Science in Action 9 PDF

AUTHORS
Kirsten Mah
Josef Martha
Linda McClelland
James Milross
Joanne Neal
Lionel Sandner
ISBN 0-201-72963-6
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Addison Kirsten Mah
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Science
Josef Martha
Authors
Northern Gateway Regional Division 10, Onoway, Alberta
Kyn Barker
Carey Booth Linda McClelland
Steve Campbell Formerly Calgary Board of Education, Calgary, Alberta
George Cormie James Milross
Dean Eichorn
Fraser Heights School, Surrey, British Columbia
Aubry Farenholtz
Gary Greenland Joanne Neal, Ph.D.
Douglas Hayhoe Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Doug Herridge
Lionel Sandner
Kathy Kubota-Zarivnij
Saanich School Board, Saanich, British Columbia
Kirsten Mah
Josef Martha
Linda McClelland
James Milross
Joanne Neal, Ph.D.
Shelagh Reading
Lionel Sandner
Beverley Williams
Toronto
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CONTENTS
Unit A: Biological Diversity 2 2.0 As species reproduce, characteristics
are passed from parents to offspring. 26
Exploring 4
Preserving Biological Diversity 4 2.1 A Closer Look at Variation 27
Skill Practice: Exploring Wolf Give It a Try: Observing Variation in

Population Trends 6 Human Characteristics 27
Focus On: Social and Environmental Heritable and Non-heritable
Context 7 Characteristics 28
Discrete and Continuous Variations 28
1.0 Biological diversity is reflected in the variety
Variation and the Environment 28
of life on Earth. 8
Give It a Try: Is It Discrete or
1.1 Examining Diversity 9 Continuous? 29
Check and Reflect 29
Understanding Biological Diversity 9
Give It a Try: Trekking Through 2.2 Asexual and Sexual Reproduction 30
Alberta’s Landscape 10 Asexual Reproduction 30
Classifying Biological Diversity 12 Skill Practice: Representing Asexual
Skill Practice: Representing Data 13 Reproduction 31
Activity A-1 Problem Solving: Sexual Reproduction 32
Representing Biological Diversity 14 Activity A-3 Inquiry: Investigating
Biological Diversity Under the Sea 15 Flower Reproductive Structures 34
Check and Reflect 15 Advantages and Disadvantages of
1.2 Interdependence 16 Asexual and Sexual Reproduction 35
Organisms That Reproduce Both Sexually
Symbiosis 17
and Asexually 35
QuickLAB: Searching for Symbiosis 18
Niches 18
Check and Reflect 19 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 37
1.3 Variation Within Species 20 Focus On: Social and Environmental Context 37
Variability and Survival 20

Skill Practice: Measuring Variation
in the Human Hand 21
Activity A-2 Inquiry: Protective
Coloration and Survival 22
Natural Selection 24
Section Review: Assess Your Learning 25
Focus On: Social and Environmental Context 25
iv
3.0 DNA is the inherited material responsible 4.0 Human activity affects biological diversity. 56
for variation. 38
4.1 Reduction of Biological Diversity 57
3.1 DNA—Transmitter of Genetic Code 39 Give It a Try: Choices in Our World 57
Give It a Try: Superdogs 39 Extinction and Extirpation 58
DNA 40 Natural Causes of Extinction
Chromosomes 41 and Extirpation 59
Activity A-4 Decision Making: Human Causes of Extinctions and
Useful Genes? 42 Extirpations 61
Genes 43 Activity A-6 Decision Making:
Activity A-5 Problem Solving: Showing Balancing Act 63
the Relationships 44 Activity A-7 Experiment on your own:
Check and Reflect 45 Changes in Biological Diversity 64
Effects of Extinctions and Extirpations 65
3.2 Cell Division 46
Cell Division and Asexual Reproduction 46
Cell Division and Sexual 4.2 Selecting Desirable Traits 66
Reproduction in Plants and Animals 46 Biotechnology 67

Give It a Try: Who Has What Number? 48 Biotechnology and Society 68
Check and Reflect 48 Activity A-8 Decision Making:
Careers and Profiles 49 Salmon Farming and Variability 70
3.3 Patterns of Inheritance 50
Purebred Versus Hybrid 50 4.3 Reducing Our Impact on Biological Diversity 72
Dominant Traits 50 Strategies to Conserve Biological Diversity 72

Recessive Traits 51 Activity A-9 Decision Making:
Give It a Try: Exploring Genetic Saving the Whooping Crane 77
Possibilities 52 Give It a Try: Do You Affect
Other Patterns of Inheritance 53 Biological Diversity? 78
Check and Reflect 54 Check and Reflect 78
Section Review: Assess Your Learning 55 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 79
Focus On: Social and Environment Context 55 Focus On: Social and Environment Context 79
Unit Summary 80
Science World Case Study: Zoos and

Biological Diversity 81
Project: Maintaining Local Biological Diversity 82
Unit Review 84
v
Unit B: Matter and Chemical Change 88 2.0 An understanding of the nature of matter
has developed through observations
Exploring 90 over time. 112
Aluminum Foam 90
QuickLAB: Foam in a Cup 91 2.1 Evolving Theories of Matter 113
Focus On: The Nature of Science 91 Stone Age Chemists 113

Give It a Try: Creating a Time Line
1.0 Matter can be described and organized
Story of Matter 113
by its physical and chemical properties. 92
Early Interest in Metals and Liquid
1.1 Safety in the Science Class 93 Matter 114
Emerging Ideas About the
Skill Practice: Safety in the Science Lab 93
Composition of Matter 116
Safety Hazard Symbols 94
From Alchemy to Chemistry 116
WHMIS Symbols 94
New Interest in Atoms 117
Understanding the Rules 95
Chemistry Develops as a New Science 117
Lab Safety Rules 95
An Atomic Theory Takes Shape 118
Keep Safety in Mind 96
Adding Electrons to the Atomic Model 118
A Canadian Contribution to
1.2 Organizing Matter 97 Atomic Theory 119
QuickLAB: Organizing the Properties Bohr’s Model 120
of Matter 97 Check and Reflect 121
Physical Properties of Matter 98 2.2 Organizing the Elements 122
QuickLAB: Observing a Physical Change 98
QuickLAB: Meet the Elements 122
Activity B-1 Inquiry:
Looking for Patterns 123
Identifying Mystery Substances 100
Finding a Pattern 124
Chemical Properties of Matter 102
Predicting New Elements 125
Pure Substance or Mixture? 102
2.3 The Periodic Table Today 126
1.3 Observing Changes in Matter 105
Understanding the Periodic Table 127
Skill Practice: Identifying Physical
Useful Information on Each Element 128
and Chemical Changes 105
Skill Practice: Using the Periodic Table 129
Activity B-2 Inquiry: Investigating
Physical and Chemical Changes 106
Building a Periodic Table 130
Controlling Changes in Matter to
Patterns of Information in the
Meet Human Needs 108
Periodic Table 132
From Corn to Nail Polish Remover
Skill Practice: Exploring Patterns
and Plastic Wrap 109
in the Periodic Table 133
Section Review: Assess Your Learning 110 Careers and Profiles 135
Focus On: The Nature of Science 111 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 136
Focus On: The Nature of Science 137
vi
3.0 Compounds form according to a set 4.0 Substances undergo a chemical change
of rules. 138 when they interact to produce different
substances. 156
3.1 Naming Compounds 139
Combining Elements to Make 4.1 Chemical Reactions 157
Compounds 139 QuickLAB: Rocket Science 157

Skill Practice: Make a Model of an Atom 139 Give It a Try: Identify the Reaction 158
Naming Chemical Compounds 140 Activity B-6 Inquiry:
QuickLAB: Common Chemicals in Observing Chemical Reactions 159
Your Home 140 Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions 160
Interpreting Chemical Names and Chemical Changes Involving Oxygen 160
Formulas from Compounds 141 Activity B-7 Experiment on your own:
Indicating the Physical State Reactions for Upset Stomachs 161
of a Compound 142 Check and Reflect 162
Skill Practice: Working with Compounds 142
4.2 Conservation of Mass in Chemical Reactions 163
Activity B-8 Inquiry: Conserving Mass 164
3.2 Ionic Compounds 144 Check and Reflect 165
QuickLAB: Using Batteries to
4.3 Factors Affecting the Rate of a Chemical
Investigate a Chemical Reaction 145
Reaction 166
Ion Charges 146
Catalysts 166
Naming Ionic Compounds 146
QuickLAB: Hydrogen Peroxide and the
Using Ion Charges and Chemical
Catalyst Manganese(IV) Oxide 167
Names to Write Formulas 147
Activity B-9 Inquiry: Rates of Reaction 168
Ion Charges and the Periodic Table 147
Other Factors Affecting the
Rate of Reaction 169
Modelling Ionic Compounds 148
3.3 Molecular Compounds 150
QuickLAB: Ionic or Molecular Focus On: The Nature of Science 171
Compound? 150
Activity B-5 Inquiry: Unit Summary 172
Modelling Molecular Compounds 151
Writing Formulas for Molecular Science World Case Study: Metal Contamination
Compounds 152 of the Environment 173
Comparing Ionic and Molecular Project: What’s in the Bottle? 174

Compounds 152
Unit Review 175
Focus On: The Nature of Science 155
vii
Unit C: Environmental Chemistry 178 1.4 How Organisms Take in Substances 204
Uptake of Substances by Plants 204

Exploring 180
Ingestion and Absorption of Materials
Medicine from the Environment 180 by Animals 206
QuickLAB: Testing Health Products 181 Activity C-5 Inquiry:
Focus On: Social and Environmental Breakdown of Starch by Hydrolysis 207
Context 181 Taking in Nutrients in
1.0 The environment is made up of chemicals Different Environments 208
that can support or harm living things. 182 Check and Reflect 209
Careers and Profiles 210
1.1 Chemicals in the Environment 183
Give It a Try: Chemicals in the
Focus On: Social and Environmental Context 211
Environment 183
The Nitrogen Cycle 184
Processes and Activities That Affect
Environmental Chemicals 185 2.0 The quantity of chemicals in the environment
Human Activities 186 can be monitored. 212
Activity C-1 Decision Making:
Viewpoints on Electric Power 189
2.1 Monitoring Water Quality 213
Check and Reflect 190 Biological Indicators 214

QuickLAB: Identifying Aquatic
1.2 Acids and Bases 191
Invertebrates 215
pH Scale 191 Aquatic Environments 215
Activity C-2 Inquiry: Chemical Factors That Affect Organisms 215
Measuring Acids and Bases 192 Measuring Chemicals in the Environment 216
Measuring pH 193 Skill Practice: Parts per Million 217
Neutralization 193 Dissolved Oxygen 217
Activity C-3 Inquiry: Neutralizing Acid 194 Activity C-6 Inquiry: How Does
Neutralizing the Effects of Acid Rain 195 Oxygen Get into the Water? 218
Check and Reflect 195 Phosphorus and Nitrogen Content 219
1.3 Common Substances Essential to Living QuickLAB: Phosphorus and “Foggy”
Things 196
Water 220
Acidity 220
Give It a Try: Organic or Inorganic? 196
Pesticides 221
Macronutrients 197
Measuring Toxicity 221
Maintaining the Right Level of Nutrients 198
Heavy Metals 222
Optimum Amounts 198
Activity C-7 Experiment on your own:
Types of Organic Molecules 199
What Killed the Fish? 223
Activity C-4 Inquiry:
Testing for Organic Molecules 200
viii
2.2 Monitoring Air Quality 225 3.3 Hazardous Chemicals Affect Living Things 248
Sulfur Dioxide 225 Biomagnification 248

Nitrogen Oxides 226 Activity C-11 Decision Making:
Skill Practice: Measuring Nitrogen Oxides 226 Mosquito Control 249
Carbon Monoxide 227 A Case Study: The Exxon Valdez
Ground-level Ozone 227 Oil Spill 250
Check and Reflect 228 New Oil Spill Clean-up Procedures 252
2.3 Monitoring the Atmosphere 229
Carbon Dioxide as a Greenhouse Gas 229 3.4 Hazardous Household Chemicals 253
Activity C-8 Inquiry: Analyzing Carbon Government Regulations 253

Dioxide Measurements 231 Give It a Try: Using a Hazardous
The Ozone Layer 232 Product 254
Check and Reflect 233 New Product Regulations 255
Storage of Hazardous Chemicals 255
Activity C-12 Inquiry: Household
Focus On: Social and Environmental Context 235 Chemicals and the Environment 256
Transportation of Consumer Goods 257
Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals 257
3.0 Potentially harmful substances are spread Hazardous Waste Collection Sites 257
and concentrated in the environment in Solid Waste Garbage 258
various ways. 236 Check and Reflect 259

3.1 Transport of Materials Through Air, Soil,
and Water 237 Focus On: Social and Environment Context 261
Transport in Air 237 Unit Summary 262

QuickLAB: Environmental Transport 238
Science World Case Study: Fuel Combustion in
Transport in Groundwater 239
Electrical Power Plants 263
Activity C-9 Inquiry: Acid Rain and Soil 240
Transport in Surface Water 241 Project: A Refinery Mega-Project—Considering
Transport in Soil 241 the Options 264
Unit Review 266
3.2 Changing the Concentration of Harmful
Chemicals in the Environment 243
Biodegradation 244
Activity C-10 Inquiry: Bury Your
Garbage 245
Phytoremediation 246
Photolysis 247
ix
Unit D: Electrical Principles and Section Review: Assess Your Learning 295
Technologies 270
Focus On: Science and Technology 295
Exploring 272
Electrical Energy 272 2.0 Technologies can be used to transfer and

QuickLAB: Charge It! 273 control electrical energy. 296

2.1 Controlling the Flow of Electrical Current 297
1.0 Electrical energy can be transferred and
A Unique Circuit 297
stored. 274
Conductors and Insulators 298
Activity D-3 Inquiry:
1.1 Static Electricity 275
Investigating Conductivity 299
QuickLAB: Static Charge 275
Using Conductors, Resistors, and
Electrical Charge 276
Insulators 300
Activity D-1 Inquiry:
QuickLAB: Make Your Own Dimmer
Investigating Static Electricity 277
Switch 301
Van de Graaff Generators 278
Switches and Variable Resistors 302
1.2 Current Electricity 279 Careers and Profiles 303
Electrical Current 279 2.2 Modelling and Measuring Electricity 304

QuickLAB: Electrical Current 279
QuickLAB: Funnel Power 304
Amperes 280
Modelling Voltage 305
Electrical Energy and Voltage 281
Modelling Resistance and Current 305
Measuring Voltage 281
Ohm’s Law 306
Skill Practice: Using Voltmeters 282
Applying Ohm’s Law 306
Skill Practice: Using Ohm’s Law 307
1.3 Electrical Safety 284 Using Test Meters 307
The Dangers of Electrical Shock 284 Skill Practice: Using Ammeters 308
Protecting Yourself from Activity D-4 Inquiry:

Electrical Shock 285 What’s the Resistance? 309
Electrical Safety Pointers 285 Types of Resistors 310
Plugs, Fuses, and Breakers 285 Check and Reflect 310
QuickLAB: Blow a Fuse! 286 2.3 Analyzing and Building Electrical Circuits 311
The Danger of Lightning 287
QuickLAB: Flashlight Design 311
Circuit Drawings 311
1.4 Cells and Batteries 288 Circuit Analysis Example—Bulldozer 312
Dry Cells 288 Parallel and Series Circuits 312
Wet Cells 289 QuickLAB: How Does That Toy Work? 313
QuickLAB: Fruit Cells 290 Activity D-5 Problem Solving:

Rechargeable Cells 290 Wiring a Secure and Safe Home 314
Activity D-2 Inquiry: Applications of Series and

Choosing Electrolytes 291 Parallel Circuits 315
Batteries 292 Check and Reflect 316
Electrochemistry 292 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 317

x
3.0 Devices and systems convert energy with Activity D-11 Decision Making: What
varying efficiencies. 318 Can We Do to Increase Efficiency? 341
Increasing Efficiency 342
3.1 Energy Forms and Transformations 319 Check and Reflect 342
Four Common Forms of Energy 319
Give It a Try: Going Shopping 320
Chemical Energy 320 Focus On: Science and Technology 343
Transformations Involving Chemical

and Electrical Energy 321
4.0 The use of electrical energy affects society
Activity D-6 Problem Solving: and the environment. 344
Transforming Heat into Electricity 322
Transformations Between Thermal 4.1 Electrical Energy Sources and Alternatives 345
and Electrical Energy 323
Using Heat to Generate Electricity 345
Using Water Power to Generate Electricity 346
3.2 Energy Transformations Involving Electrical Alternative Energy Sources 347
and Mechanical Energy 324 Give It a Try: Energy News 348
Electric Motors 325 Activity D-12 Problem Solving:

Activity D-7 Problem Solving: Harness the Wind 349
Get Your Motor Running 326 Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy 350
The Steering Analogy 328 Check and Reflect 350
QuickLAB: St. Louis Motor 328 4.2 Electricity and the Environment 351
Direct and Alternating Current 328
Air Pollution 351
Generating Electricity 329
Other Environmental Effects 351
Activity D-8 Experiment on your own:
Conserving Energy and Nonrenewable
Generating Electricity 330
Resources 352
Generating DC and AC 331
A Sustainable Future 353
3.3 Measuring Energy Input and Output 332
4.3 Electrical Technology and Society 354
Power 332
Benefits of Electrical Technologies 354
Energy 333
Give It a Try: Number Race 355
Skill Practice: Power Practice 333
Drawbacks of Electrical Technologies 355
Activity D-9 Problem Solving:
Computers and Information 355
Circuit Assessment 334
Electricity and Computers 356
Energy Dissipation 335
Electrical Transmission of Information 357
Understanding Efficiency 336
Skill Practice: Comparing Input and
Output Energies 336 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 359
Activity D-10 Problem Solving: Focus On: Science and Technology 359
Kettle Efficiency 337
Comparing Efficiencies 338
Unit Summary 360
Science World Case Study: Three Gorges Dam 361
3.4 Reducing the Energy Wasted by Devices 339
Give It a Try: Shopping for Appliances 339

Project: Building an Electrical Device 362
Limits to Efficiency 340 Unit Review 363
xi
Unit E: Space Exploration 366 Tracking Objects in the Solar System 399
Exploring 368
1.5 Describing the Position of Objects in Space 401
Short Excursion to the Moon 368
Give It a Try: Estimating Positions in
Give It a Try: Crater Patterns Space 401
on the Moon 369
Activity E-2 Problem Solving: Where
Do We Look? 402
1.0 Human understanding of both Earth and Determining the Motion of Objects
space has changed over time. 370 in Space 404
1.1 Early Views About the Cosmos 371
Give It a Try: Evolving Ideas About
Planetary Motion 371 Focus On: Science and Technology 407
Tracking Cosmological Events 372

Models of Planetary Motion 373
QuickLAB: Elliptical Loops 375 2.0 Technological developments are making
Check and Reflect 376 space exploration possible and offer
benefits on Earth. 408
1.2 Discovery Through Technology 377
QuickLAB: Telling Sundial Time 377 2.1 Getting There: Technologies for Space
The Astronomer’s Tools 378 Transport 409
The Immensity of Distance and QuickLAB: The Power of Steam 409
Time in Space 379 The Achievements of Rocket Science 410
Activity E-1 Inquiry: How Big Is the Sun? 380 QuickLAB: Stabilizing Rocket Flight 411
Give It a Try: Take a Walk Through The Science of Rocketry 412
the Solar System 382 The Future of Space Transport
Check and Reflect 383 Technology 413
1.3 The Distribution of Matter in Space 384 Activity E-3 Problem Solving: Designing
a Solar Sail-Powered Spacecraft 414
What Is a Star? 384
QuickLAB: What Colour and Shuttles, Space Probes, and Space
Temperature Tell Us About Elements 385
Stations 416
The Birth of a Star 386

The Next Step 416
The Life and Death of Stars 387 Check and Reflect 417
Give It a Try: Classifying Stars by Size 389 2.2 Surviving There: Technologies for Living
Star Groups 390 in Space 418
Galaxies 390
Give It a Try: Sharing a Small Place
in Space 418
1.4 Our Solar Neighbourhood 392 Hazards of Living in Space 419
The Sun 392 The Space Suit 420
The Planets 393 A Home in Space 421
Skill Practice: Building a Activity E-4 Experiment on your own:

Planetary Spreadsheet 393 Designing and Building a Water
Other Bodies in the Solar System 397 Filter 423
Give It a Try: How Can Collisions Activity E-5 Problem Solving: Space
Occur in All That Space? 397 Station Design: The Value of
Teamwork 424
xii
Check and Reflect 425 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 455
Careers and Profiles 426
2.3 Using Space Technology to Meet Human
Needs on Earth 427
Satellites 427 4.0 Society and the environment are affected

QuickLAB: Data Relay from Space by space exploration and the
to Earth 428
development of space technologies. 456
Skill Practice: On Location with GPS 430

4.1 The Risks and Dangers of Space Exploration 457
“Space Age” Inspired Materials
and Systems 431 The Dangers of Manned Space Travel 458
Check and Reflect 432 Space Junk 458

4.2 Canadian Contributions to Space
Focus On: Science and Technology 433 Exploration and Observation 460
Give It a Try: What Does It Take

to Become an Astronaut? 462
3.0 Optical telescopes, radio telescopes, and Check and Reflect 463
other technologies advance our
understanding of space. 434 4.3 Issues Related to Space Exploration 464
The Pros and Cons of Space Exploration 464

3.1 Using Technology to See the Visible 435 The Potential Value of Space’s Resources 465
Skill Practice: Sharpen Your Activity E-8 Decision Making:
Star-Gazing Skills 435 Should We Continue Investing in
Optical Telescopes 436 Space Exploration and Research? 466
Interferometry: Combining Telescopes Political, Ethical, and Environmental
for Greater Power 437 Issues 467
The Hubble Space Telescope 438 Give It a Try: Who Owns Space? 467
Check and Reflect 439 Check and Reflect 468
3.2 Using Technology to See Beyond the Visible 440 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 469
QuickLAB: Comparing Light Spectra 441 Focus On: Science and Technology 469
Radio Telescopes 441
Radio Interferometry 442 Unit Summary 470
Viewing More Than What the Eye Can See 443
Space Probes 444
Science World Case Study: Babies Beyond
Gravity’s Grip 471
3.3 Using Technology to Interpret Space 446 Project: Mission to Mars 472
Give It a Try: Light Bulb Stars 446 Unit Review 474

Measuring Distance 446
Activity E-6 Inquiry: How Far Is It? 448 Toolbox 476
Activity E-7 Inquiry: Analyzing Parallax 451
Glossary 511
Determining a Star’s Composition 452
Determining a Star’s Direction of Motion 452 Index 522
Give It a Try: Experiencing the
Photo Credits and Acknowledgements 525
Doppler Effect 454
xiii
WELCOME TO
You are about to begin a scientific exploration
using Science in Action 9. To assist you in
your journey, this book has been designed
with the following features to help you.
An outline gives you an overview of

what you will be learning. You may
want to use this as a guide to help
you study.
1 Unit Outline
The book is divided into five
units. Each unit opens with a
large photograph that
captures one of the ideas that
--
- - in the unit.
will be covered
-- -
--------
2 Exploring
This section is an introduction. It has an interesting
SKILL PRACTICE activities
real-world example to introduce the unit. A hands-
-
give you an opportunity to

------
on activity introduces the topic of the unit and

practice and reinforce skills.
allows you to start thinking about what you will be
exploring.
---
xiv
Each section has two to five subsections. Each subsection
3 The Sections heading clarifies and provides more information about the
Each section heading statement in the section heading.
summarizes what you will
learn in this section. These
can help you organize your
thoughts when you study.
The Key Concepts are the main

ideas you will learn in this
section. By the end of the
section, you should be able to
describe each concept.
The Learning Outcomes

outline what you should
know and be able to 8
demonstrate your
understanding of on
Check out this Web site for relevant links.
completing the section.
An infoBIT is an interesting
fact relevant to what you
will be investigating in the
subsection.
GIVE IT A TRY
activities will help you
think about what you
are learning.
The Focus On section has QUICKLAB is a hands-on

several questions to help you activity that explores a topic
think about what you are in the section.
learning and how it connects to
your life as you work through
the unit. The questions focus on
one of three areas or emphases Topic subheadings make
of science: the nature of the text easier to follow.
science, the relationship
between science and
technology, and the relationship
of science and technology to
society and the environment.
xv
At the end of the subsection
You will find numerous photos is a reSEARCH. This is an
and illustrations to help explain additional way to study one
or clarify many of the ideas in of the ideas in the subsection.
this unit.
Check and Reflect questions

provide opportunities for you
to review the main ideas you
have learned.
The Section Review has questions

relevant to the whole section.
Answering the questions will help
you consolidate what you have
learned in the various parts of the
section.
The Focus On feature helps you

organize and apply what you have
learned in the section.
4 Science Activities
There are three main types of activities.
Problem Solving Activity: These are

open-ended activities that allow you to
be creative. You will identify a problem,
make a plan, and then construct a
solution. These activities tend to have --
-
very little set-up and there is usually no - - -----

one correct solution.
xvi
- --------
- -- -Inquiry
- Activity: These activities provide the opportunity for
you to work in a lab setting. You will develop scientific skills
-
-
of predicting, observing, measuring, recording, inferring,
analyzing, and many more. In these activities, you investigate
many different phenomena found in our world.
---
--
--
---
Decision Making Activity:
These activities present
issues or questions related
to everyday life. You will
need to analyze the issue
and develop a conclusion
based on the evidence you
collect. Be prepared to
present your conclusion to
your classmates.
5 Unit Summary
At a glance, you can find out
all the key concepts you have
learned within the unit. You
can also read the summary of
ideas in each section of the
unit. This is a good page to
help you organize your notes
-
for studying. -------
6 Unit Project
A project at the end of each unit presents a
hands-on opportunity for you to demonstrate
what you’ve learned. You’ll work both in a
group and individually. The project requires
you to apply some of the skills and knowledge -
that you’ve acquired to a new situation. -------
xvii
7 Unit Review • questions that The Extend Your • opportunities
require you to use Understanding has: to express your
The Unit Review presents: the ideas in more • questions that have thoughts about
• a chance to review the than one section in you apply your ideas you have
important terms in the unit the unit to answer learning beyond what discovered in
you studied in the unit the unit
The Key Concept Review presents:

• questions designed to test your
basic understanding of the key
• questions that are related to specific • questions that relate
concepts in each section of the
skills you have learned in the unit to the specific
unit
emphasis of the unit
8 Other Features
Here are other features you will
find in each unit. Each one has a
different purpose and is designed
to help you learn about the ideas
in the unit.
Science World
-
This feature is a case study - - - - - -
about an issue that can have
more than one solution or may
involve several viewpoints.
-
-
Careers and Profiles -

- - - ---
Here you will find profiles or interviews
with people whose careers use the science
and technology you study in the unit.
xviii
-- ------
-- --
- -
--
---
Experiment on
----
mathLink your own
These are This is your
opportunities for chance to design
you to apply some your own
of your math experiment to
skills. check out a
hypothesis or to
solve a problem.
9 The Toolbox
These pages provide
references to lab safety and
other basic scientific skills
that will help you as you do
the activities. Remember to
check the toolbox when you
need a reminder about these
skills.
10 Icons
means you will be working with toxic or
unknown materials and should wear safety
goggles for protection or precaution 11 Glossary
means you should wear a lab apron to The Glossary provides a comprehensive,
protect clothing alphabetical list of the important terms
in the book and their definitions.
means you should wear rubber gloves for
protection when handling the materials
means you will be working with glassware and

you should exercise caution to avoid breakage
reminds you that you can find more information

in the Toolbox section of the book
Now it’s time to start. We hope you will enjoy your scientific
exploration using Science in Action 9 !
xix
UNIT
2
In this unit, you will cover the following sections:
1.0 Biological diversity is reflected in the variety of life on Earth.

1.1 Examining Diversity
1.2 Interdependence
1.3 Variation within Species
2.0 As species reproduce, characteristics are passed from parents

to offspring.
2.1 A Closer Look at Variation
2.2 Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
3.0 DNA is the inherited material responsible for variation.

3.1 DNA—Transmitter of Genetic Code
3.2 Cell Division
3.3 Patterns of Inheritance
4.0 Human activity affects biological diversity.

4.1 Reduction of Biological Diversity
4.2 Selecting Desirable Traits
4.3 Reducing Our Impact on Biological Diversity
3
Exploring
PRESERVING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

In 1991, researchers with the Central Rockies Wolf Project captured a
female wolf. They fitted her with a satellite transmitter in Peter Lougheed
Provincial Park, Alberta. Dubbed Pluie, the wolf remained in Kananaskis
Country for six months. Then she took an amazing journey through
100 000 km2 of protected areas and legal hunting grounds in Alberta,
Montana, Idaho, and British Columbia. Pluie’s story drew attention to how
the Rocky Mountains are an important travel corridor for wide-ranging
carnivores such as wolves and grizzly bears.
Pluie has inspired the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
(Y2Y), a joint Canadian-U.S. network of over 270 organizations. The
mission of Y2Y is to “combine science and stewardship in order to ensure
that the world-renowned wilderness, wildlife, native plants, and natural
processes of the Yellowstone to Yukon region continue to function as an
interconnected web of life capable of supporting all of the natural and
human communities that reside within it, for now and for future
generations.”
4 Unit A: Biological Diversity

To reach this goal, Y2Y is working to establish a connected network of
protected areas and wildlife movement corridors that run from the Greater
Yellowstone ecosystem in Montana to the MacKenzie Mountains in the
Northwest Territories and Yukon. Co-operating organizations include
environmental advocacy groups such as the Canadian Parks and
Wilderness Society (CPAWS), research-based groups such as the Eastern
Slopes Grizzly Bear Project, and groups that represent recreation groups,
such as Orion—The Hunter’s Institute.
MA
CK NUNAVUT
EN
ZI
EM
OU
NORTHWEST
YUKON
NTA
TERRITORIES
ALBERTA
INS
Edmonton
BRITISH Jasper
COLUMBIA
ALBERTA
Edmonton Banff Calgary
Calgary
Waterton
WASHINGTON
Pacific MONTANA
Ocean
Yellowstone
OREGON
IDAHO WYOMING
The Y2Y initiative is based on the well-established guidelines of

conservation biology. Conservation biology is a wide-ranging field. It
combines aspects of landscape ecology, economics, species variation, and
genetics to help solve the difficult problems of preserving biological
diversity. How will protecting a fully functioning mountain ecosystem
help to preserve biological diversity? In this unit, you will find out by
investigating the processes that enable species to survive.
Exploring 5
S K I L L PRACTICE
EXPLORING WOLF POPULATION TRENDS

Alberta is home to 95 species of mammals, second only to British Columbia. One mammal,
the black-footed ferret, has disappeared from Alberta. Three of Alberta’s mammal species are
considered at risk, 10 species are considered sensitive, while 57 species are considered
secure by the Alberta Species at Risk Program.
Wolf populations in Jasper National Park have been monitored throughout the past 60 years.
The size of these populations has been influenced by factors such as environmental
conditions, availability of prey, and control programs. Four wolves per 1000 km2 is
considered to be a low number. .Are Jasper’s wolves in danger? Graph the numbers from
these studies to find out.
Jasper National Park Wolf Date Average Number of

Population Studies Wolves per 1000 km2
Study 1 1946 4
Study 2 1970 4
Study 3 1975 8
Study 4 1986 3
• On a single graph, plot the data from the chart by date (oldest to most recent). What
trends do you see in the data and in your graph? (You may wish to review Toolbox 7.)
• For each trend, suggest factors that may have affected the average number of wolves.
• Habitat loss can put a species at risk of extinction. It has been estimated that 97 ha of
natural Canadian habitat are destroyed every hour. Use that figure to calculate the
numbers of hectares lost in a day, a month, and a year.

Focus SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
On
As you work through this unit, you will observe the tremendous variety of
life on Earth and how this diversity helps to ensure survival of species.
You will learn how species reproduce and will consider the role of
genetics in the continuation of species. You will explore how human
activity affects biological diversity and how science and technology can
have intended and unintended effects on species and the environment.
Your major goals will include developing your inquiry and decision-
making skills.
Consider the following questions as you read and discuss, perform
activities, and answer questions throughout the unit.
1. What is biological diversity?
2. How do living things pass their characteristics on to future
generations and why is this important?
3. What impact does human activity have on biological diversity?
The answers to these and other questions will guide your learning about
various life forms and how humans affect biological diversity. The project
at the end of this unit will allow you to apply your knowledge of
ecosystem, species, and genetic diversity and your skills in developing a
strategy to maintain biological diversity in a local area.
Exploring 7
1.0 Biological diversity is
reflected in the variety of
life on Earth.
Key Concepts
In this section, you will learn
about the following key
concepts:
• biological diversity
• species and populations
• diversity within species
• habitat diversity
• niches
• natural selection of genetic
characteristics
Learning Outcomes
When you have completed this
section, you will be able to:
• describe the relative abundance
of species on Earth and in
different environments
• describe examples of variation
among species and within
species
• explain the role variation plays
in survival If you took a trip to a wetland ecosystem or carefully observed the life
• identify examples of niches and
forms underneath a rotting log, you would realize that we are
describe how closely related
surrounded by an incredible diversity of life forms. If you consider the
living things can survive in the
wide range of environmental conditions that exist on Earth, from the
same ecosystem
• explain how the survival of one
frigid cold of the poles to the steamy heat of the tropics, there is no
species may be dependent on single kind of organism that can survive in all of Earth’s regions. Each
another species area possesses its own unique community of characteristic life forms.
• identify examples of natural Tropical regions such as Costa Rica, Central America, contain the
selection greatest variety of organisms. The picture above shows a small sample of
the scarab beetles found in Costa Rica. Although they have many
obvious similarities, each beetle is from a different species, each with its
own unique characteristics.
Globally, the rate of extinction is on the rise. In the past, natural
forces have caused extinctions, but increasingly they are being attributed
to human influences. As a consequence, the variety of genetic material is
decreasing.
8 For Web links relating to 1.0, visit www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction

info BIT
1.1 Examining Diversity
Species Numbers
Life exists on our planet in many forms. Biologists have identified over Even though scientists
1.5 million species of animals and more than 350 000 species of plants. A estimate that millions of
species is a group of organisms that have the same structure and can species live on Earth
reproduce with one another. There are more species of insect than all of today, this is just a tiny
the other kinds of life forms combined. It is no wonder that they are number compared with
considered the most successful form of life. Biologists estimate that there the total number of
are probably somewhere between 30 million and 100 million kinds of species believed to have
organisms existing today. They have described only a small percentage of lived on Earth since life
this total. Regardless of how unique they may appear, all life forms share began roughly 5 billion
certain characteristics. All living things are made of cells, need energy, years ago. Scientists
estimate that the species
grow and develop, reproduce, and have adaptations that suit them for the
alive today represent
environment in which they live.
only 1% of all the species
that have ever lived.
UNDERSTANDING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Biological diversity refers to all the different types of organisms on Earth.
However, scientists don’t usually examine the entire Earth’s biological
diversity. They examine it in smaller groupings.
Diversity Between Ecosystems

In an ecosystem, living (biotic) things interact with other living and non-
living (abiotic) things in a shared environment. Abiotic factors include air,
water, and sunlight. Together, the living and non-living factors function as
a system, hence the term “ecosystem.” There is a huge variety, or
diversity, of ecosystems on Earth. The number and types of species and
abiotic elements can vary from ecosystem to ecosystem. A boreal forest
ecosystem (Figure 1.1) has different types and levels of abiotic factors than
a prairie slough ecosystem (Figure 1.2). These differences affect the
number and type of species that can live there.
Figure 1.1 These woodland caribou share a boreal forest Figure 1.2 This prairie slough teems with life such as
ecosystem with mosses, lichens, pine trees, black spruce, dragonflies, mosquitoes, mallards and ruddy ducks, red wing
white spruce, poplars, wolves, grizzlies, wolverines, lynx, blackbirds, bulrushes, sedge, and muskrats.
and a variety of birds.
Biological Diversity Is Reflected in the Variety of Life on Earth 9

G I V E I T A TRY
TREKKING THROUGH ALBERTA’S LANDSCAPE

Alberta Environment and the provincial government • Look at the map showing the location of these
have approved the names of six natural regions regions supplied by your teacher or on the Web
making up the vast landscape of Alberta. Each site below. Brainstorm with a partner at least
region represents an ecological unit that has its own three plant and animal species you might
plants, animals, landscapes, and weather patterns. expect to find on a trek through each region.
Each ecological unit is home to many different Record your ideas in a table.
ecosystems. These regions are the Canadian Shield • Using the Internet or library resources, verify
Natural Region, the Boreal Forest Natural Region, whether the plant and animal species you
the Foothills Natural Region, the Rocky Mountain identified live in each region. Compile a class
Natural Region, the Parkland Natural Region, and table of all the different species for each region
the Grassland Natural Region. and post it in your class. Begin your search at
www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
Diversity Within Ecosystems

Scientists often examine the biotic factors of an ecosystem. When
members of a species live in a specific area and share the same resources,
these individuals form a population. For example, a population might be
all the magpies that live in a certain park. When populations of different
species live in the same area, these populations form a community. For
example, the park contains a community because there are other
populations that live in the park besides the magpies. It has populations of
aspen trees, grasses, gophers, and so on. The community is the biotic
component of an ecosystem. Different communities can also vary widely.
For example a park with many formal gardens (but no trees) has a
different community because it contains different populations of species
than the park mentioned above.
Figure 1.3 The wildebeests,

antelopes, and zebras in this
picture are all different
populations, but together
they form part of the diverse
community of living things
on the Serengeti Plain in
Tanzania, Africa.

Diversity Within Species
A species is a group of organisms that all have the same basic structure.
However, if you look closely at any population, you will notice that there
are subtle variations between the individual members of the population.
For example, if you examined a population of magpies very closely, you
might notice that bill shape or wingspan varied between individuals.
Genetic diversity refers to the variations between members of a
population. In any population, these variations are, for the most part,
caused by subtle variations in the cells of the organisms.
An organism that shows a great deal of genetic diversity is the banded
snail. Members of this species show a tremendous amount of variation in
shell colouring as well as the banding on their shells. The colour can
range from yellow to brown, and the bands on the shell can range from no
Figure 1.4 In a field of wheat,
bands to bands covering the whole of the shell. Each variation is a result
individual wheat plants show
of a variation in the genetic information in the animal’s cells. very little variation. This lack of
Some variations between individuals aren’t even visible. For example, variation is a result of years of
all human blood looks the same, but it can be classified into blood types. plant breeding.
An individual can have one of four basic blood types: A, B, AB, or O.
In certain cases, humans purposely reduce the amount of variation
between individual organisms. Over time, humans have bred plants and
animals so that as many individuals as possible show the same useful
characteristics. For example, individual wheat plants in a crop all have
strong stalks and many large seeds.
You will learn more about genetic diversity in later sections.
Species Distribution
The species on our planet are not
distributed evenly. Areas around the
equator have the greatest number of plant
species. These diverse plant communities 100
in turn provide food and shelter to a
100
wide variety of organisms. The number
of plant and animal species is greatest in 50
tropical regions. So the tropical rain

forests in equatorial regions contain the 150
greatest biological diversity. As you move
north to the temperate and then the polar 200
regions, you will find less biological
diversity. For example, a survey of snake 200
150
species in three regions revealed there
were 293 species in tropical regions of 200
Mexico, 126 species in the United States,

200 100
and only 22 in Canada. This trend is 150
150
found for all organisms. The Arctic and 100 250 200
25
Antarctic regions contain the lowest 300 0
biological diversity.
350
300
400
350
450
400
500
550 0
450
60
650
Figure 1.5 This map shows the number of bird species in different regions of North and Central America.

info BIT
How Many Kingdoms?
Increasingly, scientists
are using a six-kingdom
system of classifying
organisms. Research has
shown that one group of
bacteria is genetically
different from other
bacteria. As a result, the
kingdom Monera has
been divided into two
new kingdoms:
Archaebacteria and Figure 1.6 Although the two owls look alike, the northern spotted owl on the right does not
Eubacteria. breed with the barred owl on the left. As a result, they are considered two different species.
CLASSIFYING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

In the 18th century, a Swedish scientist named Carolus Linnaeus,
developed a system for naming organisms and for classifying them in a
meaningful way. He used Latin because that was the common scientific
language of his time. Linnaeus’s naming system brought worldwide
consistency to the naming of species, which could not be accomplished
with common names. In his system, two words name each living thing:
the first word indicates the name of the genus to which the organism
belongs and the second word indicates the particular species. No two
species can have the same name. Closely related species can have the
same genus name, but not the same species name. The red wolf is called
Canis rufus, the timber wolf is called Canis lupus, and the dog, Canis
familiaris.
Linnaeus arranged species into groups based on their physical
structure rather than on their habitat, which earlier systems had done.
Modern scientists further developed Linnaeus’s classification system.
Latin continues to be the language of classification because it is a dead
language, one that does not change over time. Because the same Latin
names are used worldwide, each scientist will know which species
another scientist is discussing.
Scientists have been using a five-kingdom classification system:
math Link Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Fungi (yeasts, moulds, and
mushrooms), Protista (mostly single-celled organisms), and Monera
Using data set 2 from the
(bacteria). Each kingdom is divided into a series of phyla (the plural form of
Skill Practice on page 13,
convert each nanometre phylum) and possibly subphyla. Each phylum is divided into classes,
measurement into which are further subdivided into orders. Orders are divided into families,
centimetres. which divide into genera (the plural form of genus). Each genus is then
separated into species.
An example of this classification system is illustrated in Figure 1.7 on
page 13. Note that the classification of the three organisms becomes more
specific as you move from kingdom to species.

White spruce Wolf Bull trout
Kingdoms Plantae Animalia Animalia
Phyla Coniferophyta (Conifers) Chordata Chordata
Subphyla — Vertebrata Vertebrata
Classes Pinopsida Mammalia Osteichthyes (Fish)
Orders Pinales Carnivora Salmoniformes
Families Pinaceae Canidae Salmonidae
Genera Picea Canis Salvelinus
Species Picea glauca Canis lupus Salvelinus confluentus
Figure 1.7 Classification of three organisms from a montane ecosystem
S K I L L PRACTICE
REPRESENTING DATA
Information comes in many forms including information represented in numbers. Often numerical data are hard
to interpret, and scientists use charts or graphs to illustrate the patterns or trends in the data. For example,
scientists use a pie chart to display data that is part of a whole. They also use bar graphs to show relationships
between sets of data.
Below are two different sets of data. Determine which type of chart or graph would best represent these data
sets and create the appropriate chart or graph for each set. (You may wish to review graphing in Toolbox 7.)
Data Set 1 Data Set 2
• Two red-eyed, long-winged fruit flies could • The size in nanometres (nm or 109 m) for the
produce the following combinations for 16 offspring: following viruses are:
9 out of 16 would have red eyes and long wings smallpox virus 250 nm
3 out of 16 would have red eyes and small wings flu virus 100 nm
3 out of 16 would have white eyes and long wings yellow fever virus 22 nm
1 out of 16 would have white eyes and small wings polio virus 20 nm
foot and mouth virus 10 nm

ACTIVITY A-1
Problem REPRESENTING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Solving
Recognize a Need
Scientists working to classify the range of life on Earth have come to a startling
conclusion: Species of insects, centipedes, and millipedes outnumber mammals by a ratio
of 214 to 1. That is, for every recorded species of mammal, there are 214 species of bugs
Biological Diversity on Earth
that have been discovered. Scientists estimate that we have only just begun to uncover
Group of Number of the diversity of insects on our planet.
organisms species
The chart on the left lists the number of species in each of the major groups of
plants 270 000 organisms.
fungi and lichens 100 000
protozoans and The Problem
algae 80 000 For people to care about the biological diversity on Earth, they have to be aware of the
spiders and number and types of organisms that share the planet with us. Design a way to visually
scorpions 75 000 summarize the information in the chart to clearly represent the numbers of different
mollusks 70 000 species that have been identified. Your model may be two- or three-dimensional, and you
crustaceans 40 000 may use technology as appropriate.
roundworms 25 000
fish 22 000 Criteria for Success
flatworms 20 000 To be successful, your representation must meet the following criteria:
earthworms and 1 solve the problem described above
leeches 12 000 2 be accurate
reptiles and 10 500
3 reflect the proportions of different species in relation to one another
amphibians
4 be visually appealing to convey the information to a general audience
jellyfish, corals,
and anemones 10 000 Brainstorm Ideas
sponges 10 000
5 Work with a partner or in a small group. Brainstorm ideas that would fit the criteria.
birds 10 000
All ideas should be considered and written down.
bacteria 4 000
6 Look for ways to blend the best of the group’s ideas.
mammals 4 500
insects, centipedes, Design a Model
and millipedes 963 000
7 Plan the design. Write down all the steps you will follow.
other 10 000
8 Create your representation.
Test and Evaluate

9 How effectively does your design convey the information? How does your work
compare with that of your classmates?
Communicate
10 Share and compare your design with others in the class. Highlight the features that
make your representation both accurate and effective.

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY UNDER THE SEA re SEARCH
Coral reefs have been called the “amazons of the oceans” because of the
richness of their species diversity. Like tropical rainforests, coral reefs “Cat-egories “
Trace the classification
support many different communities of organisms surviving on limited
for a house cat, including
nutrients. As in tropical rainforests, organisms that inhabit coral reefs
the kingdom, phylum,
have very efficient ways of recycling the limited nutrients that are
subphylum, class, order,
available. Coral polyps form the living layer of a coral reef. These tiny family, genus, and
organisms, in which some algae species live, provide energy for coral species. What are some
communities by converting sunlight to fuel. The hard, calcium carbonate of the house cat’s
layers of a coral reef are constructed by reef-building corals and certain relatives? Prepare a
types of algae. Coral reefs can be massive and thousands of years old. poster or an electronic
presentation of your
findings. Begin your
Figure 1.8 Large coral reefs, research at
like the Great Barrier Reef, can www.pearsoned.ca/
contain hundreds of species of
scienceinaction.
coral and thousands of
species of mollusks. Many
fish, bird, and whale species
are also associated with this
ecosystem.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Explain what is meant by the term biological diversity.
2. In one or two sentences explain why so many different types of
organisms exist on Earth today.
3. Describe how scientists classify an organism.
Connect Your Understanding

4 Explain how the classification system helps us to understand how
living things are different from or related to each other.
5. Summarize, in your own words, ecosystem diversity, community
diversity, and genetic diversity.
6. Compare and contrast the meanings of population and community.
7. Why is there more biological diversity closer to the equator than in
Canada? Give reasons for your answer.
Extend Your Understanding

8. Imagine that you have to classify all the birds on Earth based on
where they live. Design a system that starts with very broad categories
of many members and goes to very specific groupings of one type of
member.
9. Explain why preseving biological diversity is important to life on
Earth.

info BIT
1.2 Interdependence
Sharing Resources
No species can survive by itself. Each species is dependent on many other
Many species—especially
birds—have restricted species in its environment. For example, plants produce oxygen as a by-
areas in which they product of photosynthesis and are therefore a major source of atmospheric
forage (collect food). oxygen needed by most other organisms on Earth. Plants also provide
Researchers have found shelter and cover for many organisms. Mule deer, for example, need trees
that the male red-eyed to shelter them from the wind and from predators such as wolves.
vireo forages for insect Animals such as insects depend on flowering plants for food. Flowering
food in the upper canopy plants depend on insects to transfer pollen from one flower to another,
(9–15 m) of the trees they providing a means of fertilizing the plants.
live in. The female In earlier studies, you learned that food chains and food webs
collects insects in the illustrate the relationships between populations of organisms. Herbivores
lower canopy and nearer
such as mule deer eat plants. Carnivores such as wolves eat herbivores.
the ground (0–3 m). Male
Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down both animals and
and female red-eyed
plants once they’re dead. The predator-prey relationship is one of the most
vireos overlap only about
35% in their feeding obvious examples of interdependence between populations of species. If a
areas. So even though population of predators such as the lynx grows so large that it eats too
they eat the same insects many of its prey, the snow-shoe hare, then lynx numbers must eventually
and are members of the decrease as its members die of starvation. As the lynx population
same species, these birds decreases, the hare population will have a chance to recover and its
find their food source in numbers will increase. The cycle will then continue.
different areas and don’t Although predators eat individuals in a prey population, the prey
compete with each other. population benefits in many ways from this relationship. Predators reduce
the size of the prey population. This prevents the prey from outstripping
their food supply, resulting in starvation for the prey population. Also,
predators tend to capture the old, sick, or weak members of the prey
population. In this way, the healthy and strong members of the prey
population survive to reproduce, producing healthy strong offspring.
Timothy grass Mule deer Wolf
Figure 1.9 This food chain in a montane ecosystem illustrates interdependence. Timothy grass
depends on the Sun’s energy for growth. Mule deer (herbivores) depend on timothy grass as a food
source. Wolves (carnivores) depend on animals such as mule deer for survival.

SYMBIOSIS
Another type of interdependence is called symbiosis (sym meaning
together, bios meaning life), which is an association between
members of different species. There are several types of symbiosis
and the difference among them is determined by whether the
organisms benefit from or are harmed by the relationship.
In commensalism, one of the participating organisms benefits but
the other does not. However, there is no harm done to the second
organism. A bird that builds its nest in a tree, or a plant that grows
high up on a tree to get sunlight but doesn’t take nutrients from the
tree are both examples of commensalism. Barnacles that attach
themselves to whales in order to move to other areas are involved in
commensalism. The barnacles benefit, but the whales are not affected
(Figure 1.10).
As its root word mutual suggests, mutualism benefits both
organisms. A lichen growing in the arctic tundra is a combination of
two organisms: a fungus and an alga. Algal cells produce food for
themselves and the fungus through photosynthesis, while the fungus
protects the algal cells from dehydration. The bull’s horn acacia tree
is home to large numbers of ants. The tree gives the ants food and
shelter, while the ants protect the tree from other animals feeding on Figure 1.10 The grey bumps on
it by attacking them. The ants have also been known to gnaw through this whale are barnacles. The
vines that attach to the tree. whale provides a method of
Another interesting example comes from Central America. The transportation for the barnacles.
flower Clusia dispenses medicine to bees. As a bee pollinates the
flower, it gets doused with a sticky resin spiked with a powerful
antibiotic. Scientists suggest that the antibiotic in the resin kills
bacteria commonly found in the bee’s nest. When the bee makes an
important house call to the plant, the bee gets medical attention free
of charge!
In parasitism, one organism benefits and the other is harmed. A
tapeworm attached to the intestinal wall of a human is an example.
The tapeworm absorbs nutrients from the food in the intestine,
leaving little food for the human host to absorb. Unlike the predator-
prey relationship, parasites usually do not kill their hosts because the
hosts represent their food supply. Parasitism is not limited to two
organisms. For example, the Mexican bean beetle is a plant parasite.
However, the beetle is parasitized by the tachinid fly which, in turn,
is parasitized by the ichneumon wasp.
Symbiotic relationships are extreme examples of interdependence. Figure 1.11 The interactions
One species’ survival—particularly in a parasitic relationship such as a between the fungi and algae
tapeworm and its host—depends directly on the health and survival of making up these lichens enhance
the survival of each species.
another species. For example, the tapeworm depends on its host for
both its food and its habitat. Organisms involved in symbiotic
relationships illustrate the importance of adaptations that help species
survive in their unique environments.

Q U I C K LAB
SEARCHING FOR SYMBIOSIS Materials & Equipment

• galls from various plants
Purpose • scalpel
To observe a symbiotic relationship • magnifying glass
Caution!
• dissecting tray
Use care when
Procedure • insect identification
handling the scalpel. keys/guides
1 Your teacher will give you a leaf with galls.
Look for evidence of entry and/or exit holes.
2 Using the scalpel, cut open the gall. Use the magnifying glass to observe its
contents and look for the insects inside.
3 Draw what you observe. If possible, identify the inhabitants of the gall.
4 Wash your hands carefully.
Questions
5 What is the purpose of the gall? Look for evidence of entry and/or exit holes
to help you answer this question.
6 What type of symbiosis did you see when you cut open the gall? What
evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
Figure 1.12 What type of
7 What is the role of the gall for the insects’ survival?
symbiosis is shown here?
re SEARCH NICHES
There is one type of interaction between different species in which neither
Mycorrhizae species benefits. Interspecies competition happens when two or more
Mycorrhizae are species need the same resource. For example, if two different species
associations between compete for the same food, there is less of it for each species. Within each
plants and fungi. Use
population, each of its members has access to a smaller share of the
the Internet, your
resources, which leads to more deaths due to starvation. Interspecies
library, and other
competition limits the size of the populations of the competing species.
sources to find out what
kinds of associations If you take a walk through the woods on a summer morning, you
these organisms have might see many types of bird species that are similar to one another. If
and how they work. In a competition between species hurts the species, how can so many species
paragraph describe how exist together in the same location? The answer lies in the niches they
the survival of one of occupy.
the organisms is linked The term niche describes the role of an organism within the
to the survival of the ecosystem. An organism’s niche includes what it eats and what eats it, its
other. Begin your habitat, nesting site, or range, and its effect on both the populations
research at around it and its environment. If you were to describe your own niche,
www.pearsoned.ca/ you would have to describe where you live, what school you attend, jobs
scienceinaction.
you work at, the food you consume, the temperature you feel comfortable
in, and any influences you have on your community.

The niche occupied by a population in one area may not
be the same as the niche occupied in a different area because
the food supply and competitors may be different. In addition,
the niche occupied by a species may change throughout its
lifetime. The frog tadpole lives in an aquatic environment and
consumes plant matter while the adult frog lives in both
aquatic and terrestrial environments and is carnivorous.
Resource Partitioning
For similar species to coexist in an area, they must have
slightly different niches. For example, five species of warblers
(small songbirds) all feed on spruce bud worms. You would
think that competition among the five species would harm
them all. But because these species have different behavioural
adaptations, each prefers to feed on worms at different parts
of the tree. By doing this, the five species don’t directly
compete for the worms. Instead, they have divided up the
resource (worms) among them in what is known as resource Figure 1.13 These three warbler species feed on
partitioning. Resource partitioning doesn’t always involve spruce bud worms in different parts of a spruce
food. For example, species may have slightly different niches tree. Their niches differ in the feeding location
in terms of nesting preferences or heat tolerance. they prefer. Note that there is some overlap
between the species.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. List three different types of interdependence among living organisms.
Provide an example of each.
2. How does the prey population benefit when individuals in this
population are eaten by a predator?

3. Classify the following symbiotic relationships. Create a chart to record
your data, use the coding “+” to represent a benefit, “–” to represent
harm, and “n” to represent no benefit or harm. How would you use
this coding to represent each organism involved in the following
relationships? Explain your answer.
a) mutualism b) parasitism c) commensalism
2
4. A student observes the following organisms in a 30 cm section of the
front lawn of your school: a dandelion; a small butterfly on the flower
of the dandelion; a caterpillar eating the leaves of the dandelion; and a
worm in the soil. Describe the niche of each organism.

5. Imagine your school is an ecosystem. Create a concept map showing
the interdependence among students, teachers, classes, and grades in
this “ecosystem.”

1.3 Variation Within Species
Figure 1.14 Although the members of this species may look alike, they vary genetically from
one another.
So far in this unit, you have seen that the stability of an ecosystem relies
info BIT on the diversity of its communities and species and on the interactions
among species. The many different species survive because of the
Coats of Many Colours relationships established in this complicated “jigsaw puzzle.” Healthy
ecosystems have a great deal of genetic diversity among the species that
inhabit them. But biologists have also observed a great deal of variation
within a population of a single species. For example, you and your
classmates are all members of the same species, Homo sapiens, but each of
you differs slightly in appearance. Some may have black hair, others
blonde; some may be tall, others less tall. This kind of variation is seen in
all species. Variation within a species is called variability.
Even though its common
name is the red fox, VARIABILITY AND SURVIVAL
members of this species
can have a wide variety Variability is important if the environment of the species changes. When
of coat colours. Aside the species has a great deal of variation among its individuals, it is more
from the typical red coat, likely that some of the individuals will survive environmental changes.
individuals may have Environmental changes do not necessarily have to involve climatic
grey-brown, silver, or changes. The introduction of a new predator, the spread of a new disease,
even completely black the introduction of a toxic substance, or the elimination of a food source
coats. are all examples of environmental changes that could affect the survival of
a species. In these cases, variability within the species will help the
species survive.

For example, the fox shown in the infoBIT on page 20 has a dark coat
instead of the more common red coat. Its dark coat may make it more
re SEARCH
conspicuous in fields and woods. But if this fox roams into a new habitat
“Super Bugs”
that has many black rocks, its dark coat may blend in better with its Over time, some germs
surroundings. By blending in better, the fox could pounce on its prey have become very
more easily. The fox’s predators, such as wolves and lynx, might not spot resistant to medicines.
it as easily. So variations in coat colour may allow different fox Scientists sometimes refer
populations to survive in different habitats. to these as “super bugs.”
How variability helps in survival can also be seen in the growing Find out more about a
resistance of certain strains of bacteria to antibiotics. One of the first “super bug” and how it
antibiotics, penicillin, used to be very effective against some forms of is now treated in human
bacteria. Today, it is far less effective. Researchers think that the over- beings. Write a brief
prescription of antibiotics has allowed bacterial populations with report based on your
research. Begin your
variability to survive the application of antibiotics. A few resistant
research at
bacteria are not eliminated by the antibiotic that is administered, and
www.pearsoned.ca/
reproduce to produce new generations of resistant bacteria. There is some
scienceinaction.
fear that if this trend continues, resistant strains of bacteria may
completely replace current strains and antibiotics will no longer be
effective. To avoid this problem, most physicians believe that antibiotics
should only be used when absolutely necessary.
S K I L L PRACTICE
MEASURING VARIATION IN THE HUMAN HAND

Variation within a species may not be something that is immediately noticeable. Try
this activity to measure the amount of variation within one human characteristic—
hand span. Spread your left hand on a flat surface so that the tip of your thumb is as
far as possible from the tip of your little finger. Ask a partner to measure and record
your hand span in centimetres. Switch roles and measure your partner’s hand span.
Prepare a frequency distribution chart like the one below for hand span data from the
class. Then plot your results in a line graph. (Review Toolbox 7.)
Hand span in cm 12 or less 13 to 16 17 to 20 21 to 24 25 to 28 29 or more
Number of students
• What shape does the graph have? What does it show about variation in hand
span among your classmates?
• Predict whether the graph would have the same shape if you measured the hand
spans of students in grade 1 and in university.
• What advantage might large hands have given to early Homo sapiens? Small
hands?
• What other human characteristics might be measured in the same way? What
prediction could you make about index finger length in humans?

ACTIVITY A-2
Inquiry P R O T E C T I V E C O L O R AT I O N AND S U RV I VA L
Before You Begin
Many species show variation in colour and patterning which can allow individuals to blend
in with their surroundings. Species that are found in a variety of habitats may show a
wider range of colour and pattern variation than those that are found in only one habitat.
In this activity, you will model a population that exists in three different colours. Your
Materials & Equipment task will be to investigate the relationship between an organism’s survival and its colour
• 60 chips of each of three relative to the colour of its surroundings. Coloured chips or blocks will represent a prey
different colours (coloured population and some students in your group will play the role of predators.
counters, coloured algebra
tiles, lego blocks or similar) The Question
• a piece of paper or cloth Does the colour of an organism affect the organism’s chance of survival?
75 cm 75 cm, which
matches one of the chip The Hypothesis
colours Reword the question in the form of a hypothesis.
• graph paper
• colour markers or pencil Procedure
crayons
1 Your teacher will divide the class into groups of five. Three students are to play the
role of predator, one student monitors the population and sets up the population for
each generation, and one student records the results.
2 Your teacher will provide each group with a piece of paper or cloth, 75 cm 75 cm,
to represent the habitat. The colour of the paper or cloth will match one of the
colours of the prey organisms.
3 Set up a data table similar to the one below and record the colour composition of
generation 1. You will start with 20 chips of each colour in generation 1.
Number of Number of Number of

Colour #1 Colour #2 Colour #3
Generation 1
Survivors of Selection 1
Generation 2
Generation 3
Generation 4
Generation 5
4 With the predators looking away, the designated monitor will set up the first
generation of 60 individuals of the prey population on the habitat by randomly
Figure 1.15(a) Step 4. Set-up for scattering 20 chips of each of the three different colours on the habitat. See
generation 1. Figure 1.15(a) for the set-up. The predators continue to look away from the habitat.
5 Have a predator turn around and very quickly take any chip, and then turn back. This
represents selection of a prey animal to be eaten. Repeat the process with each of the
other predators until each predator has taken 10 chips. The 30 chips that remain are
the survivors.

6 Record the colour of the survivors and remove them from the habitat.
7 Assuming that each survivor produces 2 offspring of the same colour, the monitor and
recorder determine the population composition for generation 2. The recorder records the
number of chips of each colour that will make up generation 2.
8 The population monitor will set up generation 2 by placing the appropriate number of chips
of each colour on the habitat.
9 Repeat steps 5–8 until 5 rounds of selection have been completed.
10 Compare the number of survivors of each colour that remain after each selection.
Analyzing and Interpreting

11 Plot bar graphs to show the number of survivors of different colours that remain after each
selection. Decide first how you will show these results; for example, decide if you will show
the results on one graph or three. Examine your set of graphs for trends.
12 How does the composition of the prey population at the end of selection 5 compare with
the original composition of the prey population?
13 Share your results with groups who used a different background colour for the habitat.
Compare your graphs with the graphs of the other groups. Do you see any trends?
14 How do the colours of the survivors relate to their habitat background? Suggest a possible
explanation for this pattern.
Forming Conclusions
15 Based on class results, what conclusions can you draw about the role of coloration in an
organism’s survival?
Applying and Connecting

Imagine a species with two colour variations, one mostly green and one mostly brown. How
might populations of this species change:
a) if the environment changes from green to brown?
b) if the environment becomes a patchwork of tiny green and brown splotches?
Survival of the Banded Snail

The banded snail, Cepea nemoralis, shown in Figure 1.15(b), lives in a
wide range of habitats that vary from dark beech and oak woods to leafy
hedges and grassy meadows. Its shell colour can vary from yellow through
a range of pinkish browns to brown. Bands on the shell can be thin or
thick and can range from one band to many covering the whole shell.
Scientists explain this range in variation by referring to the colour of
the ground and vegetation in the snail’s habitat. The foliage changes with
the seasons. In spring there is little vegetation and the ground is brown,
giving brown snails an advantage. Predators, like the song thrush, may not
find them because they blend in with their surroundings. In summer,
brown snails are more at risk when their shells contrast with green
meadows. Because of the great variation, only part of the snail population
may be predated in any season, ensuring the survival of the species. Figure 1.15(b) Banded snails

NATURAL SELECTION
Another aspect of species survival and variability is natural selection.
Natural selection occurs when the environment “selects” which
individuals will survive long enough to reproduce.
An example of natural selection in our own time occurred in
southwestern Nebraska. In May 1996, a severe cold spell gripped the area
for six days. Dr. Charles Brown, who had been studying the same colony
of cliff swallows for 17 years, watched about 30 000 birds, or about half of
the colony, die of starvation. Why did some birds die and others survive?
To answer this question, Dr. Brown and Mary Bomberger Brown collected
more than 1800 dead cliff swallows. They measured the beaks, wings, and
Figure 1.16 Cliff swallows legs of the dead birds and then measured the same structures on about
1000 survivors. They discovered that the survivors were larger overall,
with bigger beaks and legs. They were also more symmetrical—both sides
of their bodies matched. Because of an extensive banding program, the
Browns were able to determine that before the severe weather, the non-
survivors were just as healthy as the survivors. The Browns hypothesized
that the bigger birds were selected for survival because their larger size
allowed them to store more fat and their greater symmetry allowed them
to forage with less energy loss. The offspring of the survivors were also
large and symmetrical.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is variability?
2. In your own words, define natural selection.

3. Describe several examples of changes in the environment that might
select some individuals in a species for survival over other
individuals. Explain your answers.
4. Describe an example where variability within a species has helped a
species survive an environmental change.

5. Suppose a population of sparrows migrating south for the winter is
blown off course by a storm and the sparrows become isolated on an
island. The only food source available on the island is a plant that
produces large seeds. Predict which birds in the population, those
with large beaks or those with small beaks, will survive to continue
their migration or to populate the island. Explain your answer.

SECTION REVIEW
Assess Your Learning
Key Concept Review
1. Write a definition of biological diversity that includes a description of
its three main components.
2. Define the terms niche and symbiosis. Explain how these terms are
related.
3. How does variability within a species affect its survival?

4. Using examples, explain ways in which different species living within
an ecosystem depend on one another.
5. How does natural selection enhance or reduce the variability of a
species? Explain your answer using an example.
6. Restate the meaning of interspecies competition in your own words.
Use an example to illustrate.
7. How does variation within a species contribute to the health of the
species? Of an ecosystem?
8. Describe your niche.

9. To help you organize your learning about biological diversity,
construct a mind map as a frame in which to record your notes.
Compare your work with a partner to be sure you have captured all
the main ideas and important details in this section.
10. Rewrite the information in this section, simplifying it so that it could
be easily understood by a grade 4 student. Be sure to explain how
diversity among species and within species contributes to species
survival.

On
Activities designed to meet human needs and encourage technological
development can have intended and unintended effects on other species
and the environment.
1. Explain how you think biological diversity benefits humans and other
forms of life on Earth.
2. Almost half of all animal life forms on the planet are insects. How
important is it to preserve those species? Should we be concerned
about ensuring that something as small as the fruit fly is not
eliminated? Why or why not? Would we be better off without insects?
Support your answer.

As species reproduce,
2.0 characteristics are passed
from parents to offspring.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• asexual and sexual
reproduction
• inheritance
Learning Outcomes
• distinguish between asexual
and sexual reproduction and
describe examples of each type
of reproduction
• describe types of variations
found within a species and
determine whether they are
discrete or continuous
• distinguish between heritable
and non-heritable
characteristics
When you walk around a greenhouse, you might notice the number of
possible shapes and sizes of plants. You might also notice that
particular species have particular characteristics. For example, a Boston
fern has large green leaves and no real stem. The coleus plant, however,
has leaves of many different colours growing out of a central stem. What
process ensures that these characteristics in a species are passed down
from generation to generation? The answer is reproduction.
If you look at two coleus plants, you would see that although they
have many similarities in their characteristics, each plant can also have
its own unique versions of certain characteristics. For example, all
coleus plants have velvety leaves, but one plant’s leaf colour may be
dark purple, while another’s is red and yellow. In this section, you will
discover how these variations in characteristics occur.

info BIT
2.1 A Closer Look at Variation
Ancient Breeding
In subsection 1.0, you explored how variation contributes to species
Activities
survival. In the example of the coleus plant, you can see that certain Although the people
characteristics, such as leaf colour, can vary among plants of the same living near the Persian
species. Not all variations are as evident as leaf colour. For example, Jack Gulf during ancient
pines exhibit variation because some trees of this species resist drought times did not know
better than other Jack pines. Magpies show variation because some about modern-day
members of this species can fly longer distances. Different cells of the genetics, they did
same bacteria may vary, making some more resistant to antibiotics. understand that
characteristics were
passed from parents to
offspring. Archeologists
discovered a 6000-year-
old engraved stone
tablet that was used to
record the characteristics
of five generations of
horses. As well, they
found evidence that
these people followed
the same rules that plant
and animal breeders of
today use to “shape” the
characteristics of
Figure 2.1 Although these penguins look almost identical, they vary from one another in subtle ways.
offspring.
To better understand variation, scientists may explore which

characteristics species pass along from generation to generation, and how
these characteristics show up in individuals. Scientists may also examine
other factors, such as the role of the environment in variation.
G I V E I T A TRY
OBSERVING VARIATION IN HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS

Humans have many characteristics that can vary. Some of us are tall, others are short;
some have curly hair, some have straight hair. Some people can bend their thumbs back
toward their wrists. And some have earlobes that hang loose, but others have earlobes
attached to their heads. Even hairlines can vary.
Take a quick survey of your class to find out how many people:
• can or cannot bend their thumb joint “backward” without adding pressure
• have earlobes that are attached or separate
• have a pointed or smooth hairline
Draw a data table to record your results. Create a graph that will best illustrate your
results.
As Species Reproduce, Characteristics Are Passed from Parents to Offspring 27

round green coloured full green tall
wrinkled yellow white pinched yellow short
Figure 2.2 Some of the characteristics in pea plants that scientists have studied include seed shape,
seed colour, flower colour, pod shape, pod colour, and plant height.
HERITABLE AND NON-HERITABLE CHARACTERISTICS

Heritable characteristics are passed on from generation to generation.
Some examples of inherited characteristics are eye colour, hair type, and
skin colour. Non-heritable characteristics are acquired. That is, they are
not passed on to other generations. A person who has learned to play the
piano, for example, will not have children who are born knowing how to
play. The ability to play an instrument is an acquired characteristic.
Similarly, if someone dyes his or her hair a different colour, his or her
children will not inherit the dyed colour.
DISCRETE AND CONTINUOUS VARIATION

Variations can be either discrete or continuous. Discrete variation refers to
differences in characteristics that have a defined form. You can think of
discrete variation as being the “either/or” form of a characteristic. For
example, a cat either has blue eyes or does not have blue eyes. A mouse is
either an albino or it is not an albino. Your earlobes are either attached or
they are not. Continuous variation refers to differences in characteristics
that have a range of forms. They are not one form or another. For example,
the height of adult humans can range from 1.2 m to 2.1 m. In squirrels,
mass can range anywhere between 133 g and 249 g.
VARIATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Figure 2.3 This kangaroo is
an albino. Pigmentation is a Some variations in individual organisms result from interactions with the
discrete variation: albino or environment. Imagine, for example, you have two plants that are
pigmented. completely identical. If you put one plant in a sunny window and the
other in a dim closet, they would soon begin to look very different. The
one in the sunlight would be green and bushy, but the plant in low light
would be a pale green and spindly.

Height is a heritable characteristic. But height can be affected by diet. re SEARCH
In general, North Americans are taller than they were in the 19th century
because of better nutrition and access to a wide variety of food. There Environment’s Role
have always been shorter people and taller people, but North Americans Investigate how plants,
living in the 19th century would likely have been somewhat shorter than such as hydrangea and the
North Americans living today. water buttercup, exhibit
Variations caused by interactions with the environment are not variation depending on the
heritable. You would not expect all the offspring of a plant grown in dim environment they live in.
light to look like its parents unless they too were grown in low-light Use books or electronic
conditions. Similarly, if a child of tall parents doesn’t receive proper resources for your research.
Prepare a chart to display
nutrition, he or she probably will not be as tall as his or her parents.
your findings.
G I V E I T A TRY
IS IT DISCRETE OR CONTINUOUS?
On a signal from your teacher, and with your eyes closed, quickly clasp your hands
together above your head, interlocking your fingers. Now look to see which thumb is on
top: left or right? Try clasping your hands with the other thumb on top. Note which way
feels more natural. Report your personal hand-clasping preference.
• On a chart, record the observations of the class for Left Thumb on Top versus Right
Thumb on Top.
• From the class data, try to determine if there is a hand-clasping preference. Decide
whether it seems to be discrete or continuous. Explain your answer.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Give one example of a heritable characteristic and one example of a
non-heritable characteristic. Use examples different from those in the
text.
2. What is discrete variation? What is continuous variation?

3. Some characteristics are heritable but can also be affected by the
environment. Explain how this is true for height in humans.
4. Describe how the environment may affect variation in plants.
5. A scientist wants to study continuous variation in a mouse population.
What mouse characteristics would she or he investigate?

6. Observe your thumb and the thumbs of your classmates. You will see
that there are two types: a straight thumb and a bent-backward (or
hitchhiker’s) thumb. What type of variation does thumb shape show?

info BIT
2.2 Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
Parthenogenesis
Reproduction produces new individuals of a species. The way a species
In some species of animals,
particularly social insects, reproduces determines how much variation the new individuals will have.
such as ants and bees, and Reproduction can produce new individuals that are identical to or
in rotifers (microscopic very different from one another.
invertebrates), a unique
method of asexual ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
reproduction has been
Asexual reproduction involves only one parent. All the offspring that
observed. Parthenogenesis,
meaning “virgin birth” in result from asexual reproduction are identical to that parent. In other
Greek, is the term used to words, they all inherit identical characteristics because the adult makes an
describe the process that exact copy of itself. There are several different forms of asexual
transforms unfertilized reproduction, such as binary fission, budding, spore production, and
eggs into mature vegetative reproduction.
organisms. In bees,
unfertilized eggs become Binary Fission
male drones, while the Only one-celled organisms, such as bacteria, and some protists, such as
fertilized eggs become amoebas and some algae, reproduce by binary fission. During binary
female workers and fission, a cell splits exactly in two, producing two identical individuals.
queens. The process has
also been observed in more
Budding
complex animals, such as
snakes, and more rarely in Organisms such as hydra and yeast reproduce asexually by budding.
plants, such as figs, where During budding, the parent produces a small bud, or a smaller version of
it is called parthenocarpy. itself. In animals, such as hydra, the bud eventually detaches and becomes
a new individual identical to its parent. This is also true of yeast, which is
a unicellular fungus. In other animals, such as coral, the offspring remains
attached to the parent, forming a large structure composed of many
identical individuals.
Spore Production
Many fungi, green algae, some moulds, and non-flowering plants such as
ferns reproduce by producing spores. Spores are similar to seeds, but are
produced by the division of cells of the parent, not by the union of two
cells. One individual will produce many spores, and each spore can
develop into a new individual identical to the parent.
Figure 2.4 Yeast cell budding
Figure 2.5 Spores can

survive unsuitable growing
conditions because they
remain dormant. When
conditions improve, spores
can produce new plants.

Vegetative Reproduction
Most plants are able to reproduce by vegetative reproduction, another
form of asexual reproduction. Vegetative reproduction is the reproduction
of a plant that does not involve the formation of a seed. If you take a
cutting from a coleus plant and place it in water, the cutting will grow
roots and eventually develop into a whole new plant. This is one form of
vegetative reproduction. Many plants, such as strawberries or spider
plants, grow runners that produce new plants along them. Tubers, such as
potatoes on a potato plant, and bulbs, from which daffodils and tulips
develop, are also forms of vegetative reproduction. The roots of aspen
trees produce a form of shoot called a sucker. If the sucker becomes
physically separated from the original tree, it will grow into a new aspen
tree (Figure 2.6). In all these cases, the new individual plants that are
produced will be genetically identical to their parent plant and to one
another.
Figure 2.6 The individual trees in

a stand of aspens are often
identical to one another, as a
result of vegetative reproduction.
Figure 2.7 Offspring of this plant form at the edges of the leaf.
S K I L L PRACTICE
REPRESENTING ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION

To help them better understand the processes of asexual reproduction, scientists
use diagrams to record their observations. By comparing such illustrations, they
can identify differences and similarities among asexually reproducing organisms.
Review the different forms of asexual reproduction described on pages 30–31.

Make notes on each type and make a labelled diagram to show how an organism
reproduces by that form.
• Compare your diagrams. Describe any similarities among them.

• Describe any differences.
• Using print and electronic resources, find and illustrate an example of an
asexually reproducing organism not described in this section. Figure 2.8 Diagrams help
scientists compare organisms.

info BIT SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Sexual reproduction usually involves two individuals. Most species of
Hermaphrodites animals and flowering plants reproduce sexually. The offspring of sexual
Common garden worms reproduction will have a mix of the characteristics of both individuals,
and slugs are
ensuring that there is always a mix of characteristics in each generation.
hermaphrodites.
You might think that sexual reproduction always involves a male and
Hermaphrodites can
a female, as it does in humans and other mammals. However, sexual
produce both male and
female gametes. reproduction also occurs in species that we may not think of as having
Although most slugs and males and females, such as flowering plants and coral. These species have
worms usually prefer to specialized forms of sexual reproduction.
mate with other Sexual reproduction in plants or animals relies on the union of two
individuals of their specialized cells known as gametes. A gamete is a cell that has one role
species, in times of only, which is to join with another gamete during reproduction.
environmental stress,
they can fertilize Sexual Reproduction in Animals
themselves. Almost all animal species, from fungi to protists, from salmon to
dragonflies to bears, reproduce sexually. Although the details may vary,
the important events in animal reproduction are the same. Sexual
reproduction involves specialized cells known as gametes (sex cells). The
male gametes are called sperm cells, and the female gametes are known as
egg cells (ova). The union of the sperm cell with the egg cell occurs during
mating and is called fertilization (Figure 2.10). The cell created by the
joining of the two gametes is known as a zygote. The zygote is the first cell
of a new individual. The zygote then divides into two cells. The same
divisions are repeated during a process called cleavage. Continued cell
division results in a new multicellular life form referred to as an embryo.
Depending on the species, the development of the embryo may occur
inside the female parent, which happens in most mammals, or outside, in
an egg, which happens in most other types of animals. The new
individual will show some of the characteristics of its female parent and
Figure 2.9 Only one of the
many sperm cells some of its male parent. Although the new individual may resemble one
surrounding the egg will parent more than the other, it will not be identical to either parent.
fertilize the egg.
male gamete
(sperm cell)
zygote
female
gamete
(egg cell)
fertilization the joining of cell division cell division a multicellular

occurs the male of the continues embryo
when a gamete with the zygote develops
sperm cell female gamete (cleavage)
penetrates produces a takes place
an egg cell single-celled
zygote
Figure 2.10 Sexual reproduction in animals involves specialized cells called gametes.

Sexual Reproduction in Plants
As in animals, sexual reproduction in plants requires the joining of a male
gamete with a female gamete to produce a zygote and an embryo. Most
plants produce both male and female gametes. However, some produce
only female gametes and others only male.
Figure 2.11 shows the parts of a flower that are involved in
reproduction. Most flowers have all of these parts, although the shapes
and sizes of each flower vary. Some flowers are large and showy. Others
are hardly noticeable (Figure 2.12). Pollen contains the male gametes of a
plant. Pollen is found on the stamen, or male part, of the plant. Ovules
contain the female gametes of a plant. Ovules are found in the pistil, or
female part of the plant.
stamen
stigma
style filament anther
Figure 2.11 Flower parts

pistil involved in reproduction
ovary
ovule
petal
sepal
receptacle
Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the anther of the

stamen to the stigma of the pistil. Fertilization occurs when the male and
female gametes unite. Cross-pollination occurs when the pollen of one
plant is carried to the stigma of another by wind, water, or animals, such
as bees or butterflies. Cross-fertilization occurs when a grain of this pollen
produces a long tube that eventually grows down the style into the ovary
that contains the ovules. (Pollen grains and ovules are sacs that contain
sex cells.) A gamete in the pollen grain and a gamete in an ovule join and,
as in animals, a zygote is formed. The zygote then begins a series of
divisions to produce an embryo.
The embryo will eventually develop into a new individual. In most
plants, the embryo is produced inside a seed. The seed protects the
embryo and stores food for the embryo to use when it begins to grow into
a new individual. Unlike animals, the new embryo may not begin to grow Figure 2.12 Unlike roses and
lilies, the flowers of prairie
for some time, but stays dormant within the seed until it has suitable
cord grass are very small and
growing conditions. Plants that are produced from cross-fertilization will hardly noticeable. Grasses
show some of the characteristics from the parent that donated female like this depend on wind for
gametes and some from the parent that donated male gametes. It will not pollination.
be identical to either parent.

ACTIVITY A-3
I N V E S T I G AT I N G F L O W E R R E P R O D U C T I V E S T R U C T U R E S
Inquiry
The Question
What are the reproductive structures of a flower?
Procedure
1 On a piece of blank paper, sketch a cross section of the flower as it appears now,
Materials & Equipment
before you dissect it. Label the parts.
• small scalpel with sharp blade
2 Shake the lily gently over the piece of dark cloth. If pollen does not fall onto the cloth,
• magnifying glass
• lily carefully rub the anthers over the material. Using the probe, gently separate out
• piece of dark cloth grains of pollen.
• microscope 3 Prepare a slide to examine the pollen under the microscope. (Review Toolbox 11 on
• slide microscopes.) What do you see at each level of magnification? Record your
• coverslip observations on a recipe card labelled pollen.
• water
4 Peel back the petals of the flower. Label a card petals and use a small amount of glue
• eyedropper
to affix the petals to the card.
• probe
• labelled diagram of parts of a 5 Gently pull away the stamens from the base of the pistil. Label a card with the word
flower (in text) stamen at the top and then draw two lines leading away from the word. At the base
• 5 recipe cards of one line, write the word anther and at the base of the second line, write the word
• white glue filament. Carefully separate the two parts of the stamen and glue them under the
• poster board correct headings.
6 Dissect the pistil, cutting lengthwise from the stigma through the style, then through
the ovary at the bottom. Label a card pistil and glue one-half of the cross section to
Caution! it. Label the section of the pistil.
Use care when 7 Using a magnifying glass and probe, examine the ovule inside the ovary. Record your
handling the scalpel observations on a card labelled ovary.
and the probe.
8 Review the recipe cards that you have assembled as you dissected the flower. How
do you think these separate pieces work together to reproduce a new plant?
9 Go back to your sketch of the parts of the flower before you dissected it. In pencil,
show the process of reproduction as you think it occurs.
10 What characteristics do a pollen grain and an ovule have that help them carry out
their roles in sexual reproduction?
11 Review your work with a partner or other group, and then share ideas with the whole
class. Revise your sketch as necessary.
12 Arrange your recipe cards and sketch on a piece of poster board to create a display
of your work.
Forming Conclusions
13 In a paragraph, summarize the roles each of the plant parts play in sexual
reproduction and how these parts have characteristics that help them perform their
roles.
Figure 2.13 Examining flower
structures

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ASEXUAL AND SEXUAL re SEARCH
REPRODUCTION
Alternating Asexual and
Variation helps a species survive by giving it the ability to survive
Sexual Reproduction
changes in its environment. You have seen that the way an organism
Some simple life forms,
reproduces affects how much variation will occur in its offspring. Asexual
such as the jellyfish, will
reproduction produces no variation in heritable characteristics. Could it
alternate between sexual
ever help a species not to have variation? and asexual
reproduction. That is,
Advantages and Disadvantages of Asexual Reproduction one generation will be
Asexual reproduction does not require any specialized cells or a way of produced sexually and
bringing gametes together. As a result, asexual reproduction can produce the next, asexually.
lots of individuals very quickly. For example, if conditions are right, a Mosses also follow this
bacterium can reproduce asexually every 20 min. Over a 12-h period, a pattern. Research other
single bacterium can divide to produce 10 million copies of itself. This is a examples of life forms
great advantage in environments that do not change very much. For that fall into this
category. Write a
example, bacteria that live in the gut of an animal will always have a
paragraph about the
warm, moist environment to live in while the animal is alive. Producing
advantage to a species of
many copies of a bacterial cell that is suited to that environment is a safer
alternating different
bet for survival than producing a smaller number of bacteria with many forms of reproduction?
variations that may never be needed. Species that reproduce asexually Begin your research at
invest energy to produce as many identical copies of themselves as www.pearsoned.ca/
possible to build a large population quickly. scienceinaction.
The main disadvantage of asexual reproduction is that if conditions
become unfavourable, the entire population may be wiped out. For
example, every single one of those 10 million identical bacteria could be
killed if they have no resistance to an antibiotic that is applied to them.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction

Sexual reproduction has the advantage of providing lots of variation,
which helps species survive environmental change. The main
disadvantage of sexual reproduction is that it takes a lot of energy. A
flowering plant, for example, has to produce all the parts of its flower, as
well as pollen grains and ovules in order to reproduce. The flower parts
must provide a way for the gametes to meet, such as producing lots of
pollen to be blown by the wind or by attracting pollinators. The flower
must also protect and nurture the embryo in a seed until the seed is
dispersed. Therefore, an organism that reproduces sexually puts a lot of
energy and time into producing variable offspring. Because of this great
demand, sexually reproducing organisms can only produce a limited
number of offspring.
ORGANISMS THAT REPRODUCE BOTH SEXUALLY AND ASEXUALLY

Some species have the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually by
various means. Most plants that produce seeds by sexual reproduction can
also reproduce asexually, either from cuttings or by producing structures
such as bulbs or runners.

Some plants can use their seeds to reproduce both asexually and
sexually. In the asexual method, embryos develop in the seeds without the
contribution of sperm cells. These seeds will grow into plants that are
genetically identical to the parent plant. Some species of grasses,
sunflowers, and roses can do this.
Some animal species can also reproduce both ways. Aphids are small
insects that feed on the sap of certain plants. Throughout the growing
season, females produce live female young without fertilization, or
asexually. These all-female young mature and also reproduce asexually.
Over the summer, several generations are produced. In the fall, when days
shorten and the temperature drops, the females produce a generation that
Figure 2.14 To reproduce
includes both males and females. These males and females reproduce
sexually, sponges release
sperm cells into the water,
sexually and lay eggs that will hatch in the spring to produce new colonies.
which are captured by special Sponges can also reproduce both sexually and asexually (Figure 2.14).
cells and carried to egg cells.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is a zygote and how is it formed?
2. Define asexual reproduction. List three examples of asexual
reproduction.
3. Make a table to compare the male and female gametes in plants.
Indicate where they are found.
4. List three ways in which pollination can occur. Give an example of
each.

5. What is similar about sperm cells and egg cells? What is different?
6. List the steps of fertilization and embryo development in animal
sexual reproduction. Be sure to include the words “gametes” and
“zygote” in your description.
7. Explain what happens to male and female gametes during sexual
reproduction in plants and animals.
8. Using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast sexual and asexual
reproduction.

9. An individual produced by asexual reproduction may be identical to
one of its parents. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Support your answer.
10. Use a simple sketch to illustrate the process of fertilization in plants.
11. A flower produces a seed. Explain why this is an example of sexual
reproduction.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Give three examples of a heritable characteristic.
2. Make a table to compare the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and
asexual reproduction.
3. An amoeba reproduces by binary fission. Briefly describe the process of binary
fission. Explain whether it is an example of sexual or asexual reproduction.

4. A person with hitchhiker’s thumb plays guitar with a local rock band.
Explain how she displays both heritable and non-heritable characteristics.
5. Compare the process of fertilization in plants and animals.
6. Using a diagram, explain how a zygote forms in a flowering plant.
7. Compare discrete and continuous variation using a Venn diagram.
8. Describe the steps of vegetative reproduction that occur when a plant is
grown from a cutting. Why is this process considered to be an example of
asexual reproduction?

9. Imagine a population of Martians. In this population, there are only three
types of eye colour: black, bright purple, and orange. However, there are
many different leg and arm lengths in the population. How would you
describe the variation for eye colour as opposed to the variation for arm
and leg length in the Martian population?
10. Imagine an organism that lives where there are often big changes in
environmental conditions. What type of reproduction would be more
advantageous for this organism? Explain your answer.

On
Our knowledge about how organisms reproduce and how variation within
species is maintained has been enhanced by increasingly sophisticated
technology. Think about what you have learned in this section about variation
and answer these questions.
1. If you were researching plants to grow in colder climates, why would an
understanding of the variations within a plant species be important?
2. Why is it important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of
both sexual and asexual reproduction?
3. Based on what you have learned in this section, what are three questions
you have that are related to the information presented?

DNA is the inherited
3.0 material responsible for
variation.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• chromosomes, genes, and
DNA
• cell division
• inheritance
Learning Outcomes
• describe the relationship
among chromosomes, genes,
and DNA, and their role in
storing genetic information
• distinguish between cell
division during asexual
reproduction and cell division One of the most endangered species on Earth is the Bengal tiger. These
during sexual reproduction tigers, once plentiful on the subcontinent of India, have dwindled from
• investigate the transmission of 40 000 in 1900 to 4500–6000 today. Most scientists speculate that the
characteristics from parents to Bengal tiger will disappear unless humans act to prevent its extinction.
offspring, and identify
One important way to save the Bengal tiger (and other species threatened
examples of different patterns
with extinction) is to develop captive breeding programs.
of inheritance
Like all sexually reproducing species, the Bengal tiger has the best
• identify examples of dominant
and recessive characteristics
chance of long-term survival if there is a lot of variation within the
species. Without variation, the species would be unable to survive
changes in the environment, and would be more vulnerable to
extinction. But with so few Bengal tigers left, how can that variation be
maintained?
One tiger looks very like another to our eyes, but there are ways of
finding subtle differences between individuals. Using modern
technology, geneticists and zoo staff can analyze the tigers’ genetic
material to determine how similar two tigers are. To do this, scientists and
breeders must have a thorough knowledge of the structure of genetic
material and how it functions. They also have to be familiar with patterns
of inheritance. This knowledge helps them analyze the tigers’ genetic
material, decide if the two tigers are different enough from each other to
breed, and predict the characteristics the cubs are likely to have.

info BIT
3.1 DNA—Transmitter of Genetic Code
Gene Map Complete
In section 2.0, you learned that the offspring of a sexually reproducing In February 2001, two
species are not genetically identical to their parents. If they were groups of scientists
identical, there would be little variation among the members of a species. simultaneously
However, these offspring do resemble their parents because particular announced they had
characteristics are passed on from generation to generation. People have completed a first draft
taken advantage of this transmission of genetic information between of a map of all the
parents and offspring to produce many breeds of domestic plants and genes in a human.
animals. However, unlike breeding programs to help save the Bengal tiger, They estimated that
the breeding of purebred dogs was not intended to promote variation. But humans have about
many different breeds of dogs were developed that had specific, desired 30 000 genes.
Previously, scientists
characteristics. This has made Canis familiaris one of the most physically
had thought we had
varied species on Earth (Figure 3.1).
about 100 000 genes.
G I V E I T A TRY
SUPERDOGS
Humans and dogs have had a close relationship since the end of the Ice Age, roughly
12 000 years ago. Descended from wolves, many of the approximately 400 modern breeds of
dog we see today still share many physical characteristics with wolves. Some scientists think
that canids (early dogs) adapted to human settlement. Others think that humans chose
canids whose aggressive behaviours had been selected out. One of the extraordinary abilities
of dogs is their capacity to learn and be trained.
As a class brainstorm a list of superdogs, such as TV show dogs or dogs that perform
special tasks, such as police dogs.
• Determine the breed of each superdog.
• Choose one dog and, in pairs, brainstorm a list of characteristics your dog displays that
help it do its job. Infer which characteristics are typical of the breed.
• If you have time, research the characteristics your dog’s breed typically has. Begin your
search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
• Prepare a chart to compare and contrast the
characteristics of your superdog with those
of a typical dog of the breed. What
similarities and differences do you find?
Figure 3.1 These animals are all the

same species. Selecting parents,
over many generations, for a
particular characteristic, such as ear
shape, eventually produced these
very different breeds.
DNA Is the Inherited Material Responsible for Variation 39

DNA
Why do the puppies of Chihuahua dogs turn out to be Chihuahuas? Why
don’t they turn out looking like Dalmations instead? The reason is that the
Chihuahua parents pass on a “blueprint” to their offspring, so that each
puppy receives a complete set of instructions for making a Chihuahua
dog. Every multicellular organism on Earth contains a blueprint for
making a copy of itself in each of its body cells.
Imagine how much information must be in these blueprints and how
many different blueprints there are. For example, a parrot’s blueprint must
describe how to make all its different coloured feathers, its specially
designed beak, and its remarkable voice. The blueprint for a spruce tree
must have instructions for making the straight, slim needles, the sticky,
Figure 3.2 Micrograph of
perfumed resin, and the thick, tall trunk. What could store so much
DNA information, and pass it on from generation to generation? Canadian
scientist Oswald Avery helped to answer this question when he proposed
that a large molecule first found in cells’ nuclei is responsible for storing
such information and passing it on. This molecule, deoxyribonucleic acid,
or DNA for short, is the inherited material responsible for variation.
All living organisms contain DNA in their cells. When the cells of the
organism, such as the cells of mammals and plants, contain a nucleus,
DNA is found in the nucleus. Figure 3.3 will remind you of where the
nucleus of a cell can be found.
nucleus nucleus
Animal cell Plant cell
Figure 3.3 Study the location of the nucleus in the animal cell diagram and the plant cell
diagram. Now locate the nucleus of each cell in the micrographs below the diagrams.

DNA and the Genetic Code
DNA was first identified in 1869, but little was known about the
structure of the molecule or its role in heredity. After analyzing cells of
many different organisms—ranging from bacteria to plants and
animals—scientists found DNA in all of them. In 1944, Avery confirmed
that DNA was the material of inheritance and this posed a new
question. How could the blueprints for so many different organisms be thymine
passed on by what seemed to be exactly the same molecule? Solving adenine
this puzzle was one of the greatest scientific achievements of the last
century, and involved two scientists whose names became known
worldwide, James Watson and Francis Crick. By unravelling the guanine
structure of DNA, Watson and Crick revealed how the same chemical cytosine
building blocks could carry such a wide range of instructions needed
for the diversity we observe in the living world.
The DNA molecule can be compared to a ladder that has been
twisted into a continuous spiral (Figure 3.4). The uprights of the twisted
molecular ladder are identical all along its length. However, the rungs
vary in composition. Each individual rung pairs up just two of the
following four chemicals: guanine (orange), cytosine (blue), adenine
(green), and thiamine (violet), or G, C, A, and T, for short.
The arrangement of these four chemicals, G, C, A, and T, forms a
code that cells can read. You know that the 26 letters in our alphabet
can be rearranged to form the millions of words we can read. Similarly,
the genetic code is based on arranging the four chemical “letters” into
“words,” or instructions, that describe how to make any particular
organism. In other words, all the blueprints for all the species on Earth
are written in the same language!
CHROMOSOMES
DNA contains all the instructions for an organism’s characteristic Figure 3.4 Paired
features. Because every organism has so many physical and chemical chemicals make up the
characteristics, there is a lot of DNA in a cell. If the DNA from a typical “rungs” of the DNA
human body cell was stretched out, it would be about two metres long, “ladder” and form the
genetic code. The overall
more than 1 000 000 times longer than the cell it came from! To fit such
shape of the DNA molecule
a large amount of DNA into their cells, organisms arrange their DNA is helical, like the spiral
into packages. These packages are called chromosomes. binding on a notebook.
In organisms such as plants and animals, the chromosomes are
located inside the cell nucleus. Each human cell nucleus, for example,
contains 46 chromosomes. You could think of one chromosome as a
single volume of an encyclopedia, and the set of chromosomes as the
complete encyclopedia. If you were missing a single volume of an
encyclopedia, you could be missing information you might need some
time in the future. This is also true for our chromosomes. One
chromosome contains only part of the instructions for making a human.
All of our nuclei, except for those in the gametes, must have a complete
set of chromosomes.

ACTIVITY A-4
Decision USEFUL GENES?

Making The Issue
What are the questions and issues raised by new technologies for recombining genetic
material?
Background Information
New genetic technologies and research like the Human Genome Project have allowed
scientists to investigate the human genetic code better than ever before. The goal of the
project was to identify all of the genes that comprise the human body. In the course of their
research, scientists discovered that the human genome consists of about 30 000 genes.
This was surprising as scientists expected to find 100 000 genes. Scientists now suggest
that the role of human genes is much more complex than originally thought.
Having such detailed information on human DNA has advanced research on a variety
of genetic technologies, such as cloning, and genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis,
muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease. Such emerging technologies have led to a
variety of questions and issues related to their development and application in both
genetic research and treating genetic disorders.
Analyze and Evaluate

Select Part A or B and write a short report using the following questions as your guide.
Use library resources and internet resources that have been approved by your teacher.
Begin your search for information at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Be sure to
evaluate your sources in terms of how recent they are and how reliable the information
seems.
Part A—New Genetic Technologies to Treat Genetic Disorders

1 Select one of the genetic disorders mentioned on this page or a disorder of your choice.
2 Research how the disorder is being treated today.
Figure 3.5 Collecting samples 3 Describe how emerging genetic technologies may be used to treat this disorder in the
for the Human Genome Project future.
4 What potential questions or issues may arise from the use of this new treatment?
Part B—Emerging Recombinant Genetic Technologies

1 Select one of the genetic technologies from Section 4.2 on pages 67 and 68 or
another genetic technology you have heard about.
2 Research and describe how this technology works.
3 Describe possible applications for this technology.
4 What potential questions or issues may arise from the use of this new technology?

For humans, a complete set has 46 chromosomes. For dogs, however, a
complete set has 78 chromosomes, and for cats, the number is 38. In most
re SEARCH
familiar organisms, the chromosomes are organized into pairs. So the
Canadian Contributions
body cells of a human contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, while a dog’s
to Genetics
body cells contain 39 pairs, and a cat’s body cells contain 19 pairs.
Research the work of
These examples show that chromosome number varies from one Canadian scientists, such
species to another. It is important to realize that the composition of the as Oswald Avery and
chromosomes varies as well. For example, the eyes of a typical dog have Irene Ayako Uchida, and
round pupils, while the eyes of a typical cat have slit-shaped pupils. So their contributions to our
the dog’s chromosomes must contain genetic code that reads “make round knowledge of inheritance
pupil.” The cat’s chromosomes must contain a different genetic code, one and genetics. Develop a
that reads “make slit-shaped pupil.” Such differences are the source of short script for a
diversity from one species to another. documentary that could
be made about their
achievements.
Figure 3.6 The 23 pairs of chromosomes of the human male.

On the right, a close up of the X chromosome.
GENES
Current scientific thinking is that genes are responsible
for the inheritance of an organism’s characteristic
features. A single gene is an uninterrupted segment of
DNA, which contains coded instructions.
Much of the early research into genes was carried
out on the fruit fly. Researchers found that:
• Genes are located on the chromosomes.
• Each chromosome contains numerous gene
locations.
• Like chromosomes, genes come in pairs.
• Both genes in a pair carry DNA instructions for
the same thing. Leg length in the fruit fly is an
example.
• In the fruit fly, the two leg-length genes occupy Figure 3.7 David Vetter, the “bubble boy,” lived for 12
years inside a plastic bubble. He had Severe Combined
matching locations on the two chromosomes.
Immune Deficiency (SCID), a genetic disorder that made
• The DNA code may not be exactly the same in his body incapable of fighting disease. The gene for
both locations. SCID is found on the X chromosome.

ACTIVITY A-5
Problem SHOWING THE R E L AT I O N S H I P S

Solving Recognize a Need
A grade 8 class has just studied the structure of cells and the students are interested in
learning more about genetic material and how it is organized. Their science teacher has
asked you to explain to them the relationships among DNA, genes, and chromosomes.
The Problem
Design a way to visually summarize the relationships among DNA, genes, and
chromosomes. Be creative. It could be a poster, Web page, model, skit, story, song, or
any other method you choose to convey the information.
Criteria for Success

To be successful, your presentation must meet the following criteria:
• solve the problem described above
• show the relationships accurately
• be appealing and understandable for grade 8 students
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Work with a partner or in a small group. Brainstorm ways to convey the information.
All ideas should be considered.
2 Look for ways to blend the best of the group’s suggestions.
Design Your Presentation

3 Plan out your presentation. Write out your plan in detail.
4 Create your presentation.
Test and Evaluate

5 How effectively does your presentation convey the information?
6 How does your work compare with that of your classmates?
Communicate
7 Share and compare your design with others in the class. Highlight the features that
make your presentation both accurate and effective.
8 Is there anything you could do to improve your design?
Figure 3.8 Planning a 9 As you were completing your presentation, did you have any questions about the
presentation to explain relationships among DNA, genes, and chromosomes?
relationships among DNA,
10 Assess your group’s effectiveness at planning and creating your design. What did you
genes, and chromosomes
do well? What could you improve?

Offspring inherit genes from both parents. For example, a fruit fly
inherits one gene for leg length from its mother and one from its father.
However, the leg-length gene exists in two possible forms: short leg or long
leg. The wing-shape gene also exists in two possible forms: long or dumpy.
So the two genes in a particular pair may not be identical.
Much of what scientists have learned about inheritance in fruit flies can
be applied to most other organisms, including humans. In fact, most genes
in most species exist in an array of possible forms that differ as to their exact
DNA sequence. These possible forms are known as alleles.
To understand how chromosomes, genes, and alleles are linked to
inherited characteristics, think about dogs. All dogs belong to the same
species, and all ordinary, healthy dogs have a hairy coat. So we could begin
by thinking of “hairy coat” as an example of an inherited characteristic.
But when we observe dogs, we see many different versions of “hairy
coat.” The hair may be straight or curly, short or long, coarse or fine, and the Figure 3.9 A chromosome
alternative versions of coat colour are almost too numerous to count. pair. Each member carries
Observing this variation, we can make three inferences. First, “hairy the same genes. The different
alleles are marked by
coat” is almost certainly more than just a single characteristic, it must
uppercase and lowercase
involve a combination of several characteristics. Second, more than one letters.
gene pair may be involved in determining the individual details of a dog’s
hairy coat. For example, there could be one gene pair for hair length, a
second gene pair for waviness, and another gene pair for texture. Third,
there may be several possible alleles for each gene pair. For coat colour
alone, there must be ten or more possible alleles, all in just one species!
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 7. Which of the following contain DNA?
1. Define the term DNA in your own words Explain your answer.
and explain its function. a) chromosome
2. What four chemicals make up the genetic b) nucleus of a cell
code? Describe how these chemicals are c) gene
arranged in a DNA molecule. 8. Explain how a chromosome may be
3. What is a chromosome? Describe its involved in the inheritance of a disease,
function. such as Severe Combined Immune
Deficiency.
4. What is an allele? Describe its function.
5. Create a mini-dictionary of the key terms Extend Your Understanding
in this subsection. Use colours or 9. Create a mind map illustrating the
illustrations as aids for remembering the relationship among DNA, genes, and
terms and their meanings. chromosomes. What is their role in storing
genetic material?
10. If a chromosome is compared to a book,
6. Explain why chromosomes are considered
what would the words in the book be
to be the “source of diversity.”
compared to? Explain your answer.

3.2 Cell Division
You have learned that the outcome of asexual reproduction is the
info BIT production of offspring genetically identical to the parent. You have also
seen that the outcome of sexual reproduction is the production of
A Hypothesis That offspring that are genetically different from their parents. Scientists have
Changed spent many centuries exploring the processes that result in these
outcomes.
CELL DIVISION AND ASEXUAL

REPRODUCTION
When a unicellular paramecium
splits to form two new organisms
during binary fission, its cell
contents are divided equally
Until the late 1600s, Figure 3.10 In asexual reproduction, the two
scientists hypothesized between the two new cells (Figure new paramecium cells must get the same
that a human child was 3.10). But if its DNA molecules amount of DNA.
the product of only one were divided between the two
parent. They thought that organisms, each new individual would have only half the DNA of the
sperm held a fully formed parent cell, and half the genetic information it would need to function. To
tiny fetus that grew in avoid this, the parent cell first makes an exact copy of its DNA, and each
size for nine months until chromosome doubles. For a short time, the parent cell has twice the
it was large enough to be amount of DNA it usually has. When the cell eventually divides, each
born. Around 1685, Anton new cell gets one complete copy of the DNA.
van Leeuwenhoek In multicellular organisms, such as humans, petunias, and gophers,
improved the microscope,
the process that produces two new cells with the same number of
which provided evidence
chromosomes is called mitosis. Mitosis occurs in the body cells of
that no longer supported
multicellular organisms and is responsible for the growth and cellular
this hypothesis.
repair of a multicellular organism.
CELL DIVISION AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS

During sexual reproduction, the specialized sex cells (gametes) unite to
form a zygote, which then develops into a new organism. One parent (the
male) provides the male gamete and the other parent (the female) provides
the female gamete. If the sex cells contained the same amount of DNA as
every other cell, then the zygote would receive twice the amount of DNA
it needs. Meiosis is a type of cell division that produces cells with only
half the DNA of a normal cell. Because each gamete has only half the DNA
of a normal cell, when the male and female gametes unite, the zygote has
a complete set of DNA.
Meiosis involves two cell divisions, not just one. Recall that organisms
that undergo sexual reproduction contain pairs of chromosomes. Each
chromosome in the pair contains the same set of genes, but may contain
different alleles (forms) of those genes. A gamete must contain only one
copy of each different chromosome. To do this, cells must divide twice
(Figure 3.11).

Mitosis Meiosis
chromosomes
first cell
division
cell division second cell division
Figure 3.11 Comparison of mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis produces two offspring cells with the
same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. Meiosis produces four sex cells that have half the
number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
re SEARCH
Neverending Cells
When Henrietta Lacks’ physician removed cells from her about 50 times in the laboratory before they die. So what
body in 1951 to test for cervical cancer, neither of them made Henrietta’s cells so special? Research the history of
could have imagined that these cells would still be the HeLa cell and prepare a report. Begin your search at
reproducing today. Since 1951, scientists all over the world www. pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Include information
have used HeLa cells in their explorations of cell structure about Henrietta and her family. Explore any issues that may
and genetics. Usually, human body cells can divide only have arisen from the use of her cells for research.

G I V E I T A TRY
WHO HAS WHAT NUMBER?

Organisms of the same species have the same number of chromosomes, but different species have
different numbers of chromosomes. Copy this table into your notebook and complete the table to
compare chromosome numbers in some common species.
Organism Number of Number of Number of Number of Number of pairs of

chromosomes in a cell chromosomes in a chromosomes in a chromosomes in a chromosomes
at the end of mitosis body cell gamete zygote
cabbage 18
black bear 38
human 23
peanut 40
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Describe a type of cell division that occurs during the asexual
reproduction of a unicellular organism.
2. What type of cell division is required for sexual reproduction? How
does it differ from cell division during asexual reproduction?
3. Describe the type of cell division that occurs in the body cells of
multicellular organisms.

4. Using diagrams, explain what happens to the DNA during cell
division to produce sex cells (gametes).
5. When a cell divides during asexual reproduction, it divides its cell
contents between the two resulting cells. Describe what happens to the
DNA of the cell during this type of cell division. Explain how this
process ensures that the same characteristics are passed from
generation to generation.
6. Why does sexual reproduction produce offspring with characteristics
that are different from their parents, whereas offspring produced
through asexual reproduction are identical to their parents?

