Environment Gess 2024-25 PDF

1 Environment After the long vacation, when Ravi started going to school again, he noticed that the only playground next to his school was dug up. People said that a huge building with many flats will be constructed there. Ravi was almost in tears, when he realised that the big play...

1 Environment After the long vacation, when Ravi started going to school again, he noticed that the only playground next to his school was dug up. People said that a huge building with many flats will be constructed there. Ravi was almost in tears, when he realised that the big playground with its soft grass, marigolds and butterflies is gone for ever. He shared his feelings with his classmates. In the assembly, the Principal too sadly observed, “See how our environment Environment is our is changing.” basic life support In the class Ravi asked his teacher, “What is system. It provides environment?” “Whatever you see in your surroundings,” the air we breath, the said the teacher. water we drink, the Ravi thought aloud, “That means, the school building, food we eat and the tables, chairs in the classroom, even that open field, the land where we live. road, the garbage, my friends – all are parts of our How do human environment”! beings modify this “Yes” said the teacher, “but wait….. Some objects are natural environment? The car fumes pollute created by nature – for example, mountains, rivers, trees, the air, water is animals. Others are made by people – for example roads, collected in a pot, cars, clothes, books”. food is served in Now work in pairs. Make a list with your classmate vessels and land is sitting next to you, of the creations of nature and by used to build human beings. factories. Human beings make cars, mills, factories and manufacture containers. This is how human beings modify natural environment. Ravi, Paramjeet, Jessy, Mustafa, Asha were all excited about making the list. “Why is our environment changing?” asked Iqbal. “It’s all because of our needs. They are Reprint 2024-25  Parks ) r Ai he re Water o sp (Hydrosphere) tm Bridges (A Buildings Hu Natural Human ma man de made Land Components (Lithosphere) Roads of Environment Living Things Industries Monuments (Biosphere) Human Individual Political Situation Family Economic Community Religion Educational Fig. 1.1: Components of Environment increasing day by day; we are therefore modifying and at times even destroying our natural surroundings”, the teacher replied. From the above conversation you Biotic Abiotic understand that the place, people, things and The world of The world of nature that surround any living organism is living non-living called environment. It is a combination of organisms. elements. natural and human made phenomena. While e.g. plants e.g. land. the natural environment refers to both biotic and animals. and abiotic conditions existing on the earth, 2 OUR ENVIRONMENT Reprint 2024-25 human environment reveals the activities, creations and Word Origin interactions among human beings. Environment: French NATURAL ENVIRONMENT word Environer/ Environner meaning Land, water, air, plants and animals comprise the natural “neighbourhood”. environment. You are familiar with the meaning of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere from your previous class. Let us learn some more facts about these domains. Lithosphere is the solid crust or the hard top layer of the earth. It is made up of rocks and minerals and covered Let’s do by a thin layer of soil. It is an irregular surface with various landforms such as mountains, plateaus, plains, Look at your valleys, etc. Landforms are found over the continents surroundings. Make a and also on the ocean floors. list of uses that the Lithosphere is the domain that provides us forests, land in your grasslands for grazing, land for agriculture and human neighbourhood is settlements. It is also a source of mineral wealth. being put to. Atmosphere Let’s do Biosphere Where does the water Hydrosphere you use in your home and school come from? Make a list of Lithosphere different uses of water in our daily life. Have you seen anyone wasting water? How? Fig. 1.2: Domains of the Environment The domain of water is referred to as hydrosphere. It Let’s do comprises various sources of water and different types of water bodies like rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, etc. It is Observe the sky while essential for all living organisms. coming to school. The atmosphere is the thin layer of air that Make a note whether surrounds the earth. The gravitational force of the the day is cloudy, earth holds the atmosphere around it. It protects us rainy, sunny, foggy etc. ENVIRONMENT 3 Reprint 2024-25  Glossary from the harmful rays and scorching heat of the sun. It consists of a number of gases, dust and water vapour. Ecosystem: It