Notes Chapter 1 Class 7 Science Curiosity NCERT

The Ever-Evolving World of Science

1. Properties of Materials

What to Explore:

• Why are some fruits sour? (This relates to acids and chemical properties.)
• What happens when you wash a turmeric (haldi) stain on clothes? (This involves chemical reactions.)

Activities:

• Experiment with batteries, lamps, and wires to discover how materials conduct electricity.
• Example Question: What materials make a lamp glow?

Classification:

• Learn to classify materials into metals (e.g., copper, iron) and non-metals (e.g., wood, plastic) based on properties like conductivity or shininess.

2. Changes Around Us

Types of Changes:

1. Reversible Changes: Can be undone (e.g., ice melting into water, which can freeze back into ice).

2. Irreversible Changes: Cannot be undone (e.g., a battery running out, a fruit ripening).

Examples:

• Batteries run out and can’t be reused.
• Ice melts, fruits ripen, rocks break into pebbles.

Role of Heat:

• Heat causes or speeds up changes (e.g., melting an ice cube or a glacier).
• Study how heat flows in different situations.

Water Cycle:

• Water evaporates from seas due to the Sun’s heat, forms rain, and may flow underground.
• This shows how changes in materials (like water) are part of larger natural processes.

3. Life Processes

Changes in Our Bodies:

• During middle school, your body changes rapidly (e.g., growth spurts, puberty).
• Learn why these changes happen.

Animal Life Processes:

• Animals need food, air, and blood circulation to survive.
• Example: Nutrients from food are carried by blood to all parts of the body.

Plant Life Processes:

• Plants also need food to grow, but they make it differently (through photosynthesis).
• Plants breathe, but in a unique way compared to animals.

Evolution of Life:

• Life on Earth has developed balanced ways to survive over millions of years.
• Example: Plants and animals have adapted to use resources efficiently.

4. Time and Measurement

What is Time?

• Time is measured by clocks or watches today.
• Long ago, people used shadows cast by the Sun to tell time.

Why Study Time?

• Understand how we measure time and how fast events happen.
• Example: How do we know when to go to school or sleep?

5. Light and Shadows

Importance of Light:

• Light helps us see and has led to many scientific discoveries.
• Example: Studying light helped us understand the universe.

Shadows:

• Early humans used shadows to tell time.
• Shadows are also used in fun activities like shadow puppets.

Applications:

• Learn how we generate light (e.g., bulbs) to read at night.
• Study phenomena like eclipses, where Earth or Moon casts shadows.

6. Earth’s Movements

Key Movements:

• Earth’s Rotation: Earth spins on its axis, causing day and night.
• Moon’s Orbit: The Moon revolves around Earth.
• Earth’s Orbit: Earth revolves around the Sun, causing seasons.

Effects on Life:

• These movements affect life on Earth, like daily routines and climate.

Fascinating Phenomena:

• Eclipses occur when Earth or Moon casts shadows.
• Day and night depend on Earth receiving light from the Sun.