7. If the amount of DNA in a gamete of an organism is n, is the amount of
1
DNA in the body cells of that organism equal to 2– n, n, or 2n? Explain.
8. Which form of cell division—binary fission or meiosis—poses the
lower risk for the transmission of genetic disorders? Support your
answer.

and
Careers Profiles
Dietician/Genetic Associate
Barb Marriage holds a unique and challenging position with

the University of Alberta’s Department of Medical Genetics.
Barb combines her background in nutrition with her
knowledge of human genetics to work with people who
have inherited metabolic disorders or inborn errors of
metabolism. Most of her 165 patients have conditions that
deal with enzyme deficiencies, including: PKU, maple sugar
urine disease, galactosemia, glycogen storage disease,
Gaucher disease, and lysosomal storage diseases. These
conditions require specialized diets that need to be
monitored by someone like Barb. Her Bachelor of Science
degree and Masters of Science degree in nutrition have led
to her working on completing a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences.
Diagnosing and treating the conditions are only part of

Barb’s role. Genetic counselling, working with lab
personnel, co-ordinating other health professionals and
resources, and acting as an advocate for funding and
government support are also part of her job.
Because 95% of Barb’s patients are children, she works

closely with their families to provide ongoing support. Her
relationships with these people often continue for many Figure 3.12 Being a dietician and a genetic associate has
years, and she gets a lot of satisfaction from her many challenges and rewards.
involvement with the families. Receiving cards and
photographs from patients’ families and being invited to
take part in special family events are examples of the
rewards that make her career gratifying. In cases where a
1. What special skills would a person need
child’s disease is especially serious, personal contact is very
to be a successful dietician? Genetic
important. It requires a special touch and sensitivity to the
associate?
family’s values and beliefs.
2. Does being a dietician or a genetic
Barb’s professional schedule is hectic. An average week
associate seem like an appealing career?
includes 60 hours of work. She is also on call for
Why or why not?
emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, that
still leaves some spare time for her to be a marathon
runner. She also has an interest in sports medicine. In
2001, she accompanied a men’s sports team to Japan,
providing medical and nutritional assistance.

info BIT
3.3 Patterns of Inheritance
The Science of Genetics
Long before research scientists discovered chromosomes and genes, plant
Genetics is the study of
how heritable and animal breeders were conducting experiments in controlled breeding.
characteristics are passed To prevent unwanted outcomes, only animals with the most desirable
on from generation to characteristics, or traits, were allowed to reproduce. Early experiments in
generation. Genetics controlled breeding were not always successful. Mating champion males
began with the careful with champion females did not always produce champion dogs, horses,
work of an Austrian cattle, or cats. But by keeping written records of failures as well as
monk, Gregor Mendel successes, the breeders began to detect certain basic patterns of
(1822-1884). Starting with inheritance. Scientists now explain the patterns they discovered in terms
carefully chosen parents of alleles. In this subsection, you will focus on the inheritance of coat
that had several colour in cats, and will consider only two coat colours: black and white.
observable characteristics,
Mendel traced the
patterns of inheritance in
PUREBRED VERSUS HYBRID
pea plants over several A breeder who wishes to produce white cats should choose purebred
generations, and parents: cats whose ancestors have produced only white offspring for
discovered some several generations. The term “true-breeding” is applied to such a lineage.
fundamental principles Preferably, the chosen parents will come from two different true-breeding
that led to modern
lineages of white cats. Similarly, a breeder who wishes to produce black
genetics.
cats should choose purebred parents from lineages that breed true for
black coat colour.
An individual produced by crossing two purebred parents that differ
in a trait such as coat colour is known as a hybrid. Now, suppose a
purebred black cat is crossbred with a white cat. What pattern of
inheritance will be observed in the hybrid offspring?
DOMINANT TRAITS
Figure 3.13 shows the result of crossbreeding a purebred white female cat
with a purebred black male cat. Notice that every kitten in the resulting
litter has a black coat. Crossing a purebred black female with a purebred
white male will produce the same result. No matter how many times the
experiment is repeated, all of the offspring will have black coats: never
white, never grey, only black. Black coat colour in cats is an example of a
dominant trait.
mother father
Figure 3.13 Cross

between purebred
white female cat and
purebred black male
cat. Black fur is the
dominant trait.
kitten kitten kitten kitten

By definition, the kittens are hybrids, but they look exactly like
purebred black kittens. There is no outward sign that their mother had a
white coat. Why is that? Recall that all offspring of sexual reproduction
inherit genes from both parents. Both genes in a pair carry DNA
instructions for the same thing; in this case the “thing” is coat colour.
However, the specific DNA instructions carried by the alleles may not be
identical.
We can see that the hybrid kittens have inherited an allele for black
coat colour from their father. We can infer that the hybrid kittens must
also have inherited an allele for white coat colour because no alternative
alleles are present in the mother’s lineage. However, the DNA code carried
by the white-coat allele has somehow been ignored, or suppressed. Only
the DNA instructions carried by the black-coat allele have actually been
carried out. So, mating unlike purebred cats has revealed that DNA
instructions carried by the black-coat allele are dominant over the DNA
instructions carried by the white-coat allele.
RECESSIVE TRAITS
Has the white-coat allele in the hybrid kittens been completely dominated
by the black-coat allele? To find out, a second experiment can be
conducted crossbreeding hybrid black offspring once they become adults.
Figure 3.14 shows the average results of this experiment: three out of
every four kittens will have black coats, while one will be white. If the
experiment is repeated until there are 100 offspring, you might expect
about 75 to be black and about 25 to be white.
mother father
kitten kitten kitten kitten
Figure 3.14 The kittens from Figure 3.13 are the parents in this cross.
In this new experiment, each hybrid parent possessed one black-coat

allele, and one white-coat allele, though neither showed any sign of white
fur. When the hybrid cats were crossed, each parent passed on one allele
for coat colour to each kitten. (Remember, parents can only pass on half of
their chromosomes, thus, half of their genes.)

A kitten from the experiment on page 51 might receive alleles in four
possible combinations:
1. One black-coat allele from its hybrid father and one black-coat allele
from its hybrid mother. The two sets of DNA instructions “agree” with
each other, so the kitten will have black fur.
2. One black-coat allele from its mother and one white-coat allele from
its father. The DNA instructions “contradict” each other, but we have
seen that black fur is a dominant trait. The kitten will have black fur.
3. One white-coat allele from its mother and one black-coat allele from
its father. Again, the DNA instructions “contradict” each other, but
black fur is a dominant trait. The kitten will have black fur.
4. One white-coat allele from its mother and one white-coat allele from
its father. This time, the DNA instructions “agree” with each other, so
the kitten will have white fur.
White fur is thus an example of a recessive trait, and the allele for
white fur is an example of a recessive allele. The allele for black fur is an
example of a dominant allele. A recessive trait appears in the offspring
only if two recessive alleles are inherited. In contrast, even one dominant
allele will cause the dominant trait to appear.
G I V E I T A TRY
EXPLORING GENETIC POSSIBILITIES

In sexual reproduction, chromosomes are inherited In fruit flies, there are two possible alleles for eye
in pairs: one from each parent. In an offspring, the colour: red-eye and purple-eye.
combination of alleles carried on the chromosomes • List three possible ways to pair these alleles.
determines what the offspring is like. • For each pair, what eye colour you would expect an
In fruit flies, there are two possible alleles for leg offspring to develop? Explain why you cannot be
length: long-leg and short-leg. sure for all three cases.
• Suppose a fruit fly inherits two long-leg alleles. In fruit flies, there are two possible alleles for wing
Will this fruit fly develop long legs or short legs? shape: long-wing and dumpy-wing.
Explain your reasoning. • List three possible ways that these alleles might be
• Suppose a second fruit fly inherits two copies of paired in an offspring.
the short-leg allele. Will this fruit fly develop long
• For each pair, what wing shape would you expect
legs or short legs? Explain your reasoning.
an offspring to develop? Explain why you cannot
• Suppose a third fruit fly inherits one short-leg
be sure for all three cases.
allele and one long-leg allele. Explain why you
An individual fruit fly might have long legs, purple
cannot be sure what leg length this offspring will
eyes, and long wings. What other combinations of
develop.
leg length, eye colour, and wing shape are possible?
Make sketches to illustrate your answer.

OTHER PATTERNS OF INHERITANCE
Incomplete Dominance
The dominant-recessive pattern of inheritance does not always prevail.
When a purebred snapdragon bearing red flowers is crossed with a
purebred snapdragon bearing white flowers, the offspring are neither red
nor white. Instead, the flowers are pink, a colour intermediate between red
and white (Figure 3.15). This pattern of inheritance is known as
incomplete dominance. Both the white-flower allele and the red-flower
allele have played a part in determining the flower colour of the offspring
plants. Neither the white trait nor the red trait is truly dominant, and
neither is truly recessive.
Figure 3.15 Four o’clock flowers also show incomplete dominance. The pink-flowered plants in the
middle had a parent with red flowers and a parent with white flowers.
Offspring Unlike Either Parent

You know that human babies inherit their DNA from their parents, and
the offspring are never exactly like either parent. Suppose a father has
black hair and brown eyes. The mother has brown hair and brown eyes.
Their baby has red hair and blue eyes. Why does this happen?
Scientists once hypothesized that eye colour was determined by just
one pair of alleles at a single gene location. So they thought that a baby’s
blue eyes were caused by two recessive alleles: one from each parent.
Modern geneticists know it is not that simple. Two blue-eyed parents can
produce a brown-eyed child. It is even possible for a person to have one
blue eye and one brown eye. Thus, the inheritance of eye colour in
humans is too complex to be explained solely by the dominant-recessive
pattern or even by incomplete dominance.
Similarly, incomplete dominance cannot explain the baby’s red hair.
Its coppery colour is not what would be expected by “mixing” brown
pigment and black pigment. For hair colour, eye colour, and skin colour,
many gene locations and several possible alleles may be involved.

re SEARCH Environmental Factors
In section 2.0, you learned that environmental factors, such as poor
More Patterns nutrition, can prevent children from growing as strong or as tall as their
Another pattern of genes would normally allow. While genes play a vital role in determining
inheritance is called development, the action of the genes is greatly influenced by the
“codominance.” environment in which an offspring develops. For example, the presence of
Compare it to alcohol in a pregnant woman’s bloodstream can interfere with the normal
incomplete dominance. development of brain structures and facial features, even though the
Write a paragraph to baby’s DNA is normal. This condition is known as fetal alcohol syndrome.
explain how similar or In the late 1950s, the drug thalidomide was taken by pregnant women to
how different the two
lessen the effects of morning sickness. One of its many effects on the fetus
patterns of inheritance
was the abnormal development of limbs. Many “thalidomide babies,” as
are.
they came to be known, were born with flipper-like arms or legs. As
adults, however, several of these individuals had perfectly normal
children, showing that their DNA was normal.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Explain how dominant and recessive traits differ from each other.
2. How does a purebred individual differ from a hybrid individual?
3. List examples of dominance, recessiveness, and incomplete
dominance. Use a different example for each from those given in the
text.

4. How could two black cats produce a kitten that has white fur? Use a
diagram to explain your answer.
5. If you wanted to be certain that a trait would appear in the offspring of
the plants or animals that you were breeding, what would you have to
find out about the parents? Explain your answer.
6. Suppose a new flower in your garden displays an intermediate colour.
For example, you begin to see orange flowers although you originally
planted only red and yellow flowers. What pattern of inheritance
would you be observing in this situation? Explain your answer.

7. Can dominance or recessiveness explain why two cats from the same
litter may be different masses or have different leg lengths? Explain
your answer.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. How does sexual reproduction contribute to genetic variation?
2. In your own words, define DNA, genes, and chromosomes. Explain how
they work together to pass on characteristics from parents to offspring.
3. Compare and contrast dominant and recessive traits using a Venn diagram.
4. What is incomplete dominance? Give an example.
5. What is the key difference between mitosis and meiosis?

6. How is the genetic material of a parent inherited by offspring in asexual
reproduction? In sexual reproduction?
7. Explain how the recessive trait for coat colour is hidden in cats when two
parents that are purebred for different fur colour are crossed.
8. Why does meiosis produce cells with only half the amount of DNA? How
does this aid in the formation of a healthy zygote?
9. Relate the four chemicals on the rungs of a DNA ladder to the letters of our
alphabet. Describe the code these “letters” can form. What does the code
do?

10. Predict what the calf produced in a union between each of these parents
might look like. Explain your answers.
a) a purebred white (recessive) cow and a purebred brown (dominant) bull
b) a purebred brown (dominant) cow and a purebred brown (dominant)
bull
c) a purebred white (recessive) cow and a purebred white (recessive) bull
d) a hybrid brown (dominant) cow and a purebred white (recessive) bull

On
Developments in science and technology do not just happen. Usually, a
scientific discovery, such as the explanation of the role of DNA, takes place
over a long period of time. Consider the following questions as they relate to
how our understanding of genetic material has developed over time.
1. What types of observation and experimentation led us to a better
understanding of how traits are expressed?
2. Why is it important to understand how genetic material functions?
3. Construct a timeline to illustrate the major theories of the past that have led
us to our current understanding of genetics. Include any information about
issues that may have surrounded the work of scientists in the past.

4.0 Human activity affects
biological diversity.
Key Concepts
about the following key concepts
• species
• natural and artificial selection
of genetic characteristics
Learning Outcomes
• distinguish between artificial
and natural selection
• describe the effects of
extinction and extirpation on
biological diversity
• evaluate the success and
limitations of local and global
strategies in minimizing loss of
species diversity
• describe new technologies for What would be the ideal vacation for you? You might tour the famous
recombining genetic material museums of the world to view masterpieces of art. You could visit the
• describe the use of main cities of the world, to visit their architectural treasures. Or you
biotechnology in various fields might seek out the beautiful examples of our biological heritage in the
nature preserves, national parks, and zoos of the world. More people
are choosing this last type of vacation. Our appreciation and curiosity
for the other types of life on Earth are increasing as we realize that
species can be lost forever.
Nature preserves and national parks are not just for our enjoyment.
They also play an important role in global strategies to maintain
biological diversity by preserving important habitats and the species
that depend on them. Today, zoos play an active role in preserving
biological diversity through breeding programs and other efforts. In
many cases, by trying to meet our needs, humans have unknowingly
caused so much change to the environment that many species have
been unable to adapt, and have disappeared. In recent years, however,
both experts and volunteers have turned their attention to preserving
the world’s biological diversity and, sometimes, have been able to
reverse some of the damage that has been caused.

info BIT
4.1 Reduction of Biological Diversity
A Lesson in Extinction
Species and ecosystems on Earth and the ecological processes of which One animal you will
they are part are being stressed by urbanization and the expansion of never see is the dodo, a
human industries such as agriculture and forestry. The resulting decline flightless bird that once
in genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity threatens the ecological, inhabited Mauritius, an
economic, and cultural benefits we currently derive from Earth’s living island in the Indian
resources. The extinction of some species, the decrease in population of Ocean. The dodo had no
other species, and the degradation of ecosystems reduces biological predators. Portuguese
diversity on Earth. explorers first landed on
the island in 1505,
bringing with them cats,
rats, dogs, and pigs.
These introduced
animals ate the dodos’
eggs, and the sailors
who stopped on the
island used the adult
dodo as a source of
food. The dodo became
extinct within 200 years
of first human contact,
probably around 1681.
Figure 4.1 Only 2100 Indian rhinoceroses remain in the wild.
G I V E I T A TRY
CHOICES IN OUR WORLD

Balancing human needs and the needs of other organisms is often very difficult. To grow
our food, for example, land must be cleared of sensitive native plants.
With a partner, choose one of the following scenarios. Discuss the effects of the changes
to the environment and to the organisms that live there. What choices will need to be
made? Why? Could any of the changes be avoided? How?
1. A new school is built in a neighbourhood. Construction takes place on land that has a
grove of aspen trees and native grasses. The trees are removed so the workers can
park their vehicles during construction. The native grasses are replaced by the school
building, tarmac basketball courts, and non-native grass for sports fields.
2. A river is dammed to provide irrigation water for neighbouring farms. During

construction, all the aquatic plants at the river’s edge are removed. A concrete
retaining wall is built that runs about 10 km in either direction from the dam. A path
is paved and fencing is installed, sod is laid, and picnic benches are installed to make
a riverfront park. The grass is maintained through regular mowing and pesticide
applications.
Human Activity Affects Biological Diversity 57

EXTINCTION AND EXTIRPATION
Extinction is the disappearance of every individual of a species from the
entire planet. Extinction is a natural part of Earth’s history. Scientists
estimate that 99% of all the species that have ever existed are now extinct.
Most mass extinctions, like the one that killed off the dinosaurs, were
likely caused by catastrophic events. These are events such as earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions that cause sudden changes in the environment. The
last major environmental change was about 1.8 million years ago during
the Pleistocene epoch, which is commonly known as the Ice Age.
However, most extinctions are not mass extinctions. They take place
over longer periods of time. Scientists speculate, though, that the rate at
which species are becoming extinct is increasing. More species will
disappear over the next decade than disappeared the decade before, so the
biological diversity of the planet is decreasing more and more rapidly.
Figure 4.2 Fossils provide

us with evidence of many
species that have
disappeared from our
planet in the past.
Extirpation is a local extinction, or the disappearance of a species

from a particular area. The grizzly bear was once commonly found from
the mountains of British Columbia to the Manitoba Prairies. They had a
rich supply of fish, small mammals, and plants on which to feed. Grizzlies
are now mainly found only in the mountains, and their current range is
threatened by increasing urbanization. Road building and other activities
related to the search for natural resources, such as oil and gas, have also
had an impact on the grizzlies’ range.
The woodland caribou is currently at risk of being extirpated from the
boreal forests of northern Alberta because of habitat degradation resulting
from logging, forest fires, and increased interspecies competition.
The swift fox was once common in Alberta, but by 1928 this species
was completely extirpated from Canada. The Alberta Department of
Environmental Protection, working with groups such as the World
Wildlife Fund, is trying to reintroduce the fox to Alberta. To do this, a
major breeding program is under way.

The table below shows some of the at-risk species in Alberta. Endangered
species are ones that are in immediate danger of extinction or extirpation.
Threatened species are likely to become endangered if their current
declines are not reversed. Species that are of special concern are ones that
are particularly vulnerable to natural events or human activities.
Status Mammals Birds Fish & Amphibians Plants

Extirpated black-footed ferret greater prairie-
grizzly bear (prairie chicken
population)
Endangered swift fox burrowing owl tiny cryptanthe
whooping crane
mountain plover
piping plover
sage grouse
sage thrasher
Eskimo curlew
Threatened wood bison peregrine falcon short-jawed cisco Western blue-flag
prairie loggerhead soapweed
shrike Western spiderwort
Sprague’s pipit slender mouse-ear-
cress
sand verbena
Special Concern woodland caribou ferruginous hawk great plains toad Bolander’s quillwort
wolverine long-billed curlew Northern leopard frog hare-footed locoweed
Ord’s kangaroo rat short-eared owl (prairie population) smooth goosefoot
yellow rail Western silvery tall wooley-heads
minnow
NATURAL CAUSES OF EXTINCTION AND EXTIRPATION

Earlier in this unit, you learned that sexual reproduction is responsible for
variation within species. These variations are important so that, through
natural selection, a species can survive changes in its environment.
However, if the population does have variation, why do species still
disappear?
Natural selection is usually a slow process. Even if there is a lot of
variation within a species, sometimes the environment changes too much
and too quickly for the species to survive. For example, dinosaurs were
once the most successful species on the planet, and yet all dinosaur
species disappeared about 65 million years ago. In the past, most
extinctions and extirpations were due to natural causes, such as:
• catastrophic events such as volcanic eruptions, floods, or fires
• lack of food due to overpopulation
• disease

Not all extinctions happened millions of years ago. In the 19th century,
the American chestnut was one of the most numerous trees in forests of
the eastern United States. In the summer, its creamy-white blossoms made
mountains in the Appalachians appear as if snow-covered. The nuts were
a source of food for wildlife, livestock, and humans. These were giant
trees, up to 30 m tall, and the wood had many uses.
In 1904, the chestnut blight, a disease caused by a fungus, appeared in
the American chestnuts in New York City. This fungus came from Asia
and quickly spread because the North American trees had little resistance.
By 1950, the species had essentially disappeared. Attempts are continuing
to create a blight-resistant strain in order to bring this species back from
the edge of extinction.
Catastrophic events are still occurring today. For example, some
species that once lived on the side of Mount Etna, Sicily, were extirpated
from that area because of the volcanic eruption in 2001 that resulted in
long-term changes to that environment.
Overspecialization
Sometimes organisms have adaptations that suit them to only a narrow set
of environmental conditions. This probably happens because the
environment that the organism inhabits remains unchanged for a very
long time. Biologists call this overspecialization. Overspecialization is
another natural cause of extinction. The best-known example of
overspecialization is the giant panda that eats only one thing, bamboo
shoots. Because the panda only eats bamboo, it cannot switch to other
sources of food. Bamboo forests sometimes die off or are cut down,
reducing the pandas’ food supply. So although habitat destruction affects
the survival of the species, the pandas’ overspecialization makes them
even more vulnerable to extinction.
Figure 4.3 Damage caused by chestnut Figure 4.4 The northern leopard frog has been
blight extirpated from central Alberta.

HUMAN CAUSES OF EXTINCTIONS AND EXTIRPATIONS
Today, most extinctions and extirpations are due to human activity. If you
have ever watched a new neighbourhood being built, you know that
humans can change the environment very quickly. Because human
populations continue to grow, and require land for houses and food
production, human activity is now the leading cause of worldwide species
loss.
Habitat Destruction
Humans cause rapid changes to habitat in a variety of ways. Construction
of buildings, agricultural development, logging, and the damming of rivers
all change environments. These activities are necessary to meet human
needs. For example, large tracts of land were cleared of all native
vegetation to make way for fields and pastures to grow crops and raise
livestock, which are our food supply. But unfortunately, these changes
also have brought about the loss of many species. In Canada, prairie
species have been affected the most, because the grasslands provided the
best farm sites. In fact, only 20% of the area once covered by native
prairie species is still in its natural condition.
Pollution is a particular kind of habitat destruction. Pollution often
affects not only the immediate area where humans are but also areas
farther away. For example, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers used in
farming may be washed into the nearby water system, and may
unintentionally cause the death of native species. Some chemicals can
cause an increase in the number of birth defects in species. This often
occurs first in aquatic species such as fish, frogs, and toads. For example,
pollution of breeding sites is thought to be the main cause of the dramatic
reduction of the great plains toad in Alberta. This toad is now in the
Special Concern category.
Figure 4.5 Habitat

destruction is a global
problem. This rain forest in
Brazil is being cleared for
farmland.
The effects of habitat destruction in tropical areas can be severe.

Because tropical rain forests have the highest diversity of species of any
area on the planet, loss of these habitats can cause the extinction or
extirpation of a very large number of species.

Introduction of Non-Native Species
Throughout our history, migrating humans have carried with them many
species on which they relied. The corn that First Nations people grew at
the time of European settlement originally came from South America.
Horses and cattle were unknown in the Americas until the arrival of
Europeans.
When introduced species use the same resources as native species,
they compete with the native species and cause the number of native
species to decline, simply because there is less of everything. Cattle now
graze where bison once roamed, and attempts to reintroduce the bison are
limited due to the competition for grazing resources. Some introduced
species, such as the invasive purple loosestrife, may have arrived in North
America in a number of ways. Seeds may have been lodged in the ballast
of a ship, stuck in the coats of animals, or carried by settlers who wanted
to be reminded of home. Since its introduction, purple loosestrife has
spread rapidly, out-competing native species, partly because no native
species eat the purple loosestrife.
Figure 4.6 Wild bison once

numbered in the millions.
Over-Hunting
Over-hunting was the major cause of the decline and eventual extirpation
of the plains bison over most of its range, and of the extinction of the
passenger pigeon. In the 19th century, flocks of passenger pigeons were so
large that people reported being unable to hear the sound of a gunshot
when they flew overhead. Passenger pigeons were hunted mainly for
sport. The sport was so popular that the population declined dramatically.
The last passenger pigeon died in captivity on September 1, 1914.
Sometimes species were hunted to deliberately extirpate them. Black-
tailed prairie dogs were considered a great menace to farmers and
ranchers because they ate grain and dug holes causing cattle and horses to
break legs. In the 1930s, large-scale poisoning campaigns reduced prairie
dog numbers.

ACTIVITY A-6
Decision BALANCING ACT

Making The Issue
Should human activities be restricted in our national parks?
In Canada, grizzlies are now extirpated from the Prairies, and are found only in forested
regions of Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Here they
can find an adequate food supply. They can also find appropriate habitat in which to make
their dens and to provide refuge from human disturbance.
Figure 4.7 Grizzly bears need large areas of land undisturbed by human activity.
Although we may think of grizzlies as aggressive animals, they usually prefer to avoid
humans. National parks are meant to preserve natural areas and the animals that inhabit
them, but most of us also expect to be able to enjoy many outdoor activities in these
parks. In Alberta, Banff and Jasper National Parks have ski areas, hotel facilities,
swimming pools, and large camping facilities for recreation.

Research the kinds of human activities currently allowed in national parks. Begin your
search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Draw a concept map to show the social,
economic, and environmental consequences of these activities.
Analyze your research and describe how these activities affect grizzly bears or other
animals in the parks.
Write a proposal to Canadian Heritage Parks Canada recommending which human
activities should be allowed in national parks and to what extent. Support your proposal
with your research. Include a brochure for the public, to educate them about this issue.

ACTIVITY A-7 CHANGES IN BIOLOGICAL
Experiment on your own DIVERSITY
Before You Start

In any ecosystem, there may be many different species.
The types and numbers of species can vary depending on a
number of factors, including changes in climate or human
activity. In this experiment, you will take a survey of all
plants and animals in an existing area of your community.
This survey will be repeated at a later date and the two sets
of data will be compared.
The Question
How do the numbers of plant and animal species in an area
change over time?
Design and Conduct Your Experiment

1. Make a hypothesis to test how the types and numbers
of species will change. (Remember a hypothesis is a
possible answer to a question or a possible
explanation of a situation.) Ideally, the area will be a
local park or field, but could also be a small plot of
soil, or garden. If time permits, the interval of time
between surveys should be at least several months.
2. Decide what materials you’ll need to test your
hypothesis. For example:
a) What measuring instruments will you need? Tape?
Metric ruler?
b) What reference books will you need to help you Figure 4.8 Surveying a local environment
identify the plants and animals?
4. Write up your procedure. Be sure to show it to your
c) What materials will you need to record your data?
teacher before going further.
Drawing paper? Grid paper? Calculator?
5. Carry out your surveys.
3. Plan your procedure. Ask yourself questions such as:
6. Compare your results with your hypothesis. Did your
a) What steps will I follow to collect the data I need?
results support or refute it? If not, what possible
b) How will I estimate population numbers?
reasons might there be?
c) Is the test I have designed fair? How do I know?
7. Share and compare your experimental plan with your
d) How will I record my results? For example, do I classmates. Did anyone plan surveys exactly like
need a data chart? A graph? Both? Neither? yours? Similar to yours? How do your results
e) How long do I have to complete my surveys? compare with theirs?

EFFECTS OF EXTINCTIONS AND EXTIRPATIONS re SEARCH
Extinctions and extirpations reduce biological diversity. Extinctions
reduce the number of species on the planet. Extirpations reduce biological Extinct Canadian Animals
Examples of Canadian
diversity in areas from which the organism has disappeared. In section
animal species that have
1.0, you learned about some of the many ways species interact with one
become extinct due to
another. When an organism disappears locally or globally, many other
human activity include:
species are affected. For example, in regions where black-tailed prairie
Great Auk—extinct 1844
dogs were extirpated, burrowing owls and black-footed ferrets were also
Sea Mink—extinct 1894
affected. Prairie dogs were the major source of food for black-footed
Passenger Pigeon—
ferrets, and burrowing owls used abandoned burrows as nesting sites.
extinct 1914
Black-footed ferrets are now one of the most endangered animals in North Blue Walleye—
America. extinct 1965
Find out more about
these animals.
Begin your search at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction. Prepare
a timeline or a short
report describing how
they became endangered
and then, extinct.
Figure 4.9 The black-footed ferret has been extirpated from Canada. In 1997, there were 12 males
and 18 females at the Metro Toronto Zoo. In the United States, small populations have been
reintroduced to the wild.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 6. Suppose an organism is extirpated from a
1. State two examples of situations in which local environment. In what way might other
biological diversity may be reduced. organisms be affected? Provide examples to
support your answer.
2. What kinds of natural causes lead to the
extinction of a species? 7. How does extinction reduce biological
diversity on Earth? Support your answer
3. In what ways can human activity lead to the
using examples and your knowledge of how
extinction or extirpation of a species? Use
genetic information is transferred from
examples to explain your answer.
parents to their offspring.
4. Explain the term “overspecialization.”
8. What role has land use by humans played
5. Use a Venn diagram to compare and in the ongoing changes in biological
contrast extinction and extirpation. diversity? State examples from your own
community.

info BIT
4.2 Selecting Desirable Traits
Beefier Cows
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Did you have cereal or
Scientists working at Alta
Genetics Inc. of Calgary toast? How about a glass of orange juice? The particular grains and fruits
were the first to use used in these and many other foods are probably a product of artificial
genetically engineered selection. Artificial selection is the process of selecting and breeding
cattle that would produce individuals with desirable traits to produce offspring that have these
more beef. desired traits. Recall that in natural selection the environment “selects”
traits. In artificial selection, humans select traits.
Consider the example of horse breeding. By combining the genes of
champion parents, breeders hope to create offspring that have the prized
traits of both parents. If those horses are bred with other champion horses
when they reach maturity, the chances of producing the desired traits in
succeeding generations increase (Figure 4.10). The same is true of breeders
of other animals such as livestock (cows, sheep, pigs) and domestic
animals (dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters).
In a breeder’s population, however, every individual is selected in the
same way. Only those with a trait the breeder wants, such as a particular
feather colour, in the case of domestic finches, will be allowed to breed. In
contrast, natural selection “selects” traits that are useful for the survival of
the individuals with those traits and allows them to breed.
Artificial selection can also be applied to both food and ornamental
plants. For example, by taking the seeds of the healthiest or best
producing plants and sowing them the following year, farmers can
generally “weed out” less desirable traits and promote more desirable
ones.
Humans have practised artificial selection since we first began to farm
about 10 000 years ago. After so many generations of artificial selection,
most of our plants no longer resemble the wild species from which they
Figure 4.10 These horses were bred. Corn, for example, was bred by native peoples from a species
have been bred for their size. of grass called teosinte. Teosinte produced much smaller cobs and far
fewer seeds than modern-day corn.
Figure 4.11 The drawing of a very early variety of corn (left) is

based on archeological samples. It doesn’t look very similar to
the corn we eat today (right).

BIOTECHNOLOGY
Native peoples practised an early form of biotechnology when they
gathered seeds from the biggest and healthiest corn plants. This
benefited them because they were able to develop more productive
strains of corn.
Agricultural producers benefit when they can be sure that the wheat
they plant or the calf that is born in their herd will have the traits that
are most valuable in the marketplace. Although artificial selection has
successfully produced most of our world’s crops and livestock, it takes
a very long time (many generations of the plants and animals) to get an
organism with the desired combination of traits. For instance, livestock
breeders have to breed cows over many generations to get a whole herd
that produces large quantities of milk. Scientists and breeders have,
therefore, developed technologies that can speed up this process. These
technologies can range from “low tech” to extremely “high tech.”
Figure 4.12 Identical
Creating Plant Clones organisms produced by
When a grower finds a plant that has very desirable traits, he or she technology are called clones,
such as this carrot plant grown
would like more plants like it, or many clones of it. The simplest way
from a few cells taken from
to create a clone is by taking a cutting from a plant and growing an another carrot plant.
identical plant from the cutting. Horticulturalists do this routinely. The
drawback is that this ideal plant has only so many leaves that can be
cut off to use as cuttings.
Scientists have developed a quicker way to create clones. Cells are
removed from an individual plant that has the particular traits that are
wanted. These cells are placed on a Petri dish or bottle containing
nutrients and hormones the cells need. Once these cells have
developed into seedlings, they can be transplanted into the soil.
Because the starting point is a cell rather than an entire part of the
plant, many more clones can be produced from a single plant (Figure
4.12).
Artificial Reproductive Technology

Artificial reproductive technology refers to any artificial method of
joining a male and female gamete. Most livestock in Canada are
produced by some method of artificial reproduction. In artificial
insemination, sperm are harvested from a bull with desired
characteristics and are inserted into many female cows. The advantage
of this technology is that the bull’s sperm can be in several places at
once and more cows can be inseminated.
Another reproductive technology is in vitro fertilization. In this
technology, sperm from a prize bull and eggs from a prize cow are Figure 4.13 The beef industry
harvested from the animals. In a laboratory, the eggs and sperm are relies on artificial reproduction
technology to produce cattle with
placed in a Petri dish, and the eggs are fertilized. This produces many
traits chosen to provide us with
more embryos than could be produced naturally. Each embryo is high quality meat.
implanted into a different cow. These cows will eventually give birth to
many calves, all of which will be brothers and sisters.

Scientists can also determine the sex of the embryos before they are
implanted into a cow to develop. By choosing only female embryos,
dairy farmers can therefore be guaranteed that all their calves will be
female, rather than having to use their resources to raise unneeded
males.
Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering refers to any technology that directly alters the
DNA of an organism. Genetic engineering is a rapidly developing
science, and every new advance increases our ability to control the
characteristics of organisms.
Many of the genetic engineering techniques involve inserting a
gene from one species into another species. Bacteria are genetically
engineered to produce life-saving medicines such as insulin. Insulin is
a substance that many diabetics use to control the level of sugar in
their blood. Just 20 years ago, insulin had to be extracted from the
pancreas of cattle, and it was expensive to produce. Today, the human
insulin-producing gene is inserted into the bacteria’s DNA. Because the
bacteria reproduce so rapidly, bacterial colonies can produce insulin
quickly and cheaply. Now most of the world’s supply of insulin comes
from genetically engineered bacteria.
A micro-organism called Bacillus thuringiensis produces a toxin
commonly called Bt, which is poisonous to many insects. Scientists
have isolated the gene that contains the instructions for making Bt
toxin and have inserted it into the DNA of plants. These genetically
engineered plants now produce Bt toxin! Since the 1990s, cotton, corn,
Figure 4.14 This plant was and potatoes have been engineered to produce Bt toxin. Because
grown from cells that had a insects that eat the engineered plants die, growers never need to apply
firefly gene inserted into pesticides to the engineered plants.
them. When the gene is
Some varieties of canola are naturally resistant to an insect called
activated, the plant glows.
the flea beetle, while others are not. When flea beetles attack a field of
canola, the crop is likely to be devastated, leaving the grower with
nothing to sell. Unfortunately, the most valuable varieties of canola do
not have a gene for flea beetle resistance, so most growers have to use
pesticides to protect their crop from the beetle. Scientists have been
able to transfer this gene from beetle-resistant varieties to other canola
varieties that have higher yields. The growers who use the genetically
engineered canola get canola with high yields and, because it’s beetle-
resistant, it doesn’t have to be sprayed with pesticides.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Development of technology that allows us to select or introduce
desirable traits of the organisms around us has given humans some
important benefits. However, as with any technology, we need to use
these technologies responsibly and be aware of the possible risks as
well as the benefits.

Risks in Animals
In agriculture, most individuals in a crop or livestock population are
extremely similar as a result of generations of artificial selection. Artificial
reproductive technologies can reduce the genetic variation in breeding
lines of livestock. In artificial insemination, sperm from just a few animals
are used to impregnate many females. With in vitro fertilization, the
embryos created from the eggs and sperm of just two individuals are
implanted in other cows.
Now scientists and breeders are able to produce an identical copy of a
single animal. The most famous example of this is a sheep named Dolly
(Figure 4.15). Dolly was produced in Scotland in 1997, and is an exact
duplicate of her mother.
Animals like Dolly have been cloned for a variety of reasons. Some,
like the rhesus monkey ANDi (a backward abbreviation of inserted DNA),
have been genetically altered as part of research programs into human
diseases. Other animals, such as cattle, are being cloned as potential large-
scale producers of meat and milk. Herds of such genetically identical
individuals may be far more susceptible to disease than more genetically
variable herds.
Figure 4.15 Dolly’s cells appear the same age as her mother’s, even though Dolly is six years
younger.
Cloning and genetic engineering are still in their infancy and have
been fraught with difficulties. Cattle cloners have reported numerous
examples of unsuccessful pregnancies, birth defects, and deaths among
clones. The reasons are as yet unclear. Some researchers speculate that
something about the process of removing the nucleus from the donor egg
may be responsible. Dolly herself has developed arthritis, although it is
not known why.

ACTIVITY A-8
Decision S A L M O N FA R M I N G AND VA R I A B I L I T Y
Making The Issue
Will salmon farming help or hurt the recovery of wild salmon in Canada?
In the 1990s, the salmon populations on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts were on the
verge of collapse, causing governments to call a halt to all commercial salmon fishing.
Many people who had made a living from salmon fishing were suddenly out of work.
There were various reasons why the salmon stocks had declined so suddenly, and people
had different proposals as to how to let the salmon population recover while still meeting
society’s desire for salmon.
Fish farms mainly in New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy and off the B.C. coast produce
more that 72 000 tonnes of salmon a year. The federal government is a strong supporter
of fish farming and recently made available $75 million for research and development.
Government estimates suggest that by the year 2025, the world will need 55 million
tonnes more seafood than wild stocks can provide. To meet that demand, fish farming as
an industry will have to grow by 350%.
But is the advance of fish farming practices coming at the expense of stocks of wild
salmon? Why is the wild species still facing extinction? What impact does commercial
fish farming have on wild populations? Tests are under way to selectively breed for bigger
and faster growing salmon as well as to genetically modify the fish against common
parasitic diseases. Researchers in the federal department of fisheries have now developed
20 new transgenic breeds of salmon that grow seven times faster than wild salmon.

1 Research the positive and negative impacts that fish farming may have on wild
populations. Begin your search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Decide how
you will evaluate your information sources.
2 What other factors may be affecting the survival of the wild salmon population?
3 What are the costs and benefits of fish farming and commercial fishing to meet the
short- and long-term food needs of society?
4 Prepare an oral presentation in which you defend your position on fish farming.
Present your view by role playing from ONE of the following perspectives. You are a
fish farmer speaking to a group opposed to fish farming OR you are a fish-farming
opponent speaking to an association of fish farmers.
Figure 4.16 Salmon farming pens

Risks in Plants re SEARCH
Most of our plant crops were produced by artificial selection of wild
plants. Weeds are often the wild relatives of crop plants. Some crops have Golden Rice
been genetically engineered to resist herbicides. This allows farmers to Rice does not normally
spray the crop with herbicide, killing the weeds but not the crop. contain vitamin A. Swiss
However, there have been unforeseen problems. Many crop plants can scientists have recently
still cross with their wild weed relatives. There have been reported cases created a genetically
of genetically engineered canola interbreeding with weeds, and the weeds’ engineered strain of rice
offspring have become resistant to herbicide. that does contain vitamin
A. Research this so-called
golden rice and find out
the reasons for
CHECK AND REFLECT developing it and why
some groups have
Key Concept Review concerns about its use.
1. How does artificial selection differ from what you learned earlier in
www.pearsoned.ca/
this unit about natural selection? Use examples in your explanation. scienceinaction. Prepare
2. Describe two examples of technologies that humans use to select the a short report.
traits of organisms.
3. Who were the earliest “plant technologists” in North America? What
crop did they develop and how?

4. How have reproductive technologies benefited agricultural industries
in Alberta? Provide examples. What human needs do these
technologies reflect?
5 Simplify an explanation of artificial selection in a way that a student
in grade 4 could easily understand it.
6. What are some advantages of biotechnology such as cloning? What are
some disadvantages?
7. What are some intended and unintended consequences for the
environment as a result of developments in biotechnology?

8. Scientists have created crops that contain a toxin that kills any insect
that eats them. Some farmers have been growing corn plants that
contain this toxin. Corn without this toxin is a food supply for the
corn weevil, which destroys the corn crop, and the monarch butterfly,
which is a protected species. What advice would you give to farmers
growing this crop?
9. Predict what some potential impacts or issues might be related to an
increasing use of biotechnology such as cloning and genetic
engineering.

4.3 Reducing Our Impact on Biological Diversity
Figure 4.17 Leaders of indigenous peoples living in the rain forests of South America attended the
Earth Summit to voice their concerns about the clearing of rain forests.
Preserving global biological diversity was given international recognition

at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. World leaders at the
summit, including Canada’s Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, signed a treaty
called the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This
Convention outlined the importance of maintaining ecosystem, species,
and genetic diversity in preserving the living resources of Earth. This
agreement has three goals: conservation of biological diversity; sustainable
use of the components of biological diversity; and fair and equitable
sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
Each country that signed the treaty agreed to set national policies in
place that outlined how to achieve these goals. In Canada, the federal
government created the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy in 1995, which
describes how Canada will maintain biological diversity for the future.
STRATEGIES TO CONSERVE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

The conservation of biological diversity requires the elimination or
reduction of the adverse impacts to biological diversity that result from
human activity. In order to promote biological diversity, the Canadian
Biodiversity Strategy focusses on in-situ and ex-situ conservation, along
with promoting the sustainable use of resources and an ecological
approach to the management of human activities.

Protected Areas info BIT
Canada’s first national park, Banff, was established in 1885. Currently,
244 540 km2 of the Canadian landscape is protected in a series of national Raising Endangered
parks. Each province in Canada also has its own protected-area strategies, Species
which include the future development of additional provincial parks, At the San Diego zoo,
recreation areas, and ecological preserves. The protected areas of Canada chicks of the endangered
allow organisms to live relatively undisturbed in their natural habitats. California condor are
In-situ conservation refers to the maintenance of populations of wild being reared by hand.
organisms in their functioning ecosystems. It allows the ecological Their human caregivers
processes of an area to continue undisturbed. wear gloves that look
Species with large ranges, such as caribou, wolves, and bears, are like adult condor heads
so that the birds don’t
being given added protection as organizations, such as those involved
associate humans with
with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, work to create a
their parents. The
network of protected areas. No single protected area can offer enough land
caregivers pick up pieces
space or habitat diversity to support all native species or ecosystems. of meat while wearing
Linking protected areas together provides corridors for movement and the glove and hand it to
exchange of genetic material essential for the maintenance of biological the chick, so it looks like
diversity. The creation of these protected areas depends on the co- an adult condor is
operation of national, provincial, and municipal governments, along with giving the chick food.
the support of other organizations, and citizens. The Wagner Natural Area, That way, when they are
just west of Edmonton, is a rich peatland environment that exists today extremely young, chicks
because of the efforts of individuals, groups, and the Alberta government. don’t actually see
The area is protected under the Ecological Reserves and Natural Areas humans.
Act. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations buy land to
provide habitat for plant and animal species.
Restoration of Ecosystems and Species

Canada has also developed various programs to restore endangered
species, as well as damaged habitats, to a healthy state. These two goals
are linked because most species can never recover unless they have
habitat in which to live. This is especially true of species that were
extirpated from an area, such as the prairie population of grizzly bears,
because of changes made to their habitat.
Charities, not-for-profit organizations, volunteer groups, and private
landowners also contribute to restoring species and habitat. The Nature
Conservancy of Canada, for example, helps to acquire land or raise money
to ensure the ongoing protection of natural areas. The Nature Conservancy
works with local conservation groups, private citizens, and corporations
to increase the amount of habitat available for native plants and animals.
Many private landowners also contribute by returning a percentage of
their property to its natural state. At 1943 ha, the Ann and Sandy Cross
Conservation Area, just southwest of Calgary, is an example of one of the
largest private gifts of land made in North America. Ducks Unlimited
Canada, through its Prairie Conservation of Agriculture, Resources and the
Environment (CARE) program promotes the restoration or improvement of
available cover in large wetland areas. Landowners are encouraged to
restore nesting areas through the seeding of native grasses and shrubs in
order to improve waterfowl nesting success.

Figure 4.18 The Alberta
Cows and Fish Program
worked with local landowners
to restore Callum Creek in
southern Alberta. Callum
Creek before restoration (left)
and five years after cows
were moved to other grazing
areas (right).
Restoring a species that has been extirpated requires a lot of money

and time. For example, the swift fox was listed as extirpated from Canada
in 1928. Native to short- and mixed-grass prairie regions, the swift fox
started to decline in the late 1800s when agriculture began to change its
prairie habitat, and it began to face increased competition from species
such as coyotes. The swift fox was also vulnerable to poisoning programs
aimed at wolves and coyotes. As you learned in subsection 4.1, a captive
breeding program began in 1973 and the first swift fox was released into
the wild along the Alberta and Saskatchewan border in 1983. The efforts
of the Alberta government and organizations such as the World Wildlife
Fund resulted in successful reintroduction efforts. A winter census in
1997 estimated the population of swift foxes in the area to be 192. The
swift fox, however, is still listed as an endangered species in Alberta.
In 1992, the Friends of Fish Creek, a non-profit organization, formed to
assist in the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the natural and
human heritage of Fish Creek Park in Calgary. Every July, the society
organizes “Purge the Spurge.” Volunteers gather to hand pull leafy spurge,
a non-native noxious weed that threatens to take over the park and
destroy wildlife habitat. The weeds are hand pulled in areas where other
control methods can’t be used.
Resource Use Policies

Federal and provincial governments have laws to protect species that are
endangered (species with very few individuals left in the wild) or
threatened (species that are decreasing rapidly in the wild). Any species
that is classified as endangered or threatened is protected by law from
hunting and capture, or in the case of plants, from being picked or
transplanted. The National Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk
was created in 1994, and was signed by all the provinces and territories of
Canada. The accord paved the way for each province to develop
legislation to protect their vulnerable plants and animals.
The goal of the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk is to
Figure 4.19 Planting native
“prevent species in Canada from becoming extinct as a consequence of
plant species is one strategy
for maintaining biological human activity.” The participants in the accord have agreed to recognize
diversity. species assessments made by the Committee on the Status of Endangered

Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). They have also agreed to establish
legislation and programs to effectively protect species within their own
province or territory and to protect threatened or endangered species.
Nationally, the federal government is developing the Species at Risk Act.
In Alberta, the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) was
created under the Wildlife Act of 1998 to study and determine species at
risk in Alberta. The ESCC produces a status document on Alberta’s plants,
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds every five years.
Controlling the Spread of Exotic Species

Past experience has shown that bringing species into a new environment
can have disastrous consequences for the native ecosystem. Recall purple
loosestrife, the herbaceous wetland perennial introduced into Canada
from Europe in the 1800s. Purple loosestrife invades native wetland
communities forming a single species stand by germinating and growing
faster than any other wetland species (Figure 4.20). Purple loosestrife has
no natural enemies. No bird, mammal, or fish feeds on it or uses it for
shelter. Purple loosestrife reduces the size and diversity of natural plant
communities and has been designated as a noxious weed by Alberta
Agriculture. If purple loosestrife is found in an area, measures must be
taken to control it. Volunteers are vital in pulling purple loosestrife and
monitoring infested sites throughout the province. To control purple
loosestrife and other invasive species, federal, provincial, and municipal
governments continue to develop policies to prevent their spread.
Although these programs are developed and enforced by governments,
their success ultimately depends on the actions of individuals.
Figure 4.20 (Left) Purple

loosestrife takes over a
wetland. (Right) This species
of weevil feeds exclusively on
purple loosestrife and is used
by groups such as the
Manitoba Purple Loosestrife
Project to help control the
plant’s spread.
Conservation of Genetic Resources

Ex-situ conservation refers to the conservation of components of
biological diversity outside of a natural habitat. Like in-situ conservation,
ex-situ conservation plays a vital role in species preservation. In some
cases, ex-situ conservation offers the only chance of survival for some
endangered species and plays an important role in conserving
economically valuable genetic resources for forest, aquatic, and
agricultural purposes.

re SEARCH Conservation of genetic resources is any activity that helps to store as
many gene variations as possible of the world’s species. This is a huge
Cloning Endangered task since some scientists estimate that there are as many as 10 million
Species different species in the world. Conserving genetic resources began with
In 2001, a company seed banks, which store seeds from the many varieties of crop plants.
called Advanced Cell Most seed banks started as a voluntary exchange program between
Technologies attempted farmers. By keeping a seed bank, farmers had access to all the crop
to clone an endangered varieties available, so that if environmental or market conditions changed,
species called the gaur, they could plant a more suitable variety.
a wild ox from India. As we learned more about the importance of biological diversity, seed
Look up magazine and banks were expanded. Experts realized that it was important to keep seeds
newspaper articles of the wild ancestors of our crop species, because these species often had
about the gaur and find useful characteristics that our advancing technology might be able to use
out how Advanced Cell
in the future. Today, the world’s seed banks are administered by an
Technologies planned to
international group of scientists, known as the International Plant
clone the animal and
whether they were
Genetics Resources Institute (IPGRI). The scientists are responsible for
successful. Prepare a determining which country will maintain the seed bank of particular
short report on your species. Canada maintains the seed bank for barley and oats.
findings.
Figure 4.21 This seed bank

stores varieties of wheat.
Preserving the genes of animals is much more difficult. Plant seeds

can be stored for long periods. In contrast, the egg and sperm cells of
animals can be stored only for relatively short periods, so populations of
living animals must also be maintained. Most of us would like wild
animals to be “stored” in their wild habitats, but some species may
already have too little habitat for this to be possible. These animals may
escape extinction by captive breeding programs run mainly by zoos. These
programs assess the variation of the individuals in the collections of zoos
worldwide, and breed the animals that have the most variation. Sadly, this
may soon be the fate of the giant panda and the Bengal tiger. Sometimes
the animals are exchanged between zoos, but many times breeding takes
place by using artificial reproduction technologies such as those used in
cattle farming. Some species, such as the whooping crane, will breed in
captivity, while others will not.

ACTIVITY A-9
Decision S AV I N G THE WHOOPING CRANE

Making The Issue
Which strategies have been most effective in saving the whooping crane from extinction?
Wetlands include marshes, swamps, and bogs, and provide habitats for a large number of
species. One such species is the endangered whooping crane, which is the symbol of a
government program called RENEW (Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife). As of
April, 2001, the number of whooping cranes in the wild in North America was only 263.
Amazingly, 177 of these live in conserved wetland habitats in Wood Buffalo National Park.
Most of these birds were not born in the park, but were released from captive breeding
programs.
Figure 4.22 Loss of wetland

habitat has pushed the
whooping crane near to
extinction.
The prairies were once dotted with small wetlands called “prairie potholes,” which
provided habitat for the whooping crane and other species. Most experts agree that the
whooping crane has become endangered due to habitat loss because so many of these
potholes were drained to make way for farms, industry, or housing, or to control
mosquito populations. Governments, environmental groups, fishing and hunting
associations, zoos, local community groups, and private land owners have started to work
together to bring back the whooping crane.

Use the Internet and the library to investigate the strategies being used for conservation
of the whooping crane. Begin your search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Try to
find the most recent information available from expert sources, such as conservation
groups, zoos, or universities.
Write a paragraph summarizing the conservation strategies for the whooping crane.
Your paragraph should describe the habitat needs of the whooping crane, any changes in
areas that could provide suitable habitat, and data on the change in the whooping crane
population over the last 10 years.
Based on your research, create a report card on our progress in saving the whooping
crane. Which strategy or strategies was most effective in increasing the population of the
whooping crane?

G I V E I T A TRY
DO YOU AFFECT BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY?

Preserving biological diversity requires everyone to think about the world in a different
way. How much do your personal activities affect other living things?
Make a record of your main activities for a week. For everything you note, ask yourself if
you affected other living things. For example, if you cut across a field on the way to school,
you might compact the soil and make a bare patch where plants can’t grow. If you print out
a Web page instead of reading it on your computer, you are indirectly reducing the amount
of forest.
At the end of the week, report to your class whether you think your actions contributed to
loss of biological diversity. Can you think of anything you might do differently?
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is in-situ conservation? How does it preserve biological
diversity?
2. Why is it important to protect networks of ecosystems and habitats?
Provide an example of a species that would benefit from such
protection and state why.
3. How have governments been involved in the protection of vulnerable
species? Provide an example of a government policy.
4. What methods have been used to conserve genetic resources? List
some examples.

5. In a short paragraph, explain how a protected area, such as a national
park, is an example of in-situ conservation.
6. Why do exotic species have such an impact on local ecosystems? Why
are exotic species, such as purple loosestrife, a threat to biological
diversity?
7. What is the value of preserving the seed of wild plant ancestors and
other varieties of crop plants grown today?

8. You have just signed up to help with the annual “Purge the Spurge”
campaign in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Given what you may already
know about spurge, why might this be a worthwhile activity? What
impact, if any, do you predict your action will have on species
diversity? Explain your answer.

UN I T S U M M A RY: B I O L O G I C A L D I V E R S I T Y
Key Concepts Section Summaries
1.0 1.0 Biological diversity is reflected in the variety of life on Earth.

• Earth and its environments are home to millions of species.
• Biological diversity refers to the variety of species and ecosystems on Earth. It has three
• species and populations
main components: ecosystem diversity, community diversity, and genetic diversity.
• diversity within species
Biological diversity also refers to the variation among and within species.
• Species co-existing in a habitat are interdependent. The possible interdependencies are
• niches
predator-prey relationships, commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism.
• natural selection of genetic
• Different species share limited resources by having different niches.
characteristics
• Natural selection is the selection of desirable traits by the environment.
2.0 2.0 As species reproduce, characteristics are passed from parents to offspring.
• Heritable traits can vary between individuals either as discrete variations, such as eye colour,
• asexual and sexual or continuous variations, such as height. The environment can affect some heritable traits,
reproduction such as height.
• inheritance • Asexual reproduction involves only one parent. The parent and offspring of asexual
reproduction are identical. Sexual reproduction involves two parents. The offspring of sexual
reproduction are different from the parents.
• In sexual reproduction, a male gamete fuses with a female gamete to produce a zygote. A
zygote develops into an embryo, which eventually grows into a new individual.
• Sexual reproduction results in variation among individuals of a species. Asexual reproduction
allows a species to reproduce quickly producing identical offspring.
3.0 3.0 DNA is the inherited material responsible for variation.

• Chromosomes, genes, and DNA carry genetic information that is passed on from generation
• chromosomes, genes, and to generation. All cells in the body of an organism contain DNA.
DNA • DNA carries the instructions for making a particular individual organism. The instructions are
• cell division written in a genetic code. The code is the same for all organisms on Earth.
• inheritance • Genes are the instructions for the particular characteristics of an organism.
• Organisms with a lot of DNA have chromosomes arranged in pairs.
• The result of binary fission and mitosis is the formation of two new cells from one parent cell.
Each has the same amount of DNA as the parent cell.
• The result of meiosis is the formation of gamete cells. Each gamete has half the amount of
DNA as the original cell.
• A dominant trait is seen in offspring whenever the dominant allele is present. A recessive trait
is seen in offspring only if two recessive alleles are present.
• Dominant and recessive inheritance does not explain all patterns of inheritance.
4.0 4.0 Human activity affects biological diversity.

• Extinction is the loss of a species from the entire planet. Extirpation is the loss of a species
• biological diversity from an area of the planet. Both cause reduction of biological diversity.
• species • Extinctions and extirpations are caused by natural events and by human activity.
• habitat diversity • Artificial selection is human selection and breeding of plants and animals with desirable traits
• natural and artificial to produce offspring with those traits. Natural selection is selection of desirable traits by the
selection of genetic environment.
characteristics • Technologies that affect biological diversity include artificial selection, artificial reproductive
technologies, and genetic engineering.
• Strategies to maintain biological diversity include restoration of habitat and re-introduction of
species, and the use of seed banks and captive breeding programs.

S C I E N C E W O R L D
y
a
se d
S t u
Zoos and Biological Diversity

The Issue
Do we need zoos? Many people are troubled by the idea of
keeping wild animals in captivity. It can seem cruel to keep
species such as the polar bear or antelope, animals that
wander many kilometres every day in the wild, in small
enclosures. Animals are kept in a climate that can be very
different from their natural habitats. Most animals also
have a unique social structure that cannot be duplicated in
captivity.
It can seem that zoos keep animals in these false
environments only to serve human interest. However, many
zoos such as the Calgary Zoo, have taken on a leading role
in conserving species at risk of extinction or extirpation.
Zoo supporters argue that without these conservation
projects, many animals would have an even greater risk of
extinction.
Does the Calgary Zoo meet all the needs of its inhabitants?
Here are some of the arguments for and against keeping
animals in zoos.
Go Further
Now it’s your turn. Look into the following resources for
Zoos Have an Important Role in Zoos Meet Human Needs Far
information to help you form your own opinion.
Maintaining Biodiversity More than Animal Needs
• Look on the Web: Check out Web sites about zoos
Zoos provide refuge for Zoos design the enclosures around the world (including Calgary and Edmonton) and
animals with damaged or so that humans can observe their research programs.
eliminated habitat. the animals, which puts • Ask the Experts: Talk to an expert about the issue. When
many of the animals under you do your Internet search, you may find e-mail listings
stress. of specific people who can provide you with information.
• Check Newspapers and Magazines: Follow current
Zoos help to maintain The money spent on
stories about the issue in newspapers and magazines.
biodiversity by participating establishing and maintaining
• Check Out Scientific Studies: Look for scientific studies
in animal breeding programs zoos would be better spent
about zoos.
with other zoos. on habitat protection and
rehabilitation of animals’
Analyze and Address the Issue
natural habitats.
You are an expert on conservation of species and you have
Zoos conduct and support Many animals will not breed been asked to write a proposal about the role of zoos in
research that assists efforts in captivity, so their genes maintaining biological diversity in our world. In your
to improve existing habitat are lost forever. proposal, consider the different perspectives on this issue.
and to re-establish extirpated Support your proposal with research data and include the
species. risks and benefits of adopting your proposed strategy.
Science World 81
PROJECT
MAINTAINING LOCAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Monte Verde Cloud Forest in

Costa Rica Getting Started
The Kew Seed Bank in England holds seeds for almost 4000 different species of
plant life—about 1.5% of known flora on Earth. By having a large supply of the
plants’ seeds, the bank hopes to protect some of the 34 000 plant species
currently at risk for extinction worldwide. The National Institute of Biodiversity in
Costa Rica is using a technique called “bioprospecting” to study the ways in
which animal and plant resources may be useful to humans. They locate,
describe, and collect species that are not endangered. Researchers then develop
extracts from the plants, insects, and micro-organisms, which are then analyzed
to determine their use in pharmacological, agro-industrial, and biotechnology
industries. Any university or company working with the National Institute of
Biodiversity has to commit to reinvesting 50% of profits from products developed
from these natural resources in conservation. Also in Costa Rica, 22 260 ha of
rainforest within the Monte Verde Cloud Forest have been purchased with the
donations from school children around the world. Called the Children’s Eternal
Rainforest, it is now the largest private reserve in Costa Rica and is administered
by the Monte Verde Conservation League. The area earned the name the
Children’s Eternal Rainforest because thousands of species of trees, and the

animals that depend on them, are now protected from 3. Be sure to include your own assessment of how
logging and deforestation. These are only three examples effective the strategy has been in terms of maintaining
of strategies that have been successful in helping to biological diversity, and any suggestions you have for
maintain biological diversity. What strategies are being improving the use of the strategy in the future.
used in your community? 4. Present your work to the class.
In this unit, you have learned about the diversity of life
on Earth both among species and within. You have also How Did It Go?
learned that natural selection and human activity may 5. In paragraph form, answer the following questions:
reduce biological diversity on Earth. • Describe your research process. How effective
This project will allow you to apply what you’ve was it?
learned to researching and making a presentation on a • How well did you and your partner work together?
local strategy for maintaining biological diversity. How effectively did you make decisions and come
to agreements?
Your Goal
• What part of this project did you find to be the most
Working with a partner, learn more about a local strategy challenging? the easiest?
for maintaining biological diversity. Put together a
• How did your presentation compare with your
presentation to share this information with others. Your
original ideas? What changes did you make and
presentation may be multimedia (e.g., PowerPoint
why?
presentation, video), in poster format, or an oral
• What would you do differently next time?
presentation. Strive to find a creative and interesting way
to convey your new learning. Include your opinion on how
successful the strategy has been and any
recommendations that you would have for the future.
What You Need to Know

To find a local conservation project you may wish to
contact environmental groups in your area or a
government agency for ideas. If you use the Internet as
part of your research, be sure to follow your school’s
acceptable user policy. Begin your search at
www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
Steps to Success
1. Work with a partner. Brainstorm possibilities for a
strategy that will be the focus on your research.
Writing to local environmental groups, reading
newspaper and magazine articles, using e-mail, and
checking Web sites are examples of ways to gather the
background information that you will need for your
presentation.
2. Select the type of presentation that you will use and
begin to develop a plan for sharing your research
findings.
Project 83
UNIT REVIEW: BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Unit Vocabulary 9. Describe one major threat to biological

diversity.
1. Create a concept map that illustrates your
understanding of the following terms and 10. Illustrate the meaning of ecosystem diversity.
how they relate to biological diversity.
species
natural selection
2.0
interdependence
11. What is similar about sperm cells and egg
niches
cells? What is different?
asexual reproduction
sexual reproduction 12. What is a zygote? How is it formed?
artificial selection 13. Differentiate between heritable and non-
extinction heritable characteristics. Provide examples of
extirpation each type.
14. Distinguish between discrete and continuous
Key Concept Review variation and provide three examples of
each.
1.0 15. Outline the path of development in animals
from gametes to embryo.
2. How is a population related to a community?
16. Sketch the parts of a flower that are involved
Refer to a pond environment to illustrate
in reproduction. Describe how each part
your answer.
functions in cross-fertilization.
3. What is genetic diversity?
17. What form of asexual reproduction do yeast
4. Outline the three levels of biological cells use and how does it work?
diversity. Give an example of each.
18. Explain the difference between asexual and
5. Using an example, explain how species are sexual reproduction and the advantages and
dependent on many other species in their disadvantages of each in terms of biological
environments. diversity.
6. What is a niche? Describe the niche of a wolf 19. Use a table or Venn diagram to compare the
in the Canadian Rockies. different forms of asexual reproduction.
7. In parasitism, how does the parasite depend
on its host for survival?
8. Why is the niche a species occupies
important to its survival?

UNIT
88
1.0 Matter can be described and organized by its physical and

chemical properties.
1.1 Safety in the Science Class
1.2 Organizing Matter
1.3 Observing Changes in Matter
2.0 An understanding of the nature of matter has developed

through observations over time.
2.1 Evolving Theories of Matter
2.2 Organizing the Elements
2.3 The Periodic Table Today
3.0 Compounds form according to a set of rules.

3.1 Naming Compounds
3.2 Ionic Compounds
3.3 Molecular Compounds
4.0 Substances undergo a chemical change when they interact

to produce different substances.
4.1 Chemical Reactions
4.2 Conservation of Mass in Chemical Reactions
4.3 Factors Affecting the Rate of a Chemical Reaction
89
Exploring
Aluminum foam
The next time you drink pop from a can, take a good look at the container.
You probably know that it’s made of the metal aluminum, which is light
and flexible, yet strong. These characteristics, or properties, make
aluminum useful for holding liquids. Aluminum has many other
applications as well. For example, screen doors, cars, and airplanes all
use aluminum. In these applications, the metal is usually used in sheets
or formed into parts. But did you know that aluminum can also be made
into a foam?
ALUMINUM FOAM
Aluminum foam is an example of combining a variety of materials to
create a new material with different properties from those of the original
materials. Mixing powdered aluminum with a foaming material makes
aluminum foam, a substance that can be 10 times stiffer and 50% lighter
than aluminum. It can also float because it has air pockets.
Engineers use this new material to create lighter, safer cars. It may
sound strange that a lighter car can be a safer car. However, compared to
other materials, aluminum foam is able to absorb more impact energy
when a car is in a collision.
90 Unit B: Matter and Chemical Change

Q U I C K LAB
FOAM IN A CUP
Purpose Materials & Equipment
To observe what happens in a simple chemical reaction • graduated cylinder
• 30 mL corn syrup
Procedure • two 250-mL beakers
1 Pour 30 mL of corn syrup into a 250-mL beaker. Stir in 3 drops of one food • two different colours of
colouring. Sprinkle 20 mL of baking soda on the corn syrup. food colouring
• stirring rod
2 Tip the beaker slightly and carefully pour in 30 mL of water down one side.
• 20 mL baking soda
Add 30 mL of vegetable oil to the beaker in the same way.
• 30 mL water
3 Into a separate beaker, pour 20 mL of vinegar and add 3 drops of the other • 30 mL vegetable oil
food colouring. • 20 mL vinegar
4 Fill the eyedropper with coloured vinegar. Squeeze 3 drops of coloured vinegar • eyedropper
into the beaker containing the other substances. Record your observations.
Repeat if necessary.
5 Push the eyedropper down to the bottom of that beaker, and release all the
vinegar by squeezing the bulb of the eyedropper. Record your observations.
Questions
6 Describe how your observations were different in steps 4 and 5.
7 Work with the rest of the class to explain what is going on in the activity.
Focus THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

On
In this unit, you will be asked to observe how matter changes and
interacts with other matter. You will collect evidence of changes by:
• investigating the properties of matter
• interpreting observations and data from experiments
• creating and interpreting models
Think about the following questions while you study how our
understanding of matter and its interactions has developed. The answers
to these and other questions about matter will help you understand the
interactions among substances.
1. How do we determine the properties of a variety of different
substances?
2. How do different substances interact?
3. What evidence can be used to indicate that an interaction between
substances has occurred?
Exploring 91
Matter can be described and
1.0 organized by its physical and
chemical properties.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System (WHMIS)
and safety
• substances and their properties
• elements, compounds, and
atomic theory
Learning Outcomes
• identify and evaluate dangers
of caustic materials and
potentially explosive reactions
• investigate and describe
properties of materials
• describe and apply different
ways of classifying materials
based on their composition
and properties
Imagine visiting a market where all the food is displayed in big bags,
like the ones shown in the photo. How could you tell what was in each
bag? One way would be to look at the colour and shape of each item.
You also might handle each one to see whether it is hard or soft, rough
or smooth, dense or light. If these clues still weren’t enough to help you
identify the unknown substances, then you might have to cut them
open to see their composition. In all of this, you would be doing just
what a chemist does: investigating matter.
Studying the properties of matter and how matter changes is part of
the science called chemistry. Matter is anything that has mass and
occupies space. In this section, you will first learn proper science lab
safety. Then you will learn about some properties of matter and how
those properties can be used to identify substances and to organize
matter in a useful way.

1.1 Safety in the Science Class
In any science activity, the safety of you, your classmates, and your
teacher are of the utmost importance. It is essential that everyone in your
science class act in a safe and responsible manner. Before you begin
investigating chemical reactions, you should review some safety rules and
basic lab skills.
S K I L L PRACTICE
SAFETY IN THE SCIENCE LAB

Look at Figure 1.1. Some of the students are not following proper safety procedures.
Work with a partner to identify and list the problem actions in a table. Then suggest a
better, safer way to perform each action. After you have finished, share your
Figure 1.1 Students at
observations with the class. work in the lab
Matter Can Be Described and Organized by Its Physical and Chemical Properties 93
info BIT SAFETY HAZARD SYMBOLS
Before you do any activity in this unit, read the directions and look for
Symbol Shapes “Caution” notes that will tell you if you need to take extra care. There are
These shapes and their two areas of special consideration for people working in the lab:
colours indicate how
understanding warning labels and following safety procedures.
dangerous a substance is.
Some of the materials you will use in science activities are hazardous.
Always pay attention to the warning labels, and follow your teacher’s
instructions for storing and disposing of these materials. If you are using
cleaning fluids, paint, or other hazardous materials at home, read the
labels for special storage and disposal advice.
caution All hazardous materials have a label showing a hazard symbol. You
may have seen these labels on chemical substances in your kitchen or
garage. For example, many kinds of window cleaner contain ammonia,
which is toxic and corrosive. Car batteries contain sulfuric acid which is
also toxic and corrosive, and lead which is toxic.
Each hazard symbol shows two separate pieces of information. The
warning shape of the symbol indicates how hazardous a substance is. A yellow
triangle means “caution,” an orange diamond means “warning,” and a red
octagon means “danger.” These shapes are shown in the infoBIT on this
page. The second piece of information in the symbol is the type of hazard,
which is indicated by the picture inside the shape. Figure 1.2 shows the
common hazard warnings.
danger
flammable toxic explosive
irritant corrosive biological electrical
Figure 1.2 These symbols warn you of specific hazards.
WHMIS SYMBOLS
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System—or WHMIS—is
another system of easy-to-see warning symbols on hazardous materials.
These symbols were designed to help protect people who use materials
that might be harmful at work. Figure 1.3 shows eight WHMIS symbols.

In several activities in this unit, you will encounter the symbols for re SEARCH
poisonous material, dangerously reactive material, and corrosive (or
caustic) material. For example, hydrogen peroxide is very reactive and can MSDS
burn your skin, and battery acid is corrosive. Treat both chemicals with Materials and Safety Data
extreme care whenever you use them. Sheets (MSDS) are
information sheets about
specific chemicals. Find
out what type of
information is on the
MSDS. Begin your search
compressed gas dangerously reactive oxidizing poisonous and infectious at www.pearsoned.ca/
material material causing immediate and scienceinaction.
serious toxic effects
flammable and biohazardous corrosive poisonous and

combustible infectious material material infectious causing
material other toxic effects Figure 1.3 WHMIS symbols
UNDERSTANDING THE RULES

When you perform science activities of any kind, it is very important to
follow the lab safety rules shown below. Not following one or more of
these rules could result in injury to you or your classmates. Your teacher
will also discuss any specific rules that apply to your classroom. For more
information on lab safety, see Toolbox 1.
Lab Safety Rules
1. Read all written instructions carefully before doing an 10. Clean up any spilled substances immediately as
activity. instructed by your teacher.
2. Listen to all instructions and follow them carefully. 11. Never look into test tubes or containers from the top.
3. Wash your hands thoroughly after each activity and Always look through the sides.
after handling chemicals. 12. Never use cracked or broken glassware. Make sure
4. Wear safety goggles, gloves, or an apron as required. you follow your teacher’s instructions when getting
5. Think before you touch. Equipment may be hot and rid of broken glass.
substances may be dangerous. 13. Label any container you put chemicals in.
6. Smell a substance by fanning the smell toward you 14. Report all accidents and spills immediately to your
with your hand. Do not put your nose close to the teacher.
substance. 15. If there are WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials
7. Do not taste anything in the lab. Information System) safety symbols on any chemical
8. Tie back loose hair and roll up loose sleeves. you will be using, make sure that you understand all
the symbols. See Toolbox 1 at the back of this book.
9. Never pour liquids into containers held in your hand.
Place a test tube in a rack before pouring substances
in it.
KEEP SAFETY IN MIND
Remember that safety in the science class begins with you. Before you
start any activity:
• Follow the safety instructions outlined by your teacher and in this
textbook.
• Identify possible hazards and report them immediately.
• Show respect and concern for your own safety and the safety of your
classmates and teachers.
• Read Toolbox 1: Safety in the Laboratory.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Why is it important for all students to follow the safety rules while in
a science class?
2. What does WHMIS stand for?
3. Why is there a need for a WHMIS program?
4. One area of special consideration for people working in a lab is
(a)
understanding warning labels. What is the other special consideration?
5. What does each hazard warning label mean on the chemicals shown
in Figure 1.4?

6. What type of WHMIS symbols would you expect to see on the
following containers?
(b) a) a can of gasoline
b) a tub of caustic cleaning chemical
c) a bottle of oxygen gas
d) a bottle of sulfuric acid
7. Explain the difference between WHMIS symbols and safety symbols
used on commercial products.
8. List the steps a student should take before starting a science activity
where safety is an issue.
9. Describe one problem that may occur with having different coloured
(c) safety symbols.

10. Divide the lab safety rules given on page 95 among members of your
class. Have each person or group make a poster illustrating the rule.
Display your safety posters in your classroom to remind everyone of
the importance of following these rules.
(d) 11. What additional lab safety rules would you add to the list on page 95?
Figure 1.4 Question 5. Warning labels on hazardous products.

1.2 Organizing Matter info BIT
Matter exists as a solid, liquid, or gas. These are called the states of matter. Plasma
The state of a substance—solid, liquid, or gas—depends on temperature. A fourth state of matter is
Specific terms are used to describe changes of state in substances. A the plasma state.
change from a solid to a liquid is melting. A change from a liquid to a gas Examples of plasmas are
is evaporation (also known as vaporization). A change from a gas to a found in lightning, neon
liquid is condensation and from a liquid to a solid is freezing. A solid can signs, and stars such as
also change directly into a gas; this process is called sublimation. A gas our Sun. Plasmas result
can change directly to a solid. This is called deposition. when a large amount of
energy is added to a gas.
sublimation
solid melting liquid evaporation gas
freezing condensation
deposition
Figure 1.5 Changes in states of matter
To understand how substances differ, you need to observe their

properties. Properties are characteristics that can be used to describe a
substance. All matter has two types of properties: physical and chemical.
Q U I C K LAB
ORGANIZING THE PROPERTIES OF MATTER

To describe and classify materials by their properties • paper
• pencil
Procedure • scissors
1 Cut a sheet of notepaper into eight equal pieces. These are your summary cards.
2 Your teacher will give you samples of the following materials: copper wire,
vinegar, salad oil, aluminum foil, granite, graphite, rock salt, lemonade, and baking
soda. At the top of each summary card, write the name of one of the materials
(one card per material).
3 Study each material sample in turn, and write a short description of the material.
Refer to as many different properties as you can to describe the material so you
can show how it differs from the other materials you study.
4 Divide the materials into groups having similar properties. You should have at
least four groups. Determine a name that best describes each of these groups, or
classifications.
Questions
5 Compare your classification system with that of your classmates. What similar
97
properties did everyone use? What different properties did everyone use?
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER
Some Physical Properties
A variety of physical properties can be used to identify matter. Two
of Matter
examples are colour and lustre (shininess). The temperature at which a
• colour
substance melts is also a physical property. It’s important to remember that
• lustre
when a substance undergoes a physical change, such as melting, its
• melting point
appearance or state may be altered, but its composition stays the same.
• boiling point
Melted chocolate ice cream has the same composition as frozen chocolate
• hardness
ice cream. The table on page 99 lists several of the key physical properties
• malleability
used to describe matter.
• ductility
• crystal shape
• solubility Figure 1.6 This ice cream has
• density undergone a physical change.
• conductivity Even though it has melted, its
composition hasn’t changed.
Q U I C K LAB
OBSERVING A PHYSICAL CHANGE

To investigate a physical change and the factors that influence the rate of change • soda pop
• 2 glasses (or large test
Procedure tubes)
1 Fill the two glasses about two-thirds full with soda pop. • chewy mint candy such as
Menthos
2 Into one glass, drop a piece of the mint candy. Watch what happens in both
• pencil and notebook
glasses and record your observations.
3 Identify one variable you could manipulate to increase the rate of change that
occurs.
4 Write a procedure to perform this test. Identify your control, the manipulated
variable, and the responding variable. Also decide how you will measure your
responding variable.
5 Ask your teacher to approve your procedure. Then, carry out the test.
6 Record your results.
Questions
7 Adding a candy to the pop causes a physical change to occur. The candy
reduces the surface tension in the liquid, allowing gas to be released faster.
Does the composition of the candy change after it is added to the pop?
8 Why were you required to fill two glasses with pop in step 1, but to add candy
to only one glass in step 2?
9 What factors influenced the rate at which the gas was released from the pop?
What data did you collect to support your answer?

Some Physical Properties of Matter
Melting point The melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes from a solid to a liquid.
The melting point of ice is 0°C. At this temperature, it changes into water. Other substances have
different melting points. For example, table salt melts at 801°C, and propane melts at 190°C.
Boiling point The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which its liquid phase changes to the gas
phase. At sea level, water’s boiling point is 100°C. Table salt boils at 1413°C, and propane boils
at 42°C.
Hardness Hardness is a substance’s ability to resist being scratched. Hardness is usually measured on the
Mohs’ hardness scale from 1 to 10. The mineral talc is the softest substance on the scale (1).
Diamond is the hardest (10). Figure 1.7 shows the scale.
Malleability A substance that can be pounded or rolled into sheets is said to be malleable. Metals such as
gold and tin are malleable. Aluminum foil is an example of a product made from a malleable
substance.
Ductility Any solid that can be stretched into a long wire is said to be ductile. The most common example
of a ductile material is copper.
Crystal shape The shape of a substance’s crystals can help identify it. Silicon crystals, for example, are diamond
shaped. Salt crystals form cubes.
Solubility Solubility is the ability of a substance to be dissolved in another. For example, sugar is soluble in
water, but cooking oil is not.
Density Density is the amount of mass in a given volume of a substance. The density of water is 1 g/mL.
The density of gold is 19 g/cm3.
Conductivity Conductivity is the ability of a substance to conduct electricity or heat. A substance that conducts
electricity or heat is called a conductor. A substance with little or no conductivity is an insulator.
1 2 3 4 5
Talc Gypsum Calcite Fluorite Apatite
6 7 8 9 10
Feldspar Quartz Topaz Corundum Diamond
Figure 1.7 Mohs’ hardness scale
ACTIVITY B-1
I D E N T I F Y I N G M Y S T E RY S U B S TA N C E S
Inquiry
The Question
How can the properties of a substance be used to identify it?
Procedure
Part 1—Examining Five Substances
1 Copy the table shown on the next page into your notebook.
• salt, baking soda, corn starch,
sodium nitrate, sodium 2 Collect five substances from your teacher.
thiosulfate 3 Perform the tests described below to identify the properties of the substances. You
• black paper do not have to do the tests in the order shown below, but you must do all of them.
• hand lens
4 Make sure the data table is completely filled in before you begin part 2 of the activity.
• water
• 5% acetic acid or 5% Test 1—Appearance
hydrochloric acid
5 Use one sheet of black paper for all your samples. Place a small amount of each
• iodine solution
powder in different places on the same sheet of black paper. Make sure that your
• wax paper or spot plate
powder samples are not touching each other.
• disposal containers
6 Describe the appearance of each powder. Record your observations in the data table.
Test 2—Crystal shape

7 Use a hand lens or microscope to examine the grains of each powder. Record your
observations in the data table.
8 Dispose of the powders and the black paper in the container provided.
Test 3—Behaviour in water

9 Use one large sheet of wax paper or a spot plate for all your samples. Place a small
amount of each powder on the wax paper or spot plate.
10 Add a drop of water to each powder. Record your observations in the data table.
11 Dispose of the powders and the wax paper in the container provided. Clean the spot
plate.
Test 4—Behaviour in acid

12 Place a small amount of each powder on a new sheet of wax paper or a clean spot
Figure 1.8 Step 7 plate.
13 Add a drop of 5% acetic acid solution or 5% hydrochloric acid solution to each
powder. Record your observations in the data table.
plate.
Test 5—Behaviour in iodine

15 Place a small amount of each powder on a new sheet of wax paper or a clean spot
plate.
16 Add a drop of iodine solution to each powder. Record your observations in the data
table.
plate thoroughly.

Part 2—Identifying Unknown Substances
18 Collect an unknown sample from your teacher. Record the letter or number of the
sample in the data table next to the word “unknown.”
19 Determine the properties of the unknown sample by repeating the five tests above,
and record your observations in the data table.

20 For each substance, one or two tests clearly identified it as being unique from the
other substances. What were those tests for each of the white powders?
21 Were some tests more useful than others? Explain your answer.
22 Were the results of some of the tests confusing? Explain your answer.
23 What substance or substances were in your unknown sample?
Forming Conclusions
24 Describe how you inferred what substance or substances were in your unknown
sample. Use your data to support your conclusions.

Knowing the properties of a substance is essential to finding practical uses for it. For
example, corn starch can be used to make glue. If corn starch is cooked with an acid, a
sticky, adhesive substance is produced. A similar substance can be produced from the
solid materials that form after acid is added to milk. This substance is called casein.
Casein can be mixed with a basic solution to form a strong glue.
Substance State Appearance Crystal Behaviour Behaviour Behaviour

Shape in Water in Acid in Iodine
salt
baking soda
corn starch
sodium nitrate
sodium
thiosulfate
unknown
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER
A chemical property describes how a substance interacts with other
Chemical Properties of
substances such as acids. Chemical properties are observable only when a
Matter—Examples
chemical change occurs. A chemical change always results in the
formation of a different substance or substances. For example, if you make
• reaction with acids
pancakes, you mix together flour, milk, baking powder, sugar, and other
• ability to burn
ingredients, each with its own set of physical properties. When you cook
• reaction with water
them, however, they form a completely new substance—a pancake. The
• behaviour in air
pancake has different properties from those of its ingredients.
• reaction to heat
Figure 1.9 Cooking the

pancake ingredients changes
them into a different
substance.
PURE SUBSTANCE OR MIXTURE?

All matter is either a pure substance or a mixture. Physical and chemical
properties show us whether a substance is “pure” or a mixture.
Types of Pure Substances

A pure substance is made of only one kind of matter and has a unique set
of properties that sets it apart from any other kind of matter. Mercury and
sugar are two examples. A pure substance may be either an element or a
compound.
• An element is a material that cannot be broken down into any simpler
substance. Elements are the basic building blocks for all compounds.
Later in this unit, you will learn how elements are organized into a
periodic table according to their properties. Each element has its own
symbol. For example, hydrogen is H, carbon is C, and oxygen is O.
• When two or more elements combine chemically—that is, in specific,
fixed proportions—they form a compound. When the elements
hydrogen and oxygen are combined in specific proportions, they form
the compound water. Carbon and oxygen chemically combined form
the compound carbon dioxide, the gas that is used to create the “fizz”
in carbonated drinks. Later in this unit, you will learn that compounds
have chemical names and formulas. For example, water is H2O and
carbon dioxide is CO2.
The structural composition of elements and compounds is discussed
further in Section 2.0.

Types of Mixtures
A mixture is a combination of pure substances. However, the substances
in a mixture do not combine chemically as happens when a compound is
formed. They remain in their original, pure form, even though they are
not always easy to see distinctly once the mixture is made. There are four
main types of mixtures:
• In a mechanical mixture, the different substances that make up the
mixture are visible. Soil is an example of a mechanical (or
heterogeneous) mixture. So is a package of mixed vegetables.
• In a solution, the different substances that make it up are not
separately visible. One substance is dissolved in another, creating
what looks like one homogeneous substance. Examples of solutions
are shown in the table below.
Type of Solution Example

Solid dissolved in liquid sugar in hot coffee
Liquid dissolved in liquid acetic acid in water (to create white vinegar)
Gas dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide gas in water (to create carbonated pop)
Gas dissolved in gas oxygen and smaller amounts of other gases in nitrogen
(in the atmosphere)
Solid dissolved in solid copper in silver (to create sterling silver)
Figure 1.10 You use many
different kinds of mixtures
Chemists call a substance dissolved in water an aqueous solution. and solutions each day.
Examples include fresh water, vinegar, and cleaning solvents.
• A suspension is a cloudy mixture in which tiny particles of one
substance are held within another. Tomato juice is an example of a
suspension. These particles can be separated out when the mixture is
poured through filter paper.
• A colloid is also a cloudy mixture, but the particles of the suspended
substance are so small that they cannot be easily separated out from
the other substance. Milk and ketchup are examples of colloids.
re SEARCH
Matter
Other Types of Mixtures
Gels are colloids used in
beauty products. Find
Pure substances Mixtures out how these types of
mixtures are created, and
how they are used in
various applications.
Elements Compounds Begin your search at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Mechanical Solutions Suspensions Colloids
mixtures
Figure 1.11 Classifying matter
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What physical properties could be used to describe a substance?
2. Give two examples to illustrate the difference between a physical and a
chemical property.
3. How is an element different than a compound? Give an example of each.
4. What is the difference between a pure substance and a mixture?
5. How is a suspension different from a colloid?

6. The melting and boiling points of five chemical substances are shown in
the table below. What state of matter does each exist in at room
temperature (about 20°C)?
Substance Melting Point Boiling Point State at Room

(°C) (°C) Temperature
water 0 100
oxygen 218 183
ammonium nitrate 170 210
ethanol 117 79
mercury 39 357
7. What physical property is described by each of the following

statements?
a) Solid oxygen melts at 218°C.
b) A penny cannot scratch glass.
c) Silver is shiny.
d) Gold can be made into thin sheets.
e) Both aluminum and copper can be used for making wire.
8. Classify the following substances as an element, compound, or mixture:
a) Pop is composed of water, sugar, and carbon dioxide.
b) Graphite in a pencil is composed of carbon.
c) Carbon dioxide is composed of carbon and oxygen.
9. Someone sprinkles dilute acetic acid over your French fries. Are they
safe to eat? Explain your answer.

10. Create a concept map to illustrate the different categories of matter. Use
the following terms: matter, solution, element, homogeneous mixture,
heterogeneous mixture. Include an example of each in your map.
11. Find out how mixtures can be modified to meet human needs. For
example, a substance obtained from the sea weed carrageen is added to
many brands of ice cream as a thickener.

info BIT
1.3 Observing Changes in Matter
Detecting Changes in
Think about the changes in matter you have observed in nature and
Blood
elsewhere. For example, in the spring, you can see ice—solid water— Canadian scientist Imant
become liquid water. At home, you can heat water in a kettle and watch it Lauks invented a device
vaporize as steam. These changes are easy to see, but others are not. For called the I-Stat. In
example, the hemoglobin which carries oxygen in your blood changes 2 min, this device can
colour when carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged in your lungs. perform 12 different tests
As you learned in section 1.2, changes in matter are classified as to identify changes that
physical or chemical. A physical change is one in which a material have occurred in a
changes from one state to another. The material can also physically change person’s blood. This
back into its original state. When frozen apple juice is thawed, it melts process used to take
from a solid to a liquid. If you refreeze the juice, it will turn back into a hours or days.
solid. Its composition will remain the same in all states.
A chemical change occurs when two or more materials react and create
new materials. The new materials have completely different properties
from the original substances. How can you tell when a chemical change is
underway or has taken place? The main pieces of evidence to look for are
changes in colour, odour, state, or thermal energy during, or as a result of,
the reaction between the original substances. Examples are shown below:
Evidence of Chemical Change Example

Change in colour When bleach is added to the dye on a denim jacket,
a noticeable colour change occurs.
Change in odour When a match is struck, the substances in the match
head react and give off a distinctive odour.
Formation of a solid or gas When vinegar (a liquid) is added to baking soda
(a solid), carbon dioxide gas is formed.
Release or absorption of heat energy When gasoline burns in a car engine, heat is released.
Sometimes, it can be unclear whether a material’s change in state means

that a chemical or a physical change has occurred. In such situations,
chemical analysis in the lab is required to confirm the nature of the change.
S K I L L PRACTICE
IDENTIFYING PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES Figure 1.12(a–e)
For each example in Figure 1.12,

identify the change shown as either a
physical change or chemical change. If
you are not sure what type of change
is happening, note that. Review all the
examples again when you have
finished working through this section.
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
ACTIVITY B-2
I N V E S T I G AT I N G P H Y S I C A L AND CHEMICAL CHANGES

Inquiry
The Question
What are some characteristics of physical changes and chemical changes?
Procedure
1 You will investigate four different reactions described below.
• sodium carbonate
2 Copy the data table shown on the next page into your notebook. Fill it in as you
• 250-mL beaker complete each test.
• dilute hydrochloric acid
• aluminum foil Test 1—Sodium carbonate and hydrochloric acid
• sugar 3 Put a pea-sized pile of sodium carbonate into a small beaker or plastic cup. In your
• candle data table, describe the appearance of the sodium carbonate.
• Plasticine
4 Observe the dilute hydrochloric acid. If you are unable to see inside the container, use
• matches
• wooden clothespin or tongs
a clear eyedropper to remove a small sample of the acid. Record your observations.
• 3 test tubes 5 Predict what you think will happen when you add the dilute hydrochloric acid to the
• sodium carbonate solution sodium carbonate.
• copper(II) sulfate solution 6 Add 5 to 8 drops of dilute hydrochloric acid to the sodium carbonate. Record your
• 5-mL measuring spoon observations.
• test-tube holder
• copper(II) sulfate (solid)
Test 2—Sugar and heat
• water
• stirring rod 7 Use a piece of aluminum foil to make a small cup shape. Put a pea-sized pile of sugar
into the centre of the aluminum cup. In your data table, describe the appearance of
the sugar.
8 Predict what you think will happen when the sugar is heated.
Caution! 9 Stand a candle securely in some Plasticine, and light the candle.
Make sure long hair 10 Using tongs or a wooden clothespin, hold the aluminum cup containing the sugar
and loose clothing over the candle’s flame. Slowly move the cup back and forth over the flame to heat
are tied back. the sugar. Record your observations.
11 When you are finished, place the aluminum cup in a safe place to cool.
Test 3—Copper(II) sulfate and sodium carbonate

12 Place 5 mL of copper(II) sulfate solution in a test tube. Place 5 mL of sodium
carbonate solution in another test tube. In your data table, describe the appearance of
Caution! each solution.
Copper(II) sulfate is 13 Record your prediction of what will happen when the two solutions are combined.
poisonous and can 14 Combine the two solutions and record your observations.
stain your clothes 15 When you are finished, dispose of the solution as directed by your teacher.
and skin.

Test 4—Copper(II) sulfate and water
16 Place a pea-sized pile of copper(II) sulfate in a
clean test tube and place the test tube in a
holder. In your data table, record the
substance’s appearance.
17 Record your prediction of what will happen
when water is added to the copper(II) sulfate.
18 Add 15 mL of water and record your
observations. Use a stirring rod to mix the
water and copper(II) sulfate. Record your
observations.
Figure 1.13 Test 4

19 Which of the changes that you observed were physical?
20 What observations helped you identify a physical change?
21 Which of the changes that you observed were chemical?
22 What observations helped you identify a chemical change?
Forming Conclusions
23 Create a summary, chart, or picture to illustrate the observations you might make to
describe the characteristics of a chemical change and a physical change.
Change Observations Predictions Observations Observations Type of

before during after Change Change
Change Change (Physical or
Chemical)
Station 1: Sodium
carbonate and dilute
hydrochloric acid
Station 2: Sugar and heat
Station 3: Copper(II) sulfate
and sodium carbonate
Station 4: Copper(II) sulfate
and water
CONTROLLING CHANGES IN MATTER TO MEET HUMAN NEEDS
In our everyday life, there are many examples of how understanding and
controlling changes in matter help us meet our basic needs. One example
you might be interested to read about is the freeze-drying of foods. Freeze-
drying is a way to preserve foods so that they can be eaten months—and
sometimes even years—later. As well, freeze-drying makes foods easy to
prepare—all you have to do is add hot water.
In the freeze-drying process, the food is first frozen to convert the
water content in the food to ice. The frozen food is then put in a pressure
chamber and the pressure is reduced until the ice sublimes (changes from
a solid to a gas). The result is that about 98% of the water in the original
food item is removed. This leaves a food that is about 10% its original
mass and that, once packaged, doesn’t have to be refrigerated. When it’s
time to eat, all you do is stir in hot water!
Figure 1.14 If you’ve ever kayaked, you know the importance of keeping your supplies as light as
possible. Freeze-dried foods weigh little and take only minutes to prepare.
The technique of freeze-drying is also used by biologists to study

tissue samples and by restoration experts to rescue important documents
Figure 1.15 A highly
that are water damaged.
magnified photo of a “freeze- Another process, developed by the U.S. Army, makes freeze-dried food
fractured” cell. In this even more convenient. Instead of having to be heated over a fire or
process, plant or animal portable stove, the “Meal, Ready to Eat” (also referred to as an MRE) is
tissue is rapidly frozen. The heated in a special package called a “Flameless Ration Heater.” This
ice formed within each cell is
makes MREs especially useful for soldiers, astronauts, and mountain
then removed by various
evaporation techniques. The
climbers. To be warmed up, the freeze-dried MRE is placed in the
result is a clearly revealed Flameless Ration Heater pouch. The pouch contains magnesium, iron, and
cell structure: nucleus, pores, salt. When a little water is added to these chemicals, the resulting
and membrane. chemical change releases heat—enough to warm the freeze-dried contents.

FROM CORN TO NAIL POLISH REMOVER AND PLASTIC WRAP? re SEARCH
Scientists are also able to change common materials into other useful
products. For example, chemicals made from corn can be used to make What Makes a Match
soda pop bottles, remove paint or nail polish, and fuel some cars. Corn is Light?
put through a chemical change called fermentation. Once this chemical When a match burns,
the wood or paper
process is complete, the new substances are recovered, purified, and made
undergoes combustion,
into biodegradable plastics, solvents, and gasohol. Corn-based
but how does the
biodegradable plastics such as bottles and plastic wrap are better for the
match ignite? Find out
environment because they can be decomposed by bacteria. Corn-based about the chemical
solvents for removing paint and nail polish are not as harmful to the reactions that occur
environment as other types of solvents. Gasohol provides a renewable when a match is lit.
type of fuel for automobiles. Begin your research at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What is the difference between a chemical change and a physical
change?
2. Copy the following table into your notebook and fill in the blanks:
Changes in Matter
Event
Observable Changes Type of Change
Baking bread
Burning wood
Freezing water
Mixing sugar and water

3. Describe three indicators of a chemical change. Include examples of
each.
4. An unknown white solid is heated for 1 min. It is observed that (a) the
solid disappears, leaving a colourless liquid; and (b) after the liquid
cools, a white solid appears. What kind of change is this? Explain the
reason for your choice.
5. Describe an example of how humans control changes in matter to
meet their basic needs.

6. Find one example of a physical change and one of a chemical change
not discussed in this section. Share your findings with the class.
7. Is popping popcorn a physical or chemical reaction? Explain your
answer.
SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Define matter.
2. What do the following symbol shapes represent?
3. Why does everyone working with hazardous materials use WHMIS?

4. Create a diagram illustrating the different states of matter. Name the
process that makes the change in state possible.
5. Name at least six properties of matter that can be used to describe a
substance.
6. Identify each of the following as either a physical or a chemical
change:
a) Acid is dropped on limestone and bubbling occurs.
b) Snow turns into rain just before it reaches the ground.
c) A strip of magnesium is ignited, and it burns brightly.
d) Solid carbon dioxide, or dry ice, sublimes into carbon dioxide gas.
7. Define the terms physical change and chemical change. Include the
words water, baking soda, sugar, and vinegar in your definitions.
8. Describe the four main types of mixtures that can be formed.
9. Explain the difference between deposition and freezing.
10. List three examples of physical changes you have observed today.

11. Describe two occupations in which knowledge of WHMIS is
important.
12. What safety symbol would appear on the following?
a) an aerosol can of hair spray
b) an agar plate of bacteria culture
c) a 4-L jug of bleach
d) a gasoline can
13. What WHMIS symbol would be used in each case listed in
question 12?
14. Compare and contrast physical properties with chemical properties.
15. What physical properties could be used to identify the following?
a) copper metal
b) water

SECTION REVIEW
16. Using the classification of matter chart as a guide (Figure 1.11), create
a classification system for the following substances: chocolate chip
cookies, coffee with milk in it, aluminum foil, potting soil, a gold
medal, pizza, sugar, and garbage. Be sure to list the properties you
used to guide your classification.
17. Explain the difference between a suspension and a colloid.

18. Why are there two different sets of safety symbols for labelling
chemicals?
19. Your class is going to be doing a chemistry experiment with a grade 1
class. You are partnered with two students from the younger class.
What would you tell them about safety before the activity begins?
20. You are given three unlabelled containers, each with a white powder.
Your teacher tells you that the powders could be baking soda, corn
starch, or sodium nitrate. Describe the chemical tests you need to
perform to identify each powder.

On
The goal of science is to develop knowledge about our natural world. This
includes knowledge about the nature of substances, how they interact to
form new substances, and how these interactions can be controlled and
used in a practical way. Working with a partner or the whole class,
consider the following questions:
1. Identify an example of a physical change. How do you know a
physical change has occurred? What evidence do you have?
2. Identify an example of two or more substances interacting to produce
a chemical change. How do you know a chemical change has
occurred? What evidence do you have?
3. Describe several chemical changes that you think are useful either to
you personally or to society in general. What characteristics or
properties of each of these reactions make them useful?
An understanding of the nature of
2.0 matter has developed through
observations over time.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• substances and their properties
atomic theory
• periodic table
Learning Outcomes
• distinguish between
observation and theory, and
provide examples of how
models and theoretical ideas
are used in explaining
observations
• demonstrate understanding of
the origins of the periodic
table, and relate patterns in the
physical and chemical
properties of elements to their
positions in the periodic table Humans have been warming themselves around campfires for thousands
• use the periodic table to: of years. You may have sat around a campfire and enjoyed the heat. You
– identify the number of may even have cooked over a fire. What do you think early humans might
protons and electrons in have wondered about this mysterious flame that gives off heat and light?
each atom, as well as other Some of them likely puzzled over why fire turns wood black or makes it
information about each atom smell different. Maybe they would have wondered what happened to the
– describe the relationship wood after the fire had burned out. By being curious about the world
between the structure of around them, these people were the first to try to learn more about
atoms in each group and the
substances and how they behave.
properties of elements in that
In this section, you will learn how our understanding of matter has
group
changed over time. As you read, you will begin to appreciate how asking
questions is a key first step we use in making sense of our world. Then,
from our observations and experiments, we develop theories and build
models to predict and explain what we see. We test these, adjust them, try
out new ideas, and eventually reach what seems to be the reasonable
answers to our questions. It all begins with curiosity.

2.1 Evolving Theories of Matter
As people observe the natural world around them, they try to make sense
of their observations by suggesting explanations. They develop theories to
explain what they see. Over time, the theories are modified as new
evidence is discovered. The understanding of the structure of matter grew
in this way.
STONE AGE CHEMISTS

The first chemists lived before 8000 B.C. in an area now called the Middle
East. This period is known as the Stone Age because humans used only
simple stone tools at the time. Metals had not been discovered.
Once these first chemists learned how to start and control fire, they
learned how to change a range of substances to their advantage. For
example, they could cook their food, fire-harden mud bricks to strengthen
them, and make tougher tools. Eventually this ability to control fire led to
the production of glass and ceramic material.
Figure 2.1 Humans in the

Stone Age could make
only simple stone and
bone tools like these.
Stone Age people
improved their lives when
they discovered how to
start and control fires.
They used fire mainly for
cooking and warmth.
G I V E I T A TRY
CREATING A TIME LINE STORY OF MATTER

In this subsection, you will be learning how our understanding of the structure of matter
has developed through history.
1 Make a time line that shows when the key ideas were proposed and who proposed
them. Start your time line at 8000 B.C. and add to it as you read through the
subsection. For each idea, be sure to include the observations the person made that
led to the new theory.
2 Beneath your time line, sketch the model that resulted from the key idea.
3 Mark the final point in your time line “Today.” Draw a diagram beneath this that
shows your own understanding of the structure of matter.
An Understanding of the Nature of Matter Has Developed Through Observations over Time 113
EARLY INTEREST IN METALS AND LIQUID MATTER
Between 6000 B.C. and 1000 B.C.,
early chemists investigated only
materials that had a high value to
humans. Many of these materials
were metals, such as gold and
copper. Gold became highly
valued because of its properties.
It had attractive colour and lustre,
and it didn’t tarnish. Its softness
made it easy to shape into
detailed designs, form into wire,
Figure 2.2 The earliest use of gold was in
and beat into sheets. Because it is jewellery, but it later became very important
so soft, however, gold could not in the making of coins.
be used for tools or weapons.
Copper became valuable because it could be used to make pots, coins,
tools, and jewellery. It was early chemists asking questions that led to an
understanding of copper’s properties and how the material could be
controlled. A piece of natural, untreated copper is brittle—that is, it breaks
easily. In that state, therefore, it isn’t a useful material for making things.
However, when copper is heated, it becomes very useful because it can be
rolled into sheets or stretched into long wires.
The original discovery of the effect of heat on copper was possibly
accidental. A chunk of copper may have fallen into a fire and whoever
picked it out may have asked: Has the copper changed because it was
heated? Testing it would have revealed how much softer it was and that it
was less likely to shatter when hammered. Later experimenting with
copper (about 4500 B.C.) led to the creation of a hard, strong material
known as bronze, which is produced when copper and tin are heated
together.
Figure 2.3 An ornate bronze

sword dating from about
600 B.C.
Figure 2.4 The discovery of copper’s usefulness (such as in these copper spearheads) is a good
example of how asking questions leads to scientific and technological development.

Around 1200 B.C., a group of people in the Middle East
called Hittites discovered how to extract iron from rocks and
turn it into a useful material. The Iron Age began. Eventually,
people learned to combine iron with carbon to produce an even
harder material—steel. Steel meant sharper blades could be
fashioned for hunting and stronger armour could be built to
protect soldiers in battle.
Metals were not the only form of matter that early people
wanted to learn more about. Many cultures investigated the
ways of extracting and using different types of liquids. Juices
and oils were especially important both in everyday life and in
rituals. (In fact, the word “chemistry” may be derived from the
Greek word khemeia, meaning juice of a plant.) In ancient Egypt,
human bodies were preserved after death by being wrapped in
cloths soaked in natural pigments and resins from the juniper
tree. Figure 2.6 shows a mummy preserved with this technique.
Figure 2.5 The knowledge and ability to

process iron and use it to make stronger tools
and weapons changed human society greatly.
re SEARCH
Discovering Different
Metals
Other metals besides
gold and copper have
also been long known.
Find out when tin, silver,
lead, and mercury were
discovered and how they
were first used. Begin
your research at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Figure 2.6 The

ancient Egyptians
developed techniques
for extracting and purifying
juices and oils to use in
mummifying bodies.
info BIT EMERGING IDEAS ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF MATTER
The idea that all matter is made up of particles started with the Greek
Thinking About Matter philosophers about 2500 years ago. They observed that a rock could be
The first people who broken into smaller and smaller pieces until it became a powder. But, they
developed theories about
asked, how many times could you continue to break the particles of
the structure of matter
powder down until they couldn’t be broken down any more? In about 400
were philosophers.
B.C., the Greek philosopher Democritus used the word atomos to describe
Philosophers are people
who think about the world the smallest particles that could not be broken further. Atomos means
and humans’ place in it. “indivisible.”
Rather than performing Democritus stated that each type of material was made up of a
experiments on the nature different type of atomos. These different particles, he believed, gave each
of matter, early material its own unique set of properties. By mixing different atomos, you
philosophers just thought could make new materials with their own unique properties. However, in
about the structure of about 350 B.C. another Greek philosopher, Aristotle, supported a different
matter. Their explanations hypothesis. He stated that everything was made of earth, air, fire, and
and theories were based water. Because Aristotle was well known and well respected, his
on their ideas, not on description of matter was preferred over Democritus’s description for
experimental evidence.
2000 years.
FROM ALCHEMY TO CHEMISTRY

For the next 2000 years after Democritus’s time, experiments with matter
were mainly carried out by alchemists, people who were part magician,
part scientist. (The word “alchemy” comes from the Arabic word al-
kimiya, which translates as “the chemist.”) Today, the study of alchemy
would be called a pseudo-science (an activity that is not a real science
because it includes the use of magic). Alchemists believed that it should
be possible to change metals into gold. They were not interested in
understanding the nature of matter.
Figure 2.7 Until about

A.D. 1600, most people
believed Aristotle’s view
that matter was made up of
earth, air, fire, and water.
Each of these elements had
two main features. For
example, water was wet
and cold, and earth was
dry and cold.
Figure 2.8 Alchemists continued in their search for a way to make gold until about 1600.

Even though they weren’t real scientists, alchemists performed some
of the first chemistry experiments. In doing so, they invented many useful
tools that we still use in labs today, such as beakers and filters. They also
made practical discoveries. For example, the Arab alchemist al-Razi
discovered what we now call plaster of Paris—a material that today’s
doctors still use to hold broken bones in place until they heal. In 1597,
the German alchemist Andreas Libau published Alchemia, a book
describing the achievements of alchemists. In it, however, Libau also
explained how to prepare chemicals such as hydrochloric acid. This type
of information made his book the first chemistry text ever printed. Figure 2.9 Plaster of Paris is
a white, powdery
NEW INTEREST IN ATOMS combination of chemical
substances that, when mixed
From the late 1500s on, people investigating the world around them with water, becomes a quick-
became more like scientists today. They had a greater interest in hardening paste.
understanding the nature of matter and change than the alchemists had.
And, unlike the philosophers, they based their theories on observations
and experimentation.
In the 1660s, Robert Boyle experimented with the behaviour of gases.
He was interested in what happened when gases were placed under
pressure. He was also interested in determining the composition of gases
and other substances. Through his experiments and observations, Boyle
became convinced that matter was made up of tiny particles, just as
Democritus had suggested in about 400 B.C.
Boyle believed that the tiny particles, existing in various shapes and
sizes, would group together in different ways to form individual
substances. Boyle felt that the purpose of chemistry was to determine the
types of particles making up each substance.
Figure 2.10 Robert Boyle
CHEMISTRY DEVELOPS AS A NEW SCIENCE was an Irish aristocrat living
in London. He devoted his
In the 1770s, the French scientist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier studied life to scientific inquiry.
chemical interactions. By the late 1780s, he had developed a system for
naming chemicals. This was significant, for now all scientists could use
the same words to describe their observations. That made it easier to
compare the results of their experiments. Using his naming system,
Lavoisier defined some of the substances discovered to that time,
including hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon.
Because of his experimental and theoretical work, Lavoisier is called
the “father of modern chemistry.” Unfortunately, he supported the losing
side during the French Revolution and was executed by guillotine in
1794. After his death, Lavoisier’s wife, Marie, continued his work. She
had worked with him as his lab assistant.
Figure 2.11 Antoine Laurent and Marie Lavoisier worked together

conducting scientific investigations into chemical interactions.
AN ATOMIC THEORY TAKES SHAPE
In 1808, English scientist John Dalton used the observations from his
experiments to develop his own theory of the composition of matter.
Dalton suggested that matter was made up of elements. He was the first to
define an element as a pure substance that contained no other substances.
Gold, oxygen, and chlorine are examples.
Dalton also put forward the first modern theory of atomic structure. He
stated that each element is composed of a particle called an atom. All
atoms in a particular element, he said, are identical in mass, and no two
elements have atoms of the same mass. For instance, all oxygen atoms
have the same mass, which is different from the mass of chlorine atoms.
Dalton’s model is sometimes called the “billiard ball model” because he
thought of the tiny atoms as solid spheres. While some of Dalton’s ideas
were later modified based on new evidence, his basic description of the
structure of an element was correct.
Figure 2.12 In John Dalton’s

theory, atoms are like solid
billiard balls. The atoms of
each element have a different
mass than atoms in other
elements.
ADDING ELECTRONS TO THE ATOMIC MODEL

Dalton’s work on the structure of the atom was continued by British
physicist J.J. Thomson. He is credited with being the first person to
discover a subatomic particle (a particle smaller than an atom). Thomson,
experimenting with cathode rays, concluded that the rays were made up
of streams of negatively charged particles. He showed that these particles
were much smaller in mass than even a hydrogen atom. He named them
electrons. Although Thomson inferred that these invisible electrons were
part of atoms, many people did not agree with him at first. They believed
that atoms were the smallest particle of matter and could not be broken
down further.
Figure 2.13 Cathode rays are

produced when a piece of metal
is heated at one end of a tube metal plate end of
containing a gas. The heated tube glows
metal sends out a stream of
electrons toward the opposite
end of the tube, causing the end beams of
of the tube to glow. Early electrons
scientists used a simple tube like
the one shown here. Cathode ray
tubes are now used in electrical
devices such as televisions. electrical source

In 1897, Thomson proposed what is called the “raisin bun model” of
the atom. He described the atom as a positively charged sphere in which
negatively charged electrons were embedded like raisins in a bun. Figure
2.14 shows one way of representing this model. The negative electrons
balance the positive sphere, so the whole atom has no electrical charge.
In 1904, the Japanese physicist Hantaro Nagaoka refined the model of
the atom further. In his model, the atom resembled a miniature solar
system (Figure 2.15). At the centre of the atom was a large positive charge.
The negatively charged electrons orbited around this charge like planets
orbiting around the Sun. Most scientists of the day did not agree with this
model because existing theories could not explain it.
Figure 2.14 J.J.Thomson’s

Figure 2.15 Hantaro
model was the first one that
Nagaoka’s model showed
described particles smaller
the atom as a positive
than atoms. This model
sphere around which
represented the atom as a
electrons orbited in a ring,
positive sphere with electrons
like Earth orbiting the Sun.
scattered throughout it—like
raisins mixed in a baked bun.
A CANADIAN CONTRIBUTION TO ATOMIC THEORY

Support for the Nagaoka model and the idea of a central nucleus came
from the British scientist Ernest Rutherford. Rutherford won a Nobel Prize
in 1908 for his work in radioactivity, which he carried out at McGill
University in Montreal from 1898 to 1907. This work contributed to the
development of his model of the atom.
Using Thomson’s model, Rutherford conducted experiments in which
he shot positively charged particles through thin gold foil. He predicted
that all the high-speed particles would pass straight through the foil
without being affected by the gold atoms (Figure 2.16a). Instead, the
results showed that while most particles did behave as predicted, some
were greatly deflected (Figure 2.16b). To explain why this might happen,
Rutherford proposed a new model. He suggested that atoms were mainly Figure 2.16 From
empty space through which the positive particles could pass, but at the experiments with high-
core was a tiny positively charged centre. This he called the nucleus speed particles, Ernest
Rutherford was able to
(Figure 2.16c). He also calculated that the nucleus was only about
infer the existence of an
1/10 000th the size of the atom—like a green pea in a football field. atom’s nucleus.
high-speed particles high-speed particles
nucleus
atom
gold foil gold foil
a) Prediction b) Evidence c) New Model
BOHR’S MODEL
It was Danish researcher Niels Bohr who, working with Rutherford,
suggested that electrons do not orbit randomly in an atom. Bohr said that
they move in specific circular orbits, or electron shells, as shown in
Figure 2.18. He believed that electrons jump between these shells by
gaining or losing energy. For his work in studying the atom, Bohr won the
Nobel Prize in physics in 1922.
electron electron
Figure 2.17 Niels Bohr was
only 28 when he published
his theory of the atom in
1913. In 1922, he won the
Nobel Prize in physics. nucleus nucleus
Hydrogen atom Nitrogen atom
Figure 2.18 Bohr’s model of the atom. Electrons orbit the nucleus in a regular pattern.
re SEARCH Bohr’s model was readily accepted, though with further refinements,
by James Chadwick, another British physicist. Chadwick discovered that
The Quantum Atom the nucleus contained positively charged particles called protons, and
Find out more about the neutral particles called neutrons. The neutron has about the same mass as
quantum nature of the the proton but carries no electrical charge. An electron has only 1/1837th
atom. Use print and the mass of either a proton or a neutron.
electronic resources to Today, most people still use the Bohr model to describe the particles
learn about orbitals and that make up the atom. However, further research in the area of quantum
electron clouds. Begin mechanics has found that the structure of the atom is different again from
your research at that model. The quantum mechanics model of the atom describes
www.pearsoned.ca/ electrons as existing in a charged cloud around the nucleus, shown in
scienceinaction. Figure 2.19.
cloud of electrons
Figure 2.19 Today’s
quantum mechanics model
describes the atom as a
cloud of electrons
surrounding a nucleus.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Gold and copper were the first forms of matter investigated by
humans. Explain why.
2. Where did the word “chemistry” come from?
3. How did Democritus define the atom?
4. Why is Antoine Laurent Lavoisier considered to be the “father of
chemistry”?
5. Name four examples of matter other than gold and copper that have
been studied because of their value.