is a The changes in the atmosphere produce changes in system formed by the the weather and climate. interaction of all Plant and animal kingdom together make biosphere living organisms with each other and with or the living world. It is a narrow zone of the earth the physical and where land, water and air interact with each other to chemical factors of support life. the environment in What is ecosystem? which they live, all linked by transfer of At an NCC camp that Ravi’s class was attending, Jessy energy and material. exclaimed, “What a heavy downpour. It reminds me of my home in Kerala. You should come and see how it pours and pours and pours over the lush green fields and coconut plantations.” Let’s do Heera from Jaisalmer exclaimed, “We get no rains. Sketch or bring We see only ‘kikar’ and sand, as far as the eyes can photographs of your see.” “But you also find camels”, said Ravi. place like the students in the story. Fig. 1.3: A Pond Ecosystem 4 OUR ENVIRONMENT Reprint 2024-25  Heera says, “Not just camels. If you visit our desert, Do you know? you will see snakes, lizards and many insects too.” Ravi wondered, “Why do the animals, the vegetation On 5 June every year the World Environment and the way people live vary from place to place? Are Day is celebrated. they all related to each other?” “Oh yes, very much so”, the teacher replied. All plants, animals and human beings depend on their immediate surroundings. Often they are also Glossary interdependent on each other. This relation between the living organisms, as well as the relation between the Barter System: organisms and their surroundings form an ecosystem. It is a trade in which There could be an ecosystem of large rain forest, goods are exchanged without the use of grassland, desert, mountains, lake, river, ocean and even money. a small pond. Do you think the park in which Ravi and his friends played formed an ecosystem? HUMAN ENVIRONMENT Human beings interact with the environment and modify it according to their need. Early humans adapted themselves to the natural surroundings. They led a simple life and fulfilled their requirements from the nature around them. With time needs grew and became Let’s do more varied. Humans learn new ways to use and change environment. They learn to grow crops, domesticate Talk to some elderly animals and lead a settled life. The wheel was invented, person in your neighbourhood and surplus food was produced, barter system emerged, trade collect information started and commerce developed. Industrial revolution about– enabled large scale production. Transportation became The trees in his/ faster. Information revolution made communication her neighbourhood easier and speedy across the world. when he/ she was Have you ever thought why you love eating a juicy your age. watermelon in summer and hot roasted peanuts in The indoor games winter? A perfect balance is necessary between the he/she played. natural and human environment. Humans must learn His/her favourite to live and use their environment in a harmonious way. fruit at your age. How did they make Nurie, a girl from Mizoram from Ravi’s class often talks themselves about the lush green surroundings of her place. Seeing comfortable during Ravi upset at having lost his playground, Nurie invited hot summers and him to visit her home state during the coming vacation. cold winters? Ravi’s teacher asked the students to draw the landscape, Display your answers houses and activities of the people and places they visit on a wall/bulletin during the holidays. board. ENVIRONMENT 5 Reprint 2024-25  Exercises 1. Answer the following questions. (i) What is an ecosystem? (ii) What do you mean by natural environment? (iii) Which are the major components of the environment? (iv) Give four examples of human made environment. (v) What is lithosphere? (vi) Which are the two major components of biotic environment? (vii) What is biosphere? 2. Tick the correct answer. (i) Which is not a natural ecosystem? (a) Desert (b) Aquarium (c) Forest (ii) Which is not a component of human environment? (a) Land (b) Religion (c) Community (iii) Which is a human made environment? (a) Mountain (b) Sea (c) Road (iv) Which is a threat to environment? (a) Growing plant (b) Growing population (c) Growing crops 3. Match the following. (i) Biosphere (a) blanket of air which surrounds the earth (ii) Atmosphere (b) domain of water (iii) Hydrosphere (c) gravitational force of the earth (iv) Environment (d) our surroundings (e) narrow zone where land water and air interact (f) relation between the organisms and their surroundings 4. Give reasons. (i) Man modifies his environment (ii) Plants and animals depend on each other 5. Activity. Imagine an ideal environment where you would love to live. Draw the picture of your ideal environment. 6 OUR ENVIRONMENT Reprint 2024-25