

Air pollutant Effect on health

Sulphur dioxide and  Irritate the eyes and throat.
nitrogen oxides  Irritate our lungs and cause bronchitis and asthma.
Carbon particles  Irritate our lungs and cause bronchitis and asthma.
Lead particles  Adversely affect the brain functions.
Carbon monoxide  Lowers the amount of oxygen in the blood, causing dizziness
and headaches.

Е 3 The Air Pollution Index ranges from 0 to 500 and is divided into five levels. The higher the
API, the poorer the air quality.

4 The effects of some harmful substances in cigarette smoke on health:

Harmful substance Effect on health

Carbon monoxide  Lowers the oxygen content in blood.
Tar  Causes throat and lung cancer.
 Causes coughs and other respiratory diseases (e.g. bronchitis).
 Stains the teeth and finger nails.
Nicotine  Causes addiction.
 Increases heart rate and blood pressure.
 Leads to heart diseases.
Hydrogen cyanide  Irritates the eyes, nose and skin.
 Causes headaches and vomiting.

5 Non- smokers breathing in the smoke given out from other people’s cigarette is known as
passive smoking.

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