6. Describe one practical example of alchemists’ work.
7. Explain the difference between J.J. Thomson’s model of the atom and
Ernest Rutherford’s model.
8. Draw a diagram of Niels Bohr’s atom, labelling the position of the
three subatomic particles.
9. What was the significance of the work done by Andreas Libau?
10. What made Robert Boyle’s study of matter different from the previous
work done by philosophers?
11. What changes were made to Thomson’s “raisin bun model”? What
ideas of his remained the same?

12. Do you agree or disagree with the statement “In prehistoric times,
people understood very little about matter”? Explain your answer.
13. Imagine you had interviewed one of the philosophers, alchemists, or
scientists responsible for developing our understanding of the
structure of matter. Write a one-page interview with that person.
14. Compare Boyle’s model of the atom with Rutherford’s model. Use a
diagram and a brief description to support your comparison.
15. Scientists, like most people, have lives outside their work. Select one
of the scientists discussed in this subsection and write a short
biography about his or her life outside of science. Be prepared to read
your biography to the class.
16. Innuit peoples are believed to have been using copper long before
Europeans arrived in North America. Find out more about the Copper
Inuit and present your findings to the class.
Figure 2.20 Ernest Rutherford proposed his nuclear theory of the atom in 1911.
info BIT
2.2 Organizing the Elements
Choose Your Carbon
Looking for patterns and classifying scientific information helps us bring
Some elements exist in
different forms as a solid. order to unorganized ideas. It can also help us interpret what the
Carbon can be a soft information means. As you reviewed in section 1.2, matter can be
black substance called organized in several different ways. It can be classified as solids, liquids,
graphite. Or it can be a or gases; and, in any of those states, it can be classified as pure substances
hard, clear substance (elements or compounds) or mixtures (mechanical mixtures, solutions,
called diamond. suspensions, or colloids).
Q U I C K LAB
MEET THE ELEMENTS

Purpose
To create a table of properties for a range of elements
Procedure
1 Draw a table in your notebook with the following
properties listed across the top: colour, state,
appearance, hardness, magnetism, and electrical
conductivity. List the samples down the left side.
2 Your teacher will put out samples of different
elements in the classroom, as well as the Magnetism
equipment you will need to make some of your Use a magnet to determine whether the element
assessments. Examine each element and fill in the is magnetic.
table with the information you gather about the Electrical Conductivity
properties of each one. The guidelines below will Test electrical conductivity with a simple electrical
help you in your investigation: circuit and a light bulb. If the light bulb goes on
Colour when you touch the two wires to the element, the
Record the colour of each element. If the element element is a conductor. If the light bulb does not
has no colour, call it colourless. go on, the element is an insulator.
State Questions
Record what state the element is in at room 3 Sort the elements into groups that have the same
temperature. or similar properties.
Appearance 4 For each of the groups that share similar
Describe the appearance of each element. Use properties, suggest a collective name to describe
words such as “lustre” (shine) and “texture.” the elements.
Hardness 5 List these elements under their collective group
Determine the hardness of each solid element. headings.

Organizing the elements in a meaningful way was a goal of many early
chemists. In this subsection, you will learn about that effort and the
origins of the periodic table. As well, you’ll learn how important advances
in this classification approach not only revealed trends in the properties
of known elements, but also allowed scientists to predict the existence of
elements not then known. To date, scientists have identified 112
elements. Several of the common ones have been mentioned in this unit
already, including gold, copper, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon.
The characteristics of some of the common elements are listed in Toolbox
12 at the end of this textbook.
LOOKING FOR PATTERNS

Early chemists used symbols of the Sun and planets to represent the seven
metallic elements known at the time. The definition of element that we
use today was developed in the late 1700s. By the early 1800s, more than
30 elements had been identified, including oxygen, lead, and mercury. As
the science of chemistry developed, more and more elements were
identified. To help in the study of elements and compounds, chemists
tried to group elements according to their properties. But this became
confusing because different scientists organized elements in different
ways. A new organization was needed so that everyone would be using
the same system.
Metal gold silver iron mercury tin copper lead Figure 2.21 The symbols for
the Sun and planets closest
Symbol to Earth have long been used
Celestial Body Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn to represent the seven metals
known from ancient times.
One of the first attempts by a scientist to create a better system for

organizing the elements was made by John Dalton, an English chemist. In
the early 1800s, he developed a new set of symbols for elements, as
shown in Figure 2.22.
Figure 2.22 The element

symbols devised by John
Symbol G S Dalton, who lived from 1766
to 1844, were designed to
Element hydrogen oxygen carbon gold silver mercury
improve communication
between chemists.
Dalton’s symbols were later modified by Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob

Berzelius. In 1814, Berzelius suggested using letters rather than pictures to
represent each element. The first letter (capitalized) of an element would
become the symbol. For elements with the same first letter, such as
hydrogen and helium, a small second letter would be added. Thus, “H”
came to stand for hydrogen and “He” for helium. The new system—which
remains the one used today—enabled scientists to communicate with each
other in a precise and understandable manner. The next challenge was to
find a way of putting the elements into an order that made sense.
re SEARCH An Order for the Elements
It was soon realized that the elements could be listed in order of
New Elements increasing atomic mass. Atomic mass is the mass of one atom of an
Use electronic and print element. Scientists were able to determine the average mass of an atom of
resources to find out other elements by comparing it with the mass of a carbon atom (which is
about new elements 12.0). Atomic mass is measured by atomic mass unit (amu).
that have been In 1864, the English chemist John Newlands recognized a pattern
discovered or named in when elements were listed by increasing atomic mass. He noticed that
the past few years. properties of elements seemed to repeat through this list at regular
Share this information intervals. He called this pattern the “law of octaves,” as the pattern was
with your class, using
similar to the octave scale on a piano or other musical instrument. Many
your choice of media.
other scientists thought this law was silly and refused to accept the idea.
Begin your research at
www.pearsoned.ca/
Not until 1869 did a clearer understanding of how to arrange the
scienceinaction. elements emerge. Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev was able to organize
the elements in a way that reflected the patterns in the properties of the
elements.
FINDING A PATTERN
Mendeleev collected the 63 elements known to exist in his time (the mid-
1800s). These included lithium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine,
sodium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine. He then wrote down
the properties of each element on a card, such as melting point, density,
and colour. Using these cards, he tried to sort the elements into a pattern
based on their properties. He also wanted to find a pattern that would
allow him to predict the properties of elements not yet discovered. He felt
that the ability to predict properties of new elements would prove that his
pattern accurately reflected nature.
Mendeleev liked to play a form of the card game solitaire. In that
game, a person looks for patterns in the layout of the cards. Mendeleev
used his element cards like playing cards, laying them out and searching
for patterns. Eventually, he found a pattern that seemed to work. It
showed that the properties of elements vary periodically with increasing
atomic mass. Figure 2.23 shows the chart that Mendeleev developed.
Ti = 50 Zr = 90 ? = 180.
V = 51 Nb = 94 Ta = 182.
= 96 186.
Figure 2.23 Dmitri Mendeleev’s Mn = 55 = 4 = 197,4
original data for the periodic table Fe = 56 Ru = 104,4 Ir = 198.
Ni = 199.
H=1 = 63,4 = = 200.
= 9, 4 Mg 24 Zn = 65,2 Cd = 112
4 = Au = 197?
12 Si ? = 70 = 118
= 14 P 31 As = 75 Sb = 122 Bi = 210
16 = 4
19 Cl 5 Br = 80 I = 127
Li = 7 Na = 23 K 39 Rb = 85,4 Cs = 133 Tl = 204
= 5 = 137 = 207
?Er Ce = 92
?Yt 60 La = 94
?In 5 = 95
Th = 118?

PREDICTING NEW ELEMENTS
Mendeleev noticed some gaps in his chart of the elements, yet was
convinced that his organization of the elements was correct. He predicted
that new elements would be discovered that would have the properties
and atomic mass needed to fit into the gaps. Many scientists didn’t agree
with Mendeleev’s ideas and criticized his work. Within 16 years, however,
the gaps were filled through the discovery of new elements that had the
properties Mendeleev had predicted.
Figure 2.24 Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian scientist, discovered a useful way of organizing the elements.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is the basic building block of all compounds?
2. a) Define the term atomic mass.
b) Why is an understanding of atomic mass important to a person
trying to organize elements?
3. List five properties used in describing an element.
4. Using Toolbox 12 as a guide, identify the elements in the following
common substances:
a) Aspirin
b) battery acid
c) MSG food additive
d) vitamin C

5. What two properties make oxygen different from copper?
6. What properties did Dmitri Mendeleev use to identify patterns in the
elements? Were any properties of greater value than others in helping
him find patterns?
7. Why was it important for Mendeleev to predict the properties of
elements not yet discovered?

8. How were the patterns in the elements that Mendeleev recognized
different from the patterns that John Newlands recognized?
info BIT
2.3 The Periodic Table Today
A New Element
Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table included the 63 known elements of his
One of the newest
elements to be discovered time. Since then, many more elements have been discovered. Today, about
is ununbium. Scientists 112 elements are known (Figure 2.25).
worked steadily for 24 One of the first important finds using Mendeleev’s table was the
days to find just two element gallium. Discovered in 1875, gallium fit into one of the positions
atoms of ununbium. in the periodic table where Mendeleev had placed a question mark. It
matched almost exactly his prediction of the properties of an element that
would fit in that position.
Another question mark in the table wasn’t filled until 1939 when the
element francium was discovered by the French chemist Marguerite Perey.
This element also matched Mendeleev’s prediction almost exactly. This
proved once again that the periodic table was a useful tool for organizing
the elements.
1
Figure 2.25 The 1 1
Solid S Metal
periodic table. The
1
H
element oxygen is Hydrogen
shown as an example
1.0 Liquid Br Metalloid
of the information that 2
the periodic table 3 1 4 2 Gas He Non-metal
provides for each
2
Li Be
element. Lithium Beryllium
6.9 9.0
11 1 12 2
3
Na Mg
Sodium Magnesium
23.0 24.3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
19 1 20 2 21 3 22 3 23 2 24 2 25 2 26 3 27 2
4 5 3 7 2 3
4
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr 6 Mn Fe Co
Potassium Calcium Scandium Titanium Vanadium Chromium Manganese Iron Cobalt
39.1 40.1 45.0 47.9 50.9 52.0 54.9 55.8 58.6
37 1 38 2 39 3 40 4 41 5 42 6 43 7 44 3 45 3
3 2 3
5
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh
Rubidium Strontium Yttrium Zirconium Niobium Molybdenum Technetium Ruthenium Rhodium
85.5 87.6 88.9 91.2 92.9 95.9 (98) 101.1 102.9
55 1 56 2 57 3 72 4 73 5 74 6 75 7 76 2 77 2
2 3 3 3
6
Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os 4 Ir 4
Cesium Barium Lanthanum Hafnium Tantalum Tungsten Rhenium Osmium Iridium

132.9 137.3 138.9 178.5 180.9 183.8 186.2 190.2 192.2
87 1 88 2 89 3 104 105 106 107 108 109
7
Fr Ra Ac Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt
Francium Radium Actinium Rutherfordium Dubnium Seaborgium Bohrium Hassium Meitnerium
(223) (226) (227) (261) (262) (263) (262) (265) (266)
58 3 59 3 60 3 61 3 62 2 63 2 64 3 65 3
4 4 3 3 4
Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb
Cerium Praseodymium Neodymium Promethium Samarium Europium Gadolinium Terbium
140.1 140.9 144.2 (145) 150.4 152.0 157.3 158.9
90 4 91 4 92 3 93 3 94 3 95 3 96 3 97 3
5 4 4 4 4 4
Th Pa U 5
6
Np 5
6
Pu 5
6
Am 5
6
Cm Bk
Thorium Protactinium Uranium Neptunium Plutonium Americium Curium Berkelium
232.0 231.0 238.0 (237) (244) (243) (247) (247)

Today, more new elements are being discovered, but many of these are info BIT
not stable. They have been created in laboratories with special equipment
and have never been found in nature. Still, no matter how the elements A Different Version of
are identified, they all have their place in the periodic table. the Periodic Table
Scientists continue to
UNDERSTANDING THE PERIODIC TABLE organize the elements in
different ways. One
Notice that the periodic table is a series of boxes in rows and columns.
recent example is the
Each horizontal row is called a period (numbered from 1 to 7). Each
three-dimensional
vertical column forms a group, or family, of elements (numbered from 1
periodic table shown
to 18). These groups have similar chemical properties. Every box in the here.
table contains several useful pieces of information.
n=1 H He
N O
n=2 C Li Be F
B Ne
Mn Fe
Cr P S Co
atomic number 8 2 ion charge n=3 U Si
Ti
Na
Al
Mg
Sc
Ar
Cl
Zn
Cu
Ni
O
Gd Tb
symbol Eu Tc Ru Dy
Sm Mo As Se Rh Ho
n=4 Pm Nb Ge K Ca Br Pd Er
Nd Zr Ga Kr Aq Tm
Oxygen name 18 Cm Bk
Pr Y Cd Yb
Ce Lu
2
atomic mass 16.0 He n=5
Pu
Am Re Os Cf
W S b Te
N p Ta S n R b S r
Ir
I
Es
Pt Fm
U Hf In Xe Au Md
Helium
13 14 15 16 17 4.0 Ns Mt
Pa La Hg No
Th Lr
5 3 6 4 7 3 8 2 9 1 10 Sq Bi Po 110
2 5
B C N O F Ne n=6 Ha Pb Cs Ba At 111
Rf Ti Rn 112
Ac 113
Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine Neon
116 117
10.8 12.0 14.0 16.0 19.0 20.2 n=7 115 Fr Ra 118
13 3 14 4 15 3 16 2 17 1 18 114 119
2 4
Al Si P S 6 Cl Ar n=8
–m
120 121
Aluminum Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon

10 11 12 27.0 28.1 31.0 32.1 35.5 39.9 –s +s
28 2 29 1 30 2 31 3 32 4 33 3 34 2 35 1 36 n
+m
3 2 2 5 4
Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se 6 Br Kr
Nickel Copper Zinc Gallium Germanium Arsenic Selenium Bromine Krypton s p d f
58.7 63.5 65.4 69.7 72.6 74.9 79.0 79.9 83.8

46 2 47 1 48 3 49 3 50 2 51 3 52 2 53 1 54
3 1 4 5 4
Pd 4 Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te 6 I Xe
Palladium Silver Cadmium Indium Tin Antimony Tellurium Iodine Xenon
106.4 107.9 112.4 114.8 118.7 121.8 127.6 126.9 131.3
78 2 79 1 80 1 81 1 82 2 83 3 84 2 85 1 86
4 3 2 3 4 5 4
Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
Platinum Gold Mercury Thallium Lead Bismuth Polonium Astatine Radon
195.1 197.0 200.6 204.4 207.2 209.0 209 210 222
110 111 112
Uun Uuu Uub
Ununnilium unununium Ununbium
269 272 277
66 3 67 3 68 3 69 2 70 2 71 3
3 3
Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
Dysprosium Holmium Erbium Thulium Ytterbium Lutetium
162.5 164.9 167.3 168.9 173.0 175.0
98 99 100 101 102 103
Cf Es Fm Md No Lw
Californium Einsteinium Fermium Mendelevium Nobelium Lawrencium
251 252 257 258 259 262
USEFUL INFORMATION ON EACH ELEMENT
Element Symbol and Name
The large letter or letters in each box show the symbol for the element. In
Figure 2.25, you can see that oxygen’s symbol is O. For most elements, the
symbol is an abbreviation derived from the element’s modern chemical
name. For example, the symbol for silicon is Si, and the symbol for
manganese is Mn. However, there are exceptions. For example, the symbol
for gold is Au, which is from aurum, the Latin word for gold. The symbol
for iron is Fe, which is from ferrum, the Latin word for iron. The table
below shows the word origin for several common elements.
Modern Name Symbol Latin Name

Figure 2.26 Not all scientists antimony Sb stibium
who contribute to the
understanding of elements copper Cu cuprum
are recognized. Canadian gold Au aurum
Harriet Brooks is a case in
point. One of her subjects of
iron Fe ferrum
study was the radioactive lead Pb plumbum
element thorium. Brooks was
mercury Hg hydrargyrum
able to measure the mass of
what was thought to be a gas potassium K kalium
being given off by thorium. silver Ag argentum
She showed that this “gas”
was in fact a new element, sodium Na natrium
and it was given the name tin Sn stannum
radon.
tungsten W wolfram
Photo Miss Harriet Brooks, Nuclear
Physicist, Montreal QC, 1898/Notman
Photographic Archives/McCord Museum of
Canadian History, Montreal/II-123880
Other Names for Elements
Not all elements are named for Latin words. Some elements are named
after the location in which they were first discovered. For example,
californium was discovered in 1950 at the University of California. Other
elements are named after scientists who made important contributions to
their field of study. For example, einsteinium, fermium, and curium are
named after Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and Marie Curie.
Atomic Number
The number above the element’s symbol on the left is the atomic number.
It shows how many protons are in the nucleus of one atom of the element.
An oxygen atom, for example, always has eight protons. If you found six
protons in an atom, the periodic table would show you that you were
looking at carbon. Because atoms are neutral, the number of protons
equals the number of electrons. Therefore, the atomic number also tells
you how many electrons are in an atom of a particular element.
Notice that the atomic number increases by one for each element as
you read across the periodic table from left to right.

Atomic Mass
The number below the element’s name is the atomic mass. The atomic
mass tells you the total mass of all the protons and neutrons in an atom.
(Electrons are so tiny that they have very little effect on the total mass of
the atom.) Recall that this is the average mass of the element’s atoms. Not
all atoms in an element have exactly the same mass: some have slightly
higher values than others, and some have slightly lower values. This
difference occurs because of the different number of neutrons from atom
to atom. Atomic mass is measured by atomic mass unit (amu). One amu is
defined as 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12 atom.
Associated with atomic mass is mass number. It represents the sum of
the number of protons and neutrons in an atom. For example, the most
common form of carbon atom has six protons and six neutrons. Its mass
number is therefore equal to 12.
Not all carbon atoms are carbon-12, however. About 1% of carbon
atoms have seven neutrons. The mass number of each of those atoms is
13. There is also one more naturally occurring form of carbon atom, and
its mass number is 14. How would you find out how many neutrons it
has? Subtracting the atomic number (6) from the mass number (14) shows
you there are 8 neutrons in the nucleus of this type of carbon atom:
mass number (14) atomic number (6) number of neutrons (8)
Carbon-14 is present in nature in very Element Atomic Mass Number of Mass Number of
Mass Most Common Type of Second Most Common Type
low concentrations. That’s good, because
(amu) Atom of the Element of Atom of the Element
carbon-14 is radioactive, which means the
atom is unstable and falls apart easily in a hydrogen 1.0 1 2
mini-nuclear reaction, releasing energy. carbon 12.0 12 13
Carbon-14 is present in small amounts in bromine 79.9 79 81
all living things. Scientists use it to find iron 55.8 56 54
the age of biological materials, such as titanium 47.9 48 46
animal fossils. This technique is called lead 207.2 208 206
carbon dating. uranium 238.0 238 235
S K I L L PRACTICE
USING THE PERIODIC TABLE

Use the periodic table to find out how many protons, electrons, and neutrons are
in each of the following elements. The mass number is shown beside each element
in parentheses. Make a table in your notebook to record your results.
a) vanadium (51) e) beryllium (9) i) silicon (28)

b) nickel (58) f) argon (40) j) chromium (52)
c) phosphorous (31) g) magnesium (24) k) titanium (48)
d) bromine (79) h) uranium (238)
ACTIVITY B-3
BUILDING A P E R I O D I C TA B L E
Inquiry
The Question
How can you use a model to represent the patterns in the periodic table?
Procedure
Part 1—Classifying Nuts and Bolts
1 Your teacher will give you a bag that contains 24 nuts and bolts. Take the nuts and
• 24 assorted nuts and bolts
in a bag bolts out of the bag and examine them.
• 1 extra nut or bolt 2 Your bag originally contained 25 nuts and bolts, but your teacher removed one of
• 2 large sheets of paper them. Determine whether a nut or a bolt was removed, and provide as much detail as
• balance you can about the missing piece.
• element cards 3 Share your ideas with your class. How were your ideas similar to your classmates?
• graph paper
How were they different?
4 Collect the missing nut or bolt from your teacher. How close was your description to
the missing object?
5 In step 2, each group probably used a slightly different method of classifying their
nuts and bolts to help them identify the missing one. For step 6, everyone will use
the same classification.
6 On a large sheet of paper, make a grid with five equal-size columns and five equal-
size rows. Make sure the boxes are large enough to hold your largest nut or bolt.
Number the boxes 1 to 25 starting on the top left at number 1 and working across
the row from left to right. The first box in the second row should be number 6.
Figure 2.27 Step 7
7 Place the smallest bolt at number 1 and the largest nut at number 25. Now organize
the rest of your nuts and bolts on the grid.
8 Measure the mass of each nut and bolt and record that information on your grid.

Part 2—Classifying Elements
9 Your teacher will give you a card that describes an element. Find classmates who
have element cards that describe elements with properties similar to yours.
10 Tell the class about the properties that the members of your group all share. If the
class agrees with your grouping, your teacher will assign your group a number.
11 After everyone in the class has been assigned to groups, arrange all the students in
the class in order of atomic mass.
12 Make another five-by-five grid, as you did in step 6. Fill it in using the order of the
elements in the class. In your grid, include the atomic mass for each element.

13 Using the data you collected in part 1, make a graph of nut or bolt mass (responding
or dependent variable) versus nut or bolt number (manipulated or independent
variable). (The number of each nut or bolt is the number of the box in the grid where
the nut or bolt was placed.)
14 What patterns do you notice in this graph? Record your observations.
15 Using the data on the elements from part 2, make a graph of atomic mass versus
atomic number. What patterns do you notice in this graph? Record your
observations.
16 Compare the two graphs you made. What similarities do you see?
17 What similar patterns do you see between the two grids you made in parts 1 and 2?
Forming Conclusions
18 Using the periodic table in Toolbox 12, compare your arrangement of elements with
the arrangement of elements in the periodic table. Describe their similarities and their
differences.

As the infoBIT on page 127 says, different versions of the periodic table have been
developed in the past and are still being developed today. Find examples of these other
periodic tables and present your findings to the class.
Cm
Am Bk
Pu
Gd Tb
Np Eu Cf
Dy
U Sm
Fr Ho
Pa Es
Pm
Rn Ro Th Er
Nd Fm
Cs Tm
Xe Ac Pr Md
Ba Yb
Rb Ce No
Kr La Lu Lr
At K Sr
Db
Ar Jl
I Hf Rf
Br Ne Na Ca Y Ta
Cl Zr W
F HeLi
Be
Mg
Sc
Nb
Mo
Figure 2.28 This is another
H Ti
Se
S
O B V
Cr Bh
version of the periodic table,
N C AI Re
Te
Po p Ga Zn Mn
Tc created by Dr. Theodor Benfey,
Si Cu
As
Ge
Ni
Co
Fe an American chemist.
In Cd Ru
Sb Ag
Pd Os
Sn TI Hg Rh
Bi Hn
Au
Pt
Pb Ir
112
111
110
Mt
PATTERNS OF INFORMATION IN THE PERIODIC TABLE
The periodic table contains a wealth of information related to the
elements, in addition to their atomic number and atomic mass. By
noticing where elements appear in the periodic table, you can tell
something about their general nature.
Notice that a large part of the periodic table on pages 126–127 is green.
All the elements in this area are metals. Metals are shiny, malleable, and
ductile. They also conduct electricity. The elements in the orange area on
the right are non-metals. Non-metals can be a solid or a gas. Solid non-
metals are dull, brittle elements. Non-metals, except carbon, do not
conduct electricity. Because they don’t conduct electricity, they are called
insulators. The diagonal purple row of elements between the metals and
Figure 2.29 Nickel is widely
the non-metals contains elements called metalloids. Metalloids have both
used in solution with other
metallic and non-metallic properties.
metals to create alloys. Some
coins are made of copper-
nickel alloys. Stainless steel Groups
is made of iron, nickel, and Recall that Mendeleev arranged the periodic table to show a variety of
other elements. patterns. The 18 columns in the table contain groups or families of
elements with similar chemical properties.
These groups are numbered from 1 to 18 and are usually referred to by
the first element in the column. For example, group 10 is the nickel group
of elements because nickel is the first element at the top of that column.
The other elements in that group are palladium and platinum. They have
properties that are similar to those of nickel. There are a few exceptions to
this pattern. Group 1 is divided into two parts—hydrogen and the alkali
metals (see page 133). Hydrogen is considered to be a unique element, and
in some periodic tables it is placed in a separate spot away from the other
Figure 2.30 Palladium is elements.
used in dental crowns,
surgical instruments, and Periods
watch parts. The rows in the periodic table, called periods, are numbered 1 to 7. The
number of elements may vary from period to period. The first period has
two elements. Periods 2 and 3 have eight elements, and periods 4 and 5
have 18 elements. You may have also noticed periods 6 and 7 have an
additional 14 elements. These elements are placed separately at the
bottom of the periodic table. This makes it easier to print a periodic table
on a standard-sized page.
As you move from left to right across a period, you will notice that the
properties of the elements change. Within the periods, there is a pattern.
From left to right, the elements gradually change from metals to non-
Figure 2.31 Platinum, highly metals. So the first element in a period, on the far left, is a metal. The last
valued as a precious metal, is element in a period, on the far right, is a non-metal. For example, if you
more expensive than gold. It look at period 4, you’ll see that potassium (K) is a metal and krypton (Kr)
is also used in industry as a is a non-metal. The most reactive metals start on the left. As you move
powder that enables chemical
right, the metals generally become less reactive.
reactions to work better.

Other Interesting Patterns re SEARCH
Group 1 elements, not including hydrogen, are called the alkali metals.
These are the most reactive of the metals. They react when exposed to air Investigate an Element
or water. As you move down the group, starting with lithium, the Select an element from
reactivity increases. Group 2 elements are called the alkaline-earth the periodic table and
metals. They react when exposed to air and water as well, but their find as much information
reactivity is not as strong as that of the alkali metals. as you can about its
Group 17 elements are called the halogens. They are the most reactive properties and uses.
non-metals. For example, fluorine can etch glass, chlorine is commonly Create a poster or Web
used to sterilize the water in swimming pools, and bromine gas is so page to illustrate your
information. Begin your
corrosive it can burn skin. These elements are reactive and can combine
research at
with other elements to form new substances with useful properties.
www.pearsoned.ca/
Sodium, for instance, can be highly reactive with fluorine, producing
scienceinaction.
sodium fluoride—a chemical found in toothpaste.
Group 18 elements are the noble gases, the most stable and unreactive
elements. In fact, it was long believed that noble gases could never
combine with other elements. It wasn’t until 1962 when that idea was
proved incorrect. Canadian chemist Neil Bartlett and his colleagues at the
University of British Columbia synthesized the first noble gas compound,
combining xenon, platinum, and fluorine to create a new substance.
S K I L L PRACTICE
EXPLORING PATTERNS IN THE PERIODIC TABLE

Use the periodic table in Toolbox 12 to answer the following questions.
1 a) How many elements are gases at room temperature (20°C)? Write their chemical
names and symbols.
b) How many elements are liquids at room temperature (20°C)? Write their chemical
names and symbols.
2 What element is found in group 2, period 3?
3 a) What is the symbol of the element with the atomic number 82?
b) What is the atomic number of arsenic?
4 a) What is the symbol of the element with the atomic mass of 238?
b) What is the atomic mass of silver?
5 Use the atomic number, atomic mass, and symbol of the elements to indicate the
number of subatomic particles in an atom of the following elements:
a) electrons in oxygen
b) electrons in Li
c) protons in Na
d) protons in helium
6 Two of the most recent elements to be discovered are ununbium and ununquadrium.
Ununbium has an atomic number of 112 and an atomic mass of 277. Ununquadrium
has an atomic number of 114 and an atomic mass of 289. What do you think the
atomic mass of the element with atomic number 113 will be?
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What is the difference between the atomic number and the atomic
mass of an element?
2. If tin’s mass number is 119 and its atomic number is 50, how many
neutrons are in the nucleus of an atom of tin?
3. Correct the following statements about the periodic table.
a) Neon has 11 protons.
b) The symbol for sodium is So.
c) Beryllium has 4 neutrons.
d) Boron and aluminum are metals.
e) Chlorine has 16 electrons.
4. Match the elements in the list below with one of the following two
descriptions:
i) shiny, ductile conductor of electricity OR
ii) dull, brittle insulator
a) P b) W c) Cu d) F e) Hg f) K
5. Match the term on the left with the description on the right.
Figure 2.32 High-energy
subatomic particles leave a) alkali metal i) a combination of two or more elements
telltale tracks in an b) halogen ii) an unreactive non-metal
experimental cloud chamber. c) element iii) very reactive metal
d) compound iv) a pure substance of the same atoms
e) noble gas v) very reactive non-metal

6. Use the periodic table in Toolbox 12 to answer the following questions:
a) What two elements are liquids at room temperature?
b) What element has the symbol K?
c) What element has 50 protons?
d) What element has a mass of 183.8 amu?
7. Hydrogen is considered to be a unique element. Describe three atomic
properties that make it different from the other elements.
8. Why isn’t atomic mass used to classify an element?

9. Three containers each hold a different “mystery” element. Four of
their properties are shown below. Identify which element is (a) a non-
metal, (b) an alkali metal, and (c) a noble gas.
Colour State at Room Reactivity Conductivity

Temperature
Element X green-yellow gas high no
Element Y colourless gas none no
Element Z silver-white solid high yes

and
Careers Profiles
Quality Control Analyst

A quality control analyst tests products to make sure that conduct a physical
they meet manufacturing specifications before they are examination to confirm
released to consumers. Quality control analysts use a variety the colour and
Sona Arslan is a quality
of equipment during testing. For example, a quality control consistency of the
control analyst at a large
analyst testing medicines would use chromatographs, product. Next, I do a pharmaceutical company.
microscopes, lasers, pH meters, and other devices to test chromatography analysis
the properties of the substances. They also use many to confirm that the ointment is homogeneous. This also
different computer applications to analyze the data. Sona confirms the identity and amount of the main active
Arslan is a quality control analyst for a major pharmaceutical ingredient present in the product. Finally, I do a
company. Pharmaceutical companies make the wide range microscopic examination to make sure there is no foreign
of medicines we use, from headache pills to chemotherapy matter in the product. The test results are reviewed by a
treatments. senior analyst and then signed off by a manager. The
completed test results are sent to the Quality Assurance
Q: Why did you choose the career of quality control analyst?
department. Staff there review the quality control test
A: In high school, I liked and did well in chemistry, so I
results before releasing the product for sale. If the sample
wanted to pursue a career in this field. Quality control
fails the quality control test, an investigation is conducted
analysts work in all types of industries. While at
to determine whether the failing result is related to
university, I became interested in working in the
analyst or instrument error, or to the product. If it is
pharmaceutical industry. In 1998, after I graduated from
product related, the batch is rejected. According to
university with an Honours B.Sc. in chemistry and
Canadian law, no products can be released to market
physics, I obtained a one-year internship at Glaxo
without first passing quality testing.
Wellcome Inc., one of the largest pharmaceutical
Q: What advice do you have for someone thinking about a
manufacturing companies in the world. When I
career like yours?
completed the internship, I was offered a position with
A: You need a B.Sc., preferably in chemistry. It’s also very
the company to continue working as a quality control
helpful to obtain related work experience during the
analyst.
summer or through a co-op program.
Q: What types of skills are required in your work?
A: Some of the skills required are accuracy, attention to
detail, organizational skills, and good computer, 1. Why do you think it’s important for a quality
troubleshooting (problem-solving), and team-work skills. control analyst to have a strong knowledge of the
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work? properties of matter?
A: I enjoy most the “hands on” aspect of my job, as well as 2. What do you think quality control analysts would
the variety of work and challenges that are present. What test for in the following industries?
I do on any given day depends on what test or tests I am • candy making
working on. There is usually a lot of preparation work • soft drink production
that is done before starting a test: glassware and • synthetic fibre manufacturing (e.g., for clothing
reagents must be gathered, test solutions must be made, and furniture)
and instruments calibrated before testing can begin. 3. If you were a quality control analyst, what part of
Q: Can you give an example of how a product is tested? the job would you find most interesting?
A: Here’s what happens when we test an ointment. First, I
SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. What is considered to be one of the first series of events in the study
of chemistry? Explain why this was an important event.
2. How did an early understanding of gases lead to a better
understanding of the atom?
3. What properties could you use to distinguish metals from non-metals?
4. Explain how knowing the boiling point and melting point of a
substance can help you identify it.
5. For each statement below, explain why you think it describes an
element or a compound.
a) An odourless, colourless gas produces water and carbon dioxide
when it burns.
b) A shiny, ductile solid cannot be broken into smaller components.
c) An odourless, colourless liquid can be broken into two different
gases when electricity is passed through it.
d) A toxic, green gas is very reactive with other metals and some non-
metals.
6. What is the difference between a group and a period in the periodic
table?

7. Human history is divided into ages. How did an understanding of
matter help humans move from the Stone Age to the Iron Age?
7 3 8. Describe the atomic model developed by each of the following people:
5
N a)
b)
Democritus
Nagaoka
Nitrogen c) Bohr
d) Chadwick
14.0
9. The diagram in Figure 2.33 is a box from the periodic table. Label each
item of information in the box. What does each item tell you about the
Figure 2.33 Question 9
element?
10. Copy the picture of the atom shown in Figure 2.34 into your notebook.
Use the models of the atom developed by Ernest Rutherford and James
Chadwick to label its parts.
11. While making a dessert in your kitchen, you realize that the salt,
baking soda, and cornstarch are in unlabelled containers. What
properties could you use to identify each substance? No tasting
allowed!

SECTION REVIEW
12. Mendeleev believed that one of the gaps in his first
periodic table would eventually be filled by an element
14 4
he called eka-silicon (Figure 2.35a). Such an element atomic mass Si 2
28.1
had not yet been discovered. In 1871, he predicted what 31 3 32 4 33 3
Ga “Eka-silicon”
2
As 5
the properties of this undiscovered element would be. 69.7 ? 74.9

50 2
In 1886, he was proven correct. a)

Sn 4
118.7
b)
Some Properties of Selected Elements
Element Colour Atomic Mass
Silicon steel grey 28.1
Gallium grey-black 69.7
Eka-silicon
Arsenic silver to grey-black 74.9
Tin grey-white 118.7
Use the information in Figure 2.35b to answer the following

questions:
a) Which of the four elements in Figure 2.35b would you use to
predict the properties of Mendeleev’s new element? Explain
your reasoning.
b) What atomic mass would you predict for eka-silicon?
c) What colour would you predict eka-silicon to be?
d) What do we now call eka-silicon?
e) Why do you think Mendeleev did not use the atomic number
in his work?

On
An idea, such as the description of the structure of an atom, develops
through the contributions of many people over a long period of time.
This is a common process for developing ideas in science. By sharing
and collaborating with people all over the world, scientists make and
investigate discoveries. Consider the following questions and, if
possible, use examples from this section to support your answers.
1. What conditions or factors were necessary for ideas on the structure
of the atom to be shared?
2. What is the value of sharing your discoveries with others?
3. Why would some people consider not sharing their discoveries with
others?
3.0 Compounds form according to
a set of rules.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• periodic table
atomic theory
• chemical nomenclature
Learning Outcomes
• distinguish between ionic and
molecular compounds, and
describe the properties of
some common examples of
each
• read and interpret chemical
formulas for compounds of
two elements, and give the
IUPAC name and common
name of these compounds
All the signs above tell you that this is where you can get gas for your
• identify/describe chemicals
commonly found in the home,
car. If you were travelling in France, you would look for a sign that said
and write the chemical “Gaz.” If you were travelling in Britain, you would have to watch for a
symbols sign that said “Petrol.” Even though Britain and Canada are both
• identify examples of combining English-speaking countries, sometimes we use different words for the
ratios/number of atoms per same things. For example, in England, potato chips are called “crisps”
molecule found in some and the trunk of your car is called the “boot.” If you travel to a non-
common materials, and use English-speaking country, words can be even more confusing if you
information on ion charges to don’t speak the local language.
predict combining ratios in Scientists studying the nature of matter encountered similar
ionic compounds of two problems. At first, there was no common way of naming compounds.
elements
How could scientists understand each other’s work if they weren’t sure
• assemble or draw simple
from the terminology what materials were being used? To help reduce
models of molecular and ionic
the confusion, scientists have agreed on a common set of rules for
compounds
naming compounds. Using these rules, a person can identify and
describe any compound in the world—and be clearly understood by
others. In this section, you will investigate how compounds are formed
and how they are named.

info BIT
3.1 Naming Compounds
How Big Are Atoms?
Earlier in this unit, you learned how our understanding of the structure of Five-hundred-million
the atom has gradually developed. At first, people thought the atom was gold atoms lined up
the smallest particle possible (atom, you’ll recall, comes from the Greek side-by-side would
word atomos, meaning indivisible). Today we know that the atom is made form a line as long as a
of several much smaller particles. $10 bill.
COMBINING ELEMENTS TO MAKE COMPOUNDS

Look around your home and you’ll be amazed at the variety of chemicals
in your cupboards and on your shelves. In the bathroom, you’ll find
water, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste—all chemicals. In the basement or
garage, you may find cleaning products, such as ammonia and bleach, and
perhaps painting and gardening products. In your kitchen, you’ll likely
find table salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Each of these compounds
has a chemical name and a chemical formula. The formula identifies
which elements, and how much of each, are in the compound. So, for
example, table salt’s chemical
name is sodium chloride and its
formula is NaCl. Baking soda’s
chemical name is sodium
bicarbonate and its chemical
formula is NaHCO3.
Figure 3.1 Most homes contain a range of

chemical compounds, such as the ones
shown here.
S K I L L PRACTICE
MAKE A MODEL OF AN ATOM

Your teacher will give you some of the following materials: paper, bingo chips,
coins, Plasticine, and rubber magnetic strips. Your task is to choose an element
from the first 18 in the periodic table and construct a model of what you think
that element’s atom would look like. Remember to consider the information you
learned in subsection 2.1 about the atom and evolving ideas about its structure.
Your model should clearly show the structure of the atom and should include
the correct number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
When you have completed your model, show it to your class. Compare your
model with other models.
Compounds Form According to a Set of Rules 139

NAMING CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS
Until the 18th century, no standardized system existed for naming
chemicals. This created confusion because the names for chemical
compounds varied from country to country and scientist to scientist. For
example, hydrochloric acid and muriatic acid refer to the same thing. If
you didn’t know that, you might think they were two different chemicals.
Today, some compounds are better known by their common name. Bleach,
for instance, is almost always used instead of the chemical name aqueous
sodium hypochlorite.
In 1787, a French chemist named Guyton de Morveau created a
naming system, or nomenclature, for compounds. He decided to use the
chemical name for each element in the compound, always putting the
Figure 3.2 The IUPAC book
metal element first. For example, zinc and oxygen combine to form zinc
contains the rules for naming oxide. Since 1920, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
chemical compounds. (IUPAC) has been the body responsible for agreeing on the appropriate
name for every chemical compound discovered.
Q U I C K LAB
COMMON CHEMICALS IN YOUR HOME

Purpose 4 Note that each item has a value. Compounds
To learn about the chemical formulas of compounds made of two or more elements are more valuable
by “buying” common household substances with than items made of one element.
“element money” 5 When you have bought all your items, your group
may trade any remaining cards with other groups.
Procedure
6 Calculate the total value of the items you
1 Your teacher will give your group a selection of purchased.
element cards and an information sheet. The
cards are your element money. The information Questions
sheet tells you how to interpret the chemical 7 What was the cost for each item you bought?
formula for each item. 8 Were some materials easier to purchase than
2 At the front of the class are several common others? Explain your answer.
items with labels. Each item can be purchased 9 Describe any patterns you observed between the
from the storekeeper (your teacher) with the chemical formula and the “cost.” (Hint: Using the
correct amount of element money. Each group periodic table might help you with your answer.)
will have an opportunity to purchase an item.
3 You may purchase any of these items with the
cards you have. For example, one of the
components of toothpaste has the chemical
formula NaF. If you want to buy some toothpaste,
you need one sodium card (Na) and one fluorine
card (F).

INTERPRETING CHEMICAL NAMES AND FORMULAS FROM COMPOUNDS re SEARCH
If you know only the formula of a chemical compound, you can
determine its chemical name. If you know only its name, you can Chemical Formulas of
determine its formula. Table salt’s chemical name, sodium chloride, Household Products
Many household
indicates that the compound is made of one atom of sodium and one atom
chemicals have a
of chlorine (Figure 3.3). Its chemical formula, NaCl, indicates this too.
common name rather
than a chemical
formula. Find the
chemical formula for
some of these
household chemicals.
www.pearsoned.ca\/
Figure 3.3 One sodium atom scienceinaction.
combines with one chlorine atom
to form the compound sodium
chloride, which we call table salt.
Now look at the formula for the compound water: H2O. Notice that
next to the H is a small 2 as a subscript. (“Sub” means below.) The 2
indicates that there are two atoms of hydrogen to go with every atom of
oxygen in water. Figure 3.4 shows how the atoms in water are arranged.
Subscript numbers in a chemical formula indicate the number of atoms of
the elements that must combine to form the compound. No subscript
number indicates that only one atom of that element is needed.
Figure 3.4 In water, two hydrogen atoms join with each oxygen atom.
Compound Chemical Elements No. of Atoms Total No. of

Formula of Each Atoms
sodium chloride NaCl • sodium 1 2

• chlorine 1
water H20 • hydrogen 2 3
• oxygen 1

INDICATING THE PHYSICAL STATE OF A COMPOUND
Another common notation added to chemical compounds indicates the
state of the chemical at room temperature. After the chemical formula, a
subscript s for solid, l for liquid, or g for gas is shown in parentheses.
For example, sodium chloride is written as NaCl(s), water is written as
H2O(l), and natural gas (methane) is written as CH4(g). For aqueous
solutions (substances dissolved in water), a subscript aq in parentheses
is added to the formula. So, if sodium chloride was dissolved in water,
the resulting aqueous solution would be written as NaCl(aq).
Figure 3.5 In
methane, four
hydrogen atoms
combine with one
carbon atom.
CH4(g)
S K I L L PRACTICE
WORKING WITH COMPOUNDS

Referring to the compounds listed in the table below, complete the following.
• List the elements present in the compound.

• State the number of atoms of each element in the compound.
• In your notebook, draw what this compound would look like. Refer to Figures 3.3, 3.4,
and 3.5 for your drawings. If time permits, create a model of each compound. Use
materials of your own choosing.
Create a table like the one below to record your answers. Be sure to leave enough room to
draw the compound in the far right column.
Compound Elements No. of Atoms in Drawing

in Compound Each Element of Compound
CaO(s)
CaCl2(s)
Al2O3(s)
Na2O(s)
AlCl3(s)
KCl(s)
NaOH(s)

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What information can you determine from a chemical formula?
2. Identify the elements in each of the following compounds.

a) HF(g)
b) Li2O(s)
c) K3P(s)
d) Ni2O3(s)
e) HgCl2(s)
3. How many atoms are indicated in the formula of each of the following
compounds?
a) Silver chloride—AgCl(s)
b) Calcium oxide—CaO(s)
c) Magnesium nitride—Mg3N2(s)
d) Aluminum oxide—Al2O3(s)
e) Scandium sulfide—Sc2S3(s)

4. Write the chemical formula for each of the following compounds:
a) sodium sulfide, which has two atoms of sodium and one atom of
sulfur
b) aluminum fluoride, which has one atom of aluminum and three
atoms of fluorine
c) oxygen gas, which has two atoms of oxygen
d) glucose, which has six carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and six
oxygen atoms

5. Acetylsalicylic acid, commonly called Aspirin, has the chemical
formula C9H8O4(s). Urea, also called carbamide, has the formula
H2NCONH2(s). Compare and contrast the two formulas in terms of total
elements and atoms.

3.2 Ionic Compounds
Figure 3.6 Sodium, shown

in (a), is a metal. Sodium
combines with chlorine gas
in a violent reaction (b).
The product is table salt,
NaCl(s) (c).
(a) (b) (c)
Most people are familiar with common table salt and know that it is a
white substance composed of tiny crystals. You might be surprised to
learn that table salt is formed when a very reactive metal—sodium—is
placed in a container with a poisonous, green non-metal—chlorine gas.
When the two chemical elements are combined, the sodium metal
explodes in a bright yellow flame. As the sodium burns, a white, coarse-
grained powder is produced. That powder is table salt, or what you now
know is sodium chloride (NaCl(s)).
info BIT Sodium chloride is called an ionic compound. Ionic compounds are
pure substances formed as a result of the attraction between particles of
“Ion” Origin opposite charges, called ions. Table salt is formed from positively charged
The word “ion” comes sodium ions and negatively charged chloride ions. Other properties of
from a Greek word ionic compounds include their high melting point, good electrical
meaning “to go” or conductivity, and distinct crystal shape.
“wander.” All ionic compounds are solids at room temperature. In fact, table salt
will not melt until it is heated to 801˚C. When an ionic compound is
melted or dissolved in water, it will conduct electricity. This property of
ionic compounds led to the study of electrochemical cells (cells that either
convert chemical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy into
chemical energy). And that work in turn eventually led to the invention of
batteries.
This new technology allowed scientists to investigate the structure of
matter in greater depth.
How does an ionic compound actually form? When the ions are
combined, they form a crystal.
Figure 3.7 The

crystals in this table
salt are held together
by ionic bonds.

electrolyte
wires
electrodes
hydrogen
gas
battery
oxygen
gas
Figure 3.8 Two electrodes are placed in an electrolyte, water containing a little NaCl(s) forming NaCl(aq).
The salt helps the electrical charge flow through the solution. At the negative electrode, positively charged
hydrogen forms hydrogen gas. At the positive electrode, negatively charged oxygen forms oxygen gas.
Chlorine gas may also be formed. In school laboratories, Na2SO4(s) is used instead of NaCl(s).
Q U I C K LAB
USING BATTERIES TO INVESTIGATE A CHEMICAL REACTION

Purpose
To investigate the behaviour of ions
• clear Petri dish
(Note: Your teacher may demonstrate this activity on the overhead projector.) • water
• universal indicator
Procedure
• 2 pencils sharpened at
1 Fill a Petri dish about two-thirds full with water. Add two to four drops of universal
both ends
indicator. • 2 wires with alligator
2 Attach the end of one wire to the graphite at one end of a pencil. Attach the other clips
wire to the second pencil in the same way. Make sure both ends of the pencils are • 9-V battery
sharpened so that the graphite is exposed. Attach the other ends of the wire to the • sodium sulfate
battery. (Na2SO4(s) )
3 Place the other sharpened ends of the pencils into the Petri dish, keeping the ends
well apart. Record your observations.
4 Remove the pencils and place them in a safe spot.
5 Add several crystals of sodium sulfate to the Petri dish and stir until dissolved.
6 Repeat step 3. Do you observe any additional changes if you add a little more
sodium sulfate?
Questions
7 What changes did you observe after the sodium sulfate was added to the Petri dish?
8 What evidence was there of a chemical change?
9 What do you think would happen if you added a non-ionic compound such as sugar
to the Petri dish?

re SEARCH When the ionic compound is dissolved in water, the metal and non-
metal form an aqueous solution of ions. An ion is an atom or a group of
Ions and the Body atoms that has become electrically charged through the loss or gain of
Metal ions such as Na+, electrons. The table below shows some examples of ion charges for
K+, Mg2+, Sn2+, and Ca2+ various elements.
are important in
enabling our bodies to Element Ion Charge Ion Notation
function properly. Find Hydrogen 1 H
out the role of these
Lithium 1 Li
ions in the human body.
Nitrogen 3 N3
Oxygen 2 O2
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction. Fluorine 1 F
Sodium 1 Na
Magnesium 2 Mg2
Aluminum 3 Al3
Sulfur 2 S2
Iron 2 or 3 Fe2 or Fe3
Copper 1 or 2 Cu or Cu2
Lead 2 or 4 Pb2 or Pb4
ION CHARGES
To indicate ions in written notation, a plus sign () or a minus sign () is
placed to the upper right of the element symbol. This is a superscript
position (super- means “above”). For example, a sodium ion is written as
Na and a chlorine ion as Cl.
Some ions can also form when certain atoms of elements combine.
These ions are called polyatomic ions (poly- means “many”). Polyatomic
ions are a group of atoms acting as one. For example, one atom of carbon
and three atoms of oxygen form the polyatomic ion called carbonate or
CO32. When carbonate reacts with calcium ions, the product is calcium
carbonate, or limestone (CaCO3(s)). Other examples of compounds with
polyatomic ions include copper(II) sulfate (CuSO4(s)) and sulfuric acid
(H2SO4(aq)).
NAMING IONIC COMPOUNDS

When naming an ionic compound, there are two rules to remember. First,
the chemical name of the metal or positive ion goes first, followed by the
name of the non-metal or negative ion. Second, the name of the non-metal
negative ion changes its ending to ide. This is the reason that the chemical
name for NaCl(s) is not sodium chlorine, but sodium chloride.
There is one exception to these naming rules. Where negative ions are
polyatomic ions, the name remains unchanged. Limestone’s chemical
name therefore remains calcium carbonate.
You’ll notice in the table above that iron, copper, and lead have more
than one ion charge. Some elements have this property. To show clearly

which ion is being used in a chemical name, a Roman numeral is added.
For example, iron(II) oxide is a compound containing the Fe2+ ion.
Iron(III) oxide contains the Fe3+ ion.
USING ION CHARGES AND CHEMICAL NAMES TO WRITE FORMULAS

Once you know the ion charge and the chemical name of a substance, you
can determine its chemical formula. The following steps will help you
write the formulas for ionic compounds.
Step 1 Print the metal element’s symbol with its ion charge. Next to it, Ca2+ Cl1
print the non-metal element’s symbol with its ion charge.
Step 2 Balance the ion charges. The positive ion charge must balance the Ca2+ Cl1 Cl1
negative ion charges. In our example, this means that there must be two
chlorine atoms each with an ion charge of 1 to balance the 2+ ion charge
of one calcium atom. Now you know how many atoms of each element
you need to include in the formula.
Step 3 Write the formula by indicating how many atoms of each element CaCl2(s)
are in it, as shown. Do not include the ion charge in the formula. Place the
number of atoms of each element in a subscript after the element’s
symbol. If there is only one atom, no number is used.
1 ion charge
ION CHARGES AND THE PERIODIC 1 1
TABLE H 18
1 Hydrogen 2
1.0 He
Take a moment to look at the Helium
periodic table in section 2.3 and the 2 13 14 15 16 17 4.0

3 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 7 3 8 2 9 1 10
2 5
common ion charge. Do you see a 2
Li Be B C N O F Ne
Lithium Beryllium Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine Neon
pattern? The first group of elements 6.9 9.0 10.8 12.0 14.0 16.0 19.0 20.2
11 1 12 2 13 3 14 4 15 3 16 2 17 1 18
on the left side of the table is the 2 4
3
Na Mg Al Si P S 6 Cl Ar
alkali group of metals—lithium and Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon
23.0 24.3 27.0 28.1 31.0 32.1 35.5 39.9
sodium. They each have an ion 19 1 20 2 31 3 32 4 33 3 34 2 35 1 36
2 5 4
charge of 1. The halogens, on the 4
K Ca Ga Ge As Se 6 Br Kr
Potassium Calcium Gallium Germanium Arsenic Selenium Bromine Krypton
right of the table—fluorine and 39.1 40.1 69.7 72.6 74.9 79.0 79.9 83.8
37 1 38 2 49 3 50 2 51 3 52 2 53 1 54
chlorine—have an ion charge of 1. Rb Sr In
1
Sn
4
Sb
5
Te
4
6 I Xe
Generally, all the elements in a 5 Rubidium Strontium Indium Tin Antimony Tellurium Iodine Xenon
85.5 87.6 114.8 118.7 121.8 127.6 126.9 131.3
group form ions with the same 55 1 56 2 81 1
3
82 2 83
4
3 84 2 85
5
1 86
4
charge. This pattern is the most 6

Cs Ba Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
Cesium Barium Thallium Lead Bismuth Polonium Astatine Radon
consistent at either end of the 132.9 137.3 204.4 207.2 209.0 209 210 222
87 1 88 2
periodic table. Figure 3.9 illustrates Fr Ra
7 Francium Radium
the ion charges of the elements that 223 226
follow this pattern the best.
Figure 3.9 Ion charges of some of the groups in the periodic table

ACTIVITY B-4
MODELLING IONIC COMPOUNDS

Inquiry
The Question
How can you create a model to illustrate an ionic compound?

• marshmallows, marbles,
Styrofoam balls, egg cartons,
or a molecular model kit
• glue
• large sheet of paper
• felt pens
Figure 3.10 Step 4
Procedure
1 Working with a partner, select one metal and one non-metal element from the
periodic table. Your task is to create a model illustrating the ionic compound that
forms from combining these two elements. This type of ionic compound is called a
binary compound because it consists of just two elements.
2 Determine how you will represent the atom of each element.
3 Decide which materials you will use to build your model.
4 Build your model to show one formula unit.
5 State the appropriate name for your compound, write out its chemical formula, and
describe its combining ratio.
6 Repeat steps 1 to 5 to create three additional ionic compounds. Ensure that at least
one of them is an example of a metal with multiple ion charges.
7 When you are finished, share your models with the class.

8 What did your models have in common with other models?
9 How were your models different from other models?
Forming Conclusions
10 Describe how you created models that illustrate ionic compounds.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What is an ionic compound?
2. List three properties of all ionic compounds.
3. How is an ion formed?

4. What is the difference between Fe2 and Fe3 ?
5. If an element has more than one ionic charge, how is that piece of
information represented in a chemical name?

6. Outline the steps for writing the chemical formula of an ionic
compound.
7. Write the formula for the following compounds:
a) sodium fluoride
b) magnesium sulfide
c) lithium oxide
d) iron(III) chloride
e) copper(II) phosphide
f) magnesium iodide
g) iron(II) phosphide
h) aluminum nitride
8. Write the chemical name for the following formulas:
a) LiCl(s)
b) Ca3P2(s)
c) AlBr3(s)
d) PbS2(s)
e) Fe2O3(s)
f) Na2O(s)
g) CaS(s)
h) CuSO4(s)

9. What ion charge patterns are there in the periodic
sodium chloride crystals
table?
Figure 3.11 Each substance has a different crystal shape. Knowing

the type of crystal a substance forms can help in identifying it.
Pictured here are sodium chloride crystals. Na ions and Cl ions
arranged in a crystal of
sodium chloride

info BIT
3.3 Molecular Compounds
Carbon Compounds
When non-metals combine, a pure substance called a molecule or a
Scientists have discovered
more than 10 million molecular compound is formed. Molecular compounds differ from ionic
compounds. At least 9 compounds in several ways. They can be solids, liquids, or gases at room
million are molecular temperature. They tend to be insulators, or poor conductors of electricity.
compounds containing They also have relatively low melting and boiling points because the
the element carbon. forces between the molecules are weak. Examples of molecular
compounds include sugar, acetylene, and water.
Figure 3.12 Sugar (C12H22O11(s))

is a common molecular
compound.
Q U I C K LAB
IONIC OR MOLECULAR COMPOUND?

Purpose • two 100-mL beakers
To determine through experimentation whether a substance is an ionic compound • dish or large bowl
or a molecular compound • tongs or forceps
• several small pieces of
Procedure solid air freshener
1 Set one of the 100-mL beakers in the dish or large bowl. • watch glass or Petri dish
2 Using tongs, place several pieces of solid air freshener into the beaker. • ice
• hot water
3 Put the watch glass or Petri dish on top of the beaker and cover with ice.
• thermometer
4 Pour hot water into the dish to a depth of 2 cm. The water does not have to be • pencil and notebook
boiling, but must be above 45°C (use the thermometer if necessary).
5 Record your observations every 5 min for 30 min.
6 In a second beaker containing water, place another piece of air freshener.
Record your observations. Caution!
7 Test the conductivity of the air freshener. Handle the air
freshener with tongs,
Questions not directly with your
8 From your observations, do you think the air freshener is an ionic compound fingers. Do not directly
or a molecular compound? inhale the vapour.
9 Did you collect any evidence that seemed to contradict the conclusion drawn in
question 8?

ACTIVITY B-5
MODELLING MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

Inquiry
The Question
How can you create a model to illustrate a molecular compound?
Procedure
1 Working with a partner, select two non-metal elements from the periodic table. Your
task is to create a model illustrating a molecular compound that forms from
• marshmallows, Styrofoam
combining these two elements.
balls, egg cartons, or a
molecular model kit 2 Determine how you will represent the atom of each element.
• glue 3 Decide which materials you will use to build your model.
• large sheet of paper 4 Build your model.
• felt pens
5 State the appropriate name for your compound, write out its chemical formula, and
describe its combining ratio.
6 Repeat steps 1 to 5 to create three additional molecular compounds.
7 When you are finished, share your models with the class.

8 What did your models have in common with other models?
9 How were your models different from other models?
Forming Conclusions
10 Describe how you created models that illustrate molecular compounds.
Figure 3.13 Step 4

WRITING FORMULAS FOR MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
Writing formulas for molecular compounds is similar to writing formulas
for ionic compounds, except that no ions are present and the ion charge is
H2(g) not used in the formulas. This makes it hard to predict how non-metals
combine. However, the formulas still clearly show what elements are
Figure 3.14 In a molecule present, and how many of each type of atom make up the molecule. For
of hydrogen gas, two
example, hydrogen gas is usually found as H2. Each molecule has two
hydrogen atoms combine
to form the molecule. The
atoms of hydrogen connected to each other.
formula is H2(g). For ammonia (NH3(g)), the situation is similar. Three hydrogen atoms
combine with the nitrogen atom.
NAMING OF MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

Many molecular compounds are often known by their common names.
Two compounds you have encountered in this section are water and
NH3(g)
ammonia. The names of these compounds do not give any indication of
the elements they are made from. All molecular compounds, except those
Figure 3.15 In a molecule of containing hydrogen, can be named using the following rules. Common
ammonia, each hydrogen names are used for molecular compounds containing hydrogen.
atom is attached to the
nitrogen atom. The formula 1. The first element in the compound uses the element name—just like
is NH3(g). ionic compounds.
2. The second element in the compound has the suffix ‘ide’—just like
ionic compounds.
3. When there is more than one atom in the formula, a prefix is used
which specifies the number of atoms. Some prefixes are listed below.
4. An exception to rule 3 is when the first element has only one atom,
the prefix mono is not used.
Number of Atoms Prefix
1 mono
2 di
3 tri
4 tetra
5 penta
re SEARCH Using the above rules, molecular compounds are named using this format:
Prefix + First Element Prefix + Second Element (with ‘ide’ ending)
Bonding Forces
Use your library and the Here are some examples: (Note that the coloured numbers in the formula
Internet to find out correspond to the prefixes in the name.)
about other types of CO2 carbon dioxide
forces that create bonds N2O dinitrogen monoxide
between atoms. Begin
N2O3 dinitrogen trioxide
your research at
NF3 nitrogen trifluoride
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
CCl4 carbon tetrachloride
PF5 phosphorus pentafluoride

COMPARING IONIC AND MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
The table below and the one on the next page list the
melting and boiling points for some common ionic and
molecular compounds. By comparing the information in
these tables, you will see several differences between the
two types of compounds. For example, baking soda, an ionic
compound, boils at 1550°C. Carbon dioxide, a molecular
compound, boils at 78.5°C.
Ionic Compound Formula Melting Point (°C) Boiling Point (°C)

Figure 3.16 Examples of ionic
lye NaOH(s) 318° 1390°
compounds
silver nitrate AgNO3(s) 212° 440° (decomposes)
baking soda NaHCO3(s) 455° 1550°
salt NaCl(s) 801° 1413°
Molecular Formula Melting Point (°C) Boiling Point (°C)

Compound
carbon dioxide CO2(g) (changes directly from solid to gas) 79°
water H2O(l) 0° 100°
sugar C12H22O11(s) 185° (decomposes)
rubbing alcohol C3H8O(l) 90° 82°
Figure 3.17 Examples of

molecular compounds
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review Connect Your Understanding
1. Define a molecular compound and give an 5. Which of the following compounds are
example of one. molecular?
2. List three properties of a molecular a) H2O(l) d) F2(g)
compound. b) NaCl(s) e) CuCl2(s)
3. Draw a simple model to show a molecule for c) NH3(g) f) CCl4(l)
each of the following: 6. Write the chemical formula for the
a) chlorine gas (Cl2(g)) following molecular compounds:
b) phosphorus trichloride (PCl3(g)) a) dinitrogen trioxide
c) nitrogen monoxide (NO(g)) b) sulfur trioxide
d) iodine bromide (IBr(g)) c) carbon tetrachloride
4. Describe one test that can be performed to d) phosphorus pentachloride
determine whether a substance is ionic. e) carbon disulfide

7. Create a Venn diagram that compares the
properties of a molecular compound with
those of an ionic compound.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Explain the two rules to follow when naming an ionic compound.
2. For each substance below, name the elements and indicate the number
of each kind of atom present in one formula unit.
a) HgF(s) d) B2O3(s)
b) O2(g) e) FeCl3(s)
c) Na2S(s)
3. When an ionic compound forms, what must be the sum of the ionic
charges?
4. What kind of elements form molecular compounds?
5. Identify how many atoms of each element are present in the following
compounds:
a) glucose: C6H12O6(s) d) rust remover: H3PO4(aq)
b) ethanol: C2H5OH(l) e) fatty acid: C17H35COOH(aq)
c) hydrogen peroxide: H2O2(l)
6. Which of the following compounds are ionic and which are
molecular?
a) PbO(s) d) H2O(l)
b) Al2S3(s) e) NH3(g)
c) F2(g)
7. What is the formula for the ionic compounds with the following
combinations of elements?
a) potassium and bromine
b) barium and oxygen
c) aluminum and selenium
d) calcium and nitrogen
e) copper and phosphorous
8. Write the formula for the following molecular compounds:
a) carbon monoxide
b) carbon dioxide
c) nitrogen dioxide
d) dinitrogen monoxide
e) disulfur dichloride
9. Describe a pattern of ion charges in the periodic table.
10. Write the formula for the following ionic compounds:
a) magnesium bromide e) lead(IV) nitride
b) sodium phosphide f) copper(I) sulfide
c) lithium fluoride g) silver oxide
d) nickel(II) chloride h) nickel(III) oxide

SECTION REVIEW
11. In terms of ion charges and chemical change, what is the difference
between CuF(s) and CuF2(s)?
12. Sketch simple models to show the following molecular compounds:
a) sulfur and oxygen (SO2) c) oxygen and bromine (OBr2)
b) nitrogen and chlorine (NCl3) d) carbon and fluorine (CF4)

13. Which of the following formulas is/are not correctly written?
a) Li3O d) HgCl2
b) CuO e) FeCl
c) Mg3O2
14. Using the periodic table, find the elements iron, mercury, and
bromine. Make a chart to answer the following questions as related to
each element.
a) Is it a metal or non-metal?
b) What is the common ion charge?
c) Will it conduct electricity?
d) What state will it be in at room temperature?
e) What state will it be in at room temperature if it combines with a
non-metal?
15. An unknown ionic compound is formed with the formula Z2S3(s).
a) What is the common ion charge of element Z?
b) What would be the new chemical formula of the unknown
compound if the S (sulfur) was replaced with fluorine?
c) What would be one property of these two compounds?

On
Scientific ideas can be difficult to represent in a way that is easily
understandable. To help explain their ideas, scientists often use models.
In this section, you investigated and developed models to explain how
atoms form compounds. Answer the following questions, using examples
from your work in this section to support your answers.
1. How can a model help explain your observations?
2. Can a model be used to predict future observations?
3. Why is it important to understand chemical symbols, and to ensure
that everyone uses these symbols correctly?

Substances undergo a chemical
4.0 change when they interact to produce
different substances.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• endothermic and exothermic
reactions
• reactants and products
• conservation of mass
• factors affecting reaction rates
Learning Outcomes
• identify conditions under which
properties of a material are
changed, and critically evaluate
if a new substance has been
produced
• observe and describe evidence
of chemical change in
reactions between familiar
materials
• distinguish between materials
that react readily and those
that do not
• observe and describe patterns
of chemical change
• describe familiar chemical
reactions, and represent these Fireworks burst into the night sky in brilliant patterns caused by chemical
reactions by using word reactions. The different colours that we see result from reactions between
equations and chemical different substances within the fireworks. For example, barium
formulas and by constructing compounds create green fireworks, strontium compounds create red ones,
models of reactants and copper creates blue ones and sodium yellow. Fireworks are also launched
products by the chemical reaction that results from the fuse being lighted. The heat
of the fuse ignites the chemicals that propel the fireworks into the sky.
In this section, you will investigate a variety of chemical reactions
and how different factors affect the rate of these reactions. Think about
safety as you do each activity.

info BIT
4.1 Chemical Reactions
Dr. John Polanyi
At first it may seem that the launch of a space shuttle and the activation In 1986, Canadian
of air bags in a vehicle have very little in common. In fact, both of these Dr. John Polanyi won
events require a chemical reaction to work. A chemical reaction takes the Nobel Prize in
place when two or more substances combine to form new substances. A chemistry for his work
chemical change in a substance results from a chemical reaction. investigating the
The chemical reaction occurring in launching a space shuttle involves properties of chemical
almost 1 500 000 L of liquid hydrogen and 545 000 L of liquid oxygen reactions.
combining to form water. During this reaction, enough energy is released
to put the shuttle into orbit around Earth. In a vehicle equipped with air
bags, the chemical reaction occurs on a smaller scale, but the results are
also dramatic. Air bags, packed inside the frame of a vehicle, contain the
explosive chemical sodium azide (NaN3(s)). When the vehicle is in a
collision, the sodium azide reacts and forms large volumes of nitrogen gas
and sodium. The sodium quickly reacts with another compound in the air
bag to make less dangerous compounds. Fifty grams of sodium azide can
produce 30 L of nitrogen gas in milliseconds—a reaction that releases a
burst of energy. The nitrogen gas inflates the air bags instantly, cushioning
the impact of the collision for the driver and front-seat passenger.
Q U I C K LAB
ROCKET SCIENCE
To use a chemical reaction to create a film canister rocket • plastic film canister with
inside snapping lid
Procedure
• water
1 Half fill the film canister with water. • Alka-Seltzer tablet, cut
2 Place a quarter tablet of Alka-Seltzer in the canister and quickly snap on the lid. into quarters
3 Place the canister upside down on the ground and stand at least 5 m back. • pencil and notebook
CAUTION: If the rocket does not launch after about 1 min, slowly approach it and
kick it over with your foot. If the lid doesn’t come off, carefully remove the lid,
keeping the canister pointed away from everyone.
4 Record your observations.
5 Try changing the variables to make the rocket go as high as possible. For example,
change the amount of water, the amount of Alka-Seltzer, or the position of the
canister on the ground. Record your observations each time.
Questions
6 How did you make a film canister rocket?
7 Did a chemical reaction occur inside the film canister? Provide evidence to support
your answer.
8 What combination of materials made the rocket go the highest?
Substances Undergo a Chemical Change When They Interact to Produce Different Substances 157
The materials at the start of a reaction are called the reactants. Think
of a campfire. The burning wood undergoes a combustion reaction. In this
case, the reactants, or substances being combined in the reaction, are
wood and oxygen. The new materials produced by the reaction are called
products. In a campfire, the products are carbon dioxide and water,
formed while energy is released.
This chemical reaction can be written as a chemical word equation, as
shown below. Note that in such equations, the reactants always appear to
the left of the arrow and the products to the right.
wood + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy released
Plus signs separate the reactants from each other and the products
from each other. The arrow indicates the direction in which the reaction is
most likely to occur. When you take more advanced science courses, you
Figure 4.1 The reactants
will learn about situations where the reaction can occur in either
potassium iodide and lead(II) direction.
nitrate are both clear. The Recall from section 1.3 that when a chemical reaction occurs, a new
chemical reaction that takes substance forms and evidence of the reaction may include one or more of
place when they are the following:
combined results in a colour
change in the product. • a colour change
• the formation of an odour
• the formation of a solid or a gas
• the release or absorption of heat
While colour change and formation of an odour are usually good
indicators that a chemical reaction has taken place, care must be taken in
interpreting some of the other types of evidence. For example, the
formation of bubbles in a solution doesn’t always mean that a new gas is
being produced in a chemical reaction. The bubbles may simply mean that
the solution has begun to boil. Evidence of heat being released or absorbed
may also indicate a physical change rather than a chemical change. Some
solids, for example, release heat when they are dissolved.
G I V E I T A TRY
IDENTIFY THE REACTION
Below are three different reactions. Identify the reactants and products for each reaction.
Write out the chemical word equation.
Reaction 1. When hydrogen peroxide is left out in the sun, it changes to water and
oxygen gas.
Reaction 2. A silver spoon is exposed to air. Over time, it turns a dark brown colour.
Reaction 3. Sodium and bromine react explosively to produce sodium bromide.

ACTIVITY B-6
O B S E RV I N G C H E M I C A L R E A C T I O N S
Inquiry
The Question
How will different materials react with each other?
Procedure
1 Before you start, your teacher will review the safety guidelines with you.
2 Draw a table in which to record your observations.
• 3 test tubes
• test-tube holder Reaction 1—Sulfuric acid and magnesium ribbon
• 5% or 1.0 mol/L sulfuric
3 Place a test tube in the test-tube holder. Pour the dilute sulfuric acid into the test tube
acid
to a depth of about 3 cm.
• magnesium ribbon
• matches 4 Add a 2-cm strip of magnesium ribbon to the dilute sulfuric acid in the test tube.
• splint 5 Light a splint and hold it so that the burning end is in the test tube. Make sure the
• 2% or 0.2 mol/L copper(II) test tube is pointing away from you and your classmates. Record your observations
sulfate in the table.
• steel wool
Reaction 2—Copper(II) sulfate and steel wool
• stirring rod
• 3% or 0.2 mol/L 6 Place a clean test tube in the test-tube holder. Pour the copper(II) sulfate solution
iron(III) chloride into the test tube to a depth of about 3 cm.
• 3% or 0.8 mol/L sodium 7 Add a small piece of steel wool to the copper(II) sulfate solution. You may need to
hydroxide use a stirring rod to push the steel wool down into the solution. Record your
• 5 g baking soda observations.
• vinegar
• 500-mL beaker Reaction 3—Iron(III) chloride and sodium hydroxide
• thermometer 8 Place a clean test tube in the test-tube holder. Pour the Caution!
iron(III) chloride solution into the test tube to a depth of Be sure to wear
about 3 cm. your safety goggles,
9 Add a similar amount of the dilute sodium hydroxide apron, and gloves.
solution to the test tube. Record your observations. Iron(III) chloride is a
strong irritant, and
Reaction 4—Baking soda and vinegar is corrosive and
10 Pour 40 mL of vinegar into a 500-mL beaker. Measure toxic. Sulfuric acid
and record the temperature of the vinegar. and sodium
11 Slowly add 5 g of baking soda to the vinegar. Measure hydroxide are
and record the temperature. corrosive.

12 For each combination of materials you investigated, identify whether a chemical or
physical change took place. Explain your answers.
13 For each chemical reaction, describe the evidence that you used to determine if new
Figure 4.2 Step 4

products were formed.
Forming Conclusions
14 Look back at the question at the beginning of this activity. Write a conclusion that
answers that question by describing what you did, why you did it, and what you
found.
re SEARCH ENDOTHERMIC AND EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS
A chemical reaction that releases heat energy is called an exothermic
Changing Chemical reaction. When you burn an object in the presence of oxygen, energy in
Bonds the form of heat is given off. Heat is also emitted when your body
Endothermic and
metabolizes food.
exothermic reactions
A chemical reaction that absorbs heat energy is an endothermic
involve the forming or
breaking of chemical reaction. If you observed the chemical reactions in Inquiry Activity B-6,
bonds. Find out how you noticed that the temperature in the baking soda and vinegar reaction
energy is used to form dropped during and just after the reaction. Chemical cold-packs found in
or break these bonds, first aid kits are another example of where an endothermic reaction
and give examples. occurs. The reactants in the cold-packs must be crushed together to start
Begin your research at the reaction. As the chemical change occurs and new products form,
www.pearsoned.ca/ energy is absorbed from the liquid in the bag, and the bag becomes very
scienceinaction. cold.
CHEMICAL CHANGES INVOLVING OXYGEN

Chemical changes occur because some substances react with each other
when they come into contact. Among the most common types of chemical
reactions are those involving oxygen. Three examples of reactions in
which oxygen reacts with other substances are combustion, corrosion, and
air cellular respiration.
Combustion is a chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen reacts
with a substance to form a new substance and give off energy. Fire is a
common example of a combustion reaction. In burning, wood reacts with
oxygen to give off heat and light and produce carbon dioxide and water.
Recall that earlier in this unit you read about the significance of early
fuel heat
humans discovering how to start fires. Combustion could be considered
Figure 4.3 This fire triangle
the first chemical reaction used by humans. Today, it is still one of the
shows the three factors that most important chemical reactions we use.
keep a fire going. If any one Corrosion is the slow chemical change that occurs when oxygen in the
of them is missing, the fire air reacts with a metal. A common example of corrosion is rusting.
will not continue burning. Rusting occurs when iron reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide.
Cellular respiration is a chemical reaction that takes place in the cells
in your body. Food (glucose) reacts with oxygen to produce energy, water,
and carbon dioxide. Figure 4.4 shows the word equation for cellular
respiration.
carbon
food oxygen dioxide water energy that can be
+ + +
(C 6 H12O6(s)) (O2 ) (CO2 ) (H2O) used by living things
Figure 4.4 The word equation for cellular respiration

ACTIVITY B-7 REACTIONS FOR UPSET
Experiment on your own STOMACHS
Before You Start The Question

Many different types of medications are available to soothe Which antacid medication works best? What is the most
an upset stomach. A common one is antacid. Antacids can effective way to take it?
be solid tablets or liquids.
For this activity, you will use an Erlenmeyer flask
containing 75 mL of dilute hydrochloric acid and 3 drops of 1 Write a hypothesis about the most effective method for
methyl orange indicator. This is a model of an upset taking antacid medication.
stomach. You will add antacids to the model stomach. 2 Decide what materials you will need to test your
When the orange colour disappears, the stomach is no hypothesis.
longer upset. In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is 3 Plan your procedure. Ask yourself questions such as:
produced. To capture the gas, you can place a balloon over a) How will I determine which antacid is best?
the flask. b) How will I determine what is the best way to take
In this activity, you will determine which antacid works this antacid?
best and the most effective way to take it. You may wish to c) What type of chart will I need to record data?
use Toolbox 2 to help you plan your experiment.
d) Is the test I’ve designed fair? How do I know?
e) What are the variables in my experiment? Which is
the manipulated variable? Which is the responding
variable? Which variables will I control?
f) How long do I have to complete my experiment?
4 Write up your procedure. Show it to your teacher
before continuing.
5 Carry out your experiment.
6 Compare your results with your hypothesis. Did your
results support your hypothesis? If not, suggest
possible reasons for this.
7 Share and compare your experimental plan and
findings with your classmates. Did anyone plan an
experiment exactly like yours or similar to yours? How
do your results compare with theirs?
Figure 4.5 Adding antacid to an Erlenmeyer flask containing

hydrochloric acid
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What is the difference between a chemical reaction and a physical
change?
2. How are reactants different from products in a chemical reaction?
3. Describe three observations you might make when a chemical change
occurs.
4. Chemical fire starter ignites as a result of from the following reaction:
2 CH3OH(l) 3 O2(g) → 2 CO2(g) 4 H2O(g)
a) What are the reactants?

b) What are the products?
c) What could be one observation you could make to conclude a
chemical reaction has occurred?
5. What is the difference between an exothermic reaction and an
endothermic reaction?
6. How are the reactions in the items shown in Figure 4.6 useful to
humans?

7. a) In what ways are combustion and corrosion similar?
b) In what ways are they different?
8. Write the chemical word equations for the following reactions:
a) Zinc and hydrochloric acid are added together. A bubbling reaction
creates hydrogen gas and zinc chloride.
b) When sugar and sulfuric acid are combined, carbon, water, and
sulfur dioxide are formed.
c) Rust is formed when iron reacts with oxygen.
9. Rewrite the following chemical reactions into chemical equations
using the appropriate chemical formulas.
a) Magnesium and sulfur combine to form magnesium sulfide.
b) When calcium is added to chlorine gas, calcium chloride is formed.
c) Water is formed when hydrogen and oxygen are combined.

10. Create a step-by-step procedure describing how to write a chemical
equation.
11. Compare and contrast combustion, corrosion, and cellular respiration.

4.2 Conservation of Mass in Chemical Reactions info BIT
In a chemical reaction, products are formed when the reactant (or Einstein, Matter, and
reactants) undergoes a change. These products usually look very different Energy
from the reactants. However, the total mass of these products is always the In a nuclear reaction,
same as the total mass of the reactants. This law is called the conservation some of the mass is
of mass. It states that matter is not created or destroyed in a chemical converted to energy, as
reaction. For example, combining 24.3 g of magnesium and 32.1 g of Albert Einstein expressed
sulfur creates a new substance called magnesium sulfide. The law of in his famous E=mc 2
relation.
conservation of mass predicts that the mass of the product will be the sum
of these two masses: 56.4 g. Careful experiments have been made on this
and many other reactions. These experiments have been done in closed
systems, where no additional material is allowed to enter or leave. The
result? No exceptions to this law have ever been found in any chemical
reaction.
Mg(s) + S(s) → MgS(s)
24.3 g 32.1 g 56.4 g
Fe(s) S(s) FeS(s)

+ → iron sulfide
iron sulfur
Figure 4.7 The total mass of the reactants and the total mass of the products are equal.
math Link
Some reactions may not seem to follow the principle of the conservation Two reactants undergo
of mass. For example, adding 10 g of Alka-Seltzer to 100 g of water in a a chemical reaction and
beaker causes carbon dioxide gas to be given off. When the reaction is produce one product.
complete, the mass of the products left in the beaker is only 106 g, not The mass of one of the
110 g. This doesn’t mean that mass was not conserved. The carbon reactants is 20 g and the
dioxide gas was also one of the products of the reaction, but it escaped mass of the product is
45 g. Write an algebraic
from the open beaker into the air. This is an example of an open system.
equation representing
If it had been trapped, it would have been found to have a mass of 4 g.
this reaction, and solve
the equation to find the
mass of the second
reactant.
ACTIVITY B-8
C O N S E RV I N G M A S S
Inquiry
The Question
Does the mass of reactants and products change during a reaction?
Procedure
1 Put the baking soda and calcium chloride in the self-sealing plastic bag.
2 Put the water and bromothymol blue in the film canister.
• balance
• 4 g baking soda 3 Place the canister in an upright position in the bag. Carefully seal the bag. Measure
• 4 g calcium chloride and record the mass of the bag.
• large self-sealing plastic bag 4 Predict what you think will happen when all the substances
• 5-mL measuring spoon mix together. Record your prediction.
• 5 mL water Caution!
5 Without opening the bag, tip the canister over and allow the If the bag seems
• 5 mL bromothymol blue
liquids and solids to mix. Record as many observations as ready to burst,
• film canister
you can while the reaction is occurring. Be sure to hold the open it up.
bag to observe the temperature changes.
6 When the reaction is complete, measure and record the mass
of the bag.
7 When you have finished the activity, clean up and return the materials as instructed
by your teacher.

8 What evidence do you have that a chemical reaction occurred?
9 How did the mass before the reaction compare with the mass after the reaction?
10 Was the reaction exothermic, endothermic, or both?
Forming Conclusions
11 Use your observations and the data collected during this investigation to answer the
question posed at the beginning of the activity.
Figure 4.8 Step 3

re SEARCH
Chemical Reaction Laws
In addition to the law of conservation of mass, two other laws apply to chemical reactions.
Find out what the law of definite composition and the law of multiple proportions are. Begin
your search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Define the law of conservation of mass.
2. What is a closed system in terms of a chemical reaction? Give an
example.
3. What is an open system in terms of a chemical reaction? Give an
example.
4. If you were to compare (i) the mass of a car with a full tank of gas to
(ii) the mass of the same car with an empty tank of gas plus the mass
of the exhaust fumes produced while the car burned the gas, would
mass (i) and mass (ii) be different or would they be equal? Explain
your answer.

5. A solid mass of 25 g is mixed with 60 g of a solution. A chemical
reaction takes place and a gas is produced. The final mass of the
mixture is 75 g. What was the mass of gas released?
6. If 100 g of one substance reacts with 70 g of another substance, what
will be the mass of the products after the reaction?
7. A student adds 15 g of baking soda to 10 g of acetic acid in a beaker. A
chemical reaction occurs and a gas is given off. After the reaction, the
mass of the products remaining in the beaker is 23 g. Has mass been
conserved in this reaction? Explain your answer.

8. Select a chemical reaction you have read about or observed
in this section. Use the chemical formulas of the reactants
and products to prove the law of conservation of mass.
9. Does a glass of pop have a greater, smaller, or identical
mass after it has sat out on the table overnight? Explain
your answer.
10. Is Earth a closed system or an open system? Explain your
answer.
Figure 4.9 Albert Einstein was the first person to propose that
in a nuclear reaction, some mass is converted into energy.
4.3 Factors Affecting the Rate of a Chemical
Reaction
You may know someone who tried to change his or her hair colour, but
the process didn’t quite work out as planned. Colouring hair is the result
of a chemical reaction. If the reaction is not controlled properly,
unintended effects can occur, such as unexpected hair colours or burning
of the scalp. Another common example of a chemical reaction is making a
cake. It’s important to use the right amount of each ingredient. If you add
too much baking powder, for example, you can end up with a batter that
rises more than it should.
It is important to understand how a chemical reaction works and the
factors that affect the rate of the reaction. The four factors that can affect
the rate of a chemical reaction are:
• the presence of a catalyst
• the concentration of the reactants
• the temperature of the reactants
• the surface area of the reactants
Figure 4.10 Chemicals
can be used to change CATALYSTS
hair colour.
Catalysts are substances that help a reaction proceed faster. They are
present with the reactants of a reaction, but they are not consumed during
the reaction. Chemical reactions involving catalysts can be found in both
living and non-living things. The most common example in living things
is in your body. Many reactions, such as the breaking down of food,
require a catalyst called an enzyme. Without enzymes, many reactions
would require much higher temperatures—a situation that would be
deadly to the human body.
Enzymes can help get rid of poisons in the body quickly. For example,
one product of reactions in cells is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen
peroxide is poisonous. An enzyme called catalase, which is found in
many different types of animal and plant cells, speeds up the breakdown
of hydrogen peroxide into harmless oxygen and water. Figure 4.11 shows
a model of how an enzyme like catalase functions.
reactant products
Figure 4.11 The shape of the

enzyme molecule helps the
reactant molecule break
down.
enzyme

Q U I C K LAB
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND THE C ATA LY S T

MANGANESE(IV) OXIDE
(Teacher Demonstration)
• hydrogen peroxide
Like catalase, the catalyst manganese(IV) oxide (MnO2(s)) also speeds up the
• test tube
reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide and produces a gas. To test if the
• wooden splint
gas is present, a glowing splint is placed in the test tube holding the reaction.
• matches
Purpose • manganese(IV) oxide
To observe the effects of a catalyst on the rate of a chemical reaction

Procedure
1 Pour hydrogen peroxide into a test tube to a depth of 4 cm.
Wait 30 s.
2 Light a wooden splint. After 5 s, blow it out. Immediately hold the glowing
splint in the test tube. Record your observations.
3 Add 1 g of the catalyst manganese(IV) oxide (MnO2(s)) to the hydrogen
peroxide in the test tube.
4 Observe the test tube for 30 s.
5 Light another wooden splint and blow it out after 5 s. Immediately place the
glowing splint into the test tube. Record your observations.
Questions
6 Describe how the catalyst manganese(IV) oxide affects the rate of reaction in
this demonstration.
7 What gas was given off by the reaction? What evidence do you have to
support your answer?
8 If a piece of fresh liver is dropped into hydrogen peroxide, a similar reaction
occurs. What can you infer about the chemicals found in liver?
9 If you were to cool the hydrogen peroxide before you added the catalyst,
what do you think would happen to the rate of reaction? Explain your
answer.
info BIT
Fuel Cells
Fuel cells use a platinum catalyst to generate electricity from the
reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. These cells can now be found in
cars and other devices.
ACTIVITY B-9
R AT E S OF REACTION
Inquiry
The Question
What factors can be changed to increase the rate of a reaction?
Procedure
Part 1—Investigating the Reaction
• graduated cylinder 1 Using the graduated cylinder, measure 50 mL of water and place it in the beaker.
• water 2 Measure 15 mL of copper(II) chloride.
• 500-mL beaker 3 Add the copper(II) chloride to the water and stir until the solid has dissolved. Record
• 15-mL plastic measuring your observations of the solution.
spoon
4 Measure the temperature of the solution.
• copper(II) chloride
• stirring rod 5 Crumple a piece of aluminum foil so that it will fit into the beaker. Using the stirring
• thermometer rod, push the aluminum foil into the solution. Observe and record any changes.
• aluminum foil 6 Record the temperature (in °C) every 30 s until the temperature begins to drop.
Part 2—Changing the Rate of the Reaction

7 In this part of the activity, you will design a procedure using only the materials you
used in part 1. Your task is to create a reaction that will give you the highest
temperature as quickly as possible.
8 Working with your lab partner, design your procedure and write it down. Remember
that you will have to measure the temperature every 30 s as in step 6 in part 1.
9 Have your teacher approve your procedure.
10 Carry out your plan and record your results.

11 What evidence do you have that a chemical change occurred when aluminum was
added to the copper(II) chloride?
12 Graph the temperatures you measured in part 1 against the time that you measured
Figure 4.12 Step 6
them. On the same graph, graph the temperatures you measured in part 2. Use a
different colour for your second graph.
13 What products do you think were produced from the reaction?
14 What factors did you change to increase the rate of the reaction?
15 Was there a difference in the highest temperatures you measured in parts 1 and 2?
Why do you think this occurred?
16 If the challenge was to create the lowest temperature possible, what factors would
you change?
Forming Conclusions
17 Describe how you would create a reaction to get the highest temperature as quickly
as possible, given the materials you used in this activity.

OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE RATE OF REACTION re SEARCH
A catalyst is one factor that can affect the rate of a reaction. Three other
factors are concentration, temperature, and surface area. Controlling Industrial
Reactions
Concentration Find examples of
industrial chemical
The greater the concentration of the reactants, the faster the reaction. The
reactions that require the
increased concentration of the reactants means that there are more atoms rate of the reaction to be
of each reactant available to react. For example, adding more aluminum to controlled. Begin your
a copper(II) chloride solution will cause the reaction between the two search at
substances to proceed faster. www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Temperature
The temperature of the reactants can also affect the rate of a reaction. The
more heat added to the reactants, the faster the reaction. The added heat
causes the atoms of each reactant to move faster, which increases the
chances of their colliding with each other. For example, if you were
investigating the copper(II) chloride–aluminum reaction, you could heat
the copper(II) chloride solution to make the reaction proceed more
quickly.
Surface area
Increasing the surface area of the reactants is another factor that can
increase the rate of a reaction. The greater surface area of the reactants
means that more area is available for reaction. In the copper(II) chloride
and aluminum example, cutting the aluminum foil into tiny pieces would
increase the surface area, causing the reaction to proceed faster.
Figure 4.13 This grain elevator blew up when the extremely fine grain dust in the air was ignited
accidentally. The fine dust means a large surface area of grain was available for the combustion
reaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What is an enzyme?
2. Explain how an enzyme is different from other catalysts.
3. What are four factors that can affect the rate of reaction?
4. Give one example, not discussed in the book, of a reaction where the
rate was increased because of changes in the four factors mentioned
above.

5. What is the purpose of storing food in a cooler with ice when you go
camping or on a picnic? Explain your answer in terms of rate of
chemical reaction.
6. Why does chewing your food make it easier to digest?
7. Why should batteries be stored in the fridge when they are not being
used?
8. For each of the following reactions, how could the rate of chemical
change be increased?
a) a block of wood burns slowly
b) an Alka-Seltzer tablet fizzes slightly
c) ice-cold hydrochloric acid reacts slowly with powdered zinc

9. The catalyst manganese(IV) oxide is able to increase the rate at which
hydrogen peroxide decomposes into oxygen and hydrogen. The
enzyme catalase is found in animal livers and can perform the same
function. If the hydrogen peroxide is heated to 60°C first, the catalase
doesn’t work. Why?
10. Plan and write a procedure to test how the concentration of yeast will
affect the rising of bread.
Figure 4.14 Dyeing a shirt to create the

varying colour tones shown here
requires controlling the reaction rate of
the various chemical dyes used.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Define a chemical reaction and give an example.
2. Create a chemical word equation using the following: reactants, products, →
3. Which of the following observations would not be evidence of a chemical
reaction?
a) precipitate (solid) formed c) substance melted
b) heat released d) colour changed
4. How does the fire triangle describe the chemical reaction called combustion?
5. Define the law of conservation of mass in your own words.
6. What is the difference between an open and a closed system?
7. Write the following reactions as chemical word equations.
a) Calcium and water combine to form calcium hydroxide and hydrogen.
b) Hydrogen gas and sulfur are products created when hydrogen sulfide
decomposes or breaks down.
c) Methane and oxygen react to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy.
d) If there is not enough air for all the methane to react in c), carbon and
water are formed.
8. How can you determine if a reaction is exothermic?

9. A reaction occurs in a closed system. The mass of the products is 25 g.
What was the mass of the reactants? How do you know?

On
At the start of this unit, you were introduced to the idea that the goal of science
was to develop knowledge about our natural world. This knowledge includes
how substances interact to form new substances. Now that you are at the end of
this unit, work with your partner or your class to consider the following
questions.
1. Identify an example of two or more substances interacting to produce a
change. How do you know a change has occurred?
2. Describe several chemical changes or reactions that you consider useful.
What are some characteristics or properties of each of these reactions that
make them useful?
3. Describe two chemical changes or reactions where it is important to control
the rate of the reaction. Why is this important in each case?
4. Review your answers in Section 1.0, Focus on the Nature of Science. How
has your understanding of matter and its interactions changed over time?
U NIT S UMMARY: M ATTER AND C HEMICAL C HANGE
1.0 1.0 Matter can be described and organized by its physical and chemical properties.
• Recognition of WHMIS symbols is important to lab safety.
• Workplace Hazardous • Matter can be organized in different ways. One way is as solids, liquids, and gases. Another way
Materials Information is as mixtures and solutions.
System (WHMIS) and safety • Physical properties of matter such as colour, hardness, boiling point, and density are used to
• substances and their identify substances. Chemical properties describe how a substance interacts with other
properties substances.
atomic theory
2.0 2.0 An understanding of the nature of matter has developed through observations
over time.
• substances and their
• Human understanding of matter grew as people suggested explanations for their observations of
properties
the natural world. Theories were confirmed or rejected as people learned more about matter.
• elements, compounds, and • The Greek philosopher Democritus stated that matter was made up of tiny indivisible particles
atomic theory called atomos. This theory was not widely accepted for 2000 years.
• periodic table • Investigations by scientists, such as Robert Boyle, in the 1600s confirmed that matter is made up
of tiny particles. Further investigation by researchers gradually developed the understanding we
have today that matter is made up of atoms. Each atom has a nucleus containing protons and
neutrons. Electrons orbit the nucleus.
• Elements are pure substances made up of only one type of atom. The periodic table organizes the
elements according to their atomic number and atomic mass. The atomic number is the number
of protons in the nucleus. The atomic mass is the average mass of an atom of an element.
• Patterns of information on the periodic table include groupings of metals, metalloids, and non-
metals.
3.0 3.0 Compounds form according to a set of rules.

• Every chemical compound has a chemical formula and chemical name. The chemical formula
• periodic table
identifies the elements in the compound and their proportions.
• elements, compounds, and • An ion is an atom or a group of atoms that has become electrically charged through the loss or
atomic theory gain of electrons from one atom to another.
• chemical nomenclature • Ionic compounds form between atoms of metals and non-metals.
• Molecular compounds form between atoms of non-metals.
4.0 4.0 Substances undergo a chemical change when they interact to produce different
substances.
• endothermic and exothermic
• A physical change may change the appearance or state of a substance but not its composition
reactions
(e.g., melting). A chemical change results in the formation of one or more different substances.
• reactants and products
• Reactions involving oxygen are some of the most common types of chemical reactions. These
• conservation of mass include combustion, corrosion, and cellular respiration.
• factors affecting reaction • A chemical reaction occurs when substances called reactants interact to produce different
rates substances called products.
• According to the principle of the conservation of mass, the mass of the products in a chemical
reaction equals the mass of the reactants.
• An exothermic reaction gives off energy. An endothermic reaction takes in energy.
• The rate of reaction can be affected by the addition of a catalyst, or an increase in the
concentration, temperature, or surface area of the reactants.

y
a
se d
S t u
Metal Contamination of the Environment

How much of the contaminated soil needs to
be cleaned up?
Cleaning up a contaminated site is costly. Some people
suggest that only toxic sites where people may live or work
should be cleaned up. Others suggest that only areas
where people live should be cleaned. To save money, only
a partial cleanup of the workplace is necessary. Other
people feel that all toxic areas should be cleaned, as it is
hard to predict where people will live or work in the future.
Who should be responsible for the cleanup?

Cleaning a contaminated area may require removal of soil,
Equipment operators must wear special protective buildings, and trees, and the addition of clean soil. This is
gear when cleaning up contaminated soil. an expensive process. Since many of these waste sites
have been abandoned, it is difficult to determine who
The Issue should be responsible for cleaning them up. All levels of
government—municipal, provincial, and federal—have a
Humans have many uses for metals. Copper for wire,
role in determining how these sites should be rehabilitated.
aluminum for pop cans, and lead for batteries are just a
few examples. Some metals, such as lead, are poisonous
Go Further
to humans if exposure occurs over a long period of time.
This exposure may result from metals finding their way Now it’s your turn. Look into the following resources to
into the groundwater or from unsafe storage. In many help you form your opinion.
cases, the people or companies responsible for the • Look on the Web: Check the Internet for information on
contamination are no longer present to take responsibility examples of metal contamination in Alberta and what is
for the cleanup. The problem of metal contamination in the being done about them.
environment leads to several questions. • Ask the Experts: Try to find an expert on metal
contamination, such as a chemical engineer or an
What should be done with contaminated soil? environmental geologist. Experts can be found in various
places: city hall, universities, environmental consulting
When metals from factories, mines, and dumps
companies, and government agencies.
contaminate soil, the area is closed to human access. This
• Look It Up in Newspapers and Magazines: Look for
prevents immediate harm to people. However, the soil
articles about metal contamination.
must be made safe for the future. There are two common
options for cleaning up contaminated soil. The first option
Analyze and Address the Issue
involves removing the top layer of contaminated soil.
However, the contaminated soil must then be cleaned or Summarize your opinion of what should be done about
stored in another area. The second option is to cover the cleaning up contaminated soil and who should do it as one
contaminated soil with a thick layer of clean soil. In theory, of the following:
the new layer seals the contaminated soil from the • a newspaper article for your local or school newspaper
environment. • a speech to be presented at a public forum on the issue
Science World 173

PROJECT
WHAT’S IN THE BOTTLE?
If the spot plate is clear and colourless, you may need to
put a piece of white paper under the plate. This will help
you observe any reaction that occurs.
Steps to Success
Part 1—The Tests
1 Collect the necessary equipment for this activity:
• 1 spot plate
• bottles of solutions labelled A, B, C, D, E, F
• paper towel
2 Combine two solutions in all possible ways, using the
table below as your guide.
3 Record your observations in a table like this one.
A B C D E F Unknown
You can use the well in a spot plate for a micro-scale reaction.
A
Getting Started
B
There’s a problem in the science lab. A bottle containing
C
an unknown solution has been found. Because the
contents are unknown, it is difficult to determine how to D
dispose of it.
E
Your Goal F
In this activity, you will perform a variety of micro-scale
Unknown
reactions to gather information about how various
solutions react. You will then use this information to
Part 2—The Identification of the Unknown
identify an unknown sample.
4 Your teacher will give you an unknown solution.
What You Need to Know 5 Using a clean spot plate, combine each of the known
Micro-scale reactions occur when very small amounts of solutions with the unknown solution. Record your
reactants are used. Usually the reaction takes place in a results in each case.
small depression or well on a spot plate. By filling the well
How Did It Go?
half full with one solution or solid reactant and then adding
a second reactant, you can observe if a reaction has 6 Using your data from part 1, determine what you think
occurred. the unknown sample in the bottle is. Remember to
support your answer with your data.
The following observations can help you determine
that a reaction has occurred: 7 Write your conclusion in a short paragraph. Make sure
it answers the following questions:
• bubbles form or a gas is given off
• What did you do in this activity?
• the colour changes
• Why did you do this activity?
• a solid substance called a precipitate forms
• What did you find?
• What is one new thing you learned?

UNIT REVIEW: MATTER AND CHEMICAL CHANGE
Unit Vocabulary a) poisonous and infectious causing other

toxic effects
1. Define the following terms in full sentences
b) corrosive material
using your own words.
c) dangerously reactive material
WHMIS
d) flammable and combustible material
matter
e) oxidizing material
elements
f) biohazardous infectious material
periodic table
g) poisonous and infectious causing
atomic mass
immediate and serious toxic effects
atomic number
h) compressed gas
ion charge
ionic compound 3. If you had to describe an unknown green
molecular compound solid, what properties could you use?
exothermic 4. What is the difference between a physical
endothermic change and a chemical change?
law of conservation of mass 5. Create a chart or picture to illustrate the
differences among a pure substance, a
mechanical mixture, and a solution. Include
Key Concept Review examples in your chart or picture.
1.0
2.0
2. Match the WHMIS symbol to the following
descriptions. 6. Why must copper be heated before it can be
made into something?
7. What was Ernest Rutherford’s contribution
to the understanding of the atom?
8. How are metals and non-metals organized in
the periodic table?
(i) (ii) (iii)
9. What is the difference between a family and
a period in the periodic table?
3.0
(iv) (v) (vi) 10. a) Explain what “ion charge” means.

b) How can the ion charge be used to
determine the chemical formula of
compounds?
(vii) (viii)
Unit Review 175

11. Name the elements in the substances below. Connect Your Understanding
a) LiCl(s) d) ZnO(s)
18. What contribution to the field of chemistry
b) Al2S3(s) e) Br2(l) was made by:
c) AgF(s) a) alchemists
12. Which of the following compounds are ionic b) Robert Boyle
and which are molecular? c) John Dalton
a) beryllium oxide d) J.J. Thomson
b) lithium phosphide 19. Compare Democritus’s understanding of the
c) water atom with Niels Bohr’s understanding.
d) sodium fluoride 20. Why was Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table
e) carbon dioxide accepted as a useful way to organize the
f) copper(I) chloride elements?
13. Write the chemical formula for each 21. Explain how J.J. Thomson’s “raisin bun
compound in question 12. model” of the atom is different from Niels
Bohr’s model of the atom.
4.0 22. Describe two patterns found in the periodic
table.
14. Rewrite the chemical reactions below as
23. Below is a box from the periodic table that is
word equations.
missing information. Copy the box into your
a) A solid piece of sodium metal is placed notebook and fill in the missing information.
in water, and it reacts explosively to form
sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. 13
b) Hydrogen peroxide is placed in sunlight
and reacts slowly to form oxygen and Al
water.
c) Iron(II) chloride is formed when iron and
chlorine gas are combined.
d) When aluminum is exposed to oxygen,
aluminum oxide forms. 24. Copy the following table into your notebook.
15. For each reaction in question 14, suggest a Use the periodic table to fill in the blanks.
different method for increasing the rate of
reaction. Element Mass Protons Electrons Neutrons
Number
16. How is cellular respiration similar to
H 1
combustion? How is it different?
166 82
17. Is there a difference between a catalyst and
an enzyme? Explain your answer. Ca 41
Ag 109
U 238
4 2
21 10

25. Write the name for the following formulas, weighed the products of the reaction, she
including the correct Roman numerals found the total mass to be 140 g. Did this
where necessary: reaction conserve mass? Explain your
a) MgBr2(s) d) PbI4(s) answer.
b) Ba3N2(s) e) Cu2S(s)
c) FeP(s) Self Assessment
26. Why do we use kindling (small sticks of 33. Scientific investigations usually require
wood) to help start a fire? many people to work together as a team.
Why is collaboration an important part of
Extend Your Understanding scientific work?
27. How were the first “chemists” in the Stone 34. In this unit, you investigated many different
Age different from “chemists” in the Iron questions and issues related to chemistry.
Age? Describe one idea that you would like to
find out more about. Explain why you want
28. Give three examples of how an
to learn more about it.
understanding of the properties of a type of
matter has benefited humans.
29. How can the periodic table be used to
determine the ion charge of elements? Focus THE NATURE OF SCIENCE
30. What is the chemical symbol of the element On
that has 14 neutrons in its nucleus?
In this unit, you investigated the nature of
science related to matter and chemical change.
Practise Your Skills Consider the following questions.
31. Create a mnemonic or “safety slogan” that 35. Scientific knowledge results from the shared
can be used to remind people of the proper work of many people over time. Describe the
techniques for handling and disposing of development of an idea in this unit that
laboratory materials. resulted from the work of many people over
time.
32. In the following reactions, calculate the
mass of the unknown product. 36. Was an alchemist really a scientist? Explain
a) How much water is produced when a your answer.
spark creates an explosive reaction 37. It is often said that science cannot provide
between 4 g of hydrogen and 32 g of complete answers to all questions. Describe
oxygen? a situation in this unit where you felt this
b) In a 100-g beaker, a student added 25 g of statement was true.
lead(II) nitrate to 15 g of sodium iodide. 38. Reread the three questions on page 91 about
In her notebook, she recorded the mass of the nature of science related to matter and
reactants as 40 g. During the chemical chemical change. Use a creative way to
rection between the two materials in the demonstrate your understanding of these
beaker, the student noted a colour change questions.
but no gases being given off. When she
Unit Review 177

UNIT
178
1.0 The environment is made up of chemicals that can support or

harm living things.
1.1 Chemicals in the Environment
1.2 Acids and Bases
1.3 Common Substances Essential to Living Things
1.4 How Organisms Take in Substances
2.0
The quantity of chemicals in the environment can be monitored.
2.1 Monitoring Water Quality
2.2 Monitoring Air Quality
2.3 Monitoring the Atmosphere
3.0 Potentially harmful substances are spread and concentrated in

the environment in various ways.
3.1 Transport of Materials Through Air, Soil, and Water
3.2 Changing the Concentration of Harmful Chemicals in the
Environment
3.3 Hazardous Chemicals Affect Living Things
3.4 Hazardous Household Chemicals
179
Exploring
Willow bark contains salicylic acid.
First Nations people relied

on plants for both food and
medicine. MEDICINE FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
When you look at a willow like the one in the photo, you probably just
see a tree or a bush. But when a pharmaceutical chemist looks at a willow,
she sees an important chemical—salicylic acid. Chemists recognize that
the environment is made up of chemicals. Some of these chemicals can
interact to cure sickness and improve health in organisms.
First Nations people made use of chemicals in their environment for
food and medicine. For example, they recognized the benefits of drinking
willow bark tea. In Europe as well, willow bark had been used since at
least 400 B.C. At that time, Hippocrates—now known as the Father of
Medicine—had recommended it to treat pain and fever. The active
ingredient in willow bark was identified in the 1800s as salicylic acid. In
1898, the Bayer company in Germany used a synthetic version of this
chemical, called acetylsalicylic acid, to develop a new medicine under the
brand name Aspirin.
Aspirin is just one of many medicines we use today that were
originally derived from naturally occurring chemicals in the environment.
Many people use an extract
made from the purple Identifying plants that might provide such chemicals is challenging for
coneflower (Echinacea scientists. The knowledge of local people helps them select the plants to
purpurea) to help stimulate test. Once the plants are collected, their chemical composition must be
their immune systems. analyzed. Plants may be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
Echinacea is a traditional When a potentially useful chemical is found, it must be tested for safety
medicine in North America.
and effectiveness.
180 Unit C: Environmental Chemistry

Q U I C K LAB
TESTING HEALTH PRODUCTS

Willow bark tea had an unpleasant side effect—it severely irritated the stomach Materials & Equipment
and mouth. One of the tests that was done during the development of the • Aspirin suspension
commercial medicine was an acidity test. From other science classes, recall that • echinacea suspension
litmus paper turns red in an acid and blue in a base. If there is no colour change, • vitamin C suspension
the test substance is said to be neutral. You will learn more about acids and • antacid (e.g., Tums)
bases as you work through this unit. suspension
• litmus paper
Purpose • spot plate
To test some health products to determine if they are acidic, basic, or neutral • medicine dropper
Procedure
1 Use the medicine dropper to place 5 drops of Aspirin suspension in a clean
spot plate.
2 If you are using neutral litmus paper, dip one end of a small piece into the
suspension in the spot plate. Record the results.
3 If you are using red and blue litmus paper, do step 2 first with red litmus
paper. Then repeat step 2 using blue litmus paper.
4 Repeat steps 1 to 3 for each of the other suspensions. Make sure to use a
clean medicine dropper and spot plate each time.
Questions
5 Which suspensions were acidic, basic, or neutral?
6 How do you know in each case?

On
While studying this unit, you will be asked to organize your thoughts
about the chemical nature of the environment. As you work through the
unit, think about the following questions:
1. What chemicals do we find in the local and global environments?
2. How do changes in the concentration and distribution of these
chemicals affect living things?
3. How can we assess the impact of our use of chemicals on the
environment?
The answers to these and other questions about environmental chemistry
will help you understand the role of science and technology in
monitoring and maintaining the environment.
Exploring 181
1.0 The environment is made up of
chemicals that can support or harm
living things.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• chemicals essential to life
• organic and inorganic material
• acids and bases
• ingestion and absorption of
materials
• substrates and nutrients
Learning Outcomes
• describe processes by which
chemicals are introduced into
the environment
• identify acids, bases, and
neutral substances based on
measurement of their pH
• describe the effects of acids
and bases
• identify common organic and
inorganic substances that are
essential to living things
• describe organic matter Water is one of the chemicals that is essential for life. You can live only
synthesized by organisms a few days without it. Life-supporting substances dissolve in water and
• describe the uptake of
are transported to all parts of your body. Water carries waste materials to
materials by living things
your kidneys for removal.
• identify substrates and nutrient
A waterfall like the one shown here creates a large surface area
sources for living things in a
exposed to the air. Gases such as oxygen that make up part of the air
variety of environments
• identify questions about the dissolve in the water. Aquatic plants, animals, and micro-organisms
safe release of substances into absorb the dissolved oxygen and use it to release energy through cellular
the environment respiration.
In this section, you will learn about chemicals in the environment.
You will learn about natural and human processes that change the
chemical composition of the environment. And you will learn how
organisms use chemicals and are affected by them. You will investigate
two important types of chemicals: acids and bases.

info BIT
1.1 Chemicals in the Environment
Volcanoes
Trees, mountains, the air we breathe, our own bodies—everything that Volcanoes release
makes up the environment is made of chemicals. All living things are 130 million tonnes of
made of chemicals and depend on chemicals to survive. Without carbon carbon dioxide into
dioxide and water, green plants could not produce sugar for food. Without Earth’s atmosphere
every year.
oxygen, plants and animals could not carry out cellular respiration. These
are just a few of the chemicals that support living things.
Not all chemicals that form the environment support living things. For
example, forest fires and volcanoes both release large quantities of
chemicals such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ash. Even though
these substances are produced naturally, they can be harmful to living
things. Human activities can also cause chemical changes in the
environment. We benefit from products such as gasoline, electricity, and
pesticides, but by using them, we may be harming both the living and
non-living environment.
G I V E I T A TRY
CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Figure 1.1 Chemicals

occur naturally
everywhere.
Figure 1.1 is designed to give you an impression of the many elements that are important
to life on Earth. These elements combine in different ways to form chemical compounds.
Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down into other substances.
• Select one of the symbols for the elements shown in Figure 1.1. Using the periodic table
in Toolbox 12, record the name of the element.
• Use books, magazines, interviews, or electronic sources to find out how plants and
animals use the element. Hint: An element may be used on its own or be part of a
compound.
• If possible, also identify any beneficial and harmful effects of the element on living
things, including humans.
• Record your findings on a poster.
The Environment Is Made up of Chemicals That Can Support or Harm Living Things 183
THE NITROGEN CYCLE
All chemical compounds are made up of elements. Recall that elements are
pure substances that cannot be broken down into other substances. Also
recall that some elements, such as oxygen and carbon, are always moving
through ecosystems. They form chemical compounds that are used and
reused by living things. Similarly, the chemical compound water changes
state as it moves through ecosystems. The repeating changes of these
elements and water as they move through ecosystems is called a cycle. The
element nitrogen also cycles in this way.
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen is important for living things. For example, plants require nitrogen
to make substances necessary for life. However, plants can use nitrogen only
when it is combined with other elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen. Air
is about 78% nitrogen in the form of nitrogen gas (N2(g)). But plants can’t
use this “free” nitrogen directly. It has to be “fixed” in compounds with
other elements. Nitrogen fixation is the process of changing free nitrogen so
that the nitrogen atoms can combine with other elements to form
compounds that organisms can use.
Certain types of bacteria do most of the nitrogen fixation in the soil.
Some of these bacteria are located in the root nodules of specific types of
plants, such as beans, clover, and alfalfa (Figure 1.2). The bacteria in these
nodules are able to separate the two nitrogen atoms that form nitrogen gas
(free nitrogen). Once separated, the nitrogen atoms can form compounds
with other elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen. Lightning also converts
nitrogen in the air to nitrogen compounds that plants can use.
Steps in the Cycle

After nitrogen fixation occurs, plants use the nitrogen-containing
compounds. Animals then eat the plants. Their bodies use the nitrogen in
the compounds to make more complex substances, such as proteins.
Decomposers break down these large nitrogen-containing molecules in dead
organisms and animal waste into simpler nitrogen compounds in the soil.
The nitrogen can move from organisms and back to the soil several times.
Eventually some nitrogen-containing compounds are broken down further
by other bacteria in the soil. This nitrogen is released back into the air as
free nitrogen, and the cycle begins again.
Figure 1.3 shows the nitrogen cycle. However, the concentration of
Figure 1.2 The bumps on the usable nitrogen is not the same everywhere. This is similar to water. The
roots of this alfalfa plant are total amount of water on Earth does not change, but too little water in some
called “nodules.” Bacteria in places causes droughts, and too much water causes floods. The
these nodules are able to fix
concentration of usable nitrogen varies because it can be removed from the
nitrogen in the soil so other
plants can use the nitrogen.
local environment in different ways. Conversion to free nitrogen by bacteria
is one way. Another way is by water carrying dissolved nitrogen compounds
away or deep into the soil so that they are unavailable to plants. Nitrogen is
also lost in an area when plants are harvested. If soil lacks nitrogen, farmers
plant nitrogen-fixing plants such as clover and alfalfa or add fertilizers to
increase the amount of nitrogen.

free nitrogen in air
lightning can convert

consumers free nitrogen to
eat plants nitrogen compounds
containing Figure 1.3 The nitrogen
nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen moves
from the air into the soil.
Bacteria “fix” some of the
nitrogen so it can be used
by plants, while some is
animal released to the air. This
and plant
“fixed” nitrogen is taken in
waste
by plants, which may be
bacteria eaten by animals. Plant
release some and animal waste return
free nitrogen bacteria in root
nodules convert nitrogen to the soil. The
back to the decomposers
uptake of free nitrogen to nitrogen may then be
air break down
nitrogen by useful compounds reused by plants or
waste and
plants
release nitrogen released to the air.
compounds
into soil
PROCESSES AND ACTIVITIES THAT AFFECT ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS

The nitrogen cycle is one example of how environmental chemicals
change. Other processes and activities can also cause changes in the
environment. Think about how you use and change chemicals.
Your body can be compared to a vehicle. You give it food as “fuel”
and air rich in oxygen. It uses the chemicals in the food and the oxygen in
the air in the process of cellular respiration to give you energy. One of the
products you release in this process is carbon dioxide. When you travel in
the family car or truck, the vehicle burns a fuel such as gasoline or
propane. Oxygen from the air is required for that reaction. Along with the
energy produced in this combustion reaction, gases such as water vapour,
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides are released into
the atmosphere.
Cellular respiration is a natural process—a basic process that exists in
nature. The nitrogen cycle is another natural process. Driving your car or
truck is a human activity—an activity that humans design and carry out.
Both natural processes and human activities may change chemicals in the
environment. The chemicals formed by human activities are of special
interest to many people who are concerned about pollution. Pollution is
any change in the environment that produces a condition that is harmful
to living things. For example, smog caused by vehicle exhaust emissions
is pollution because it makes it hard for people and other animals to
breathe. Forest fires produce similar chemical pollution.
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Human activities release chemicals into the air, water, and soil every day.
Growing crops, disposing of solid waste, treating wastewater,
manufacturing products, and driving vehicles are all examples of ways
that we change the concentration of some chemicals in the environment.
Many of these chemicals can be broken down through natural processes.
Other chemicals cannot be broken down easily, and can cause long-term
problems. Sometimes the use of chemicals becomes an issue. An issue is
any subject of importance about which people have strong, conflicting
points of view.
Agricultural Activities
Farmers must have an understanding of chemistry to produce good crops.
They have to know what chemicals to add to soil to improve plant growth
and what chemicals to treat plants with to protect them from pests.
A fertilizer is a substance that enriches soil so that plants will grow
better. For example, potassium is essential to plant growth. If a soil is low
in potassium, plants cannot grow well in it. The soil must be enriched by
adding a potassium fertilizer.
Fertilizers are described by the major nutrient elements they contain.
These elements are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Figure 1.4
shows a typical fertilizer label. The three numbers 15–30–15 on the label
indicate that this fertilizer contains 15% nitrogen compounds, 30%
phosphorus compounds, and 15% potassium compounds. Some fertilizers
have a fourth number and the letter “S” on the label to indicate that they
Figure 1.4 This fertilizer
contain sulfur as a major ingredient.
contains the three elements Fertilizers may come from natural sources or synthetic chemicals.
nitrogen (15%), phosphorus They are added to the soil to help plant growth, but they must be applied
(30%), and potassium carefully. It doesn’t matter whether a fertilizer comes from a natural or a
(15%). synthetic source—too much can damage organisms. Too much fertilizer
may even damage the crop it’s supposed to help. If fertilizer enters ponds,
streams, lakes, or rivers, it may damage those ecosystems by changing the
concentration of chemicals. You will learn more about the effects of
fertilizers on water systems later in this unit.
Farmers also use their understanding of chemistry to apply pesticides
safely. Pesticides are chemicals used to kill pests. A pest is an organism
that harms people, crops, or structures. Pesticides are grouped according
to the pest that they kill. Herbicides kill or control weeds. Insecticides kill
or control insects. Fungicides kill fungi.
Figure 1.5 Some

types of insects
damage or destroy
food crops. The bertha
armyworm shown
here is a major pest of
canola.

It is estimated that at least 50% of the world’s food production would
be lost to pests if pesticides were not used. However, improper
application of pesticides can be harmful to people and other non-pest
organisms. Pesticides can also create other problems.
Some pesticides are not selective—they kill both pest and non-pest
species. For example, the bertha armyworm shown in Figure 1.5 is a pest
of canola. Spraying for the armyworm may kill bees, which are important
for pollinating canola and other crops. Another problem occurs with
pesticides that stay in the environment for a long time. For example, DDT
lasts from 2 to 15 years. It is not approved for use in North America, but it
is still used in some parts of the world to kill mosquitoes that carry the
disease malaria. Some pests become resistant to pesticides, so new
pesticides must be developed to control them.
Solid Wastes
Chemicals may be introduced into the environment when we dispose of
solid waste or wastewater. Solid waste includes the garbage that is
collected from households, industrial plants, commercial buildings,
institutions, and construction and demolition sites. It includes large items,
such as machinery, all the way down to small items, such as the caps on
plastic drink bottles.
Some solid waste can be reused or recycled, but most of it is placed in
landfill sites, like the one in Figure 1.6. Some hazardous wastes are
burned in special plants called incinerators, which burn at very high
temperatures. Emissions from incinerators may contribute to air pollution.
Sanitary landfill sites are specially built to prevent waste chemicals
from moving into the soil. As rainwater or groundwater moves through
solid waste, it can dissolve or corrode some items. Sanitary landfills use
plastic liners and compacted clay to prevent these solutions from entering
the soil and the groundwater.
residential and commercial

waste producers
industrial waste
producer
incinerator
sanitary landfill
transfer of ash
Figure 1.6 In a sanitary landfill, wastes are spread and compacted by bulldozers before they are covered by a layer of soil.
Wastewater
Wastewater containing dissolved and undissolved materials from your
kitchen, bathroom, and laundry is called sewage. Sewage moves through
pipes into a septic tank in rural areas or to a sewage treatment plant in
towns and cities. A septic tank is an underground container where
bacteria break down the organic materials before they are moved out to
the soil. A sewage treatment plant treats wastes from homes, businesses,
industries, and institutions. It may also treat water from street drains.
Treated wastewater or effluent is released into rivers or lakes. It may
contain nitrogen and phosphorus from the breakdown of sewage during
treatment.
If the municipal sewage system cannot handle a large quantity of rain
water from street drains, that water may go directly into a river or lake
Figure 1.7 The soap and dirt through large pipes called storm sewers. Water from storm sewers
from this car flow into the contains chemicals washed off the street, such as oil or other fluids that
storm drains in the street. have leaked from vehicles, and salt from snow-clearing operations.
From there, the water flows
into local rivers or lakes. Fuel Combustion
Coal, oil, and natural gas are called fossil fuels because they formed from
dead plants and animals. They are called hydrocarbons because they are
mainly made up of the elements hydrogen and carbon. They may also
contain oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. Fossil fuels may contain traces of
other elements such as mercury and lead.
When fossil fuels are burned in homes, vehicles, and industrial plants,
they produce large amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapour. The
general reaction equation for this combustion reaction is:
hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy
The combustion of fossil fuels may also release pollutants such as

sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and traces of mercury and lead into the
air.
The equations below show what happens in the combustion of
methane (in natural gas) and propane. Propane is used in barbecues,
vehicles, and some home appliances.
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)

methane + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water vapour + energy
C3H8(g) + 5O2(g) → 3CO2(g) + 4H2O(g)

propane + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water vapour + energy
As consumers, we are most familiar with the fuels from crude oil and
natural gas, which we use in our homes and vehicles. At one time, coal
was also used in homes as a heating fuel. Today it is used mainly for
electrical generation.

ACTIVITY C-1
Decision VIEWPOINTS ON ELECTRIC POWER

Making The Issue
Alberta needs more power for its growing economy and increasing population. How can
scientific questions be used to help people decide how this power should be generated?
1 At large electric power plants, turbines (large wheels) turn coils of wires or magnets
in a generator to produce electricity. Hydro-electric plants use falling water to turn the
turbines, and wind-powered plants use windmills. Where falling water or wind are not
available, water is converted to steam by burning a fossil fuel such as coal, natural
gas, or oil. The steam turns the turbine.
2 Consider the following viewpoints:
a) “Alberta has a lot of low-sulfur coal. Natural gas is in much more limited supply.
If we use natural gas to produce electricity, we won’t have as much available for
making plastics. Let’s use the coal to produce inexpensive electricity.”
b) “Natural gas is the cleanest burning fuel. We will have fewer environmental
problems in the future if we build plants that burn natural gas.”
c) “Burning fossil fuels produces harmful chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, and mercury. I like the idea of using windmills to generate electricity. It
might be less efficient than burning coal or natural gas, but it is the most
environmentally friendly method.”
d) “Any method is fine as long as the amount of harmful substances released from
the electrical plants into the atmosphere does not exceed the government
standards.”

3 What viewpoint is expressed by each speaker in step 2? (Use Toolbox 4, to help you
identify viewpoints. You may find more than one viewpoint per speaker.)
4 Imagine that you can talk to the speakers. List five questions you might ask them.
Compare your questions to those asked by your classmates.
5 Science attempts to understand and explain the natural world. Identify any two of
your questions that might be answered by scientific knowledge or processes. Explain
why you chose these questions.
6 Technology involves the designing and building of things that satisfy human needs
and wants. Identify one question that might be answered by technological knowledge
or technological development. Explain why you chose this question.
Figure 1.8 Sheerness

Generating Station, east of
Drumheller, uses
coal to generate electricity.
Industrial Processes
re SEARCH
Industrial processes such as electrical power generation, mineral
Electricity Generation in processing, and fertilizer production may release chemicals into the air. A
Alberta common industrial process in Alberta is natural gas processing. Natural
Research one way that gas is composed of compounds such as methane, ethane, propane, and
electricity is generated butane. It also contains nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide,
in Alberta. Explain the helium, and traces of metals such as mercury.
electricity generation Natural gas is processed to separate its components for different uses.
process you chose. In a Methane, propane, and butane are all derived from natural gas and are
T-chart, list its used primarily for heating. Ethane is used in plastics such as
advantages and polyethylene.
disadvantages. Begin Natural gas is also processed to eliminate unwanted substances such
your information search
as hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous chemical. Natural gas that contains
at www.pearsoned.ca/
hydrogen sulfide is called “sour” gas. If no hydrogen sulfide is present,
scienceinaction.
the gas is considered “sweet.”
The process for removing hydrogen sulfide produces sulfur dioxide
gas and pure sulfur. Since the 1970s, natural gas processing plants in
Alberta have been required by law to restrict their sulfur dioxide
emissions. They now recover more than 99% of the pure sulfur for use in
manufacturing sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is used in making fertilizers,
steel, synthetic fibres, and paints.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What role do decomposers play in the nitrogen cycle?
2. What is pollution? Give three examples of chemical pollution.
3. What do the numbers on the fertilizer label in Figure 1.9 indicate?
4. Define the term “herbicide.”
5. How do sanitary landfill sites prevent chemicals from moving into the
groundwater?

6. Describe two ways that nitrogen is removed from an ecosystem.
7. What pollutants are released from fossil fuel combustion?
8. Why do farmers use fertilizers?
9. Why does sewage need to be treated?
Figure 1.9 Fertilizer label
for question 3 Extend Your Understanding
10. Suggest two ways that you could reduce your need for a fuel-burning
vehicle.
11. Identify two issues related to human activities that change chemicals
in the environment. For each one, explain why it is considered to be
an issue.

info BIT
1.2 Acids and Bases
Natural Acid
In earlier studies, you may have learned that acid rain can be harmful to The sting of the bite
both the living and non-living environment. An acid is a compound that from a red ant is partly
dissolves in water to form a solution with a pH lower than 7. The pH caused by formic acid.
number of a solution indicates its acidity. It is a measure of the At one time, the bodies
concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. of red ants were used to
Industrial processes and fuel combustion produce large quantities of produce large quantities
of formic acid for use in
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. In the air, these
dyeing wool and
chemicals dissolve in water droplets to form acids. Sulfur dioxide
tanning leather. Today
combines with water to form sulfuric acid. Nitrogen oxides combine with
synthetic formic acid is
water to form nitric acid. Carbon dioxide dissolves in water to form used.
carbonic acid. All these droplets then fall as acid rain. Acid rain is a
concern around the world for several reasons. It can cause lakes and
streams to become acidic, which harms the organisms that live in them. It
can increase the rate at which buildings and monuments deteriorate.
Acid rain is harmful to the environment, but acids can also be
beneficial. Vinegar, for example, is a dilute solution of acetic acid. Lemon
juice contains citric acid. Some types of plants, such as blueberries, grow
better in acid soils.
A base is a compound that dissolves in water to form a solution with a
pH higher than 7. Hair conditioner is a base, as are many household
products.
PH SCALE
Acidity is measured according to the pH scale. Most solutions have a pH in
the range of 0 to 14. A solution with a pH of 0 is very acidic. For example,
battery acid has a pH of about 0.5. A solution with a pH of 14 is very basic
or alkaline. For example, household ammonia has a pH of about 12.6. A pH
of 7 means that a solution is neutral—it’s neither an acid nor a base.
The difference between one number and the next on the pH scale
represents a 10-fold difference. For example, a solution with a pH of 3 is
10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 4. Similarly a solution
with a pH of 9 is 10 times more basic than a solution with a pH of 8.
2.2 4.6
vinegar fish begin 8.0
1.0 4.0 to die 5.6 some soils
stomach most animals normal and lakes
acid are dead rain in Alberta Figure 1.10 This
figure shows the pH
measurements of
some common
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
strong neutral strong household products
acid base and some
0.5 2.0 4.2 6.0 8.2 10 12 13.8 environmental
battery lemon tomatoes milk baking toothpaste ammonia drain situations.
acid juice 7.0 soda cleaner
distilled
water
ACTIVITY C-2
MEASURING ACIDS AND BASES

Inquiry
Before You Start
In this activity, you may use either a pH meter, chemical indicators, or pH paper to
determine the pH of substances. The pH meter shows the pH of the substance being
tested. For chemical indicators and pH paper, a colour guide will help you measure the
pH of acids and bases.
• pH meter, chemical indicators, The Question
or pH paper
What are the pHs of some common substances?
• distilled water
• small beakers
Procedure
• materials to be tested (e.g.,
1 Place 10 mL of each solution in separate beakers.
local water, pure water, rain or
melted snow, household 2 If you are using a pH meter, rinse the meter’s probe with distilled water. Submerge
ammonia, vinegar, lemon juice, the tip of the probe in one of the solutions. Read and record the pH. Repeat for each
antacid tablet dissolved in solution.
water, baking soda solution, 3 If you are using a chemical indicator, place several drops of the chemical indicator in
carbonated drink, fruit juices) each solution. Observe and record the colour. Use the colour guide to determine the
• 5-mL measuring spoon
pH. Record the pH.
4 For pH paper, use a clean strip for each solution. Dip the end of the pH paper into the
solution. After about 2 s, remove the paper. Compare the colour of the wet end of the
paper with the colour guide. Record the pH.
Caution!
Acids and bases can burn
the skin and eyes. If any
of the ingredients spill,
wash immediately with
cold water. Never mix
substances (unless you
are told to) since they
may react and produce
dangerous chemicals.
Figure 1.11 You can use a pH meter, chemical indicators, or pH paper for this activity.

5 Which is the manipulated variable and which is the responding variable in this
activity?
Caution! 6 Describe how you determined the pHs of the substances tested.
Make sure the room is
well ventilated when you Forming Conclusions
test ammonia. 7 a) Which solutions were acids? How do you know?
b) Which solutions were bases? How do you know?
c) Which ones were neutral? How do you know?

MEASURING PH
You can use a pH meter or acid-base indicators to measure pH. A pH
meter consists of a probe attached to a meter. To test a fluid, you
submerge the tip of the probe in it, and the meter indicates the fluid’s pH.
Acid-base indicators are substances that can change colour when they
are placed in solutions. For example, blue litmus paper turns red in an
acid, and red litmus paper turns blue in a base. A universal indicator is a
mixture of indicators that change colour over a wide pH range. The pH of
a clear fluid can be identified by the colour of the fluid after several drops
of the indicator have been added. To determine the pH, you need to use a
colour chart to compare the colour of the test fluid with that of a known
standard.
(a) (b) Figure 1.12 (a) You can

determine the pH of a
solution with a universal
indicator by comparing
the colour of the solution
with a colour chart.
(b) Compare the colour
of these solutions with
the standard ones shown
in (a) to determine the
pH of each of these
common household
solutions.
NEUTRALIZATION
If you have an upset stomach, you might take an antacid to help you feel
better. An antacid is a mild base that reacts with the acid in your stomach
to neutralize it. The base in the antacid and the acid in your stomach react
to form compounds that are less upsetting to your stomach. This acid-base
reaction is called neutralization. The neutralization reaction produces
water and a compound called a salt. For example, what we call table salt
can be produced by combining hydrochloric acid with sodium hydroxide
solution, a base. Here is the equation for that neutralization reaction:
HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(s) + H2O(l)

acid + base → salt + water
Earlier in this subsection, you learned that a neutral solution is one

with a pH of 7—it’s neither acidic nor basic. That means that it doesn’t
have the properties of acids or bases, which sometimes can be harmful to
humans and the environment. For example, if a strong base spills from a
tanker truck, a weak acid can be used to neutralize it.
ACTIVITY C-3
NEUTRALIZING ACID
Inquiry
The Question
What effect does adding a base to an acid have on the pH of a solution?
The Hypothesis
Reword the question in the form of a hypothesis.
• baking powder
• water
• graduated cylinder
• 2 50-mL beakers
• vinegar
• pH meter, chemical indicators,
or pH paper
• 2-mL measuring spoon
Figure 1.13 Step 3
Procedure
1 Place 2 mL of baking powder in 30 mL of water in a 50-mL beaker. Test and record
the pH of the baking powder–water mixture.
2 Place 10 mL of vinegar in another 50-mL beaker. Test and record the pH of the
vinegar.
3 Stir the baking powder mixture. Slowly stir 10 mL of this mixture into the vinegar in
the beaker. Measure and record the pH of the vinegar–baking powder mixture.

4 Was the pH of the vinegar–baking powder mixture different from the pH of the
vinegar alone? Explain your answer.
5 What evidence was there that a chemical reaction took place?
6 Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not?
Forming Conclusions
7 Describe the effect that adding a base to an acid has on the pH of the solution.
Extending
Design and carry out an experiment to determine how adding water to a solution affects
its pH.

NEUTRALIZING THE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN re SEARCH
At the beginning of this subsection, you read about the formation of acid
rain. Ordinary rainwater is naturally slightly acidic. The raindrops Acid Effects in the
dissolve carbon dioxide from the air to form very weak carbonic acid, Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield is
which has a pH of about 5.6. In some areas of Canada, mainly in central
a large horseshoe-
Canada, acid rain has a pH as low as 3. In earlier studies, you may have
shaped area of ancient
learned about the effects of acid rain on living things and buildings. Many
rocks around Hudson
lakes in Ontario and Quebec became so acidic that organisms could no Bay. It covers much of
longer survive in them. eastern and central
Acidic lakes are sometimes treated with lime (calcium hydroxide) to Canada. Using books or
neutralize them. The lime is mixed with water so that it dissolves. A electronic resources,
chemical reaction takes place between this limewater, which is a base, and explain in a paragraph
the dilute sulfuric acid of the lake’s water. The reaction produces calcium why the water bodies
sulfate (a salt) and water. If all the acid and all the base are used up, the on the Canadian Shield
solution becomes neutral. The equation for that reaction is: are so sensitive to
acidic deposition.
Begin your information
Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → CaSO4(s) + 2H2O(l)
search at
calcium hydroxide + sulfuric acid → calcium sulfate + water www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
You will learn more about the effects of acids and bases on living
things as you work through this unit.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 5. You have been asked to determine the pH
1. Define the terms “neutral solution,” “acid,” of a solution. Explain why using a pH meter
and “base.” or a universal indicator is better than using
litmus paper.
2. State whether each sentence below refers to
an acid, a base, or a neutral solution. Extend Your Understanding
a) Solution A turns blue litmus paper red. 6. Predict what the chemical products will be
b) Solution B has a pH of 10. if sulfuric acid (H2SO4(aq)) and sodium
c) Pure water has a pH of 7. hydroxide (NaOH(aq)) are mixed together.
d) Solution C neutralizes an acid.
7. Suppose that there is a small lake on
Connect Your Understanding property that you own. The pH of the water
3. a) List three human activities that release in the lake has increased to 8.1 because of
chemicals that produce acid rain. human activities.
b) Identify the chemicals that are released a) How could you make the water neutral?
and the acids they form. b) What environmental changes might you
expect following the neutralization of the
4. What is the scientific meaning of the
lake water?
following sentence? Lemon juice is an acid.
1.3 Common Substances Essential to Living
Things
Figure 1.14 Composition of
the human body: water,
proteins, fats, sugars, starch,
DNA, minerals, vitamins,
salts, acids, and bases
Our bodies need about 25 elements for normal growth. The chemical
symbols for these elements are shown in Figure 1.1 at the beginning of
subsection 1.1. Carbon (C), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) are the most
common chemical elements in living things. Together, they make up the
complex molecules that form sugar, starch, fat, oil, wax, and proteins.
Because these complex molecules contain carbon, they are called organic
compounds. Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) are examples
of substances that contain many different organic compounds. Substances
that do not contain carbon are called inorganic compounds. Baking soda
and the mineral quartz are examples of inorganic compounds.
Organic molecules can be very large and complex. On Earth, these
molecules far outnumber inorganic molecules.
G I V E I T A TRY
ORGANIC OR INORGANIC?
Draw a table with two columns. List the following items in the left column: oxygen,
distilled water, sugar, motor oil, hydrochloric acid, rust, vitamin C, glass, fat, rubber.
In the right column, identify each item as organic or inorganic.

MACRONUTRIENTS info BIT
All living things need nutrients to survive. Nutrients are elements and
compounds that organisms need for living, growing, and reproducing. Elements in the Human
Plants obtain the nutrients carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from air and Body
Just six elements—
water. They obtain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium,
oxygen, carbon,
and sulfur from the soil. These nine elements are all essential for the
hydrogen, nitrogen,
normal growth of plants. Because they are needed in relatively large
calcium, and
amounts, they are called macronutrients (“macro-” means large or large phosphorus—make up
scale). In earlier science classes, you learned about the importance of 99% of the human body.
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen for living things. You will learn more about
them throughout this unit. The table below summarizes the role of the six
other macronutrients in the growth and development of plants and
humans.
Elements such as selenium are also essential for plant and animal
growth and development. However, they are needed in only minor or trace
amounts, so they are called micronutrients (“micro-” means very small or
small scale).
Nutrient In plants, it’s important in: In humans, it’s important in:

Nitrogen (N) • Composition of proteins and • Composition of proteins and nucleic
chlorophyll acids found in all cells
• Leaf and stem growth • Growth and repair of tissues
Phosphorus (P) • Root and flower growth • Composition of bones, teeth, and
• Cellular respiration and DNA
photosynthesis • Many metabolic reactions
Potassium (K) • Stimulation of early growth • Muscle contraction and nerve

• Starch and protein production and impulses
sugar movement
• Disease resistance
• Chlorophyll production and tuber
formation
Magnesium (Mg) • Composition of chlorophyll • Composition of bones and teeth

structure • Absorption of calcium and
• Photosynthesis potassium
Calcium (Ca) • Cell wall structure • Composition of bones and teeth

• Cell division • Blood clotting
• Muscle and nerve function
Sulfur (S) • Production of fruits and grains • Protein synthesis

• Enzyme activation
• Detoxification
MAINTAINING THE RIGHT LEVEL OF NUTRIENTS
Knowing how plants use elements can help farmers diagnose deficiencies
and excesses of nutrients in the soil. Consider this scenario. A farmer has
noticed that his crops are not growing as well as they have in past years.
The lower leaves on the plants are showing a distinct yellow striping, and
the plants are not as tall as they should be. The farmer has been applying
large amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, expecting to get
high yields from the crops.
Soil tests show low levels of magnesium and high levels of potassium.
The farmer knows that high levels of potassium can interfere with the
Figure 1.15 Knowledge of how
absorption of magnesium by the plant. One solution is to stop applying
elements are used by plants can
help farmers diagnose problems
potassium fertilizer, since the soil has an adequate supply already, and
like those shown here. apply a fertilizer containing magnesium.
OPTIMUM AMOUNTS
In the early 1980s, a reservoir was built in California to control the flow of
irrigation water to farms. Shortly after the reservoir was built, many fish
in the reservoir died. Birds living on or near the reservoir were also dying
or producing abnormal chicks. Tests showed that the surviving fish
contained a high level of selenium. Birds’ eggs from the area contained
eight times more selenium than similar eggs 10 km away. The selenium
was traced back to soils around the reservoir.
The micronutrient selenium is an element that is required in trace
amounts in your diet. Too much of it can cause harmful health effects,
like those that affected the wildlife around the California reservoir. But
too little selenium can also be harmful to your health. If plants are
deficient in selenium, the animals that eat them will also have a
deficiency of selenium. Scientific studies have shown that selenium
deficiency in humans can be linked to diseases such as cancer and heart
disease. Selenium, along with vitamin E, helps to protect cell membranes
from damage caused by hydrogen peroxide, a poison that is produced in
some chemical reactions in cells.
Selenium, like most other substances, should be available in our diets
in optimum amounts. The optimum amount of a substance is the amount
that provides an organism with the best health. For humans, at least 70 g
(micrograms) of selenium per day is recommended.
Figure 1.16 The far right is

the foot of a healthy pig. The
other two feet belong to pigs
that have ingested too much
selenium.

TYPES OF ORGANIC MOLECULES
Most chemicals in humans and other living things are organic
compounds. Four important classes of organic compounds are:
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Carbohydrates
When we eat food such as pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits, and bread, we are
eating carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are organic molecules made up of
atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. These atoms can form simple
molecules, such as sugar, or large, complex molecules, such as starch,
cellulose, and glycogen.
Glucose is the simple sugar made by green plants in photosynthesis.
The atoms in a molecule of glucose usually join together to form a six-
sided figure as shown in Figure 1.18(a). Complex carbohydrates such as Figure 1.17 Carbohydrates
cellulose, starch, and glycogen are composed of many glucose molecules are a major part of our diet.
joined together, as shown in Figure 1.18(b).
H
Figure 1.18(a) Figure 1.18(b) A
H C OH A glucose glycogen molecule
molecule has is made up of
C O the formula connected glucose
H H
C6H12O6. molecules. Each
H
C C circle represents a
OH H
glucose molecule.
HO OH
C C
H OH
Lipids
Fats, oils, and waxes are lipids—compounds composed of many carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Both animals and plants produce lipids. For
example, our skin produces oils, and our bodies store food in the form of
fat. Plant products such as canola seeds, corn, peanuts, soybeans, walnuts,
and cashews contain large amounts of oils.
H O H H H H H H H H H H H
H C O C C C C C C C C C C C C H
H H H H H H H H H H H
O H H H H H H H H H H H
H H H H H H H H H H H
Figure 1.19 A fat molecule is
O H H H H H H H H H H H made up of three chains of
fatty acids connected to one
molecule of a compound
H H H H H H H H H H H H called glycerol.
glycerol fatty acids
ACTIVITY C-4
TESTING FOR ORGANIC MOLECULES

Inquiry
The Question
How can indicators be used to test for the presence of different organic molecules?

• substances to be tested
(glucose/dextrose solution,
corn starch mixed in water,
vegetable oil, gelatin solution)
• water
• Benedict’s solution
• Biuret solution
• iodine solution
• spot plate
• brown paper
• medicine droppers
• test tubes
• hot water bath
• stir sticks
• test tube containing unknown
Figure 1.20 Step 6
substance(s)
Procedure
1 In this activity, you will be testing for different types of organic molecules. This table
shows the indicators you will use.
Caution!
Benedict’s solution, Substance Test
Biuret solution, and Glucose Benedict’s solution turns from blue to yellow-orange-red
iodine solution are Starch Iodine solution turns from red-brown to blue-black
hazardous, corrosive
Fat/Oil Fats and oils leave a spot on brown paper that light can pass through
substances that can
Protein Biuret solution turns from blue to purple or mauve
stain your clothes
and skin. Handle
them carefully. 2 Copy the table below in your notebook for recording your observations.
Final Colours Using Indicators Light Transmittal

Substance Benedict’s Iodine Biuret Through Brown
Tested Solution Solution Solution Paper
Caution! Glucose
Hot water scalds and Corn Starch
hot surfaces burn. Vegetable Oil
Gelatin
Unknown
3 Label the test tubes with the names of the substances you are testing.

Testing for Glucose
4 Place a small amount of each substance to be tested in separate test tubes.
5 Place a small amount of water in a test tube.
6 Add 10 drops of Benedict’s solution to each test tube. Heat the tubes in a hot water
bath for about 2 min. Record your observations.
Testing for Starch

7 Place several drops of each substance to be tested and water into separate places on
the spot plate.
8 Place a drop of iodine solution on each substance. Record your observations.
Testing for Lipids

9 Divide a piece of brown paper into five sections. Label each section with the name of
the substance to be tested on it: one section for water, one for glucose, etc. Using a
clean medicine dropper each time, place a drop of each substance on the appropriate
spot on the brown paper.
10 Leave the paper for 5 to 10 min in a vertical position. After the time is up, look
through the paper by holding it up to the light.
Testing for Proteins

11 Place several drops of each substance and an equal number of drops of water into
separate places on a clean spot plate.
12 Add three drops of Biuret solution to each of them. Record your observations.
Testing an Unknown Sample

13 Use appropriate materials and equipment to test an unknown sample for the presence
of glucose, starch, lipids, and proteins.
14 Wash your hands after you have completed all the tests and cleaned up your
equipment. Follow your teacher’s instructions for disposing of all the substances you
have used.

15 Which substances contained each of the following molecules? In each case, how did
you know?
a) glucose
b) starch
c) lipids
d) proteins
16 What organic substance or substances were in the unknown sample?
Forming Conclusions
17 Describe how you determined what organic substance or substances were in your
unknown sample. Use your data to support your conclusions.
Proteins and Amino Acids
Foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products add proteins to our
diet. Proteins have many functions. They are used by organisms for
growth and repair, and as a source of energy. They are the main
component of enzymes. Recall that enzymes are catalysts that control
chemical reactions in organisms.
A protein is an organic compound made up of units called amino
acids. Figure 1.22 shows the structure of an amino acid. The way amino
acids form proteins is similar to the way glucose units join together to
form complex carbohydrates such as starch.
H H O
Figure 1.21 Fish is an N C C
excellent source of protein.
Sometimes it is eaten raw H H OH
as sushi or sashimi. Both
are Japanese dishes.
Figure 1.22 This diagram shows the structure of the amino acid glycine. Each amino acid has a
central carbon atom. Amino acids also include nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, along with
more carbon atoms. Some also contain sulfur.
Each protein has its own number and arrangement of amino acids. In
general, a protein contains between 40 and 500 amino acid units. Insulin,
for example, contains 51 amino acid units arranged in two chains, as
shown in Figure 1.23. Twenty different kinds of amino acids are common
in protein molecules. Green plants convert glucose into amino acids.
Figure 1.23 An insulin molecule. Each circle represents an amino acid unit. Different colours
represent different amino acids.

Nucleic Acids re SEARCH
Nucleic acids are the largest and most complicated molecules found in
living things. All cells contain two important nucleic acids, Organic or Inorganic?
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA and RNA Find out whether the
are made up of three substances: phosphates, a simple sugar called ribose, following substances
and nitrogen-containing molecules. Nucleic acids play a major role in are organic or
heredity and in controlling a cell’s activities. inorganic: gasoline,
nitrogen gas, canola
oil, vinyl, hydrogen
sulfide, protein. For
each one, write out the
chemical formulas for
its compounds.
Describe how the
Figure 1.24 The structure
substance is used.
of DNA. DNA transfers
Begin your information
information about an
organism’s body from one search at
generation to the next. www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review 7. Which term in each of the following groups

1. Define the term “organic compound.” Give of four terms includes the other three?
two examples of these compounds. a) carbohydrate, glycogen, starch, glucose
b) sugar, DNA, phosphate, nitrogen-
2. List four elements that are macronutrients
containing base
for plants. Explain their importance in
c) fats, waxes, oils, lipids
plants and in humans.
3. What is a micronutrient? Give one example. Extend Your Understanding
4. What elements are found in the following 8. Suppose you are a farmer and your crop is
compounds? not growing as well as it has in the past. You
a) carbohydrates notice that the lower leaves of the plants are
b) proteins turning yellow. Recall that chlorophyll gives
c) lipids leaves their green colour and is important in
d) nucleic acids photosynthesis. Use the table on page 197 to
help you answer the following questions.
Connect Your Understanding a) What nutrient deficiencies might be
5. Imagine that your favourite house plant is causing this problem?
growing well but it is not flowering. A friend b) What would be your next step to solve
suggests that your plant may be lacking the problem?
phosphorus. Is that a possibility? Explain 9. A sample solution was sent to a laboratory
your answer. for examination. When Benedict’s solution
6. Explain the term “optimum amount” using was added, and the sample was heated, a
one of the following as an example: red precipitate formed. When Biuret solution
potassium for plants or selenium for was added, the sample remained blue. What
animals. substance was identified in the solution?
info BIT
1.4 How Organisms Take in Substances
Eating Elements
In 1295, when Marco Polo
was on the way to China,
some of his pack animals
became sick and died.
The ones that did not
become sick were the
ones that came from the
area through which they
were passing. It is now
thought that the local
pack animals avoided
those plants that had
accumulated selenium
from the soil. The other
animals ate the selenium-
rich plants and died from
selenium poisoning.
Figure 1.25 Inorganic chemicals from the environment are taken up by producers which then
provide food for consumers.
Plants and animals rely on the environment for the substances they need
to live. Plants take in inorganic compounds to make organic compounds.
Consumers must rely on organic compounds made by plants for their
energy, growth, and repair. Consumers obtain these compounds by either
eating plants or eating other organisms that eat plants.
When organisms take in the chemicals they need, they may also be
taking in other substances. Sometimes, these are harmless. For example,
when you drink pop, you are taking in water, which you need, but you are
also taking in the flavouring and colouring in the pop. You don’t need
them and they are harmless. Sometimes the other substances may be
harmful. For example, a lake beside a coal-fired generating plant may
contain high levels of mercury. If you ate fish caught near the plant, you
would take in this harmful substance.
UPTAKE OF SUBSTANCES BY PLANTS

Nutrients enter the roots of plants either passively or actively. Passive
uptake does not require the plant to use any energy. It occurs through a
process called diffusion. Diffusion is the movement of molecules from an
Figure 1.26 Diffusion is a area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. Figure 1.26
process in which substances
shows diffusion occurring in a solution of food colouring and water. The
dissolved in water move from
an area of higher concentration
food colouring gradually moves from the more concentrated area where it
to one of lower concentration. enters the water until it is spread evenly throughout the water.
Similarly, some nutrients move into the roots of plants by diffusion.

They move from the area of higher concentration outside the roots to the
area of lower concentration within the roots. The movement continues
until the concentration of nutrients is the same both inside and outside
the plant roots. You can think of diffusion as an evening out or balancing
of the concentration of a substance in solution. No energy is required for
this process because the molecules naturally diffuse to the areas of lower
concentration.
Osmosis
Water moves into plant roots by a special type of diffusion called osmosis.
In the process of osmosis, water moves through the walls of the plant’s
roots from an area where there are more water molecules to an area where
there are fewer water molecules. As the plant uses water for its growth
and maintenance, it draws water up from the roots. As the number of
water molecules within the roots decreases, more water molecules move
into the roots from the surrounding soil. Figure 1.27(a) shows this
movement.
Active Transport
Plants need high concentrations of some nutrients in their roots. The
concentrations of these nutrients may be higher in the roots than in the
water in the surrounding soil. To maintain these high concentrations,
plants must move some nutrients from the soil, an area of lower
concentration, into their roots. To move nutrients in this direction, plants
use a process called active transport. In active transport, plants must use
energy to move the molecules of nutrients in the direction opposite to
diffusion. This energy is used by specific molecules in the root cells that
transport the nutrient molecules into the plant roots. Figure 1.27(b) shows
the movement in active transport.
Figure 1.27(a) Osmosis. Water

moves through the walls of the
plant’s roots from an area where plant root
there are more water molecules
to an area where there are fewer soil Figure 1.27(b) Active
water molecules. Transport. Plants use energy
to transport nitrogen,
water molecules
phosphorus, sulfur, and
potassium into their roots.
The nutrients move from an
area of lower concentration
(soil) to one of higher
concentration (roots).
nutrients
Active Transport
soil
plant root
Osmosis
INGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF MATERIALS BY ANIMALS
Humans and other animals obtain the 25 elements our bodies need for
normal growth and function from the air we breathe and the food we eat.
The process of taking food into our bodies is called ingestion. Every
time you drink or eat, you are ingesting food. Most of the ingested food
must be broken down into smaller particles so our bodies can absorb the
nutrients from it.
Humans and other animals break down food mechanically and
chemically. An example of mechanical breakdown is chewing food.
Chemical breakdown occurs in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine
with the help of enzymes that speed up the chemical reactions. The
breakdown or digestion of large organic molecules occurs by a process
called hydrolysis. “Hydro” refers to water and “lysis” means breakdown.
A substance that is broken down by hydrolysis has been hydrolyzed. For
example, when you eat potatoes, the large starch molecules are
hydrolyzed into double sugars called maltose, and then into single sugars
called glucose. This reaction can be written in the following way.
C12H22O11(aq) + H2O(l) → 2 C6H12O6(aq)

maltose + water → glucose
Nutrients such as glucose and amino acids are absorbed through cell
membranes and into the bloodstream. The blood carries them to cells
throughout the body where they are either used or stored.
mechanical and chemical

breakdown in the mouth
stomach
liver
gall bladder
mainly chemical
breakdown in the rest
of the digestive system
pancreas
large
Figure 1.28 The food you intestine
ingest is broken down
mechanically and chemically small
intestine rectum
in your digestive system.

ACTIVITY C-5
BREAKDOWN OF S TA R C H BY H Y D R O LY S I S
Inquiry
Before You Start
Large starch molecules are formed by many glucose molecules joined together. The
bonds that join the glucose molecules can be broken in several ways. Two ways are:
• heating at high temperatures
Materials & Equipment • using enzymes in the digestive tract as catalysts in the hydrolysis of the starch
• corn starch suspension
• iodine solution The Question
• digestive enzyme suspension Which of the following processes breaks down starch more quickly: heating or using
• hot plate enzymes?
• 2 beakers
• spot plate The Hypothesis
• stir stick Restate the question in the form of a hypothesis.
• eye dropper Procedure
1 Place 4 drops of starch suspension in a spot plate. Add 1 drop of iodine solution.
Record your results.
2 Label two beakers with the numbers 1 and 2. Place 50 mL of starch suspension into
each beaker.
3 Place beaker 1 on a hot plate. Boil and stir the contents for 5 min.
4 Place 4 drops from beaker 1 in the spot plate, and test for the presence of starch.
Record your observations.
5 If you observe a positive starch test, repeat steps 3 and 4 two more times. Do not
repeat these steps more than twice.
6 In beaker 2, add 10 mL of digestive enzyme suspension to the starch suspension,
and stir for 5 s.
7 Place 4 drops from beaker 2 in the spot plate and test for the presence of starch.
Record your observations.
8 Follow your teacher’s instructions for disposing of all the substances you have used.

Figure 1.29 Both beakers contain
starch suspension. 9 What are the manipulated and responding variables in this investigation?
10 Explain why no starch was present in one of the beakers.
11 Was your hypothesis correct? Explain why or why not.
Forming Conclusions
Caution! 12 Which process broke down the starch more quickly? Support your answer with your
Hot surfaces burn. data.
Leave beaker 1 on
the hot plate to cool. Applying and Connecting
Corn starch is hydrolyzed to produce various kinds of corn syrup, which are used for
making products such as candy and chewing gum.
Extending
Design and carry out an experiment to show how the temperature of an enzyme
suspension affects the rate of hydrolysis of starch.
TAKING IN NUTRIENTS IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
Organisms inhabit almost all parts of Earth—from the icy Arctic to
tropical jungles, and from mountain slopes to deep under the ocean.
Where organisms live affects how and when they can obtain nutrients. For
example, plants living in the north can obtain nutrients only during a
short growing season. Plants in the desert often have methods to limit the
growth of other plants around them. This reduces the competition for the
limited nutrients available. Figure 1.30 shows examples of the nutrient
sources for organisms in a variety of environments.
Figure 1.30 Life in a variety of environments
Figure 1.30(a) Anemones are animals that Figure 1.30(b) Lichens are often the first Figure 1.30(c) Bread mould is a fungus
live attached to rocks in the ocean. They organisms to colonize an area. They have that secretes digestive enzymes. The
capture food with their tentacles. been found in cold, dry valleys in enzymes help break down the bread into
Antarctica, as well as on bare rocks high small molecules that can be absorbed into
in the mountains. Lichens are made up of the fungal cells.
fungi and algae living together.
Figure 1.30(d) Desert soil does not hold Figure 1.30(e) Decaying plant and animal Figure 1.30(f) The treeless, flat areas of the
water and contains little organic material. materials enrich the soil in grasslands. north are called tundra. Only a few
Plants and animals in deserts are adapted centimetres of the ground thaw in the tundra
to going for long periods without water. in the summer. Plants must grow and
reproduce quickly when the temperature is
favourable and nutrients are available.

Substrates
re SEARCH
A substrate is the material on which an organism moves or lives. Some
organisms are attached to their substrate. For example, the sea anemone Nutrients and
in Figure 1.30(a) attaches itself to rocks in intertidal zones, where the Substrates
water is very turbulent. It obtains its nutrients by capturing food with its Choose one of the
tentacles. Other organisms obtain nutrients from their substrate. For environments shown in
example, the bread mould shown in Figure 1.30(c) breaks down the Figure 1.30 and find out
molecules of its substrate, the bread, to obtain nutrients. about the organisms
You may be surprised by the substrates on which some organisms are that live there. Describe
able to live. If you have ever hiked high in the mountains in early the nutrients they
summer, you probably saw snow still remaining from the winter. obtain from their
Sometimes this snow is red and smells like watermelons. In the early environment and how
1800s, observers thought that iron from a meteorite must have been they take them in.
Identify the substrates
responsible for the red snow. Soon after, a biologist observed single-cell
on which they live.
algae in the coloured snow. These algae manage to survive on a substrate
Prepare a poster or
that is near freezing, poor in nutrients, and often acidic. The red pigment
electronic presentation
masks the green chloroplasts that enable the algae to carry out to summarize your
photosynthesis. research. Begin your
research at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Define the following terms:
a) diffusion
b) osmosis
c) active transport
2. What is the substrate for the lichen in Figure 1.30(b)?
3. What happens to food when you ingest it?
4. What effect do hydrolysis enzymes have on the rate at which large
organic molecules break down?

5. Plants take in water from the soil. Why does the water move from the
soil into a plant’s roots?
6. a) How is the process of diffusion similar to active transport?
b) How are the two processes different?
7. Why are the algae that live on snow able to survive high in the
Rockies in early summer?

8. a) Write a hypothesis for an experiment to show the effect of
temperature on the rate of diffusion.
b) Identify the manipulated and responding variables.
c) Write the procedure for the experiment.
and
Careers Profiles
Chemical Researcher and

Theoretical Chemist
On a hot summer day in the Rocky Figure 1.31(a) A

Mountains, bark beetles were crawling all female bark beetle
over the screen door of a trailer where and her eggs in
chemicals were stored. Dr. Hal Wieser, Dr. the inner bark of
a lodgepole pine.
William Laidlaw, and their graduate students
were surprised to see the beetles, but they
could guess why they were there. One of the
chemicals, a pheromone, is used in traps to
attract bark beetles—it must have escaped
from its container inside the trailer.
Bark beetles are small brown-black insects

that burrow into the bark of mature or
injured trees. Unfortunately, the beetles carry a fungus
with them that causes the trees to die. One of the
techniques for controlling the beetles involves trapping
them, using pheromones as bait. Once trapped the
insects are killed.
The beetles detect the pheromones with their

antennae much the way you detect different smells with
your nose. Each species of insect is attracted to different
pheromones with different chemical structures. By using
pheromones, foresters and forest researchers can target
only those insects that must be controlled. This avoids Figure 1.31(b) Dr. Hal Wieser (left) and Dr. William
the problem that often arises with widespread spraying Laidlaw at work in the forest.
of insecticides—both non-targeted and targeted species
are killed.
Many people with a variety of skills work together to
help protect forests from insects that can kill trees. Dr. 1. Why do you think scientists often work
Wieser is a research chemist working at the University together?
of Calgary. He became interested in pheromones when
2. Think about projects on which you’ve
he was trying to establish a link between the sense of
worked with other students. What advice
smell and the shapes of molecules. Dr. Laidlaw is a
would you give on how to work well with
theoretical chemist interested in the computer modelling
of beetle behaviour. For their experiments, they often others on projects?
work with people who know about the biology of the
beetle and people who know about forests and timber
resources.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Define the term “macronutrient” and give three examples.
2. List two roles of potassium in plants and two roles in humans.
3. Identify two elements that are known to enhance plant growth but that
limit growth if too little or too much is available.
4. What is a sanitary landfill site?

5. Use an example to help explain what a neutralization reaction is.
6. Explain the difference between organic and inorganic compounds.
Give one example of each.
7. Match the organic molecules with the elements that compose them.
carbohydrates C, H, N, O
proteins C, H, O
nucleic acids C, H, O, N, P
8. a) What do the numbers 10-0-0 on a fertilizer label mean?
b) What type of growth does this fertilizer promote?
9. a) Why do farmers use pesticides?
b) Why do some people want farmers to use lower amounts of
pesticides?

10. What types of organic molecules make up a hamburger? In your
answer, name the part of the hamburger that includes each type of
compound. Include the bun, the meat patty, and everything on the
burger.
11. What could you do at home to help minimize the environmental
damage caused by pollution from gas and oil processing?

On
In this section, you looked at chemicals in the environment that support or
harm organisms. Science can play a role in helping people understand the
impact of the human use of chemicals on the natural world. Technology
can help reduce or control this impact. Consider the following questions,
and use examples from this section to support your answers.
1. Identify three examples of human impact on the chemical composition
of the environment. For each example, explain how science can help
us understand these impacts.
2. Describe an example of how science and technology can be used to
reduce the impact that humans have on ecosystems.
2.0 The quantity of chemicals in the
environment can be monitored.
Key Concepts
In this section you will learn
concepts:
• air and water quality
• concentration and dispersal
• uncertainties in environmental
monitoring and in assessing
toxicity and risk
Learning Outcomes
• describe and illustrate the use
of biological monitoring as a
method of determining
environmental quality
• identify chemical factors in the
environment that might affect
the health and distribution of
living things
• apply and interpret measures
of chemical concentration in
parts per million, billion, or
The hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic concerns many scientists.
trillion
Ozone (O3(g)) forms a layer that shields Earth from much of the damaging
ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. Some UV radiation passes
through this shield normally, but now more is getting through. Experts
predict more skin damage and cancers in humans, as well as effects on
other organisms. The ozone layer is 15 to 50 km above Earth’s surface,
but ozone also exists at ground level. This ground-level ozone can cause
health problems.
The photo of the hole in the ozone shown here was taken from a
satellite. Photos such as these are important in monitoring the ozone
layer. Monitoring means keeping track of something for a specific
purpose. At ground level, scientists use sampling and other techniques
to monitor the ozone levels in the air. In this section, you will learn
about the different chemicals that must be monitored so we can protect
water and air quality. You will also learn about chemicals monitored in
the atmosphere to protect life on Earth.

info BIT
2.1 Monitoring Water Quality
Safe and Unsafe
The insecticide
pyrethrum is produced
from plants such as
chrysanthemums. It is
used to eliminate pests
such as aphids.
Pyrethrum is safe for
mammals, including
humans. However, it is
very poisonous to fish
and other aquatic life, so
it should not be used
near ponds or other
bodies of water.
Figure 2.1 Would you swim in this water?
If you wanted to jump into a lake for a swim, you probably would not
choose a lake like the one in Figure 2.1. And you would not be the only
one put off by the lake’s appearance. Studies show that when lake
transparency decreases, property values of cottages and homes around the
lake decrease as well.
Lakes may become cloudy in summer because of excessive algal
growth. This reduces the oxygen content in the lake, which affects the
types of organisms that can live there. Insects and fish that live in water
like this are different from the ones that live in a clear lake. Trout, for
example, are one of the first fish to die when the concentration of
dissolved oxygen decreases.
Clarity is not a good indicator of water quality. Clear water can
sometimes be harmful to humans and other organisms. For example, lakes
affected by acid rain are crystal clear and lifeless.
Water quality is determined according to what the water is used for.
Both provincial and federal governments set guidelines for water quality
in five categories of water use:
• human drinking water
• recreation such as swimming
• livestock drinking water
• irrigation
• protection of aquatic life
The guidelines are designed to protect humans, animals, crops, and

other organisms that live in or near water systems. Scientists and
technicians make sure that these guidelines are being met by monitoring
water quality, using both biological and chemical indicators.
The Quantity of Chemicals in the Environment Can Be Monitored 213

BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
Scientists use organisms that live in water to help determine water quality.
These indicator organisms include fish, plants, worms, insects, plankton
(microscopic algae and tiny animals), protozoa, bacteria, and viruses.
Microbiological Indicators
Microscopic organisms such as bacteria can cause serious health problems
if they are present in large enough numbers. Small samples of water are
taken frequently from water sources that people use. These samples are
processed to determine the numbers and types of microscopic organisms,
such as harmful bacteria (e.g., some strains of Escherichia coli). If the
count is too high, additional water treatment may be necessary.
Aquatic Invertebrates
Water with a large number of harmful bacteria can cause illness. Other
biological indicators of water quality do not cause illness themselves but
can show the effects of pollution, which may indicate unsafe water.
Aquatic invertebrates are one group of indicator organisms. Invertebrates
are animals without backbones. Those that live in water include insects,
crustaceans (such as shrimp), worms, and mollusks (such as clams). They
are used for monitoring because different invertebrates prefer different
living conditions. For example, the organisms living in a stagnant pond
are different from those living in a pond with a higher concentration of
dissolved oxygen. Water temperature and pH can also affect the types of
organisms found in an area.
water
mosquito water
boatman
larva strider
flatworm
Figure 2.2 Examples of the

many different kinds of
aquatic invertebrates
leech
dragonfly nymph midge larva
mayfly
caddisfly larva nymph
stonefly nymph clam

Q U I C K LAB
IDENTIFYING AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES

To identify aquatic invertebrates used in biological monitoring of water quality. You will • water sample from pond
apply your knowledge of invertebrates later in this unit to help assess water quality. or stream containing
invertebrates
Procedure • magnifying glass or
1 Place the invertebrate with some water in a clear container such as a Petri dish, dissecting microscope
watch glass, or microscope slide. • medicine droppers
2 Using a magnifying glass or dissecting microscope, observe the organism’s • spoon
• watch glass, Petri dish,
features such as legs/no legs, gills/no gills on abdomen, wings/no wings. Use
or microscope slide
Figure 2.2 to help you identify the invertebrates in your sample. Record your
identification. If you are unable to identify the organism, draw a diagram of it.
Record as many different organisms as you can.
3 Wash your hands with soap when you are finished.
Questions
4 How many different types of invertebrates were you able to identify?
5 Work with the rest of the class to identify those organisms that you and other
students were not able to identify.
AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS
If the pH of the water in an aquatic environment is below 5.0, you will not
find many fish there, especially young ones. Some insects such as mayflies
are also very sensitive to acidic environments and environments that have
little dissolved oxygen. The diversity of all organisms decreases as acidity
increases and dissolved oxygen decreases. For example, few insects and
many worms may mean that the water contains little dissolved oxygen.
Recall from earlier studies that diversity refers to the number of different
species in an ecosystem.
A pond that supports a wide variety of organisms probably has good
water quality for allowing organisms to survive. However, it cannot be
considered safe for humans to drink until it is tested to make sure.
CHEMICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT ORGANISMS

Pure water is made up of only H2O(l) molecules, but water in the
environment is never completely pure. It can contain many different
organic and inorganic compounds. The concentration of these compounds
affects water quality. The following are most commonly monitored as
indicators of water quality:
• dissolved oxygen • plant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus
• acidity • pesticides
• heavy metals • salts such as sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate

MEASURING CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
The concentration of chemicals in the environment is usually measured in
parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per litre (mg/L). For example, the
human nose can detect chlorine in water at a concentration of 1 ppm of
chlorine. That means that there is 1 part chlorine for every 1 million parts
of the chlorine/water solution. One part per million means that one unit of
an element or chemical can be found in one million units of solution.
Here is an example to help you better understand parts per million as
a unit of measurement. Suppose you put 999 mL of water in a large beaker
or bucket, add 1 mL of food colouring, and stir to make a solution. The
concentration of food colouring in the container is 1 mL of food colouring
per 1000 mL of solution, or you can say, 1 part food colouring per
1000 parts solution.
Now you will make a very dilute solution using the solution you just
made. Pour 999 mL of water into another large container. Add 1 mL of the
mixture from the first container. This contains 0.001 mL of food colouring.
Stir. The concentration in the second container is therefore 0.001 mL of
food colouring per 1000 mL of solution, or 0.001 parts food colouring per
1000 parts solution. To express this as parts per million, write:
0.001 parts per 1000 parts = x parts per 1 000 000 parts
where x is the number of parts per million parts of solution.
Figure 2.3 The beaker above
has 1 part food colouring for Write this statement as a ratio.
every 100 parts of solution.
0.001 : 1000 = x : 1 000 000
The other beaker below has
100 ppm. Write each ratio as a fraction.
0.001 x
=
1000 1 000 000
Multiply each side of this equation by 1 000 000 to clear the fractions.
0.001 1 000 000 = x 1 000 000
1000 1 000 000
1=x
The concentration of food colouring in the diluted solution in the second
container is now 1 part per million parts solution, or 1 ppm.
Sometimes you may encounter even lower concentrations of chemicals
in parts per billion (ppb) and parts per trillion (ppt). Here’s an example to
show the difference between these measurements:
• 1 drop of food colouring in a half-full bathtub is about 1 ppm
• 1 drop of food colouring in a full swimming pool is about 1 ppb
• 1 drop of food colouring in the amount of water needed to fill
1000 swimming pools is about 1 ppt
Measuring parts per trillion of anything is difficult and requires special,
costly equipment. Only extremely hazardous substances are measured to
this level of concentration. For example, the average concentration of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Great Lakes has been measured at
4 ppt. These manufactured oils are used in electrical equipment. They
persist in the environment and accumulate in the body tissues of animals.

S K I L L PRACTICE
PARTS PER MILLION

Try these examples for practice using parts per million as a unit of measure.
Suppose you make a food colouring solution by putting 99 mL of water in a beaker and
adding 1 mL of food colouring. The concentration of food colouring in this beaker is
1 part food colouring per 100 parts solution.
• Calculate this concentration in parts per million.
You then add 1 mL of this solution to 99 mL of water in a second beaker. This creates a
concentration of 0.01 parts of food colouring per 100 parts of solution.
• Calculate this concentration in parts per million.
Now suppose you take 1 mL of the solution in the second beaker and add it to 99 mL of
water in a third beaker.
• What is the concentration of food colouring in this solution in parts per million?
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Imagine white-water rafting down a roaring river. As the water churns
over and around rocks, oxygen from the air is dissolving into it. Dissolved
oxygen is essential for the health of aquatic life such as fish, insects, and
micro-organisms. The level of dissolved oxygen in water depends on:
• temperature
• turbulence due to wind or the speed of moving water
• the amount of photosynthesis by plants and algae in the water
• the number of organisms using up the oxygen
Five milligrams per litre (equal to 5 ppm) of dissolved oxygen will
support most organisms that live in lakes and streams. The following
table gives examples of levels of dissolved oxygen needed by aquatic
invertebrates.
Dissolved oxygen Invertebrates

(ppm or mg/L)
8 Large numbers of diverse invertebrates

6 Mayflies, stoneflies, and beetles begin to disappear
4 Freshwater shrimp, midge larvae, and worms can survive
2 Midge larvae and some worms can survive
Figure 2.4 Rapids expose more water surface to the air than smooth river flow
does. The turbulence allows more oxygen from the air to dissolve in the water.

ACTIVITY C-6
HOW DOES OXYGEN GET INTO THE W AT E R ?

Inquiry
Before You Start
In this activity, you will use an indicator to determine the amount of dissolved oxygen in a
water sample. The indicator changes colour according to the amount of oxygen present.
The Question
What is the effect of turbulence on the amount of dissolved oxygen in water?
• 100 mL boiled, then cooled
water The Hypothesis
• dissolved oxygen measuring
kit
• 2 small beakers
Procedure
• small jar with tight-fitting lid
1 Pour 50 mL of the boiled, cooled water into a small beaker.
(e.g., baby food jar)
2 Following the directions on the dissolved oxygen kit, measure the amount of
dissolved oxygen in your sample in milligrams per litre. Record your measurement.
3 Pour the remaining 50 mL of the boiled, cooled water into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
(The jar should be big enough so that a large amount of air remains after the water
sample is placed in it.)
4 Shake the jar vigorously for 1 min.
5 Open and close the jar and repeat step 4 two more times.
6 Following the directions on the dissolved oxygen kit, measure the amount of
dissolved oxygen in the shaken sample in milligrams per litre. Record your
measurement.

7 Why did you have to use water that had been boiled and then cooled for this activity?
Figure 2.5 Step 2 8 Would the amount of dissolved oxygen in the shaken water sample change if the
water was boiled and then cooled again? Explain your answer.
9 What was the manipulated variable in this experiment? What was the responding
variable?
Forming Conclusions
10 Use your observations to explain the effect of turbulence on the amount of dissolved
oxygen in the water.

The bubbles you see breaking the surface in an aquarium are produced by a device called
an aerator. An aerator bubbles air through the water in the aquarium to replace the
dissolved oxygen that has been used up by fish and other organisms.
Extending
Design an experiment that shows the effect of temperature on the concentration of
Figure 2.6 An aerator in dissolved oxygen in water.
an aquarium

PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN CONTENT
Most aquatic organisms are sensitive to changes in the amount of
dissolved oxygen in the water in which they live. One factor that can
affect dissolved oxygen is an increase in phosphorus and nitrogen in the
water. Phosphorus and nitrogen are important to all living things, but too
high a concentration in water can cause problems.
Large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen can enter water systems in
different ways. Sewage outfalls and runoff from fertilized fields are two
possible sources. Higher concentrations of these nutrients in water cause
increased growth of algae and green plants. As more algae and plants
grow, more die. This dead organic matter becomes food for bacteria that
decompose it. With more food available, the bacteria increase in number
and use up the dissolved oxygen in the water. When the dissolved oxygen
content decreases, many fish and aquatic insects cannot survive.
Figure 2.7 shows the effects of increased amounts of phosphorus and
nitrogen on a lake.
Figure 2.7(a) A “clean” lake

contains a wide variety of
organisms. These include
different types and sizes of fish fish and invertebrates such
as mayfly nymphs, stonefly
nymphs, midge larvae, and
worms. The white dots
represent the numbers of
bacteria.
many invertebrates
among the rocks
sewage effluent containing nitrates and phosphates Figure 2.7(b) Added plant
nutrients from treated
sewage or runoff from fields
causes increased growth of
fewer types and sizes of fish
algae and plants. Fewer fish
and invertebrates can live in
these conditions.
midge larvae
and worms
Figure 2.7(c) Some plants

die. Bacteria help to
decompose them. With more
food available, the population
of bacteria increases. They
no fish
need oxygen to survive, so
they use up much of the
dissolved oxygen in the
midge larvae water. The lake is no longer a
and worms place where fish and many
sediment buildup insects can live.

Q U I C K LAB
PHOSPHORUS AND “FOGGY” WATER Materials & Equipment

• water samples (e.g., tap
Phosphorus commonly combines with oxygen to form compounds called phosphates.
water, water from a local
These compounds in fertilizers and sewage can pollute water systems. Magnesium pond, water containing
sulfate dissolves in water and reacts with phosphates to form magnesium phosphate. fertilizer, water containing a
This process occurs best in a solution that is basic. Magnesium phosphate does not phosphate detergent)
dissolve in water so it forms a precipitate, causing the water to appear cloudy. You • test tubes
can use magnesium sulfate to test water samples for the presence of phosphorus. • dilute ammonium
hydroxide solution
Purpose • magnesium sulfate
To detect phosphorus in water solution
• medicine dropper
Procedure • small graduated cylinder
1 Place 15 mL of each water sample in a different test tube. Add 20–30 drops of
dilute ammonium hydroxide to each water sample to make the solution basic.
Caution!
2 Carefully add 2 mL of magnesium sulfate solution to each sample. Let the test
Ammonium hydroxide
tubes stand for 2 to 3 min. Record your observations.
can burn your skin and
3 Follow your teacher’s instructions for disposing of chemicals. eyes. Make sure the
room is well ventilated
Questions
when you work with
4 In which samples did you detect phosphorus?
ammonia compounds.
5 Where do you think the phosphorus came from in these samples?
ACIDITY
Earlier in this unit, you learned that normal rain and snow have a pH of
5.6 because carbon dioxide from the air dissolved in them to form weak
carbonic acid. Precipitation with a pH lower than 5.6 is considered acid
rain or snow. When this acid precipitation falls on water systems, it affects
the acidity of the water. As the acidity increases, the diversity of plants
and animals that live in this water decreases. Most fish disappear if the
water’s pH falls to 4.5.
Acidic deposition is a major problem wherever the soil and water lack
natural bases to neutralize acidic precipitation. The Canadian Shield in
northern and eastern Canada is an example of an affected area. The thin
soils and the chemical composition of the rocks there are not able to
neutralize the acid. As a result, forests and lakes have been damaged.
In areas where acid precipitation is a problem, acidic deposits build
up in ice and snow in the winter. In spring, when the ice and snow melt,
the acid meltwater flows into aquatic systems. This quickly creates a
concentration of acid that can dramatically lower the pH of the water in a
pond, slough, lake, or river for a short period of time. This is known as
spring acid shock. It can seriously affect the eggs of aquatic organisms, as
well as the young offspring of spring-spawning fish.

PESTICIDES
In section 1.0, you learned about the importance of pesticides, and some
of the risks connected with their use.
Some pesticides have had longer-term harmful effects because they
remained in the environment after they were no longer needed. Today
most pesticides are designed to last only one growing season. They are
broken down by bacteria so that they are no longer toxic.
However, even these shorter-lasting pesticides may cause pesticide-
resistant pests to develop. For example, insects reproduce rapidly, so
many generations can be exposed to an insecticide in one season. Some of
these insects may be resistant to the insecticide. If they survive and
reproduce, the whole population could become insecticide-resistant.
When this happens, new insecticides must be developed, which
introduces other chemicals into the environment.
In some cases, shorter-lasting pesticides may not disappear entirely
from the environment. Although they break down in soil and water, they Figure 2.8 Ladybugs can be
remain in the tissues of some organisms. used to control aphids
The large numbers of pesticides being used today are also creating because they eat large
another problem. Scientists are finding that water samples may contain quantities of them. Spraying
plants with insecticide to kill
very low concentrations of many different pesticides. One pesticide at a
aphids may also kill
very low concentration might not be harmful. However, several pesticides ladybugs.
together might mix to form a much more toxic or poisonous substance.
Scientists are researching ways to predict the toxicity of combinations of
substances in bodies of water. Toxicity describes how poisonous a
substance is.
MEASURING TOXICITY
Toxins or poisons are substances that produce serious health problems or
death when introduced into an organism. In order to compare toxins,
scientists use a measurement called LD50. “LD” stands for “lethal dose”
and the “50” represents 50%. LD50 is the amount of a substance that
causes 50% of a group of test animals to die if they are given a
specified dose of the substance all at once.
Different types of chemicals can affect organisms in different Substance LD50 Subject/
ways. For example, one chemical may damage the liver; another may How
delivered
cause brain damage. It is difficult to compare the toxicity of different
Table salt 3000 mg/kg Rat, by
chemicals if you consider these effects only. However, all toxic
mouth
chemicals will cause death in some organisms if given in large
Caffeine 192 mg/kg Rat, by
enough doses. LD50 testing allows scientists to compare toxicity mouth
because they are comparing the dosage that will produce the same 87 mg/kg
DDT Rat, by
outcome: death. (pesticide) mouth
LD50 testing is usually done on rats and mice. It is stated as the
amount of chemical given per unit of body mass. It also specifies how
the animal received it—the usual ways are by mouth or applied to the
skin. The table in the margin shows some examples of LD50
measurements. Notice that the more toxic the substance is, the lower
its LD50 number is.

re SEARCH HEAVY METALS
In the 1950s, many people in Minimata, Japan, were becoming sick and
Heavy Metal dying from a mysterious disease that affected their nervous systems.
Contamination Investigators found that the disease could be linked to eating local fish
Choose one of the heavy
that contained large quantities of mercury. The mercury was traced to a
metals mentioned in the
chemical company that had been dumping its waste into the ocean.
text and research
answers for the People who caught and ate the fish from this area were affected by
following questions: mercury poisoning. The symptoms of mercury poisoning include
• Where is the metal numbness of arms and legs, involuntary movements, nerve damage, and
found? brain damage.
• How could you be Mercury belongs to a group of substances called heavy metals. They
exposed to the metal? are called heavy metals because they have a density of 5 g/cm3 or more.
• How can the metal This means they are five or more times heavier than an equal volume of
enter your body? water. Examples include copper, lead, zinc, mercury, cadmium, and
• How can the metal nickel.
affect your health? These metals occur naturally in rocks, soil, and sometimes in water.
• What level of exposure
They are mined for processing into a wide range of products. Everyday
to the metal can cause
items containing heavy metals include batteries, rubber tires, gasoline,
health problems?
paints, pipes, thermometers, and some fertilizers.
www.pearsoned.ca/ Heavy metals can be toxic to a wide range of organisms, including
scienceinaction. Prepare humans, so water quality monitoring includes checking concentrations of
a summary of your heavy metals.
research. Usually, large amounts of heavy metals are not readily available in the
environment for uptake by plants or ingestion by animals. However some
situations can increase their availability. For example, acidic water can
dissolve lead in pipes. Cadmium is present in some fertilizers as an
impurity. Plants growing in basic soils are able to take in this cadmium. If
animals eat plants containing high levels of heavy metals over long
periods, they may experience serious health problems.
The heavy metal lead is especially harmful to children. It can affect
normal development and cause permanent brain damage or even death. In
the past, lead was used in common products such as gasoline and pipes
for water systems. It is no longer used in products that might result in its
Figure 2.9 This man has

Minimata disease, a type of
mercury poisoning that is
named after the area in Japan
where it was identified.

ACTIVITY C-7
Experiment on your own WHAT KILLED THE FISH?
Before You Start The Question

Officials are trying to determine what is causing a Which test site has the poorest water quality?
catastrophic fish kill along the southeast shore of Rowan
Lake. Hundreds of dead fish have been reported where the Design and Conduct Your Experiment
Bearberry River flows into the lake. The Bearberry River is 1 From the biological data, form a hypothesis about
the best white-water trout stream in the province. Damage which site will have the poorest water quality. Record
to this river will deplete the food supply for many people your hypothesis.
and harm the local tourist industry. 2 With your partner or group, plan your procedure. Ask
Biological testing has been completed, and chemical yourselves questions such as:
testing is underway at four sites. The results of the a) How will we test for dissolved oxygen? For pH? For
biological testing are shown in the following table: phosphates?
b) What type of chart will we need to record data in?
c) How long do we have to complete the experiment?
Invertebrate Number of Organisms in a Sample
d) How will we decide which site has the poorest
Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 water quality?
3 Write up your procedure. Show it to your teacher
Mayfly nymphs 187 0 35 233 before continuing.
Stonefly nymphs 155 0 23 162 4 Carry out your experiment.
5 Compare your results with your hypothesis. Was your
Caddisfly larvae 34 0 6 27
hypothesis correct? Why or why not?
Midge larvae 110 159 133 97 6 Share and compare your experimental plan and
Worms 15 142 58 23 findings with your classmates. How do your results
compare with theirs? If they are different, give a
possible explantation.
Your task is to determine the water quality at the four
testing sites by carrying out chemical tests for dissolved
oxygen, pH, and phosphates. Your teacher will provide the
water samples. You will use these test results, combined
with the information from the biological monitoring, to
determine which site has the poorest water quality.
You may wish to review the table at the bottom of
page 217. It summarizes the effect of changes in dissolved
oxygen concentration on invertebrates.
Figure 2.10 Determining water quality

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Governments set water quality guidelines for five categories of water
use. What are these?
2. List four different groups of invertebrates that can be found in
freshwater systems.
3. Identify five chemicals that are regularly monitored in aquatic systems
4. What effect does spring acid shock have on aquatic organisms?
5. Identify an invertebrate family that would probably be among the first
to die if the pH of its habitat decreased.

6. A student put 0.03 mL of food colouring into water to make 1000 mL
of solution. Calculate the concentration of food colouring in parts per
million.
7. Calculate the concentration in ppm of an alcohol/water solution if
30 drops of alcohol are stirred into water to make 1 L of solution.
Note: 1 drop = 0.05 mL
8. Copy the table below into your notebook. Calculate the concentration
of each solution in parts per million and fill in the last column.
Solute (mL) Volume of final solution (mL) Concentration (ppm)

2.0 1000
0.0009 100
0.62 10 000
9. Look at the table below. In which location (A or B) will the water

support the greatest diversity of organisms? Explain your answer. (The
table on page 217 can help you with your answer.)
Characteristic Sample A Sample B
Dissolved oxygen 3.5 6.0
pH 5.5 6.5
Phosphorus high low
10. Explain the following statement about table salt: The LD50 is
3000 mg/kg for rats.

11. Explain what happens when a high concentration of phosphorus
enters a water system.
12. Suppose that high levels of mercury were found in your community.
List at least three recommendations that you would make to the
government to deal with this issue.

2.2 Monitoring Air Quality
Take a deep breath. The air you take in is mainly nitrogen
(78%) and oxygen (21%), with some argon (less than 1%),
carbon dioxide (0.03%), and traces of hydrogen and neon. If
you took a deep breath in the city shown in Figure 2.11,
you might find that the air irritates your throat. You might
also notice that your eyes sting a bit. These are indications
of poor air quality. Like water quality, air quality is
determined by the number of potentially harmful
chemicals.
Air quality can be determined in two ways:
• by measuring the levels of pollutants in the air
• by estimating the amount of emissions from pollution
sources
Measuring the amounts of chemicals in the air is more
accurate than only estimating emissions from pollution
sources, such as industrial plants. Measurements of
chemicals in the air include chemicals produced by natural
sources such as forest fires. This provides a more complete
picture of air quality. Monitoring chemicals in the air over a
period of many years provides information about seasonal Figure 2.11 Smog seen over a city is a
variations, as well as long-term trends. familiar sight on sunny days.
SULFUR DIOXIDE
Sulfur dioxide (SO2(g)) is a major air pollutant that forms both smog and
acid rain. It can affect your respiratory system (throat and lungs) and info BIT
irritate your eyes.
Sulfur dioxide and other oxides of sulfur form when oxygen combines Indoor Air Pollution
with sulfur. The major source of sulfur dioxide is industrial processes. In You can’t always avoid
Alberta, the major source of sulfur dioxide is the oil and gas industry. air pollution simply by
Sulfur dioxide and other oxides of sulfur are also formed by burning fuels staying indoors. For
example, a smoke-filled
such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
party room can be a
Industrial and electrical generating plants use devices called
health hazard. Other
“scrubbers” to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by up to 99%. Scrubbers
substances that
use limestone (calcium carbonate) to convert the pollutant sulfur dioxide contribute to indoor air
to a useful product. The sulfur dioxide reacts with the calcium carbonate pollution include paints,
in the scrubber to produce gypsum (calcium sulfate). The gypsum is glues, and cleaning
recovered and can be used in manufacturing. Here is the equation for the supplies.
sulfur dioxide and limestone reaction:
2 SO2(g) + 4 H2O(l) + 2 CaCO3(s) + O2(g) → 2 CaSO4·2 H2O(s) + 2 CO2(g)

sulfur + water + limestone + oxygen → gypsum + carbon
dioxide dioxide

NITROGEN OXIDES
Nitrogen oxides (NOx(g)) are also major air pollutants that form both smog
and acid rain. They affect the respiratory system and eyes. The “x” in the
chemical formula NOx(g) indicates that nitrogen oxides are mixtures of
NO(g) and NO2(g) and sometimes other oxides of nitrogen.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx(g)) form mainly from combustion in vehicles.
They also form by combustion in generating plants and some industrial
processes, such as oil refining. The nitrogen formed by burning fuels first
combines with oxygen to form nitrogen monoxide gas (NO(g)). This then
combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide
(NO2(g)), a brownish gas. This is the gas that gives smog its distinctive
colour.
Both sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are carefully monitored,
especially in cities and areas where industrial processes may release these
pollutants. In cities, the main concern is with pollution from vehicles.
S K I L L PRACTICE
MEASURING NITROGEN OXIDES

Measurements of Alberta’s emissions of nitrogen 700
oxides (NOx(g)) are shown in the graph in Figure 2.12.
Study the graph and answer the questions. Notice
600
that the top line represents total emissions. The
amounts contributed by major activities are shown in
different shadings. 500
• What trends in nitrogen oxide emissions do the

following lines on the graph show over time? 400
Kilotonnes
a) total amount (top line) Transportation

b) transportation
300
c) electric power generation
d) industrial processes Electric
200 Power Generation
• What would you expect the total nitrogen oxide
emissions to have been in the
year 2000? 100
Industrial
• Which sector contributed most Processes
to the increase in nitrogen oxides 0
in Alberta since 1990? 1980 1985 1990 1995
Year
Suggest a reason for this
increase.
Figure 2.12 Alberta NOx(g) emissions by sector
1980–1995. (Information for graph supplied by
Alberta Environment)

CARBON MONOXIDE
Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because it is a colourless and
odourless gas. When chemicals containing carbon burn, they produce
carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO(g)) forms if
there is not enough oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO2(g)). If there is
enough oxygen during combustion, carbon dioxide is produced.
The main source of carbon monoxide from human activities is motor
vehicles. Other sources are combustion of wood (e.g., fireplaces, wood
stoves) and natural gas, industrial processes, airplanes, and even cigarette
smoking. Carbon monoxide can also be produced in large quantities by
forest fires. In cities, carbon monoxide is a major pollutant because of
cars. In smaller communities, it can be a problem during the colder
months when many people burn wood for heating.
If inhaled, carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen carried by
the blood. As a result, it can cause headaches, sleepiness, chest pains,
brain damage, and death. Technologies such as catalytic converters in Figure 2.13 Motor vehicles are
the main source of the major air
vehicles and industry convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
pollutants NOx(g), CO(g), and
Research is underway to develop improved and affordable catalyst O3(g).
materials that can better reduce emissions of carbon monoxide from
vehicle exhausts and industrial facilities.
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE
You read at the beginning of this section that a layer of ozone protects
Earth’s surface from harmful ultraviolet light. This layer is located high
above Earth in the upper atmosphere. This same chemical—ozone—is also
found at Earth’s surface. But at ground level, ozone is a harmful pollutant.
Ozone is an example of a chemical that may not be harmful and may even re SEARCH
be beneficial in one situation. But in another situation, it may be a
pollutant. Catalytic Converters
Ozone (O3(g)) is an odourless, colourless gas composed of three oxygen A catalytic converter is a
atoms. At ground level, it forms from reactions between oxygen, nitrogen device that uses platinum
oxides, and compounds called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in the and palladium catalysts
presence of heat and sunlight. VOCs are organic chemicals that evaporate to remove pollutants
easily. Some plants and trees emit VOCs, but most of the VOCs come from from vehicle exhaust.
human-made products such as solvents and gasoline. Prepare a report on the
The major source of ground-level ozone is fuel combustion in vehicle chemical reactions that
take place in a catalytic
engines and industry. As a result, ozone pollution is a problem mainly in
converter. Do they
larger cities, especially during the summer. Some cities issue warnings on
eliminate pollutants
days where ozone levels are expected to be high so people with
entirely? Begin your
respiratory problems can stay indoors. information search at
Ozone is especially harmful to people who have lung diseases such as www.pearsoned.ca/
asthma, and anyone with a cold. All children are at a higher risk than scienceinaction.
healthy adults because their lungs are still developing. Anyone who
exercises outside in air containing high levels of ozone may suffer
breathing problems and long-term lung damage.
Ground-level ozone can seriously affect crops such as wheat,
soybeans, and onions. Ozone can also cause materials such as plastics to
deteriorate more rapidly.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Match the chemicals that are components of air in column A with their
correct percent composition in column B.
Column A Column B
oxygen 78%
carbon dioxide 21%
nitrogen less than 1%
argon 0.03%
hydrogen trace
2. Scrubbers use a chemical reaction to remove a major pollutant from the
air.
a) What pollutant is removed?
b) What are the products of the chemical reaction?
3. Why is carbon monoxide harmful to animals?
4. Scientists have two main methods of determining the amount of pollution
in the air. Explain why a) is a more accurate method than b).
a) measuring the concentration of harmful chemicals in the air
b) estimating the amount of harmful chemicals in emissions from
industrial plants and other sources

5. Ozone can be both helpful and harmful. Explain this statement.
6. Look at the graph in Figure 2.14. What trends do you see in the following
sectors?
a) total amount (top line) c) oil sands
b) natural gas processing d) electric power generation
800
Figure 2.14 Alberta sulfur 600

Kilotonnes
dioxide emissions by sector 288 Natural Gas Processing

for questions 6 and 7 (Graph 400 460 285
supplied by Alberta 200 169 Oil Sands Processing
151 131
Environment) 127 Electric Power Generation
0 18 66
1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992
Year
7. Look at the graph in Figure 2.14. Which process has contributed to a

reduction in total sulfur dioxide emissions in Alberta since the early
1970s? Suggest a reason for this.

8. a) Identify the harmful compounds in car exhausts and explain why they
are harmful to the environment.
b) Explain one benefit of catalytic converters.
c) Explain why catalytic converters have become an issue for people
concerned about global warming.

2.3 Monitoring the Atmosphere
Chemicals in the air can cause mild to serious health effects in local areas,
but some chemicals in the atmosphere can affect the entire globe. Ozone
info BIT
depletion and climate change related to increased carbon dioxide
Canada’s Chemical
concentration are both international issues.
Contributions
Canada has only 0.5% of
CARBON DIOXIDE AS A GREENHOUSE GAS the world’s population,
Carbon dioxide is not considered a pollutant since it is naturally present but we account for
about 2% of human-
in the air. However, the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the
caused carbon dioxide
atmosphere has become a concern for governments and an important area
emissions, 2% of
of study for scientists.
nitrogen oxide, and 1%
Each time you exhale you release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. of methane emissions.
Each time your parents drive you to music lessons or hockey practice, the
family car releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. When you have a
bonfire at the lake to roast marshmallows, the fire releases carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere. One person, one car, and one bonfire don’t add
much carbon dioxide to the air. But consider the huge amount of carbon
dioxide added to the atmosphere by billions of people, millions of cars,
and millions of fires worldwide.
Many people wonder what effect this large amount of additional
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may have on the planet. Investigations
into this question are going on around the world.
The Greenhouse Effect

Life on Earth thrives because we live in a natural greenhouse. Some gases
in the atmosphere act like the glass in a greenhouse. They trap heat from
the Sun’s radiant energy. This heat keeps Earth at temperatures that allow
living things to live, grow, and reproduce. The atmospheric gases that trap
heat are called greenhouse gases. Water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane,
and nitrogen oxides are all greenhouse gases.
Figure 2.15 The Greenhouse

energy reflected back to outer space Effect: When radiant energy
from the Sun reaches Earth’s
surface, much of it is
energy from Sun
reflected back into space. But
some of this energy is
trapped near Earth’s surface
by a layer of gases that act
like the glass in a
greenhouse.
gases in
atmosphere
energy absorbed by gases

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Many scientists support the theory that human activities such as burning
math Link fossil fuels and clearing land are contributing to an enhanced greenhouse
effect. The enhanced greenhouse effect results from the greater
In 1998, SO2(g) emissions concentration of gases trapping even more heat. In turn, this increases
in Canada measured overall temperatures on Earth. This temperature increase worldwide is
2696 kt. The national called global warming.
cap or prescribed limit
Global warming may lead to climate change, which could dramatically
was 3200 kt. Calculate
affect living things all over the world. These effects could include more
the percent the 1998
violent storms, flooding of coastal areas from melting icecaps, and greater
amount was below the
national cap. ranges in the spread of diseases.
After water vapour, carbon dioxide is the gas that contributes most to
the enhanced greenhouse effect. Measurements of atmospheric carbon
dioxide began late in the 1800s at various locations around the world.
Over the years, more monitoring stations have been added. Data from
these stations are continually being analyzed by scientists. Figures 2.15
and 2.16 show the difference between the greenhouse effect and the
enhanced greenhouse effect.
Global Warming
Scientists have concluded that global warming is taking place and that it
is caused at least partly by human activities. Natural events such as
volcanic eruptions and forest fires may also be part of the cause of global
warming. Like some human activities, they may increase the
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Some countries have started to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. For
example, windmill farms are being used to power turbines in order to
reduce the amount of fossil fuel being burned. Some companies are
investing in forest projects so that growing trees can absorb carbon dioxide
and offset the company’s carbon dioxide production.
Figure 2.16 The Enhanced more energy

Greenhouse Effect: Human absorbed by gases
activities are generating more in atmosphere
greenhouse gases, so many
scientists have concluded
that more heat is being
trapped. This means that
Earth’s surface temperature
will continue to rise. This
worldwide increase is called
global warming.

ACTIVITY C-8
A N A LY Z I N G C A R B O N D I O X I D E M E A S U R E M E N T S
Inquiry
The Question
What does monitoring information indicate about trends in amounts of atmospheric
carbon dioxide?
Procedure
1 Collect data sheets from your teacher that show tables of data on carbon dioxide
• data sheet on CO2(g)
concentrations recorded at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and Point Barrow, Alaska.
concentration
• graph in Figure 2.18 2 On the same graph, plot two line graphs, one from the data in Table 1 and one from
• graph paper the data in Table 2. Use different colours or symbols for each graph. These graphs
represent monthly CO2(g) concentrations.
3 Use the data provided in Table 3 to prepare a line graph of yearly CO2(g)
concentrations measured each May at Mauna Loa only.
4 Look at the graph in Figure 2.18 as a guide. Use a different-colour pencil or pen to
draw a line of best fit on your graph of yearly CO2(g) concentrations (step 3).
370
Point Barrow, Alaska
CO2(g) Concentration ppm
360
350
340
Mauna Loa, Hawaii
330
320
310
Figure 2.17 Locations of 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Point Barrow, Alaska, and Year
Mauna Loa, Hawaii
Figure 2.18 Monthly atmospheric CO2(g) data recorded at Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is a
mountain in Hawaii.

5 Look at the graph you prepared with the data from Table 1. What do you notice about
the amounts of atmospheric CO2(g) over one year? Why do you think this occurs?
6 Is there any difference in the data from the two collecting sites? Why do you think
this occurs?
7 Suggest a reason why Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and Point Barrow, Alaska, would be
chosen as good sites to monitor atmospheric CO2(g).
8 What is the trend in the amount of atmospheric CO2(g) from 1974 to 1998, as
recorded at Mauna Loa?
Forming Conclusions
9 Refer to your graphs and Figure 2.18 to explain what monitoring information
indicates about monthly and yearly trends in atmospheric CO2(g) concentrations.

Figure 2.19 Scientists use
ice cores from the Arctic and
Antarctic to obtain
information about C02(g)
concentrations over
hundreds of years. Air is
trapped as snow falls and
held in ice as the snow builds
up. Scientists drill down into
the ice and take samples.
They then analyze the C02(g)
content of the air bubbles in
the ice.
THE OZONE LAYER

In subsection 2.2, you learned about the dangers of pollution from ground-
level ozone (O3(g)). You also learned that this same chemical occurs high
up in Earth’s atmosphere, where it has an important function in protecting
Earth’s surface. This concentrated layer of ozone absorbs ultraviolet
radiation (UV) from the Sun. By absorbing this radiation, the ozone layer
protects organisms on Earth from damaging UV rays.
The ozone layer is a natural formation of ozone 15 to 50 km above
re SEARCH Earth’s surface. Scientists have been monitoring the ozone layer since the
late 1970s. Over the years, they have noticed that this layer has become
Enhanced Oil Recovery
thinner, allowing more UV radiation to reach Earth’s surface. Some areas
To reduce carbon
are so thin that they are called “holes” in the ozone. This loss of ozone
dioxide in the
results in greater exposure to UV radiation on Earth’s surface, which could
atmosphere, carbon
dioxide is being have wide-ranging harmful effects on organisms. For example, the
captured and injected occurrence of human skin cancer and cataracts could increase. Plankton
into depleted oil are sensitive to UV exposure, so increased UV radiation could cause
reservoirs for enhanced plankton to die. This would affect all the animals that feed on plankton.
oil recovery (EOR). Use
books, magazines, or The Role of Chlorofluorocarbons
electronic sources to Scientists have concluded that the thinning of the ozone layer is caused
find out how EOR is by our use of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have
done. Write a summary been used in many different applications, including refrigerators, aerosol
of the environmental
cans for products such as hair spray, and fire extinguishers. These
and economic benefits
chemicals move slowly from the lower atmosphere where we use them,
of EOR. Begin your
up into the upper atmosphere. There, UV radiation breaks them down into
search at
www.pearsoned.ca/ substances, such as chlorine, that destroy ozone. Chlorine atoms react
scienceinaction. with the ozone molecules to form oxygen molecules (O2(g)). One chlorine
atom can remove 100 000 ozone molecules. You may have heard of the
ozone hole over the south pole. The extremely cold temperatures in that
area cause ice particles to form in the upper atmosphere. These ice
particles speed up the reaction that removes the ozone molecules.
Many countries have recognized the danger to the ozone from the use
of CFCs. They have signed international agreements on reducing their use
of these chemicals. Monitoring substances such as CFCs is an important
step in reducing their harmful impacts.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. List four greenhouse gases.
2. International panels have been set up to study global warming and
climate change. Describe three outcomes of global warming that are of
concern.
3. a) What factor has contributed to the thinning of the ozone layer?
b) What is happening as a result of this thinning?
4. What are countries doing to protect the ozone layer?

5. What trend has been observed in carbon dioxide levels over the past
century? Describe two suggested causes of this trend.
6. Explain the difference between the greenhouse effect and the
enhanced greenhouse effect.
7. In which months would you expect the carbon dioxide levels to be
lowest in Alberta? Explain why you chose those months.
8. Match the four statements below with the following fields of study:
political, scientific, economic, or technological. Suggest one question
for further study that could be asked in each case.
a) Carbon dioxide levels have been measured and analyzed. They
have been rising since the Industrial Revolution.
b) Scrubbers use calcium carbonate (limestone) to remove sulfur
dioxide from smokestack emissions.
c) Governments limit and monitor emissions such as sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides.
d) People are demanding inexpensive electricity. Removing pollutants
from smokestacks is expensive. Who will pay for it?

9. At Biosphere 2 near Tucson, Arizona,
scientists are studying the growth of
poplar trees in three different
concentrations of carbon dioxide.
Evidence suggests that slight increases
in carbon dioxide levels stimulate plant
growth. Why do you think this occurs?
Figure 2.20 Biosphere 2 is a closed ecosystem

laboratory used to investigate ecosystem
interactions. It contains five biomes—a rain
forest, a desert, a savannah, a marsh, and an
ocean. It is about 30 m tall at its highest point.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. What do the presence of fish and a wide diversity of invertebrates in a
river indicate?
2. Why is it important to have long-term measurements when studying
ecosystems?
3. a) List six heavy metals that can be taken up by plants.
b) Why are they considered pollutants?
4. Identify the organisms in Figure 2.21.
A B
C D

5. The table below shows monitoring data from two water systems.
Characteristic Sample A Sample B

pH 6.5 5.5
Dissolved oxygen 5.5 4.5
Phosphorus low high
Nitrogen low high
Mayflies present absent
Which statement below is correct?

a) Sample A indicates good water quality for aquatic life because
there are low concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen.
b) Sample A indicates poor water quality for aquatic life because there
are many mayflies.
c) Sample B indicates good water quality because there are high
concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen.
d) Sample B indicates good water quality because the pH is basic and
mayflies are absent.

SECTION REVIEW
6. You have an air sample that has 0.02 mL of carbon dioxide in
1000 mL of air. What is the concentration of the carbon dioxide in
parts per million?
7. Describe two situations that reduce the dissolved oxygen content of
water.
8. Match the words/phrases in column A with the descriptions in
column B.
A B
LD50 chemical used to kill insects
neutralize to bring closer to pH 7
insecticide sudden lowering of pH
scrubber measures toxicity
spring acid shock removes SO2(g)
9. Explain how the enhanced greenhouse effect may cause global
warming.

10. Explain how the invention of the motor vehicle has been both
beneficial and harmful.
11. How does reforestation affect the concentration of carbon dioxide in
the air?

On
Science and technology are used to meet human needs and wants.
However, they can have unintended consequences for both humans and
the environment. In this section, you learned that monitoring chemicals in
the environment is important because of both intended and unintended
consequences. Consider the following questions, and use examples from
this section to support your answers.
1. Pesticides are widely used in agriculture.
a) What are the intended consequences of pesticide use?
b) Give examples of some unintended consequences of pesticide use.
c) How would monitoring be useful in helping to avoid some of the
unintended consequences?
2. Spring acid shock is an unintended consequence of technology use.
Suggest ways that technology could be used to reduce or eliminate
this problem.
3. Explain why people are concerned about the rise in carbon dioxide
levels over the past century.

Potentially harmful substances are
3.0 spread and concentrated in the
environment in various ways.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• stability and biodegradability
• evidence of toxicity
• hazards, probabilities, and risk
assessment
Learning Outcomes
• describe the transport of
materials through air, soil, and
water
• identify factors that may
accelerate or retard the
distribution of chemicals
• describe how the concentration
of substances can be changed
in the environment
• describe ways that
biodegradation occurs and
interpret information about the
biodegradability of materials
• demonstrate how hazardous
Just as balloons can be carried a long way on air currents, the
chemicals can affect the local molecules of potentially harmful chemicals can also travel long
and global environments distances. For example, mercury can remain airborne for up to two
• identify potential risks resulting years. The source of a pollutant can be in one country, but that same
from consumer practices chemical may be deposited in another country—sometimes on the
• evaluate information and other side of the world. Chemicals carried in water also know no
evidence related to an boundaries. It is easy to see why air and water pollution are global
environmental issue concerns.
In this section, you will learn how chemicals are transported in the
environment through air, soil, and water. You will consider a case
study that shows how a major oil spill can affect the environment. You
will also learn more about handling and disposing of hazardous
household chemicals safely.

info BIT
3.1 Transport of Materials Through Air, Soil,
and Water Arctic Pollution
Chemical pollutants
called dioxins have been
When pollutants are detected far from where they are produced, many
detected across Canada’s
questions arise. What is the source of a pollutant? Who is to blame for its north—even where no
spread? Who should pay to correct any environmental problems created humans live. In one
by the pollutant? To help resolve these issues, scientists attempt to study, scientists used
understand the transport paths of potentially harmful substances. complex models of air
transport to identify the
TRANSPORT IN AIR sources of dioxins found
in Nunavut. They found
Figure 3.1 shows the three stages of transport of substances in air: that most of those
1. Release of the chemical at the source specific dioxins came
2. Dispersion of the chemical in the atmosphere (the chemicals from waste incinerators
scatter in various directions) and metal processing
3. Deposition of the chemical in soil or water facilities in the United
States, and some came
Sometimes, scientists must do a great deal of detective work to track from Mexico!
down the source of a harmful airborne chemical. The direction and
distance that airborne chemicals travel are determined by various factors.
These include the pollutant’s properties, the wind speed, and the
direction of the prevailing winds. In Alberta, for example, the prevailing
winds are from the west, so airborne substances are carried eastward.
The distribution of airborne pollutants may be limited by lack of
wind. Precipitation is another factor that will affect distribution. An
airborne pollutant will be deposited closer to its source if it is carried to
the ground by rain or snow.
The source of a chemical that has travelled thousands of kilometres is
usually impossible to identify. Often chemicals travel across borders, so
deposition of airborne pollutants is an international problem. Many
countries have signed international agreements and passed anti-pollution
laws to limit the spread of airborne pollutants.
Figure 3.1
dispersion
The stages of
release from atmospheric
source transport of
deposition
chemicals
dispersion
source
Potentially Harmful Substances Are Spread and Concentrated in the Environment in Various Ways 237
Q U I C K LAB
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
Purpose
To analyze movement of emissions in the environment YUKON
TERRITORY NUNAVUT
NORTHWEST
TERRITORIES
Procedure
1 Look at the maps in Figure 3.2 and answer the questions below.
BRITISH Fort McMurray
COLUMBIA
Questions
ALBERTA
2 Explain why sulfur dioxide emissions from the Alberta oil sands
SASKATCHEWAN
plants near Fort McMurray are a concern more for the people Trail
living in Saskatchewan than those living in western Alberta and
Pacific
British Columbia. Ocean WASHINGTON
3 Explain why scientists consider sulfur dioxide emissions from a NORTH

MONTANA DAKOTA
smelter in Trail, British Columbia, when they are studying OREGON
IDAHO SOUTH
environmental problems in Idaho. WYOMING DAKOTA
4 Human-made chemicals have been found in Antarctica. How do

Figure 3.2(a) Fort McMurray, Alberta, and
you think they travelled there? Trail, British Columbia
La
bra
do
ft
D ri
r C.
A la
tic
tl
an
NORTH NORTH
s ka
hA
N ort
C.
Westerlies AMERICA Westerlies AMERICA

m
G ul f S t r e a
Curre n t
o r n i a C.
i
fic
Horse Latitudes P ac
li f
Ca
An
lle
ti
r i b b e an
Ca
C.
Equitorial Current N. Eq uitorial
Trade Winds
Equator Equator
Trade Winds SOUTH SOUTH

AMERICA AMERICA
nt
Per
ur re
u Cur rent
il C
Horse
B r az
Latitudes
Horse Latitudes
C.
F a l k l and
rift
We st W in d Drift East Wind D
ANTARCTICA ANTARCTICA
Figure 3.2(b) Surface winds Figure 3.2(c) Ocean currents

TRANSPORT IN GROUNDWATER
Water that soaks into soil moves first into a zone near the surface.
Here the spaces between the soil grains contain both air and water.
As the water moves deeper, it enters the next zone where all the
spaces are filled with water. This water is called groundwater. The
top of the groundwater zone is called the water table. If your home
or school uses a well, you are drinking and washing in groundwater.
soil
Groundwater can move sideways, up, and down. It can move as
slowly as 1 m per year or as quickly as 1 m per day. But even its
water table
faster rate is much slower than that of rivers or streams. Because of
groundwater zone
groundwater’s slow movement, contaminants such as lead cannot be lake
quickly dispersed. They may become concentrated over time. This
creates a problem if the contaminated groundwater is needed for soil
drinking, agricultural purposes, or industrial use.

Factors that affect the movement of groundwater include the
number and connection of pores in the soil. Pores are the tiny spaces
between soil grains. Sometimes the soil grains are so tightly packed
that the pores are not connected. In that case, water cannot move
easily through the soil. If the pores are connected, water can flow Figure 3.3 The water table is the top
through them. A permeable soil is one with interconnected pores. of the groundwater zone. Below the
water table, all the pores in the soil
Pollutants will be transported farther by groundwater that flows
are filled with water.
through permeable soils.
The substances that contaminate groundwater occur either
naturally or as a result of human activities. The table below gives
examples of some of these contaminants.
Some Substances That Contaminate Groundwater
Substance and Source Examples

Minerals in rocks and soil Iron, calcium, selenium
Organic substances occurring naturally or produced by Pesticides, solvents, petroleum products
humans
Substances leached from landfill sites and mine waste Heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, cadmium), organic
decomposition products
Substances that leak from underground storage tanks Gasoline, natural gas, oil
and pipelines
Inorganic substances from de-icing roads, agricultural Salt, fertilizers, acidic deposition
and home use, industrial products, and vehicle exhausts
Micro-organisms from improperly designed or Bacteria, viruses, protozoans
maintained septic tanks and sewage treatment ponds,
and improper storage and disposal of livestock wastes
Household chemicals Nitrates, phosphorus compounds, detergents, chlorine
compounds
ACTIVITY C-9
ACID RAIN AND SOIL

Inquiry
Before You Start
In this activity, you will use vinegar to simulate acid rain. The liquid that has passed
through the soil is called leachate.
The Question
What effect does the type of soil have on an acidic solution that passes through it?
• clay/loam potting soil
• sandy soil The Hypothesis
• vinegar (diluted)
Restate the question above in the form of a hypothesis.
• beakers
Procedure
• funnel
1 In your notebook, draw a table like the one below to record your observations.
• retort stand
• ring
Sample pH
• filter paper 4
• pH meter, chemical indicators,
or pH paper
2 Fold and place a filter paper in a funnel. (Hint: Dampen the paper with tap water and
it will stay in place.) Put dampened clay/loam soil into the funnel and tamp it down
gently.
3 Support the funnel in a ring attached to a retort stand. Place an empty beaker under
the funnel.
4 Measure 20 mL of diluted vinegar into the second beaker. Measure and record the pH
of the diluted vinegar.
5 Pour the vinegar into the soil and collect the leachate. Measure and record the pH of
the leachate.
6 Repeat steps 2 to 5 using the sandy soil.

7 Which type of soil allowed the liquids to pass through more easily? Explain why.
Forming Conclusions
9 Explain how the soil affected the pH of the leachate.
Figure 3.4 Step 5
The pH of soil is important for plants because certain nutrients are available to plants only
within a specific pH range. For example, phosphorus availability is best between pH 6.0
and 7.0. Ground limestone (calcium carbonate) can be added to acidic soil to make it less
acidic. Adding peat or sulfur to basic soil will make it less basic.
Extending
Design and carry out an experiment to answer this question: What amount of vinegar can
pass through a soil sample before the neutralizing ability of the soil is reduced?

TRANSPORT IN SURFACE WATER
Potentially hazardous chemicals can enter surface water systems from
many different sources. These include the air, groundwater, runoff from
agricultural fields and industrial sites, and outflow from storm sewers and
sewage treatment plants. Chemicals from these sources may not be a
problem if their concentrations are very low. They can be dispersed and
carried away by the water. However, they may become a problem if the
chemicals do not disperse, and the concentrations increase locally.
A substance that dissolves easily in water may be carried a long way
and dispersed by the water. Some substances do not dissolve easily, and
they may become attached to solids such as soil grains. In that case, they
will not travel as far as dissolved substances. Instead, they will sink and
become concentrated closer to the source. Substances that become
attached to solids can build up in lake or river bottoms, affecting the
organisms that live there.
Understanding the transport of chemicals in surface water is
important to communities that obtain their drinking water from rivers,
lakes, or artificial lakes called reservoirs. People who live in these
communities are very careful about protecting their water sources. The
water quality is monitored continually. Any contamination is tracked to
its source whenever possible and eliminated or reduced.
TRANSPORT IN SOIL re SEARCH

Water landing on a farmer’s field or your front yard at home does four
Removing Phosphorus
things:
Phosphorus compounds
• some evaporates can be removed from
• some soaks into the soil and is taken up by plants sewage water. However,
• some runs onto the street or into a stream the technology is
• some soaks through the soil and moves downward. As this expensive. Its use must
water moves, it dissolves substances in the soil and carries them be weighed against the
along. Such a liquid is called leachate. environmental damage
that the phosphorus
The composition of soil can affect the rate at which a liquid moves
might cause. Using books
through it. For example, you have learned in other science classes that or electronic resources,
water moves more easily through sand than through clay. Packed clay is prepare a report about
impermeable—fluids cannot move through it because the soil grains are the removal of
packed too closely. As you learned earlier in this unit, sanitary landfills phosphorus from sewage
are usually lined with a layer of impermeable clay. The clay prevents discharges. Begin your
leachate containing harmful chemicals from moving into the soil and information search at
contaminating groundwater. www.pearsoned.ca/
Some soils contain a large percentage of organic material, such as scienceinaction.
decayed leaves. This can slow the movement of chemicals if they are
absorbed by the organic material. In some cases, the chemicals become
attached to the soil particles, and their movement is slowed or stopped.
Hazardous materials can also be changed by chemical reactions that
occur in the soil. For example, acids can be neutralized by substances
such as calcium carbonate (limestone) in soil.
Transport of Hydrocarbons in Soil
Contamination of soil by hydrocarbons is a problem at tens of thousands
of sites across Canada. This contamination results from our daily use of
hydrocarbons in vehicles and in industry, and from the extraction of
hydrocarbons.
Some hydrocarbons are carried by water in the soil and can spread
over a wide area. Others do not dissolve in water. These non-dissolving
types of hydrocarbons may coat soil grains and completely fill the pores
between the grains. This type of contamination does not spread very far
from its source but is very difficult to clean up. It also creates high local
concentrations of hydrocarbons. Most hydrocarbons are toxic to plants
and animals (including humans).
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. State three reasons why an airborne pollutant might be deposited close
to its source.
2. Suggest two ways that chemical pollutants could be carried far from
their sources.
3. List four things that could happen to the water used in watering a local
golf course.
4. Explain why airborne and water-borne chemicals are both local and
global issues.

5. Lead from a car battery has been detected in a lake far from where the
battery was discarded and buried. How did the lead get there?
6. Explain how soil can affect the composition of the solutions that move
through it.
7. Match the pollutant in column A with its possible source in column B.
A B
oil rocks
acid rain home gardening
bacteria landfill
calcium vehicle exhaust
leachate sewage
pesticide pipeline leak

8. One water well is located in sandy soil. Another water well is in soil
that is mainly clay. Which well should be monitored more often? Why?
9. Many communities in Canada take their drinking water from rivers,
lakes, or reservoirs. Why do they need to understand how chemicals
are transported in surface water?

info BIT
3.2 Changing the Concentration of Harmful
Chemicals in the Environment Biodegradation of a
Chemical
A site in Sarnia, Ontario,
The best way to keep the environment safe is to prevent potentially
was contaminated with
harmful substances from entering it. However, this isn’t always practical
an organic chemical
because most human activities introduce potentially harmful chemicals called ethylbenzene.
into the environment. Approximately 400 t of
The concentration of pollutants in the environment can be changed clay soil were dug up
using different techniques. The examples discussed here are: dispersion, and placed in piles, and
dilution, biodegradation, phytoremediation, and photolysis. micro-organisms were
Dispersion is the scattering of a substance away from its source. For added to the piles of
example, suppose you are fertilizing your lawn and spill too much soil. Within five months,
fertilizer in one spot. To prevent damage to the lawn in that spot, you concentrations of
could spread the fertilizer out over a larger area. In doing this, you would ethylbenzene dropped
be dispersing the chemical. from 434 ppm to
25 ppm.
Dilution reduces the concentration of a pollutant by mixing the
polluting substance with large quantities of air or water. For example, if
you place one drop of bleach into a sink full of water, the molecules of the
bleach will mix with the molecules of water, and the bleach will be
diluted.
A fast-flowing river or air mass can disperse and dilute a chemical
very quickly. However, dispersion and dilution may not leave an area
clean enough to meet government standards for clean water or air.
Dilution or dispersion combined with another clean-up process, such as
biodegradation, may be more effective.
municipal & industrial effluents

Figure 3.5 Substances released into a
urban storm water runoff river are dispersed and diluted, or they
are deposited on the bottom and
surface runoff
become part of the sediment.
irrigation water runoff
dispersion dilution
death of disease-causing
disease-causing bacteria & viruses
bacteria & viruses
salts (calcium bicarbonate, sodium chloride,
sodium sulfate, etc.)
ingestion by
nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, etc.) animals
pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, etc.)
heavy metals (lead, zinc, copper, mercury, etc.)
sediment
sedimentation uptake by
plants
BIODEGRADATION
Nature uses living things to clean the environment. Every autumn, leaves
fall but they do not build up year after year because some of them
decompose and become part of the soil. Organisms such as earthworms,
bacteria, and fungi help the biodegradation of most organic substances,
including many pollutants. “Bio” refers to living things and “degrade”
means to break up.
Figure 3.6 Micro-organisms

that live in or on the soil and
water can be important in the
biodegradation of pollutants.
Left to right: algae, bacteria,
a protozoan.
Micro-organisms are especially important in the biodegradation of

pollutants. Many different types of micro-organisms live in soil and water.
Algae, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa are common. Algae live at the soil
surface and can produce their own organic compounds for food by
photosynthesis. Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa use existing organic
compounds for food. Carbon atoms in these molecules can be used to
build biological compounds such as carbohydrates and protein.
Figure 3.7 Large organic

molecules are broken bacterium
down (hydrolyzed) either
inside or outside bacteria. absorption
The decomposition
process usually involves enzyme A enzyme B
several steps. organic
molecule
Bacteria
Each organism needs specific conditions to grow and reproduce. Some
bacteria grow and reproduce only when oxygen is present. They use
oxygen for the process of aerobic biodegradation (“aero-” means “air”).
Some bacteria need an anaerobic environment—one without oxygen
(“an-” means “without”). They thrive where there is little or no oxygen;
for example, deep within landfill sites.
Some types of anaerobic bacteria remove chlorine from harmful
chlorine-containing compounds such as PCBs (polychlorinated
biphenyls). PCBs are human-made oils used in electrical equipment.
These bacteria are able to remove chlorine atoms from the pollutant’s
molecules and replace them with hydrogen atoms. The molecules can
then be used as food for the bacteria. In this way, some harmful pollutants
are removed from the environment.

ACTIVITY C-10
B U RY Y O U R G A R B A G E
Inquiry
Before You Start
Each group in the class will select one variable to investigate and present their findings to
the class.
The Question
What effects do the following factors have on the rate of biodegradation of substances:
• soil
moisture, temperature, surface area of pieces, type of waste?
• large clear plastic party glasses
• apple pieces or other easily
Procedure
biodegradable material
1 Your group will investigate one of the following questions:
• refrigerator for 1b)
• other waste material for 1d) a) What is the effect of moisture on the rate of biodegradation?
(e.g., potato, paper, metal, b) What is the effect of temperature on the rate of biodegradation?
plastic, cotton, nylon) c) What is the effect of the size of garbage pieces on the rate of biodegradation?
• balance
d) What is the effect of the type of garbage on the rate of biodegradation?
• ruler
• water 2 Controlling variables is important. As a class, determine the following before you
• sticks for markers begin:
• size of the apple pieces • temperature of the set-up
• number of apple pieces • location of the set-up
• number of pieces of other types • amount of time allowed for biodegradation
of garbage (for 1d) only) • type of data to be collected before and
• amount of soil after the apple pieces are buried
• amount of water that will be used
to keep the soil moist
3 Record the following:
• the question from step 1 that you will be investigating
• the manipulated, responding, and controlled variables in your investigation
• your hypothesis
4 With your group, plan your procedure and prepare a data table to record your group’s
observations. Show your procedure and data table to your teacher for approval
before you begin. Carry out your experiment.
5 Prepare a data table to record the class results.
Figure 3.8 Set-up for investigating
factors that affect biodegradation Analyzing and Interpreting
7 What effect did the manipulated variable have on the rate of biodegradation in your
investigation? Suggest reasons for this.
8 Present your data and your interpretation of this data to the class.
9 Did any other group in the class use the same variables as your group did? Were
your group’s results the same as theirs? Suggest reasons why or why not.
Forming Conclusions
10 Write a summary of the results of your class’s investigations. In your summary,
describe the effect that the manipulated variables have on the rate of biodegradation.
Suggest reasons for the class results.
re SEARCH Factors Affecting Biodegradation
In Canada, little bacterial growth occurs in the cold winter months, so
Pollution Clean-Up biodegradation is very slow then, if it occurs at all. Temperature is just one
Using books or factor that affects the rate of biodegradation. Other factors are soil
electronic resources, moisture, pH, oxygen supply, and nutrient availability.
find and describe a Bioreactor technology is a developing technology based on a
situation where either knowledge of the effects of these factors. Bioreactors are designed to speed
biodegradation or up the decomposition of organic wastes such as food and paper in
phytoremediation has municipal landfills. Liquids are added to the landfill to create ideal
been successfully used conditions for micro-organisms that decompose organic waste. Under
to solve a pollution
these conditions, biodegradation occurs much more quickly.
problem. Begin your
Another method of encouraging biodegradation in soil involves
search at
www.pearsoned.ca/
planting vegetation. Bacteria and fungi occur in larger numbers in soil that
scienceinaction. contains plants than they do in soil without plants. The bacteria and fungi
live around the roots of the plants. This greater microbial activity may
increase the biodegradation of hazardous materials.
PHYTOREMEDIATION
Green plants can also be used in another way to remove or degrade
hazardous materials. Phytoremediation is a technique that can be used to
reduce the concentration of harmful chemicals in soil or groundwater.
“Phyto” means plant and “remediation” means correction or cure. Plants
have been used to clean up metals, hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides,
radioactive materials, explosives, and landfill leachates. Some plants can
absorb and accumulate (build up) unusually large amounts of metals from
the soil. The plants are allowed to grow for some time and then harvested
and burned or composted. In some cases, the metal can be recycled. Once
the plants used for phytoremediation have “cleaned” the soil, other plants
can be planted there.
Figure 3.9 Sunflowers have been

used at Chernobyl to remove
radioactive substances from
groundwater.

PHOTOLYSIS
Some substances degrade from exposure to light. Photolysis is the
breakdown (lysis) of compounds by sunlight (photo). An example of
photolysis is the formation of ozone. Nitrogen dioxide in the presence of
light breaks down to form nitrogen monoxide and an oxygen atom. The
oxygen atom then combines with an oxygen molecule to form ozone.
NO2(g) ➝ NO(g) + O(g)

nitrogen dioxide ➝ nitrogen monoxide + oxygen atom
O(g) + O2(g) ➝ O3(g)

oxygen atom + oxygen molecule ➝ ozone
Another example of photolysis is photodegradable plastic. Ordinary

plastic does not degrade easily and can last for hundreds of years.
Photodegradable plastic is made of chemicals that react when exposed to
sunlight. After about three months, these reactions have changed the
plastic to a fine powder that is easier to dispose of than the original
plastic objects. The problem with photodegradable plastic is that it will
not decompose if it’s buried or placed anywhere else that sunlight cannot
reach it.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 7. Will a potato decay faster in warm soil or
1. List five ways of reducing the concentration cold soil? Give a reason for your answer.
of pollutants in the environment. 8. Are dispersion and dilution the same
2. What element do bacteria remove from a process? Explain.
PCB molecule?
3. How do micro-organisms change large 9. a) Suppose there was an oil spill in soil in
organic molecules to forms that can be a remote section of southern Canada.
absorbed and used inside the cell? What would you suggest as an effective
4. Define and give an example of photolysis. clean-up method? Give a reason for your
5. Cattails in swamps are used to absorb answer.
chemical pollutants. What method of b) Suppose the oil spill were in a sandy
reducing pollutant concentration is this? soil near a community water supply.
What would you suggest as an effective
Connect Your Understanding clean-up method in this case?
6. Would you rather live in an aerobic 10. Write the procedure for an experiment that
environment or an anaerobic one? Explain would show the effect of pH on the rate of
your answer. biodegradation of waste material.
info BIT
3.3 Hazardous Chemicals Affect Living Things
Lead in the Environment
So far in this unit, you have learned how chemicals can enter the
The City of Calgary issued
a press release on May 17, environment, move through it, and be taken into organisms. You have also
2001, stating that learned how harmful chemicals can be concentrated in the environment.
environmental For example, they can become concentrated in soil and river or lake
monitoring results bottoms. They can also accumulate in plants through uptake of water and
indicated that lead levels nutrients. This increase in concentration means that some chemicals may
in surface soil in the remain in the environment for long periods. This also makes it possible
Lynnview Ridge area were for some chemicals to increase in concentration as they move up the food
above the current chain.
environmental
guidelines. Precautions
BIOMAGNIFICATION
were recommended. Lead
can damage the kidneys, Biomagnification is the increase in concentration of a chemical or element
the nervous system, and as it moves up the food chain. A good example is mercury. Figure 3.10
the reproductive system. shows what happens when mercury is introduced into the environment.
It is especially damaging The mercury comes from emissions from coal-fired power plants, waste
to young children and incinerators, and commercial boilers and furnaces that burn mercury-
fetuses. containing materials. The mercury falls onto fresh or salt water where
bacteria join it to an organic molecule that algae can absorb. Any one algal
organism isn’t affected by the mercury because it takes in very little.
At this point, the mercury enters the food chain when the algae are
eaten by invertebrates such as insects. The mercury concentration is low
in the algae because it is spread over many of them. But an insect has to
eat many algae to survive. The insect is eaten by a fish, which has to eat
many insects to survive. If these insects contain mercury, then the fish
takes in a large quantity of mercury, which it stores in its body tissues.
The fish may be affected by this concentration of mercury. Then you and
your family catch several fish and eat them. If you eat enough of these
mercury-contaminated fish, you may become ill. Mercury-contaminated
fish have been a problem in parts of Canada, such as the Great Lakes.
human
consumer
of fish
Figure 3.10 Mercury can mercury in

waste fluids
enter water systems in two
ways. One way is from the
air as a result of emissions
from industrial plants. mercury
Another way is from
industrial waste fluids, as
shown here. Once in the
water, the mercury increases
in concentration as it moves
up the food chain.
mercury in sediment

ACTIVITY C-11
Decision MOSQUITO CONTROL

Making The Issue
In the spring, you look forward to playing baseball and having picnics in the park. To
make your time outside more enjoyable, your city or town may use insecticides to kill
mosquitoes. This cuts down or destroys the mosquito population so you don’t have to be
bothered by itchy bites. But such chemicals can harm other organisms in the
environment. Should municipalities use insecticides to kill mosquitoes?
eggs adult
adult
emerging
from pupa
larva pupa
Figure 3.11 Life cycle of the mosquito. Communities can monitor the mosquito larvae population in
local water systems to gain useful information for deciding on a springtime insecticide program.
1 Every time an insecticide is used, it introduces chemicals into the local environment.
These chemicals are carefully regulated (controlled by the government) to make sure
they do as little damage as possible to the environment. However, an insecticide used
to control mosquitoes may kill other species of insects as well, including those that
eat mosquitoes.
2 Working with your group, research the benefits and costs of controlling mosquitoes
with insecticides. Begin your search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. Consider
the following:
a) the effect of mosquito populations on people’s activities
b) the potential for disease transmission by mosquitoes
c) the effect of insecticides on other species besides mosquitoes. Remember to
include effects on other members of the food web.
d) alternative methods of mosquito control not using insecticides

3 With your group, design a presentation to summarize your group’s findings. Be
prepared to share your group’s findings with the rest of the class.
4 Do you think insecticides should be used to control mosquitoes in your community?
Give reasons to support your opinion.
A CASE STUDY: THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL
Some chemicals in the environment have immediate short-term effects on
organisms (for example, when a herbicide kills a weed). Some have
longer-term effects through concentration and accumulation (for example,
biomagnification of mercury). You will now have an opportunity to
consider a case study of a chemical spill that had both short- and long-
Prince William Sound term consequences: the oil spill from the tanker ship Exxon Valdez.
In 1989, the Exxon Valdez went aground in Prince William Sound on
the southern coast of Alaska. This huge tanker was carrying crude oil from
Alaska to a refinery farther south on the west coast of the United States.
Crude Oil
Crude oil is a mixture of many chemicals. It contains hundreds of
different molecules in all shapes and sizes. For example, paraffin wax and
asphalt are very large hydrocarbon molecules. Methane is a small one.
Figure 3.12 Prince William Some molecules in crude oil contain atoms of nitrogen, oxygen, and
Sound is on the south coast sulfur. Metals such as mercury and lead may also be present. Crude oil
of Alaska.
cannot be used as soon as it is pumped from the ground—it must be
processed in an oil refinery. There, it is heated and the chemical
components are separated as they cool.
Crude Oil Spills

Accidents happen. Loaded tanker ships can be accidentally driven onto
reefs or rocky shores. Hazardous chemicals can change a beautiful setting.
The beautiful setting of Prince William Sound changed when the Exxon
Valdez spilled approximately 260 000 barrels (41 337 m3) of crude oil into
the sound.
The composition of oil changes after it is spilled. The lighter and
smaller molecules disperse into the air or water. “Tar balls” of heavy
hydrocarbons are washed ashore or sink into the sediment below the
water. Bacteria are able to degrade some of this oil for use as food.
Long-term studies of oil spills, such as the one in Prince William
Sound, have increased our knowledge of the impact of oil on the
environment. It has been shown that some hydrocarbons are toxic in
concentrations as low as 1 ppb, and that oil can persist in the
environment for more than 10 years.
Impact of the Oil Spill on the Environment

Oil from the Exxon Valdez spill covered thousands of square
kilometres of water and polluted hundreds of kilometres of
shoreline. A study done in 1992 estimated that 2% of the oil
made it to shore. Most of it evaporated or dispersed into water.
Ten years after the spill, bacteria and light had broken down
much of the oil.
Figure 3.13 The Exxon Valdez was a large oil tanker. Thousands of such tankers sail
all over the world.

Impact of the Oil Spill on Plants and Animals
Many different types of organisms were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil
spill. Floating algae were killed. Invertebrates near shore could not
survive the decreased oxygen, loss of food, and the toxic effect of the
hydrocarbons. Fish eggs and young fish were especially sensitive to the
toxic chemicals in oil. Pacific herring and pink salmon fry died or were
physically deformed. Adult fish could avoid the oil by swimming away,
but they lost habitat and food resources.
Seabirds and mammals became covered with oil. Oily feathers could
not protect birds, and oily fur could not protect mammals such as sea
otters from cold temperatures. It is estimated that over 30 000 birds and
5000 sea otters died because of the oil spill.
Figure 3.14 Some oil-
covered birds and animals
Impact of the Oil Spill on People were rescued and cleaned
The Exxon Valdez oil spill also affected people who lived in the area. but many others died of the
Many were commercial fishers, and now they could no longer fish. People oil’s effects.
who relied on wildlife for their food had to purchase more expensive
groceries from stores. The tourist trade decreased dramatically as
recreational users (campers and kayakers) chose not to come to the
contaminated area.
Clean-up and Restoration of Prince William Sound

Figure 3.15 shows that 14% of the oil was recovered. This was done by
using skimming systems and containment booms. However, 10 years after
the spill, oil still remained on some of the beaches.
Soon after the oil spill, the sediment near parts of the shoreline was
removed and replaced with clean sediment. Those areas have recovered
better than areas where the sediment was left in place.
Some birds and mammals were washed and kept in captivity for
several days before being released. Most of these survived.
biodegraded/degraded
by light in water
50%
dispersed
degraded in water
by light in air 1%
20%
recovered
14%
deposited in
subtidal
sediment
beached 2% 13%
Figure 3.15 This chart shows what happened to the spilled oil.
re SEARCH NEW OIL SPILL CLEAN-UP PROCEDURES
Oil spills and leaks can happen on land as well as on the ocean. Pipelines
Hazardous Chemicals can rust and leak. Tanker trucks can spill their loads. Oil wells can blow
Select a hazardous
out. Storage tanks can spill or leak. Since the large spill in Prince William
chemical mentioned in
Sound, government regulations have changed and new procedures have
this section or one
approved by your been put in place to deal more effectively with future spills.
teacher. Find out more In Alberta, companies are required to report spills greater than 2 m3.
about it by using books Companies and governments have emergency response plans in place.
or electronic resources. Hands-on training for people working with oil and gas takes place yearly.
Determine possible These training sessions demonstrate effective techniques for controlling
sources of the chemical, and cleaning up spills.
its effects on people and
the environment, and
how it can be removed or
prevented from entering
the environment. Prepare
a multimedia
presentation for the class
about the chemical.
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction. Figure 3.16 Booms can be used to contain oil spills and help with clean-up.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Use an example to explain the term “biomagnification.”
2. List five ways that the Exxon Valdez oil spill affected Prince William
Sound.
3. a) Look at Figure 3.15 on page 251. What percent of the oil was
degraded by light after evaporating into the air?
b) What percent of the oil reached the shores in Prince William Sound?

4. Describe two ways that chemicals can become concentrated or build
up in the environment.
5. Explain why using pesticides to kill mosquitoes has become an issue.
6. Suggest two reasons why some chemicals remain unchanged in the
environment for a long time.

7. Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter summarizing the Exxon
Valdez oil spill. Write your report using the following headings:
• what happened
• the results
• the clean-up
• the after-effects (e.g., technology, government regulations)

3.4 Hazardous Household Chemicals
Housecleaning and gardening can be hazardous to your health. Products info BIT
that we purchase for use in housecleaning, home improvement,
gardening, and car maintenance may contain chemicals that could harm Dishwasher Detergents
us or the environment. Hazardous household chemicals include: Poison control centres
• household cleaners report that dishwasher
detergents are the
• personal hygiene products
number one cause of
• pet-care products
child poisonings. Many
• paint and paint products
dishwasher detergents
• pesticides and fertilizers contain very
• automotive fluids concentrated chlorine in
Estimates indicate that the average North American house contains a dry form.
between 12 L and 40 L of hazardous products. Improper transport,
storage, and disposal of these products can contribute to health problems
such as burns, heart, kidney, and lung ailments, cancer, and even death.
We can use these products safely by paying attention to the information
on labels and in fact sheets about them.
GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS
Government regulations are designed to protect consumers and reduce the
risks of transporting, storing, using, and disposing of hazardous materials.
The regulations reflect the information available from scientific research
done on these products. Such research considers not only the effects of a
product alone, but also its interactions with other products. The
regulations are reviewed and modified when scientific research provides
new information.
As students working in a school, you must be familiar with the
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), set up by
the federal government. WHMIS provides information on hazardous
materials used in the workplace. Anyone who works with or must be near
hazardous products must be familiar with WHMIS symbols and labelling,
and with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
Labels
If a potentially hazardous chemical is being transported, stored, or used, it
must be labelled to alert workers to the dangers of the product and to
provide basic safety precautions. There are different labels for different
purposes: transport, supply, use in the workplace, and disposal. As
students, you will be reading workplace labels that will include the name
of the chemical and information on safe handling.
The labels on goods that you buy in a store for home use are covered
by regulations as well. Figure 3.17, on the next page, is an example of a
consumer goods label. You have seen WHMIS labels in earlier studies. For
more information on WHMIS and other hazardous products labels, see
Toolbox 1.
G I V E I T A TRY
USING A HAZARDOUS PRODUCT

Suppose that you have been hired by your neighbours to apply wood preservative to a
fence that surrounds their property. A vegetable garden is close to the fence, and a small
stream runs near the fence at the back. Wood preservatives contain fungicides that
protect wood from destruction by fungus (mildew) and insects. The wood preservative
you will use is an arsenic compound that can be harmful to humans and other
organisms, both on land and in the water. Figure 3.17 shows the information provided by
the manufacturer on the product’s label.
Figure 3.17
Use Limitations • Keep away from open flames or sparks. Information about the
• Use on exterior surfaces only. • Avoid skin contact. wood preservative
• Use only above ground. • Wash with soap and water after using this
• Keep away from water systems since product product.
is toxic to fish.
First Aid
Directions for Use • If swallowed do not induce vomiting.
• Be sure to have a clean dry surface before Call a doctor or a poison centre
you apply this product. immediately.
• Use a brush to apply. Do not spray. • If spilled on skin, wash with vegetable
• Use full strength. Do not dilute. oil followed by soap and water.
• If splashed in eyes, flush eyes with
Precautions
water for 15 minutes.
• Avoid breathing vapours.
• What clothing would you wear while applying the wood preservative?
• What tools and materials would you need for the job?
• List four precautions you would take while using the preservative.
• Suppose that several years after you put the preservative on the fence, your
neighbours decide that they don’t need all of the fence. They plan to burn the
unwanted wood in their fire pit where they have wiener roasts. What advice
would you give them?
MSDS
All suppliers of potentially hazardous materials will provide the buyer
with additional information about their products. This information is
found in a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The MSDS gives a detailed
description of the product—its composition, physical appearance, and
chemical characteristics. The MSDS also describes the precautions that
should be taken when handling, using, transporting, and disposing of the
product. And it provides details of health effects, first aid treatments, and
spill procedures. You should know where the binder containing the
MSDSs is kept in your school.

NEW PRODUCT REGULATIONS
Certain types of products, such as pesticides, require government
approval before they can be sold. Companies applying for product
approval must follow a strict testing process according to government
legislation. They must also provide detailed information that includes:
• intended use, physical and chemical properties, active ingredient(s)
• instructions for use, safety precautions
• health effects, environmental effects, toxicity to humans, and first
aid instructions in case of poisoning
STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS

The safe storage and use of chemicals prevent accidents and injury. Here
are some safe storage suggestions: Figure 3.18 Examples of
hazardous household
■ Leave all products in their original containers with the label intact.
chemicals
■ Keep all products in a location not accessible to children. If possible,
keep hazardous products locked up.
■ Be sure all containers are in good condition and have secure lids.
■ Store products in a cool, dry, ventilated place away from pilot lights,
stoves, and water heaters. If you can smell a household product that is
in storage, the lid may be loose or ventilation may not be adequate.
■ Never store flammable liquids and gases in glass containers—they
might break. Store gasoline in a metal container with a safety cap, or a
red plastic container approved for use with gasoline. Keep it outside
the house in a storage shed. Never store propane inside the house
because a leak can cause an explosion.
■ Store corrosive, flammable, reactive, and poisonous products on
separate shelves or in separate locations. Toilet and drain cleaners are
examples of corrosive substances. Keep acids and bases separate from
each other.
■ Do not store oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide, pool chemicals, and
some fertilizers near flammable liquids. Oxidizers can cause other
substances to burn.
■ Place products in their storage areas so that they cannot fall over.
■ Always return a hazardous product to its storage place when you have
finished using it.
■ Safely discard hazardous substances that are old or not needed.
■ If a container is rusting or leaking, place it inside a second, secure

container. Dispose of both containers together at a household hazardous
waste collection site.
ACTIVITY C-12
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Inquiry
The Question
What effect do household chemicals have on the germination of radish seeds?
The Hypothesis
• 10% and 50% solutions
of household bleach
of window cleaner
containing ammonia
of rubbing alcohol
• water
• 4 small plastic bags
• marking pen
• 4 paper towels
• 20 radish seeds
• thumbtacks, pins, or tape Figure 3.19 Determining the effect of household chemicals on radish seeds
Procedure
1 Using a marking pen, label 4 small plastic bags: one each for water, bleach,
ammonia, and rubbing alcohol. Place your name or group symbol on each bag.
Caution! 2 Crumple a paper towel and place it in the bag labelled “water.”
Handle bleach, window
3 Place 10 mL of water in the labelled bag. If that is not enough to moisten the paper
cleaner, and rubbing
towel, add more water. (The bottom of the bag should have a little extra water in it.)
alcohol very carefully.
4 Put 5 radish seeds into the bag. Place them between the plastic and the paper towel
Bleach is corrosive. It
so that you will be able to see the seeds easily.
can also take the
5 Repeat this procedure with one concentration of each household product. (Another
colour out of your
group will use the other concentration.) Be sure to use the same amount of liquid in
clothes.
each bag.
6 Using tacks, pins, or tape, attach the bags to a bulletin board.
7 At the end of 5 days, count and record the number of seeds that have germinated in
each bag.
8 Obtain the data for all the household products from other groups in the class.
9 Follow your teacher’s instructions for disposing of all substances you have used.

10 Why did one bag contain only water?
11 Which product had the greatest effect on the radish seeds?
12 Did different concentrations of the same product affect the radish seeds differently?
Explain your answer.
Forming Conclusions
13 Describe the effect of household chemicals on radish seeds.

TRANSPORTATION OF CONSUMER GOODS
There are two times when you or your family transport hazardous
household materials:
• when the product is first bought
• when the unused portion of the product or the waste from it is
taken to a hazardous waste collection site
In both cases, care should be taken to protect people in the vehicle from
toxic fumes or spills from the containers. At all times, hazardous products
should be kept out of the reach of children and family pets.
The hazardous materials should be placed in the trunk of the car or
the box of the truck. Care must be taken that the containers stand upright
and do not move.
When transporting hazardous household wastes to a collection site,
never mix them together in one container. Mixing chemicals may cause a
chemical reaction that results in an explosion or a poisonous product. The
products should be left in their original containers with the labels intact
so that the people at the collection site know how to process them.
DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS

Never pour hazardous wastes down a drain or into soil. And never throw
them away in the garbage. Hazardous wastes poured down a drain go into
public sewer systems or septic tanks.
Occasionally, sewage treatment processes are not effective in removing
some hazardous chemicals. If that happens, the chemicals are accidentally
released to surface water. There they may harm aquatic organisms or end
up in someone’s drinking water. In a septic system, hazardous substances
may harm the organisms that break down wastes. As a result, the system
won’t function properly, and pollutants may pass unchanged into the
surrounding soil and water.
Disposing of hazardous household products by pouring them into the
soil or putting them in the solid waste garbage can contribute to
contamination of drinking water, soil, and even air.
HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION SITES

Hazardous waste collection sites can
be found in almost all Alberta
communities. Wastes such as paints
and fertilizers can be taken to these
sites for disposal. Materials that cannot
be recycled are safely packaged into
larger containers. They are then
labelled according to government
regulations, and transported in labelled
trucks with trained drivers to
incineration plants. Figure 3.20 A hazardous waste collection site
SOLID WASTE GARBAGE
Solid waste—what we usually call garbage—goes to a landfill site (unless
it can be recycled). At the landfill site, some garbage may burn, explode,
give off fumes, or be leached out. Leachate could potentially enter
groundwater if it escapes from the protective plastic or clay liners of the
landfill site.
Before you put something into the garbage, think about the following
guidelines for safe disposal of household hazardous products:
■ Take antifreeze to a recycling centre if one exists in your community. If
re SEARCH recycling is not possible, dilute antifreeze well before pouring it down a
drain connected to a sewage system. Seal the empty container before
Household Hazardous
putting it into the garbage. Never pour antifreeze on the ground or
Material
down a drain connected to a septic tank.
Select a household
hazardous material for ■ Take automotive products such as gasoline and oil to a hazardous waste
study and use labels, collection centre. Oil can be recycled.
books, personal
interviews, and ■ Never place car batteries in a home garbage because they usually
electronic resources to contain lead and sulfuric acid. Batteries can be recycled.
find out more about it. ■ Use up bleach according to directions on the container. Never pour it
Look for the following
down drains because it might mix with acids or ammonia and create
information: active
fatal toxic fumes.
chemical ingredient(s),
instructions for use, first ■ Use up cleaners and polishes. The empty containers should then be
aid suggestions, safe sealed before being thrown in the garbage.
storage ideas, and
■ Use up corrosive products such as drain cleaners completely according
disposal of leftover
product or containers. to the directions on the container. Dilute very small amounts of drain
Create an information cleaners in large quantities of water so that it is safe to pour the diluted
poster about the mixture down the drain.
material. Begin your
■ Take fertilizers and pesticides to a hazardous waste collection site.
information search at
www.pearsoned.ca/ ■ Take leftover paint and paint products such as paint thinners,
scienceinaction. turpentine, and varnish to collection sites where they may be recycled.
For empty paint cans, remove the lids so the remaining paint will dry
before you put the cans in the garbage.
■ Pack syringes in rigid containers and
take them to collection sites.
■ Empty aerosol containers completely
so that they will not explode in the
garbage. In a well-ventilated area, turn
the container upside down with the
nozzle facing a paper towel or other
absorbent material. Depress the nozzle
until the spray loses pressure.
Figure 3.21 How to empty an aerosol can before

placing it in the garbage

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. List five household chemicals that have the potential to be harmful.
2. What is WHMIS and why was it set up by the government?
3. List five ways you can prevent accidents when using or storing
hazardous household chemicals.
4. Explain how the following products should be stored:
a) gasoline
b) toilet cleaner
c) bleach

5. Sodium hydroxide solution (pH 10.3) is used in school experiments.
Explain the proper way to:
a) handle it
b) store it
c) dispose of it
6. Explain two reasons why it is important to take leftover fertilizers and
pesticides to collection sites.
7. Use the product label in Figure 3.22 to answer the following questions:
a) What does the warning symbol represent?
b) What are the names of the active ingredients?
c) What is the intended use of this product?
d) Describe the directions that must be followed before and during use.
e) How can this product enter your body?
f) Why should this product be kept away from ponds and streams?
DIRECTIONS FOR USE

TREE AND • Mix 15 mL of liquid spray in 2 L of water
• Spray thoroughly to wet both sides of foliage
SHRUB SPRAY • Repeat at 10 day intervals

• Do not use on chrysanthemums, fruit
or vegetables
Kills most insects and mites PRECAUTION: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
on trees, shrubs & flowers • Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed
through the skin
Carbaryl 4% • Dicofol 2% • Oxydemeton-Methyl 5% • Do not breathe spray mist
• Wash thoroughly with soap & water after use
• Poisonous to bees, fish and wildlife
• Use outdoors only BUT keep away from
ponds & streams
Figure 3.22 Product label for question 7

8. You are helping to clean the garage, and you come across a substance in
an old container without a label. Your brother suggests dumping it down
the drain.
a) Why is this not a good practice?
b) What is a safer method of disposal?
SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Why is it important for pollution chemists to know about prevailing
winds?
2. Match the words in column A with their synonyms or definitions in
column B.
Column A Column B
dispersion degradation caused by light
dilution scattering
biodegradation break up by living things
photolysis reduction in concentration
3 Why should an aerosol container be completely emptied before it is
discarded?
4. You have designed a new insecticide. In order for your new
insecticide to be sold to the public, what information would be
required by government regulations?
5. Describe three factors that affect biodegradation.

6. Explain why you must be very careful when storing oxidizers such as
hydrogen peroxide.
7. Why is it bad practice to throw household chemicals such as bleach
on garden soil?
8 Look at Figure 3.23. Some hazardous household products are being
transported in an unsafe manner. List as many things as you can that
are wrong or unsafe in this picture. Then suggest better, safer ways to
transport or handle these products.
9. Why is it important that chemicals used in the classroom be labelled?

10. What types of information are found on MSDS documents?

SECTION REVIEW
11. Choose two of the substances listed below and write a paragraph or
draw a series of pictures to show how each affects living things.
nitrogen compounds
mercury
oil
selenium
12. An old gasoline storage depot is torn down, and the land is used for a
children’s playground. Later, it is discovered that the soil in the
playground is contaminated with lead. What clean-up program would
you suggest to the town?
13. Suppose that you have just finished using a poisonous zinc solution
to preserve a wood deck.
a) How would you dispose of the leftover product and the tools that
you used? Are there any risks in the method that you chose?
b) If the leftover product were going to be stored, how and where
would you suggest storing it?

On
Chemicals exist naturally everywhere on Earth. However, human
activities can introduce other potentially harmful chemicals to the
environment. Decisions on developing and using chemicals should be
based on a variety of considerations. These include social, environmental,
ethical, and economic concerns. Answer the following questions, and use
examples from this section to support your answers.
1. Write a statement that expresses an economic viewpoint in favour of
few restrictions on the transport of crude oil.
2. Write a statement that expresses an environmental viewpoint in favour
of strict government controls on the transport of crude oil.
3. Testing indicates that the soil in a new subdivision is contaminated
with lead. Identify the types of viewpoints expressed in the following
comments made by residents in the area. (Hint: Are they worried
about health, economic considerations, the environment, ethics?)
a) “I am worried about my three young children developing serious
nerve problems.”
b) “I think that the people responsible for the lead problem should
pay for the clean-up.”
c) “I am very concerned about property values going down.”
d) “I think that more testing should be done so that all of the problem
areas can be identified.”
e) “My family is interested in finding out the various methods that
can be used to reduce the concentration of lead.”
U N I T S U M M A RY: E N V I R O N M E N TA L C H E M I S T RY
1.0 1.0 The environment is made up of chemicals that can support or harm living things.
• Chemicals form everything in the environment—both living and non-living things.
• chemicals essential to life
• Pollution is any change in the environment that produces a condition that is harmful to
• organic and inorganic
living things. It can result from human activities or other events (e.g., volcanoes).
material
• acids and bases • Acids and bases occur naturally or as a result of human activities. Acids have a pH
• ingestion and absorption of below 7. Bases have a pH greater than 7. A substance with a pH of 7 is neutral. Some
materials acids and bases can neutralize each other. Never mix acids and bases unless you know it is
• substrates and nutrients safe to do so.
• Common substances are needed by plants and animals for healthy growth. Carbon,
oxygen, and hydrogen are the most common elements in living things.
• Organic molecules such as carbohydrates contain carbon. Inorganic molecules, such as
many minerals, generally do not contain carbon.
• Plants use inorganic substances to produce organic molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acids. Consumers rely on producers for their food.
• Organisms require optimum amounts of nutrients for good health.
• Plants take in substances through their roots by osmosis and active transport. Animals,
including humans, ingest food and absorb nutrients into their blood.
• The environments and substrates where organisms live affect the availability of nutrients.
2.0 2.0 The quantity of chemicals in the environment can be monitored.

• air and water quality • Guidelines for water quality help to protect humans, animals, crops, and other
• concentration and dispersal organisms that live in or near water systems.
• uncertainties in • Concentrations of chemicals in the environment are usually measured in parts per million.
environmental monitoring • Water quality can be measured using biological and chemical indicators. Invertebrates
and in assessing toxicity and are often used as biological indicators. Examples of chemical indicators include the
risk amount of dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen.
• Air quality is monitored by measuring substances such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides over time.
• Carbon dioxide and ozone are monitored worldwide because of their global effects.
3.0 3.0 Potentially harmful substances are spread and concentrated in the
environment in various ways.
• stability and biodegradability • Chemical substances are transported through the air, soil, and water.
• evidence of toxicity • Substances transported in air are dispersed, diluted, and eventually deposited onto
• hazards, probabilities, and Earth’s surface.
risk assessment • Substances may be transported through soil or rock by groundwater, and they can be
chemically changed.
• Processes such as dispersion, dilution, biodegradation, phytoremediation, and photolysis
can change the concentration of chemicals in the environment.
• Hazardous materials affect living things. For example, oil spills affect micro-organisms,
plants, animals (including humans), and the abiotic environment.
• Care must be taken in the use, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous household
goods. Government regulations, such as WHMIS, and new product regulations attempt to
protect consumers in the home and in the workplace.

y
a
se d
S t u
Fuel Combustion in Electrical Power Plants

The Issue Go Further
As you read in section 1.0, the need to produce more Now it’s your turn. Look into the following resources to
electricity must be weighed against the environmental help you learn more:
impact of more electric power plants. Electric power • Look on the Web: Check the Internet for information on
generation is the third largest producer of sulfur dioxide generating electricity in Alberta and the benefits and
and nitrogen oxide emissions in Alberta. Mercury costs of using coal or natural gas. Begin your search at
emissions from coal-fired power stations are also a www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
concern because mercury harms the human nervous • Ask the Experts: Try to find an expert on electricity
system. generation, such as an engineer or a planner. Experts can
Almost 60% of Alberta’s electricity is generated by coal- be found various places: the electric company,
fired plants. Natural gas-fired plants generate about 33%. universities, and government agencies.
Hydro provides most of the rest, with some from wind and • Look It Up in Newspapers and Magazines: Look for
biomass. Coal-fired generating plants are built close to coal articles about electricity generation.
mines to limit the distance required for coal transportation.
Long transmission lines transport the electricity to Analyze and Address the Issue
consumers. Pipelines transport natural gas to natural gas- Use the information you collected to help you analyze the
fired plants. risks and benefits of each method of electricity generation.
Suppose that your community is in the process of Then write a brief report that states your conclusion about
deciding if an electricity generating plant should be built in the type of fuel that could be used to produce electricity for
your area. There are two options: a coal-fired plant or a your community. Give evidence to support your
natural gas-fired plant. conclusion.
What people in favour of coal say What people in favour of natural gas say
Coal is plentiful in Alberta. Natural gas is plentiful in Alberta.
Burning coal is less expensive than burning natural gas. A coal-fired plant is much more expensive to construct than
Electricity produced by burning natural gas costs much a gas-fired plant. Expensive technology is required to
more than electricity produced by burning coal. Also, the remove pollutants from the smokestacks of coal-fired plants.
price of coal is more stable than the price of natural gas.
Alberta coal is low in sulfur content. Natural gas is a cleaner burning fuel than coal because most
of the pollutants, such as sulfur and nitrogen compounds,
are removed in processing before the gas is burned.
New coal-burning technologies are efficient and meet New technology for co-generation allows the use of natural
stringent emission regulations. gas to generate electricity in a more environmentally friendly
manner.
Science World 263

PROJECT
A REFINERY MEGA-PROJECT—CONSIDERING THE OPTIONS

Getting Started
Human activities such as mining,
forestry, agriculture, transportation,
and wastewater treatment all supply
us with needed products and
processes, but they all have the
potential to produce chemicals that
harm the environment.
The fictitious community of Port
Tranquil is located in Green Bay, an
area similar to Alaska’s Prince William
Sound. It is considering a proposal to
build an oil refinery near the port.
Your Goal
The goal for your class will be to
decide whether or not an oil refinery
should be built at Port Tranquil. You
will work in small groups to prepare
for a public hearing. After listening to
presentations from people with
different points of view, you will make
a decision about the building of the The Port Tranquil area
oil refinery.

The town council of Port Tranquil will hold a public hearing on the issue
The harbour of Port Tranquil is safe of whether the town should allow an oil refinery to be built. The participants
for tanker ships to unload crude oil at who have registered to speak are:
the proposed refinery. If the refinery
• A citizen of Port Tranquil who has been looking for employment for six
is built, the citizens of Port Tranquil
months
will have access to jobs such as
• A fishing guide whose main income is from tourists who come to the Green
building and operating the refinery
Bay area for salmon fishing
and a pipeline to a nearby
• A developer who owns land near the town that would be suitable for new
petrochemical plant. They will also
housing
have cheaper heating fuel for homes
and gasoline for vehicles. Despite the • An environmentalist who helped clean up the oil spill in Prince William
economic benefits, many people here Sound
still remember the environmental • An artist who paints natural scenes that include wildlife
problems caused by the Exxon Valdez • A homeowner who likes the quiet life in Port Tranquil
oil spill. • The manager of the company planning to build the oil refinery
• Others you may wish to add to the list

Steps to Success 6 As each speech is being made, analyze the
1 The class will be divided into 10 groups. One group presentation by filling in an information sheet like the
will represent the officials (chairperson, secretary, and one shown below.
assistant) at the public hearing. Another group will
represent reporters and photographers. The remaining Speaker Viewpoint : Reasons
For/Against/
groups will prepare the two-minute speeches of the
For with restrictions
registered participants. You may want to dress as the
person you will represent at the hearing.
2 The officials will need to plan the following:
• room arrangement (e.g., seats for speakers at the 7 If you need to clarify a fact or viewpoint, ask questions
front of the room) during the question period after the last presentation.
• opening remarks made by the chairperson 8 The chairperson will close the meeting and announce
when the decision will be made public.
• order of the presentations
9 Use your information sheet to help you analyze the
• procedure for the question period
risks and benefits of each possible decision about the
• a way to determine whether the refinery will be built,
refinery’s construction: for it, against it, or for it with
built with restrictions, or not built (e.g., you could
restrictions. You may want to use a chart like the one
collect the individual decisions made by the students
below to organize the information. After you have
and report the count in the next class period)
analyzed all the options, write down your decision on a
3 The reporters and photographers will decide: piece of paper.
• how to gather information for their news report (TV
or newspaper) Risks associated with Benefits associated
• title, length, and content of their article or report my decision with my decision
• the number and type of photographs needed (if the
report will be a newspaper article)
4 The students working on the speeches for the
10 The officials will collect the decision sheets and count
registered participants will decide:
the results to determine a class decision on whether or
• if they are writing a speech for or against the not the refinery should be built.
building of the oil refinery
• what to say in a two-minute presentation How Did It Go?
• which member of the group will make the speech at 11 What role did or could science play in this decision-
the hearing making process?
5 At the public hearing, the chairperson will call the 12 What role did or could technology play in this
meeting to order and state its purpose. One of the decision-making process?
officials will introduce each speaker. The chairperson 13 Do you think an individual can make a difference by
will maintain order during the presentations and the speaking at a public hearing? Explain your answer.
question period to make sure no one is interrupted. 14 Do you think a public hearing like this is a good way to
make decisions about major issues that involve
science and technology? Explain your answer.
15 What would you do differently if you had to participate
in a hearing like this again?
Project 265
UNIT REVIEW: ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
Unit Vocabulary 2.0

1. Create a concept map that illustrates the 8. What biological indicators in a freshwater
relationships among the following terms. sample indicate a healthy environment?
Start your concept map with the words
9. Explain a possible reason for the recent rise
environmental chemistry.
in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
pollution
10. Why do governments monitor emissions of
fertilizer
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides?
pesticides
acids 11. Fish are not usually found in water that has
bases a pH below a certain level. What is this pH
organic chemicals level?
inorganic chemicals 12. Define the term “heavy metal” and give an
dispersion example.
dilution
biodegradation
3.0
groundwater
monitoring 13. What are the three phases of atmospheric
transport?
Key Concept Review
14. Explain the difference between the terms
“aerobic” and “anaerobic.”
1.0
15. a) What is groundwater?
2. Name three sources that can increase the b) Why should it be protected from
amounts of the following substances in the pollution?
atmosphere: 16. Why is it important to know where the
a) carbon dioxide MSDSs are located in your school?
b) sulfur dioxide
17. Why is the transport of chemicals a global
c) nitrogen oxides
concern?
3. In what form is nitrogen available for plant
use? List three ways that nitrogen is made Connect Your Understanding
available for plant use.
18. a) What is the difference between an organic
4. Describe the difference between an acidic
chemical and an inorganic chemical?
solution and a basic solution.
b) Indicate if the following substances are
5. How does acid rain form? organic or inorganic:
6. How is magnesium used by plants and glucose mercury
humans? lead oxygen
7. Explain one difference and one similarity amino acids fertilizer
between osmosis and active transport. carbon dioxide crude oil
protein propane
lipids (fats) DNA

19. Copy the concept map shown here in your 23. A solution has an initial pH of 3.5. After it
notebok. Complete it by placing the terms passes through soil, the pH is 5.3. Explain
below in the appropriate places. what has occurred.
DNA carbohydrates 24. Write a paragraph about cleaning up
lipids glucose pollutants in the environment using the
amino acids nucleic acids following terms:
biodegradation
phytoremediation
Question 19
accumulation
25. Describe the correct storage and disposal of:
a) gasoline
b) hydrochloric acid (used in toilet and sink
cleaners)
c) car batteries
d) leftover paint
26. Read the label shown below and answer the
following questions.
a) What precautions should you take when
handling a corrosive material like this
bleach?
b) Suggest safe ways to store a corrosive
substance.
20. Which of the following processes returns
c) Why does the label say that bleach
carbon to the atmosphere most quickly?
should not be mixed with other
a) decomposition of dead plants and
household products, especially acids?
animals
d) Name two acidic substances commonly
b) photosynthesis
found in homes.
c) formation of oil
e) Why would it not be a good idea to put
d) fuel combustion
undiluted bleach into a septic tank?
21. Explain why the following tests are used to
determine water quality.
a) pH CAUTION ATTENTION
IRRITANT/CORROSIVE: IRRITANT/CORROSIF :
b) dissolved oxygen FORMS DANGEROUS CE PRODUIT DONNE UN GAZ
GAS WHEN MIXED DANGEREUX LORSQU’ON
c) phosphorus WITH ACID LE MÊLE À UN ACIDE
22. Match a technological process or product

with the resource it is meant to protect or
conserve.
Resource Technological product or process
air smaller, lighter cars

soil fertilizer
water scrubber
plants sewage treatment
Question 26
fossil fuel insecticide
Unit Review 267

UNIT REVIEW: ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
Extend Your Understanding Practise Your Skills

27. How does inorganic carbon become 32. Suppose a bag is almost filled with a
available to living things? glucose-water solution. The bag is permeable
28. Most people in Alberta have a high standard to water molecules but not to glucose
of living. What pollutants are associated molecules. Predict what would happen if the
with a high standard of living? Why? bag were placed in water. How could you
test your prediction?
29. Using atmospheric carbon dioxide as an
example, explain what is meant by 33. Look at the map below. Imagine that you
“optimum amount.” In your answer, identify have worked for the town of Quiet Corners
a problem related to too little carbon dioxide for the past 15 years managing the drinking
in the atmosphere. Also explain the water supply. You notice that this year there
problems that might arise if there is too has been no large emergence of adult
much carbon dioxide. mayflies as there has been in previous
summers.
30. Suppose that the government passes
a) What water tests might help you identify
legislation stating that no release of sulfur
problems?
dioxide and nitrogen oxides would be
b) How might you identify the source of the
permitted.
problem?
a) How do you think this would affect
industry?
b) How do you think it might affect you?
31. Imagine that a farmer has tested the soil and
found that it is low in nitrogen.
a) The farmer plans to use a fertilizer to
improve the soil. Which of the three
numbers on the fertilizer bag should be
highest?
b) A heavy rain falls just after fertilizing is
completed. What effect might this have
on the availability of nitrogen for the
crop?
c) A neighbouring farmer suggests that the
field should be planted in clover (a
legume) for one year and then ploughed
under before it is used again for a
commercial crop. How would that
suggestion benefit the soil?
Question 33
34. Testing has found 0.004 mL of lead in a

1000-mL sample of soil. Calculate the
concentration of lead in parts per million.

Self Assessment
35. Think about your work in group activities.
Consider the following skills and answer the
questions below:
• listening to all suggestions made by your
team
• contributing to brainstorming sessions
• being creative
• doing your share of the work
• completing tasks on time
a) What did you do well?
b) What do you need to improve?
36. What did you learn in this unit about the
role of science in social and environmental
issues?
37. Describe three ways in which your lifestyle
affects the environment.
38. What questions or issues about
environmental chemistry would you like to
explore further?

On
In this unit, you have investigated the social and
environmental context of environmental
chemistry. Consider the following questions.
39. Re-read the three questions on page 181
about the social and environmental context
of environmental chemistry. Use a creative
way to demonstrate your understanding of
one of these questions.
40. Explain two benefits of analyzing different
viewpoints when making decisions.
41. Use two examples from this unit to explain
why it is important to monitor chemical
changes in the environment.
Unit Review 269

UNIT
270
1.0 Electrical energy can be transferred and stored.

1.1 Static Electricity
1.2 Current Electricity
1.3 Electrical Safety
1.4 Cells and Batteries
2.0 Technologies can be used to transfer and control electrical

energy.
2.1 Controlling the Flow of Electrical Current
2.2 Modelling and Measuring Electricity
2.3 Analyzing and Building Electrical Circuits
3.0 Devices and systems convert energy with varying efficiencies.

3.1 Energy Forms and Transformations
3.2 Energy Transformations Involving Electrical and Mechanical
Energy
3.3 Measuring Energy Input and Output
3.4 Reducing the Energy Wasted by Devices
4.0 The use of electrical energy affects society and the environment.
4.1 Electrical Energy Sources and Alternatives
4.2 Electricity and the Environment
4.3 Electrical Technology and Society
271
Exploring
A Tesla coil
ELECTRICAL ENERGY
A Tesla coil vividly demonstrates electrical energy. This interesting device
was invented over 100 years ago by Nikola Tesla, one of the pioneers of
electricity. The Tesla coil can generate large amounts of electricity and
create spectacular discharges. Amazing to watch, it operates with enough
electricity to be very dangerous, even lethal. Tesla coils have often been
used in films for special effects, but they are also used in laboratory
studies of high voltage electricity.
Another device that you might have seen at the movies is the Jacob’s
ladder. It sometimes appears sparkling and crackling in the background as
the villain tries to use huge machines and large amounts of electricity to
take over the world.
The rising, crackling arcs of electricity in a Jacob’s ladder are caused
by electricity jumping from one piece of metal to another. When the
electricity jumps, it heats the air that it passes through. This hot air rises
and carries the electrical discharge upward. Unfortunately, this very
impressive device has limited practical use. However, both the Jacob’s
ladder and the Tesla coil dramatically illustrate an important feature of
electricity—its ability to move from place to place. Using technology, we
can generate and move electricity to where it’s needed in a wide range of
A Jacob’s ladder applications that affect all parts of our lives.
272 Unit D: Electrical Principles and Technologies

Q U I C K LAB
CHARGE IT!
To experience the nature of electrical forces • small pieces of cork or
polystyrene
Procedure • tape
Trial 1 • thread
• acetate rod or plastic
1 Attach the cork to about 15 cm of thread. Hang the cork from the end of your
drinking straw
desk by taping the opposite end of the thread to the edge.
• wool or fur
2 Rub an acetate rod or plastic drinking straw with some wool or fur. • water tap
3 Slowly bring the rod close to the hanging cork. Record you observations.
Trial 2
4 Now rub the cork on the wool or fur, and then rub the acetate rod with the wool
or fur.
5 Slowly bring the rod close to the hanging cork. Record your observations.
Trial 3
6 Turn on a water tap so that only a very thin stream of water comes out.
7 Rub the acetate rod with the wool or fur once again, and slowly bring the rod
near the stream of water. Record you observations.
Questions
8 Describe the behaviour of the piece of cork and the water in this experiment.
9 Explain your observations for each trial.
Focus SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

On
While studying this unit, you will be asked to organize your thoughts
about electrical principles and technologies. Think about the following
questions while you study the science of electricity and some of the
technology that has developed from an understanding of this science. The
answers to these and other questions about electricity will help you
understand how to transfer, modify, measure, transform, and control
electrical energy.
1. How do we obtain and use electrical energy?
2. What scientific principles are involved in developing, selecting, and
using energy-consuming devices?
3. How can the principles of electricity be applied in technology to
promote efficient and effective energy use?
Exploring 273
1.0 Electrical energy can be transferred
and stored.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• electric charge and current
• circuits
• electrical energy storage
• energy transmission
• measures and units of
electrical energy
Learning Outcomes
• distinguish between static and
current electricity and identify
evidence of each
• assess the potential danger of
an electrical device by checking
its voltage and amperage
• distinguish between safe and
unsafe activities when dealing
with electricity
• identify electrical conductors
and insulators
• evaluate the use of different
chemicals, chemical
concentrations, and designs for
The late evening weather report warns that thunderstorms are developing
electrical storage cells
in your area. You step outside to view the skies and look for funnel
clouds. You notice a dark gray cloud, and BOOM! A bolt of lightning
strikes just down the street, the clap of thunder startling you. You decide
to stay safe and go inside to bed. In your dark room, you pull your
sweater over your head and see a shower of small sparks as the fabric
rubs over your hair. You wonder for a moment: Are the sparks you see in
the sweater related to the lightning you saw outside? Yes, they are! Both
are examples of static electricity. In this section, you’ll learn more about
static electricity and the current electricity that powers the many devices
you use in your home. You’ll also learn about electrical safety.

info BIT
1.1 Static Electricity
Thales’ Amber
You hurry down the hallway and reach for a doorknob. Zap! An electric The first person known
shock jolts you. Your friend hands you a pair of scissors. Zap! Another to have experimented
shock. You have probably heard this type of shock called “static” or with static electricity was
“static electricity.” When you feel these jolts of static electricity, you are the philosopher Thales
experiencing the same electrical force that causes lightning. This is also around 600 B.C. He
the electrical force that causes clothing to stick together and paper to stick found that rubbing
to the glass on the photocopy machine. amber, a fossilized tree
The explanation of static electricity starts with the atom. Recall that resin, caused it to attract
all substances are made of atoms, and atoms are made of much smaller some materials. The
particles. If you have studied Unit B: Matter and Chemical Change, you word electricity is from
the Greek word for
know that some particles in an atom are electrically charged. The proton
amber, elektron.
has a positive charge and the electron has a negative charge. The charges
on the particles can cause either attractive or repulsive (pushing away)
forces between the particles.
Q U I C K LAB
STATIC CHARGE
To observe the characteristics of static electricity • plastic drinking straw
• confetti or gelatin powder
Procedure • 2 balloons
1 Sprinkle some confetti or gelatin powder in a small area on your desk. Push a • Van de Graaff generator
plastic drinking straw through your hair several times and bring it close to the • thin paper strips
• tape
confetti or gelatin powder. Record your observations.
• 3 aluminum pie plates
2 Inflate two balloons and knot the ends. Rub one side of each balloon on your
• clear plastic cup
hair or clothing. Hold the balloons by the knots and bring the rubbed surfaces • polystyrene “peanuts” or
slowly together. Turn one balloon so that its rubbed surface faces away from “popcorn”
the other balloon. Again bring the balloons together. Record your observations. • metal rod and lab stand
3 If your classroom has a Van de Graaff generator (VDG), your teacher will assist
you with the following experiments. In each case, put the materials in place,
then turn on the generator, and record your observations.
a) Tape the thin paper strips to the VDG.
b) Place a stack of 3 aluminum pie plates on the VDG.
c) Place a clear plastic cup full of polystyrene “peanuts” or “popcorn” on the
VDG. Put a loose-fitting lid on top of the cup.
d) Attach a metal rod to a lab stand and place it close to the VDG.
Questions
4 Provide an explanation for any movements that you observed.
5 How could you use the VDG to make someone’s hair stand on end? Test your
hypothesis with the VDG. Did it work? Explain why or why not.
Electrical Energy Can Be Transferred and Stored 275

ELECTRICAL CHARGE
If you did the QuickLab on page 275, you noticed that some of the
objects attracted each other and others repelled each other (pushed
each other away). The objects reacted to each other in these ways
because they are electrically charged.
You may have heard the phrase “opposites attract” in discussions
about people. This is definitely true for electric charges. Opposite
charges attract each other, and like charges repel each other. Figure 1.2
shows what happens when charged particles are close together.
Figure 1.1 In an atom, the protons
Most objects have equal amounts of positive and negative charge,
are in the nucleus. The electrons which makes them neutral. Sometimes an object has more of one type
orbit the nucleus. of charged particle than another. For example, an object with more
electrons than protons is negatively charged. When this happens, we
say that an object has built up a static charge. “Static” means “not
moving” or “stationary.” This type of charge does not flow like the
electrons in an electrical current. You will learn more about electrical
currents in subsection 1.2.
Charged objects cause charge separation when they are brought
close to neutral objects. Rubbing a balloon on your head transfers
electrons from your hair to the balloon. When you bring the charged
side of the balloon near a wall, the negative charge of the balloon repels
the electrons in the wall. This leaves the area of the wall closest to the
no charge balloon positive. The balloon and wall are attracted because of these
opposite charges.
Electrical Discharge
Static electricity may not flow like a current, but it does sometimes
discharge. The built-up charge on an object may be attracted to another
object and jump to that object. This is what happens when you feel a
shock as you reach for the doorknob after walking across a carpet.
When your feet move across the carpet, electrons transfer from the
carpet to your body. This excess charge of electrons in your body repels
like charges repel the electrons in the doorknob as you get close to it. The side of the
doorknob closest to you becomes positively charged. As you move
closer, the electrons in your hand are attracted to this positive charge
on the doorknob. You may feel a shock or see a spark as you reach to
touch the doorknob. The resulting spark is usually referred to as
electrical discharge.
We can summarize the behaviour of electric charges in two laws.
These laws describe what happens when two charged particles or
objects are brought close together.
unlike charges attract The Laws of Electrical Charges
Figure 1.2 Charged particles exert • Opposite charges attract each other.
force depending on their charge.
• Like charges repel each other.

ACTIVITY D-1
I N V E S T I G AT I N G S TAT I C E L E C T R I C I T Y
Inquiry
The Question
What is the effect of charged objects on each other and on neutral objects?
The Hypothesis
• 2 vinyl strips Procedure
• tape
1 Copy the following table into your notebook.
• ring stand
• paper towel Hanging Object Approaching Object Observations
• 2 acetate strips
Charged vinyl Charged vinyl
• beaker
• watchglass Charged acetate Charged acetate
• metre-stick Charged acetate Charged vinyl
Metre-stick Charged vinyl
Metre-stick Charged acetate
2 Tape one end of a vinyl strip to the ring stand so the strip hangs down. Rub the strip
with the paper towel to charge it. Now rub the other vinyl strip with the paper towel,
and bring it close to the suspended strip. Record your observations in your table.
3 Repeat step 2, using the two acetate strips and the paper towel. Record your
observations.
4 Bring one of the charged vinyl strips close to the suspended acetate strip. Record
your observations.
5 Place the beaker upside down on the desk or table, and place the watchglass on top
of the beaker. Balance the metre-stick so it is lying flat and centred on the
watchglass. Bring a charged vinyl strip near, but not touching, one end of the
metre-stick. Record your observations.
6 Bring a charged acetate strip near, but not touching, one end of the metre-stick.
Figure 1.3 Balance the metre stick Record your observations.
on the watchglass on top of the
beaker. Analyzing and Interpreting
7 Usually, charged vinyl is negative, and charged acetate is positive. How does this
information explain your observations?
8 Do your observations agree with the laws of electrical charges? Support your answer
with your data.
Forming Conclusions
9 Describe the effect of charged objects on each other and on neutral objects. Use your
observations in your description.

The interaction between charged and neutral objects can lead to dangerous discharges.
For example, helicopters build up a large static charge from their blades spinning in the
air. Because of this, baskets lowered for sea rescues must touch the water before anyone
approaches them. The static discharge could knock people overboard or stop their hearts.

re SEARCH VAN DE GRAAFF GENERATORS
Scientists often study electrical discharge with a device called a Van de
Cleaning the Air Graaff generator (VDG). If you did the QuickLab earlier in this lesson, you
In the early 1900s,
may have used one of these generators. VDGs are particularly effective at
factories with large
building up static charge. They produce static build-up by using friction.
smoke stacks were
belching pollutants into Figure 1.4 shows how a VDG works. A rubber belt rubs on a piece of metal
the atmosphere. In 1907, and transfers the charge to a sphere. The charge builds up on the sphere
Frederick G. Cottrell and transfers to you when you touch the sphere.
patented a device called charge collector
the electrostatic metal sphere
precipitator. It not only
cleaned the air, but also
recovered products from
the smoke that would
otherwise pollute. Write motor-
rubber driven
a short biography of
belt pulley
Cottrell, and a brief
illustrated report on how insulating
electrostatic precipitators support
work. Begin your
information search at source of electric charge
www.pearsoned.ca/
Figure 1.4 A Van de Graaff generator uses friction to build up a static charge on its sphere.
scienceinaction.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. How does a proton differ from an electron?
2. What does it mean to be “statically charged”?
3. Explain how a Van de Graaff generator builds up a static charge.
4. a) What happens when like charges interact?
b) What happens when unlike charges interact?

5. You rub your feet across a floor and electrons transfer from you to the
floor. Are you now negatively or positively charged?
6. A neutral object contains no charge. Is this statement accurate? Explain.
7. Why is a neutral object attracted to a charged object?
8. You bring a negatively charged rod close to some tiny pieces of
plastic. Some of the pieces jump up to the rod, but as soon as they
make contact, they immediately fly away from the rod. Explain.

9. Large trucks that carry flammable liquids often have a metal wire or
chain that drags on the ground. Why? (Hint: Have you ever been
shocked when getting out of a car?)

1.2 Current Electricity
The electric eel is not really an eel, but it is definitely electric—and
dangerous. Large specimens (they grow up to 2.4 m long) can discharge
enough electricity to kill a human being. The electricity is produced by a
special organ in the tail that contains thousands of modified muscle cells
called electroplaques. Each electroplaque can produce only a small
amount of electricity. But working together, all the electroplaques in the
eel’s body can produce large amounts of electricity to help the eel survive.
The eel has no teeth and can eat only prey that isn’t moving. When a prey
animal comes close, the eel releases an electrical charge to stun it. These
electrical flows are so strong they have even been known to knock down a
horse! Figure 1.5 The electric eel
(Electrophorous electricus)
uses electricity to kill or stun
ELECTRICAL CURRENT prey, for defense, and for
communication.
The electricity of the electric eel is similar to the static charges you have
felt or the huge static charges of lightning. Unfortunately, static charges are
not useful for operating electrical devices. They build up and discharge,
but they do not flow continuously.
The steady flow of charged particles is called electrical current. This
is the type of electricity needed to operate electrical devices. Unlike static
electricity, an electrical current flows continuously, as long as two
conditions are met. First, the flow of electrical current requires an energy
source. Second, electrical current will not flow unless it has a complete
path or circuit for the charged particles to flow through.
Q U I C K LAB
ELECTRICAL CURRENT
To observe the characteristics of electrical current • 1 dry cell
• 5 wires
Procedure • 2 light bulbs
1 Using any of the materials provided, make one light bulb light up.
2 Using the dry cell, one bulb, and one wire, make one light bulb light up.
3 Using any of the materials provided, make two light bulbs light up.
4 Make two light bulbs light up so that when you unhook one bulb, the other one goes out.
5 Make two light bulbs light up so that when you unhook one bulb, the other one stays on.
Questions
6 Draw your set-up for each step from 1 to 5.
7 Write captions that explain what happened to the electricity in each step.

info BIT AMPERES
The rate at which an electrical current flows is measured in amperes (A).
The Challenge of Often called “amp” for short, the ampere is named in honour of the
Measuring Current French physicist, mathematician, and philosopher André-Marie Ampère.
The first measurements of Most electrical devices around your home have a current of less than
current were done with
15 A. For example, the current through an ordinary 60-W light bulb is
simple galvanometers.
0.5 A. Microwave ovens usually use between 5 and 8 A, and electric
They detected current by
kettles usually use 13 A. In contrast, a digital wristwatch uses a current of
using a compass needle.
A current-carrying wire only a tiny fraction of an ampere, while a generating station produces
creates a magnetic field, many thousands of amperes.
which deflects a compass A continuous flow of electrical charge can be produced by devices
needle. However, Earth’s ranging from miniature cells in watches to huge generators in power
magnetic field sometimes stations. The key problem is how to move the charge from where it is
interfered with readings. produced to where it is needed. Fortunately, there are many materials that
In 1825, Italian physicist electrical charge can move through easily. Such materials are called
Leopold Nobili invented conductors. Conduction of electricity through wires allows for the transfer
the astatic galvanometer, of electrical energy from place to place.
which greatly reduced the
effect of Earth’s
magnetism. This new high-voltage
transmission line
device provided more
sensitive measurements.
generating underground
station power wires
medium-voltage
transmission line
underground
power wires
Figure 1.6 An electric power grid transfers energy from the generating station to the users. Multiple
wires are needed at every part of the grid (including the devices you use in your home) because the
whole grid is a complete circuit.
Circuits
Figure 1.7 shows a light bulb lit by electrical current flowing through a
simple circuit. A circuit is a path that controls the flow of electricity. If
you compare electricity with water again, the water system in your house
is like an electrical circuit. The pipes and taps in the water system control
the flow of water.
In most electrical circuits, the path that the electricity flows along is
made of solid metal wires. But circuits can also include gases, other fluids,
or other substances. A circuit usually includes a conductor, an energy
Figure 1.7 Current electricity source, and a load. The load is a device to convert electrical energy to
flows continuously through a another form of energy. For example, in Figure 1.7, the light bulb is the
circuit. load. It converts electrical energy to light and heat.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY AND VOLTAGE
Electrical energy is the energy carried by charged particles. Voltage is a
measure of how much electrical energy each charged particle carries. The
higher the voltage is, the greater the potential energy of each particle.
Voltage is also called “potential difference.” The energy delivered by a
flow of charged particles is equal to the voltage times the total charge of
the electrons.
The unit of voltage is the volt (V), named for the Italian physicist
Alessandro Volta. For safety reasons, most of the voltages in everyday
devices are fairly low. Flashlights and portable stereos rarely use more
than 6 V, almost all cars have a 12-V electrical system, and your home and
school have 120-V wall sockets. On the other hand, industrial machinery
operates at 600 V, and major electrical transmission lines can have over
100 kV.
MEASURING VOLTAGE
The simplest way to measure voltage is with a voltmeter. Many voltmeters
have sensitive needles that can be damaged if connected improperly. Make
sure to attach the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to
the negative terminal.
Figure 1.8 It’s important to connect a voltmeter properly.
Some voltmeters have more than one red terminal. These are used to
change the range of voltage readings on the voltmeter. For example, the
meter could indicate either 0 to 5 V or 0 to 15 V, depending on which red
terminal is used. If your meter has several ranges, you may not be sure
which one to use. Start with the highest one and work down until you get
a clear reading.

re SEARCH You may encounter several types of voltmeters. For example, some
meters may give readings in millivolts. Each millivolt is 1/1000 of a volt
Corona Discharge (e.g., 30 mV is 0.030 V). Some meters have digital displays, which make
High-voltage the voltage values very easy to read.
transmission lines
sometimes have an eerie
blue glow. Sailors saw
this same glow around
the tips of ships’ masts
before storms and
called it St. Elmo’s fire.
Today it’s called corona
discharge. Find out
more about corona
discharge, and
summarize your
research as a magazine
article. Begin your
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction. Figure 1.9 Some voltmeters have more than one range of measurement.
Figure 1.10 A
digital voltmeter
display
S K I L L PRACTICE
USING VOLTMETERS
Your teacher will provide you with cells of various sizes and shapes. Use the voltmeters
you have in your class to test and report on the voltages of the cells. Note the voltage
numbers that are written on the cells.
• Can you account for any difference between your voltage readings and the numbers on
the cells?
• Suppose you connected any two of the cells in this activity. (Connect cells by placing
positive and negative terminals together.) Can you predict what the voltage reading
would be? Use your voltmeter to see if your prediction is correct. Explain your results.

Measuring Voltage with Computers
Another method of measuring voltage is with a voltmeter connected
to a computer. With this device, you connect the terminals the same
way as for other voltmeters, but your voltage reading appears on a
computer screen.
Figure 1.11 A voltage reading

displayed on a computer screen
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is electrical energy?
2. How does current electricity differ from static electricity?
3. How would you describe voltage?
4. What are the units for measuring a) current and b) voltage?

5. You require a high-current battery to start a large tractor. While shopping
for this battery, should you be more concerned with the battery’s rating
of volts or amps? Explain.
6. A wire carrying more electrons will transfer more energy than a wire
carrying fewer electrons. Is this statement accurate? Explain.
7. Describe how electricity gets from the generating plant to an appliance
in your home.
8. Electricity flows into a hairdryer when it is plugged into a socket. If
electricity has been added to the hairdryer, why doesn’t it keep
operating for a while after being unplugged?

9. What is the reading on the voltmeter in Figure 1.12? Give your answer
in both millivolts and volts.
Figure 1.12
Voltmeter reading
for question 9

info BIT
1.3 Electrical Safety
Fulgurites
In January 1998, eastern Ontario and
Lightning can be
dangerous because it western Quebec were hit by a
discharges so much massive ice storm. In many places,
energy. Lightning strikes power lines and towers were
can actually melt sand knocked down. Such situations can
and rock when they hit be extremely dangerous because
the ground, creating power lines carry electrons at
intriguing glass-lined thousands of volts—enough to
tubes call fulgurites. seriously injure or kill anyone who
comes close to them. You should
never approach a downed power
line.
Any person coming in contact
with a power line may create an
unintended path for the electricity.
Such a path is sometimes called a
short circuit because the current
bypasses part of the normal circuit. If
a power line goes down, the
electricity goes off in the entire area
served by that power line. Without a
complete circuit, electricity can’t
flow. However, if the electricity can
Figure 1.13 Downed power lines in Quebec
find another path, such as through a during the 1998 ice storm
person’s body to the ground, then it
will take that path.
THE DANGERS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK

To get an idea of how dangerous a current flowing through your body may
be, consider two important aspects of electricity: voltage and amperage.
High voltage is more dangerous than low voltage; for example, 50 000 V
are more likely to kill than 10 V. However, even small voltages can kill if
the shock carries a significant number of amps. The number of amps is
much more important than voltage when assessing the potential danger of
an electrical shock. If 0.001 A passed through your body, you would likely
not feel it. Current in the range of 0.015 A to 0.020 A will cause a painful
shock, and loss of muscle control. This means a person grabbing a wire at
this current level may not be able to let go. Too much electricity flowing
through the body can have extremely harmful effects, including burns and
damage to the heart. Current as low as 0.1 A can be fatal.
In Figure 1.14, a downed power line is touching the truck, but the
Figure 1.14 The driver driver is not electrocuted as long as he stays in the truck. If he must
should stay in the truck and leave, he should jump free, not step out. Stepping to the ground would
wait for help. provide a path for the electricity to flow through him to the ground.

Factors Affecting Electrical Shock
The danger of electrical shock varies, depending on the situation. The
current is greater when it can flow easily. Current does not flow easily
through insulators such as wood, rubber, and air. Other substances such
as mud and damp soil conduct electricity somewhat. Thus, you might feel
just a tingle if you touch an electrified fence on a dry day when you are
wearing running shoes. But you could get a nasty shock if you touch the
fence when you are barefoot in the rain.
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM ELECTRICAL SHOCK

Figure 1.15 A Canadian
Every plug-in device sold in Canada must have a label listing what voltage Standards Association label
it requires and the maximum current it uses. Usually, this label is on the listing voltage and current for
back or bottom of the appliance. The higher the voltage or current, the an appliance
more harm the device can do if it malfunctions.
However, the amperage rating doesn’t have to be high for you to get a
shock. If there is a short circuit or if the insulation is damaged, you could
get a shock from the electricity before it goes through the device. So, no
matter what the current rating of the device is, you should always take
electrical safety seriously.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY POINTERS

■ Never handle electrical devices when you are wet or near water
unless they are specially designed and approved for use in wet areas.
■ Don’t use any power cord that is frayed or broken.
■ Always unplug electrical devices before looking inside or servicing
them.
■ Don’t put anything into an electrical outlet other than proper plugs
for electrical devices.
■ Don’t overload circuits by plugging in and operating too many
devices.
■ Stay away from power lines.
■ Don’t bypass safety features built into home wiring, appliances, and
other electrical devices.
■ When unplugging a device, pull on the plug, not on the electrical
cord.
■ Never remove the third prong from a three-prong plug.
PLUGS, FUSES, AND BREAKERS

The grounded three-prong plug in Figure 1.16(a) has an extra wire that
connects the device to the ground wire of the building. As you can tell by
its name, this wire leads to the ground. It provides another pathway for
electricity, just in case there is a short circuit in the device. It’s better to
have electricity travel to the ground than through an unfortunate user!

The fuses in Figure 1.16(b) and the circuit breakers in Figure 1.16(c)
interrupt a circuit when too much current is flowing through it. Fuses
contain a thin piece of metal that is specially designed to melt if too much
current passes through it. Most household circuit breakers also have a
special wire that heats up if there is too much current. Instead of melting,
the hot wire triggers a spring mechanism that turns off the switch inside
the circuit breaker. As soon as the wire has cooled, the circuit breaker can
be turned back on. Never turn a circuit breaker back on until you have
fixed the problem that caused it to switch off.
(c)
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.16 Three-prong plugs (a), fuses (b), and
breakers (c) help prevent electric shocks and overloads.
Q U I C K LAB
BLOW A FUSE!
Purpose • D-cell
To observe the function of a fuse • connecting wires with alligator clips
• switch
Procedure • 15-V bulb and holder
• steel wool
1 Connect the cell, switch, wires, and bulb as shown
in Figure 1.17. Leave the switch open.
2 Remove a single strand from the steel wool.
Clip the alligator clips onto the ends of the
steel wool strand.
3 Close the switch and observe the bulb and the
strand of steel wool carefully.
Questions
4 Explain your observations.
5 Why is a fuse a safety feature in a circuit?
Use your observations to support your answer.
Figure 1.17 Set up your circuit like this one.

THE DANGER OF LIGHTNING re SEARCH
The current in a lightning strike can be as high as 30 000 A, so it’s not
surprising that it has the potential to kill. People can survive lightning Are Breakers Better?
All new houses have
strikes when the full amount of current travels through only part or over
circuit-breaker panels
the surface of their bodies, but severe injury usually results. The best way
instead of fuse panels.
to survive a lightning strike is to avoid getting hit in the first place.
Are circuit breakers safer
Lightning is a huge amount of negative charge and tends to seek the than fuses? Why do
highest point on the horizon to discharge. Therefore, avoid standing on many commercial and
hilltops or under trees, or holding objects over your industrial buildings still
head (especially metal ones) if you are out in a use fuses? Prepare a brief
thunderstorm. report comparing circuit
Because tall buildings are a natural target for breakers and fuses. Begin
strikes, lightning rods are often added to their your information search
peaks. Lightning rods are connected to the at www.pearsoned.ca/
ground with a wire. Instead of the lightning scienceinaction.
destroying the building’s roof or electrical
wiring, the discharge is conducted
harmlessly to the ground.
Figure 1.18 The metal lightning rod on the

roof is connected to the ground by a wire.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is more dangerous, current or 8. A friend has told you about plugging in a
voltage? Why? radio and putting it on the edge of the tub
2. What is the purpose of a fuse? while taking a bath. Why is it unwise to
listen to music this way?
3. What is meant by a “ground wire”?
9. Why is it a bad idea to take shelter under a
4. What is a short circuit?
tree in a thunderstorm?
5. A power line carrying a high current falls
10. You notice a friend removing the third
on a car, but the people inside are not
prong of a plug so that the plug will fit into
electrocuted. Explain.
an extension cord that has only two holes.
6. Are all electric shocks to the body Is the removal of this third prong safe?
dangerous? Explain. Explain why or why not.
7. Tall buildings often have a steel lightning
rod that is connected to the ground with a
wire. Lightning tends to strike these rods
during storms. Why are these rods added
and how do they work?

1.4 Cells and Batteries
Figure 1.19 A pacemaker is

inserted just under the skin,
near the shoulder, and
connected to the heart. An
electrochemical cell supplies
the electricity to keep the
person’s heart beating
regularly.
Some people have problems with the small electrical signal that the body
uses to control the beating of the heart. Doctors can implant a device
F called a pacemaker to help such people. The pacemaker delivers a small
amount of current at regular intervals to keep the heart beating normally.
The electricity used to operate a pacemaker comes from an
electrochemical cell that supplies a steady current. An electrochemical
D
cell is a package of chemicals designed to produce small amounts of
electricity. The electricity the cell produces comes from chemical
reactions. The tiny cells used in pacemakers are made with lithium and
C iodine and last from 5 to 12 years. Other cells, made with different
B
chemicals, are used in devices ranging from toys to cars to computers.
There are two main types of cells: dry cells and wet cells.
A
DRY CELLS
The electricity-producing cells that we use every day in flashlights and
E
portable radios are dry cells. They are called “dry” because the chemicals
are in a paste. They are also sealed so they can be used in any position
A – zinc powder and
electrolyte, where
without the chemicals leaking out. Figure 1.20 shows an example of a
electrons are released typical alkaline dry cell, used in flashlights and other devices.
B – electron collecting rod The chemical reaction in the cell releases free electrons. These
C – separating fabric electrons travel from the negative terminal of the cell, through the
D – manganese dioxide
and carbon, where electricity-using device, and back to the positive terminal of the cell.
electrons are absorbed While at first glance this cell may look complex, it is simply two different
E – negative terminal, metals in an electrolyte. An electrolyte is a paste or liquid that conducts
where electrons leave
electricity because it contains chemicals that form ions. An ion is an atom
F – positive terminal,
where electrons return or a group of atoms that has become electrically charged through the loss
or gain of electrons from one atom to another. You can learn more about
Figure 1.20 An alkaline dry cell ions in Unit B: Matter and Chemical Change.

The electrolyte reacts with the two metals, called electrodes. As a info BIT
result of this reaction, one electrode becomes positively charged, and the
other becomes negatively charged. These electrodes are connected to the Plastic Cells
cell’s terminals. In a dry cell, electrons leave from the negative electrode, One of the drawbacks of
and return to the positive electrode. cells is that they tend to
The cell shown in Figure 1.20 uses an alkaline electrolyte with zinc be heavy and rigid. One
and manganese electrodes, but many other combinations of metals and solution to this is to
electrolytes are possible. Alkaline cells have become the most common make cells out of plastic.
type of dry cell because they offer a good combination of cost, electricity Normally plastic is an
output, shelf life, reliability, and leak resistance. insulator, but substances
can be added to make
the plastic act like metal
WET CELLS
electrodes. While plastic
Another type of electrochemical cell is shown in Figure 1.21. Such cells cells are not yet as
are known as wet cells because they are wet. A wet cell uses a liquid powerful as metal-based
electrolyte that is usually an acid, such as sulfuric acid. Many of the cells, they are very light
earliest cells were wet cells, as are most cells in cars and trucks today. and flexible. They can be
Wet cells are generally cheaper and easier to make than dry cells. made as thin as a credit
However, care must be taken not to spill the liquid electrolyte, which card.
may be highly corrosive.
Each electrode in the wet cell in Figure 1.21 reacts differently with
the electrolyte. The acidic electrolyte gradually eats away the zinc
electrode. This process leaves behind electrons that give the slowly
disappearing electrode a negative charge. Eventually the zinc electrode
must be replaced. The chemical reaction between the copper electrode
and the acidic electrolyte leaves the copper with a positive charge, but
does not eat away the copper. Electrons travel along the wire from the
negative zinc electrode to the positive copper electrode. If you connected
a wire from one electrode to a light bulb and another wire from the light
zinc copper
to the other electrode, the bulb would light up. The electric current
flowing from one electrode to the other provides the energy for the light.
Car batteries like the one in Figure 1.22 are made up of wet cells.
acid
lead terminals
cover
Figure 1.21 A simple wet cell

includes two electrodes and a
cell liquid electrolyte.
connector
sulfuric
acid
electrolyte Figure 1.22 A car battery made up
of six lead-acid wet cells. Each cell
contains alternating positive and
negative metal plates (electrodes) in
individual cell made up of alternating a sulfuric acid electrolyte.
positive and negative electrodes

Q U I C K LAB
FRUIT CELLS Materials & Equipment

• straight pieces of copper
Purpose
wire (electrode)
To test the ability of fruits and vegetables to act as electrolytes • straightened paper clips
(electrode)
Procedure
• connecting wires
1 Choose one fruit or vegetable. Insert the two different electrodes into the • voltmeter
fruit about 1 cm apart. Push them down to a depth of about 2 cm, making • various fruits and
sure they remain about 1 cm apart. vegetables (e.g., lemons,
2 Use the connecting wires to connect the electrodes to the voltmeter. Record potatoes)
the reading on the voltmeter scale.
3 Predict which fruit or vegetable will produce the largest voltage. Test your
prediction by repeating steps 1 and 2 with the different fruits and vegetables.
Questions
4 What do you think would happen if you reversed the connections on the
electrodes? Explain.
5 Would it be possible to use two or more fruits linked together to produce
voltage? Draw a diagram of how you might accomplish this, and predict the
voltage results. Test your prediction by connecting several fruits to a
voltmeter.
RECHARGEABLE CELLS
The dry cells and wet cells you have read about are called primary cells.
Primary cells produce electricity from chemical reactions that cannot be
reversed. However, the chemical reactions in a rechargeable cell can be
reversed by using an external electrical source to run electricity back
through the cell. The reversed flow of electrons restores the reactants that
are used up when the cell produces electricity. We can say that the
chemicals in a rechargeable cell store electricity supplied by the external
source. Rechargeable cells are also known as secondary cells. They are
used to start cars and to operate portable electronic devices such as
notebook computers and cellular phones.
Not all reversible chemical reactions are suitable for use in
rechargeable cells. The reverse reaction must occur efficiently, so that
hundreds of recharging cycles are possible. Nickel oxide and cadmium is
one combination of chemicals often used in secondary cells. You may
have seen them advertised as Ni-Cd or Ni-Cad batteries. Applying
electricity to the rechargeable cell reforms the original reactants. This
process does not reform the electrodes perfectly, however, so even
rechargeable cells wear out in time.

ACTIVITY D-2
C H O O S I N G E L E C T R O LY T E S
Inquiry
The Question
What type of solution is the best electrolyte for a wet cell?
The Hypothesis
Form a hypothesis for this investigation based on the question. Use the terms
“manipulated variable” and “responding variable” in your hypothesis.
• two 500-mL beakers
• voltmeter or voltage sensor Procedure
• zinc and copper electrodes
1 In your notebook, make a table for recording voltages for the different solutions.
• electrode clamps
• connecting wires 2 Attach the clamps to the copper and zinc electrodes. Place the electrodes in the
• distilled water for rinsing beaker, making sure they don’t touch each other. Your set-up should resemble the
• various liquids including one in Figure 1.23.
distilled water, tap water, sugar 3 Use connecting wires to hook the electrodes up to the voltmeter. Connect the
solution, salt solution, lemon negative terminal of the voltmeter to the zinc electrode.
juice, vinegar, dilute
4 Fill the beaker with distilled water, so that the bottom halves of the electrodes are
hydrochloric acid of varying
immersed. Note the level of the liquid or mark it on the beaker. Record the voltage.
concentrations, dilute
potassium hydroxide of 5 Disconnect the electrodes and empty the beaker, then rinse them all with distilled
varying concentrations, or water.
other solutions provided by 6 Set up the beaker and electrodes again, using a different solution. Fill the beaker to
your teacher the level noted in step 4 with one of the solutions you want to test.
7 Repeat steps 4–6 until all the solutions have been tested. Each time, be sure to rinse
the beaker and electrodes with distilled water before pouring in the next solution.
8 When you have finished testing the solutions, follow your teacher’s instructions for
disposing of them.

9 Are all the liquids electrolytes? Why or why not?
10 Why do you think some substances are better electrolytes than others?
Forming Conclusions
11 Write a summary describing the type of solution that is the best electrolyte for a wet
cell. Use your data to support your conclusion.

Electrolytes are also found in the body in the form of many different dissolved ions, such
as sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and chloride (Cl).
These dissolved ions serve several functions in the body. One of the most important is to
Figure 1.23 Testing electrolytes help establish voltages across the cell membranes of nerve cells. Resting nerve cells
maintain an internal voltage of about –70 mV. When these cells are stimulated, Na+ ions
rush into them, changing the voltage briefly to about 35 mV. This momentary voltage
change makes up the impulses that allow nerve cells to send messages all over the body.
Extending
A variety of substances can function as electrodes in cells. These include aluminum, iron,
carbon, tin, lead, and nickel. Design and conduct an experiment that tests different pairs
of electrodes to see which pairs produce the greatest voltage.

BATTERIES
You probably own electronic devices that require more than one dry cell.
Connecting cells together creates a battery. Most batteries are sealed into
cases with only two terminals, so many people don’t realize that batteries
contain more than one cell. For example, the rectangular battery in Figure
1.24 is a “true” battery because it contains four cells.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
Alessandro Volta made the first practical battery around 1800. He piled
many copper and zinc discs on top of each other, separating them with
Figure 1.24 This 6-V battery is electrolyte-soaked paper discs. When scientists realized that connecting
made up of four 1.5-V cells.
many cells together could produce more voltage and power, innovation
soon followed. For example, in 1807, Humphry Davy, a professor in
England, filled a whole room with 2000 cells to make one massive battery.
Figure 1.25 Humphry Davy connected 2000 cells together to form one battery.
Other scientists had earlier used smaller batteries to split molecules

into their elements, a process called electrolysis. For example, they were
able to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Davy’s battery was so
powerful that he was able to separate pure metals out of molten
compounds and ores. Using electrolysis, Davy discovered potassium,
sodium, and other elements. The work of Davy and others led to a whole
new field of science: electrochemistry, the study of chemical reactions
involving electricity. Obtaining electricity from a chemical cell is just one
of the many applications of electrochemistry. Electrolysis is another.

Electrolysis
Many industrial processes use electrolysis to separate useful elements
from solutions. For example, chlorine produced by electrolysis is used to
make drinking water safe. It is also used to produce polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) products such as pipe and wire insulation.
Electrolysis of water produces the fuel for the space shuttle. The water
molecules are separated into pure hydrogen and oxygen. When these two
gases are mixed and ignited, they release a tremendous amount of energy,
making these two elements a powerful rocket fuel.
Figure 1.26 These PVC pipes

and the PVC insulation on
these wires are made with
chlorine produced by
electrolysis.
Figure 1.27 Electrolysis
produces rocket fuel by
separating water molecules
Electroplating
into the elements hydrogen
Metals such as silver and gold are popular for use in jewelry and other and oxygen.
decorative items, but they are expensive. Less expensive products can be
made by coating a cheaper metal with a thin layer of silver or gold. This
process is called electroplating. The cheaper metal is also usually stronger
than pure silver or gold. The spoon in Figure 1.28 was silver-plated.
Figure 1.29 shows how electroplating is done. The item to be coated
and a bar of the coating metal are immersed in an electrolyte, like the
electrodes in a wet cell. A source of electricity is connected between the
two metals. The flow of electricity through the electrolyte deposits atoms
from the positively charged metal onto the negatively charged one.
Electroplating is often used to protect metals from corrosion. For example,
a plating of chromium or nickel can protect iron or steel from rusting.
battery
electrons electrons
electrolyte solution
object to metal that

Figure 1.28 Some be plated metal atoms will form
(negative deposit on coating
of the electroplating negative
electrode) (positive
of this spoon has electrode electrode)
worn off, revealing
the metal
underneath the Figure 1.29 The process of electroplating. Different metals can
silver coating. be electroplated by using different electrodes and electrolytes.

re SEARCH Other Electrochemical Applications
Anodizing and electrorefining are two more examples of electrochemical
Galvanizing processes used in Canada. Anodizing is a process to coat aluminum parts
Galvanizing is the with a layer of aluminum oxide. This oxide coating is much harder than
process of applying a pure aluminum. Anodizing is used on a wide range of products including
coating of zinc onto aluminum screen doors, airplane or car parts, kitchenware, and jewellery.
metals such as iron or Electrorefining can be used to remove impurities from metal. For
steel. Using books or example, impure gold can be formed into bars that serve as an electrode
electronic resources, in an electrolytic cell. The impure bars are put into a strong acid solution
prepare a brief report (the electrolyte), along with a thin strip of pure gold. When current is
about the advantages
applied, it moves from one electrode to the other. At the same time, pure
and disadvantages of
gold dissolves from the impure electrode into the acid electrolyte. The
galvanizing. Begin your
search at
dissolved pure gold moves to the electrode made out of pure gold and is
www.pearsoned.ca/ deposited there. The other impurities and unwanted metals are left
scienceinaction. behind in the electrolyte. This process produces very pure gold.
In another application of electrochemistry, some automobile companies
use an electrochemical process to bond special paints onto car parts.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is electrolysis? Give one example of an application of electrolysis.
2. What is an electrolyte?
3. What was Alessandro Volta’s contribution to battery technology?
4. How does a rechargeable cell work?

5. Which would be a more practical source of electricity for a car: a wet
positive cell or a dry cell? Why?
insulated terminal
casing 6. Describe the components of a wet cell and explain how the cell
zinc can insulator produces electricity. Use a diagram in your answer.
(negative
electrode) 7. Dry cells are designed to keep electrons flowing. Why do they
eventually “die” (stop working)?
8. Draw a diagram of an electroplating apparatus that would coat copper
with gold. Be sure to label all parts of your apparatus.

electrolyte
paste 9. Figure 1.30 shows an older design for a dry cell, which is still widely
carbon
insulator electrode used. How does this design differ from the alkaline cell shown in
negative Figure 1.20 on page 288?
terminal
10. A car designer has proposed a new car battery. She is planning to test
Figure 1.30 Question 9— the following different electrode combinations:
older design for dry cell a) both zinc c) both copper e) both carbon
b) zinc and copper d) zinc and carbon
Will all of these combinations work? Explain why or why not.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Describe the charged particles in an atom.
2. What are electrodes? Explain their role in a dry cell.
3. What is the difference between a cell and a battery?
4. State three guidelines for electrical safety.

5. Describe how a static charge might build up on you as you walk
across a carpet.
6. Some cells are rechargeable. Others must be discarded when they run
out of energy. Explain the difference between these two cell types.
7. Fuses are designed to interrupt the flow of current. Why are they
included in a circuit?
8. Lightning is a dangerous discharge of electrons built up by friction
between air and water molecules in a cloud. Is this discharge current
electricity or static electricity? Explain the reason for your choice.
9. Static discharges are classified as electricity, but cannot provide the
energy to operate your household devices. Why?

10. Computer circuits can be damaged by static discharges. To prevent
this, technicians usually wear an anti-static strap that is connected to
the metal case of the computer. Explain how wearing such a strap
protects computer circuits.
11. A tall tree stands in a yard, towering over a one-storey house. There
are no other trees in the area. A car is parked on the street. Which
object is most likely to be struck by lightning: the tree, the house, or
the car? Explain your answer.

On
Scientific knowledge may lead to the development of new technologies.
And new technologies may lead to scientific discovery. Think about what
you learned and the activities you did in this section.
1. Describe one example from this section of how scientific knowledge
led to a new technology, which then led to scientific discoveries.
2. What would someone who wanted to invent a new type of electrical
cell need to know about electricity?
3. Describe one example of an electrical technology that is used in
scientific research today.

2.0 Technologies can be used to transfer
and control electrical energy.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• electric current
• circuits
• measures and units of
electrical energy
• electrical resistance and
Ohm’s law
Learning Outcomes
• identify electrical conductors
and resistors
• compare the resistance of
different materials Specially equipped remote-control (RC) vehicles like the ones in these
• use switches and resistors to photos protect people from risky situations. Robotic video crawlers can
control current
be sent into dangerous or hard-to-reach places to provide remote “eyes”
• predict the effects of switches,
for experts. Bomb disposal robots can help with inspection, removal,
resistors, and other devices
and disposal of suspicious packages. These sophisticated RC vehicles
• use models to describe and
relate electrical current,
can do a variety of difficult and dangerous tasks. They are powered with
resistance, and voltage electric current and controlled with the help of special circuits.
• measure voltages and When you manipulate the controls of an RC vehicle, it moves and
amperages in circuits turns. But behind these seemingly simple actions are devices that
• calculate resistance using control the flow of electric current. A small battery in the transmitter
Ohm’s law unit that you hold provides current that allows the antenna to produce
• develop, test, and troubleshoot radio waves. These radio waves travel through the air and induce a
circuit designs current in the antenna on the RC vehicle. This antenna is connected to
• draw circuit diagrams for toys, circuits. The circuits control current through wiring that leads to the
models, and household battery-powered motors inside the vehicle. These control speed, turning,
appliances
direction, and other special equipment such as limbs and video cameras.
• compare and contrast micro-
The transfer and control of electrical energy in an RC vehicle is one
electronic circuits and circuits
example of the application of electrical technologies. In this section, you
in a house
will learn about technologies for controlling electricity, how to measure
electricity, and how to analyze and build electric circuits.

info BIT
2.1 Controlling the Flow of Electrical Current
Semiconductors
Labelling a substance a
conductor or insulator
isn’t always easy. Some
substances, such as glass
and rubber, make
excellent insulators—
they don’t conduct at
all. Many metals, such as
copper and iron, are
excellent conductors.
Semiconductors are
somewhere in between.
Germanium and silicon
are two commonly used
semiconductor elements.
At high temperatures,
Figure 2.1 The controlled use of electricity creates a colourful they act like conductors.
neon display. At low temperatures,
they act like insulators.
A neon sign has several interesting applications of electrical technology.
First, electricity must travel all the way through the tube in order to make
the neon gas inside glow. Second, the sign must be equipped with a
control so it can be turned on and off. Third, the whole thing must be
contained so that people nearby aren’t accidentally electrocuted. These
tasks can all be done by controlling the flow of electric current.
A UNIQUE CIRCUIT
Neon signs usually consist of a glass tube, twisted into the desired shape.
The tube is filled with gas and metal terminals are sealed into the ends.
The metal terminals of the tube are then connected to the positive and
negative terminals of the electrical source. So the sign is a circuit, but
unlike the wire circuits you saw earlier, this circuit includes a gas as a
conductor.
Signs with more complex designs may have several different tubes,
each with its own electrical connectors. These tubes may have special
coatings or contain different gases that produce different colours. A
mixture of neon and argon provides a purple light. Helium provides
yellowish-white light.
Usually, neon gas is an insulator—it does not conduct electricity. But
when current is applied to the tube, electrons in the neon atoms are
“excited” by the added energy, and free themselves from the atoms. The
negative electrons leave behind positive neon ions. This creates a mixture
of charged particles inside the tube, which is excellent at conducting
current. As the current continues to add energy to the neon gas, some of
the electrons “fall” back into the neon ions, releasing their energy as the
orange-pink neon light we see in the sign.
Technologies Can Be Used to Transfer and Control Electrical Energy 297

CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS
As shown in Figure 2.2, electrons in insulators are tightly bound to the

positive nucleus of their atoms. They resist moving away from the
nucleus. In conductors, the electrons are not as tightly bound. They are
freer to move. However, a current will flow only when the conductor is
connected to an electrical source. The electrons then move toward the
positive end of the voltage source. Another way of saying this is that the
electrons move when a voltage is applied.
Figure 2.2 is a simplification to help you see how electrons generally
behave in insulators and conductors. However, the atomic structure of a
substance affects how well it conducts or insulates. In other words, some
substances are more resistant to electron flow than others. Depending on
how you want to control current, you may choose to use a substance that
is an insulator, conductor, or partial conductor.
- -
+- +- + + - + + -
- + - + -
-
+ + - +
-
+
+- + + +
+ + - - +
- -
- - + - + - + - + -
+ + -+ - + - + - + - +
(a) Insulator: The electrons (–) are bound (b) Conductor with no voltage applied: The (c) Conductor with voltage applied: The
tightly to the nuclei (+) so they resist electrons are not as tightly bound to the electrons flow toward the positive terminal
movement. nuclei. They can drift away from the nuclei of the voltage source.
but do not flow in any one direction.
Figure 2.2 Electrons in a conductor are free to move, while those in an insulator are not.
Superconductors
Metals such as silver, copper, mercury, and gold are all excellent
conductors, but they are not perfect conductors. Electrons travelling
through them encounter some resistance. This resistance varies from metal
to metal, which is why one metal is a better conductor than another.
However, it is possible for metals to superconduct. Superconductors are
perfect conductors—they have no resistance to electron flow.
Superconductivity was discovered by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh
Onnes in 1911 when he brought the temperature of mercury down to near
absolute zero (273˚C) using liquid helium. At this temperature, Onnes
found that mercury was a perfect conductor, with no resistance to current
flow. Since that time, substances have been found to superconduct at
temperatures well above absolute zero. But these temperatures are still too
low for practical applications. Research into superconductivity continues.

ACTIVITY D-3
I N V E S T I G AT I N G C O N D U C T I V I T Y
Inquiry
The Question
How does the conductivity of different solutions compare?
The Hypothesis
Reword the question to form a hypothesis.
• 100-mL graduated cylinder Procedure
• 250-mL beaker
1 Design a table to record the conductivity readings of the solutions you will test.
• distilled water
• conductivity tester 2 Put 50 mL of distilled water into a 250-mL beaker.
• tap water 3 Place the metal tips of your conductivity tester in the distilled water.
• salt water 4 Record the conductivity reading of the distilled water in your table. If your
• vinegar conductivity tester is a light bulb, describe the brightness of the bulb.
• copper(II) sulfate solution
5 Repeat steps 2–4 with 50-mL samples of tap water, salt water, vinegar, copper(II)
• other solutions provided by
sulfate solution, and any other solution you wish to test. After each conductivity
your teacher
measurement, empty the beaker and rinse it with distilled water. Also wipe off the tips
of the conductivity tester. Make sure that you insert them to the same depth in each
solution.
6 When you have finished testing the solutions, follow your teacher’s instructions for
disposing of them.

7 Were there differences in conductivity among the solutions you tested? How could
you tell?
Figure 2.3 A conductivity 8 Account for the differences in conductivity among the solutions by explaining what is
tester happening in the solutions.
Forming Conclusions
9 Write a summary of your results that answers the question: How does the
conductivity of different solutions compare?

Solution conductivity is a powerful tool for studying the environment. Electrical
conductivity (EC) increases with the number of ions dissolved in water. This means that
conductivity readings can be used as indicators of water quality and the composition of
the surrounding soil. Higher EC values in water can be natural because of minerals
dissolved in the water; for example, in lakes that have limestone basins. But higher EC
levels can also signal the presence of pollutants in a watershed because pollutants are a
source of additional ions. An example is the use of salt on roads as a safety measure to
remove ice. Unfortunately when the snow and ice melt, large amounts of salty run-off
water enter lakes and streams and can be harmful to aquatic organisms. EC readings can
be used to monitor the concentration of salt and other pollutants in the water.
Extending
Design and conduct an experiment to investigate the relationship between the amount of a
dissolved solute (such as salt) and electrical conductivity.

USING CONDUCTORS, RESISTORS, AND INSULATORS
Engineers need to know how well different materials conduct electricity

so they can design devices that are both effective and safe. For example,
sometimes electricity must be used around water. This is dangerous
unless all the current-carrying wires are carefully insulated and sealed
from the surroundings.
In some applications, a type of conductor called a resistor is useful. A
resistor allows electric current to pass, but provides resistance to it. This
limits the amount of current. For any given voltage, more current flows
through a resistor with a low resistance than through one with a high
resistance. Resistance is a measure of how difficult it is for electrons to
flow through a substance. It is measured in ohms. The symbol for ohm is
Figure 2.4 This pump is
Ω, the Greek letter omega.
sealed in waterproof rubber
and plastic.
The more resistance a substance has, the more the substance gains
energy from each electron that passes through it. The energy gained by the
substance is radiated to its surroundings as either heat or light energy.
Figure 2.5 shows two examples of metal resistors that produce heat
and light.
Figure 2.5 The tungsten filament in an incandescent bulb and the element in a heater
both radiate heat and light because of resistance.
Solutions can also be resistors. The more charged particles in a

solution, the better it conducts. Distilled water is not a good conductor
because it contains only water molecules. These molecules have no
electrical charge. Tap water and water in the environment are conductors
because of the many dissolved minerals they contain. Knowing the
conductivity of a particular solution can be of practical use. For example,
you could use a simple conductivity measurement to check the purity of a
batch of distilled water. In a factory, a technician may use conductivity to
check whether a solution for an industrial process has been mixed
properly.

math Link
The more resistance a
component has, the
lower its conductivity,
and vice versa.
Resistivity (R) and
conductivity (G) are
inversely related. The
equation for this
relationship is R = 1/G.
If chemicals are added
to a sample of solution
so that its conductivity
Figure 2.6 A person taking a polygraph test doubles, what happens
to its resistivity? How
does the conductivity
The polygraph machine or “lie detector” is another application of
change if the sample is
resistance. It usually measures skin resistance, blood pressure, and
diluted so much that its
respiration. All of these change when people are under stress. Sweat is resistivity quadruples?
mostly a salt solution, so it contributes to the change in skin resistance. To
measure this change, two or more metal electrodes are attached to the skin
of the person taking the test. In theory, the person is under the most stress
when lying in response to a question. Thus, a lie should cause an increase
in conduction between the electrodes. This would show up as a peak on
the graph plotted by the polygraph machine.
Q U I C K LAB

MAKE YOUR OWN DIMMER SWITCH
• battery
Purpose • connecting wires
• bulb and socket
To control the amount of current flowing through an electrical device
• about 40 cm of 32-gauge
Procedure Nichrome wire
• board with screws (optional)
1 Connect all the materials to form a big loop, as shown in Figure 2.7.
2 Make sure the Nichrome wire is connected by the ends, making all
of the wire part of the circuit. Note the brightness of the bulb.
3 Now move the alligator clips on the Nichrome wire closer together,
so that only a small amount of the Nichrome wire is part of the
circuit. Note the brightness of the bulb.
4 Continue to observe the bulb as you slide one of the alligator clips
back and forth on the Nichrome wire.
Question
5 What happened to the brightness of the bulb when you moved the Figure 2.7 Apparatus for controlling current
alligator clips? Explain your observations.

SWITCHES AND VARIABLE RESISTORS
A switch is usually the best method for turning electricity on and off in a
circuit. Although there are thousands of kinds of switches, they all work
on the same basic principle. Look at Figure 2.9. When a switch is on, two
conductors are pressed together so that current can flow from one to the
other. When the switch is off, the conductors are separated and no current
flows. Most switches are enclosed in an insulated casing or a metal box to
prevent shocks and short circuits. The casing also keeps dust and other
contaminants out of the switch mechanism.
Sometimes you want to change the current flow gradually in a circuit,
Figure 2.8 This doorbell
rather than just turning it on or off. For example, you may have a light
button is an example of a
switch in your house that’s used to dim the lights. This type of control
momentary switch. As soon
as you release the button, the device is called a variable resistor or rheostat.
contact arm springs back and Rheostats can increase or decrease the amount of current in a circuit
opens the switch. The switch by adjusting the portion of the resistor that the current travels through.
is closed only for a moment. Examples of rheostats are volume controls on stereos and foot-operated
speed controls for sewing machines. As you turn the knob or press the
pedal, you change the amount of current flowing through the circuit.
re SEARCH C D
Discovering Electricity
Michael Faraday, Luigi
Galvani, and Joseph
Henry all made major
contributions to the
science of electricity.
Write a brief profile of
each person, describing
his life and work. Begin
at www.pearsoned.ca/ A B
Figure 2.9
scienceinaction.
(a) Both switches are closed, so the current flows through both bulbs.
C D
(b) Switch A is open, so the current

cannot flow through bulb C.
A B

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review another identical circuit, you use the metal
1. What is the difference between a conductor B wire. The metal A wire gets hot, while
and an insulator? the metal B wire does not. Explain.
2. What is a resistor? 8. A friend insists that using an electric drill
in his flooded basement is safe because, he
3. How does a switch control current flow?
says, “Water doesn’t conduct electricity.”
4. How might a polygraph machine indicate What would you say to your friend?
someone is lying?
9. You have built a fountain for your
5. Why do some substances conduct while backyard pond. How might you control the
others do not? pump speed so that the water doesn’t spray
6. Use a labelled diagram to explain how too high or too low?
electrons behave in a conductor when: 10. Wood burning is a popular
a) no voltage is applied hobby. Would a wood-
b) voltage is applied buring tool work well if its
7. You have two wires made of two different heating element had a very
metals (metal A and metal B). Both wires high resistance? Explain
are the same thickness and length. In one your answer.
circuit, you use the metal A wire. In Figure 2.10 Wood burning
Computer Network Technician

and
Careers Profiles
Figure 2.11
Computer
A computer network technician helps computers network
communicate. This job involves dealing with many technician at
computers, electronics systems, and wires. work
A computer network technician must have a good
understanding of switches and wiring. You have to run
new wires to connect computers to the network, and
you have to understand computer operating systems
in order to configure computers to the network
1. How does this job affect how much work other people do?
properly. You have to be a good troubleshooter in
order to find components that are malfunctioning in a 2. What kind of training would you need to be a computer
network. Your job might include maintaining the network technician? Is this the type of career that would
computers and wiring for a local area network (LAN) sometimes require extra training? Why or why not?
in an office. In critical networks, you also maintain 3. Does a computer network technician sound like an
redundant systems. These are special computers that interesting career? Why or why not?
can run the network if the main computer fails.

info BIT
2.2 Modelling and Measuring Electricity
Another Measure of
So far in this section, you have learned many
Electricity
Electrical charge is
different terms to describe electrical current.
measured in coulombs, Voltage, current, resistance, conductors, and
named after the French cells all describe different aspects of electron
scientist Charles A. flow. But all these terms can be confusing.
Coulomb. In the late Since electrons “flow” through conductors
1700s, Coulomb measured and resistors, a model using water can be
the electrical force that
charged objects exerted
helpful for understanding electricity.
on each other. One Like flowing water, electricity must come
coulomb is a large from a source. Like water smashing into rocks
amount of charge—it in rapids, electricity encounters resistance.
equals 6.25 billion billion The more water, the more powerful the
electrons. current in a river. The more electrons, the Figure 2.12 The flow of this
more powerful the current is in a conductor. Rocky Mountain stream is like
For both water and electricity, the source the flow of electricity.
must be constantly replenished for flow to
continue. Through the water cycle, snow is deposited on the mountain in
Figure 2.12. The melting snow keeps the stream flowing. For electricity, a
source such as a generator or cell keeps the electricity flowing from a
negatively charged terminal to a positively charged one.
If the snow all melted away, the water flow would stop. If the generator
is shut down or when the cell is used up, the electricity stops flowing.
Q U I C K LAB
FUNNEL POWER Materials & Equipment

• 2 funnels with different-size drain
Purpose holes
To build a model that represents different amounts of current and resistance • 2 equal lengths of tubing of different
in a circuit diameters to fit on the two funnels
• beaker
Procedure • water
1 Set up the ring stand, beaker, tubing, and the smaller funnel as shown • ring stand
in the cartoon. • timer
2 Have your partner start the timer as you start to pour 150 mL of water
into the funnel quickly and smoothly. When all the water is in the
beaker, stop the timer. Record the time.
3 Repeat step 2 with the larger funnel and tubing. Record the time.
Question
4 Explain how your results can serve as a model of current and
resistance.

MODELLING VOLTAGE
Unless there is a change in elevation, water doesn’t flow—it simply
sits in a pool. If you pump water up a hill, it gains gravitational
potential energy, and then flows back down. In a similar way, a cell,
battery, or generator “pumps” electrons to a point with a higher
electric potential (voltage). Electricity will not flow without a
difference in electrical potential, just as water does not flow without a
difference in gravitational potential energy.
A B C
Figure 2.13 Waterfalls can model current, voltage, and resistance in a circuit. Waterfall A has a large flow of water.
Waterfalls B and C are the same height, but B has more rocks that slow the flow. As an electrical circuit, waterfall A
would have the greatest flow of current. Waterfalls B and C would have similar voltages, but B has greater
resistance, and therefore less current flow.
The water in a garden fountain might be only a metre from the

ground, while the water in a town’s water tower might be 50 metres
from the ground. The water from the water tower has much more
gravitational potential energy and flows to the ground with greater
force. Similarly, the high-voltage electrons from a generating station
have more electrical potential energy than low-voltage electrons from
a flashlight battery.
MODELLING RESISTANCE AND CURRENT

The flow of water in pipes is another useful model of electricity.
Suppose you were using a reservoir to provide irrigation water for a
field. You have to decide what size of pipes to use to drain the
reservoir. A pipe with a small diameter might be easier to hook up.
However, the longer and thinner a pipe is, the more resistance it has
to the flow of water. A pipe with a bigger diameter has less
resistance, which allows a greater flow of water.
Similarly, the amount of resistance in a circuit affects the
electrical current. For any given voltage, current decreases if you add
resistance. As with water flow, you get the least resistance with a
short, wide path with no obstructions. The shorter and thicker the Figure 2.14 Resistance in a stream or
wire, the less resistance it creates for electrons. The flow of current pipe reduces the flow of water.
will be reduced if it has to pass through a resistor.

OHM’S LAW
German scientist Georg Simon Ohm made exciting electrical discoveries
in the early 1800s. He experimented with many different substances, and
in 1826, he was able to prove a mathematical link between voltage (V),
current (I), and resistance (R). The unit of resistance, the ohm, was named
in his honour. Ohm’s law states that as long as temperature stays the
same:
• the resistance of a conductor stays constant, and
• the current is directly proportional to the voltage applied.
In other words, if you increase the voltage in a circuit, the current also
increases.
Ohm’s law also covers changes in resistance. If the voltage stays the
same, but a resistor of greater value is used, then the current decreases.
Figure 2.15 Georg Simon
Ohm
This table shows how to use Ohm’s law.
Ohm’s Law
Quantity Symbol Unit Calculated with Ohm’s Law Measured with
volts
Voltage V V=IR voltmeter
(V)
Current I amperes V ammeter

I=—
(A) R
Resistance R ohms V ohmmeter

R=—
() I
math Link APPLYING OHM’S LAW

In a circuit where The simple math of Ohm’s law is a powerful tool for those who design or
voltage is kept analyze circuits. As long as two of the values are known, the third one can
constant, what be calculated. This means it is possible to calculate the value of an
happens to current unknown resistor, or figure out the value of resistor needed to obtain a
if resistance is particular current.
doubled?
Quadrupled?
Example
An electric stove is connected to a 240-V outlet. If the current flowing
through the stove is 20 A, what is the resistance of the heating element?
Steps to Solving the Problem Information and Solution
1. Identify known quantities. current (I) = 20 A, voltage (V) = 240 V
2. Identify the unknown quantity. resistance (R)
V
3. Use the correct formula. R =
I
V 240 V
4. Solve the problem. R = =
I 20 A
R = 12 Ω

While Ohm’s law is a good tool for circuit analysis, it’s not perfect. If the
temperature of a resistor changes, its resistance changes as well. Generally,
resistance is lowest when a conductor is cool. As the temperature increases,
resistance increases. For example, a filament in a light bulb often has 10
times its normal current flowing through it at the instant it is switched on.
This current heats the filament white hot in a fraction of a second. The huge
rise in temperature greatly increases the filament’s resistance, which reduces
the current flowing through it. As explained in subsection 2.1, this increase
in resistance causes the filament to glow. Light bulbs sometimes “blow”
when they are switched on because of the sudden temperature change and
other forces caused by the large initial current.
S K I L L PRACTICE
USING OHM’S LAW

1 A 30-V battery creates a current through a 15-Ω resistor. How much current is created?
2 A motor has an internal resistance of 40 Ω. The motor is in a circuit with a current of 4.0 A. What is the voltage?
3 A current of 625 mA runs through a bulb that is connected to 120 V. What is the resistance of the bulb?
USING TEST METERS

In subsection 1.2, you learned how a voltmeter is used to measure voltage.
The voltmeter is just one of various types of meters used to measure
electricity in a circuit. These devices use a small amount of current to move
a needle across a specially calibrated scale or to display numbers on a
digital readout. Meters are very useful, but they must be used properly to get
accurate readings and avoid damage to their sensitive mechanisms.
Voltmeters
Recall that voltage is the potential difference between two points. To
measure the potential difference across a cell, battery, resistor, or other
device in a circuit, each terminal of the device must be connected to the
appropriate positive or negative terminal of a voltmeter. Many electricians
refer to the potential difference across a resistor or device as voltage drop.
Note that meters used to measure small voltages are sometimes called
millivoltmeters.
Figure 2.16 These

voltmeters read the voltage
difference across the items in
this circuit.

Ammeters
Ammeters are used to measure electric current in amperes. Recall that
current is the rate of flow of electricity in a circuit. It is a measure of how
many electrons move past a point in a circuit each second. To measure
this flow, an ammeter must be placed so that the current flows through it.
If a circuit consists of only one continuous loop, you can insert the
ammeter between any two circuit components. Figure 2.17 shows an
ammeter connected in a simple circuit. It could be attached at another
place in the circuit and would still show the same reading. The current is
the same at every point in the loop, so the ammeter can measure it
anywhere. Meters used to measure small currents are sometimes called
galvanometers.
S K I L L PRACTICE
USING AMMETERS
Connect a battery, light bulb, and ammeter in a loop as
shown in Figure 2.17. Record the reading on the ammeter.
Now add another bulb to the loop. Record that
ammeter reading. Repeat this until you run
out of bulbs. Explain your observations.
Suppose you repeated this activity with two

electrical cells connected end to end
(positive to negative). Predict what the
ammeter readings would be. Explain your
answer. Repeat the experiment to see if
your prediction is correct. Figure 2.17 This ammeter will read the current for the circuit. The circuit shown
has only one pathway, so the current is the same everywhere in the circuit.
Multimeters
Often, meters are made with several different measuring circuits mounted
in the same case. By turning a selector switch on the front of the case, you
can set such multimeters to measure voltage, current, or resistance in a
circuit. You must be careful that you have selected the right setting for the
quantity you want to measure.
When you read a multimeter with a needle display, you must first find
the scale that corresponds to the setting on the multimeter’s selector switch.
If the needle falls between numbers on this scale, you can estimate the last
digit of your reading. For example, if the needle rests between 2 and 3 volts
on the scale, but is slightly closer to the 2, you may estimate the reading as
2.4 volts. Digital displays do not require estimates. Some digital meters even
Figure 2.18 Multimeters can allow you to select the level of precision (how many digits are displayed).
be used to measure voltage, Meters range from extremely precise instruments to simple, inexpensive
current, or resistance. testers that are accurate to only 5% of a full-scale reading.

ACTIVITY D-4
W H AT ’ S THE R E S I S TA N C E ?
Inquiry
The Question
Do different materials have different values of electrical resistance?
Procedure
1 In your notebook, set up a table for recording your data. The table should include the
following headings: Substance, Length connected (10 cm or 1 cm), Voltage (from
• D-cell and holder
step 2), Current, and Resistance. In the “Resistance” column you will calculate the
• 10-cm length of copper wire
resistance for each observation.
• 10-cm length of Nichrome wire
• 10-cm length of solid graphite 2 Use connecting wires to connect each end of a D-cell to a terminal on a voltmeter.
(pencil lead) Record the voltmeter reading in your table. Disconnect the voltmeter.
• 10-cm length of rubber tubing 3 Connect one wire from the D-cell to a terminal of an ammeter. Attach another
• optional: 10-cm lengths of connecting wire to the other terminal of the ammeter.
various other materials
4 Clip the free ends of the connecting wires onto the ends of a 10-cm length of pencil
lead. Record the reading on the ammeter.
• voltmeter
• ammeter or current sensor 5 Move the clips on the pencil lead so that they are only 1 cm apart. Record any
• ruler change in the reading on the ammeter.
• calculator 6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other lengths of substances that you have.

7 Use Ohm’s law (R =V/I) to calculate the resistance for each current recorded in your
Caution!
table.
The wires may get hot.
8 Which substance had the greatest resistance? Explain any differences in resistance
among the substances.
9 What was the effect of moving the connecting wires so that the current travelled
through a shorter length of the conductor? Explain.
10 How precise were your measurements? Were there any sources of error that could
affect the accuracy of your results?
Forming Conclusions
11 Write a summary that answers the question: Do different materials have different
values of electrical resistance? Use your data to support your answer.

You have probably seen a computer plugged into a surge protector instead of directly into
a wall socket. Surge protectors protect sensitive electronic equipment from occasional
sudden increases in voltage. These devices rely on special conductors that have variable
resistance. If voltage is at normal levels, the current flows normally through the circuit.
But if voltage is too high, the resistance of the conductor drops. This allows the
potentially dangerous current to be conducted away from the normal circuit to a safety
Figure 2.19 Determining ground wire.
resistance
Extending
Alberta homes have to cope with long, cold winters. Sometimes, the water pipes of
homes will freeze causing considerable damage. If you had to construct a flexible wrap
that you could plug in and wrap around water pipes to keep them warm, what materials
would you use? Explain.

TYPES OF RESISTORS
A wide variety of resistors are made for different applications, especially
in electronics. For example, radios and televisions contain dozens of
different resistors. Resistors are available with values covering the whole
range between conductors (very low resistance) and insulators (very high
resistance).
Resistors can be made with a number of techniques and materials, but
the two most common types are wire-wound and carbon-composition. A
wire-wound resistor has a wire made of heat-resistant alloy wrapped
around an insulating core. The longer and thinner the wire, the higher the
resistance. Wire-wound resistors are available with values from 0.1 Ω up
Figure 2.20 Resistors come to 200 kΩ. The wire for a 200 kΩ resistor is very thin.
in many shapes and sizes. Carbon-composition resistors are made of carbon mixed with other
Remember that the type of
materials. The carbon mixture is moulded into a cylinder with a wire at
material affects the resistance.
each end. By varying the size and composition of the cylinder,
manufacturers produce resistances from 10 Ω to 20 MΩ. Moulded carbon
resistors are cheaper to make than wire-wound resistors, but less precise.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. How is current related to voltage in a circuit?
re SEARCH 2. How is current related to resistance in a circuit?
3. What is the difference between a galvanometer and a multimeter?
Superconductors
Superconductors may 4. What does the term “voltage drop” mean?
bring radical changes in Connect Your Understanding
electronics and power
Use the Ohm’s law table on page 306 to answer questions 5 to 9.
transmission. Find out
how superconductors 5. A bulb of 15-Ω resistance is in a circuit powered by a 3-V battery.
might change the world a) What is the current in this circuit?
of electrical technology. b) What would the current be if you changed to a 45-Ω bulb?
Prepare a multimedia
6. A digital recorder plugged into a 120-V outlet has an operating
presentation to
resistance of 10 000 Ω. How much current flows in this device?
summarize your
research. Begin your 7. An electric heater draws 10 A from a 120-V source. What is the
information search at heater’s resistance?
www.pearsoned.ca/
8. A current of 1.5 A flows through a 30-Ω resistor that is connected
scienceinaction.
across a battery. What is the battery’s voltage?
9. A current of 12 A flows through a vacuum cleaner motor that is
plugged into a 120-V source. What is the internal resistance of the
vacuum motor?

10. Use the waterfall model to explain flowing electricity. Make sure to
include the terms voltage, current, and resistance in your description.

2.3 Analyzing and Building Electrical Circuits
The toy robots in Figure 2.21 have ingenious circuits. The most
economical way to connect all the components in a circuit is in a
simple loop. But these circuits must be designed so that one
component does not depend on the others. For example, it would
be frustrating to the user if the whole device stopped working
simply because one small light bulb burnt out. With careful
attention to circuit design, engineers make sure these devices can
perform the tasks that the user wants. Figure 2.21 These toy robots are controlled by
electrical circuits.
Q U I C K LAB
FLASHLIGHT DESIGN Materials & Equipment

• dry cells
Purpose • connecting wires
To explore circuits by designing a simple flashlight • switches
• bulbs and holders
Procedure
1 Draw a diagram to show how you think the electrical circuits inside an
ordinary flashlight are set up.
2 Use cells, connecting wires, switches, and bulbs provided by your teacher
to build your own model flashlight based on the diagram you’ve made.
Question
3 Suppose you had to design an emergency flashlight with a light at each end.
How would you add the second bulb to your flashlight without making the
first bulb dimmer?
CIRCUIT DRAWINGS
Engineers and designers of electrical circuits use special symbols that load
show the components and connections clearly. These symbols make it
easier to plan and analyze a circuit before you build it. A drawing made
with these symbols is often called a schematic or schematic diagram.
Parts of a Circuit switch

conductor
Schematics can sometimes seem complicated, but all circuits have four
basic parts: sources, conductors, switching mechanisms, and loads.
• A source provides energy and a supply of electrons for the circuit.
• A conductor provides a path for current.
electrical source
• A switching mechanism controls current flow, turning it on and off,
or directing it into different parts of the circuit. Figure 2.22 The four basic
• A load converts electrical energy into some other form of energy. parts of an electrical circuit

info BIT Symbol Represents Description
conductor conducts electricity through circuit
Incredible Shrinking
cell stores electricity (large bar is positive)
Circuits
Before the 1950s, vacuum battery combination of cells
tubes were used to
control current in lamp converts electricity to light
electrical circuits. These resistor controls the amount of current in the circuit
were so bulky that early
computers filled entire switch opens and closes circuit—allows current to flow
rooms. Vacuum tubes
ammeter measures amount of current in circuit
have been replaced by
tiny components that voltmeter measures voltage across a device in a circuit
make today’s hand-held
rheostat variable resistor
computers thousands of
times more powerful than motor converts electricity to mechanical energy
the old room-sized ones.
fuse melts if current in circuit is too high
Knowing the basic electrical symbols can help you analyze existing
circuits. By studying the pathways of wires and components in a
device, you can draw a schematic for the circuit. This drawing can
make it much easier to understand where the current flows and how the
device functions.
(a)
CIRCUIT ANALYSIS EXAMPLE—BULLDOZER

A student was curious about the toy bulldozer shown in Figure 2.23(a),
so she decided to do a circuit analysis of it. She determined that the
bulldozer moves forward when its switch is moved to the left and
backward when the switch is moved to the right. In its middle position,
the switch turns the bulldozer off. A bulb on top of the bulldozer lights
up when it moves in either direction. Taking the bulldozer apart, the
student determined that it has two loads, a motor and a bulb. She also
found two 1.5-V cells that act as the source and a switching mechanism
that appears to connect the ends of four wires. She carefully followed
the conductors through the whole circuit and produced two schematics
showing the circuits for forward and backward movement of the
bulldozer. Note that, for clarity, conductors in schematic diagrams are
drawn as straight lines, even though the wire may twist and turn in the
device.
PARALLEL AND SERIES CIRCUITS

You may have noticed burned-out bulbs in decorative displays. In order
for a bulb to operate, current must travel through it. Sometimes the
(b) forward (c) backward bulbs are connected in a single string with the current running through
each bulb in turn. That means the whole string goes out if any of the
Figure 2.23 A toy bulldozer and
bulbs burns out or becomes loose in its socket. Circuits can be designed
schematics for its circuit. Arrows
show direction of current flow. to avoid this problem.

Series Circuits
The circuit in which the current passes through each bulb in turn is
called a series circuit. In a series circuit, there is only one pathway
for the current, as shown in Figure 2.24. If that pathway is
interrupted, the whole circuit cannot function. The other problem
with series circuits is that adding components increases the total
resistance of the circuit. This decreases the current. Thus, adding an
extra bulb to a series string of lights makes all the bulbs dimmer. Figure 2.24 Series circuit—there
However, series circuits do have an important use. In household is only one path for current.
circuits, switches are wired in series with other components (e.g.,
wall plugs, lights). This makes it possible to turn off all the
electricity in the circuit.
Parallel Circuits
Many sets of decorative lights are not connected in series, but in
parallel. Parallel circuits have a separate current path for each
section of the circuit (Figure 2.25). In a parallel-wired string of lights,
for example, each bulb has its own path to the current source. An
interruption or break in one pathway does not affect the rest of the
pathways in the circuit. Similarly, adding a new pathway with more Figure 2.25 Parallel circuit—each
resistors does not affect the resistance in any of the other pathways. component has its own path for
In fact, adding extra resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance current.
of the circuit. This might seem strange, but remember that adding
more paths for the current to take means less total resistance. Think
about how much less resistance there is when you drink through two
straws instead of one.
Q U I C K LAB
HOW DOES THAT TOY WORK?

To determine the circuit design of an electronic device • an electric toy vehicle or an
old or discarded electrical
Procedure device
1 With a partner, carefully take apart the toy vehicle, noting all the parts of the • basic tools
electrical circuit.
2 Draw a schematic diagram for the toy vehicle. Label the loads, conductors,
switches, and sources in your schematic. Have other students examine your toy Caution!
and see if they agree with the schematic you have drawn. Make sure your
device is not
Question plugged in.
3 Can you design your own, unique toy vehicle? Draw a labelled picture for your
toy vehicle and draw a schematic for its circuit.

ACTIVITY D-5
Problem WIRING A SECURE AND SAFE HOME

Home outdoor lighting that comes on automatically makes walking safer and deters
burglars. How can you design circuitry for a home that includes an automatic exterior
light?
Materials & Equipment The Problem

You and your partner are charged with the task of designing the basic lighting circuit for
• electricity source (batteries)
the interior and exterior of a small home. The homeowner wants the circuit to include an
• battery holder
outdoor light that comes on automatically when someone approaches. Photoconductors
• bulbs
are devices that allow current to flow when they are exposed to light. Some
• switches
• photoconductor photoconductors respond to the heat radiated by people or animals. In this lab, you will
• flashlight or lamp likely have a visible-light photoconductor and use a flashlight or a lamp to mimic an
approaching person.

• Draw a schematic for a circuit that provides lighting for three rooms in a home, plus an
outdoor light that will come on automatically. Your schematic should also include a
method of controlling the electricity in the whole circuit—there must be a way to turn
off the electricity to the circuit in order to make repairs or modifications safely.
• Build a circuit that represents the home lighting system you have designed.
❍ The model circuit should have three room lights that can operate independently.
❍ The model circuit’s outdoor light should come on automatically (when tested with a
flashlight).
❍ The model circuit should have a switch that can successfully turn the electricity off
or on for the entire circuit.
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Discuss and sketch designs for your lighting system. Keep in mind the criteria for
success and convenience for the homeowner.
2 Consider the materials you have to work with. Remember that you must build what
you include in your schematic. You will have access to general electrical supplies such
as wires, bulbs, and switches. Do you have all the components you need?
3 Predict which of your designs will best meet the criteria for success.
Figure 2.26 Photoconductors
Build a Prototype
4 Assemble the materials you will need to build your circuit model and construct it.
Test and Evaluate

5 When you have built your circuit, test it to see if it meets the criteria. If you used a
visible light-activated photoconductor in your model, you can shine a light onto it to
represent a person approaching the home.
Communicate
Figure 2.27 Photoconductor
6 Have classmates examine and test your circuit. Examine the circuits your classmates
symbol
have built, and suggest an improvement for one of their designs. If someone
suggests a design improvement for your circuit, test it.

APPLICATIONS OF SERIES AND PARALLEL CIRCUITS re SEARCH
Diodes
Diodes are another type
of solid-state component
widely used in
microchips and other
circuits. Find out more
about diodes and how
they function.
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Summarize your research
in a poster.
Figure 2.28 A typical home has many parallel circuits.
House Wiring
Household wiring is one of many applications that use parallel circuits.
You wouldn’t want the power to your refrigerator to go off if a bulb burnt
out, would you? This could happen if you wired your lights and wall
Figure 2.29 A combination
sockets in series instead of in parallel. However, as you read earlier, you circuit. The switch in this
must use a series circuit for switches. A switch in one branch of a parallel circuit can turn all the bulbs
circuit controls only the devices in that branch. But a switch in series on or off.
with all the branches controls all of them. It is an important safety feature
to have switches wired in series because it is sometimes necessary to turn
off the electricity in part or all of a home.
Microcircuits
Conventional switches are practical and convenient for a home. But for
the tiny circuits in advanced electronics applications, transistors
must be used instead. Transistors are often referred to as solid-
state components because they are made of a solid material with
no moving parts. Most transistors are constructed with three
layers of specially treated silicon. These layers are arranged so
that a small voltage through the middle layer controls a current
between the outer layers. In this way, transistors can act as
switches.
Microcircuits (also called integrated circuits) are made
up of microscopic transistors and resistors. A microcircuit is
exactly what its name suggests: a circuit on an extremely
small scale. The latest microcircuits contain more than a
million components in a square centimetre!
Figure 2.30 A microcircuit is often called a “chip” or “microchip.”

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What are the two types of electrical circuits? Draw a diagram of each
type. Use the same components in each diagram.
2. What is a schematic? Illustrate the schematic symbols for a lamp, switch,
rheostat, motor, fuse, and ammeter.
3. What is the difference between a cell and a battery in a schematic diagram?
4. How does resistance change as you add bulbs to a series circuit? Explain
your answer.
5. What happens to all the bulbs in a parallel circuit when one bulb burns
out? Explain your answer.

6. Is the wiring in a home likely to have series or parallel circuits? Explain
your answer.
7. Examine circuits A and B in Figure 2.31.
A
a) In which circuit will the bulbs not light up when the switches are
closed?
b) What can be done to correct the problem?
B 8. What are the differences between the circuits you find in your house and
the circuits on a microchip in a computer?
Figure 2.31 Circuits for
9. Why are motors, lamps, and other resistors considered “loads” in
question 7
electrical circuits?

10. You have been asked to design a toy that looks like a dancing chicken.
The toy must have an on/off switch and a motor that operates whenever a
light shines on the toy. Draw a schematic for the toy.
11. The circuit in Figure 2.32 has four bulbs (A–D) and four switches (1–4).
Use Figure 2.32 to answer the following questions:
a) Which switch(es) should be closed to light bulbs A and D only? Explain.
b) Which switch(es) should be closed to light bulb A only? Explain.
c) Which switch(es) should be closed to light bulbs B and C only? Explain.
d) How would you operate this circuit so that you could turn all the lights
on and off with a single switch?
e) Is it possible to operate bulbs B and C independently of each other?
Explain. If not, suggest a change to the circuit that would make this
possible.
4
1 2 3
Figure 2.32 Circuit
for question 11 B
A D
C

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Three quantities can be used to describe the flow of electricity in a
circuit. Name each quantity, the unit of measurement, and the device
used to measure it.
2. A student measures the current in a circuit as 0.50 A. The circuit has
two resistors connected in series: one is 110 Ω and the other is 130 Ω.
What is the voltage in the circuit?
3. A firetruck has a searchlight with a resistance of 60 Ω which is placed
across a 24-V battery. What is the current in this circuit?
4. A table lamp draws a current of 200 mA when it is connected to a
120-V source. What is the resistance of the table lamp?

5. You are given an unmarked resistor of unknown value. You have a
selection of electronics equipment, including connecting wires, cells,
and meters. Describe how you would determine the approximate
value of the resistor.
6. Draw a circuit schematic that contains two motors and a lamp, all
connected in parallel. Include two switches in this schematic: one to
operate the lamp and one to control the whole circuit.

7. Explain how the person drinking a milkshake through a straw in
Figure 2.33 could be used as a model for electrical current in a
resistor.
8. You find an old string of decorative lights in your grandparents’ attic.
The wiring appears safe, so you buy new bulbs for the string and
Figure 2.33 Question 7:
screw them in. But none of them work when you plug in the string. Drinking a milkshake
Explain the likely cause of this problem. through a straw
9. Draw a circuit schematic for a battery-operated, variable-speed electric
fan. What makes it possible to vary the speed of the fan?

On
The products of technology are devices, systems, and processes that meet
given needs and wants. For example, conductors, insulators, and resistors in
your home control electricity used in lights, appliances, and other devices.
1. Describe two devices or systems you read about in this section.
2. What needs or wants were these devices designed to meet?
3. Name other devices or systems that meet these same needs. Why do you
think different devices and systems are developed to meet the same
needs?

3.0 Devices and systems convert
energy with varying efficiencies.
Key Concepts
about the following key concepts:
• forms of energy
• energy transformation
• generation of electrical energy
• measures and units of electrical
energy
Learning Outcomes
• identify, describe, and interpret
examples of mechanical,
chemical, thermal, and electrical
energy
• describe evidence of energy
transfer and transformation
• identify forms of energy inputs
and outputs
• apply appropriate units,
measures, and devices in
determining and describing
quantities of electrical energy
• construct, use, and evaluate
devices for transforming
mechanical energy to electrical
energy and electrical energy to Energy is all around us in many different forms—light from lamps,
mechanical energy sound from stereos, heat from furnaces and stoves. Yet we rarely think
• evaluate modifications to about how much energy we use in a day. It has been estimated that it
electrical devices would take 2800 hours of strenuous manual labour to produce as much
• apply the concepts of energy as a typical Canadian uses daily. You would need a team of 350
conservation of energy and people working for eight hours straight to supply the energy for just one
efficiency to the analysis of person.
energy devices
In this section, you will learn about four common forms of energy—
• compare energy inputs and
chemical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal—and how they can be
outputs of a device, and
calculate its efficiency
transformed into other forms. This will help you understand and
• describe techniques for reducing measure energy inputs and outputs, and calculate the efficiency of
energy waste in common devices and systems. You will also use this knowledge when you
household devices consider ways to reduce energy wasted by household devices.

info BIT
3.1 Energy Forms and Transformations
The Joule
Englishman James Joule

(1818-1889) contributed
greatly to our
understanding of energy
by proving that both
Figure 3.1 Energy transformations make this work possible.
mechanical work and
electricity can produce
When we are exhausted we might say that we don’t have the energy to do heat and vice versa. In
any more work—we know that work requires energy. In fact, the scientific recognition of the
definition of energy is the ability to do work. importance of his
In Figure 3.1, several kinds of energy are being used to do work. The research, scientists
lawnmower’s motor is using electrical energy to spin the cutting blade, named the unit of energy
but the lawnmower will not move forward unless it is pushed. Chemical the joule (symbol J).
reactions in the muscles of the person pushing the lawnmower provide
the energy to move it across the lawn. The chemical energy from her
muscles is converted into the motion or mechanical energy of the
lawnmower. Chemical energy is also converted to thermal energy as her
muscles strain to push the lawnmower.
The photo shows examples of four common forms of energy and the
transformations that occur between them. The following chart can help
you understand these different forms of energy.
FOUR COMMON FORMS OF ENERGY
Energy Form Description
Chemical Energy The energy stored in chemicals. This is a form of potential or stored energy. This
energy is released when chemicals react.
Electrical Energy The energy of charged particles. Electrons are negatively charged. Electrical energy
is transferred when electrons travel from place to place.
Mechanical Energy The energy possessed by an object because of its motion or its potential to move.
A thrown baseball has mechanical energy because of its movement and its potential
to fall.
The total kinetic energy of all the particles in a substance. The faster a particle
Thermal Energy
moves, the more kinetic energy it has. Compare two cups holding equal amounts of
water: the one containing more thermal energy will feel warmer.
Devices and Systems Convert Energy with Varying Efficiencies 319

G I V E I T A TRY
GOING SHOPPING
Examine the photo of the shopper in Figure 3.2, and
answer the following questions:
• The shopper is using his muscles to push the grocery
cart. What energy transformation is involved?
• Thermal energy is constantly produced by chemical
reactions in our bodies. What transformation or transfer
takes place when we are in an environment that is
cooler than our bodies?
• The wheelchair is powered by a battery. What energy
transformation takes place in the wheelchair?
• What form of energy does the wheelchair have when it
is rolling?
• Suppose the battery fails and the wheelchair must be Figure 3.2 Every activity involves energy transformations.
pushed by hand. What energy transformation would

take place?
CHEMICAL ENERGY
You have probably felt weak and tired when you have gone for long
periods without a meal. This results from a lack of energy-producing
molecules in your bloodstream and cells. Chemical energy is the energy
that is found in chemicals, including food. A common molecule used for
the production of energy in humans is glucose, a type of sugar (Figure
3.3). Your cells use glucose molecules and a series of chemical reactions to
produce thermal energy to keep you warm and mechanical energy so that
you can move.
Figure 3.3 Glucose molecules are used in the production of energy for your body.

Chemical energy can be transformed to other forms of energy as well.
For example, when you use a battery-operated CD player, you are
transforming chemical energy into other forms. Recall from earlier lessons
that a dry cell contains chemicals that react to produce electrical energy.
The CD player transforms this electrical energy into mechanical and
sound energy.
Another example of a transformation involving chemical energy is the
use of explosives to demolish large buildings. These buildings must be
brought down quickly to save money and time, but they must also be
brought down safely. Carefully placed and well-timed dynamite
explosions are often the best choice for the task. The chemical energy in
the dynamite is rapidly released to provide the mechanical energy that
demolishes the building.
Figure 3.4 Part of the mechanical energy in a building demolition is transformed from the chemical
energy of explosives. Much of the energy in the demolition comes from the gravitational potential
energy of the building itself. The collapse of the support columns triggers the release of this energy.
TRANSFORMATIONS INVOLVING CHEMICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENERGY

You can use various devices to transform electricity into other forms of
energy. Depending on the electrical device, electricity can be transformed
into any form of energy you require, such as heat, light, sound, or
movement (mechanical energy).
Examples of Devices That Convert Energy from One Form to Another

Input Energy Device Output Energy
electrical toaster thermal
chemical flashlight electrical, then light and

thermal
electrical blender mechanical
chemical battery-operated clock electrical, mechanical,

sound

ACTIVITY D-6
Problem T R A N S F O R M I N G H E AT INTO ELECTRICITY

There are locations where it is impossible or inconvenient to measure temperature with an
ordinary thermometer; for example, inside a car engine or a baker’s oven. One way to
keep track of temperatures in such locations is to convert some of the heat into electricity
and then use that electricity to gauge the temperature.
• thermocouple The Problem
• beaker You have been asked to design a method of monitoring the temperature inside a kiln in a
• Bunsen burner pottery studio. The potter has built a kiln but needs a way of measuring the temperature
• heat resistant tongs or pliers inside to ensure that the pottery is fired properly. You will be testing a thermocouple, a
• ice water simple device that can convert heat to electricity.
• millivoltmeter Criteria for Success
• You must produce a sketch to show how you could use a thermocouple to measure the
temperature inside a very hot, closed environment, such as a kiln.
• You must prove that your thermocouple device is capable of converting heat into
electricity and that it will work at high temperatures.
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Discuss how to convert electricity produced by a thermocouple into a display of
temperature. Keep in mind that the system should be convenient to use and read.
Test and Evaluate

Steps 2 to 7 can be done as a teacher demonstration.
2 Use wires to connect the ends of the thermocouple to the voltmeter.
3 Light the Bunsen burner and rotate the barrel to obtain a blue flame.
4 Hold the end of the thermocouple in the beaker of ice water. Observe and record the
reading on the voltmeter.
5 Using tongs, hold the very tip of the thermocouple still in the bottom of the flame.
Observe and record the reading on the voltmeter.
6 Return the thermocouple to the ice water, again recording any reading on the
voltmeter.
7 Repeat steps 4 to 6 at least three times. Each time hold the thermocouple in a
different part of the flame, such as middle, side, or top.
Figure 3.5 Two types of
thermocouples
Communicate
8 What is the relationship between the voltage produced by the thermocouple, its
Caution! position in the flame, and temperature?
Be very careful 9 Why do you think the device used to produce electricity in this activity is called a
when working with “thermocouple”?
open flames. 10 Do your results indicate that the thermocouple will be appropriate for your design for
measuring the temperature in a kiln? Explain.

TRANSFORMATIONS BETWEEN THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL ENERGY re SEARCH
A thermocouple is a device that can convert thermal energy to electrical
energy. It consists of two different metals joined together that conduct Ocean Thermal Energy
heat at slightly different rates. When the metals are heated, this difference Conversion (OTEC)
Scientists are researching
in conduction results in electricity flowing from one metal to the other.
ways to use the ocean’s
The temperature affects the amount of electricity produced, so you can
natural thermal
use a thermocouple as a thermometer.
differences to generate
Thermocouples are very useful for measuring temperatures in areas electricity. The
that are difficult to access or that are too hot for a liquid-filled glass temperature difference
thermometer. For example, some Alberta farmers hang thermocouple between the warm
cables in their grain bins. The amount of electricity the cable produces surface and cold depths
indicates whether the grain is getting too hot. This can happen if the grain can be 20˚C or more. This
is too moist. difference can be used to
Devices such as heaters and ovens do the exact opposite of a make electricity through
thermocouple. They convert electrical energy into thermal energy. Think ocean thermal energy
of the heating element in the oven. The energy of the electrical charges is conversion (OTEC). Find
transferred to the atoms of the metal that the charges flow through. The out how OTEC works. Use
labelled diagrams and
metal heats up and warms the oven. Changes in thermal energy can be
flowcharts to summarize
measured by keeping track of the temperature of the substance.
your research. Begin your
www.pearsoned.ca/
CHECK AND REFLECT scienceinaction.
Key Concept Review

1. What is energy?
2. What energy transformations take place in each of the following
devices?
• electric kettle
• battery-operated toy car
• electric blanket
• cordless telephone
3. What does a thermocouple do?
4. What is thermal energy?
5. What is the difference between mechanical and chemical energy?

6. a) What form of energy is found in sugar?
b) How is that energy used in your body?
7. A model rocket uses a flammable fuel to power its flight into the air.
What energy transformation takes place in the rocket?
8. In what way is an electric oven the opposite of a thermocouple?

9. Why is a thermocouple a good device for indicating the temperature
in a car engine?

3.2 Energy Transformations Involving Electrical
and Mechanical Energy
Motors have a place in many of the electrical devices that we use every
day. The beginnings of this important energy converter—the motor—can
be traced back to the early 1800s. In 1820, Danish scientist Hans Christian
Oersted conducted a famous demonstration in which he deflected a
Figure 3.6 Hans Christian compass needle with a current-carrying wire. A compass needle is
Oersted magnetic. If a nearby electrical current affects it, there must be some
relationship between electricity and magnetism. Oersted had discovered
that current flowing through a wire creates a magnetic field around the
wire.
info BIT
Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuum cleaners work
with the help of an
electric motor. The motor
has a fan attached. When
it spins, the blades of the
fan force air out, which
creates suction inside the
vacuum cleaner. Air from
the room forces its way
into the vacuum, carrying Figure 3.7 Electricity flowing through the wire causes the compass needle to deflect.
dirt with it.
Eleven years later, Michael Faraday constructed a device that used
electromagnetic forces to move an object. The design was crude and
produced little power, but it proved that electricity could produce
continuous motion. In Faraday’s device, a hanging wire circled around a
fixed magnet. A pool of mercury maintained the connection to the moving
wire. We now know that mercury is highly toxic, so an open container of
mercury would never be used today. Faraday also made a device in which
a magnet rotated around a fixed wire. Faraday’s devices led to the
development of the electric motors that we use.
support arm
(conducts current) rotating wire
battery mercury
magnet
Figure 3.8 Faraday’s

device

ELECTRIC MOTORS
Early experimenters found that they could make a strong electromagnet by
winding current-carrying wire into a coil (usually around an iron core).
They also found that an electromagnet will move to line up with the
magnetic field from a nearby permanent magnet. This is the same way that
two permanent magnets attract each other.
How do you keep an electromagnet spinning in a magnetic field? The
trick is to switch the direction that the current travels through the coil just
as it aligns with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. Reversing
the current reverses the polarity (the north and sounds ends) of the
electromagnet. It will then continue turning in order to align the opposite
way. Changing the polarity of the electromagnet every half turn causes the
electromagnet to be continuously pushed and pulled by the permanent
magnet.
Many electric motors use a commutator and brushes to reverse the Figure 3.9 An electromagnet
flow of electricity through the electromagnetic coil. The commutator is a is made by winding a
current-carrying wire around
split ring that breaks the flow of electricity for a moment and then
a metal core.
reverses the connection of the coil (see Figure 3.10(a)). When the contact
is broken, so is the magnetic force. But the armature continues to spin
because of its momentum. (The armature is the rotating shaft with the coil
wrapped around it.) As a result of the spinning, the commutator
reconnects with the brushes. The magnetic force on the coil keeps it
spinning continuously (Figure 3.10(b)). The brushes are usually bars of
carbon pushed against the metal commutator by springs. They make
electrical contact with the moving commutator by “brushing” against it.
Figure 3.10(a) Current flowing through

the wire coil creates a magnetic field
around the wire. This interacts with the
permanent magnets, making the coil spin.
magnet wire coil
brush
commutator
Figure 3.10(b) As the coil spins, the commutator

changes position so that its other half contacts
the other brush. This reverses the current flow at
just the right time. The magnetic force is directed
on the coil to keep it spinning.
armature

ACTIVITY D-7
Problem GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING

A toy manufacturer has developed a motor-building kit. Before they can market it, they
need to know if their kit is suitable for both beginners and more advanced hobbyists.

• 1.5-V D-cell
• 1 m of thin enamel-coated wire
(22-28 gauge)
• paper clips
• tape
• sandpaper
• empty film canister
• circular magnet
Figure 3.11 Building a simple motor
The Problem
The toy manufacturer would like you to test the kit. They would also like you to write
instructions for users on how to alter the motor so that it will spin at different speeds and
in the opposite direction. The manufacturer has encouraged you to design your own
motor, if you wish, and write building instructions for it.

• Build a functioning electric motor with simple materials. Do your best to complete as
many of the following tasks as you can. Each level is more difficult as you go from
level 1 to level 5.
❍ Level 1: your motor shows movement
❍ Level 2: your motor can turn a half-turn to a full-turn
❍ Level 3: your motor can spin continuously
❍ Level 4: your motor can be adjusted to spin at different speeds
❍ Level 5: your motor can spin in different directions
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Before you begin, read Toolbox 3 about the problem solving process.
2 Make a sketch of what your motor will look like when it is completed. Show it to your
teacher for approval.
3 Consider the materials you have to work with. You have to build a working model that
must be easy to adjust.

Build a Prototype
4 Assemble the materials you need and construct your motor. If you wish, you may
instead build the toy manufacturer’s motor design by following steps 5 through 8.
5 Use the film canister to wrap the length of wire into a coil. Leave 5 to 6 cm of wire
free at each end of the coil. To keep your wire coil from unwinding, wrap the free
ends around the coil a few times, as shown in Figure 3.12(a).
6 Use sandpaper to remove the enamel coating from one end of the wire. Then hold the
coil on edge and sand off the enamel coating from only the bottom half of the other
end of the wire. Figure 3.12(b) shows the wire’s ends. When you are done, your wire
coil should look like the one in Figure 3.10(a). This is your motor’s armature.
Figure 3.12(a) The motor’s armature (b) The finished ends of the wire
7 Bend two paper clips so that they can support the wire coil and be attached to the
ends of the D-cell. Use tape to hold the bent paper clips in contact with the metal
ends of the cell, as shown in Figure 3.11. Attach the circular magnet to the D-cell as
shown in Figure 3.11.
8 Place the coil so that it rests on the clips. Give the coil a small push to see if it will
spin. Adjust these components to minimize friction and get the loop spinning as
smoothly as possible.
Test and Evaluate

9 When your motor is complete, test it to see if it meets some or all of the criteria for
success listed on the previous page. Make adjustments as necessary. Record what
you have done and the adjustments you have made.
Communicate
10 Explain why the coil of wire in your motor spins.
11 Did your coil spin better in one direction than another? Explain why it did or did not.
12 Suggest two ways that you could change the design of your motor to make it
function better. Make these changes and test your motor again.
13 Have your classmates examine and test your motor. Examine the motors of your
classmates and suggest modifications that could improve their designs. If someone
suggests a design improvement for your motor, test the suggestion.
14 Write clear instructions on how to build a motor like yours. Include advice on how to
make adjustments like the ones you made. Use diagrams wherever they would be
helpful. To see if your instructions are easy to follow, have another student or group
read them. Revise your instructions as necessary to make them clearer.

THE STEERING ANALOGY
The commutator’s role in helping the armature to spin continuously
can be hard to understand. Imagine trying to turn a steering wheel.
You put both hands on the wheel and turn. Can you keep turning
without letting go? You can’t because your hands must release and
return to their starting position in order to keep turning the wheel.
If you could not let go, you could only turn the wheel one-half
turn, then you’d be stuck. The same problem occurs with the motor.
Figure 3.13 Turning a steering wheel Without the split-ring commutator, the armature would turn only
is similar to the turning of the one-half turn, then it would stop, locked into place by magnetic
armature in a motor. attraction.
Q U I C K LAB
S T. L O U I S M O T O R
A St. Louis motor is designed to show how an electric motor works. Materials & Equipment
• St. Louis motor
Purpose
To identify the parts of a St. Louis motor and examine its operation
Procedure
1 Draw a diagram of the motor, identifying all the parts: wire coil, brushes,
commutator, magnets, and armature.
2 Use connecting wires and a battery to supply electricity to your motor. Start
the motor by giving it a spin. Turn off the lights in the room and observe the
commutator closely.
3 Alter the position of the magnets in the motor to move them closer, then
farther away from the armature. Carefully observe the armature.
Questions
4 Explain what you observed in step 2.
5 Explain what you observed in step 3.
DIRECT AND ALTERNATING CURRENT

Some motors run on direct current (DC). It’s called “direct” current
because the electricity flows in only one direction. Many devices such as
mp3 players, computers, cell phones, and calculators also use DC. The
electricity in your household circuits is alternating current (AC). It’s
called “alternating” because it flows back and forth 60 times per second.
Plug-in devices that require DC come with their own power supplies. The
power supply converts the power company’s 120-V AC to DC and
supplies the voltage that the device requires.

Transformers re SEARCH
Power companies generate AC because, with AC, they can use
transformers to change the amount of voltage with hardly any energy loss. A Wind-up Radio
Voltage change is necessary because the most efficient way to transmit This radio runs on muscle
current over long distances is at high voltage. Some transmission lines power. The crank winds a
carry current at 500 000 V. These high voltages must be reduced before spring. As the spring
the current can be used in your home. unwinds, it turns a small
Figure 3.14 shows how this is done. The current-carrying wire is generator that produces
wrapped around one side of an iron ring called a core. This is the primary electricity to run the
coil. A secondary coil is wrapped around the other side of the core. The radio. Find out why
engineers thought it
AC current flowing through the primary coil creates an alternating
would be impossible to
magnetic field. This induces a current in the secondary coil. If the number
build a wind-up radio.
of loops in the two coils is different, the voltage is transformed down
Prepare a report about
(Figure 3.14(a)) or up (Figure 3.14(b)). the radio and include a
primary coil diagram to show how it
high voltage low voltage works. Explain how this
invention is helping
people in developing
alternating countries. Begin your
current source
www.pearsoned.ca/
secondary coil scienceinaction.
iron core
Figure 3.14(a) A step-down transformer reduces voltage.
low voltage high voltage
alternating
current source
primary coil Spring-powered radio

iron core secondary coil
Figure 3.14(b) A step-up transformer increases voltage.
GENERATING ELECTRICITY
In 1831, Michael Faraday made one of the most significant electrical
discoveries: electromagnetic induction. He demonstrated that electrical
current could be generated by moving a conducting wire through a
magnetic field. Faraday moved a magnet back and forth inside a coil of
wire that was connected to a meter that could detect small electric
currents. His discovery changed the world by introducing a way to
generate a steady supply of large amounts of electricity.
The hand-held generator in Figure 3.15 moves a coil of wire past
permanent magnets. As long as you keep turning, electricity will be
produced. The faster you turn, the more current is generated. The same
principle of electromagnetic induction is used in large-scale power plants.
Massive coils of wire rotating in huge generators produce enough
electricity to power whole cities. Such generators provide the electricity Figure 3.15 Both generators have
we use every day. coils that rotate in a magnetic field.

ACTIVITY D-8 GENERATING
Experiment on your own ELECTRICITY
Before You Start

You know that electricity can be transformed into
mechanical energy by a motor. The reverse is also true.
Transforming mechanical energy into electrical energy can
be done with a generator. The generator consists of a
rotating coil, magnets, and a device to create the turning
motion. For example, the turning motion from a wind
turbine or water wheel can turn the coil. The turning of the
coil through a magnetic field creates, or induces, a voltage.
This voltage can be measured with a voltmeter. In this
experiment, you will build and modify a generator to
induce the highest possible voltage.
The Question
How can mechanical energy be converted to electrical
energy?

1 In your group, brainstorm the materials and
equipment you will need to build your generator. Figure 3.16 Building a generator
2 List any safety concerns that you need to consider.

3 Develop a plan to build your generator. Show your 9 Compare your results with those of your classmates.
plan to your teacher for approval. Were your results similar? If there were differences,
4 Build your generator. explain them.
5 Test your generator to see if it can produce a voltage. 10 Compare your experimental procedure with your
You may want to read Toolbox 3 on problem solving to classmates’ procedures. Identify some strengths and
help you improve your design. Remember you will weaknesses of the different ways of collecting and
probably need to make several modifications to your displaying data.
design before it works. 11 Are there any questions or problems that came up
6 Once your generator is working, create a hypothesis during your experiment that would take more
about the effect of modifying your generator to create investigation to answer? Outline how you would
a higher voltage. design an experiment to look into these questions or
7 Modify your generator. problems.
8 Compare your results with your hypothesis. Was your

hypothesis correct? If not, how would you explain
your experimental results?

GENERATING DC AND AC
A DC generator is structurally the same as a DC motor like the one in
Figure 3.10—the spinning armature produces electricity. If you run
electricity through a DC generator, it will spin like a motor.
An AC generator is slightly different. The central axle of an AC
generator has a loop of wire that is attached to two slip rings. Recall that
when a wire moves in a magnetic field, current is
generated in the wire. Examine Figure 3.17 carefully. You
can see that as the axle and loop of wire turn, one side of magnet
the loop moves up, and the other side moves down
through the magnetic field. When the wire moves up
between the magnets, current flows one way in the wire.
But when the wire moves down, the current moves in slip
the other direction. This is how the current switches rings
back and forth in the wire with each complete turn of the
loop.
The slip rings attached to the wire loop ends conduct
the alternating current to the circuit through brushes.
brushes
The brush and slip ring arrangement allows the whole
loop to spin freely. In large AC generators, such as those Figure 3.17 The central axle of an AC generator has
in a power station, many loops of wire are wrapped a loop of wire that is attached to two slip rings.
around an iron axle-core.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 8. Suppose a classmate constructed an electric
1. What is meant by the term “polarity”? motor with a solid commutator. That is, the
commutator has no split. This solid
2. Use words and a drawing to describe how
commutator is in constant contact with the
to construct a simple electromagnet.
motor brushes. Would this motor design
3. Explain the function of the permanent work? Explain why or why not.
magnets in an electric motor.
4. Describe Faraday’s contributions to the
development of the motor and the 9. You are lost with a group of friends in the
generator. deep woods. You notice that the group
leader is determining direction with a
Connect Your Understanding compass that is taped to the top of his
5. A generator stores electric current. Explain flashlight. Explain why this is a concern.
why you agree or disagree with this 10. A motor and a generator are the same
statement. thing. Explain why you agree or disagree
6. How are electricity and magnetism related? with this statement.
7. The permanent magnets of a motor are
replaced with more powerful ones. What
effect do you think this would have on
motor rotation? Explain.

3.3 Measuring Energy Input and Output
We use energy in every aspect of our daily lives—driving to work or
school, heating our homes, preparing our food, watching television.
Sometimes, we can choose which kind of energy we will use. For
example, we could use electricity, gasoline, natural gas, propane, or
hydrogen to power a vehicle. But how do we know which is best? To
determine that, we need to measure the types and amounts of energy
going into and coming out of the devices we use.
POWER
Power is the rate at which a device converts energy. The unit of power is
the watt (W), named for the Scottish inventor and engineer, James Watt. A
watt is equal to one joule per second. The faster a device converts energy,
the greater its power rating.
Figure 3.18 Cars powered by For an electrical device, the power is the current multiplied by the
batteries (top) and hydrogen voltage. Mathematically, the relationship between power (P), current (I),
(bottom) and voltage (V) is P = I V (watts = amperes volts). Think of our model
using waterfalls. The power of a waterfall is equal to the amount of water
flowing times the difference in potential energy between the top of the
falls and the bottom. This is just like current flow times potential drop in
a circuit.
Example
info BIT A hair dryer has a power rating of 1000 W. It is plugged into a 120-V
outlet. What is the current flowing through the hair dryer?
Garbage In… Energy
Out! Steps to Solving the Problem Information and Solution
Some cities burn garbage
to generate electricity. 1. Identify known quantities. power (P) = 1000 W, voltage (V) = 120 V
Tokyo has a waste-to-
2. Identify the unknown quantity. current (I)
energy plant that burns
1800 t (tonnes) of 3. Use the correct formula. I = P/V
garbage a day to produce
4. Solve the problem. I = P/V = 1000 W/120 V
50 MW (megawatts) of
electrical power. I = 8.33 A
Most small appliances in your home

have a power rating of 1500 W or less. An
electric stove might have a power rating of
7000 W, while the rating for a calculator
could be only 0.4 mW.
Figure 3.19 You may be able to determine a product’s power

rating from its label.

ENERGY
You can use the power rating of a device to determine the amount of
energy the device uses. Recall that power is the rate at which a device
converts energy. You can find the amount of energy converted by multiplying
this rate by the length of time the device operates. The energy consumption
of an electrical device is its input power multiplied by the time the device is
used: E = P t. Recall that energy is measured in joules (watts seconds).
Example
A microwave oven has a power rating of 800 W. If you cook a roast in this
oven for 30 min at high, how many joules of electrical energy are
converted into heat by the microwave?
Steps to Solving the Problem Information and Solution
1. Identify known quantities. power (P) = 800 W , time (t) = 30 min
2. Identify the unknown quantity. energy (E)
3. Use the correct formula. E=Pt
4. Solve the problem. E = P t = 800 W 30 min

E = 800 J/s 30 min 60 s/min
E = 1 440 000 J = 1.4 MJ
Kilowatt Hours
It doesn’t take common electrical devices long to consume a large number
of joules. For this reason, the kilowatt hour is often used as a unit for
energy. The energy calculation is the same, except that hours are
substituted for seconds, and kilowatts (kW) are substituted for watts.
For the microwave oven in our example, the calculation would be
E = 0.8 kW 0.5 h = 0.4 kWh.
Figure 3.20 An energy bill
Electricity meters measure the energy used in kilowatt hours. The for a household shows the
electric company then bills you for every kilowatt hour used. This cost amount of electricity used in
can add up—a Canadian family’s energy bill can be over $100 a month. kilowatt hours.
S K I L L PRACTICE
POWER PRACTICE
Use a list from your teacher or use electrical devices at On some items, you may find voltage and current listed
home to look at power ratings. Be careful! Unplug an instead of power. In these cases, calculate the power
electrical device before you handle it. Look at items rating of the device.
such as light bulbs, curling irons, coffee makers, and
Estimate the amount of time that each device is used in
clock radios. Record as many ratings as you can in a
a month in your home or in a typical home, then
chart.
calculate the amount of energy it consumes.

ACTIVITY D-9
Problem CIRCUIT ASSESSMENT

You have been approached by a couple who have just purchased a small, old recreational
vehicle (RV). The RV has a few electrical components they would like to test. The couple
want a tutorial on how to measure voltage, current, and power in a circuit. When you ask
the couple whether the RV is wired in series or in parallel, they aren’t sure.
• cells or batteries The Problem
• cell holders Build model series and parallel circuits to show how to assess the following:
• motors
• voltage across each item in a circuit
• bulbs and holders
• current in each branch of a circuit
• switches
• power usage by each component
• voltmeters and ammeters, or Criteria for Success
multimeters • You must build an operating example of a series and a parallel circuit. Each circuit
should have three components in addition to a voltage source. You can reuse
components from one circuit when building the next.
• You must test all components in each circuit for voltage drops. You must also measure
the current in each circuit. Keep in mind that you must check each branch in the parallel
circuit. (Review section 1.2 for proper use of voltmeters and section 2.2 for proper use
of ammeters.) You must calculate the power used by all load components in each
circuit.
• You must report your results in tables and graphs that clearly illustrate the difference
between the two circuits you have analyzed. (See Toolbox 7 for information on graphing.)
Brainstorm Ideas
1 You will be working in teams. As a team, brainstorm possible approaches to solving
the problem and providing the required analysis. Once you have decided on the best
procedure, proceed to the next step.
Build a Prototype
2 Draw a schematic for the series and the parallel circuits you will build. Note on your
drawings where you will be connecting your voltmeter and ammeter. Make a rough
Figure 3.21 Materials you plan of the table(s) and graph(s) you will use to report your results and calculations.
could use to demonstrate Show your design to your teacher for approval.
circuit analysis
3 Assemble your materials and build your circuits.
Test and Evaluate

4 Test your circuits to ensure they are working. Then use meters to take the
measurements you have designated in your sketches. Record all voltage readings,
current readings, and power calculations, and present them in a table. Draw the
graph(s) to compare your results for the two circuits.
Communicate
5 How did the power used by the components in the two circuits compare? Can you
explain any differences?
6 Look at the circuits and results produced by classmates. Are their results similar to
yours? If they are different, can you explain why?
7 Suggest one improvement to your procedure.

Figure 3.22 Even a water system dissipates energy because of friction.
ENERGY DISSIPATION
Scientists have found that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy
info BIT
does not just appear or disappear—it can only be transformed from one
Heat from Lighting
form to another. This fundamental principle is known as the law of
The heat from lights is
conservation of energy. However, we usually find that the output energy
not always wasted.
of a device or system is smaller than the input energy, sometimes much During the winter, the
smaller. heat from lighting helps
Most often, the missing energy is lost or dissipated as heat. For keep buildings warm. In
example, when you heat a beaker of water on a hot plate, the hot plate fact, some office
transfers some heat to the surrounding air instead of to the water. The hot buildings with extra
plate also radiates heat to any other objects nearby, including you. All insulation and specially
heating devices lose some heat to their surroundings. designed ventilation
Mechanical systems also dissipate energy to their surroundings. systems can capture
However, their heat losses may be less obvious than those in heating enough heat from
devices. Suppose you were using an electric motor to pump water from a lighting that they don’t
need furnaces.
well or river to irrigate a crop. You might find that the motor used 100 kJ
of electrical energy for every 75 kJ of work done raising water up to the
field. The other 25 kJ of energy is “missing.”
Let’s examine your pumping system. You can hear it running, so a bit
of mechanical energy is being dissipated as sound. If the motor has been
running for a while, it will be warm, perhaps even too hot to touch
comfortably. Current flowing through the wires in a motor always
produces some heat, and the friction between the moving parts generates
heat as well. There is also friction between the moving parts in the pump
and between the water and the walls of the pipe. The heat generated by
this friction warms the water and pipe slightly, then dissipates into the
surroundings. All of the “missing” input energy has been transformed into
energy you cannot use.
In fact, all mechanical systems dissipate some energy, so their usable
output energy is always less than their input energy.

UNDERSTANDING EFFICIENCY
The efficiency of a device is the ratio of the useful energy that comes out
of a device to the total energy that went in. The more input energy that a
device converts into useable output energy, the more efficient the device
is. Efficiency is usually calculated as a percent:
joules of useful output

percent efficiency = 100
joules of input energy
For example, let’s look at the input and output energies of an ordinary
incandescent light bulb, as shown in Figure 3.23. The percent efficiency
of an incandescent light bulb is 5 J/100 J 100 = 5. In other words, only
5% of the energy used by the bulb becomes light energy. Light bulbs
transform the remaining 95% of their input energy into heat, which is
often wasted. This heat is put to use in toy ovens where a single light bulb
is used to bake a small cake.
5 J light energy
100 J electric energy 95 J heat
Figure 3.23 Most of the energy transformed by a light bulb is wasted.
S K I L L PRACTICE
COMPARING INPUT AND OUTPUT ENERGIES

This table lists energy measurements from experiments on energy-converting devices.
For each device, calculate the percent of its input energy that it converts to useful output
energy. Which device is the most efficient? Which is the least efficient? What do you
think causes the difference between the most and the least efficient?
Device Input Energy Useful Output Energy

Gasoline-powered sport 675 kJ 81 kJ
utility vehicle
Gasoline-electric hybrid 675 kJ 195 kJ
vehicle
Mid-efficiency natural-gas 110 MJ 85 MJ
furnace
Electric baseboard heater 9.5 kJ 9.5 kJ
Alkaline dry cell 84.52 kJ 74.38 kJ
Fluorescent light 12.5 kJ 2.75 kJ
Incandescent light 780 J 31 J

ACTIVITY D-10
Problem KETTLE EFFICIENCY

In the world of advertising, products are promoted in a variety of ways to convince
consumers to buy them. Sometimes claims that products can do certain things may seem
false or exaggerated. A manufacturer can claim that its product is very efficient, but how
can you be sure that their claim is true?
• electric kettle The Problem
• timer
A consumer-product magazine wishes to determine if the efficiency claims for a particular
• thermometer
electric kettle are true. You have been hired by the editor of the magazine to test the
• 500-mL beaker
efficiency of the kettle.

• Design a procedure that will measure the amount of electrical energy consumed by the
kettle while heating water (energy input).
• Design a procedure that will measure the amount of energy gained by the water (energy
output).
Note: The amount of energy gained by water can be calculated using the following
formula. For water, 1 mL = 1 g.
E = mass of water in grams 4.19 change in temperature in °C = energy in joules
• Carry out your procedure and calculate the efficiency of the electric kettle.
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Write out the steps of a procedure and calculations you will perform that will allow you
to successfully determine the efficiency of the kettle. (Hint: Do not allow the kettle to
boil the water—it is very difficult to measure the heat gained by steam that has
escaped.)
2 Have your procedure approved by the teacher.
Test and Evaluate

3 Conduct your procedure.
Figure 3.24 Determining the
efficiency of an electric kettle 4 Record all the data you have collected and use it to calculate the efficiency of the
kettle.
5 If your teacher has supplied other water-heating devices (such as a coffee maker or
Caution! hot plate), use your procedure to calculate the efficiency of these devices as well.
Hot water and 6 List possible sources of error in your measurements. Estimate how accurate your
steam can burn. calculations are.
Communicate
7 Report your efficiency results for the kettle (and any other devices you tested).
Compare your results with those obtained by others in the class.
8 Would you make any changes to your procedure to increase the reliability of your
results? Explain your answer.
9 Could your procedure be safely altered to determine the efficiency of other heating
devices not meant for heating water, such as a blow dryer? Explain.

COMPARING EFFICIENCIES
By comparing efficiencies of devices, we can judge both their energy cost
and their environmental impact. For example, fluorescent lights are about
four times more efficient than incandescent lights. Although fluorescent
tubes also produce more heat than light, they transform about 20% of
their input energy into light. Thus, they require much less energy to
produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs.
Arc-discharge lamps are even more efficient. they produce light by
passing an electric arc through a vapour of a metal such as mercury or
sodium. Most cities use these high-efficiency lamps for streetlights.
Figure 3.25 In a fluorescent New technologies are also improving the efficiency of motor vehicles.
tube, an arc through mercury Hybrid gasoline-electric cars can be twice as efficient as gasoline-powered
vapour produces ultraviolet
vehicles. The hybrid uses a smaller gasoline engine and an electric motor
(UV) light. The tube’s
fluorescent coating absorbs
that provides extra power when needed. Sometimes the electric motor
the UV light and re-emits it powers the car by itself. It even operates as a generator when the car is
as visible light. slowing down, producing electricity to recharge the batteries.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is the difference between energy and power?
re SEARCH
2. What energy conversions take place in an electric motor?
Halogen Lamps 3. What is the law of conservation of energy?
Halogen lamps produce
4. A vehicle is only 15% efficient. What happened to the other 85%?
about 50% more light
than ordinary 5. Compare the energy efficiency of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.
incandescent bulbs
using the same amount Connect Your Understanding
of power. Find out more 6. You bake a potato in a 1200-W toaster oven for 25 min. How many
about halogen lamps. joules of electricity did the toaster oven use? How many kilowatt
What are their hours did it use?
advantages and
7. A colour TV draws 1.5 A when connected to a 120-V outlet. What is
disadvantages? Write a
the power rating of the TV set?
brief report providing
advice to buyers of 8. A diesel truck produces 47.5 kJ of useful output energy from 125 kJ of
these lamps. Begin your diesel fuel. What is the truck’s efficiency?
search at 9. A small tractor is 12% efficient at producing useful output from input
www.pearsoned.ca/
fuel. How many joules of input fuel energy will this tractor need to
scienceinaction.
produce 1000 J of useful output?

10. Explain the advantage of operating a motor vehicle that is 20%
efficient instead of one that is 10% efficient.
11. Two identical resistors connected in series use a total of 2 W of power.
How much power would these resistors use if they were connected in
parallel?

info BIT
3.4 Reducing the Energy Wasted by Devices
Overdrying
Millions of dollars of
energy are wasted each
year running clothes
dryers to heat clothes
that are already dry.
Overdrying does nothing
for your clothes.
Overdrying creates static
“cling” and contributes
to shrinking and fabric
damage. The solution?
Cut down on drying
time. Your clothes and
electric bill will look a lot
Figure 3.26 An energy-efficient washing machine is designed to wash more clothes with less water. better!
Having to do laundry is a real drag. Spending your afternoon washing,

drying, and folding laundry is bad enough, but how about paying too
much for it, too? Appliances such as washing machines and dryers are
designed for specific tasks and most perform them well. However,
appliance designers did not always consider energy consumption. The
washer in Figure 3.26 is a new design that uses much less energy than
traditional washers. The energy-efficient design uses less electricity,
washes more clothes per load, and uses less water. This reduces the
energy needed to pump and heat water for laundry.
Every bit of electrical energy that flows into your home costs money.
The energy that you use must be generated somewhere, and all generation
and transmission methods affect the environment in some way. Lower
energy demand means fewer power plants need to be built. This would
avoid greater impact on the environment and major construction costs.
These are good reasons to reduce energy consumption whenever possible.
G I V E I T A TRY
SHOPPING FOR APPLIANCES

All large appliances sold in Canada must have an EnerGuide label that clearly states
how much energy that appliance will use in a month of average use. This amount
might not accurately represent how you will use the machine. However, it does
allow you to compare the energy consumption of different brands and models.
Go to an appliance store and compare EnerGuide labels on electrical appliances

such as refrigerators and dishwashers. Find out which models and brands use the
most energy and which use the least.

LIMITS TO EFFICIENCY
Although it is possible for an electric heater to be 100% efficient in
converting electricity to heat, devices that convert electricity to other
forms of energy can never be 100% efficient. Any sort of movement
generates a certain amount of thermal energy that is not useful output.
Moving parts create friction within a system. Consider the many moving
parts and points of friction in a typical combustion engine. Figure 3.27
shows just a few. This friction is one cause of energy loss in these engines.
The largest energy losses result from hot exhaust and heat transferred to
the cooling system.
Electric motors, like the one in Figure 3.28, have few moving parts. In
some motors, the armature is the only moving part. Also, it is easy to put
bearings at each end of the armature shaft to minimize the friction
between the spinning shaft and the rest of the motor.
piston
cam shaft
cylinder
Figure 3.27 The pistons in a combustion engine move inside cylinders and create friction (indicated
in red) as they stroke back-and-forth. Many other moving components in the engine create friction.
Lubricants and component design can minimize the friction in these engines.
bearings
armature
Figure 3.28 An electric motor has few moving parts and much less friction than a
combustion engine.

ACTIVITY D-11
Decision W H AT C A N W E D O TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY?

Making The Issue
Our day-to-day lives involve the use of many energy-converting devices. In what ways can
you increase efficiency and reduce the amount of energy that you use?
Figure 3.29 These labels can help you choose energy-efficient devices.
Many energy choices are available to us in our daily lives. When choosing appliances,
vehicles, or heating systems, we can look for more energy-efficient designs. Older
equipment can be maintained, adjusted, modified, or replaced to increase efficiency. Don’t
forget to consider the energy it takes to make the changes you desire. For example,
replacing a complete computer system for a gain in efficiency of 1% may not save energy
because of the energy it takes to make a new computer.
1 Brainstorm a list of different ways you could increase the efficiency of the devices
that you use daily. Also consider your purchase options when choosing new devices.
2 Research the energy savings impact of the items on your list.

3 Choose the changes you would implement for maximum energy savings. Explain
your reasons for the choices you have made.
4 Present your findings and recommendations for changes in a report to your
classmates.
5 Compare your efficiency change recommendations with those of your classmates.
6 Are there any other changes you would recommend to Albertans as a group to
increase the efficiency of energy usage?

re SEARCH INCREASING EFFICIENCY
Increasing the efficiency of a device depends on its purpose. Many
Cooking Tips devices are made to convert electrical to mechanical energy, where the
You can considerably
worst energy waste “offender” is friction. The easiest way to increase
reduce the amount of
efficiency in these devices is to decrease friction as much as possible, for
energy wasted in the
kitchen by changing the example, by using improved bearings and lubricants.
way you use appliances. In devices where heat is produced, the major concern is heat loss from
Research energy use for the system. Heat that escapes is waste heat which is not performing its
food preparation, and task. Adding more insulation around the oven in a stove reduces the
make a poster of amount of heat escaping through the walls of the oven, so you will need
“cooking tips” that can less energy to keep the oven hot. Similarly, improving the insulation in
help reduce energy use the sides of the refrigerator reduces the amount of heat that transfers into
in the kitchen. Begin the fridge. You need less energy to keep the fridge cold.
at www.pearsoned.ca/ thinn
scienceinaction. fibeerglass th
hick
insuulation po
olystyrene
in
nsulation
Figure 3.30 In the last

low-efficciency
25 years, refrigerator efficiency compresssor
has increased approximately motor
higgh-efficiency
300%. The energy used to run co
ompressor
a mini-refrigerator in the 1970s motor
can run a full-size refrigerator
today. 1970s mini-refrigerator Today's full-size refrigerator
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Give two reasons for reducing energy waste.
2. What is the purpose of the EnerGuide label on appliances?
3. How can a more efficient appliance benefit the environment?
4. Why are electric motors more efficient than combustion engines?

5. What causes most energy loss in devices designed to produce
mechanical energy? What can be done to avoid it?
6. Is it always a good idea to discard low-efficiency devices? Explain
your answer.
7. Explain how you might change the design of a typical gasoline-
powered lawn mower to increase its efficiency.

8. An electric-assist bicycle has a rechargeable battery and electric motor
that can be used instead of pedalling. What type of design features and
maintenance suggestions would you recommend to keep an electric-
assist bicycle operating at peak efficiency?

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. You overhear someone say, “An electric heater does the opposite of a
thermocouple.” Is this an accurate statement? Explain your answer.
2. What is the function of the brushes in an electric motor?
3. What is the function of the permanent magnets in an electric motor?
4. What energy transformations take place in the following devices: a
dishwasher, a DVD player, a stereo speaker, and a hot-glue gun?

5. Two sisters own stereos. Joleen has a 40-W mini-system. Julianna has a
large 120-W system. Is it possible for Julianna’s system to use less
energy in a month than Joleen’s? Explain your answer.
6. A computer plugged into a 120-V outlet draws 3.0 A of current. How
much power is the computer using?
7. A chemical laser in a research laboratory can fire for 10 s with a power
of up to 10 MW. What is the maximum energy this laser would use
when it fires?
8. A 330-W hot plate produces 38 kJ of thermal energy while operating
for 2 min. What is the efficiency of this device?

9. You have designed and built an electric golf cart, but it goes only
halfway around the course before running out of power. Describe
modifications you could make to improve the range of your golf cart.
10. Your brother replaces the electric razor he purchased last year with a
new, more energy-efficient model in order to save on his power bill.
What does energy-efficient mean? Was this razor a wise purchase?

On
The goal of technology is to provide solutions to practical problems. One
of the practical problems with using electrical technologies is how to
improve efficiencies. Think about what you learned in this section.
1. Give two examples of practical problems related to efficiency that you
read about in this section.
2. How were technologies used to solve these problems?
3. What knowledge from a related scientific field would a scientist or
engineer need to develop these technologies?

4.0 The use of electrical energy affects
society and the environment.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• energy transformation
• generation of electrical energy
• energy storage
• renewable and nonrenewable
energy
Learning Outcomes
• identify and evaluate alternative
sources of electrical energy,
including oil, gas, coal,
biomass, wind, waves, and
batteries
• describe the by-products of
electrical generation and their
impacts on the environment
• identify example uses of
electrical technologies and
evaluate technologies in terms
of benefits and impacts The world has a huge appetite for electrical power, but how do we meet
• identify concerns regarding this growing demand? Technology is not a limitation in generating large
conservation of energy amounts of power or in getting it to where it is needed. A power-plant
resources generator like the one above can produce up to a million kilowatts of
• apply the concept of electrical power.
conservation of energy The total output of all the electrical generators in Canada is more
• evaluate means for improving than 100 million kilowatts. All the world’s power-generating facilities
the sustainability of energy use together produce about 3 billion kilowatts. Every second, enough
electrical energy is produced to light a 100-W bulb for 951 years. In this
section, you will learn more about the generation of electricity from
different energy sources. You will also learn about the impact that
electrical generation can have on the environment. You will consider
how to balance the benefits of using electricity with the need to conserve
energy resources.

info BIT
4.1 Electrical Energy Sources and Alternatives
Packed with Energy!
Worldwide, about 65% of all electric power is generated by burning oil, Coal contains a great
coal, or natural gas. These fuels are often called fossil fuels because they deal of stored energy.
formed from the decomposition of prehistoric plants and animals. Burning a single
Most of the fossil fuel used in power plants is coal. Coal is a kilogram of Alberta coal
reasonable choice in areas like Alberta that have large and easy-to- will produce about 27 MJ
excavate deposits. However, mining coal or tapping deposits of oil or of thermal energy. That’s
natural gas is only the first step toward generating electricity from enough to boil about a
fossil fuels. third of a bathtub full of
water.
USING HEAT TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY
How do we use coal to turn a generator? The coal is powdered, then
blown into a combustion chamber and burned to release heat, as shown in
Figure 4.1. The heat boils water and superheats the resulting steam to a
high temperature and pressure. This high-pressure steam drives a large
turbine. The turbine is a long shaft with many fan blades. Steam striking
the blades turns the turbine. The turbine shaft rotates large electromagnetic
coils in the generator to produce electricity. Oil or natural gas can be
burned in the combustion chamber instead of coal.
coal in
combustion cooling tower
chamber
condenser
water
exhaust steam
superheated steam
turbine generator transformer
Figure 4.1 Coal-fired generating plant
Burning fossil fuels is not the only way to provide heat for a steam-
powered generator. In Ontario, the United States, and parts of Europe,
nuclear reactors are used extensively to produce steam in power plants. In
a nuclear reactor, atoms of a heavy element, usually uranium, are split in
a chain reaction. This splitting, known as nuclear fission, releases an
enormous amount of energy.
The Use of Electrical Energy Affects Society and the Environment 345
Heat from Earth’s core can also be used to generate electricity. In
several places in the world, hot water and steam naturally come to the
surface after having been heated by hot rock within Earth’s crust. This is
called geothermal energy. The steam is channelled through pipes and
used to drive turbines. In some applications, water is injected back into
the ground to take full advantage of the hot geothermal energy source.
Another interesting source of fuel is biomass. Biomass could
accurately be described as garbage, but it’s a particular type of garbage.
Most cities and towns bury their biodegradable waste in landfills. When it
decomposes, it produces combustible gases that can be collected and used
Figure 4.2 Geothermal as fuel for steam-driven generators. Yard clippings, dead trees, unused
energy heats this hot spring. crops, and food-based garbage can also be burned to produce steam.
Some industrial processes, such as glass manufacturing, use very high
temperature furnaces. The waste heat from the manufacturing process can
be used to produce steam. This steam can then be used to drive a turbine
to generate electricity. Fuel is burned in the manufacturing process to
produce the heat in the first place, but no new fuel is needed to produce
the electricity. Making double use of energy in this way is called
cogeneration.
USING WATER POWER TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY

About 20% of the world’s electricity is generated by hydro-electric power
plants. These plants capture the energy of falling water. Some hydro-
electric plants, like the ones at Niagara Falls, use the flow from a
waterfall, but most use a dam built across a river to store water in a
reservoir. Water is directed through a channel called a penstock to a large
paddle-covered turbine. The rushing water spins the turbine, which is
connected to a generator in the same way as a steam-driven turbine.
generator
transformer
water flow
penstock
turbine
Figure 4.3 Hydro-electric plant

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES
Tides
Moving water from tides can also power turbines that run generators.
Tidal power stations operate rather simply. When the tide comes in, the
water is trapped in a reservoir and then let out past turbines. There are
not many tidal power stations in the world because of the difficulty of
finding suitable locations. One is located in Nova Scotia at the mouth of
the Annapolis River. It takes advantage of the large tides in the Bay of
Fundy. Waves can be used to generate electricity too. In one type of wave-
power generating station, the up-and-down movement of the water drives
a piston connected to a generator.
Wind Figure 4.4 Windmills used to

Wind energy can be harnessed to turn a shaft. For centuries, windmills generate electricity at Cowley,
used sails on the ends of shafts to provide power to grind grain and pump Alberta
water. Modern windmills use more efficient designs with propeller-
shaped blades. The amount of electricity a single windmill can generate is
limited, but a number of wind-powered generators can be connected
together in “wind farms” to produce larger amounts of electrical energy.
Sunlight
In 1839, French scientist Alexandre Edmond Becquerel soaked
two metal plates in an electricity-conducting solution. When
he exposed one of the plates to sunlight, he was able to detect
a small voltage. Becquerel had discovered the photovoltaic
effect and invented the first solar cell. Unfortunately, the
voltage from his invention was too small to be useful as a
source of power. In the 1950s, scientists began using silicon to
make solar cells. Silicon-based solar cells are much more
efficient at producing current. It is now common to find solar
modules (several cells connected together) and arrays (several
modules) used to power everything from calculators to Figure 4.5 The
spacecraft. International Space
Station uses 2500 m2
of solar cells to
generate its electricity.
sunlight
A Protective cover glass

A
B Antireflective coating to let light in and trap it
B
C C Metal contact grid to collect electrons for circuit
D D Silicon layer to release electrons
E
E Silicon layer to absorb electrons
F F Metal contact grid to collect electrons from circuit
e- Figure 4.6 A solar cell consists of several layers. At the heart of the cell are
two specially treated silicon layers that create current when in sunlight.
Batteries
Batteries are a convenient source of electricity for portable devices.
However, large banks of batteries are rarely used because they are
expensive and bulky. For example, an alkaline D-cell would light a 100-W
light bulb for about 15 min. You would need a room full of batteries to run
all the appliances in your house. Obviously, batteries are not practical for
lighting whole cities.
Rechargeable batteries are widely used to provide backup power for
emergency lights and computer systems. However, these batteries produce
electricity only after they have been charged using electricity from an
external source. Since rechargeable batteries are never 100% efficient, they
actually use more electricity than they produce.
Recently, much research has been done to develop fuel cells. A fuel
cell generates electricity directly from a chemical reaction with a fuel such
as hydrogen. The hydrogen comes from sources such as gasoline or
alcohol. More fuel is added as electricity is produced, so the cell is not
used up as an ordinary cell would be. Larger fuel cells can be used to
power electric vehicles. Smaller ones are being developed for use with
portable devices such as laptop computers.
G I V E I T A TRY
ENERGY NEWS
Now that you’ve learned a bit about Earth’s energy sources, it’s time to dig deeper. All
energy sources have advantages and disadvantages. Your task as a reporter is to find
out more about two energy sources, and compare them. Compare any two of the
following:
• wind • natural gas
• nuclear • fuel cells
• geothermal • coal SOLAR
WAVES
• waves • tidal WIND
FUEL CELLS
• solar • biomass
GEOTHERMAL
Use your library or the Internet to find out more. If possible, interview an expert. On NUCLEA
R
the Internet, begin your search at www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction. GAS
• Compare as many factors as possible. For example, you could consider availability, COAL
TIDAL
cost, sustainability, environmental impact, applications (what the source can be
used for), and safety.
• Prepare your findings in a report. In the spirit of “alternative” energy sources,

consider alternative methods for presenting your report. You might design a poster,
Web page, or a multi-media presentation. You could write an essay or make a
videotape.

ACTIVITY D-12
Problem HARNESS THE WIND

You have been contracted to design and build a windmill. It will be used in an exposed
area that is windy all the time, although the strength of the wind varies. There are low
winds lasting for several days but also periods of intense wind. Your client wants to use
these winds to generate electricity.
• a fan to test your windmill The Problem
• small electric motor with pulley
You must design a windmill that operates well in both low and high winds.
• galvanometer Criteria for Success
(or milli-ammeter)
You must build a working model that meets the following criteria:
• materials to build your model
• Your model must be free-standing, although it can be anchored to the surface it sits on
(for example, taped to a desk).
• The turning shaft of your windmill must be attached to the armature of a small electric
motor so that when the windmill shaft turns, the motor armature turns. Although not
specifically designed for the task, the electric motor will serve as a direct current
generator.
• Your windmill must produce a detectable current. This can be determined by connecting
the galvanometer to the leads of the generator (small motor).
• Your windmill must function in a stable manner when tested with a fan held at different
distances to mimic low and high winds. Your teacher may give you more detailed
criteria for testing with a specific fan.
Brainstorm Ideas
1 With your team, brainstorm possible solutions. Once you have several solutions,
choose the one you think will work the best to meet the criteria above. You may want
to read Toolbox 3 to help you with the problem-solving process.
Build a Prototype
2 Create a plan of how you will build your windmill. Include a diagram and a list of the
materials that you will need. Show your plan to your teacher for approval.
Figure 4.7 Designing a windmill
3 Assemble your materials and build your windmill. Remember that you may need to
modify or change your design as your windmill progresses. Make sure to note any
changes on the original design you submitted to your teacher.
Test and Evaluate

4 When you have built your windmill, test it to see if it meets the Criteria for Success.
Identify any practical problems with your device. You may need to make changes to
correct problems, and then repeat the tests.
Communicate
5 How well did your windmill function under varying wind conditions? If your windmill
functioned better under one wind condition, explain why.
6 Evaluate your design for the factors listed below. For each factor, describe how well
you think your device would work if it were built to full size.
a) reliability b) safety c) current generating efficiency
re SEARCH RENEWABLE AND NONRENEWABLE ENERGY
Fusion Alberta has substantial coal reserves, enough to last over two hundred
Fusion reactions occur in years at current rates of consumption. However, coal is a nonrenewable
the Sun and provide all the resource—it cannot be replaced as it is used up. Alberta’s other fossil fuel
energy for life on Earth. resources are also nonrenewable. Crude oil (petroleum), and natural gas
Scientists are investigating will eventually run out. When the supplies of these fossil fuels are gone,
the potential of fusion as they are gone forever.
a limitless, pollution-free In contrast, renewable resources can be renewed or replenished
source of energy. Find out naturally in relatively short periods of time. Some are continually
more about fusion. Make replenished. Wind energy, tidal energy, solar energy, geothermal energy,
a chart comparing fusion and biomass are resources that naturally renew themselves, so they can
with the nuclear energy last forever. If tree harvesting is managed carefully, replanting can ensure
we use today. Start your
that wood supplies for energy can last indefinitely. However, if wood is
used faster than trees can be grown, then the renewable resource cannot
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
meet energy needs indefinitely.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Describe the turbine’s role in an electric generator.
2. Is it correct to say that the majority of the world’s electrical demands
are met with hydro-electric generators? Explain why or why not.
3. What is the difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable
resource?
4. Look at Figure 4.6 on page 347. Describe how a solar cell produces
electricity.
5. What is cogeneration? Give one example.

6. How can a river be used to produce electricity?
7. What do nuclear power plants and coal-fired power plants have in
common?
8. What is biomass? How can it be used to create electricity?
9. Make a chart summarizing how tides, geothermal sources, sunlight, and
wind can be used to produce energy.

10. Why don’t power stations use batteries to generate electricity?
11. Residents of a remote community decide to use wood as their primary
energy source. All the trees nearby are cut down and stockpiled for
use in home heating and heating the boiler of the community’s
electrical generator.
a) Is the community’s energy source guaranteed to last indefinitely?
Explain.
b) What recommendations would you make to ensure that this
community has a reliable long-term energy supply?

4.2 Electricity and the Environment
Every method of generating electricity affects the environment. Some
methods create undesirable by-products. These by-products have negative
effects on human health and the environment.
AIR POLLUTION
The burning of fossil fuels results in the release into the atmosphere of
many problem-causing substances. For example, when coal burns, it
leaves behind a powdery ash. Some of this ash is carried up the
smokestack of the power plant and escapes into the atmosphere. This
airborne ash is often referred to as fly ash. In Canada, air pollution
produced by coal-burning plants has been reduced over the last 30 years
by improved methods of cleaning the coal and capturing the fly ash.
However, considerable amounts of fly ash still escape. This is a concern
because the fly ash contains small amounts of mercury, a poisonous metal
that can damage the nervous system.
Many other molecules are released into the air when coal is burned.
Some of the most harmful are sulfur dioxide (SO2(g)), nitrogen oxides Figure 4.8 Burning fossil
(NOx(g)), and carbon dioxide (CO2(g)). Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain and fuels produces air pollution.
contributes to air pollution. Nitrogen oxides are major causes of air
pollution. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been identified as a
cause of global warming, which leads to climate change. You can learn
more about these chemicals and their effects in Unit C: Environmental
Chemistry.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Much of the coal used in power plants comes from strip mines.
Strip-mining techniques are used when deposits are near the surface.
Bulldozers clear the soil, and sometimes explosives are used to help clear
any rock above the deposit. Large scoops collect the coal and load it into
trucks that take the coal away for further processing. This type of mining
removes all plants and animals from large areas of land. Although the
land can be reclaimed by replacing the soil, the original natural
environment usually is not fully restored.
Oil and gas wells can also affect the area surrounding them. Some
deposits contain poisonous gases. Measures must be taken to prevent the
release of these gases into the environment. Concentrations of chemicals
in the environment around wells and plants are monitored for safety.
In electricity generation, steam turbines often release a great deal of
warm water into nearby lakes and rivers. The resulting increase in water
temperature alters the local freshwater ecology and can sometimes kill
fish.
Figure 4.9 Strip-mining coal
info BIT The mines and refineries that produce fuel for nuclear reactors can
also damage the environment. The reactors create radioactive wastes that
remain dangerous for thousands of years. Hydro-electric plants produce
Nuclear Waste Storage
Radioactive waste from
no pollutants, but their dams flood many hectares of land and alter the
nuclear power plants ecosystems of rivers. Wind farms and solar cell arrays require large tracts
requires long-term of land to generate practical amounts of energy. Also, the process for
storage. Canada’s plans making solar cells creates some chemical pollution. The steam from
for storing this waste geothermal plants produces a small amount of pollution. Generators using
include placing tidal or wave energy may disrupt the habitat for fish and other marine life.
corrosion-resistant However, the “green” sources of energy—especially wind, tide, and
containers in vaults deep geothermal—harm the environment much less than fossil fuels do.
within the Canadian
Shield. These vaults will CONSERVING ENERGY AND NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES
be 500 to 1000 m deep
and will likely be in We know that reserves of oil and gas are decreasing, but it is likely that
Ontario. nonrenewable fossil-fuel supplies will last for your lifetime. So why
bother trying to conserve energy? If demand for energy decreases, there is
a lower demand for the resources that fuel electrical generating plants.
Those pollution-producing plants that are already in operation would not
need to operate at full capacity and may even be able to cease operation.
The obvious benefit is less pollution, which is a good reason to try to use
less electricity whenever possible. When your actions lead to a lower
demand for natural resources, you are practising energy conservation.
You may not have to worry about fossil fuels running out in your
lifetime. However, even temporary shortages can cause hardship and big
price jumps. When fuel prices skyrocket, poorer countries cannot afford
the energy they need.
Suppose you want to conserve fossil fuels and reduce pollution. You
consider buying an electric car instead of one with a gasoline engine, but
you know you have to look at more than just engine efficiency. Electric
cars reduce the need for gasoline, which comes from oil. Burning less
gasoline conserves oil reserves and reduces pollution. The electric car,
however, must get electricity from somewhere for its rechargeable
batteries. If a coal-fired plant supplies this electricity, you may not be
saving fossil fuels or reducing pollution overall. However, if a hydro-
electric plant or windmill farm supplies the electricity, fossil fuels will be
conserved and pollution will decrease. Both personal and societal
decisions must be taken into account when considering conservation.
Figure 4.10 Does an electric

vehicle conserve energy
resources?

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Conserving energy means moving toward sustainability. Sustainability re SEARCH
means using resources at a rate that can be maintained indefinitely. If we
do not achieve sustainable energy use, future generations may not be able Acid Mine Drainage
to support themselves. A sustainable approach sometimes requires a The environmental
different way of developing resources. In the past, mineral and effects of using coal start
hydrocarbon deposits were used up as quickly as possible to earn money with its removal from the
and satisfy consumer demand. We need to use our resources in a way that ground. The water that
makes them available over a longer period. Sustainability may also mean flows through mines and
no longer using nonrenewable resources because they cannot be coal storage areas can
maintained indefinitely. become acidic. It may
also contain dissolved
We may never be able to achieve complete sustainability, but the
metals. Research acid
decisions we make personally and as a society can move us closer to this
mine drainage. Prepare a
goal. An example of a personal decision would be to take public
brief report on its
transportation rather than driving your own vehicle. This saves fuel and environmental effects
reduces pollution. Decisions made with sustainability in mind sometimes and what is being done
involve compromise—a bus may not be as convenient as your own car. to reduce those effects.
An example of a societal decision related to sustainability is the use of Start your search at
low wattage street lights. Some cities have installed these lights to reduce www.pearsoned.ca/
electricity consumption and light pollution. In this case, the drawback is scienceinaction.
that streets may not be as brightly lit.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review b) choosing a new refrigerator that is high
1. How can oil wells affect the environment? efficiency
c) carpooling with friends to drive to work
2. Do nuclear power plants produce by-
d) replacing the incandescent bulbs in your
products? If so, are they harmful?
home with compact fluorescent bulbs
3. What is fly ash? Why is it an environmental
concern? Extend Your Understanding
4. Explain why you agree or disagree with the 8. A friend brags to you about her new electric
following statement. “Green” sources of car that uses rechargeable batteries as an
energy such as solar and wind power have energy source. She says, “My new car
no environmental impact. doesn’t have an internal combustion
engine, so no fossil fuels are needed to
Connect Your Understanding provide energy for it.” Is this an accurate
5. What is the difference between energy statement? Explain your answer.
conservation and energy sustainability? 9. In 1906, many steam-powered cars were on
6. Does replacing the soil removed by strip- the roads. The record for the fastest steam
mining restore the environment? Explain car was approximately 206 km/h. A British
your answer. team is now working to build a modern
7. Explain how each of the following actions steam car that it hopes will travel over 300
affect energy sustainability: km/h. While this car will be fast, will it
a) replacing a coal-fired power plant with conserve energy? Explain.
several fields of solar arrays
info BIT
4.3 Electrical Technology and Society
Less Luggage
A business traveller used
to have to carry a cellular
telephone, an organizer,
and a laptop computer.
Now digital wireless
technologies let people
on the road phone their
offices and clients,
manage their contact
information and
appointments, and
connect to the Internet,
all with a device small
enough to fit in a pocket!
Figure 4.11 Electrical technology lets us

communicate at the speed of light.
In 1844, the first electrical communication took place with the help of
Samuel Morse’s invention, the telegraph, shown in Figure 4.11. Morse
developed a code of dots and dashes (short and long electrical signals) to
send messages down wires from one city to another. Today, electrical
technologies continue to make fast and efficient communication possible.
With the rapid development of personal computers in the 1980s and the
Internet in the 1990s, we now have the ability to collect and transmit vast
amounts of information.
BENEFITS OF ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGIES

It would be a major understatement to say that electrical technologies
have improved our standard of living. Most electrical devices and
inventions came out of a desire for speed or convenience. Consider, for
example, how the task of doing laundry has changed. Before the invention
of the modern washing machine, it could take a whole day of hard work
to complete the washing for an average family. Now, machines do the
washing, rinsing, and drying, freeing people to do other things. In a
similar way, many electronic devices help us to complete a variety of tasks
more quickly and efficiently, and give us more time for other activities.

G I V E I T A TRY
NUMBER RACE
You will compare the time taken to do a calculation without and with a calculator.
Write an arithmetic problem requiring the addition and subtraction of 10 three-

digit numbers. Trade your problem with someone else, then time each other on
how long it takes to do the calculations the good old-fashioned way—by hand.
Now time each other doing the calculations using an electronic calculator.
• In what way is an electronic device better for doing calculations? In what way
is it worse?
• Design a similar test for processing words instead of numbers.
DRAWBACKS OF ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGIES

More technology means that more resources are needed to manufacture
and operate devices. This can make sustainability more difficult to
achieve. And as technology progresses, it leaves behind obsolete devices.
These devices are usually discarded as waste, so they add to problems
with solid waste disposal. Some technologies may also be too expensive
for developing countries to adopt. This can have the effect of isolating
people and excluding them from the benefits of technological
advancement.
COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION
If you are looking for a device that has brought radical changes in speed
and convenience, look no further than the computer. Computers have
revolutionized the way we accomplish many tasks, including writing,
calculations, and communication. Computers convert all information—
even audio and video signals—into numbers and then perform
calculations with the numbers. Computers use binary numbers, that is,
numbers with just ones and zeroes. These numbers correspond to the on
and off states of the millions of tiny transistors in the microcircuits.
Because the data is converted to strings of digits, this method of storing
and transmitting information is often referred to as a digital technology.
info BIT
Programming Pioneer
By 1952, Grace Hopper (1906-1992) had developed a working compiler, a program that translates
English words into the special codes needed to run computers. Such compilers are the key to all
the high-level computer languages we use today. Hopper also co-authored COBOL, a widely
used programming language for businesses. The term “computer bug” originated in 1951 when
Hopper found a moth jamming a relay in one of the first large-scale computers.
ELECTRICITY AND COMPUTERS
Different techniques can be used to store and transmit information, but all
of them take advantage of electrical current in one way or another. For
example, a compact disc (CD) player scans a CD with a laser. Tiny pits
stamped into the surface of the shiny disc cause the laser light to be
reflected in pulses. A photodetector converts the light pulses into
electrical pulses. This produces a digital signal with exactly the same
sequence of ones and zeroes as the master recording used to make the CD.
Figure 4.12 Compact

discs (CDs) and
computer hard drives
both store digital
information, although in
different ways.
A hard drive in a computer also uses pulses of electricity to record

and transmit information. In a hard drive, a highly polished aluminum or
glass disk coated with a thin layer of magnetic material rotates at speeds
of up to 300 km/h. Electrical pulses are sent to an arm with read/write
heads. These tiny electromagnetic coils magnetize spots on the spinning
disk. When a head reads the disk, the magnetized spots induce pulses of
current in the electromagnetic coil. This reproduces the ones and zeroes
in the original signal. When the heads are writing, they respond to
electrical signals from the computer’s processor. When the heads read the
disk, the hard drive sends an electrical signal to the processor. Electrical
signals control all the functions of a computer, including the images on
the screen and the sounds from the speakers. If these electrical signals can
control your computer, could signals also be sent to control a remote
computer? Such signals are the key to networking and the Internet.

Servers and other The local server can Local server computers allow
computers can send connect quickly through computers to connect to each
information to each other special cables to other other and the Internet. These
via satellites and receivers. servers around the world. servers also store many files that
the other computers can access.
Internet signals can be sent by A home computer can connect Groups of computers that are
radio signals, allowing wireless to the Internet through an connected together can share
connections to the Internet. Internet service provider. information in a network and
also connect to the Internet,
which is a huge global network.
Figure 4.13 Electrical signals sent between computers around the world make internetworking possible.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION
There is little doubt that electronic storage of information is a huge benefit

to society. Information is cheaper to store, easier to find, and much more
compact. For example, a single digital video disc (DVD) can store more
information than a whole set of encyclopedias. Electronic media can store
audio and video, as well as text, which often makes information easier to
understand and more entertaining. Hard drives in personal computers
make storage and retrieval of large amounts of information fast and
convenient. Thousands of hard drives in servers connected to the Internet
all around the world put huge amounts of information at your fingertips.
But there are some concerns about the explosion of information and
electronic technology. One issue is access to technology. Some countries
are too poor to establish the infrastructure necessary to connect computers
and transmit information.
Another issue is privacy. Data transmission is not always secure. Files,
such as financial and personal information, sometimes fall into the wrong
hands. “Hackers” attempt to break into networks either to steal
information or to cause damage for the sake of challenge, or for no reason
at all.
re SEARCH Can you trust all the information that you find over the Internet? With
huge volumes of information stored worldwide, some of it will be wrong
Encryption or misleading. Most people have good intentions, but some will post
Ever since the transfer “facts” that they have not checked properly. Others may deliberately send
of information became out wrong information.
possible, people have Another concern is “information overload.” With greater and greater
been developing ways capacity to store information, it becomes increasingly more difficult to
to protect it. Such find the particular piece of information that you need.
protection is especially Search engines were developed to help sort through the vast amount of
important for the transfer unorganized information on the Internet. A search engine is an application
of financial information that searches the Internet for keywords or phrases that you enter in a query
such as credit-card field. Internet sites that match your keywords are then reported back to you.
numbers over the
However, search engines work in different ways and may not be as
Internet. Find out more
helpful as you might expect. For example, some search engines report
about encryption. Use an
example to show how
only results from sites on the Internet that have been manually entered in
encryption is done and a database. Useful sites that have not been entered in the database are not
how it is used. Start your reported. Other search engines report only the most-visited sites on the
information search at Internet; that is, the most popular sites. Because of this, a more useful, less
www.pearsoned.ca/ popular site may be overlooked. This explains why using different search
scienceinaction. engines may provide different results for the same keywords or phrases
that you are searching for.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Name two benefits of electrical technologies.
2. What is special about a “binary” number?
3. Explain some of the drawbacks of information technology.
4. a) In what form is computer information stored?
b) In what form is it transmitted?

5. Why could more technology make sustainability more difficult?
6. Explain how it is possible for your home computer to connect to and
retrieve information from a computer in another country.
7. How is an Internet server computer different from a home computer?
How is it the same?

8. What does electricity have to do with the storage of information on a
computer?
9. A classmate explains to you that his mother is treating her own
medical condition with health advice she found while using the
Internet. What, if any, concerns might you have about this?

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. What is sustainability? Give one example.
2. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using coal as an energy
source.
3. Briefly describe geothermal and tidal methods of generating electricity.
4. Describe some of the ways that computers can connect with each other.
5. Why are coal, natural gas, and oil referred to as “fossil” fuels?

6. Use a Venn diagram to compare the generation of electricity using coal with
hydro-electricity generation. How are they similar? How are they different?
7. A group of Alberta farmers forms a co-operative group and builds a factory
that turns grain into alcohol as a fuel for generators and cars. Would this
energy source be renewable or nonrenewable? Explain.
8. Do advances in computer technology benefit everyone in the world
equally? Explain your answer.

9. A nuclear power plant provides energy using a radioactive source, so a
turbine is not needed. Explain why you agree or disagree with this
statement.
10. You notice your neighbour replacing her exterior house lights with lower
watt bulbs. Would you describe this as “conservation” or “sustainability”?
11. Cars today include electronic systems that control much of their operation.
Identify one benefit and one drawback to the use of these electronic
systems.

On
Technological problems can often be resolved with more than one solution.
The different solutions may involve a variety of designs, processes, and
materials. Think about what you learned in this section.
1. Give one example that you encountered of a problem that had more than
one solution.
2. Was one solution better than the others? Why or why not?
3. If you did Activity D-12 Problem Solving: Harness the Wind, how did you
know when you had a solution that would work?
U NIT S UMMARY: E LECTRICAL P RINCIPLES AND T ECHNOLOGIES
1.0 1.0 Electrical energy can be transferred and stored.

• electric charge and current • There are two types of electricity: static and current. Static is electrically charged
• circuits particles at rest. Current is flowing electrically charged particles.
• electrical energy storage • Voltage is a measure of how much electrical energy each charged particle carries.
• energy transmission Current is the rate at which charged particles flow.
• measures and units of • Electricity can be dangerous, so safety should always be a concern.
electrical energy • Electricity can be produced through chemical reactions and stored in different types of
cells. Cells can be combined to form batteries.
2.0 2.0 Technologies can be used to transfer and control electrical energy.
• electric current • Different substances provide various levels of resistance to electric current. Electricity
• circuits flows more easily in conductors than in insulators.
• energy transmission • The amount of electrical resistance is measured in ohms. Voltage is measured in volts.
• measures and units of Current is measured in amperes.
electrical energy • Ohm’s law states that the current flowing through a conductor is proportional to the
• electrical resistance and voltage applied to it.
Ohm’s law • Meters are used to measure electricity. Voltmeters measure voltage. Ammeters
measure current. Ohmmeters measure resistance. Multimeters measure all three.
• Series circuits provide a single pathway for current. Parallel circuits provide multiple
pathways for current.
3.0 3.0 Devices and systems convert energy with varying efficiencies.
• forms of energy • Energy exists in different forms, such as chemical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical
• energy transformation energy.
• generation of electrical • Energy can be transformed from one form into another. For example, a thermocouple
energy can change thermal energy into electrical energy.
• energy transmission • Electric motors transform electrical energy to mechanical energy.
• measures and units of • Power is the rate at which a device converts energy. It is calculated by multiplying
electrical energy current by voltage. Energy is calculated by multiplying power by time.
• Input energy and usable output energy can be compared to determine the efficiency of
an energy-converting device.
• Reducing the amount of energy wasted by devices that convert energy increases their
efficiency.
4.0 4.0 The use of electrical energy affects society and the environment.
• energy transformation • A variety of alternative energy sources can be used to generate electrical energy. These
• energy transmission include fossil fuels, nuclear energy, geothermal energy, biomass, hydro-electricity,
• generation of electrical tides, wind power, and solar energy.
energy • Energy sources are either renewable or nonrenewable.
• energy storage • Electrical generation can produce by-products and effects that harm the environment.
• renewable and nonrenewable • Energy and nonrenewable resources can be conserved through choices that reduce
energy consumption.
• Sustainability means using resources at a rate that can be maintained indefinitely.

y
a
se d
S t u
Three Gorges Dam

The Issue Go Further
In 1994, the Chinese government began a massive project Now it’s your turn. Use the following resources to help you
on the Yangtze River called the Three Gorges Dam. The learn more.
project is designed to provide electricity to large areas of • Look on the Web: Use the Internet to find out about the
rural China, where many people live in poverty without Three Gorges Dam. Begin your search at
electricity. It will also control flooding. The Yangtze often www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction.
overflows and floods large areas of northern and central • Ask the Experts: Many engineers and archeologists are
China. In the 20th century, such flooding killed over available through question-and-answer sites on the
300 000 people. When it is completed in 2009, this dam Internet. A local energy council or government agency
will be one of the largest in the world. may also be able to give you information.
• When complete, the dam will be 2.3 km across and • Look It Up in Newspapers and Magazines: Check for
185 m tall. It will create a lake about 600 km long and articles about this issue in newspapers and magazines.
200 m deep.
• The dam will require 27 million cubic metres of concrete. Analyze and Address the Issue
That’s enough concrete to cover 4000 football fields to a Use the information you have gathered to analyze the costs
depth of one metre! and benefits of the Three Gorges Dam project. Write a brief
• The dam will produce over 18 GW (gigawatts) of power. report stating your conclusion about whether the project
Many people in other countries and in China do not think should be completed. Support your conclusion with your
the dam should be built. The chart below gives two research data.
different viewpoints about the project.
Should China Complete the Three Gorges Dam?
Yes No
The dam may be able to stop The dam presents an even worse
devastating flooding. The dam’s flooding danger if it fails. Millions of
control mechanisms may be able to people live downstream of the dam. A
save lives by managing water levels. failure of the dam would be
catastrophic.
The dam would produce much The dam requires almost 2 million
needed electricity. The poor of rural people to be uprooted and relocated.
China do not even have refrigerators. The reservoir will flood thousands of
Electricity would provide the possibility farms and villages.
of modern conveniences.
Electricity would provide the means The dam’s reservoir will submerge
for modernization. Rural China has many priceless artifacts and natural
few of the advantages of even the treasures. Over a thousand
smallest Western communities. With archeological sites will be ruined.
electrical power, rural Chinese can
begin to modernize their economy.
Science World 361

PROJECT
BUILDING AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE
Getting Started
Designing an electrical device offers many opportunities to
discover answers for yourself. In this activity, you will plan
how to build an electrical device that performs a particular
function. Then you will build and modify a prototype. Using
your choice of materials and what you have learned about
electrical circuits, you will design a device or model of your
own choice.
Your Goal
Demonstrate your understanding of electrical circuitry and
energy conversions by using your imagination to pick a
device or model to build. It can be any device that uses
electricity to perform a task. Your goal will be to build the
device that can successfully performs the task(s) of your
choice. For example, consider building one of the
following: Steps to Success
• a reversible escalator with an emergency switch 1 With your group, brainstorm ideas for solutions to the
• a model electrically wired home, with special features problem. Sketch ideas as you come up with them.
such a pressure-sensitive welcome mat light 2 Decide what equipment you will need. Are there
• a model animal kennel with doors that open materials you can collect from home? Ask your
electrically teacher for help with any of the materials that you
• a rescue truck that moves and has a ladder that can be cannot collect yourself.
raised or lowered 3 Carefully consider safety before you begin to construct
• a switch-operated animal feeder that allows you to your prototype. Show your teacher your final plan for
release food remotely approval, and then begin building your device.
4 When you have built your device, test to see if it
What You Need to Know meets your goals. After your test, you may need to
This project involves designing electrical circuits. Review make some changes and repeat the tests.
what you have learned about electrical circuits and 5 Look at your classmates’ devices. Make a quick sketch
converting electrical energy into different forms. Recall of one of their designs and of a modification to
how to supply current to a circuit and then control the improve it. Discuss this modification with your
current so that the circuit performs the task you desire. For classmates.
your design to work, you will have to combine these
concepts successfully. Before you begin, you may want to How Did It Go?
review Toolbox 3 to help you with problem solving as you 6 Now that you have planned and constructed your
develop your device. You may also want to consult Toolbox device, write an evaluation of your approach to solving
13 to review the electrical symbols you need to use in your this problem. Did it work well? What would you do
circuit diagrams. differently and why?

U N I T R E V I E W : ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Unit Vocabulary 2.0
1. Create a concept map that shows how each 7. A friend replaces a cord on a kettle with a
of the following terms are connected. Use new one much thinner than the original.
the word electricity as your starting word. When the kettle is plugged in, the new cord
energy resistance gets much hotter than the old one did.
batteries series Explain why.
motor efficiency 8. Dimmer switches are convenient ways of
current cells controlling the amount of light in a room.
insulator mechanical energy Describe how a dimmer switch works.
power voltage
9. Use Ohm’s law to solve the following
electrolyte conductor
problems:
generator parallel
a) What voltage is applied to a 5.0-Ω resistor
if the current is 1.5 A?
b) A voltage of 80 V is applied across a 20-Ω
Key Concept Review resistor. What is the current through the
resistor?
1.0 c) The current running through a starter
motor in a car is 240 A. If this motor is
2. How can a Van de Graaff generator help in connected to a 12-V battery, what is the
the study of electrical charge? resistance of the motor?
3. Describe an electric power grid. What is its 10. Use electrical symbols to draw a series
purpose? circuit with a four-cell battery, a motor, and
4. Consider two negative charges that are fixed two bulbs. Draw a parallel circuit using the
in position (A and B below). What would same components. Describe the difference in
happen if a movable negative charge were current flowing through the two circuits.
placed at point C? Explain.
3.0
A
11. What do the terms “work” and “energy”
C
mean?
12. What is the role of the commutator in an
electric motor?
B
13. Would it make more sense for an electric
company to charge by the joule or by the
watt? Explain.
5. What is a short circuit? Is it dangerous?
Explain.
6. Explain how an electrical wet cell functions.
Unit Review 363

UNIT REVIEW: ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES AND TECHNOLOGIES
14. Solve the following power problems: 24. Describe the advantages and disadvantages
a) The current running through a coffee of transmitting information electronically.
maker connected to a 120-V source is
8.0 A. What is the power rating of this
device? Connect Your Understanding
b) A 120-W motor draws 1.2 A of current.
25. Explain why a cow that touches an electric
What is the voltage across the motor?
c) A 5000-W dryer is connected to a 240-V fence gets a mild shock, but a bird sitting on
source. What is the current flowing the same wire doesn’t feel any electricity at
through the dryer? all.
26. A classmate would like to connect multiple
15. How much energy does a 100-W light bulb
use in an hour? motors together in a circuit. But every time a
motor is added, an undesirable side effect
16. A 500-W hot plate adds 250 kJ of energy to a occurs—all of them spin a little slower.
container of water while heating for Discuss possible solutions and explain how
10 min. How efficient is this heating they would correct the problem.
process?
27. You receive a nasty shock from a kettle with
17. Use the example of a gasoline-powered car a frayed cord, and your arm temporarily
to explain the concepts of input energy, feels numb. Is this numb feeling caused by
output energy, and efficiency. current or voltage? Explain.
18. Describe three methods for reducing the
amount of energy wasted in the home.
4.0 28. Does a decision to conserve a resource mean
that the resource now becomes sustainable?
19. Could a thermal generating plant be effective Explain.
without a turbine? Explain. 29. Does it make any sense to spend more
20. What is meant by a “non-thermal” method money for a more efficient appliance?
of generating electricity? Describe an Explain.
example of such a method. 30. Thinking that a loose electrical cable has
21. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of been turned off, a construction worker tries
generating electricity with coal, nuclear to move it. The voltage contracts the
power, and wind power. worker’s muscles, so they cannot let go of
the wire. A wooden pole and a copper pipe
22. Describe the difference between renewable
are nearby. Could you use either of them to
and nonrenewable energy sources. Give two
nudge the victim away from the live wire?
examples of each.
Explain.
23. If current world oil reserves will last longer
than your lifetime, why should you bother
to conserve energy?
364 Unit D: Electrical Principles and Technologies Project

Practise Your Skills Focus SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
31. This graph shows the relationship between On
voltage and current that emerged in tests for
In this unit, you have investigated science and
a particular resistor. Does this resistor work
technology related to electrical principles and
according to Ohm’s law? Explain.
technologies. Consider the following questions.
36. Reread the three questions on page 273
about science and technology related to
electrical principles and technologies. Use a
creative way to show your understanding of
current
one of these questions.
37. Describe an example of how an advance in
science led to the development of a useful
new technology.
voltage 38. Describe how the development of electrical
technologies affects and is affected by the
32. Construct a graph similar to the one above. environment.
Draw two lines that would represent the
relationship between current and voltage for
two resistors of different values. Write a
short summary statement explaining the
lines you have drawn.
Self Assessment
33. List two questions about elecctricity-related
issues that you’d like to explore further.
34. How could you improve the results of your
work in the problem solving and inquiry
activities you did in this unit?
35. How could you improve your work in group
situations?
Unit Review 365

UNIT
366
1.0 Human understanding of both Earth and space has changed

over time.
1.1 Early Views About the Cosmos
1.2 Discovery Through Technology
1.3 The Distribution of Matter in Space
1.4 Our Solar Neighbourhood
1.5 Describing the Position of Objects in Space
2.0 Technological developments are making space exploration

possible and offer benefits on Earth.
2.1 Getting There: Technologies for Space Transport
2.2 Surviving There: Technologies for Living in Space
2.3 Using Space Technology to Meet Human Needs on Earth
3.0 Optical telescopes, radio telescopes, and other technologies

advance our understanding of space.
3.1 Using Technology to See the Visible
3.2 Using Technology to See Beyond the Visible
3.3 Using Technology to Interpret Space
4.0 Society and the environment are affected by space exploration

and the development of space technologies.
4.1 The Risks and Dangers of Space Exploration
4.2 Canadian Contributions to Space Exploration and
Observation
4.3 Issues Related to Space Exploration
367
Exploring
The first major step in the human journey to explore space occurred on
When humans walked on
the Moon for the first time, July 20, 1969. That was the date when two U.S. astronauts, Neil
the world watched. Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, walked on the Moon, becoming the
first people to visit a body in the solar system other than Earth. It also
marked the first time that people on Earth could look up at the Moon and
know that there were people on its surface looking back at them!
SHORT EXCURSION TO THE MOON

It took four days for the lunar module Eagle to make the trip from our
planet to the Moon’s surface. When it touched down, only a few seconds’
worth of the budgeted fuel for landing remained. If the process of landing
had taken longer, the Eagle would have started using up the fuel rationed
for getting the spacecraft and its crew home.
The most sophisticated technology of the time was used to carry the
astronauts safely to the Moon and back to Earth, a journey that, in total,
took a little over eight days. Future journeys into space may take months,
even years in travel time, but such is the nature of exploration. Leaving
the safety of Earth’s atmospheric bubble will always pose one of the
ultimate challenges to our ingenuity. That is the reason that humans
continue to search, stretching the limits of their imaginations to create the
technology that will take us ever farther into space.
368 Unit E: Space Exploration

G I V E I T A TRY
CRATER PATTERNS ON THE MOON

The surface of the Moon is covered with “impact craters” of every size. These are Materials & Equipment
depressions made when meteoroids (small pieces of rock in space) and asteroids • two large plastic or
(much larger rocky bodies) strike the ground with a tremendous force. Most aluminum trays
meteoroids and asteroids encountering Earth burn up in Earth’s atmosphere and • newspaper
never reach the ground. The Moon does not have an atmosphere and, therefore, • flour (one 3.5-kg bag)
any meteroid or asteroid caught in the Moon’s gravity ends up hitting the surface. • cocoa powder (about
This activity gives you an idea of how crater patterns are caused by these impacts. 250 mL)
• rocks or marbles of
1 Place the trays on a newspaper-covered table or floor area. different sizes
2 Pour the flour into the trays to a depth of about 5 cm.
3 Gently sprinkle the cocoa powder over the flour so that a mostly brown layer
is visible on the surface.
4 Drop the rocks and marbles from a variety of heights onto the flour-and-cocoa
surface. Sketch the different impact patterns left by the dropped “meteors.”
5 Experiment with letting the rocks and marbles hit the surface at an angle. How
does this change the impact pattern?

On
As you learn in this unit about the advances humans have made in
exploring and understanding the nature of space, you will be given many
opportunities to solve problems using your knowledge of both science
and technology.
Science provides an orderly way of studying and explaining the
nature of things. Technology tries to find solutions to practical problems
that arise from human needs. As you will discover in working through
this unit, there are often many possible solutions to the same
technological problem. To guide your reading as you study how science
and technology interact and support each other, keep the following
questions in mind:
1. How much do humans know about space?
2. What technologies have been developed so that space can be studied?
3. How have space technologies contributed to the exploration and use
of space, and how have they benefited our life on Earth?
Exploring 369
1.0 Human understanding of both Earth
and space has changed over time.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• technologies for space
exploration and observation
• reference frames for describing
the position and motion of
bodies in space
• distribution of matter through
space
• composition and
characteristics of bodies in
space
Learning Outcomes
• identify different perspectives
on the nature of Earth and
space Imagine that your teacher brings to class a meteorite that is about the
• investigate and illustrate the size of a grapefruit. Meteorites are pieces of rocky space debris that hit
contributions of technological Earth. Your teacher asks you to study and describe the meteorite’s
advances to a scientific surface. With your unaided eye, you would be able to see many of the
understanding of space object’s characteristics, such as its colour, lustre, and texture. With a
• describe the distribution of magnifying glass, you would see even more detail, perhaps the colour
matter in space and shape of the surface particles.
• identify evidence for, and Now, think how your description would change if you could use a
describe characteristics of, high-powered microscope that greatly magnifies a chip from the
bodies that make up the solar
meteorite. Details you could never have noticed before would become
system and compare their
visible. As a result, your understanding of the meteorite’s composition
characteristics with Earth’s
would improve.
• describe and apply techniques
In this section, you will learn how human understanding of Earth
for determining the position
and motion of objects in space and the universe has changed over thousands of years, boosted each step
• investigate predictions about of the way by advances in technology. You will also learn that the role of
the motion, alignment, and observation in guiding scientific understanding of space remains as
collision of bodies in space important today as it was to early astronomers. Only the capacity to see
more is constantly expanding.

info BIT
1.1 Early Views About the Cosmos
One-Mitt Measure
Objects in the sky have fascinated humans throughout history. Many of Inuit in the high arctic
these objects you have certainly seen yourself, such as the Sun, the Moon, traditionally used the
stars and constellations, and planets, such as Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. width of a mitt held at
Maybe you have also been fortunate to see an eclipse, a comet, a meteor arm’s length to gauge
shower, or the aurora borealis. All of these celestial bodies and events the height of the Sun
have been watched in wonder for thousands of years. They fuelled the above the horizon. When
human imagination, marked the passage of time, and foretold the changes the Sun rose to a height
in seasons. Early knowledge of them was passed from generation to of one-mitt width, it
generation and from culture to culture, often as legends and folklore. meant that seal pups
would be born in two
lunar cycles.
Figure 1.1 The First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest thought the night sky was a pattern
on a great blanket overhead. The blanket, they believed, was held up by a spinning “world pole,” the
bottom of which rested on the chest of a woman underground named Stone Ribs.
G I V E I T A TRY
E V O LV I N G I D E A S A B O U T P L A N E TA RY M O T I O N
In this subsection, you will be learning how our early understanding of space and
Earth’s place in it have developed through history.
1 Make a time line that shows when key ideas about space were proposed and
who proposed them. Start your time line at 3000 B.C. and add to it as you read
through this subsection. End at the heliocentric model of the solar system. For
each idea, be sure to include the observations the person made that led to the
idea.
2 Compare your time line with that of other students in the class. Add to your time
line any ideas you might have missed.
3 Discuss with the class the main technologies that were used by people in
developing each key idea on your time line.
Human Understanding of Both Earth and Space Has Changed over Time 371
TRACKING COSMOLOGICAL EVENTS
Two very special annual events for our ancestors were the summer and
winter solstice. The word “solstice” comes from the Latin sol meaning
sun, and stice meaning stop. In the northern hemisphere, the summer
solstice occurs near June 21. It marks the longest period of daylight in the
year and represents the start of summer. The winter solstice occurs near
December 21. It marks the shortest day of the year and the start of winter.
(The conditions are the reverse in the southern hemisphere.)
Prediction of the approach of summer and winter was important to
early peoples, and many ancient civilizations built huge monuments to
honour their beliefs about the change. While they may have had only the
power of the unaided eye, their observations of the position and path of
the Sun throughout the year were highly accurate. More than 3500 years
Figure 1.2 The origins of ago, for example, a people (possibly the ancient Celts) erected the
England’s Stonehenge remain
megaliths of Stonehenge, still standing in southern England. Arranged in
an archeological puzzle.
concentric circles, the enormous stones mark the summer and winter
solstices. Ancient African cultures also set large rock pillars into patterns
that could be used to predict the timing of the solstices.
Another phenomenon honoured by early cultures was the equinox,
one in the spring (about March 21) and one in the fall (about September 22).
The word “equinox” comes from the Latin equi meaning equal, and nox
meaning night. At the equinox, day and night are of equal length. The
Mayans of Central America built an enormous cylinder-shaped tower at
Chichén Itzá in about A.D. 1000 to celebrate the occurrence of the two
equinoxes.
The ancient Egyptians built many pyramids and other monuments to
align with the seasonal position of certain stars. The entrance passage of
Khufu, the Great Pyramid at Giza, once lined up with Thuban (a star in
the constellation of Draco). At the time the pyramid was built, starting
about 2700 B.C., Thuban was the closest star showing true north. Two
thousand years ago, aboriginal peoples of southwestern Alberta used large
rocks to build medicine circles in which key rocks aligned with the bright
stars that rose in the dawn, such as Aldebaran, Rigel, and Sirius.
Figure 1.3 The designs of the

pyramids at Giza, Egypt, and in
Chichén Itzá, Mexico, were
influenced by celestial
observations.

re SEARCH
MODELS OF PLANETARY MOTION
For as long as people have been watching the nightly promenade of stars Legends of the Sun
and planets, they have sought ways of explaining the motions they The Sun played a
observed. The religions, traditions, myths, and rituals of ancient cultures prominent role in the
mythology of many
all reveal different interpretations of how the universe works. Seen from
ancient cultures.
Earth, everything in the sky appears to be in motion. The Sun rises and
Research the beliefs,
sets. The Moon, in its ever-changing phases, travels across the sky. Planets
ceremonies, and legends
shift against a background of stars. Even constellations (groupings of stars) that three of the
appear to change position in the sky throughout the year. Our ancestors following groups held
had to make sense of this constant pattern of change by using the science about the Sun: North
and technology of the day. American First Nations,
Australian Aborigines,
Geocentric Model Aztecs, Chinese,
About 2000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle proposed a Egyptians, Greeks, Inuit,
geocentric, or Earth-centred, model to explain planetary motion. In the Japanese, and Norse.
model, he showed Earth at the centre, surrounded by a series of Compare your findings
concentric spheres that represented the paths of the Sun, Moon, and five with those of others in
the class. Begin your
planets known at the time (see Figure 1.4). To explain why the distant
search at
stars did not move, Aristotle hypothesized that they were attached firmly
www.pearsoned.ca/
to the outermost sphere (what he called the “celestial sphere”) where they scienceinaction.
stayed put as though glued to an immovable ceiling.
Little optical technology is believed to have existed in Greece during
the time Aristotle was making his observations about the cosmos.
However, he was aided by the mathematics and geometry of Pythagoras
and Euclid, which he used to calculate the size and shape of the spheres.
rs
sta
ixed
ff
to
en
am
Firm
nus
Su
Ve
n
y
Mercur
Fire
Air
Earth &
Water Figure 1.4 Aristotle’s
Jupiter
geocentric model of our solar

M oo
n system explained much—but
rs
not all—about planetary

Ma
motion. In this model, Earth

was the centre of the
universe.
S aturn
The geocentric model allowed early astronomers to forecast such

events as the phases of the Moon, but it still could not explain many other
observations. For example, why did Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn sometimes
seem to loop back opposite to their usual movement across the sky?
Heliocentric Model
The Earth-centred model of our solar system lasted for almost two
thousand years. Then, in 1530, Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus
proposed a dramatically different model, one that explained planetary
motion much more simply than did the complicated geocentric model.
Copernicus suggested that the Sun was at the centre and Earth and the
other planets revolved in orbits around it. This is called the heliocentric
model (Figure 1.5).
rs
sta
ed
ff ix
to
en
am
Firm
Mer
c
ury
Earth
Sun
Jupiter
Moon Ve
nus
rs
Ma
S aturn
Figure 1.5 The heliocentric model of our solar system put the Sun at the centre of the universe. It
was considered, at the time, to be a revolutionary idea.
A little less than 100 years later, a new generation of scientists—with

the help of a major technological invention, the telescope—provided solid
evidence for Copernicus’s theory. Notable among these scientists was the
renowned Galileo Galilei of Italy. In the 1600s, using a telescope not much
stronger than the standard binoculars you might use today, he was the first
person to view mountains on the Moon, a “bump” on either side of Saturn
(later found to be the outer edges of the planet’s rings), spots on the Sun,
moons orbiting Jupiter, and the distinct phases of Venus.
Even though Galileo’s discoveries added credibility to the Copernican
ideas, the model could still not predict planetary motion very accurately.
A German mathematician, Johannes Kepler, came up with the next
solution to the puzzle. Using detailed observations of the movement of the
planets (observations carefully recorded by the great Danish astronomer,
Tycho Brahe), Kepler discovered what was missing from the Copernican
ideas. The orbits of the planets, he realized, were ellipses and not circles.
Today, the Sun-centred model of our solar system is used as a guide when
we study other solar systems.

Figure 1.6 Once
astronomers realized that
Planet’s path planets orbited the Sun in
elliptical paths, not circular
paths, they were better able
to predict planetary motion.
Sun’s position
Q U I C K LAB
ELLIPTICAL LOOPS
Purpose • sewing thread (30 cm long),
To draw a series of ellipses and investigate their properties with ends tied to make a loop
• paper (letter-size)
Procedure • ruler
1 Draw a straight line, about 20 cm long, down the middle of the paper. Position • pencil
• cardboard (30 cm by 30 cm)
the paper on top of the cardboard and set the cardboard on a firm, flat surface
• 2 straight pins or tacks
such as your desk top.
2 Position the pins 5 cm apart along the drawn line and push the pins through
the paper and into the cardboard so they are standing upright.
3 Place the loop of thread around both pins. Then, with the pencil
point resting inside the loop, pull gently until the thread is taut
and the pencil point is touching the paper (see Figure 1.7).
4 While keeping a slight outward pressure with the pencil
against the thread, start drawing a line in a circular
motion around the pins. You will see an ellipse (an
oval shape) start to form. A circle is formed around
one focal point. An ellipse is formed around two focal points.
Figure 1.7 Step 3
5 Repeat steps 3 to 5 two more times, once setting the pins closer together and
once setting them farther apart. Observe how the ellipse changes.
Questions
6 Describe what happens when the pins are moved different distances apart. How
does the position of these focal points change the shape of the ellipse?
7 Imagine that one of the pins is the Sun and the pencil point is a planet. What
controls the shape of the elliptical path?
8 What shape would you expect if both pins were at exactly the same point?
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Define solstice. What are the significant dates associated with the
solstices in the northern hemisphere?
2. What was the ancient monument of Stonehenge believed to be used
for?
3. What word is used to describe the times when the length of day equals
the length of night? When do these occur?
4. List and describe three monuments built by ancient people to honour
celestial bodies.

5. What did the summer and winter solstices indicate to ancient people?
6. Explain the main difference between the heliocentric model of the
solar system and the geocentric model.
7. Why was the change from a geocentric model to a heliocentric model
considered such a revolutionary idea?

8. Johannes Kepler used hundreds of years’ worth of historical data
collected by many astronomers (notably Tycho Brahe) and his own
precise measurements to modify the Copernican model. How did the
change proposed by Kepler make the model more realistic?
9. The velocity at which a planet travels does not remain constant
throughout its orbit. As it gets closer to the Sun in its orbit, a planet
tends to speed up a little. Why do you think this occurs? Use Figure
1.6 to assist you with answering this question.
Figure 1.8 The Caracol,

a 3000-year-old Mayan
observatory located at
Chichén Itzá on the
Yucatán Peninsula in
Mexico

1.2 Discovery Through Technology
Step by step, our understanding of space and Earth’s place in it has info BIT
progressed, thanks in large part to the improvement of the tools available
to observe, record, measure, and analyze what we see. This process of Fasten Your Seat Belts
discovery boosted by technological advance is going on all the time. The Sun lies about
149 599 000 km from Earth.
Compared to other
distances in the universe,
that is not very far.
Figure 1.9 State-of-the-art However, if you could fly in
technology today will be a 747 airliner from Earth to
thought of as old- the Sun (travelling at about
fashioned to the next
965 km/h), the flight would
generation of science
last close to 17 years.
students.
Q U I C K LAB
TELLING SUNDIAL TIME

To make a model sundial and plot shadow patterns • a sheet of polar graph
paper (circular graph paper)
Procedure • a golf tee
1 Go to an area of your classroom or another room in the school where the Sun • adhesive tape
is shining in. (If you must leave the classroom to do this activity, be sure to ask • a pencil
your teacher’s permission first.)
2 Tape the paper on a flat surface in the sunlight. Stand the golf tee upside down
in the centre of the graph paper.
3 With your pencil, plot the shadow cast by the golf tee on the graph paper and
make a note of the time. Repeat this step at regular intervals during the day.
Figure 1.10 Step 2
Questions
4 Describe the pattern you see in the shadow plots you have drawn during the
day. Sketch the pattern in your notebook.
5 If you were to repeat this activity every day for a year, would the same pattern
result each time? Explain your answer.
THE ASTRONOMER’S TOOLS
Humans are very inventive, and have worked hard over the centuries to
develop tools to help them better understand the sky and its mysteries.
Sundials, for example, have been used for more than 7000 years to
measure the passage of time. Ancient Egyptians invented a device called a
merkhet to chart astronomical positions and predict the movement of
stars. About the 2nd century A.D., the Egyptian astronomers also designed
a tool called a quadrant to measure a star’s height above the horizon.
Arabian astronomers used the astrolabe for centuries to make accurate
charts of star positions. In the 14th century, astronomer Levi ben Gurson
invented the cross-staff to measure the angle between the Moon and any
given star. With each of these technological innovations, astronomers
made new discoveries and gained more knowledge about what they were
seeing.
quadrant astrolabe cross-staff early telescope
Figure 1.11 Many early tools Then came the telescope. Invented in the late 16th century, it
were invented to study and revolutionized astronomy. Suddenly, astronomers such as Galileo could
predict celestial motion.
see more in the night sky than had ever been possible. Telescopes
Sailors and other explorers
tested these instruments in
revealed exciting details about Earth’s closest planetary neighbours, and
their travels to uncharted showed the existence of other neighbours in our solar system. We learned
places of the globe. that the size of what lay beyond Earth was greater than anything we could
have imagined.
With each new improvement, the optical telescope pushed astronomy
ahead. As our viewing ability got better, the vast distance between objects
in space became obvious.
Today, almost 500 years after the telescope’s invention, super-powerful
optical and radio telescopes operating from Earth, satellites orbiting
around Earth, and sophisticated space-based telescopes have shown us
the immensity of objects in space and of distances across the universe.
(You will learn more about space technologies in Section 3.0.) We have
discovered that our Sun is only an average star, lying in a small corner of
an average galaxy that is one among billions of other galaxies.

THE IMMENSITY OF DISTANCE AND TIME IN SPACE
If you were asked to measure the size of your school, you probably would
not do so using millimetres. Neither would you use centimetres to
describe the distance from your school to home. Finding the appropriate
unit of measurement is important when describing distances.
In the case of measuring distances in space, not even kilometres are
practical to use. To have a practical means of describing such enormous
distances, astronomers devised two new units of measure.
Astronomical Units
The astronomical unit (AU) is used for measuring “local” distances, those
inside our solar system. One AU is equal to the average distance from the
centre of Earth to the centre of the Sun (149 599 000 km). Astronomers
use this when describing positions of the planets relative to the Sun.
Venus
n
Earth
Jupiter
p
Saturn
Uranus
Np
Neptune
Pluto
5 100 15 20 25 30 35 40
Figure 1.12 The relative

Light-years distances of the nine planets
The vast distances beyond the solar system, out to stars and galaxies, are from the Sun. Note that the
so great that even astronomical units are too tiny as measures. Instead, the bodies are not to accurate
light-year is used. It equals the distance that light travels in one year. scale in this figure. If they
were, the Sun would have to
Light travels at a speed of 300 000 km/s. In a year, that adds up to
be shown with a diameter of
about 9.5 trillion km. If you wanted to wind a string 1 light-year long about 57 mm.
around Earth’s equator, you would have enough string to wrap it around
236 million times! The distance to Proxima Centauri, the next nearest star
to Earth after the Sun, is a little over 4 light-years.
info BIT
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Earth is about 1/1000 the volume of Jupiter, our solar system’s largest planet.
Jupiter is about 1/1000 the volume of the Sun. The Sun is about 1/300-millionth
the volume of the star Betelgeuse (located in the constellation of Orion).
ACTIVITY E-1
HOW BIG IS THE SUN?

Inquiry
The Question
Can we accurately measure the diameter of the Sun by using an indirect method?
Procedure
1 Working with a partner, tape a piece of cardboard to each end of the metre-stick.
Then tape the piece of aluminum foil over the square opening in one piece of
• metre-stick
cardboard, and tape the white paper in the middle of the other piece of cardboard.
• 2 pieces of cardboard,
approximately 15 cm by 15 cm
each (one piece of cardboard
will have a 5 cm by 5 cm
opening cut into its centre)
• 1 piece of aluminum foil,
approximately 8 cm by 8 cm
• 1 piece of white paper, 10 cm
by 10 cm
• masking tape
• drawing compass
• ring stand (optional)
• ruler
• calculator
Figure 1.13 Step 1
2 Using the compass point, poke a small hole (about 1 mm in diameter) in the
aluminum foil. Be careful not to make the hole any larger than that.
3 Take your apparatus and a pencil outside. (This procedure can be carried out even on
a slightly cloudy day, as long as the Sun can still cast a shadow.)
4 One partner holds the metre-stick horizontally with the
aluminum piece pointing toward the Sun. He or she
should move the end of the metre-stick around until the Caution!
Sun shines through the pinhole and forms a circular Never look at the
image on the piece of white paper. (Note: The person Sun directly.
holding the apparatus should try to steady it by resting it
against his or her chest. Another option is to steady the
metre-stick by resting it on a ring stand.)
5 The other partner marks the diameter of the circle with two pencil lines on the paper
(see Figure 1.14).
Figure 1.14 Step 5 6 Carry out steps 4 to 5 again, obtaining a pinhole image of the Sun and marking its
diameter on the paper. Repeat a third time.

7 Calculate the average diameter of the Sun’s image. Measure the marks you made on
the white paper and find the average diameter (d) for your three measurements
(in centimetres).
8 Use the following ratio to determine the diameter of the real Sun:
d
______ _____________
D
100 cm 150 000 000 km
Where: d is in centimetres
D is in kilometres
100 cm is the distance between the cards
150 000 000 km is the distance between the Sun and Earth
Sun’s image
pinhole Sun
Figure 1.15 Step 8
d D
100 cm 150 000 000 km
9 In a reference book or on the Internet, look up the actual diameter of the Sun. Use
that figure in the equation below to calculate the accuracy of your measured value.
The “percent error” shows how far from (or close to) the real value your measured
value is.
(actual value measured value)

percent error __________________________ 100
actual value
10 What did you find? How accurate was your measured value of the Sun’s diameter?
Forming Conclusions
11 Describe the possible sources of error that might make your measurement
inaccurate.
12 Do you agree or disagree that the diameter of the Sun can be accurately measured by
using an indirect means? Explain.

13 Could you use this method of measurement to obtain the diameter of another distant
body such as Jupiter? Could you use it to measure the diameters of bodies outside
our solar system?
14 Why must all measurements of size and distance in space be made indirectly?
G I V E I T A TRY
TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM

How has our knowledge of the solar system improved as technology has
Planet Number of
advanced? One way is that we have a better understanding of the vast distances steps from
between the planets. the Sun
Purpose Mercury less than 0.4

To create a scale model of the solar system Venus 0.75
Earth 1
Procedure
Mars 1.5
1 Organize into groups of 10. Each member in the group chooses to represent
Jupiter 5
the Sun or one of the nine planets. Go outside to a large playing field.
Saturn 9.5
2 The “Sun student” stands in place at one side of the field. He or she calls out
each planet name in turn, plus the number of steps that the “planet student” Uranus 19
must take from where the Sun is standing. (Refer to the table on the right, Neptune 30
which shows the planet distances from the Sun at a footstep scale representing Pluto 39.5
the actual distance.) Each step should be about 1 m long.
Questions
3 In a class discussion, share what you learned about distances in the solar system.
What did you notice about the positions of the planets relative to the Sun?
4 How do the distances between the inner planets compare with the distances
between the outer planets?
Looking into the Past

When you look at an object in space, you are seeing it as it was at an
earlier time. That’s because it takes time for the light from the object to
travel to Earth across the great distance in space. Gaze at the Moon and
you see it as it was about a second before. Light from the Sun takes about
8 min to reach Earth. Light from the planet Pluto, visible with the aid of a
telescope, takes an average of about 5 h to reach Earth. Images of stars in
the centre of our galaxy take 25 000 years to reach us.
The farther out into the universe we are able to look, the deeper into
the past we see. Today’s modern telescopes, for instance, are capable of
collecting light that has travelled from distant galaxies. Even more
astonishing are the images that the Hubble Space Telescope, launched in
1990, has captured. (You will learn more about this space-based telescope
in subsection 3.1.) Astronomers believe that what the Hubble Space
Telescope is viewing reaches back some 12 billion years.

Figure 1.16 Some of these stars may no longer exist, but we are only receiving their light now.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Name three instruments used throughout history to observe the
motion of the planets and stars.
2. Explain how a sundial works.
3. What term is used to describe the distance between Earth and the
Sun?
4. How far does light travel in one second?

5. Before the development of any technology for observing the sky, how
did people map the motion of objects in the night sky?
6. Why were dependable navigation instruments important to the
explorers who were crossing oceans to find new lands?
7. How did the telescope change human understanding of space?

8. What is the general relationship between the size of a planet and its
distance from the Sun?
1.3 The Distribution of Matter in Space
When you look at the night sky from a city or town, you can see many of
the brighter stars. Journey into the countryside, away from the light
pollution of the city, and the night sky will appear to be completely full of
stars. All of those bright points of light in space are separated by
unimaginably large distances.
Figure 1.17 Using modern

telescopes, astronomers
have been able to study
starlight from faint, remote
stars, such as those in the
Milky Way galaxy shown
here.
WHAT IS A STAR?
A star is a hot, glowing ball of gas (mainly hydrogen) that gives off
tremendous light energy. The number of stars in the universe is in the
billions of billions.
Stars vary greatly in their characteristics. Our Sun has a mass 300 000
times greater than Earth, with an average density of 1.4 times that of
water. In diameter, Betelgeuse is 670 times larger than our Sun, but only
1/10-millionth as dense. Stars vary greatly in their colours as well. The
colour of a star depends on its surface temperature. Very hot stars look
blue. Cooler stars look red.
In the 1920s, two scientists, Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Norris
Russell, began comparing the surface temperature of stars with the stars’
brightness (luminosity). When they plotted their data, Hertzsprung and
Russell discovered that the distribution of star temperature and brightness
is not random. Instead, as the “Hertzsprung-Russell diagram” shows (see
Figure 1.18), the stars fall into several distinct groupings. Part of this
pattern has since been accounted for by the current theory of how stars
evolve and change over very long periods of time.

Figure 1.18 The results of
supergiants graphing data from
giants
thousands of stars was the
Hertzsprung-Russell
(H-R) diagram. Our Sun
belongs in the middle of the
diagram in a grouping of
stars called the main
Increasing brightness
sequence. Ninety percent of

main sequence all stars fit into this grouping.
Sun
white dwarfs
Decreasing temperature
Q U I C K LAB
WHAT COLOUR AND TEMPERATURE TELL US ABOUT ELEMENTS

Purpose • 8 test tubes (75 mm by
100 mm)
To observe the colour and temperature associated with different elements
• test-tube rack
Procedure • wood splints
• Bunsen burner
1 Light the Bunsen burner.
• closed fume hood
2 Place 10 drops of the LiCl(aq) in a test tube. • solutions of LiCl(aq),
3 Dip a wooden splint into the test tube containing the LiCl(aq), moistening the KCl(aq) , NaCl(aq)),
splint tip. CuCl2(aq) , BaCl2(aq) ,
4 Remove the splint from the test tube and hold the moistened end in the hottest SrCl2(aq), CaCl2(aq)
part of the burner flame. Students should observe the colour and record what
they see. Often the colour disappears quickly, so repeat the procedure if
necessary.
5 Repeat steps 2 to 4 for each of the other solutions. In each case, students Caution!
should record what they observe. The materials in
this demonstration
Questions
can be hazardous if
6 What was responsible for the different colours you saw? inhaled. Observe
7 What can the colour of the flame reveal? the reactions from
8 How would this information be useful for astronomers studying the spectrum a safe distance.
of a star?
info BIT THE BIRTH OF A STAR
Just as every living thing on our planet is born, lives, and dies, a star has a
Meet a Really Big Star life cycle, too. Stars form in regions of space where there are huge
Our Sun is a very average accumulations of gas and dust called nebulae. Each nebula is composed of
star in the middle part of
about 75% hydrogen and 23% helium. The other 2% is oxygen, nitrogen,
its life. How average is it?
carbon, and silicate dust. Some of this interstellar matter came from
Stand 1 m away from the
exploding stars.
wall. This distance
represents the Sun’s The attraction of gravity acting between the atoms of gas and grains of
diameter. At this scale, dust can cause a small area of the nebula to start collapsing into a smaller,
the diameter of the rotating cloud of gas and dust. As more material is drawn into the
largest star now known spinning ball, the mass at its core increases and the temperature climbs. If
would be 2300 m the core gets hot enough, it will start to glow. This is a protostar, the first
(2.3 km). stage in a star’s formation. As the process of “star-building” continues, the
interior of the protostar gets hotter and hotter. When the core reaches
10 000 000°C, hydrogen starts to change to helium. This process, known
as fusion, releases great quantities of energy and radiation. A star is born.
main sequence red giant
Sun-like stars white dwarf black dwarf
nebula
neutron star
massive stars red supergiant supernova black hole
Figure 1.19 From nebular material, stars form with a variety of masses. The life cycles of massive
stars differ from those of Sun-like stars.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF STARS info BIT
Depending on the mass of the star formed from a particular nebula, the
star will be Sun-like (in terms of mass) or massive. Both types of stars Too Much to Swallow
Some stars become
spend most of their lives in this main sequence, converting hydrogen to
neutron stars when they
helium in their cores. The outward pressure of radiation on the stellar
collapse. A teaspoon of
material is counteracted by gravity, so the stars are in a stable state. All
material from a neutron
stars remain in this state for millions to even billions of years. star is so dense it would
Just as fuel in the gas tank of a car eventually runs out, so does the have a mass of 100 000 t.
fuel in a star. When the hydrogen in the core has been used up, the stable-
state star shrinks in size, heating the helium core so that it first starts
fusing to carbon, then to other elements. As gravity causes the star to
contract, further nuclear reactions occur, leading to expansion of the outer
layers. In this way, the star becomes larger, turning into a red giant if it is
a Sun-like star, or a red supergiant if it is a massive star. Our Sun will
become a red giant in about 5 billion years. At that time, the Sun’s
diameter may extend out past the present orbit of Mars.
The final stage in a star’s life occurs when the fusion reaction stops.
For a Sun-like star, fusion ends when the core temperature in the star is
no longer hot enough to keep the reaction going. With no heat input from
fusion, the decreasing pressure is unable to prevent gravity from causing
the star to collapse slowly on itself. The Sun-like star continues to shrink,
gradually becoming a white dwarf, no larger than Earth. Eventually, the
star will fade completely until it evolves into a cold, dark black dwarf.
According to physicists, it takes so long for a white dwarf to cool that no
black dwarf may yet have had time to form in the universe.
In a massive star, the fusion reaction stops when the star runs out of
fuel. The lack of heat input into the core from fusion enables gravity to get
the upper hand. In this case, gravity causes the star’s core to collapse
rapidly on itself. The collapse ends suddenly with an outgoing shock
wave. This in turn causes the outer part of the star to explode in a
catastrophic event known as a supernova. If the star is not destroyed
entirely by the explosion, the core is left as a neutron star or a black hole.
A neutron star is a rapidly spinning object only about 30 km in diameter.
A black hole is a highly dense remnant of a star in which gravity is so
strong that not even light from the radiation going on inside the remnant
can escape.
Figure 1.20 The giant

galactic nebula NGC 3603.
At the upper left of the
image is the blue supergiant
star, Sher 25. Near the
centre is a star cluster
dominated by young hot
stars. The enormous pillar of
gas is sculpted by the stellar
outflow winds created as the
new stars form.
re SEARCH Black holes are themselves invisible to telescopes. Astronomers only
know about their existence indirectly because of how material near a
Black Holes black hole becomes very hot and bright.
Astronomers are
discovering that black
holes are more common
than was first expected.
Research how black
holes form and where
they can be found.
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Figure 1.21 Occasionally, massive stars collapse on themselves with such violence that they
become super-dense. The gravity around these bodies is so intense that even light cannot escape
being pulled inward. These bodies are called black holes.
Figure 1.22 A supermassive black hole in the galaxy M87. The inset image shows stars and gas
orbiting the galaxy's bright nucleus. By calculating the speed of the orbiting material,
astronomers have concluded that the nucleus contains a black hole about 3 billion times the
mass of our Sun. The large image shows a bright band of material that may be super-heated gas
ejected from the black hole.

G I V E I T A TRY
CLASSIFYING STARS BY SIZE
The great variety of stars in the sky can be grouped in any number of ways, including
by colour, temperature, and age. Another way to classify stars is by their size.
1 The list below contains information about a number of imaginary stars. In your
notebook, make four columns with the headings: Red Supergiants, Giants, Main
Sequence Stars, and White Dwarfs. Categorize each of the stars under the
appropriate heading.
Star Radius (Sun=1) Density (Sun=1) Mass (Sun=1)
Beta Brittanee 40.0 0.00014 6.0
Krueller’s Star 0.7 6.3 0.5
34 Pygmi A 2.3 1.8 2.0
Von Wendle’s Star 0.018 71 000 0.41
Shecky 776.0 0.000003 20.0
15 Ashlee Pi 35.0 0.00018 7.0
Scorpo-3 0.022 90,000 0.73
Prilcyon 1.5 0.9 1.8
R Schminky-5 999.0 0.0000005 18.0
Iaetapi 87.0 0.00006 5.0
2 When you have completed your classification, answer the following questions.
a) What did you base your classifications on?
b) What did you notice about the very small stars?
c) What did you notice about the densities of the giants and supergiants?
d) Black holes form when certain types of stars collapse on themselves. There are
two stars on your list that have the potential to become black holes. Using the
data in the table, explain which two stars you think could become black holes.
info BIT
Human Star Power
“We are stardust” is a line in the chorus of a popular song carbon making up our bodies was created inside ancient
from the 1970s. It sounds like a far-fetched idea, but in stars that exploded, distributing their elements in our
fact it’s true. Humans are carbon-based life forms. The region of the galaxy.
STAR GROUPS
Constellations are the groupings of stars we see as patterns in the night
sky. Officially, there are 88 constellations recognized by the International
Astronomical Union. As well, there are many unofficially recognized star
groupings. These are asterisms. One of the most famous asterisms visible
from the northern hemisphere is the Big Dipper, which is part of the
constellation Ursa Major. The ancient Greeks saw the stars that make up
Ursa Major as a bear. The early Black Foot nation of North America also
saw a bear. Ancient Europeans saw a variety of different patterns
including a chariot, a wagon, and a plough. Figure 1.23 shows two
common star patterns and their associated constellations as we know
them today.
a b
Figure 1.23 (a) The constellation of Orion, a Figure 1.23 (b) The Big Dipper forms part of
figure in Greek mythology who was thought the constellation of Ursa Major, or the Great
of as a great hunter. Note the three bright Bear.
stars making “Orion’s Belt.” Betelgeuse is the
star at Orion’s right shoulder.
GALAXIES
A galaxy is a grouping of millions or billions of stars, gas, and dust. It is
held together by gravity.
The galaxy we live in is a spiral galaxy called the Milky Way. It is
shaped like a flattened pinwheel, with arms spiralling out from the centre.
Viewed from the side, a spiral galaxy looks a little like a compact disc
with a marble in the middle sticking out evenly on either side. Our galaxy
is believed to contain from 100 billion to 200 billion stars. There are two
other main types of galaxies: elliptical and irregular. Astronomers have
estimated there may be a billion billion galaxies in the universe.

Figure 1.24 Viewed from above or below Figure 1.25 An elliptical galaxy has a Figure 1.26 An irregular galaxy has no
the plane, a spiral galaxy appears to have shape similar to that of a football or egg notable shape and tends to be smaller than
long curved arms radiating out from a and is made up mostly of old stars. This the other two galaxy types. A mixture of
bright central core. Young stars provide picture shows many elliptical galaxies. old and young stars is found in irregular
most of the light in the arms. Older stars galaxies.
provide most of the light in the central
region.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. What is the main chemical element in a star?
2. What is the connection between a supernova and a black hole?
3. What is the term used to refer to a group of millions of stars?
4. Explain the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram in your own words.

5. True or false: “Stars exist with every combination of brightness
(luminosity) and temperature. No specific patterns exist when star
data with these characteristics are plotted.” Explain your answer with
reference to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.
6. Why are nebulae sometimes referred to as “stellar nurseries”?
7. Create a word sequence that correctly summarizes the life cycle of
massive stars. Use the words: red supergiant, nebula, supernova,
massive star, neutron star. Connect each word with an arrow (→).
8. Considering the number of stars in space, why don’t astronomers see
greater numbers of dwarf stars?

9. Imagine two stars in a galaxy. Both are at the end of their life spans.
One star ends up as a white dwarf, the other ends up as a black hole.
Describe the conditions that led to these stars having different
outcomes.
10. The light we see from the planets in our solar system is just the light
reflected from the Sun. Why do planets appear brighter than the vast
majority of stars we see?
math Link 1.4 Our Solar Neighbourhood
The Power of the Sun
A watt (W) is a In Section 1.3, you learned that stars are born in stellar nurseries called
measure of power. A nebulae. The formation of our solar system, including the Sun and nine
megawatt (MW) is a planets, occurred in much the same way.
million watts. Most The “protoplanet hypothesis” is a model for explaining the birth of
household items do solar systems. The process can be described in three steps:
not require that much
1. A cloud of gas and dust in space begins swirling.
power. For example, a
2. Most of the material (more than 90%) accumulates in the centre,
typical light bulb
forming the Sun.
requires 100 W to
work. The Sun releases 3. The remaining material accumulates in smaller clumps circling the
380 billion billion centre. These form the planets.
megawatts every
second. How many
100-W light bulbs
could the Sun power? Swirling gas
ga and dust
Remaining
gas and
dust form
planets
Most gas and

nd dust
accumulates in the
middle, forming a star.
Figure 1.27 The three stages in the formation of a solar system, according to the protoplanet
hypothesis (sometimes known as the “nebular theory”)
THE SUN
At the centre of our solar neighbourhood sits the Sun. For thousands of
years, we learned all we knew about the Sun from looking at it, and that
wasn’t easy to do. After telescopes were invented it wasn’t long before
filters were designed to allow observers to gaze directly at the Sun.
Satellites have offered an even closer look. The Sun is almost 110 times
wider than Earth. If the Sun were a hollow ball, almost a million Earths
would be required to fill it.
The temperature at the surface of the Sun, which is constantly
bubbling and boiling, is about 5500°C, while the core is close to
15 000 000°C. The Sun releases charged particles that flow out in every
direction. This solar wind passes Earth at an average speed of 400 km/s.
Earth is protected from the solar wind by its magnetic field.

solar flares
corona
core
Figure 1.28 The Sun, like

most stars, is made up of
two main gases, hydrogen
sunspots and helium. They are packed
very densely at the core, held
together by gravity.
THE PLANETS
The planets that make up our solar system are as different as the people
that make up a family. Every planet has its own unique features and
characteristics. The solar system can be divided into two distinct
planetary groups: the inner planets, also called terrestrial, or Earth-like,
planets; and the outer, or Jovian (in reference to Jupiter), planets. The
terrestrial planets tend to be smaller, rockier in composition, and closer to
the Sun than the Jovian planets. The Jovian planets are large and gaseous
and are located great distances from the Sun.
Technology has enabled us to learn a lot about our nearest neighbours
in space. All the planets except Pluto have been visited by orbiting space
probes. Mars and Venus have had robots land on their surface.
S K I L L PRACTICE
BUILDING A PLANETARY SPREADSHEET

In this subsection, you will learn about many of the characteristics of the bodies that
make up our solar system.
As you work through this section, prepare a single spreadsheet to compare and contrast
all the information provided on pages 394–396 about the planets. You may choose to
organize your spreadsheet with the planets down the left-hand column and
characteristics across the top, or planets across the top and characteristics down the
left-hand column. A sample characteristic could be “Atmosphere” and the data could be
a simple yes or no answer.
With a small group, think up eight questions that could be used to test a person’s
knowledge of how the planets compare to one another. For example: Which planet has
the smallest mass? Does Jupiter complete its orbital revolution faster or slower than
Saturn? As a class, exchange your questions.
Mercury
Most of what we know about Mercury has been determined by telescopes and satellite data.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Its surface is very similar to that of the Moon. Like the Moon,
Mercury has no atmosphere and therefore no protection from the bombardment of meteroids, asteroids, and
comets. The scars of millions of years of impacts can be seen. Other parts of Mercury’s surface are smooth,
probably due to lava flowing through cracks in the rocky crust. The temperatures on Mercury vary greatly,
from over 400°C on the sunny side to –180°C on the dark side.
Distance Radius Mass Density Number of Average Period of Number of Period of

from the (Earth=1) (Earth=1) Earth=1 Moons Surface Rotation Rotations per Orbital
Sun (AU) Temp. (°C) Earth Day Revolution
0.39 0.38 0.06 1 0 180 59 days 0.017 88 days
Venus
Venus is similar to Earth in diameter, mass, and gravity, and is often called Earth’s twin. A closer look at
conditions on Venus’s surface shows where the similarities end. Venus would be horrific for humans to visit.
Surface temperatures are kept hot due to a greenhouse effect caused by thick clouds. Temperatures can be
over 450°C—hot enough to melt lead. The atmospheric pressure is about 90 times that on Earth. The surface
of Venus cannot be seen by telescope because of its thick cloud cover. The permanent clouds are made of
carbon dioxide, and it often rains sulfuric acid (the same acid found in a car battery). Russians landed a probe
on Venus in 1982, but it only lasted there for 57 min. In 1991, the spacecraft Magellan mapped Venus using
radio waves (radar). It found huge canyons, extinct volcanoes, and ancient lava flows. Venus is one of the only
planets in the solar system to rotate from east to west—opposite to the other six.

from the (Earth=1) (Earth=1) (Earth=1) Moons Surface Rotation Rotations per Orbital
0.72 0.95 0.86 0.96 0 480 243 days 0.004 225 days
Earth
Earth is unique in the solar system for several reasons. It is the only planet where water exists in all three
phases: solid, liquid, and gas. It is also the only planet that is at the appropriate distance from the Sun to
support life as we know it. As well, Earth’s atmosphere provides protection from cosmic rays and ultraviolet
radiation that would otherwise harm life. Seventy percent of the planet’s surface is covered in water. Earth is
one of the few places in our solar system that has active volcanism.

1 1 1 1 1 15 23.93 h 1 365.25 days

Mars
Mars has been studied by telescope for centuries. Two missions have successfully landed robotic probes on
the surface of the planet: Viking in 1976 and Mars Pathfinder in 1997. Mars is often referred to as the “red
planet,” though it is actually more orangey. This is caused by the iron oxides on the planet’s surface. Mars has
two polar ice caps, one made up of frozen carbon dioxide and water, the other of just carbon dioxide. The
atmosphere is very thin and composed mainly of carbon dioxide. Although the average surface temperature is
extremely cold, temperatures at Mars’s equator can reach 16°C in the summer. Like Venus and Earth, Mars has
canyons, valleys, and extinct volcanoes. Mars also has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos.

1.52 0.53 0.11 0.71 2 –53 24.6 h 0.98 607 days
Jupiter
Jupiter has been observed through telescopes since the 1600s. The Voyager probes visited Jupiter and many
of its 16 moons in 1979, followed by the Galileo probe in the mid-1990s. Jupiter is the largest of all the planets
in the solar system, and contains more than twice the mass of all the other planets combined. It is a gas giant
composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and scientists speculate that if Jupiter were only 10 times larger
than it is, it may have formed into a star. The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a huge storm in its atmosphere.
Jupiter has three very thin rings.

5.27 11.25 318 0.24 28 –108 9.85 h 2.4 11.9 years
Saturn
Galileo saw Saturn’s rings with his primitive telescope in 1610, though he initially thought they were a group
of planets. Voyager 1 and 2 flew by Saturn in 1980 and 1981, respectively. In late 2004, the Cassini
spacecraft will reach Saturn and drop a probe onto Titan, the largest of the planet’s 19 moons. Saturn is the
second largest planet in our solar system and has the most distinctive ring system of all the nine planets.
Over a thousand rings exist, composed of pieces of ice and dust that range in size from grains of sand to
house-sized blocks. Saturn’s composition is similar to Jupiter’s—mostly hydrogen and helium. Because of
the planet’s quick rotation, wind speeds at Saturn’s equator have been estimated at over 1800 km/h.

9.54 9.45 95 0.13 19 –180 10.38 h 2.3 29.5 years
Uranus
Voyager 2 has given us most of our close-up information about Uranus, last sending data back to Earth
in 1986 before it left the solar system. Satellite and telescope analyses have provided other interesting
details. Uranus has one of the most unusual rotations in the solar system: its axis of rotation is tilted
toward the plane of its orbit, making it appear to roll during its orbit. Another gas giant, Uranus is
composed mainly of hydrogen and helium. Methane in its atmosphere gives the planet a distinctive blue
colour. Uranus has a large ring system, and 17 moons.

19.19 4.01 15 0.21 17 –214 17.4 h 2.2 84 years
Neptune
When scientists observed the orbit of Uranus to be different from what they had calculated, they searched for
an eighth planet. In 1846, they found Neptune. About a century and a half later, Voyager 2 flew to Neptune to
collect more information. The composition and size of Neptune make it very similar in appearance to Uranus.
Another gas giant composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane, Neptune (like Uranus) is bluish in colour.
Very little of the Sun’s energy reaches the eighth planet. Neptune gives off about 3 times more energy than it
receives. It boasts the fastest wind speeds in the solar system, at 2500 km/h. Like all the other gas giants,
Neptune has its own ring system, as well as eight moons.

30.06 3.96 0.17 0.27 8 –220 16.2 h 1.6 165 years
Pluto
Pluto was discovered by telescope in 1930. Since then, the most useful information about it has come from
the Hubble Space Telescope. One of the greatest debates among planetary astronomers currently is whether
Pluto is a planet or not. It is a frozen ball of methane smaller than our moon. It doesn’t fit the pattern of the
outer planets, which tend to be large and gaseous, and it isn’t rocky like the terrestrial planets. Pluto’s orbit is
raised 17.2° from the plane of the other planets and is more elliptical than that of other planets. Like Venus
and Uranus, Pluto rotates from east to west. Between 1979 and 1999, Pluto was closer to the Sun than
Neptune. Some astronomers believe that Pluto and its moon, Charon, are comets captured by the Sun’s
gravity from the area of debris on the outer edge of the solar system called the Kuiper Belt.

39.5 0.19 0.002 0.36 1 –230 6.39 days 0.17 248 years

OTHER BODIES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Asteroids
Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter lies a narrow
belt of small, rocky or metallic bodies travelling in
space. These are called asteroids. They can range in
size from a few metres to several hundred kilometres
across. The largest asteroid, called Ceres, is over
1000 km wide. Scientists aren’t certain where the
asteroids came from.
Figure 1.29 The asteroid Eros is only 33 km long and
13 km wide. This image was taken in March 2000 by NEAR
Shoemaker, the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid. In
February 2001, the spacecraft landed on Eros.
G I V E I T A TRY
HOW CAN COLLISIONS OCCUR IN ALL THAT SPACE? Materials & Equipment
• ball (such as tetherball or
The motion of the planets in our solar system is generally regular and volleyball) with ring
predictable. Even the motion of many smaller bodies in the solar system, such attachment
as asteroids and comets, has been charted and calculated. Every once in a while, • 3-m piece of cord
however, the gravitational force of a planet or a moon can affect the path of a • small, soft projectiles (such
smaller object and send it on a course toward the Sun. Even though Earth’s orbit as beanbags or marshmallows),
may be in the way of that new path, chance plays an important role in 2–3 per student
determining whether a collision between Earth and the object will occur or not.
1 Out on the school grounds, your teacher will stand in place and swing a
Caution!
tetherball, volleyball, or similar type of ball in a slow circle overhead. The
ball will be attached to a 3-m piece of cord. The ball represents Earth in its When throwing any
orbit around the Sun (your teacher). object, do so gently
2 Your teacher will provide you with one or two small soft projectiles, such as and aim only at the
beanbags or marshmallows. intended target.
3 Stand at least 1 m outside the arc made by the swinging ball. Using a gentle
underhand lob, throw your projectile toward the moving target—orbiting
“Earth.” If you succeed in hitting Earth, you will hear the impact or see the
projectile deflect off the ball.
4 After everyone in the class has had a throw or two, add up the number of
hits that occurred. Are you surprised by the number? Why? What made this
challenge difficult? What would increase the chances of making contact with
the ball?
5 Back in your classroom, write a paragraph describing how your
observations in this activity might be related to the occurrence of collisions
between Earth and other small objects in the solar system.
Comets
Comets, often described as “dirty snowballs,” are objects made up of dust
and ice that travel through space. Their long tails and bright glow only
appear when they get close to the Sun. When that happens, the Sun heats
the materials on the comet and gases are released. These gases then get
pushed away from the comet by the solar wind. The tails of some comets
can be millions of kilometres long.
Comets spend most of their time slowly orbiting in the outer reaches
of the solar system. Only when an event, such as the close passing of
another body, occurs might a comet’s path be pushed toward the inner
solar system. Then a comet can end up in a regular orbit around the Sun.
Comets that orbit the Sun will make a predictable appearance because
their paths are large ellipses. One of these is Halley’s comet, which is
visible from Earth every 76 years. The last time it was seen was in 1986.
Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites

Small pieces of rocks flying through space with no particular path are
called meteoroids. Meteoroids can be as small as a grain of sand or as
large as a car. Practically invisible to most telescopes, we are usually only
aware of meteoroids as they hurtle through our atmosphere. When one
gets pulled into the atmosphere by Earth’s gravity, the heat of atmospheric
friction causes it to give off light and it is known as a meteor. These are
the so-called “shooting stars” that can often be seen streaking across the
night sky. If a meteor lasts long enough to hit Earth’s surface, it is called a
meteorite. Some meteor showers are predictable, such as the Leonids.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Figure 1.30 Meteorites
are rocky or metallic in
composition. The largest
known meteorite weighs
more than 60 t. It lies
where it fell at Hoba West
in Namibia.
Figure 1.31 Two impact craters left by a meteorite
in northern Quebec
info BIT
Halley’s Comet’s Elliptical Path
The path of a comet around the Sun is elliptical. Knowing its shape allows
astronomers to predict when the comet will return to pass by Earth again.
Halley’s comet has an average 76-year orbit. Shortly after its last visit in
1986, observers saw it brighten unexpectedly. That might mean it
collided with something. We will have to see what happened when it
makes its scheduled return visit in 2062.
Figure 1.32 Halley’s comet

TRACKING OBJECTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM re SEARCH
As you have learned in previous sections, the paths of the major bodies in
the solar system are ellipses. Because astronomers understand the nature Other Solar Systems
Several dozen planets
and geometry of elliptical orbits, as well as of celestial motion, they now
have been discovered
understand the paths of planets and their moons. This means that a
orbiting other stars in
variety of events can be accurately predicted, including both solar and
our galaxy. With each
lunar eclipses. Recall from earlier studies that a solar eclipse occurs when discovery, astronomers
the Moon, passing between the Sun and Earth, casts a shadow on Earth. A are learning that our
lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, solar system is not the
casting its shadow over the Moon. same as every other one.
Knowing so much about orbital paths and speeds, astronomers can Investigate the latest
predict eclipses well into the future. Some enthusiasts make it a hobby to research on new planets
plan trips wherever they can around the world to witness eclipses. and find out how
different they are from
the ones in our solar
neighbourhood. Begin
your search at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Figure 1.33 During a total solar eclipse, the Sun’s corona is visible.
Understanding of orbits has also led to the discovery of many different

comets. The paths of comets are elliptical, too, but larger and longer than
planetary paths. Through careful observation and the use of some basic
mathematics, astronomers are able to calculate the paths of some known
comets and predict when they will next be close enough to Earth to be
seen. Halley’s comet is one example.
Tracking and discovering comets is a job shared by sky-watchers at all
levels, from astronomers who work for the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) to backyard enthusiasts. NASA also has a
system for tracking meteors.
Figure 1.34 The predictable
path of Comet
Shoemaker–Levy allowed
astronomers to anticipate
and monitor the comet’s
collision with Jupiter in 1994.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. List the names of the inner, or terrestrial, planets.
2. Name three ways in which the outer, or Jovian, planets are alike.
3. Explain the main ways in which the inner planets differ from the
outer planets in our solar system.
4. Describe what an asteroid is.
5. Why are comets sometimes referred to as “dirty snowballs”? Why are
their tails visible?
6. What is the name for a meteoroid that survives its journey through our
atmosphere and hits Earth?

7. Describe in your own words how the solar system formed.
8. On the upper surface of Jupiter’s atmosphere, the attractive force of
gravity is 2.5 times that on Earth. What would a bathroom scale show
if a 50-kg person were weighed on Jupiter?
9. For about 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, Pluto was closer to the Sun
than Neptune was. Explain why this was possible.

10. Why would it be unreasonable to expect Saturn-like rings around any
of the inner planets?
11. Explain how it is possible for an asteroid or a comet to cut directly
across Earth’s orbital path but not strike Earth.
12. Suppose a gaseous planet half the size of Saturn were discovered.
Where in the solar system do you think it would be located? Give a
reason for your answer.

1.5 Describing the Position of Objects in Space
Suppose you were talking on the phone to your friend who lives in the
house beside you. From your windows you are looking at the night sky.
Your friend finds an interesting stellar object and wants you to look at it.
How can you be sure you are both looking at the same thing?
To locate the position of an object in space, two questions must be
answered: “How high in the sky is it”? and “In which direction”? This
problem can be solved with only two measurements. The first is the
compass direction, called the azimuth. With due north as 0° and going
clockwise, the azimuth will tell you which direction to point. For
example, 180° from 0° would have you pointing due south;
270° would have you pointing west. The second Zenith Altitude
measurement shows how high the object is in the sky.
This is called altitude. The altitude ranges from 0 at
N (o˚)
the horizon to 90° straight up. With these two Azimut
h
measurements, stargazers can pinpoint objects in
space. Zenith refers to the highest point directly
overhead.
W (270˚)
Observer
Figure 1.35 The imaginary dome that allows us to describe the
on
position of a celestial object H o riz
S (180˚)
G I V E I T A TRY
ESTIMATING POSITIONS IN SPACE

In this activity, you will investigate how accurately you Then, using both arms, count the number of times
can estimate the position of an object above you by you have to place one fist on top of the other until
using a simple tool, your fist. you “climbed” to the object’s position. For
example: 6 fists 10° = 60°. Record your
1 From your desk, select a small object that is high
“altitude” estimate in your notebook.
up on a classroom wall. Choose the wall that is
farthest from your desk. The object can be a clock, 4 Next, estimate the compass direction of the object.
a tack, or even just the upper corner of the room. Your teacher will tell you where due north is.
Imagine that point to be 12 o’clock in a clock face.
2 Extend one arm out in front of your body and
Describe the direction in which your object lies
make a fist. Close one eye and look down your
from north (12 o’clock) by reference to its position
arm, as though you were taking aim at something.
on the imaginary clock face (e.g., 2 o’clock).
The height of your fist as you see it this way
Combine this with the first measure of elevation.
represents about 10° of altitude.
5 Compare the accuracy of your results with that of
3 From a standing position beside your desk, and
some of your classmates. What similarities or
using your fist as described in step 2, estimate the
differences do you notice in your results? Explain
height (in degrees) of the object you have chosen.
why these might have occurred.
Start with one arm held out horizontal to the floor.
ACTIVITY E-2
Problem WHERE DO WE LOOK?

Solving
Recognize a Need
To find a particular star in the night sky is not as simple as pointing and saying, “There it
is!” To find the specific location, a set of rules must be followed and accurate directions
given. A star’s position is like an address to a house: no two are exactly alike. How is the
position determined, and how can another person find the exact same star?
• cardboard The Problem
• circle protractor
Searching the night sky, you have discovered a bright star that wasn’t visible before—a
• pen
supernova perhaps. To claim your fame as the star’s discoverer, you have to confirm its
• scissors
position with the Astronomical Society. The Society requests that you send the star’s
• string
• small weight (such as a bearing (azimuth) and altitude. You have a telescope, but no way of knowing the exact
washer or rubber stopper) position of the star in the sky. The challenge is to build a device, find the star, and
• straight drinking straw correctly identify the coordinates. The only way to solve the problem is to construct an
• adhesive tape astrolabe.
• thin straight object (such as a
souvlaki stick or a straight Criteria for Success
piece of wire) • Build a functioning astrolabe with materials provided.
• Locate the star with the astrolabe.
• Use the correct technique to identify the coordinates with the astrolabe.
Build a Prototype
1 Draw a semicircle about 20 cm in diameter on the cardboard. Using a protractor,
mark the 10° increments on the cardboard and label them (see Figure 1.36). Cut out
the cardboard protractor.
90 90
80
70 90
80 90
60
50 70
40 60
50
30
40
20
30
10
20
0
10
Figure 1.36 Steps 1–3
2 Tie one end of the string to the weight and attach the other end to the centre of the
cardboard. The weight should be able to swing freely, as shown in Figure 1.36.
3 Tape the straw to the cardboard as shown in Figure 1.36. The angle you read from
the string on your new astrolabe indicates the angle your target is above the
horizontal.

Test and Evaluate
Note: For this part of the activity, your teacher will have
hung a sphere (representing your star) from the ceiling.
4 Sitting at your desk, locate the “star” in the sky using
the straw as a telescope. The weight should be
hanging straight down (Figure 1.37).
5 Once you have found the star, hold the astrolabe as
steady as possible and read the altitude off the
cardboard scale (or have another student read it for
you). Write this number down as “altitude” (for
example: 45°).
6 Your teacher will tell you where due north is. Lay the
circle protractor on your desk and align the 0° with
due north. Tape the protractor on your desk to hold it
in place.
7 Place the thin straight object on the circle protractor
with one end at the centre of the protractor and the
other end pointing in the direction of the star. The
azimuth is always measured clockwise from the north
in degrees. Read the angle measured clockwise from
due north. This is the azimuth of the star.
Communicate Figure 1.37 Step 4

8 Imagine that, after locating the position of the star, you
send the coordinates to the Astronomical Society. A week later they call to say they
followed your directions exactly, but could not find the star. You are certain you were
careful. What might have happened that would make your coordinates incorrect?
9 Do your coordinates match those of any of your classmates? Explain why they might
not.
10 If it were a real star you were looking at and you took coordinates every night for one
full year from the same location, would the coordinates change or remain the same?
Extension
You can record the altitude of the Sun with an astrolabe. Point the straw at the Sun with Caution!
one hand, and hold your other hand, palm up, to the other end of the straw. Move the Do not look
straw around until you see a small circle of light on the palm of your hand. Read the angle directly at the
on your cardboard scale. This shows you the altitude of the Sun. Make three Sun through the
measurements and calculate an average. Try this at the same time for five days in a row. straw.
Does the Sun’s altitude change or does it stay the same? Explain..
re SEARCH DETERMINING THE MOTION OF OBJECTS IN SPACE
Because they are at such enormous distances from Earth, the stars appear
Star-studded Flags to stay in one place in the sky. Only when viewed over extremely long
Stars are part of the
periods of time can some stars be seen to move very slightly.
design of the national
When observing planetary motion, however, a person needs to wait
flags of Australia, Brazil,
and New Zealand and only a few days or weeks to see a planet change its position against the
the state flag of Alaska. background of stars. “Planet” comes from the ancient Greek word for
Find out which stars the “wanderer.” The movement of these wandering celestial planets mystified
flags depict and explain early people. Sometimes the planets seemed to speed up over time in their
why you think that is. movements across the sky. Other times they appeared to stand still. The
Begin your research at path in the sky along which the Sun appears to move is called the ecliptic.
www.pearsoned.ca/ In section 1.1, you read about how astronomers such as Aristotle and
scienceinaction. Copernicus tried to explain the motions of the planets which, when
viewed from Earth, seemed very complex. Different interpretations of the
available information eventually led to new theories being proposed. An
example of this was Kepler’s suggestion that the planets’ paths were
ellipses and not circles.
north
celestial
celestial ecliptic
pole
sphere
summer
solstice
autumnal
equinox
23.5°
vernal
equinox
winter solstice
south
celestial
pole
Figure 1.38 The celestial sphere is the name given to the very large imaginary "sphere of sky"
surrounding Earth. (Think of Earth lying within a large hollow ball.) The celestial equator is the
imaginary line around that sphere of sky directly above Earth's equator. The ecliptic—the apparent
path of the Sun through the sky during the year—crosses the celestial equator at the vernal (spring)
and autumnal (fall) equinoxes. The Sun's most northerly position on the ecliptic marks the
summer solstice. Its most southerly position marks the winter solstice.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. What name is given to the compass direction when we are trying to
locate an object in the night sky?
2. Define altitude.
3. What is the point directly overhead called?
4. Explain what the ecliptic is.

5. Why did the Greeks call the planets “wanderers”?
6. Why must two coordinates, azimuth and altitude, be given to specify
the location of an object in the night sky?
7. The table below has two incorrect entries.
a) Identify each error and correct it.
b) Explain why each of the two entries is incorrect.
Reading Azimuth Altitude

1 30° 93°
2 364° 45°

8. Is it ever possible to specify the location of an object in the sky
knowing only the altitude? Explain your answer.
9. Imagine two friends, one in Calgary and the other in Edmonton,
observing the same body in space. Describe how their coordinates
would be different for the same object.
10. a) Does the rotation of Earth affect azimuth and altitude
measurements of stars? Explain why or why not.
b) What can be done to ensure someone using your measurements
would be able to find the object you located?
Figure 1.39 If you know the altitude and

azimuth coordinates of an object in the sky,
you can accurately describe its position to
someone else.
SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Why was it necessary for ancient people to develop technology to
better understand the motions of bodies in space?
2. Define a) astronomical unit and b) light-year.
3. What two characteristics of stars are plotted on the Hertzsprung-
Russell diagram?
4. What name do we give the nuclear reaction that produces helium from
hydrogen?
5. Explain the difference between a constellation and an asterism.
6. Is the Sun likely to become a neutron star? Explain your answer.
7. Imagine that you observe two stars in the night sky. One is an old star
and one is a young star. What differences between the two might you
observe?
8. What prevents a neutron star from collapsing under its own gravity?
9. What type of galaxy is the Milky Way? Sketch what this type of galaxy
looks like.
10. a) In what way are Mars and Earth similar?
b) In what ways are they different?
11. Compare the general characteristics of the inner planets with those
of the outer planets. Copy the table below into your notebook and fill
it in.
Feature Inner Planets Outer Planets

Composition
Number of moons
Ring systems
Size
Surface temperature
12. Which planet has surface features that most closely resemble Earth’s?
Briefly describe those features.
13. The speed of light is 300 000 km/s. The Sun is about 150 000 000 km
from Earth.
a) How long does it take light to get from the Sun to Earth?
b) The distance around Earth at the equator is about 40 000 km. How
long would it take light to go around the world once?
14. Explain why distances to stars are not measured in kilometres or
astronomical units.
15. Describe the protoplanet hypothesis of how a solar system forms. Use
sketches to support your answer.

SECTION REVIEW
16. Explain why it is necessary on Earth to have a leap year (one extra
day, February 29) every four years.
17. Figure 1.40 shows the orbital paths of Neptune and Pluto. As you
know from this section, Pluto’s path cuts across the path of Neptune.
Give two reasons why it is unlikely their orbital paths will ever
collide.
18. The greater the mass of an object, the greater its gravitational
attraction. The object with the largest mass in our solar system is the
Sun. Because of its large mass, it not only holds the planets in their
orbits, but it also attracts great amounts of space debris from the far
reaches of the solar system. On occasion, large chunks of debris have
even hit Earth, but not as many as astronomers have predicted could
hit Earth. What might be some explanations for Earth’s apparent
“luck” in not being hit by more space debris?

On
Our understanding of space and the universe around us is directly connected
to the technology we use to make observations. As the technology has
improved, so has our ability to find answers to our questions. Consider the
following questions and use examples from your work in this section to
support your answers.
1. How has technology affected the way humans look into the universe?
2. How have technological advances over time improved our understanding
of space?
3. Why has distance in space proven to be such a challenging factor to
overcome?
Technological developments are
2.0 making space exploration possible
and offer benefits on Earth.
Key Concepts
In this section you will learn
concepts:
exploration
• life support technologies
• communication technologies
Learning Outcomes
• analyze space environments,
and identify challenges that
must be met in developing
life-supporting systems
• describe technologies for
“From space, if you look back just a few degrees away from Earth, you see the black void of the universe—
life-support systems, and the cold vacuum of space. But when you look back at the Earth, bathed in sunlight, you see where we all
interpret the scientific live. We are all voyagers in space together.”
principles on which they are —Roberta Bondar, Canadian astronaut, quoted in the Canadian Space Agency’s “Canada in Space:
based Destination Earth” (1993)
• describe technologies for

space transport, and interpret The lure of leaving Earth to explore other planets and beyond is the
the scientific principles same lure that has always drawn humans to explore what lies over the
involved horizon. The urge to venture into uncharted seas, distant countries, and
• identify materials and extreme environments, such as the Arctic and Antarctica, is no different
processes developed to meet than the urge to venture into space.
needs in space, and identify From the earliest unmanned rockets to the re-useable space shuttles
related applications of today, the biggest challenges of exploring space have been finding
• describe the development of ways: 1) to go fast enough to achieve orbit around Earth or break free of
artificial satellites, and Earth’s gravity and travel to other planets; 2) to keep equipment
explain the major purposes operating in the extreme environment of space; and 3) to transport
for which they are used
people out and back safely. In searching for solutions to these problems,
scientists have used technology and technologists have used science.
In this section, you will learn about technologies developed to send
objects into space and to make life support and transport in space
possible. You will also learn about the spin-offs from such innovations
that are being used here on Earth.

info BIT
2.1 Getting There: Technologies for Space
Transport The First Rocketeer
A legend from 16th
century China suggests
Humans have come a long way since their early experiments with
that the first rocket-
rocketry to propel objects high into the sky. Today, hundreds of satellites assisted flight was
circle Earth. They transmit non-stop information for use in attempted by Wan-Hu,
communications, navigation, research, and weather forecasting. Robotic a Chinese official.
space probes have investigated all the planets of our solar system except Forty-seven rockets
Pluto. As well, manned spacecraft—notably the Russian Mir space station, were attached to a
the American space shuttle, and the International space station—have chair that was
conducted studies while in Earth’s orbit. connected to two kites.
Getting an object into “space” (outside Earth’s atmosphere) first After all the rockets
required figuring out what speed an object needed to overcome the force were ignited, there was
of gravity pulling the object back toward Earth. That speed, it was found, a massive explosion.
No traces of Wan-Hu,
had to be at least 28 000 km/h.
the chair, or the kites
were ever found.
Q U I C K LAB
THE POWER OF STEAM Materials & Equipment

Note: This may be done as a teacher demonstration. Caution! • plastic pinwheel
Be careful around • test-tube clamp
Purpose the heating tray to • thermometer clamp
To observe the power of steam propulsion • plastic funnel to fit beaker
avoid getting a
• one 250-mL beaker
burn.
Procedure • water
1 Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 2.1. • heating tray
• pencil and notepaper
2 Fill the beaker until it is about half full of water.
3 Turn on the heating tray to boil the water.
pinwheel
4 When the water starts boiling, record your observations.
5 After you have completed the activity, turn off the power thermometer
to the heating tray. DO NOT touch the apparatus until it clamp
has had sufficient time to cool down. test-tube
funnel clamp
Questions
6 What made the pinwheel turn? water in
beaker
7 Why was the funnel put over the beaker upside down?
ring stand
8 Would the pinwheel have turned if no funnel were used?
heating plate
9 How could you improve this set-up to make the pinwheel
spin faster? Figure 2.1 Step 1
Technological Developments Are Making Space Exploration Possible and Offer Benefits on Earth 409
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ROCKET SCIENCE
Figure 2.2 Space exploration really started once large rocket boosters were developed. Cape
Canaveral in Florida is the major launch facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
The first step in space exploration has been figuring out a way to get off
the planet. The sophisticated rockets used today to transport unmanned
and manned craft into space are tributes to human technological ingenuity
and achievement. These complex rockets have far simpler origins than
you might imagine. Around 400 B.C., the Greek mathematician Archytas
used escaping steam to propel a model pigeon along wires. In the 1st
century A.D., the Chinese were using gunpowder to make rocket-propelled
arrows for battle.
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union became the first country in the
world to launch an artificial satellite. It was called Sputnik, the Russian
word for satellite. A month after Sputnik was put into orbit around Earth,
Figure 2.3 Archytas’s the Soviet Union launched a second space capsule. This one carried an
“pigeon” is said to be the occupant, a small dog named Laika, who survived for seven days as the
first rocket ever recorded. capsule orbited Earth. The event marked the first time any living creature
had been sent into space. The valuable information gained from that
mission set the path for human space travel.
Figure 2.4 Sputnik I was only about as Figure 2.5 On September 29, 1962, Canada became
large as a basketball, but its launch the third nation in the world (after the Soviet Union and
marked the beginning of the satellite age. the United States) to launch its own satellite, Alouette I.

Q U I C K LAB
STABILIZING ROCKET FLIGHT

Have you ever wondered why rockets have fins? Materials & Equipment
• a sheet of paper
Purpose • scissors
To test the effects of fins in stabilizing a rocket for flight • a pencil (at least 14 cm
long)
Procedure • tape
1 Cut a strip about 13 cm long and 3 cm wide from the paper. Roll the strip • a drinking straw
snugly around the pencil and tape it closed to create a long tube (your (a little narrower than
“rocket”). Twist the end of the paper around the pencil point to make the nose the pencil)
cone.
2 Slip the pencil out the other end of the tube. Gently blow into the open end of
the tube and feel for leaks along its length. If air is escaping, seal the leaks with
more tape.
3 Test Flight 1: Insert one end of the straw into your rocket. With the other end of
the straw in your mouth, tilt your head back slightly and blow a quick puff of air Caution!
into the rocket. Observe how the rocket flies. Point your rocket
4 Retrieve the rocket. From the left-over paper, cut out two sets of fins. Tape in a safe direction
[CATCH
these FIG.
to the 2.6
tube ART: DIAGRAM
as shown SHOWING
below. (Hint: Adding tabs to the fins makes them only, away from
SIZE AND POSITION OF
easier to tape to the tube.) FINS ON THE other people.
MODEL ROCKET; NO CAPTION.]
5 Test Flight 2: Again, launch your rocket with the straw and observe the rocket’s
flight.
fins
straw
nose cone
Figure 2.6 Model rocket
Questions
6 How does the rocket’s performance in the first test compare to that in the
second test? Write a brief conclusion about how fins affect a rocket in flight.
7 Do you think that fins would have much effect on a rocket’s performance
outside Earth’s atmosphere?
info BIT THE SCIENCE OF ROCKETRY
Rocketry relies on a fundamental law of physics: for every action, there is
Space Travel Tip: Pack an equal and opposite reaction. An inflated balloon is similar to a simple
Lightly rocket. A balloon filled with air is confining gas under pressure. Release
When preparing a the mouth of the balloon and it will be propelled in a direction opposite
manned spacecraft for a
to the path of the escaping gas. Rockets also use gas under pressure
long trip, engineers try to
confined in a chamber or tank. An opening in the chamber allows the gas
organize the mass of the
to be released, producing thrust (push) and causing the rocket to be
load as follows: 3% as
machinery (tanks, propelled in the opposite direction.
engines, and fins); 6% as
payload (including air,
water, food, satellites, (b) (c)
reaction
crew quarters, and the
astronauts), and 91% as
(a) reaction
fuel.
action
action
payload
air rushing out

air confined
under exhaust gases
pressure
oxidizer
Figure 2.7 In an inflated balloon (a), the air pressure pushes equally in all directions. When the air is
allowed to escape, the action causes a thrust reaction (b). Rockets are propelled in a similar way (c).
liquid
fuel
There are three basic parts to a rocket: the structural and mechanical
combustion
chamber elements, the fuel, and the payload.
• The structural and mechanical elements are everything from the
rocket itself to engines, storage tanks, and the fins on the outside.
• The fuel can be any number of materials, including liquid oxygen,
gasoline, and liquid hydrogen. The mixture is ignited in a combustion
nozzle chamber, causing the gases to expand and leave as exhaust.
• The payload refers to the materials needed for the flight, including
Figure 2.8 A modern rocket
crew cabins, food, water, air, and people.
in cross-section

THE FUTURE OF SPACE TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY re SEARCH
If humans are to visit other bodies in our solar system, technology still has
a long way to advance. Ion drives and solar sails are two new devices It’s Always Sunny—
being considered for propelling spacecraft between the planets. Above the Clouds
In August 2001, NASA
launched Helios, the
Ion Drives
first remotely piloted,
Ion drives are engines that use xenon gas instead of chemical fuels. In the solar-powered “flying
spacecraft engine, the xenon is electrically charged, accelerated, and then wing” that can fly
emitted as exhaust. This action pushes the spacecraft in the direction more than 30 000 m
opposite to the emission. above Earth. Find out
The thrust generated by an ion drive is 10 000 times weaker than the more about the design
thrust achieved by today’s chemically fuelled rocket engines. Can you feel of the craft, the science
the force created by the page of this textbook resting on your hand? That behind the design, and
force is roughly equal to the force an ion drive would exert against your how NASA hopes to
hand. However, the thrust from an ion drive lasts an extremely long time. apply the technology
In space, that little bit of force applied over a long period of time results to explore space. Begin
your search at
in a very fast vehicle. For great distances, the amount of fuel required is
www.pearsoned.ca/
about 1/10 of what would be used by a typical spacecraft.
scienceinaction.
ion source
reaction action
Figure 2.9 Ion drives may be an option for powering spacecraft that could take the first
astronauts to Mars. Imagine a car getting about 19 000 km/L of fuel. That is the potential
benefit of an ion drive.
Solar Sails
The idea of propelling spacecraft using solar sails is similar to the idea
of propelling boats using wind sails. Instead of harnessing air currents
for energy, solar sails would use the Sun’s light. The Sun emits
electromagnetic energy in the form of photons. The solar sails being
tested are made of carbon fibre. When the photons hit the sail, the
energy transmitted causes the spacecraft to move. Proposals for solar Figure 2.10 Some scientists estimate
sails suggest that they might be made from material that could be that a spacecraft powered by solar
spread as thin as plastic wrap and extend over 400 m2. Use of solar sails could travel about 5 times as fast
sails is expected by 2015. as a current spacecraft.
ACTIVITY E-3
Problem DESIGNING A S O L A R S A I L -P O W E R E D S PA C E C R A F T
The solar sail holds great promise for interplanetary flight. With the Sun as an energy
source, the potential for economical power seems limitless. Yet, what is the best design
for such a sail? Logically, one might think that the larger the sail, the faster and farther a
craft could go. In this activity, you will learn that many details must be considered in
Materials & Equipment designing any spacecraft.
• for the sail: a variety of Note that in this activity you will be simulating solar power and its effects on the
materials (such as thin cloth, design of solar sails. Instead of using the Sun’s light to power your craft, you will be
paper, plastic wrap, wax paper,
using wind currents.
aluminum foil)
• for the wheels: a variety of The Problem
pieces of cardboard of varying
With the materials provided, you are to design a sunlight-powered spacecraft that will
thickness
take a specified payload (the washer) to a set destination. The craft must be able to travel
• scissors
straight to hit its destination, make the trip in the shortest time possible, and arrive at the
• for the spacecraft body: small
piece of wood (about 10 cm destination with the payload intact.
long, 3 cm wide, 1.5 cm thick)
• thumbtacks
• small gauge, rigid wire • Produce a set of scale drawings of your craft and label them. Briefly describe the
• masking tape scientific principles met by your design, and justify the choices you made.
• washer (about the diameter of • Use simple materials to build a functioning model spacecraft powered by a sail. The
a quarter) craft must be able to travel the minimum design distance to the destination, without
• electric fan dropping its payload.
• stopwatch
Brainstorm Ideas
1 Working in a small group (your “design team”), discuss which of the materials you
have available would be most suitable for a solar sail.
2 Consider the options for the overall design of the craft, including: size of the body;
size, thickness, and position of the wheels; size and shape of the sail; and position of
the payload.
3 Make a labelled sketch of your proposed model before you build it; modify the design
if necessary.
Build a Prototype
4 Cut the wheels from the cardboard provided.
5 Use the thumbtacks to fasten the wheels to the piece of wood.
6 Cut the sail from the material of your choice.
7 Use the wire to form a support, or mast, for the sail. Tape the end of the wire to the
wood.
8 Tape the washer to the wood as your payload.
Test and Evaluate

9 Perform a preliminary test on your spacecraft by blowing on the sail. (No testing is to
be done with the fan yet.) Adjust your design as necessary.
10 Predict how far your spacecraft will travel in your official test.

11 After all modifications have been made, run the official test on a smooth, hard
surface.
12 Place your model at the designated starting position, with the target destination
(about 1 m wide) 2 m away. Set the fan on the floor, about 30 cm behind the craft.
Note: Be careful when using an electric fan.
13 As soon as you release the craft, start the stopwatch to time the journey to the target.
Repeat your test three or four times and calculate the average speed.
14 Now, without a fixed destination, test the maximum distance your craft will travel.
Communicate
15 Write a brief summary describing the relationship between the speed of your
spacecraft and: (i) the size of the sail; (ii) the size of the wheels; and (iii) the material
of the sail. Also explain how the position of the payload affected the balance and
speed of your craft.
16 What problems did you experience with your prototype? Explain how you might
correct these, and invite suggestions from other design teams.
17 Was the maximum distance you predicted your craft could travel close to the actual
distance you found in your test? Explain how you arrived at your prediction and why
your model performed or did not perform as predicted.
18 In which ways does your model operate like a solar sail? In which ways does it not?
Figure 2.11 Brainstorm ideas and build a prototype.
SHUTTLES, SPACE PROBES, AND SPACE STATIONS
In the decades since the first simple satellites, the science of rocketry has
sent humans on round-trips to the Moon and sent robots to investigate our
neighbouring planets. It has also launched the Hubble Space Telescope to
let us look far out into the universe and back in time to the birth of the
universe—generally thought now to be some 12 to 15 billion years ago.
There are three main types of spacecraft in use. Shuttles transport
personnel and equipment to orbiting spacecraft. Space probes contain
instrumentation for carrying out robotic exploration of space. (These are
described in more detail in section 3.2.) Space stations are orbiting
spacecraft that have living quarters, work areas, and all the support
systems needed to allow people to live and work in space for extended
periods.
(a) (b) (c)
Figure 2.12(a) American space shuttle, (b) Voyager space probe, and (c) International space station
THE NEXT STEP

info BIT A manned interplanetary space journey would be much easier if the
spacecraft did not not have to begin by fighting Earth’s gravity or
Ticket to the Moon
travelling through its atmosphere. Scientists believe that the best place to
A Japanese company is
already taking
start an interplanetary flight is from an orbiting space station or even from
reservations for trips to the Moon.
the Moon in 2010. In a The International Space Station, orbiting Earth at an altitude of
recent North American 350 km, provides such a place. It is a joint project of 16 nations, including
survey, more than 60% of the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, and 11 nations of the
the people who European Space Agency. The station will serve as a permanent laboratory
responded said they in space, as well as a command post for building and launching
would like to take a interplanetary rockets. Construction of the International Space Station is
vacation in space. Of well under way, with modules (subsections of the craft) being made and
those people, most said sent up from Earth. When it is completed, it will have a living and
they would not hesitate to working space equal to the size of three average-sized Canadian houses.
spend three months’ pay
Almost certainly, more space stations will be established in the future.
for a two-week vacation
As well, several private companies are planning to develop hotels and
off the planet.
amusement parks in space or on the Moon.

Figure 2.13 Humans are ready for the next step in leaving Earth and living for extended times in space.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review Extend Your Understanding
1. Archytas’s model pigeon is the first rocket 9. The force of gravity on the moon is 1/6th of
ever recorded. What method did he use to that on Earth. Imagine you had a summer
propel his pigeon? job as a chef’s assistant at a hotel on the
2. Who were the first people to use Moon. Describe the challenges you would
gunpowder to propel arrows with the aid of face doing each of the following activities
rockets, and when? inside the hotel, and how you would
overcome those challenges.
3. Which was the first country to launch an
a) washing dishes
artificial satellite?
b) cooking pancakes
4. Describe the three basic parts of a rocket, c) climbing stairs
and draw and label a sketch showing the d) having a swim in a pool
parts.
10. Imagine a luxury hotel located on the
5. Name two alternatives to rocket engines bright side of the Moon. Describe three
that scientists are studying as a means of hazards that might face a structure located
propelling spacecraft on long journeys. there.
Connect Your Understanding 11. Every planet in our solar system except
6. Explain what would happen if a rocket’s Pluto has been explored either remotely (by
payload were greater than the allowed probe) or on its surface (with a microwave
percentage. oven-sized robotic “lander”). Research the
technology that has been used to study
7. What is the main attraction for using an ion
each planet, and investigate why a space
drive for powering spacecraft?
probe has not yet been sent to Pluto.
8. Besides savings in fuel costs, what is the
other main advantage to using a solar sail?
info BIT
2.2 Surviving There: Technologies for Living
All-Occasion Pen
NASA spent close to
in Space
$2 million designing a
Only a thin atmosphere encircling our planet holds all we need for life on
pen that would work in
Earth. Outside that bubble is the “cold vacuum of space” that Canadian
space. It had to be able
to write in a vacuum, astronaut Roberta Bondar referred to in the introduction to this section. It
upside down in is an environment that is hostile to human life in numerous ways.
microgravity conditions,
and in temperatures
that range from +200˚C in
full sun to -200º˚C in the
shade.
Figure 2.14 Canadian astronaut Julie Payette played an active role in assembling the International
Space Station.
G I V E I T A TRY
SHARING A SMALL PLACE IN SPACE

Using a piece of cord 16 m long, lay out a square on the floor that measures
4 m 4 m. Imagine that this outlines the size of the spacecraft that will be your home
for 12 months during a trip to Mars.
Stand in the square with five other classmates. For about 1 min, move around with your
fellow astronauts as best you can in the space provided.
Return to your desks and, with your group, think about all the problems that could arise
during a long trip in this type of confinement. Some of the aspects to consider include
work space, room for exercise, and issues of privacy. In your notebook, list all the
potential problems you identify. Beside each problem, write a solution that you and your
group can suggest. When you are finished, compare the problems and solutions you
identified with those that other groups noted.

HAZARDS OF LIVING IN SPACE
People travelling and working in space do not need an Earth-like
environment simply for comfort. It is a matter of survival. Humans have
orbited Earth, flown far into space, landed on the Moon, and returned
safely to our planet. We are now aiming to put a human—not just a
robotic machine—on another planet for the first time. Scientists believe
we now have the technology to send a group of astronauts to Mars and
back. This will not be a typical week-long mission for space shuttle
astronauts, nor will it be a few months as experienced by astronauts in the
International Space Station. Astronauts going to Mars will be gone for two
to three years.
Environmental Hazards
Space is a vacuum, with no air or water. It also contains many hazards for
the spacecraft and its occupants, including the damaging effects of cosmic
rays and solar radiation and the risk of being hit by meteoroids. There is
no atmosphere so temperatures can range from unimaginably cold in
shadows to extremely hot in the full sun. The gases in the atmosphere that
keep us alive on Earth do not exist in space. Neither does the pressure of
the atmosphere, which helps regulate our heartbeats.
Psychological Challenges to Confined Living

Long trips in a confined living space may also lead to psychological
problems. Imagine spending every minute of every day with one person
for two years. Now imagine spending that two years in an enclosure not
much bigger than your classroom. Stepping outside for a breath of fresh
air is strictly prohibited!
Figure 2.15 The space in

which astronauts live and
work is extremely cramped.
info BIT The Body and Microgravity
Before astronauts can travel to distant planets in our solar system, there is
Record-Holder for Space much to be learned about how the human body adapts physically to
Living living in space. A particular problem is living in microgravity. Recall
In 1995, Valery Polyakov, from earlier studies that gravity is the force of attraction between masses.
a Russian cosmonaut (the On Earth, gravity gives us our feeling of weight. Microgravity is the
Russian term for condition in which the gravitational forces that act on mass are greatly
astronaut) returned to reduced. For example, a person would weigh only one-third on Mars of
Earth after living for a what he or she would weigh on Earth. That’s because on Mars the force of
record 437 days in space. gravity is weaker (only one-third) than on Earth. In space, that person is
He suffered loss of bone almost completely weightless, as are the spacecraft and all of its contents.
mass, but by exercising In conditions of weightlessness, the body undergoes many changes.
strenuously for two hours
Bones have much less pressure on them than normal and so they expand.
every day, he stayed
The heart does not have to pump as hard to circulate blood. Muscles used
physically fit and was
for walking and lifting do not get used as much, and therefore weaken.
able to walk away from
his spacecraft unassisted Even a person’s visual depth perception is affected. These and other
after he arrived back on concerns will be extensively studied on the International Space Station in
Earth. preparation for interplanetary travel.
Figure 2.16 There are several

problems for the human
body when it has been in
space for long periods of
time. Bones lose their
calcium and become more
brittle. Muscle mass starts
shrinking. Exercising in space
helps keep the muscles fit.
THE SPACE SUIT

When walking or working outdoors on Earth, we usually try to dress
appropriately for the conditions, wearing a warm jacket if it is cold and
rain gear if it is wet. When taking a walk in space, however, we would be
faced with a more difficult environment. Once astronauts leave their
spacecraft, everything they need to survive must be brought with them:
air, water, a heating system, a cooling system—even a portable toilet.

In addition, the suit must be flexible enough to allow the astronaut to
grasp a wrench or twist a bolt. Each space suit is custom-designed for the
man or woman who will wear it, from the size of the shoes to the size of
the gloves.
Figure 2.17 A space suit is

a mini-Earth system that
allows the wearer to work
freely outside the
spacecraft. The Apollo suits
cost about $400 000 (U.S.)
each. Today’s space suits
cost about $20 000 (U.S.).
Figure 2.18 The first astronauts to walk in space were connected to their spacecraft with a hose
that supplied oxygen and a means of communication. Modern astronauts use a suit that is
completely self-contained, enabling them to work outside their crafts for up to 9 h at a time.
A HOME IN SPACE
Outside Earth’s atmosphere, none of the life-support systems that humans
must have for survival exist. If people are planning to move out to space
colonies in the coming years, their space station homes will have to come
with several important features. First, clean water, breathable air, and
comfortable temperatures and air pressure must be provided. As well, the
station must carry its own source of power to provide the energy
necessary to run the life-support systems and other equipment at all times.
Recycling Water
The International Space Station will be using devices that can recycle
almost 100% of the water in the station. This includes waste water, water
used for hygiene, and moisture in the air. Careful recycling of water on the
space station will keep a crew of seven comfortable for several months.
re SEARCH Recycling is also essential in the day-to-day life in a space station.
Because there is so little room for storage, as much of the materials carried
Technology for Life as possible must be recyclable or reuseable. Consider, for example, the
Choose one of the challenge of how best to use the limited supply of water carried in a
technologies necessary spacecraft. Researchers have developed the technology to filter, purify,
for providing life and recycle the same water again and again on long space flights. This
support to humans technology is now also being used on Earth to provide environmentally
during space travel and safe sewage treatment for houses.
research the history of On the International Space Station, the Environmental Control and
its development. Begin Life Support Systems are designed to ensure life support. The functions of
your search at the life-support system include:
www.pearsoned.ca/ • recycling wastewater (including urine) to produce drinking water;
scienceinaction.
• using recycled water to produce oxygen;
• removing carbon dioxide from the air;
• filtering micro-organisms and dust from the air; and
• keeping the air pressure, temperature, and humidity (air moisture)
stable.
Air
e
ensat Temperature Air
nd & Humidity Retu
Co rn CO2
Waste Control CO2 Overboard
Management Removal Venting
Cabin Cabin
Air Return
Waste Products
Fire Detection & Contaminant
Urine Suppression Control
Recovery Subassembly
Urine Air
Processed Oxygen
Urine H2
O2/N2 Oxygen Overboard
Potable Control Generation Venting
Crew System Water
Product Processing
Water Nitrogen
Potable
Waste
Water Hand Shower Water
Dispenser Wash/ Product Water
Shaving
Figure 2.19 The water recycling system aboard the International Space Station
Producing Oxygen
Scientists have also come up with a simple but effective way of producing
oxygen in space. As you may recall from past studies, the process of
electrolysis uses electricity to split water molecules into their component
elements: hydrogen and oxygen. Applied in a spacecraft, this process can
supply most of the oxygen a crew needs. The hydrogen is vented into
space.

ACTIVITY E-4 DESIGNING AND BUILDING
Experiment on your own A WAT E R F I LT E R
Before You Start

There are many challenges to living in space. One is how to
maintain a good supply of useable water for drinking,
washing, and other activities. As humans plan ever-longer
space voyages, the need for safe recycling of the precious
water carried on a spacecraft or space station becomes of
the utmost importance.
In this activity, you will investigate how well different
materials filter water. You may wish to use Toolbox 2: The
Inquiry Process of Science to help you plan your
experiment.
The Question
How effective are various materials for filtering water and
improving its clarity?
Figure 2.20 Planning your procedure
1 Write a hypothesis about which common substances 4 Write up your procedure and include a design. You
(such as pea gravel, sand, cotton balls, and charcoal may wish to use Toolbox 8: Diagrams to Help with the
chips) would make suitable materials for a water filter. Design. Ask your teacher to approve the procedure
2 Decide which materials and equipment you will need before you begin.
to test your hypothesis. For example: 5 Conduct your experiment.
a) What types of filtering materials will you use? 6 Compare your results with your hypothesis. How
b) What will you use as the main part of the filter to accurate was your hypothesis? If your findings did not
contain the filtering materials? support your hypothesis, suggest reasons why.
c) What type of material are you attempting to filter 7 Share and compare your procedure, set-up, and
out of the water? results with those of your classmates. How do the
3 Plan your procedure. For example: results compare? Is there anything you could do to
a) What evidence would you get from your improve on the design of your experiment?
experiment that would prove your hypothesis? 8 What type of controls did you use to ensure that your
How will you know your filter worked? data was valid?
b) What are the manipulated, responding, and control
variables?
c) What steps will you take to produce the data you
need? Caution!
d) How will you collect and organize the materials and Do not drink or taste any of
observation data you collect for each trial? the water samples.
e) How will you assess the effectiveness of the
different filtrates?
ACTIVITY E-5
Problem S PA C E S TAT I O N D E S I G N : T H E V A L U E OF TEAMWORK

Solving
Recognize a Need
To design an orbiting space station requires millions of dollars. To transport the materials
into space and construct such a station requires billions of dollars. No country can afford
to build a space station on its own. A better idea is a cooperative team effort, one that
uses a great variety of expertise and shares the costs.
• box (shoe box or similar) The Problem
• pieces of cardboard
You and two or three other classmates represent a country that has been assigned the
• a variety of small household
task of designing a module for the new Pangea space station. First, you will work with all
items (film canisters, match
the other teams (as a class) to design a space station for a crew of 20 men and women.
boxes, wire, toothpicks, etc.)
• scissors Then, your team will design and build a model of one of the modules of Pangea.
• tape
• glue
To be successful, the final assembled space station must (1) show close fit and (2) match
the original plan agreed to by all teams.
Brainstorm Ideas
1 As a class, brainstorm ideas for how many and what type of modules the new space
station needs. Agree on an overall plan and make a general sketch of it.
2 Organize into small groups, each representing the design team for a country. (The
number of groups depends on the number of modules chosen in Step 1.) Your
teacher will randomly assign a module to each group. With your team, brainstorm
ideas for your module, keeping in mind the criteria for success.
Build a Prototype
3 Using your choice of box, cardboard, and small household items, construct your
scale model. Label the parts clearly.
Test and Evaluate

Figure 2.21 Step 2 4 Present your module on the due date set by your teacher. This should be the first
time that teams see the other models.
5 Connect the modules on a large table or on the floor, using the original sketch for the
space station as a guide.
6 Evaluate the results. How well does the final space station match the original plan?
Are the modules to the same scale? Do they fit together well?
Communicate
7 As a class, discuss problems that arose during module construction. In a brief
written summary, make recommendations about how the design and construction
process for the space station model could be improved.
8 Think about how cooperating countries must overcome problems in building a space
station together. Brainstorm a list of ways that communication is achieved.

CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. Briefly describe how working on the International Space Station might
affect a person psychologically.
2. How does living in a microgravity environment for a long period of
time affect the human body?
3. Why must a space suit be flexible?
4. How many people are there in a typical crew on the International
Space Station?

5. Name four necessities of an astronaut, in order to work outside a
spacecraft.
6. Explain why a regular ballpoint pen will not work in space.
7. What problems do astronauts encounter when trying to eat and
swallow their food?

8. The following table shows the problems that the human body
encounters when it is in space for a long time. Copy the table into
your notebook and write a recommended solution to each problem.
This may require some out of class research.
Problems of Living in Space Recommendations

1. Loss of body mass
2. Decrease in the production
of red blood cells
3. Loss of bone mass and
density
4. Loss of calcium, electrolytes,
and plasma with excretion
of body fluids
5. Loneliness, isolation,
depression
9. Imagine you were going to spend 3 months in the International Space

Station. Make a list of all the items you would like to bring for
recreation during that period. Remember the storage and mass
limitations.
10. Adjust your list in question 9 so that the total mass of the items equals
1 kg (your allowed limit). Explain which item is the most important
item to you and why.
and
Careers Profiles Astronaut
Few people have ever looked out a window and had a

view of the entire country of Canada, from coast to coast
to coast. One of those who has, however, is Dr. Roberta
Bondar. In January 1992, Dr. Bondar became Canada's
first female astronaut when she was assigned to be a
payload specialist on NASA's shuttle flight STS-42.
Dr. Bondar grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. From the
time she was eight years old, she was fascinated with
building model rockets, space stations, and satellites, and
inspired by the idea of exploring space. As she grew up,
her interest in space research increased. Pursuing her
dream of a career in the area meant choosing a field of
study that she thought would be valuable in space
research. She turned to medicine, specializing in
neurology, the study of the nervous system.
Also important in helping her succeed in her chosen

career have been Dr. Bondar's many non-academic
interests. She has a pilot's license and is an Figure 2.22 Dr. Roberta Bondar
accomplished photographer. She also enjoys exploring
the outdoors. Anyone thinking of pursuing a career in
space research and exploration, she says, should develop Dr. Bondar offers the following advice for students
a wide variety of interests related to his or her goals. interested in becoming involved in the space field. Keep
your focus, develop a wide range of interests, and never
Dr. Bondar identifies three main characteristics of a
lose your sense of wonder and curiosity. Start by being
good astronaut. First is self-discipline. The second is the
explorers of your own planet. Learn as much as possible
ability to be team player. Third is the ability to work
about the great diversity Earth has to offer. In this way,
alone. Good astronauts must have confidence in their
even if you never go into space yourself, you will start to
own abilities and be able to contribute to the entire team.
see and appreciate our planet in a new light.
What does Dr. Bondar see for the future of Canadians
in the space exploration field? For one, she predicts more
technological breakthroughs such as RADARSAT, which
1. Why should a person who is interested
will provide us with increasing information about how
in becoming an astronaut have a wide
our world is changing. She also points to expected
variety of interests related to that goal?
advancements in communications and global positioning
hardware. Canadian astronomers, she adds, continue to 2. Why do you think it is important for
be at the forefront of new discoveries. While astronauts astronauts to be good team players, as
tend to get a great deal of media attention, Dr. Bondar well as being able to work on their own?
emphasizes that it is the technical staff, researchers,
development engineers, and astronomers who are 3. What do you think would be the most
"pushing the envelope" in space discoveries. interesting part of being an astronaut?

info BIT
2.3 Using Space Technology to Meet Human
Needs on Earth High Spy
Some military and national
defense satellites conduct
Although we may not realize it, our daily lives are full of products and
surveillance from hundreds
systems that were first developed for exploring space. From instant of kilometres above Earth.
powdered juice drinks and top-of-the-line sports equipment, to satellites The cameras on these
that allow us to talk to friends who live far away, we rely on “space age” satellites are so sensitive
technology in many ways. that they can see you play
tennis, and even tell what
SATELLITES brand of tennis ball you are
using!
Satellites—sometimes referred to as “artificial satellites”—are objects that
are built and sent into Earth’s orbit by humans. (A “natural” satellite refers
to any small body that orbits a larger body, such as a moon orbiting a
planet.) Looking like small spherical containers or snap-together toy
structures, these relatively small objects are loaded with electronic
equipment, digital imaging apparatus, and other instrumentation. They
transmit the information they receive to ground stations by radio waves, a
topic you will learn more about in Section 3.0.
Satellites play a major role in our lives, performing a variety of
functions from space. They can help us communicate, observe and
forecast weather, predict magnetic storms, and even find our location on
the planet. We send satellites into space to allow us to watch television
and make long-distance phone calls. Some newer cars even come
equipped with satellite tracking devices. Computers in these cars receive
satellite signals. This information is then relayed to the driver as
directions to the nearest gas station or a particular address.
Figure 2.23 Satellite

technology can help drivers
in unfamiliar cities find their
way around.
Putting satellites into orbit outside Earth’s atmosphere was an

important step in the history of space exploration. Their use continues to
lead to advances in both our scientific understanding of space and the
development of further space-related technology.
Q U I C K LAB
DATA RELAY FROM SPACE TO EARTH

Most data received from research satellites are relayed to stations on Earth through Materials & Equipment
a network of satellites and ground-based receivers. The information, received as • a small rubber ball (about
signals, must be decoded and then transmitted to the user through communication 15 cm diameter)
networks. In this activity, an imaginary NASA satellite named SNIFF (SuperNova
Infrared Fact Finder) collects data about a supernova and transmits the data—
through a series of relay points—to a scientist working at the University of Alberta.
Purpose
To simulate how data are transmitted from space to someone on Earth, and to show
some problems that must be overcome to make such transmissions successful
Student Roles
Procedure 1. a supernova
2. the SNIFF satellite
1 Your teacher will assign roles to eight students, as listed on the right.
3. the Data Relay satellite
2 In a large space, the eight students should arrange themselves according to the (DRS)
pattern shown in the diagram. The rest of the class will be observers. 4. ground station #1
3 Students in roles 4, 6, 7, and 8 stand in a small circle, facing out. They 5. a communication satellite
represent the four relay positions on Earth. In unison, they will revolve 6. ground station #2
counterclockwise very slowly to represent the spinning Earth. 7. the University of Alberta
8. a scientist
4 Students in roles 3 and 5 are satellites in geosynchronous orbit, which means
they must move in time with Earth’s rotation.
5 The SNIFF satellite (role 2) lies at low altitude and orbits Earth about 15 times a
day. The student in this role should walk at a quick pace around Earth, about
2 m away. The student should complete several orbits for every one rotation of 3
Earth. The supernova (role 1) should be a fair distance away and not moving.
6 The ball represents the data (in this case, light) being picked up from the star by
SNIFF. When students are in position and moving, data transmission can start. 5
4
The supernova tosses the ball to SNIFF. SNIFF sends the ball to the DRS. The
DRS sends the ball to ground station #1. Ground station #1 sends the ball to
6 8 2
the communication satellite, who then sends it to ground station #2 in Calgary. 7
Ground station #2 hands the ball to the University of Alberta in Edmonton
(simulating a land-line telephone/Internet connection). Finally, the University
hands the ball to the scientist (simulating a computer network connection). Legend
7 Repeat the relay two or three times. Observe what happens. direction of
student/body
motion around
Questions
the four positions
8 What conditions are necessary for SNIFF to be able to communicate with the on Earth
relay satellite? direction of data
9 What would make this type of satellite communication easier and more transmission 1
dependable?
10 With reference to the simulation, describe what problems must be overcome in
transmitting data from space to a specific location on Earth.
(Adapted from EUVE Dataflow Demo, UC Berkeley and NASA)

Communication Satellites
In the early part of the 20th century, telegraph and
telephone communication across the North
American continent travelled through wires.
Cable connections needed to be physically in
place in order for one person to talk with another.
This was a difficult and expensive process even
on land. Setting up telephone communication
with someone across an ocean was a much greater
challenge that required the laying of submarine
cables. Communication satellites have eliminated
the need for costly cable laying.
Today, satellites use digital systems that result
in clearer transmissions and allow for a great Figure 2.24 Launched in 1972, Telesat Canada’s Anik 1
number of users at any one time. Every nation in provided Canada with communication across the entire
the world now employs “wireless” technologies continent. Canada was also the first country in the world to use
satellites to transmit television broadcasts.
for a wide range of communications.
Satellites for Observation and Research

Satellites are invaluable tools for monitoring and
forecasting weather. Weather satellites are
designed to stay in one position above Earth. This
is called a geosynchronous orbit, which means
that the satellite moves at the same rate as Earth
spins. In this way the satellite can observe the
same area at all times. The result is 24-hour-a-day
monitoring of weather conditions.
Observation satellites can do more than just
take photographs and monitor weather. Two
Canadian satellites, LANDSAT and RADARSAT,
have been used to follow ships at sea, monitor
soil quality, track forest fires, report on
environmental change, and search for natural Figure 2.25 A weather satellite being launched into orbit from
the space shuttle
resources. RADARSAT sees more than
1 000 000 km2 of Earth in each of its orbits. These
satellites are not in geosynchronous orbit.
Remote Sensing
The main purpose of satellites in low Earth orbit (at 200 to 1000 km
altitude) is to carry out remote sensing. Remote sensing is a process in
which imaging devices in a satellite make observations of Earth’s surface
and send this information back to Earth. Images can be photographs taken
by cameras or data collected from the sensing of heat and other invisible
energy waves. Remote sensing can provide information on the condition
of the environment on Earth, natural resources, and effects of
urbanization. This information is used for planning.
Figure 2.26 Satellite picture
of weather over southern
Manitoba
Satellites as Personal Tracking Devices
Imagine always knowing your position on the planet, accurate to within a
few metres. The Global Positioning System (GPS) lets you do just that.
This technology was designed to give people, wherever they are, their
location on the ground at any time. Twenty-four GPS satellites are in orbit
around Earth, which means that at least three are above any given location
in the world at any given moment. Radio signals from the satellites are
picked up by a hand-held receiver (which is about the size of a small
hand-held video game). The signals are translated by a computer in the
receiver, which then shows on a digital display the operator’s position in
relation to the satellites.
Figure 2.27 The Figure 2.28 With 24

computer in a GPS satellites in orbit, there
receiver calculates are at least three above
your position and the horizon, relative to
displays it on the a person’s location on
receiver’s screen. Earth, at any one time.
S K I L L PRACTICE
ON LOCATION WITH GPS

YUKON NORTHWEST
This activity illustrates in a two-dimensional way how the Global TERRITORY TERRITORIES
Positioning System uses satellite signals to determine the position of
someone holding a GPS receiver. You will need a pencil and a geometry satellite 2
compass.
1 Your teacher will give you an enlarged copy of the map shown here . BRITISH
COLUMBIA
Imagine that you are standing in a location somewhere on this map ALBERTA
when you turn on your GPS receiver.
Edmonton
2 Satellite 1 transmits a radio signal to the receiver in your hand and the
Pacific
GPS device calculates that you are 1000 km from the satellite. Using Ocean satellite 1 Calgary
the compass, measure 1000 km on the scale provided.
3 Next, place the compass point on the position labelled Satellite 1 and U.S.A.
satellite 3
draw a circle that has a radius equal to the distance from the satellite.
4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Satellites 2 and 3, using the information in Satellite Distance to GPS Receiver
the table. 1 1000 km
5 The spot where all three circles meet on the map indicates your
2 300 km
position on the ground.
3 940 km
6 Suggest how satellites know where their position is in relation to Earth.

“SPACE AGE” INSPIRED MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS
Many items, materials, and systems originally designed for a space
application have been put to practical use on Earth. Innovations to help
us study our universe, travel out into it, or exist in the space environment
can be found today in just about every aspect of our lives. The table below
lists some of the spin-off applications of space technology.
Figure 2.29 Not all of the

technology created for
exploring or living in space is
used only in space. The fire-
resistant suits and compact
breathing apparatus used
today by firefighters are spin-
offs from innovations
developed for NASA
astronauts.
Field Space Use Earth Use

Computer • Structural analysis of spacecraft • Use of microelectronics in appliances and office
technology equipment
• Structural analysis of buildings, bridges, etc.
• Monitoring of air quality aboard spacecraft • Analysis of smokestack emissions
• Simulation of space environment for training • Development of virtual reality software
Consumer • Design of space food for astronauts on long flights • Manufacture of enriched baby and freeze-dried foods
technology
• Study of aerodynamics and insulation • Design and manufacture of improved bike helmets, golf
balls, running shoes, and ski goggles
Medical and • Design of electronics for the Hubble Space Telescope • Development of digital imaging for the detection
health technology and treatment of breast cancer
• Development of slow-release medication to control • Manufacture of motion sickness medications
motion sickness • Development of a human tissue stimulator to control
• Design of microcircuitry for electronics chronic pain
• Development of communications and robotic systems • Development of voice-controlled wheelchairs
Industrial • Development of microlasers for communication • Application of microlasers for communication, and
technology to cut and melt materials
Transportation • Development of parachute material for the • Improvement of traction on car winter tires
technology Viking space mission
Public safety • Development of computer robotics • Design of emergency response robots for use in
technology situations too dangerous for humans (e.g., to inspect
explosive devices)
CHECK AND REFLECT
Key Concept Review
1. List three uses for satellites.
2. What does the abbreviation GPS stand for?
3. Name the satellite that Canada first launched to provide
communications across the country. In what year was it launched?
4. What is remote sensing?
5. Some materials are referred to as “spin-offs” from space technology.
What does that mean?

6. With GPS technology, why do you require at least three satellites to
determine your position?
7. Do you agree or disagree with the statement “There is no location on
Earth where GPS does not work”? Explain your answer.

8. Study Figure 2.30, which shows a number of common spin-off objects
whose origins lie in space technology. List six of the objects and the
technology behind their development.
Example: Airplane – satellite navigation and communication
9. Consider a colony under the ocean where divers in deep-sea suits

work on the ocean floor. Do you think that a GPS-like system for
determining precise locations might work in this situation? Give
reasons for your opinion.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. What is the only planet in our solar system that has not been visited by a
space probe? Why is that?
2. List the three main types of spacecraft currently being used.
3. In a rocket, what does “payload” usually refer to?
4. What limits how long an astronaut can stay out in space in his or her space
suit?

5. Why were animals used in the first test flights of vehicles launched to orbit
Earth?
6. Place the events listed below in the order in which they occurred:
a) first rocket into space
b) rockets used in World War II
c) Chinese use rockets to launch arrows
d) rockets send mobile probe to Mars as part of Pathfinder mission
e) rockets send humans to Moon and back
f) first satellite launched
7. Explain why a space suit must have both a heating unit and a cooling unit.

8. Why is it necessary to recycle almost all of the water used on a spacecraft
such as the International Space Station?
9. Draw a concept map starting with the term “space exploration.” Use 10 other
terms that you have learned in this unit to complete your map.

On
If humans are to travel great distances in space, problems must be solved and
technologies developed through the collaboration of many countries. The
International Space Station has only been made possible through the
co-operation and technological expertise of countries from around the globe.
Working with a partner or your class, consider the following questions:
1. Why is it essential that certain scientific principles be understood before a
technological solution to a problem is developed?
2. Is it worthwhile for members of the scientific community to share
information from their research? Explain your answer. Suggest an instance
when not sharing scientific knowledge might be a good decision.
3. Can scientific knowledge and technology develop and advance without the
sharing of knowledge?
Optical telescopes, radio telescopes,
3.0 and other technologies advance our
understanding of space.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• composition and
space
• triangulation and parallax
Learning Outcomes
• explain, in general terms, the
operation of optical telescopes,
including telescopes that are
positioned in space
environments
• explain the role of radio and About 170 000 years ago, a star in its last great gesture before dying
optical telescopes in exploded in a display a million times brighter than the Sun. The light
determining characteristics of generated did not reach Earth until 1987, where it was discovered by
stars and star systems
Canadian astronomer Ian Shelton, who was working in an observatory
• describe and interpret, in
in Chile.
general terms, the technologies
Just as the vast and seemingly limitless oceans beckoned the early
used in global positioning
systems and in remote sensing
maritime explorers, today the far reaches of the universe beckon modern
adventurers. Although the mysteries of space have captivated human
curiosity for thousands of years, it has been only in the past few decades
that we have had the technology to give us access to places not on our
home planet. Until it is physically possible for humans to travel to the
“shores” of distant planets and galaxies, our technologies must be our
eyes into the universe.
In this section, you will learn about the tools and technologies that
are helping us solve the many puzzles of space. From Earth-based
telescopes and Earth-orbit satellites, to sophisticated space probes that
can cross vast distances and send images back to Earth, technology is
letting us reach farther and farther out into space. The more we see, the
more we learn.

info BIT
3.1 Using Technology to See the Visible
Magnificent Magnification
Look up at a clear, cloudless night sky and with your unaided eyes you The first telescopes Galileo
can see a few thousand stars. With binoculars, you would see thousands used had magnifications
more. Use a telescope and millions of stars will be revealed. Use one of of only two or three.
the most powerful telescopes available and billions of stars come into However, by making
view. Telescopes allow us to see fainter and more distant objects in detail improvements to his
that cannot be detected by the unaided eye. lens-grinding and
A number of different types of telescopes are described in this section. -polishing techniques,
Each provides us with a variety of information about the objects that make he was able to create
up our universe. lenses with longer focal
lengths and so improve
his telescopes’
magnifications to 20 and
30 times.
Figure 3.1 A highly magnified image of the Andromeda galaxy
S K I L L PRACTICE
SHARPEN YOUR STAR-GAZING SKILLS

Pick a clear night on which to carry out this activity. All you will need is the cardboard tube
from a roll of paper towel, a flashlight, a notepad, and a pencil. Here is a simple test of
your observational skills.
Find a dark area away from house lights and street lights. (Make sure an adult knows
where you are.) Wait a few minutes to let your eyes get used to the dark. Then focus your
unaided eyes on a small portion of sky for about 1 min. Turn on the flashlight and write
down your observations on the notepad.
When you are finished, turn off the flashlight and again let your eyes adjust to the dark. (If
you put a red cellophane covering on the flashlight lens, your eyes will adjust more
quickly.) Using the cardboard tube as a telescope, view the same patch of sky as you did
before. What do you notice when you view the same area of sky using the cardboard tube?
Describe how the cardboard tube affected your observation, and explain why you think that
happens.
Optical Telescopes, Radio Telescopes, and Other Technologies Advance Our Understanding of Space 435
OPTICAL TELESCOPES
Optical telescopes have been in use for the past 400 years. In 1608, a
Dutch optician named Hans Lippershey made one of the first telescopes,
but it is Galileo who has been credited with first using the telescope to
study the visible features of the night sky.
Think of optical telescopes as “light collectors.” That is what their
series of lenses and mirrors do: gather and focus the light from stars so
that we can see it. The larger the area of the lenses or mirrors in a
telescope, the greater the ability of the telescope to see the faint light of
objects that are very distant.
The first telescope ever designed was a simple refracting telescope.
Refracting telescopes use two lenses to gather and focus starlight (see
Figure 3.3). There is a limit to how large a refracting telescope can be. Any
diameter over 1 m causes the glass in the lens to warp under its own
weight. Trying to see through a lens when that happens would be like
trying to make out details of the Moon by looking through the bottom of a
primary light-gathering pop bottle.
lens
Figure 3.2 The Yerkes

Observatory telescope
in Wisconsin is the
largest refracting
telescope in the world.
Its lens is 1 m in
diameter and weighs
half a ton.
Figure 3.3 A refracting

telescope
eye piece lens
Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to gather and focus

the light from stars. At one end of a reflecting telescope is a large concave
mirror, which is made from glass-like material that is coated with a thin
layer of metal. The metal, such as aluminum, is polished to a shiny finish
so that it can reflect the faintest light it receives.

Currently, telescope builders use a method called “spin casting” to
form the largest mirrors. This process requires that molten glass be poured
into a large spinning mould. Just as a rapidly turning amusement park
ride swings its occupants outward, the spinning mould forces the melted
glass to the mould’s outside edge. After the glass cools and solidifies,
technicians grind it into the desired shape for the telescope. This process
is quicker and less costly than previous methods of making mirrors. One
of the largest reflecting mirrors created this way is 6 m in diameter, built
by the former Soviet Union.
primary light-gathering eye piece lens

mirror focus
secondary mirror
Figure 3.4 A reflecting telescope
Figure 3.5 The Canada-France-Hawaii

Observatory, situated on Mauna Kea,
Hawaii, operates a telescope with a
3.6-m mirror.
One of the newest innovations for ground-based optical reflecting

telescopes is the use of segmented mirrors. A segmented-mirror telescope
uses several lightweight segments to build one large mirror. The result is a
large telescope with enormous light-gathering ability and resolving power
(ability to distinguish details in an object). For example, each of the Keck I
and Keck II telescopes atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii is 10 m in diameter,
each made up 36 hexagonal mirrors.
INTERFEROMETRY: COMBINING TELESCOPES FOR GREATER POWER

The resolution of the images seen with optical telescopes can be further
improved when two or more of the telescopes are used together. This
technique of using telescopes in combination is known as interferometry.
On top of Mauna Kea, Keck I and Keck II are located 85 m apart from each
other. When working together, they can detect objects in space with better
clarity and at greater distances than any other current Earth-based
observatories can. Another example is the Very Large Telescope of the
European Southern Observatory, located high in the Andean Mountains in
Chile. It is really four separate telescopes being used together.
Figure 3.6 One of the Keck
Astronomers are able to obtain much more detail in the images they Observatory’s two telescopes,
collect by using interferometry than by using a single telescope. showing its 10-m mirror made
of 36 hexagonal mirrors
re SEARCH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
Although remote mountains make excellent sites for building and
Hubble Insights operating telescopes away from light pollution and air pollution,
New discoveries about
astronomers are still at the mercy of the weather. Clouds, humidity
the universe are
(moisture in the air), and even high winds can interfere with star-gazing.
constantly being made
with advances in The development of the Hubble Space Telescope offers a solution to these
technology. Search the problems. Orbiting about 600 km above Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope
Internet for the latest (a reflecting telescope) uses a series of mirrors to focus light from
images from the Hubble extremely distant objects. Launched in 1990, the Hubble is cylinder-
Space Telescope. shaped, just over 13 m in length and 4.3 m in diameter at its widest point.
Explore how new It is modular in design. This allows shuttle mission astronauts to replace
information has faulty or out-of-date instruments on the telescope without having to
changed our ideas interrupt its other operations.
about the universe. Each orbit that the Hubble makes around Earth takes about 95 min.
Begin your search at While the telescope works 24 h a day, not all of that time is spent
www.pearsoned.ca/
observing and sending data to Earth. Some time also goes to activities
scienceinaction.
such as turning the telescope to focus on a new object of interest or
switching data transmission modes. Commands for these tasks are sent
from ground control several times a day.
imaging
electronics Sun
shield
Figure 3.7 Cross-

section of the Hubble
Space Telescope
primary light-gathering
mirror
solar panels
Figure 3.8 Earth-based telescopes are limited in their viewing Figure 3.9 Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have
ability by interference from moisture, clouds, air pollution, and discovered galaxies in parts of space where Earth-based telescopes
light pollution. see nothing but blackness.

info BIT
Our Eye on the Sun
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has been
positioned about 1% of the distance from Earth to the Sun since
1996. Twelve different instruments provide details about the
Sun’s every action, day and night.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Why is there a need for telescopes?
2. What type of optical telescope uses mirrors to focus light?
3. Describe the advantage of using a segmented mirror telescope.
4. Describe the technique called interferometry.
5. The resolving power of a telescope is a measure of its:
a) operating ability under poor weather conditions
b) magnification
c) ability to distinguish details in an object
d) quality in general

6. Large ground-based telescopes are built with the ability to move to
oppose the movement of Earth. Why is this necessary?
7. Describe two advantages of reflecting telescopes over refracting
telescopes.
8. Why is the Hubble Space Telescope a reflector and not a refractor?
9. Even though it has a smaller mirror than many Earth-based telescopes,
the Hubble Space Telescope can see objects more than 50 times fainter
than what Earth telescopes can see. Explain why that is.

10. a) What happens to the detection capabilities of two reflecting
telescopes working together?
b) Would two refracting telescopes have the same capabilities?
11. Imagine you had to construct an observatory on Earth for a ground-
based reflecting telescope. Describe where the ideal location would be
and why.
info BIT
3.2 Using Technology to See Beyond the Visible
Bee Vision
Not all information from stars can be seen. Optical telescopes give us
Bees and several other
insects can see in the information based on visible light. However, objects in space, such as stars
ultraviolet spectrum. Why and galaxies, also emit radio waves, infrared (heat) waves, and X-rays.
do you think this would These are all forms of electromagnetic energy. This energy travels at the
be an advantage for these speed of light, 300 000 km/s, but has different wavelengths and
insects? frequencies from those of light. Wavelength is a measurement of the
distance from one point on a wave (such as the crest) to the same point on
the next wave. Frequency is the number of waves that pass a single point
in one second.
Energy with a high frequency has a short wavelength. Gamma rays, for
instance, have a high frequency (1020 waves per second) and a very short
wavelength (less than a millionth of a centimetre). Radio waves have a low
frequency, but wavelengths that can be several kilometres long.
The visible light we see all around us occupies a small section of the
entire electromagnetic spectrum, which covers the whole range of
electromagnetic energy (see Figure 3.10). Visible light has a wavelength
measured in micrometeres (written as µm). One micrometre is 1 millionth
of a metre.
Wavelength (µm) Wavelength (µm)
108 107 106 105 104 103 102 10 1 10–1 10–2 10–3 10–4 10–5 10–6 10–7
TV/radio microwave thermal visible ultraviolet X-ray gamma rays

infrared
Figure 3.10 Objects in space emit a great variety of electromagnetic energy. Humans can only see the
information provided in the visible spectrum, but technology enables us to detect all kinds of
electromagnetic radiation.

Q U I C K LAB
COMPARING LIGHT SPECTRA

Purpose
To observe a variety of light sources and compare their spectra
• spectroscopes
Procedure • a variety of light sources
1 Your teacher will set up a number of spectroscopes and light sources in (fluorescent, incandescent,
Bunsen burner, natural
the lab or classroom.
light, and other light
2 In small groups, take turns observing the spectrum of each light source. sources)
Record any changes you notice between one spectrum and another in • pencil and notebook
the variety of light sources you view.
Questions
3 What did you notice about the spectra for the different light sources?
4 Which light source produced the most distinct spectrum of all the
sources? Why do you think that was the case?
5 Why won’t your spectroscope allow you to see ultraviolet light or
infrared?
RADIO TELESCOPES
Studying radio waves emitted by objects in space gives astronomers data
that are not available from the visible spectrum. Radio waves are received
from stars, galaxies, nebulae, the Sun, and even some planets—both in our
own solar system and in others. These signals are mapped through the use
of sophisticated electronics and computers.
With the development of radio telescopes, astronomers gained several
advantages over optical telescopes. Radio waves are not affected by
weather and can be detected during the day and at night. They are also
not distorted by clouds, pollution, or the atmosphere as are light waves.
Furthermore, by focussing their radio telescopes on areas of space that
appear empty, astronomers have discovered much about the composition
and distribution of matter in space—information that cannot be detected
by optical equipment. For example, although neutral hydrogen (a large
component of matter in space) emits no light, it does emit energy at a
specific wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum. Using radio
telescopes, astronomers have been able to map the distribution of neutral
hydrogen in the Milky Way galaxy. This is how they learned that the
shape of our galaxy is a spiral.
Figure 3.11 Because the wavelengths of radio waves are so large, the antenna of a radio telescope
must be large. This radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has a diameter of more than
300 m. That’s almost the length of three football fields laid end to end.
Radio telescopes are typically made of metal mesh. Their shape

resembles that of a satellite dish: they are curved inward, with a receiver
at the middle. The curved portion of the dish is really a large antenna that
intercepts and focusses radio waves before transmitting them to the
receiver. There, the waves are transformed into an electrical signal that is
fed into a computer for interpretation.
RADIO INTERFEROMETRY
Just as several reflecting telescopes can be combined for optical
interferometry, so several small radio telescopes can be combined to
achieve greater resolving power than one large radio telescope can achieve
(see Figure 3.12). This technique, referred to as interferometry, improves
the performance and accuracy of radio images. The results are radio maps
with valuable detail.
A B
Figure 3.12 Combining
information from two small radio
telescopes located 50 m apart
(A) simulates the resolving
power of one telescope with a
50-m diameter (B). The bigger
the separation between the
telescopes, the more detail
astronomers can measure.
50 m 50 m
apart diameter

The greater the distance between the radio telescopes
arranged for this purpose, the more accurately they can
measure position. The accuracy of measurement is increased
even further if more telescopes are arranged into groups
called arrays. The Very Large Array in Socorro, New Mexico,
uses twenty-seven 25-m radio telescopes arranged in a Y
pattern. The arms of the Y cover a distance of 61 km. The
resolving capability of this array would be similar to that of a
telescope with a diameter of 27 km!
VIEWING MORE THAN WHAT THE EYE CAN SEE Figure 3.13 The Very Large Array simulates
an antenna with a diameter of hundreds of
The electromagnetic spectrum offers many more
metres.
opportunities to understand the workings of space than can
be obtained from looking only at the visible spectrum.
For example, much ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by
the atmosphere and therefore cannot be studied very well
from Earth. When observed through an optical telescope, a
planet orbiting a distant star is practically invisible because
of the light given off by the star. However, when viewed in
the infrared spectrum through a radio telescope, the
brightness of the star is reduced and the planet’s brightness
peaks. The Keck Observatory in Hawaii is equipped to make
these observations and is actively searching for planets in
other solar systems.
Astronomers have discovered a variety of radiations
coming from various sources in space. These include
fluctuations in microwave energy that is left over from the
formation of the universe; X-rays that are being emitted from
Figure 3.14 By connecting ground-based
objects such as black holes and pulsating stars; and huge
arrays with satellites in space, astronomers
bursts of gamma rays that appear without warning and then can simulate antennas with diameters tens of
fade. thousands of kilometres wide.
Nations around the world have launched numerous
satellites to study each of these phenomena.
a b c info BIT
Gamma Ray Energy
Bursts of gamma rays
occur unpredictably in
different parts of space.
Although they may last
only a few seconds or
minutes, they give off
more energy than our
Sun would produce in its
Figure 3.15 Radiation sources in space: (a) a gamma-ray burst, (b) X-rays from a black hole, and entire 10-billion-year
(c) infrared image of a young star cluster lifetime.
SPACE PROBES
Telescopes, optical or radio, cannot provide answers to all the questions
we have about our solar system. Often it is necessary to send the
observation equipment right to the object so that tests not possible to
conduct by telescope can be done. In the past several decades,
astronomers have done just that, sending numerous space probes to
explore distant areas of our planetary neighbourhood. Space probes are
unmanned satellites or remote-controlled “landers” that put equipment on
or close to planets where it would be too difficult or dangerous to send
humans to.
Space probes have been used to carry out remote sensing on Mercury
and Jupiter, sample soil on Mars, land on Venus, and study the nature of
Saturn’s rings. For example, the Galileo probe, launched in 1995, was
designed to gather information about the composition of Jupiter’s
atmosphere. The Mars Pathfinder, launched in 2000, took soil samples
and performed geological tests on the planet’s rocks. It then sent the data
back to Earth for analysis. The data gathered by space probes is used to
find out more about how planets form in our solar system, and how the
characteristics of other planets compare with Earth’s.
The table below lists some of the space probes sent in the last three
Figure 3.16 The flight paths
of Voyager 1 and Voyager decades and their missions.
2. Both probes, launched
from Earth in 1977, flew Name of Space Probe Date of Encounter Mission
past Jupiter and then
Saturn. At that point, Mariner 1973–1975 Flyby of Mercury
Voyager 1 was sent out of Pioneer 11 1974–1979 Flyby of Jupiter and Saturn
the solar system. Voyager 2
Viking 1976 Mars landing
flew on to investigate
Uranus and Neptune. Voyagers I and 2 1977 (launched) Flyby of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Venera 1982 Venus landing
Magellan 1994 Flyby of Venus
Galileo 1995 Flyby of Jupiter
Ulysses 1999 High latitude pass of Jupiter
Mars Global Explorer 2000 Orbiting of Mars
Mars Pathfinder 2000 Mars landing
Cassini 2004 Flyby of Saturn
Earth
Neptune
Voyager 2
Jupiter Uranus
Voyager 1
Saturn

Besides Earth, the only other body in the solar system that has been re SEARCH
physically explored by humans is the Moon. That was first accomplished
during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Since that time, astronauts have Satellite Specialties
walked across the Moon, driven a dune buggy on it, and taken a golf swing You have been
there. The lunar rocks they collected have been brought back to Earth. introduced to a variety of
The next great adventure in interplanetary exploration will be a forms of electromagnetic
manned flight to Mars and back. The entire journey could last up to three radiation in this section.
years and would be extremely dangerous. That is why it is essential to Research the names of
find out as much as possible by sending space probes and robot explorers some satellites that have
to the planet first. been designed to
observe and study
a) infrared radiation;
b) X-rays; and c) gamma
rays. Find out about
Canada’s involvement in
the development of these
satellites. Begin your
research at
www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
Figure 3.17 These photographs show the preparation of three different space probes. Each probe
must be completely free of contamination, which is why all the workers visible in the photos are
wearing specially designed hygienic suits.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review 6. Why aren’t television signals visible to us?
1. What is electromagnetic radiation? 7. Explain two advantages of using radio
2. Name four other forms of electromagnetic telescopes instead of optical telescopes.
radiation besides visible light.
3. How is wave frequency related to 8. a) Explain how all forms of electromagnetic
wavelength? Support your answer with a radiation are similar to each other.
sketch. b) Explain how each form is different from
4. What advantages are there to using space the others.
probes rather than manned flights? 9. When combining information from multiple
Connect Your Understanding telescopes, the length of the distance
between the telescopes is very important. Is
5. What are the sources of radio waves from
there a limit to how far that distance can be:
space?
a) on Earth? b) in space?
3.3 Using Technology to Interpret Space
Telescopes tell us a great deal about the universe, but as you learned in
section 3.2, there is much more information in addition to what we can
see. Just by looking, we can’t tell how far away a star is, what its
composition is, or whether it is moving toward or away from us. To
discover and understand these and other characteristics, we need to tackle
the problem by technological means, whether by using a simple tool or
machine or operating a highly complex system of instrumentation.
G I V E I T A TRY
LIGHT BULB STARS

Without the use of technology, we are limited in the amount of information we can get
about stars. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t get any information. Your teacher will put
two small lamps, each with a different sized light bulb, on a desk or table at the front of
the classroom. Your desk will be Earth and the light bulbs will represent stars far away.
List all the things you can tell about the stars just by looking at them from Earth.
MEASURING DISTANCE
Triangulation and parallax are two ways of measuring distances indirectly,
on the ground or in space.
Triangulation
Triangulation is based on the geometry of a triangle. By measuring the
angles between a baseline and the target object (such as a tall tree or a
water tower), you can determine the distance to that object.
Point on the distant object
Figure 3.18 To measure a

distance indirectly using Lines drawn from
the baseline ends to
triangulation, you must know the
the point on the
length of one side of the triangle
distant object
(the baseline) and the size of the
angles created when imaginary
lines are drawn from the ends of Distance to be
the baseline to the same points measured in a
on the distant object. scale diagram
Baseline
Angles to be measured

For instance, you could use triangulation to measure the distance across a
river without actually crossing the river. The procedure is as follows:
1. On a flat area along the bank of the river, measure off an accurate
baseline and mark each end of the line so that you can identify it
easily.
2. Select an object to be your viewing target on the opposite bank.
3. Standing at one end of the baseline, use a protractor to determine the
angle between your sight line to the object and the spot on the
baseline where you are standing.
4. Stand at the other end of the baseline and again determine the angle
from that spot to the object.
5. Make a scale drawing of a triangle using the length of the baseline and
the two angles.
6. On your drawing, mark a perpendicular line from the baseline to the
object. Measure this line and use the scale to convert it to actual
length. This will give you the distance across the river.
Figure 3.19 Using

triangulation to measure
the distance across a river
without actually crossing
the river
Tree on island
Measurement
of unknown
distance
(8.2 cm)
65˚
75˚
)
Baseline (6.0 cm
g: 1 cm = 20 m
Scale of drawin
Figure 3.20
A scale drawing
of the
triangulation
procedure
ACTIVITY E-6
H O W FA R I S I T ?
Inquiry
The Question
How accurately can the length of a playing field be measured using triangulation?
The Prediction
You will be calculating percent error for this activity. Predict the degree of accuracy that
you expect. Example: Our calculations will be off by 10%.
• measuring tape (at least 50 m
long) Procedure
• two metre-sticks
1 Copy the table below into your notebook.
• protractor
• paper
Baseline Angle from Angle from Calculated Actual Percent
• pencil
length (m) position (A) position (B) length of length of error
• ruler
(°) (°) field (m) field (m) (%)
10
20
50
2 Go outside to a large flat area, ideally a soccer or football field.

3 Working in a small group, use the measuring tape to measure off a baseline of 10 m
along the goal line of the field.
4 Stand a metre-stick in the ground at each end of the baseline to serve as guideposts
(A) and (B).
5 Standing at one end of the baseline (A), looking directly at the right goal post at the
far end of the field. Determine the straight line betweem A and the right goal post.
Measure the angle between this line and the baseline. In your data table, record the
angle you found. Repeat this step from the other end of the baseline (B) and again
record the angle.
6 Repeat steps 3 to 5, using a baseline of 20 m and then one of 50 m.
common
point
gth
n len
now
unk
(A)
baseli
(10 m ne
, 20 m (B)
, 50 m
)
Figure 3.21 Step 5

7 For each baseline length, make a scale drawing of a triangle, using the two angles
you measured each time. Use a scale of 1 cm = 5 m.
8 On each of your scale drawings, measure the length of the field and record your
results in the table. Do you get the same length for all three baselines? Explain your
answer.
9 Find the actual length of the field (either measure it directly, or ask the athletic
director of your school). Add this information to your table.
10 Calculate the accuracy of your results for each baseline length. Use the percent error
equation below. Record these figures in the table.
(actual value measured value) 100

percent error = __________________________
actual value
11 Determine the average of your three lengths and calculate the percent error.
Forming Conclusions
12 How accurate was your calculated average length of the playing field?
13 Which baseline resulted in the most accurate field length? Explain why that was.
14 How close were you to your predicted error?

For a technique like this to work, precise measurements must be made. With reference to
your percent error, describe what you think may be sources of error in this activity. What
are the limitations of using triangulation on the ground? How do these limitations
compare with those that apply when one is using triangulation to find distances to stars?
Parallax
Parallax is the apparent shift in position of a nearby object when the
object is viewed from two different places. For a quick example of
parallax, hold out your arm and stick up your thumb. With your right eye
closed, look at an object on the far wall behind your thumb. Now, look
with your left eye closed. You will notice how the background to your
thumb appears to have moved.
Astronomers use a star’s parallax (that is, its apparent shift in position
relative to the background stars) to determine what angles to use when
they triangulate the star’s distance from Earth. When triangulation
calculations are made, the longer the baseline, the more accurate the
results. The longest baseline we can use from Earth is the diameter of
Earth’s orbit. This means that measurements must be taken six months
apart to achieve the maximum baseline length (see Figure 3.22).
Baseline Distant star A
Closer star
Distant star B
Figure 3.22 When viewed from Earth at different times of the year, a nearby star will appear to shift
its position relative to different distant stars in the background. The angles between each end of
Earth’s baseline (the extreme ends of its orbit, six months apart) and the target star provide angles
for triangulation.

ACTIVITY E-7
A N A LY Z I N G P A R A L L A X
Inquiry
The Question
Which show greater parallax: close objects or distant objects?
Procedure
1 Set the candle on a table 50 cm in front of the board.
2 On the board, draw 10 evenly spaced vertical lines and label them A through J.
• a tall candle (about 25 cm
long) 3 From a position on the right-hand side of the classroom about 4 m back from the
• black board or white board board, look at the candle using only one eye. Make a sketch of its apparent position
• paper and pencil relative to the reference lines drawn behind it.
4 Go to the other side of the classroom and repeat step 3. What changes in your
observation did you notice from one position to the other?
5 Move 2 m closer to the candle and repeat steps 3 and 4. Make sketches of your
observations each time. What changes do you notice from the sketches you made
from the 4-m position?
6 Move 2 m back from your original position and repeat steps 3 and 4. What difference
do you notice this time?
7 The teacher will now move the candle closer to the board. Stand at the very back of
the classroom and again repeat steps 3 and 4.
8 Compile your observations in one table.

9 Describe the apparent motion of the candle as you moved closer to or farther away
from it. In which of your positions was the apparent shift of the candle the
i) greatest? ii) least?
10 Draw an overall map-view sketch that illustrates the apparent shift in steps 3 and 4.
Forming Conclusions
11 Describe how distances to stars can be measured using parallax.
12 Is parallax more useful for measuring distances to near objects or distant objects?

Although the technique using parallax has been around for hundreds of years, it was not
originally used for determining distances to stars. How do you think parallax could be
Figure 3.23 Step 1 used to measure short distances on the ground? What would be the limitations of using
parallax to measure distances on Earth?
DETERMINING A STAR’S COMPOSITION
As you recall from earlier studies, white light is actually a combination of
all colours (the “rainbow” colours). White light can be separated into its
component colours by being shone through a prism. The result is bands of
colour, which together are referred to as the visible spectrum.
Figure 3.24 Like other light,

starlight can be separated
into its spectral colours.
Isaac Newton was the first
person to separate sunlight
and analyze its spectrum.
When astronomers first began refracting the light from stars to

examine it, they noticed that different stars had dark bands in distinct
sequences and thicknesses on their spectra. They discovered that this
happened because the various elements in a star absorb light in different
ways. As a result, each element creates its own black-line “fingerprint.”
Astronomers compare the spectrum of a star with known spectra of
elements to determine the star’s composition. They use an instrument
called a spectrometer to do this.
H
A
He
B
Figure 3.25 The spectra of
(A) hydrogen, (B) helium,
Na
(C) sodium, and (D)
C
calcium. The Sun’s
spectrum is shown in (E).
Ca
D
Sun
E
DETERMINING A STAR’S DIRECTION OF MOTION

Have you ever noticed how the sound of a siren on an emergency vehicle
seems to change as it approaches, passes, and then moves away from you?
The reason has to do with the changes in pitch, the frequency of sound
waves. The pitch of the siren is higher as the vehicle comes toward you
than it is after the vehicle goes by and moves away from you. This occurs
because the sound wavelengths become compressed in front of the vehicle
as the vehicle approaches, causing the pitch to rise. As the vehicle moves
away, the wavelengths behind the vehicle are no longer squeezed. As they
stretch out, the sound falls in pitch. This is called the Doppler effect.

observer A observer B
Figure 3.26 Even if you could not see an emergency vehicle, you would be able to tell by the sound
of the siren whether the vehicle was moving, and approaching you or travelling away from you.
Like sound, light also travels in waves. Changes in those waves can be
used to measure how fast and in what direction a light-emitting object is
moving. Pitch refers to the shift in the sound waves of a moving object.
The position of the dark bands in the light spectrum is what shifts in the
light waves of a moving star. The spectrum of an approaching star shows
the dark lines shifting to the blue end of the spectrum as the light’s
wavelengths become compressed. In the spectrum of a star moving away
from Earth, the dark lines shift to the red end as the wavelengths stretch
out. The amount of that shift shows up in observations of a star indicates
the speed at which the star is approaching or receding.
Figure 3.27 Analyzing the blue-shift and red-shift in the spectra of stars and galaxies shows
astronomers whether the bodies are moving toward Earth (B) or away from Earth (C). No shift
in the spectrum means that the star and Earth are moving in the same direction (A). The star is
then said to be stationary.
The Doppler effect comes into play in a number of everyday

applications. One of the most common is the radar gun used by police to
detect drivers who are travelling above the speed limit. The radar gun
Figure 3.28 Radar guns used
emits a radio signal with a known wavelength. A moving car generates a
to enforce traffic speed limits
returning wave whose wavelength is picked up by the radar gun. The size were developed based on
of the difference in the two wavelengths shows how fast the moving scientific understanding of
vehicle is travelling. the Doppler effect.
G I V E I T A TRY
EXPERIENCING THE DOPPLER EFFECT

The Doppler effect refers to the change in frequency of 2 As the noise-maker moves overhead, listen for the
sound, light, and other waves, which results from the change in sound as the noise-maker approaches you
relative motion between an observer and the source of and then moves away from you. How would you
the waves. In this activity, you get the chance to describe the differences in sound?
experience the Doppler effect firsthand. You are the 3 Listen again while the teacher spins the object, but
observer and the source of the sound waves is a noise- this time close your eyes. Are you able to tell when
maker. the object is coming toward you and when it is
1 While you are seated at your desk, your teacher will moving away from you? Explain your answer.
stand in the centre of the classroom and swing a 4 In what ways is this apparent shift in sound similar
small battery-powered noise-maker overhead. to the shift that happens in a star’s spectrum? Use a
Because the noise-maker will be tied to a long diagram to help you illustrate your answer.
string, its circular path will be very wide.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Explain the meaning of triangulation and give an example of a
situation in which it might be used.
2. How is parallax used to measure distances in space?
3. a) What is a spectrum?
b) What can a star’s spectrum indicate about a star?
4. What is the Doppler effect? Give an example of its use.

5. When using the triangulation technique, why is it important to
measure the baseline accurately?
6. How do astronomers determine the elements that make up a star?
Figure 3.29 These ripples
7. Explain why the spectra of some stars shift.
show energy being
transmitted from one place Extend Your Understanding
to another. How is this
similar to the way in which 8. What type of shift in the spectrum would you expect from a star that
visible light and other was:
forms of electromagnetic a) moving in the same direction as Earth, at the same speed as Earth?
radiation travel? b) moving at right angles to the direction of sight?
9. What conditions would have to be met in order for an ambulance with
its siren on not to exhibit the Doppler effect when it passes you?

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. With the aid of two diagrams, describe how refracting and reflecting
telescopes work.
2. Explain why infrared telescopes would not be useful for stargazing in a city.
3. What is the advantage of using telescopes set up in an array?
4. What is a spectrometer used for?
5. If you see a red-shifted star, what does that tell you about the direction in
which the star is moving through space? Explain your answer.

6. You are the owner of a company that wants to build the largest optical
telescope in the world. Which type would you choose and why?
7. Why can radio astronomers make observations at any time during the day,
but optical astronomers are mostly limited to making their observations at
night?
8. Why do different elements in a star display different patterns of lines in
their spectra?
9. Why is the Doppler effect important to astronomers?

10. Most professional astronomers spend little time looking through a telescope
lens. Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
11. Describe one limitation in using parallax to determine a star’s distance from
Earth.

On
The advance of space technology has been the result of hundreds of years of
research and development. Ideas have developed over generations and have been
improved on. This has helped answer many questions humans have had about
the universe, while at the same time opening up even more mysteries. Consider
the following questions:
1. What has motivated humans to advance the technology used to study the
stars?
2. Why is it essential for ideas and technologies to be shared in order for
humans to improve their understanding of space?
3. How could the advancement of space observation technology benefit society?
Society and the environment are
4.0 affected by space exploration and the
development of space technologies.
Key Concepts
concepts:
• space exploration risks and
dangers
• ownership and use of
resources in space
Learning Outcomes
• recognize the risks and
dangers associated with space
exploration
• describe Canadian From cancer treatments and pacemakers, to Teflon and flat-screen
contributions to space research televisions, the technological benefits created by space research are
and development and to the
now everywhere in our daily lives. All of these innovations—many
astronaut program
developed for use in the International Space Station—got their start
• identify and analyze factors
fulfilling a purpose in space exploration. Opportunities for the
that are important to decisions
regarding space exploration
economic development of space resources are also being investigated
and development today, including such ideas as offering tourist space flights, building
hotels on the Moon, and mining minerals on asteroids.
At the same time, the study of space has made us aware of the
many hazards that lie beyond Earth’s protective atmosphere. For
example, we are learning more about the destructive effects of solar
radiation on life and equipment and about the danger of possible
collision with comets and asteroids. As well, many environmental and
ethical issues have arisen related to space exploration. Who owns
space? Who is entitled to use its resources? Who is responsible for
cleaning up the space environment? How can we justify spending
billions of dollars to send a few people into space when millions of
people on Earth do not have clean drinking water? These and other
matters are discussed in this final section of the unit. You will also read
about Canada’s significant contributions to space research and the
astronaut program.

4.1 The Risks and Dangers of Space Exploration
Space exploration is an exciting endeavour. Yet, as for any journey into
the unknown, there are dangers. Travel into space is an especially high-
info BIT
risk business. As you learned in Section 2.0, the space environment is not
What Goes Up ...
“human friendly.” Only by understanding the dangers and developing By mid-2001, about
technologies to overcome those obstacles have humans accomplished 2700 satellites were
what they have. Unforeseen dangers still remain. Accidents related to known to be orbiting
space travel may result not only in loss of human life, but in immense Earth. Only about one-
economic loss and the loss of countless years of work. third of those are
In 1967, the three-member crew aboard Apollo 1 died during a actually working. The
training exercise when fire broke out on board the spacecraft. In 1986, the rest are “space junk,”
space shuttle Challenger experienced a catastrophic explosion shortly and most will eventually
after take-off, killing all seven astronauts aboard. Both the Russians and burn up during re-entry
Americans lost Mars probes shortly before the crafts arrived at the planet. into Earth’s atmosphere.
In both of those cases, hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of
hours of labour were lost.
Figure 4.1 As the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger showed in 1986, space exploration is
an extremely high-risk undertaking.
Nothing can be taken for granted during the preparation for a manned
or unmanned space flight. Something as seemingly straightforward as
calculating the amount of fuel needed for the flight requires the utmost
attention to detail. During Apollo 11’s mission to the Moon in 1969, the
original landing site for the Eagle was found to be too rocky for the lunar
module to set down safely. Faced with having to choose another place to
land, the astronauts knew they had to find the right spot with one try.
They didn’t have enough fuel to change their minds and find another
site—not if they wanted to get back to Earth after their visit to the Moon.
Society and the Environment Are Affected by Space Exploration and the Development of Space Technologies 457
THE DANGERS OF MANNED SPACE TRAVEL
Sending humans into space has always been a dangerous proposition.
First, just imagine the risks associated with being strapped into a small
cockpit above several hundred tonnes of highly explosive fuel. Poor
weather conditions, malfunctioning equipment, and even the presence of
birds can interfere with launching a rocket.
Once a manned craft is in space, floating debris, meteoroids, and
harmful doses of radiation must be faced. Outside of Earth’s protective
atmosphere, the effects of solar and cosmic radiation are magnified
because there is no protection. For example, the huge blast of electrically
charged particles that the Sun sometimes emits (in a “coronal mass
ejection”) can burn up the electronic circuits in a satellite. In humans, this
dose of radiation also kills cells in vital organs and damages bone marrow.
The occurrence of coronal mass ejections (solar flares) is monitored by
NASA, and astronauts are warned so that they can protect themselves
inside polyethylene shielding that absorbs the radiation.
Figure 4.2 In early 2001, the Cosmic radiation comes from the Milky Way and other galaxies. The
abandoned Russian space damage to human cells from this form of radiation is extreme.
station Mir came hurtling
Returning to Earth has its dangers too. The path that the spacecraft
through Earth’s atmosphere,
burning up on re-entry.
follows on re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere must be perfect. If it is too
shallow an angle, the craft can bounce off the atmosphere and back into
space (like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond). If it is at too
steep an angle, the craft can move too quickly through the atmosphere and
burn up.
info BIT SPACE JUNK

Another legacy of the human presence in space is “space junk.” Space
Stick to the Menu junk refers to all the pieces of debris that have fallen off rockets, satellites,
Not finding the space shuttles and space stations, and remain floating in space. The debris
dehydrated “space food” includes bits as small as flecks of paint or a bolt, and large items such as
very tasty, one of the dead satellites. Lost antennas, tools from past shuttle flights, and even a
early astronauts camera released by an astronaut are other examples. If the space garbage is
smuggled two corned just above the outer reaches of Earth’s atmosphere, it can stay in orbit for
beef sandwiches onto a
thousands of years.
space flight. Mission
Control found out and
The Hazards in Space
was furious. The mass of
the craft and its payload Since 1957, more than 4000 missions have been sent into space. Each one
had been calculated to has left its own bits of debris. The space shuttle and International Space
the nearest gram, and the Station are constantly being bombarded by tiny pieces of space debris
fuel required for the flight called micrometeorites. These are very hard to detect in space, and travel
had been calculated to with lethal velocities. A micrometeorite piercing the hull of a space craft
the nearest millilitre. would cause catastrophic damage.
A small washer or screw sounds insignificant compared to a satellite,
space shuttle, or space station. However, if you consider that those items
are moving 20 000 km/h, you can understand that the effects of a
spacecraft colliding with even the smallest object would be devastating.
That small object would have a higher impact velocity than a fired bullet.

Most space junk will burn up if it passes through Earth’s atmosphere, but re SEARCH
until it does, it will remain a very real threat to anyone or anything
travelling into space. Fuelling a Spacecraft
Just getting into space
The Hazards on Earth requires tremendous
Some space junk poses a risk to Earth as well. There is always the amounts of fuel. Find
possibility that pieces of obsolete satellites can make their way back to out how much each
Earth’s surface. One such example occurred in January 1978, when a solid fuel rocket tank
nuclear-powered Soviet satellite crashed into the Great Slave Lake area of on the American space
the Northwest Territories. On re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere, the satellite shuttle holds. Begin
disintegrated, showering radioactive debris over 124 000 km2. No lives your search at
were lost, but clean-up by Canadian and U.S. military personnel took www.pearsoned.ca/
scienceinaction.
almost eight months and cost $15 million (Cd.).
Figure 4.3 An impact crater

(greatly magnified) on a window
on the space shuttle Challenger
following its 1983 mission. The
pit contains traces of titanium
oxide—which might have
originated from a flake of paint.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Name four dangers faced by astronauts during space missions.
2. What happens to satellites that run out of power or just reach the limit
of their usefulness?
3. What is meant by “space junk”? Provide examples in your answer.
4. Why must a spacecraft’s angle of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere be
carefully calculated?

5. For what reasons would NASA be concerned about something as
small as a lens cap floating in space?
6. Why do astronauts on the space shuttles and working in the
International Space Station receive more exposure to solar radiation
than people on Earth do?
7. Explain why NASA monitors coronal mass ejections.

8. a) What causes the vast majority of space debris to burn up as it
passes through Earth’s atmosphere?
b) Why does some space debris, such as a meteorite, not burn up
totally as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere?
info BIT
4.2 Canadian Contributions to Space
Robert Thirsk
In 1996, Canadian
Exploration and Observation
astronaut Robert Thirsk
Canada has had a proud involvement in the development of technology
spent 17 days on board a
for space exploration and observation. One of its most famous
space shuttle. Thirsk, who
set his sights on space contributions is the robotic arm, the “Canadarm,” originally designed by
flight at a young age, Spar Aerospace. Since its debut in 1981 on the U.S. space shuttle
holds four university Columbia, the Canadarm has proven to be one of the most versatile pieces
degrees, including a of technology ever designed for the space shuttle program. Manipulated
Bachelor of Science from by remote control, the Canadarm has launched and retrieved satellites,
the University of Calgary. helped fix optical apparatus on the Hubble Space Telescope, and put
together modules of the International Space Station.
positioning mechanism elbow pitch joint

for the upper arm Figure 4.4 Canadarm 1
in action
elbow closed-circuit retention latch
lower television & pan/tilt for the lower wrist
upper arm boom
arm
boom retention latch
for upper arm
shoulder
pitch joint
retention latch
orbiter positioning mechanism for the lower arm
longeron for lower arm
shoulder brace
wrist wrist yaw joint
pitch joint
shoulder wrist closed-circuit television & light
yaw joint Figure 4.5 The parts of
wrist roll joint end effector the Canadarm 1

When it launched Alouette 1 in 1962 (pictured in Figure 2.5), Canada
became among the first nations in the world to use a satellite for non-
military purposes. A decade later, in 1972, Canada launched Anik 1 from
Cape Canaveral in Florida. That satellite gave the whole country
telecommunications coverage for the first time. A year after that, Canada
became the first country in the world to use satellites to broadcast
television. Since then, the nation has continued to be a leader in the
development and use of satellites for communication purposes.
The next generation of Canadian space robotics is the Canadarm 2.
Not only can the arm bend around corners and grasp objects with its
computer-controlled fingers, it can also move itself around the outside of
the International Space Station, crawling like a caterpillar and making
Figure 4.6 Canadarm 2,
every part of the space station accessible.
shown here in position on
the International Space
Station, is bigger, stronger,
and smarter than its
predecessor, Canadarm 1.
System Description
Remote • contains seven motorized joints
Manipulator • handles large payloads
System • assists with docking the space shuttle
• can move itself around different parts
of the station
Mobile Base • can travel along a rail system to move

System to different positions on the station
Special • uses its two-armed robotic hand for

Purpose delicate assembly work
Dexterous
Figure 4.7 Three main systems of the Canadarm 2 Manipulator
G I V E I T A TRY
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT?

Millions of dollars are spent to train people for the astronaut program and to send a Materials & Equipment
few of them into space. Added to that large financial cost are the thousands of hours • computer with Internet
of work put in by hundreds of support personnel (researchers, technicians, access
engineers, physiologists, and others). Obviously, choosing suitable candidates for • library (school or
the astronaut program is critical in making this investment of time and money public)
worthwhile. Candidates cannot just be randomly selected from a list of all applicants. • pencil and paper
What special education, skills, and other qualifications does someone need to
become an astronaut?
1 In a small group, brainstorm a list of criteria that you think a candidate should
have to be the “ideal astronaut.”
2 Research the Canadian Space Agency’s requirements for a person to become an
astronaut.
3 Research the biographies of three Canadian astronauts of your choosing. Make
note of any patterns or similarities you notice in their backgrounds.
4 Compare your initial brainstorming list with the actual requirements from the
Canadian Space Agency. How did your list compare with your research on the
backgrounds of actual Canadian astronauts?
5 Present your findings to the class.
6 As a class, discuss whether or not there is such a thing as an “ideal” candidate
to be an astronaut.
7 With reference to your research, explain why you would or wouldn’t make a
good candidate to be an astronaut.
Figure 4.8 From top to bottom,

Canadian astronauts Chris Hadfield,
Julie Payette, and Marc Garneau Figure 4.9 Headquarters of the Canadian Space Agency

Canada’s rich history in the field of space technology includes the re SEARCH
following highlights:
• In 1839, Sir Edward Sabine established the first magnetic observatory Which Astronaut Is
at the University of Toronto. He discovered that the aurora borealis was She?
associated with sunspot activity. In the early summer of
• In 1962, Canada became the third nation on Earth to launch a satellite, 1999, this astronaut
Alouette 1. became the eighth
Canadian in space. She
• When Apollo 11 made its historic first manned flight to the Moon in
was the second
1969, landing gear built in Canada ensured that the astronauts would Canadian female
safely touch down. astronaut and only one
• The first Canadian in space was Marc Garneau, who participated in the of three Canadians to
space shuttle mission in October 1984. operate the robotic
• Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian female astronaut to fly on a space arm. Find out
shuttle mission, in 1992. who she is and how she
became an astronaut.
• Canada provided technology for the Mars Pathfinder mission. It was a
Begin your research at
Canadian-designed ramp that the Sojourner rover rolled down in 1997.
www.pearsoned.ca/
• In April 2001, Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to walk in scienceinaction.
space when he helped deliver Canadarm 2 to the International Space
Station.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. When was Canada’s satellite Alouette 1 launched? What was unique
about it?
2. What was Canada’s technological contribution to the shuttle program?
3. What is the common name of the Canadian-designed and -built Remote
Manipulator System on the International Space Station?
4. Name one of the unique qualities of the Remote Manipulator System.

5. What Canadian technology contributed to the success of the Moon
expedition in 1969?
6. What was the Canadian contribution to the Mars Pathfinder mission?
7. Using information provided in section 4.2, create a timeline depicting
Canada’s contributions to space exploration.

8. Would the Canadarm 1 design be suitable for the International Space
Station? Explain your answer.
9. Imagine that NASA had a lottery in which the first prize was a ride in
the shuttle. There would be no training, or studying at all. The winner
would simply join the shuttle astronauts the next day for a launch into
space. List several reasons why this would be a foolish venture for the
individual who won and for the space agency.
info BIT
4.3 Issues Related to Space Exploration
The Moon and Life
Debate rages today over the huge amounts of money, time, and resources
Support
that are being expended on sending equipment and people into space. In
Volcanic material on the
Moon contains trapped the United States and Canada alone, the space program costs billions of
oxygen. Some scientists dollars every year.
believe that heating this
material would allow the THE PROS AND CONS OF SPACE EXPLORATION
oxygen to be released
Some people argue that, because there are so many problems on Earth to
and captured. They also
be solved (such as poverty, hunger, pollution, and disease epidemics),
believe that both oxygen
and water could be countries should not be spending huge sums of money to explore new
extracted from the ice at regions. Instead, they say, that money should go to relieving the suffering
the lunar poles. “Mining” of citizens on our own planet. Other people argue that space is the “last
the oxygen and water in great frontier,” and that what we learn by exploring it could help us find
this way could support ways of improving life on Earth.
future long-term
settlement by humans.
Figure 4.10 How do you think money and resources should be spent: to address problems on
Earth, or to explore space?
These and other factors must be taken into account when decisions are
being made about the future of space exploration and development.
Some forecasters suggest that the population of Earth will continue to
increase for the next 50 years before stabilizing. This increase, combined
with continued growth in our standard of living, means that the demand
for natural resources (such as minerals and fossil fuels) will rise. Instead
of looking to Earth to find more of those resources, technology is allowing
scientists to look to space for them.

Figure 4.11 As technology has allowed us to study and navigate space safely and efficiently, we
have discovered that space is not a barren place. With the right technology, many valuable
resources may be readily available.
THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SPACE’S RESOURCES

Why would we even need to use resources from space? The reasons are
economic.
First, with the resources space has to offer, our energy needs on Earth
could be satisfied for a long time. For example, scientists are looking for
ways of capturing solar energy in space and beaming it to Earth. As well,
space is a boundless source of mineral resources. The asteroid belt that
lies between Mars and Jupiter, for instance, contains hundreds of
thousands of rocky chunks floating in space. Asteroids have been found to
contain iron, as well as gold and platinum group metals. At present
market value, a 200 000-t asteroid would yield more than $350 billion
worth of mineral resources.
Second, the cost of space travel could be cut substantially. It costs a
great deal of money to transport fuel and materials from Earth into space.
If materials for the construction of space vehicles, supplies, and fuel can
be found where they are to be located in space, costs would be reduced.
The first place scientists looked for resources in space was our closest
neighbour, the Moon. Both hydrogen and oxygen can be easily processed
from Moon rock. The hydrogen could be used as fuel for lunar bases and
space travel. The oxygen could be used for life support. Combine the two
and you have a readily available supply of water. Our Moon is not the
only source of material. Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, could be
used to supply shuttles to that planet.
ACTIVITY E-8
SHOULD WE CONTINUE INVESTING IN S PA C E
Decision E X P L O R AT I O N A N D R E S E A R C H ?
Making The Issue
Every year, there are new, bold projects proposed for the study and exploration of space.
Humans continue to push the boundaries of the imagination, from building more
sophisticated satellites to planning manned space flights to Mars. Ultimately, we will not
be limited by our creativity, but by our ability and willingness to pay for costlier ideas.
Throughout this unit, you have learned a great deal about the progress of technology
designed to enable us to observe and explore space. You have seen how space research
has helped people directly (for example, with satellite communications) and indirectly
(with spin-offs such as protective clothing and health care equipment). In this section,
you are learning about the great cost of space exploration and the many risks. Should we
continue investing in space? Can we afford to keep doing it? Can we afford not to?
1 Working in small groups, brainstorm the pros and cons of human investment in
space endeavours.
2 Research each of the items on your list in more detail, using such sources as the
Internet, books, magazines, journal articles, and local experts.
3 Individually, summarize your findings in a short report. Conclude the report by
stating whether you agree or disagree with humans continuing to invest in space
exploration and research. Explain your view. Be sure to consider observations and
ideas from a number of sources before drawing your conclusions.

4 Present your findings and position on the issue to the class. Be prepared to defend
your opinions using the results of your research. Use any format you wish (for
example, posters, flip chart, handouts) to communicate your ideas.
5 Listen to your classmates’ presentations and be ready to ask questions based on
your research.
6 After all the presentations have been made, re-evaluate your position on the issue.
Did any of the arguments made by others who held the opposite point of view to
yours make you want to reconsider your view? Explain why or why not.
Figure 4.12 Debate the issue of investing in space exploration and research.

POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES math Link
Although it is widely agreed that valuable resources can be found in The Value of an
space, who owns them and who has a right to use them will become major Asteroid
matters of debate in future plans related to space development. There are Find out what minerals
also ethical and environmental issues to consider, as the table below an asteroid contains,
summarizes. and research the current
market value ($) of each
Issues mineral. Using that
information, calculate
the value of an asteroid
Political Ethical Environmental
if it yielded 100 000 t of
• Who owns space? • Is it right to spend money • Who is responsible for minerals. Assume that all
• Who has the right to use on space exploration protecting space the minerals found in
the resources in space? rather than on solving environments from the asteroid exist in the
• Who will determine how problems on Earth? alteration? same proportion (e.g.,
space will be used? • Do we have a right to • Who is responsible for five minerals, each
alter materials in space to cleaning up space junk, 20 000 t = 100 000 t).
meet our needs? and who should pay for
• How can we ensure that doing it?
space resources will be
used for the good of
humans and not to
further the interests of
only one nation or group?
G I V E I T A TRY
WHO OWNS SPACE?

As travelling into space becomes safer, easier, and 3 If we journey to other planets, should we go as
more economical, questions arise about the nature of eco-tourists, only to observe the planet, leaving it
our journeys. In this activity, you are asked to in the condition we found it, or as pioneers, to
consider some ethical issues on the exploration of settle and change the planet to meet human
space. In a small group (three to four students), needs?
discuss the following questions. One person should
record the group’s ideas. When you have finished your
1 Are the resources of a moon, planet, or asteroid discussion, compare your
the property of the first nation to land on it or group’s ideas with those of
claim it? the other groups in the
2 Should space resources be owned only by class. Be prepared to
nations rich enough to be able to afford the costs defend your position
of reaching the site of those resources? on each question.
re SEARCH On Earth, similar issues were debated over Antarctica. Though not to
the same degree as space, Antarctica is a hostile, remote environment that
Moon Marketing has valuable resources. No one country, however, could lay claim
Use the Internet to find politically to those resources for itself. In 1959, however, the 12 nations
out who the that had bases on the continent signed a treaty to share the resources of
entrepreneurs are who the area. Part of the Antarctica Treaty System reads, “Antarctica shall
are advertising trips to continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall
the Moon. Begin your not become the scene or object of international discord.” The concept
research at requires that all nations work collaboratively to resolve differences. A
www.pearsoned.ca/ space treaty could have the same requirements.
scienceinaction.
Figure 4.13 The flags of

many nations are planted at
the South Pole.
CHECK AND REFLECT

Key Concept Review
1. Why might asteroids be of interest in space exploration?
2. What two elements can be processed from material on the Moon?
3. How could the elements processed from Moon-material be used?
4. Name two concerns that some people have about exploiting resources
in space.

5. How do left-over materials in space pose a threat to people on the
ground?
6. Explain a political concern that exists about space and its resources.
7. Describe an environmental concern about the exploration and
exploitation of space.

8. List three costs of space exploration, and three benefits.
9. Give two reasons why resources should be extracted and processed in
space. Give two reasons why they shouldn’t.

SECTION REVIEW
Key Concept Review
1. Describe three major hazards that astronauts could encounter on their
journey from Earth to the International Space Station.
2. Suggest one solution to the space junk problem.
3. List two benefits of Canada collaborating with other countries in space
exploration.
4. How are the exploration of Antarctica and the exploration of space
similar?

5. Sixteen different nations are represented in the International Space
Station. In your view, who owns space and the resources found there?
6. Besides space junk, give another negative effect of space exploration.
7. Why would mining asteroids or the very small Martian moons be
more appealing to a mining company than mining on Mars itself?

8. Describe a way in which space exploration could benefit all people on
Earth.
9. In point form, write your own space treaty. Consider the ethical,
political, and environmental issues involved in the exploration of
space.

On
Fulfilling the dream of human exploration of space only makes sense if it
can be done safely, economically, and in a socially and ethically
acceptable way. Technological advances, some contributed by Canadian
scientists, have made it easier to send people and materials into space.
However, as has always been the case in the past on Earth, colonizing new
environments leads to dramatic changes. As human influence spreads
throughout the solar system and beyond, issues such as ownership,
stewardship, and ethical responsibility must be addressed.
1. How has the advancement of technology made space travel safer?
2. Why is it advantageous for Canada to contribute space technologies to
international projects rather than to pursue space exploration by
itself?
3. As technology makes it easier for humans to get into space, what
issues about ownership must be addressed?
U N I T S U M M A RY: S PA C E E X P L O R AT I O N
1.0 1.0 Human understanding of both Earth and space has changed over time.
• Ancient cultures explained their observations of bodies in space with myths and legends.
• Technology used to study space has evolved throughout history. With each technological
advance came better explanations for what was observed.
• reference frames for
• The planet Earth orbits a star that is one of billions of stars in a spiral galaxy called the
describing the position and
Milky Way.
motion of bodies in space
• Years of accurate data collection and advances in telescope technology have improved our
• distribution of matter through
scientific understanding of the solar system.
space
• A star’s position when viewed from a particular point, can be determined given the
• composition and characteristics
compass direction (azimuth) and the altitude.
of bodies in space
2.0 2.0 Technological developments are making space exploration possible and offer
benefits on Earth.
• Space transport technology began with simple rockets, and today’s spacecraft are still
exploration
launched using the same principles.
• For humans to live outside of Earth’s atmosphere, the basic requirements for life must be
met in space. This means that food, shelter, water, and air must be produced artificially.
• Satellites orbiting Earth transmit information to us about weather, agriculture, and natural
resources. We can also use space technology to locate our exact position on Earth.
• Many concepts designed for use in space have found applications on Earth. These include
materials used for communication, medicine, entertainment, and transportation.
3.0 3.0 Optical telescopes, radio telescopes, and other technologies advance our
understanding of space.
• Reflecting and refracting are two types of optical telescopes. Reflecting telescopes use
mirrors to focus light. Refracting telescopes use lenses to focus light.
• composition and
• Visible light is only one part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum includes
infrared, X-ray, ultraviolet, and gamma radiation. Specific technologies are designed to
space
detect these forms of radiation that come to us from space.
• By observing the shift in the spectrum of a star, we can tell if it is moving toward or away
• triangulation and parallax
from Earth.
• Triangulation and parallax are two techniques for measuring distances in space.
4.0 4.0 Society and the environment are affected by space exploration and the
development of space technologies.
• space exploration risks and
dangers • There are many dangers associated with both manned and unmanned space exploration.
• technologies for space Some of those dangers are posed by debris floating in space around Earth and by solar
exploration and observation and cosmic radiation.
• life support technologies • Canada has had a long and proud history of participation in space research and
• ownership and use of exploration.
resources in space • Many issues concerning ownership of space and its resources are yet to be resolved.
These include political, environmental, and ethical issues.

y
a
se d
S t u
Babies Beyond Gravity’s Grip

The Issue
The International Space Station is just the first step in
human colonization of space. In the not-too-distant future,
permanently manned space stations and bases on the
Moon are likely to be the next step in space exploration.
Some scientists predict that within two decades, the first
inhabited colony on Mars will be established. The first
colonists will probably include families, which means that
babies might, for the first time ever, be born in a place
other than on Earth. Numerous health, social, and Go Further
emotional issues would surround such a significant Now it’s your turn. Look into the following resources for
historical occurrence. information to help you form an opinion about what health
issues might affect babies and children raised away from
Physical • How would the space environment physically Earth.
Health affect a new baby? • Search the Web: Check the Internet for information
Issues • Are there concerns other than microgravity about space travel and the effects of microgravity on the
that could affect the health of a developing human body.
baby?
• Ask the experts: Talk to a doctor or a nurse at your local
• How would a child born and raised on the
Moon, Mars, or an orbiting space station be
hospital or medical clinic about how microgravity
physically affected by moving to Earth? conditions would affect the development of a baby and
child.
Social • What would be the nationality of a baby born • Check journals and magazines: Search for current
Issues in space? stories related to travelling in space for long periods and
• What nation would be responsible for
the effects of low to microgravity.
providing the child with any social and
medical support it needed?
• How socially connected to Earth would a Analyze and Address the Issue
person raised in space feel? Imagine you were one of the first children to be born in
Emotional • How would living in small, cramped
space. (Assume for this case study that, thanks to
and conditions with limited freedom to move technological advances, conditions for safe delivery were
Psychological around affect a young child growing up? created for you and your mother.) Your life so far has been
Issues • What effects, if any, would a child experience spent in space, but now, as a young teenager, you are
from living apart from a natural environment moving to Earth. Write a series of first-person diary
that has air, grass, trees, rain, and birds? entries chronicling your adjustment to Earth. Start with
• How would a child who is born and raised your first day arriving on the planet. Compare and contrast
on the Moon, Mars, or an orbiting space
your life in space with your life on Earth, and consider
station be emotionally and psychologically
both the emotional and physical impacts. Be sure to use
affected by moving to Earth?
your research material to support your ideas.
Science World 471

PROJECT
MISSION TO MARS
Northern polar ice cap
Tharsis Montes volcanoes
Valles
Marineris
canyon

Getting Started Steps to Success
We have learned much about Mars from telescopes, 1 Working with two or three partners, select the area of
robotic probes, and satellites, but to really understand the Mars that will be the focus of your mission.
nature of the planet, we will have to see it for ourselves. Brainstorm ideas for both the type of landing probe
This project will allow you to apply what you have learned you wish to design and the style of base camp. Using
in this unit about space exploration, the requirements of a variety of sources, research the characteristics of the
living in space, and the way in which technology and surface feature your mission is going to study. With
science go hand in hand to advance our knowledge about your partners, identify problems resulting from the
the universe. You will be designing the first mission to conditions on Mars and discuss possible design
Mars. Where you land is up to you. You can choose solutions.
between the Valles Marineris canyon, the Tharsis Montes 2 Complete two scale drawings, one for the probe, and
volcanoes, and the northern polar ice cap. one showing the layout of the base camp. Include
ideas about how the astronauts will travel on the
Your Goal
surface of the planet.
The project has three parts.
3 Construct scale models of your probe and the base
• First, design an unmanned probe that will safely touch camp using materials of your choice.
down and explore the target area on Mars that you have
4 Write descriptions of a) the tasks to be performed
selected.
during the mission, b) the features of your landing
• Second, design a base camp for a team of eight probe, and c) the features of your base camp.
astronauts (four women and four men) who will be the
5 Present your work to the class and explain the
first humans to colonize Mars. Scale models must be
rationale behind your designs.
made for both the probe and the base camp.
• Third, decide which feature to study and how. How Did It Go?
6 In your notebook, answer each of the following
questions in a paragraph.
The mission to Mars will last approximately 22 months.
a) How did your research influence your design for
That time includes the eight months it will take to travel
each part of the mission?
there, six months to explore the surface, and eight months
b) Did you use current technology, or did you design
to return to Earth. In addition to what you learned about
your own technology to meet the needs of the
the nature of Mars in subsection 1.4, you should keep in
mission?
mind that dust storms with winds up to 900 km/h can
cover most of the planet for weeks. Also, communication c) How effective was the group decision-making
signals from Mars can be expected to take about 8 min to process? How were disagreements resolved?
reach Earth. Your base camp design must include d) After seeing your classmates’ presentations, are
laboratories, food, water and air supplies, and living space. there any changes you would make to your
It must also reflect which feature your mission is going to designs? Explain your answer.
study and how.
Project 473
UNIT REVIEW: SPACE EXPLORATION
Unit Vocabulary 2.0

1. Make a brief sketch that illustrates each of 8. Draw a rocket and label its main parts. What
the following vocabulary words or terms: propels a rocket forward?
geocentric
9. List five basic requirements for humans
heliocentric
living in space.
elliptical
black hole 10. Describe some of the effects on the human
constellation body that result from living in microgravity .
galaxy 11. How does the Global Positioning System
solar system work? Illustrate your answer.
comets
12. Name four materials or items we use on
meteors
Earth that were originally designed for use
astronomical unit
in space.
light-year
Hubble Space Telescope
spectrum
space junk 3.0
13. What part of the electromagnetic spectrum

Key Concept Review can humans detect?
14. Explain how astronomers use multiple small
1.0
telescopes to imitate one large telescope.
2. What information did constellations provide 15. What is the Doppler effect and how is the
early sky-watchers? principle applied in determining star
3. What is the first stage in a star’s life called? motion?
4. All stars start from the same “building 16. Explain how the process of triangulation can
blocks.” What element forms these building determine distances on the ground.
blocks? 17. What aspect of Earth makes it difficult to
5. Define a light-year. observe the X-rays, gamma rays, and
ultraviolet rays that come from space?
6. a) How many stars are estimated to be in the
Milky Way galaxy?
b) How many galaxies are estimated to be in
4.0
the universe?
7. Explain why you could not locate a star by 18. Name four risks associated with space
knowing only its altitude in the sky. exploration.
19. List three different contributions Canada has
made to the space industry.
20. Why is space junk an issue in space
exploration?

Connect Your Understanding 30. Sketch how an ellipse changes in shape
when the foci (the two pins that you used in
21. Describe what you consider to be the most
the activity on page 375) are moved farther
important issues facing space exploration.
apart from each other. Relate this to the
22. Describe how space exploration, or its spin- orbits of planets around the Sun.
off products, have affected you personally.
23. In the late 1970s, when Skylab was due to Self Assessment
re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, insurance
companies were offering policies to insure 31. Describe three facts that you found most
people who might get hit by pieces of the interesting in this unit which you did not
space station that reached Earth’s surface. know before.
Explain why it would be highly unlikely for 32. What are two questions that you have about
anyone to ever need to use such an technology used for space exploration and
insurance policy. travel?
24. If space technology and exploration affect 33. Has your opinion about the value of space
the planet as a whole, how should decisions exploration changed in the course of reading
regarding their use be made? this unit? Explain your answer.
34. Which spin-off of the space industry has had
Extend Your Understanding the greatest effect on your life?
25. Explain why looking at stars in the night sky
is considered looking into the past.
26. As soon as a comet gets close enough to the
On
Sun to feel the Sun’s effects, the gases in the
comet begin to bubble (effervesce) and it In this unit, you have investigated science and
leaves a trail along the path it has followed. technology related to space exploration.
When a comet’s tail is visible, it always Consider the following questions.
points away from the Sun. Explain why this
35. As improvements are made to technology,
occurs.
our understanding of the universe around us
27. If we knew a galaxy was moving away from advances. Should decisions that could
Earth, but we see a star in the galaxy with a potentially affect the entire planet be made
spectrum shifted towards the blue, what by only a handful of scientists? Explain your
would we conclude? answer.
36. Describe three ways in which the technology
Practise Your Skills from space exploration has potential to
28. Sketch a diagram that illustrates your benefit all people in the future. What
understanding of the differences between drawbacks to the development of this
reflecting, refracting, and radio telescopes. technology can you think of? Give reasons to
support your answer.
29. Construct a Venn diagram that compares and
contrasts the characteristics of Mars and 37. When making decisions about space
Earth. exploration and the exploitation of resources
in space, what do you feel are essential
questions to ask?
Unit Review 475

TOOLBOX
Toolbox 1 Safety in the Laboratory

Toolbox 2 The Inquiry Process of Science
Toolbox 3 The Problem Solving Process for
Technological Development
Toolbox 4 The Decision Making Process for
Social and Environmental Issues
Toolbox 5 Measurement
Toolbox 6 Writing Reports
Toolbox 7 Graphing
Toolbox 8 Diagrams
Toolbox 9 Visual Organizers
Toolbox 10 Researching Topics
Toolbox 11 Using a Microscope
Toolbox 12 Chemistry Backgrounder
Toolbox 13 Electricity Backgrounder
476
T OOLBOX 1
SAFETY IN THE L A B O R AT O RY
Safety First
You have probably seen some of the hazard symbols below on products at home. They are a warning that
many substances can be harmful or dangerous if handled improperly.
Each hazard symbol can come in either a yellow triangle (which means “caution”), an orange diamond
(which means “warning”), or a red octagon (which means “danger”).
Here are some of the more common symbols.
Symbol Caution Symbol Caution
Flammable Hazard: Materials could Corrosive Hazard: The material may cor-
ignite (catch on fire) if exposed to rode (“eat away at”) clothing, skin, or
flames, sparks, or friction. other materials.
Explosive Hazard: The materials or Biological Hazard: Be alert to the

equipment could explode. possibility of poisoning or infection from
microscopic and other organisms.
Toxic Hazard: The material is very poi-
sonous and could have immediate and Electrical Hazard: Be alert to the
serious effects. possibility of an electric spark or shock.
Here are some other symbols you might see on the materials you use in your classroom. These symbols are
called Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) symbols. They are placed on
hazardous materials used at job sites and school laboratories.
Symbol Caution Symbol Caution
compressed gas flammable and combustible material
dangerously reactive material biohazardous infectious material
oxidizing material corrosive material
poisonous and infectious causing imme- poisonous and infectious causing other
diate and serious toxic effects toxic effects
Can you identify the symbols that are similar to the household symbols above? Discuss with your teacher
what some of the other symbols mean.
Continued on next page ➝

Toolbox 1 477
T OOLBOX 1
Report any safety concerns you Make sure you close the
have, or hazards you see (such containers of chemicals
as spills) to your teacher. immediately after you use them.
Handle all glassware carefully. If Make sure that any water or
you see broken glass, ask your wet hands are kept away from
teacher how to dispose of it electrical outlets or sockets.
properly. When you have finished an
Never smell any material or experiment, clean all the
substance directly. Instead, equipment before putting it away.
gently wave your hand over Be careful with hot plates and
it to bring its vapours toward equipment that have been heated
your nose. as they may take a long time to
Never take chemicals directly cool down.
from the container. Transfer a
small amount to a labelled beaker
and take your sample from it.
Common-Sense Safety Checklist This will prevent contamination
Your teacher may have safety of chemicals and possible
instructions to add to the list below. reactions.
Discuss or note your ideas about why Symbols are used throughout
each of these is an example of this book to tell you when to use
common-sense safety. safety equipment and when
caution is needed in performing
Learn to recognize the warning an activity.
symbols on this and the previous
page.
Keep your work area uncluttered
Heat solids and liquids only
and organized.
in heat-resistant glass beakers
Know the location of fire and test tubes.
extinguishers and other safety
When you heat test tubes, make
equipment.
sure that the open end is Say “Yes!”
Always wear safety goggles and pointing away from you and
any other safety clothing as
to Safety
anyone else in the room.
requested by your teacher or this Are you willing
to
When heating a substance, make
book.
sure the container does not boil
✔ follow the safety instru
ctions
If you have long or loose hair, tie dry. outlined by your
teacher and this
it back. Roll up long shirt book?
Follow your teacher’s instructions
sleeves.
to safely dispose of all waste ✔ keep an eye open for
Don’t wear any jewellery when possible
materials. hazards and re
port them
doing laboratory activities. immediately?
Always wash your hands well
Inform your teacher if you have with soap, preferably liquid ✔ show respect and conc
any allergies or medical ern for your
soap, after handling chemicals own safety and
conditions. the safety of yo
or other materials. classmates and ur
teachers?
478 Toolbox 1
T OOLBOX 2
T H E I N Q U I RY P R O C E S S OF Hints
SCIENCE • Answers may lead to additional questions.

New questions often lead to new hypotheses and
Scientists are always asking a lot of questions. They experiments. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, or to
are always inquiring. They want to understand why re-think the ones you’ve already asked.
the things they observe, and wonder about, happen. • Science grows when scientists ask questions, answer
Experiments are important tools scientists use to them, and are willing to question those answers.
help them answer their questions. Scientific knowledge is always growing and changing.
When scientists plan experiments, they usually follow a
simple set of steps.
Step 1 Ask a cause-and-effect question.

Step 1 Asking questions is easy. Asking questions that lead to
reliable answers is more challenging. That’s the reason
scientists are especially fond of asking cause-and-effect
questions. Here are a few examples.
Step 2
• How does the concentration of laundry detergent in
wash water affect the cleanliness of clothing?
• How do different temperatures affect the growth of
Step 3
seedlings?
• How does the amount of moisture affect the growth of
mould on bread?
Step 4
Notice how the causes—the detergent, temperature, and
moisture—are things that are changeable. For example,
you can have different concentrations of detergent,
Step 5
different temperatures, and different amounts of moisture.
Causes are manipulated or independent variables. They are
factors that you change when you investigate a cause-and-
Step 6
effect question.
The results are changeable, too. For example, some
clothes may become cleaner than others, or not clean at
all. Some seedlings may grow better than others, or some
Step 7
might not grow at all. Some bread samples may have lots
of mould, some may have less, and some might not have
any. Results are responding or dependent variables. They
change because of the manipulated variable.
When you ask a cause-and-effect question,
you should include only one manipulated
variable in your question. This allows you to
see the effect of that variable on the responding
variable.
Toolbox 2 479
T OOLBOX 2
Step 2 Restate the question in the form of a • What materials and equipment are needed for the
hypothesis. experiment? For the seedling experiment, you’d need
seedlings, soil, growing pots or containers (same size),
A hypothesis is a way of restating a cause-and-effect
water and a watering can, a light source, a thermometer,
question so that it gives a reasonable, possible answer.
and a ruler or other measuring device.
Basically, a hypothesis is an intelligent guess at the
solution to a problem or question. It is usually in the form • How will you conduct the experiment safely? For the
of an “If ... then” statement and states the relationship seedling experiment, some of the safety factors you
between the manipulated and responding variables. A “null should consider include putting the seedling pots in a
hypothesis” states that a manipulated variable will not have place where they would not be disturbed, washing your
an effect on the responding variable. hands after handling the materials, and making sure you
Here are hypotheses for the questions outlined in Step 1. don’t have any allergies to the soil or seedlings you use.
• If the concentration of the detergent is high, then • How will you record the data you collect? You could
clothing will become cleaner. divide your seedlings into groups (e.g., three seedlings
• If the temperature is decreased, then the seedlings will for each temperature) and grow each group at a certain
not grow as well. temperature. You would keep track of how much each
seedling in a group grew over a specified amount of time
• If the amount of moisture is increased, then the bread
(e.g., four weeks) and calculate the average for the group.
will get mouldier.
• What sample size will you need to test? Is it enough to
grow only one seedling at each different temperature?
Hints Is three enough?
A hypothesis is an early step in the experiment-
planning process. Your hypothesis can turn out to Step 4 Carry out the procedure and collect
be “right,” but it doesn’t always. That’s what data.
the experiment is for—to test the hypothesis. Depending on the kind of experiment you have planned,
you may choose to record the data you collect in the form
of a chart or table, a labelled sketch, notes, or a
combination of these. For example, a good way to record
Step 3 Develop a procedure to test the the seedling data would be in a table like the one below
hypothesis fairly.
(one for each week of the experiment).
When you develop a procedure, you need to ask yourself
some questions. Here are some questions you should think Week 1: Height of Seedlings Grown at Different Temperatures
about. These questions are answered for the seedling Temperature Height of Height of Height of Average height
example. seedlings seedling 1 (cm) seedling 2 (cm) seedling 3 (cm) (cm)
grown at (°C)
• Which manipulated variable do you want to investigate?
For the seedling experiment, the manipulated variable is 20
temperature. 15
• How will you measure this variable (if it is measurable)? 10
You can measure temperature with a thermometer.
• How will you keep all other variables constant (the
same) so they don’t affect your results? In other words, Hints
how will you control your experiment so it is a fair test? Analyzing the data you collect is the only way you
To control the seedling experiment, these variables have to assess your hypothesis. It’s important that
should be kept constant: the amount of light the your record keeping be organized and neat.
seedlings receive; the amount and temperature of water
applied to the seedlings; the kind of soil the seedlings
are planted in.
480 Toolbox 2
T OOLBOX 2
If your data do not support your hypothesis:

• Your experimental plan may be flawed and needs to be
re-assessed and possibly planned again.
• Your hypothesis was incorrect and needs to be re-
assessed and modified.
• Sources of error may need evaluating, which may help
explain some of your results.
If the seedlings did not grow as well in cooler
temperatures, the hypothesis could be a good one. If the
seedlings grew better in the lower temperatures, you would
have to re-think your hypothesis, or look at your
experiment for errors. Do certain seedlings grow better at
lower temperatures than others? Do different types of soil
have more of an effect on growth than temperature? These
are some of the questions that could be asked after doing
the seedling experiment. Every experiment is different and
will result in its own set of questions and conclusions.
Step 5 Analyze and interpret the data.
Scientists look for patterns and relationships in their data.
Often, making a graph can help them see patterns and Hints
relationships more easily. (Turn to Toolbox 7 for more
• If you don’t have in-class time to repeat your
about graphing.) Provide any calculations required to show
experiment several times, you could ask your
the relationships in your observations. Interpret your
teacher about scheduling after-school time.
results and make a statement that indicates the relationship
between the manipulated and responding variables. • You could also enlist the help of your
A graph of the seedling data would show you if there classmates. If other scientists get the same
were a relationship between temperature and growth rate. results, the conclusions are usually reliable. If
not, the hypothesis must be modified.
Hints
If you have access to a computer, find out if it has
Step 7 Communicate the procedure and
results of the experiment.
the software to help you make charts or graphs.
Scientists always share the results of their experiments
with other people. They do this by summarizing how they
performed the first six steps. Sometimes, they will write
out a formal laboratory report stating their purpose,
Step 6 Form conclusions based on the data, hypothesis, procedure, observations, and conclusions.
and compare them with the hypothesis. Other times, they share their experimental results verbally,
Usually, this is fairly straightforward. Either your data using drawings, charts, or graphs. (See Toolboxes 6, 7,
will support your hypothesis or they won’t. Either way, and 8 for hints on how to prepare your results.)
however, you aren’t finished answering your cause-and- When you have finished your experiment, ask your
effect question. teacher how he or she would like you to prepare your
If your data support your hypothesis, you need to results so you can share them with the other students in
repeat your experiment several times to see if you get the your class.
same results over and over again. Doing your experiment
successfully many times is the only way you and other
scientists can have faith in your data and your conclusions.
Toolbox 2 481
T OOLBOX 3
want a thrill, but you find that most people are not
T H E P R O B L E M S O LV I N G P R O C E S S comfortable crossing the bridge and don’t get to enjoy one
FOR TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT of the nicer areas of the park. You wish there were a way to
make the bridge more stable so more people would use it.
When you plan an experiment to answer a cause-and-effect
That is the situation or context of the problem.
question, you follow an orderly set of steps. The same is
true for designing a prototype that solves a practical
Step 2 Identify the specific problem to be
problem.
solved.
When people try to solve practical problems, they
When you understand a situation, you can then define the
usually follow a simple set of steps.
problem more exactly. This means identifying a specific
task to carry out. In the situation with the bridge, the task
Step 1
might be to build a new bridge or add support to the
existing bridge.
••••
Step 3 Identify criteria for a successful

Step 2
solution to a problem.
You have defined the problem and now you must look for
solutions. But how will you know when you have found the
••••
Step 3
best possible solution? Before you start looking for
solutions, you need to establish your criteria for
Identify criteria for a successful solution determining what a successful solution will be.
to a problem.
One of your criteria for success in the bridge example
•••
Step 4
would be the completion of a stable bridge. The criteria you
choose do not depend on which solution you select—
whether to reinforce the old bridge or build a new bridge.
In this case, whatever the solution, it must result in a
•••
Step 5
stable bridge.
When you are setting your criteria for success, you
must consider limits to your possible solutions. For
example, the bridge may have to be built within a certain
••••
time, so rebuilding completely may not be possible. Other

Step 6
limitations could include availability of materials, cost,
number of workers needed, and safety.
If you are building a product or device for yourself, you
•••
may set the criteria for success and the limitations

Step 7
yourself. In class, your teacher will usually outline them.
Communicate the procedure
and results of your design.
Hints
Always consider safety. This includes safe handling
Step 1 Recognize a human need.
and use of materials and equipment, as well as being
This involves recognizing what the problem is. For aware of possible environmental impacts of your ideas.
example, suppose you observe that a rope bridge across a Discuss with your teacher and fellow students how
ravine at a local park is very unstable and swings back and your solution might affect the environment.
forth when crossed. This might be fine for people who
482 Toolbox 3
T OOLBOX 3
Step 4 Generate a list of ideas, possible Step 6 Test, evaluate, and modify (if
solutions, materials, and equipment. necessary) the model or prototype.
Brainstorming, conducting research, or both, are key Testing lets you see how well your solution works. Testing
components of this step. When you brainstorm, remember also lets you know if you need to make modifications. Does
to relax and let your imagination go. Brainstorming is all it meet all the established criteria? Does it solve the
about generating as many ideas as possible without problem you designed it for?
judging them. Record your ideas in the form of words, Invite your classmates to try your product. Their
mind maps, sketches—whatever helps you best. feedback can help you decide what is and isn’t working,
Conducting research may involve reading books and and how to fix anything that needs fixing. Perhaps the
magazines, searching the Internet, interviewing people, or stabilizing wires on the bridge model could be anchored
visiting stores. It all depends on what you are going to elsewhere. Maybe more wires could be added.
design.
One idea for the rope bridge would be to anchor the
bridge with strong rope or thick metal wire to large rocks Hints
or to the hillside at either end of the bridge. Sketches and
For every successful invention or product, there
diagrams would help to generate different ideas for the
are thousands of unsuccessful ones. Sometimes it’s better
bridge design.
to start over from scratch than to follow a design that
doesn’t meet its performance criteria.
Hints Here’s an old saying you’ve probably heard: “If at first
Humans have been inventors for tens of thousands you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Remember, there can be
of years—so take advantage of what has already many possible solutions to a practical problem.
been developed. When you’re solving a problem, you
don’t have to “reinvent the wheel.” See how others
have solved the same problem before and use their
efforts as inspiration. You can also look for ways to Step 7 Communicate the procedure and
“build upon” or improve on their ideas. results of your design.
Inventors and engineers create things to meet people’s
needs. When they make something new, they like to show
Step 5 Plan and construct a working model it to other people and explain to them how it works.
or prototype. Sometimes they will use a carefully drawn diagram of the
Choose one possible solution to develop. Start by making a new device and write about how they performed the first
list of the materials and equipment you will use. Then make six steps. Other times, they will show the device to people
a working diagram, or series of diagrams, on paper. This and explain verbally how it works and how they built it.
lets you explore and troubleshoot your ideas early on. Your Your teacher will tell you how to prepare your results so
labels should be detailed enough so that other people you can exhibit the new device you make.
could build your design. Show your plans to your teacher
before you begin construction work.
A simple model of the bridge could be made to show
how and where components such as stabilizing wires
could be added.
Hints
If things aren’t working as you planned or imagined,
be prepared to modify your plans as you construct your
model or prototype.
Toolbox 13 483
T OOLBOX 4
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS Step 1 Recognize the issue needing a

decision.
F O R S O C I A L A N D E N V I R O N M E N TA L This involves recognizing that an issue exists. An issue is a
ISSUES controversy that needs to be resolved. It may have more
than one possible solution, but the chosen one is usually the
People can have many different viewpoints or perspectives one that satisfies the most people. For example, suppose
about social and environmental issues. This usually means you and your friends want to have some trees in a public
that an issue has more than one possible solution. Scientific park cut down in order to make space for a playing field.
and technological information can be used to increase our Some members of your community feel that the trees should
understanding of an issue and help resolve it. be preserved for the birds that nest there. The local
When people try to make a decision or reach a environmental specialist says that when it rains, the trees
consensus about an issue, they need to use a decision protect a nearby stream by reducing run-off, so they should
making process. Here are the steps in one possible process. be left standing. Other people say that your idea of building
a playing field is too expensive.
Step 1 Step 2 Identify the viewpoints related to the

issue.
Recognize the issue needing a decision. The viewpoints expressed in the example in step 1 are
••••
recreational (you and your friends), ecological (people who

CHART
Step 2 wish to leave the trees as they are), and economic (people
who think that the cost would be too high).
Identify the viewpoints related to the issue. People often evaluate issues using one or more
••••
viewpoints. Some of these viewpoints are:

Step 3 • Cultural: interest in the customs and practices of a
particular group of people
Conduct research on the issue and the • Ecological: interest in the protection of the natural
different viewpoints.
environment
•••
• Economic: interest in the financial aspects of the situation

Step 4 Change list of
alternatives if • Educational: interest in acquiring and sharing knowledge
Generate a list of alternative solutions. further research or and skills
other viewpoints • Esthetic: interest in the beauty in art and nature
suggest it.
•••
• Ethical: interest in beliefs about what is right and wrong

Step 5
• Health and safety: interest in physical and mental well-
being
Analyze the consequences for each alternative.
• Historical: interest in knowledge dealing with past events
Change any of the
••••
above steps if • Political: interest in the effect of the issue on

Step 6 governments, politicians, and political parties
necessary.
• Recreational: interest in leisure activities
Reflect and decide on the best course of action. • Scientific: interest in knowledge based on the inquiry
process of science (Toolbox 2)
•••
Step 7 Modify your • Social: interest in human relationships, public welfare, or

decision based on society
Communicate your findings. new information. • Technological: interest in the design and use of tools and
processes that solve practical problems to satisfy
peoples’ wants and needs (Toolbox 3)
484 Toolbox 4
T OOLBOX 4
Step 3 Conduct research on the issue and moderate (2), low (1), or none (0). Duration is considered
the different viewpoints. short term (S) if it is less than 50 years or long term (L) if
it is longer than 50 years. Ask how many people will
You will be able to suggest an appropriate solution to an
benefit from the alternative and how many will be affected
issue only if you understand the issue and the different
negatively. Make sure to consider health and safety.
viewpoints. It’s important to gather unbiased information
For the playing field example, you could analyze the
about the issue itself and then consider the information
consequences of each alternative solution in a table like the
provided by people with different viewpoints.
one shown below.
Develop specific questions that will help to guide your
research. Questions for the playing field issue might be: Analysis of Consequences: Alternative 1—
• How many people will use the playing field? Build the playing field in the park.
• Is there another more suitable site for the playing field? Consequence Importance Likelihood of Duration
• What kind of birds nest in these trees? Could they nest (3,2,1,0) occurrence (S,L)
(3,2,1,0)
elsewhere in the area?
Trees cut 2 3 1
• What is run-off and why is it a problem?
Run-off 3 3 S
• What would be the full cost of building the playing field
(including the cost of removing the trees)? Birds move 2 to 1 3 1
Playing field well 2 2 possibly 1
Conducting research may involve interviewing people, used
reading books and magazines, searching the Internet, or Development 2 to 1 3 1
making a field trip. It is important to evaluate your sources and maintenance
of information to determine if there is a bias and to cost
separate fact from opinion. In this step, you are trying to

gain a better understanding of the background of the issue, Step 6 Reflect and decide on the best course
the viewpoints of different groups, the alternative solutions, of action.
and the consequences of each alternative. Evaluate your decision making process to ensure that each
step is completed as fully as possible. Consider the
Step 4 Generate a list of alternative consequences of the alternative solutions and how people
solutions. will respond to each one. Then decide on what you think is
the best course of action.
Examine the background of the issue and the viewpoints in
order to generate a list of alternative solutions.
Brainstorming can be a useful component of this step. Use Step 7 Communicate your
your research to help guide your thinking. findings.
Examples of possible alternatives for the issue in step 1 Communicate your findings in
might be as follows: an appropriate way. For
• Cut the trees and build the playing field. example, you may prepare a
• Leave the park as it is. written report, a verbal
• Find another more suitable location. presentation, or a position for
• Modify the plan in the existing park. a debate or a public hearing
role-play. Defend your
Step 5 Analyze the consequences for each position by clearly stating
alternative. your case and presenting
supporting evidence
Decide how you will measure the risks and benefits for the
from a variety of
consequences of each alternative solution. You may decide
sources.
to examine the importance, likelihood, and duration of each
possible consequence. The importance of the consequence
and the likelihood of its occurrence can be ranked high (3),
Toolbox 4 485
T OOLBOX 5
SI Base Units
MEASUREMENT
Measurement Base unit Symbol
Observations from an experiment may be qualitative mass kilogram kg
(descriptive) or quantitative (physical measurements). length metre m
Quantitative observations help us to describe such things temperature Kelvin K
time second s
as how far away something is, how massive it is, and how
electric current ampere A
much space it takes up. Quantitative observations are the amount of substance mole mol
most useful and require the use of accurate intensity of light candela cd
measurements.
Converting SI Units
Measuring in SI
It is important to know how to convert from one SI unit to
Most countries and scientific communities have agreed on
another. The following steps will help you convert between
the use of one system of measurement, making worldwide
units.
communication much more efficient. This system is called
1 Begin by writing the measurement that you want to
“le Système international d’unités” or SI for short. SI is
convert.
based on the metric system. Base units are used, and
2 Multiply by a factor that shows the relationship between
prefixes are added to change the base units by multiples of
the two units you are converting. Write this relationship
ten. Conversion from one unit to another is relatively easy
as a fraction, putting the units you are converting to in
if you know the base units and the meaning of the prefixes.
the numerator. This will allow you to cancel the given
The table below shows the prefixes, their symbols, and their
units you started with.
meanings. A kilometre for example is equal to 1000 m and
3 The conversion may sometimes require two or more
1 millimetre is 0.001 m or 1 m 1000 mm.
steps. (see example 2) This method of solving
Common Metric Prefixes problems is referred to as unit analysis.
Prefix Symbol Meaning

Exponential Example 1: 56 cm ________ m
form
giga G billion 109 56 cm 1 m 56 m 0.56 m

mega M million 106 100 cm 100
kilo k thousand 103
hecto h hundred 102
deca
Example 2: 3200 cm ________ km
da ten 10
deci 10-1
d one tenth 3200 cm 1 m 1 km 3200 km 0.3200 km
centi c one hundredth 10-2
milli
100 cm 1000 m 100 1000
m one thousandth 10-3
micro µ one millionth 10-6
Measuring in SI
Scientific Notation Length
Scientific notation is often used to express either very large Length indicates the distance between two points. The
or very small numbers. It is based on the use of metre is the base unit for measuring length. Long
exponents. A number between one and ten is followed by distances are measured in kilometres (km) and small
10 raised to a power. distances are commonly measured in centimetres (cm) or
millimetres (mm). The instrument that you use will
Example 1: A cell diameter of 0.000 15 mm could be
determine the number of decimal places in your
written as 1.5 104 mm.
measurement. The last digit of any measurement is always
Example 2: The speed of light is 3.00 108 m/s or
uncertain.
300 000 000 m/s.
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T OOLBOX 5
CHECK IT YOURSELF
Which length unit would you use for each of the
following? Why?
• the height of a table
• the depth of a lake
• the width of a dime
• the length of a skating rink
• the distance from Lethbridge, Alberta, to Truro, Nova
Scotia
• the distance from Earth’s core to its surface
Hints
When you use a ruler, tape measure, or metre-
stick, always start from the 0 measurement point, When you add a liquid to a graduated cylinder, the top of the
not the edge of the measuring tool. liquid is curved near the sides of the cylinder. This curve is
called a meniscus. To measure the liquid’s volume properly,
you need to observe the liquid’s surface from eye level so you
can see the flat, bottom portion of the curve. Ignore the sides.
The volume in this cylinder is 52 mL.
CHECK IT YOURSELF
1 Which of the following tools would give you a more
When you use a measuring tool such as a ruler, look directly in
line with the measurement point, not from an angle. This coin accurate measurement of volume? Explain why.
measures 28.0 mm or 2.80 cm. • a measuring cup
• a teaspoon
• a graduated cylinder
Volume
Volume indicates the amount of space that something takes 2 Explain how you could determine the volume of a
up or occupies. Volume is called a derived unit because small irregularly shaped rock?
there is no base unit. Common units used to measure
volume include litres (L) for liquids and cubic centimetres Mass and Weight
(cm3) for solids. Remember that 1 mL 1 cm3. The terms mass and weight do not mean the same thing,
At home, you often use a measuring cup to determine even though they are often used that way. The mass of
the volume of something. At school, you usually use a something tells you the amount of matter it contains. The
graduated cylinder. Here, “graduated” means a container weight of an object is a measure of the force of gravity
that has been marked with regular intervals for measuring. acting upon it.
For example, a measuring cup, a beaker, and a The base unit for mass is the kilogram. It is the only
thermometer are all graduated, but the accuracy of the base unit in the SI system that has a prefix. This is because
measurement is different with each measuring instrument the gram is such a small unit of measurement. The mass
or tool. of objects is, however, often measured in grams using
different types of balances. You may have a triple beam
balance, an equal arm balance, or an electronic scale in
your school.
Toolbox 5 487
T OOLBOX 5
The equal arm balance and triple beam balance You can use a
basically work in the same way. You compare the mass of spring scale to
the object you are measuring with standard or known measure weight. A
masses (or their mass equivalent values on the triple spring scale is
beam). sometimes called a
force meter and
measures force in
newtons. A newton is a
derived unit and is
equal to 1 kg/m2.
A spring scale has
three main parts: a
hook, a spring, and a
measuring scale. The
hook at the end is used
to attach the object to
equal arm balance the scale. The spring
pulls on the object. As
An equal arm balance has two pans. You place the
the spring pulls, the
object whose mass you want to know on one pan. On the
pointer moves along
other pan, you place standard (known) masses until the
the measuring scale. spring scale
two pans are balanced (level). Then, you just add up the
values of the standard masses. The total is the mass of the
To measure the weight of an object, first hang the
object you are measuring.
spring scale from a clamp on a retort stand. Then hang the
object from the hook of the spring scale. Once the pointer
stops moving, record the measurement.
CHECK IT YOURSELF
1 The object on the triple beam balance is a water-
filled beaker, so the balance is measuring the
triple beam balance mass of the water plus the mass of the beaker.
What if you wanted to measure just the mass of
A triple beam balance has a single pan. You place the the water in the beaker? Describe, step-by-step,
object you are measuring on the pan. You adjust the how you would do it.
masses on the beams until the beam assembly is level.
2 How would you measure the mass of an apple?
Then, you add up the mass equivalent values of the beam
How would this be similar to and different from
masses from the scales on the beam.
measuring the mass of a pile of salt?
Electronic balances allow you to tare or zero the
balance with an object on it. For example, this allows you
to ignore the mass of a beaker and measure the mass
directly. You do not have to subtract the mass of the
beaker.
488 Toolbox 5
T OOLBOX 5
Temperature Sometimes, it is useful to estimate the measurement of

The Celsius temperature scale is commonly used in the an object before you actually measure it. You might do this
metric system, even though the Kelvin degree is the base to help you decide which units of measurement and which
unit. You will use the Kelvin scale later as you learn more measuring tool to use. In other cases, you might not be
about matter in higher grades. Water boils at 100°C and able to measure an object at all. In this case, an estimate of
freezes at 0°C. its length, volume, or mass might be the best you can do.
Try to estimate the measurements of the items listed
below. Include the measurement units that you think
Estimating
should go with your estimates. Then, measure them to see
It is important to be able to estimate or guess the length,
how close your estimates were to the real values. Did you
mass, or volume of various objects before you measure.
choose the correct measurement units? If you don’t have
This process will allow you to decide whether your
some of these items in your classroom, check at home.
measurements are accurate or if there is instrument error.
It will also help you to decide which tool to use.
Sometimes, you can estimate by comparing one object Object Length
with another object that has known measurements. For estimate actual value
example, if you are asked to estimate the volume of your (cm) (cm)
drink, you could estimate by comparing it with a large jar
pencil
of mayonnaise in your fridge (which has its volume marked
on the label). height of your
teacher’s desk
length of your
classroom
Object Mass
estimate actual value
(g) (g)
this textbook
banana from
someone’s lunch
piece of chalk
Object Volume
estimate actual value
(mL) (mL)
For a large object or distance, you might divide it up
amount of water
into portions in your mind and guess the length, volume,
poured into an
or mass of one portion. You then multiply that guess by
empty jar
the number of imaginary portions to estimate the
measurement of the whole. marker cap
drink thermos
Toolbox 5 489
T OOLBOX 6
Tell readers why you did the work.

WRITING REPORTS
Use a heading such as “Introduction” or “Purpose” for this
Toolbox 2 shows you how to plan a science experiment. section. Here, you give your reasons for doing a particular
Toolbox 3 shows you how to do technological design, and experiment, designing and making a particular product, or
Toolbox 4 shows you how to use a decision making considering a specific issue. If you are writing about an
process for social and environmental issues. This toolbox experiment, tell readers what your cause-and-effect
will help you write a report so you can communicate the question is. If you designed a product, explain why this
procedure and results of your work. product is needed, what it will do, who might use it, and
Here is a list of things you should try to do when who might benefit from its use. If you were considering an
writing your science reports. issue, state what the issue is and why you have prepared
• Give your report or project a title. this report about it.
• Tell readers why you did the work.
• State your hypothesis or describe the design challenge.
State your hypothesis or describe the design
• List the materials and equipment you used.
challenge.
• Describe the steps you took when you did your
experiment, designed and made your product, or If you are writing about an experiment, use a heading such
considered an issue. as “Hypothesis.” Under this heading, you will state your
• Show your experimental data, the results of testing your hypothesis. Your hypothesis must indicate the relationship
product, or the background information on the issue. between the manipulated and responding variable.
• Interpret and analyze the results of your experiment. Remember, your hypothesis is your guess at the solution
• Make conclusions based on the outcome of the to a problem or question. Your hypothesis makes a
experiment, the success of the product you designed, or prediction that your experiment will test.
the research you did on an issue. If you are writing about a product you designed, use a
heading such as “Design Challenge.” Under this heading,
you will describe why you decided to design your product
Give your report or project a title.
the way you did. Explain how and why you chose your
Write a brief title on the top of the first page of your report.
design over other possible designs.
Your title can be one or two words that describe a product
you designed and made, or it can be a short sentence that
summarizes an experiment you performed.
490 Toolbox 6
T OOLBOX 6
List the materials and equipment you used.

This section can come under a heading called “Materials
and Equipment.” List all the materials and equipment you
used for your experiment or design project. Your list can
be in point form or set up as a table or chart. Remember to
include the exact amounts of materials used, when
possible (for example, the number of nails used in building
a model or the volumes and masses of substances tested
in an experiment). Include the exact measurements and
proper units for all materials used.
Also include diagrams to show how you set up your
equipment or how you prepared your materials. Remember
to label the important features on your diagrams. (See
Toolbox 8 for drawing tips.)
Describe the steps you took when you did your

experiment, designed and made your product,
or researched the issue.
Under a heading called “Procedure” or “Method,” describe, other visual aids may be needed. (See Toolbox 7 for
in detail, the steps you followed when doing your graphing tips.) Explain any calculations or graphs that you
experiment, designing and making your product, or used to help explain your results.
considering an issue. List only one step per line and
number each step. If you made a product, describe how Make conclusions based on the outcome of the
you tested it. If you had to alter your design, describe in experiment, the success of the product you
detail how you did this. designed, or the research you did on an issue.
You can call this last section of your report “Conclusions.”
Show your experimental data, the results of In one or two paragraphs, explain what your tests and
testing your product, or the background experiments showed, or what decision you made as a
information on the issue. result of your research.
Give this section a heading such as “Data,” “Observations,” If you did an experiment, explain if your results were
or “Background Information.” In this section, you should predicted by the hypothesis. Describe how you might
show the data or information you collected while adjust the hypothesis because of what you learned from
performing the experiment, testing your product, or doing the experiment, and how you might test this new
researching an issue. In reporting about an issue, use only hypothesis. Evaluate the sources of error in the experiment
a summary of the essential information needed for a reader you performed and evaluate the design. How could you
to understand the issue and different viewpoints about it. change things to get more reliable results?
Use tables, diagrams, and any other visual aids that If you made a product, explain if your design did what
show the results of your tests. If you performed your it was supposed to do, or worked the way it was supposed
experiment a few times, give results for each trial. If you to work. If you changed the design of your product, explain
tested different designs of your product, give results for why one design is better than another.
each design. Describe the practical applications your product or
experiment might have for the world outside the classroom.
Interpret and analyze the results of your If you considered an issue, explain why you made the
experiment. decision that you did. Briefly summarize the supporting
Interpret and analyze the data you collected in your evidence for your decision. If necessary, explain how your
experiment. Calculations, graphs, diagrams, charts, or decision responds to different viewpoints on the issue.
Toolbox 6 491
T OOLBOX 7
Creating Line Graphs

GRAPHING
Sometimes, however, it’s difficult to see if there are any
patterns in the numbers. That’s when it’s useful to
Creating Data Tables reorganize the data into graphs. Graphs help to interpret
Science and technology often involve collecting a lot of data collected during an experiment.
numerical data. It is important to record these data or A graph is similar to a picture or diagram that shows
observations in an organized, meaningful manner. Data more easily how numbers are related to one another. You
tables are helpful tools for organizing information. have probably drawn a lot of graphs over the years in your
First give your data table a title that accurately studies of mathematics, geography, and, of course, science
describes the information you will be recording. Next list and technology.
the manipulated variable in the first column of your table. Line graphs are good for exploring data collected for
As the experimenter, you will decide the intervals for the many types of experiments. Using line graphs is a good
collection of the results. The responding variable is the way to analyze the data of an experiment that are
heading of the next column. The units of measurement for continually changing.
each of the variables are included with this heading and are Here are the data the students investigating temperature
not written with each measurement. Additional columns changes collected shown as a line graph. On the graph,
are added to record other related data. It is important to they put the manipulated variable, time, on the x-axis, and
design a data table before you conduct your experiment. A the responding variable, temperature, on the y-axis.
data table will help you become aware of the variables and
provide you with an organized place to record your results. ANALYSIS
For example, here are some data collected by a group
Temperature of Water in Container A and Container B
of students investigating temperature changes. They
poured hot water into a large container (container A) and
cold water into a smaller container (container B). After
recording the starting temperatures in each container, they container A
placed Container B inside Container A and took
measurements every 30 s until there were no more
temperature changes.
container B
EVIDENCE
Temperature of Water in Container A and Container B
Time (s) Temperature (˚C) Temperature (˚C)
of water in of water in
Container A Container B
0 51 0 Always look for a pattern on the graph after the
30 45 7 individual points are plotted and before you connect the
60 38 14 points. If you observe a pattern, draw a “line of best fit”
90 33 20
120 30 22 with the points evenly located either on or around the line.
150 29 23 This process is called interpolation.
180 28 24
210 27 25
If there is more than one line on the graph, you will need a
240 26 26 legend to explain what each line represents.
270 26 26
Extrapolation is used in graphing to make predictions.
300 26 26
When you extrapolate you extend the line you obtained
492 Toolbox 7
T OOLBOX 7
from your experimental data to show the relationship Average Precipitation

between the data for values that were not experimentally
determined. This assumes that the trend that was observed
will continue further, which is not always the case.
CHECK IT YOURSELF
1 The axes are the two number lines that run horizontally
and vertically. Which is the x-axis and which is the
y-axis? Which axis is used for the manipulated
variable? Which is used for the responding variable?
2 Why would you use a sharp pencil and a ruler to draw
the axes and plot the graph lines?
3 How was the scale for each axis chosen?
4 How was each point on the graph plotted (placed on
the graph)?
5 Why were the graph lines drawn where they are?
6 Is there anything missing or anything else you would Hints
add to this graph?
Scales for bar graphs are often rounded off
to the nearest whole number.
Creating Bar Graphs
Bar graphs are useful for showing relationships between
separate sets of data. For example, the chart below shows
the monthly average precipitation (both snow and rain) for
a city in Canada. Compare the data in this chart with how CHECK IT YOURSELF
they “look” when they are reorganized in the form of a bar 1 Which axis is used for the manipulated
graph. On the graph, they put the manipulated variable, variable? Which is used for the responding
month, on the x-axis, and the responding variable, variable?
precipitation, on the y-axis.
2 How was the scale for each axis chosen?
Month Average 3 The yearly average precipitation for this city is

Precipitation (mm) 761.5 mm. How would you modify the bar
January 50.4 graph to include this additional information?
February 46.0
March 61.1
April 70.0
Creating Circle (Pie) Graphs
May 66.0
A circle graph is useful when you want to display data that
June 67.1
are part of a whole. For example, in the circle graph on
July 71.4
page 494, the “whole” is Earth’s total land area. The “parts”
August 76.8
are the approximate percent of land made up by each
September 63.5
continent.
October 61.8
November 62.7
December 64.7 Continued on next page ➝
Toolbox 7 493
T OOLBOX 7
Percentage of Earth’s Land Area
CHECK IT YOURSELF
1 How were the angles in the circle graph
determined? Use the Hints information
below if you would like some help to start.
Hints
• The angle at the centre of a circle is 360˚.
• To calculate the percentage for Antarctica, for
example, you need to determine what 10% of
360˚ is. 10% is the same as 10/100, which is
the same as 0.1. So 0.1 360˚ = 36˚.
2 How could you use this information to

hand-draw your own circle graph?
Hints
You might consider using a computer to
draw your circle graphs. Some computer
drawing programs allow you to use different
colours for the different sections of your
graph, making it easier to read.
Compare the data in this chart with how they “looked”

when they were organized in the form of a circle graph
on the previous page. Which can you interpret more
easily and more quickly?
Continent Percentage of
Earth’s Land Area
Asia 30%
Africa 20%
North America 16%
South America 12%
Antarctica 10%
Europe 7%
Australia 5%
494 Toolbox 7
T OOLBOX 8
A Simple Sketch (Front View)

DIAGRAMS
Have you heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand
chimney
words”? In science, a picture can be worth even more. A splint
carefully done diagram can help you express your ideas,
record important information, and experiment with
designs.
Four types of diagrams you can use include: a Simple candle
Sketch, a Technical or Scientific Diagram, an Orthographic
(Perspective) Diagram, and a Computer-Assisted Diagram
box
(CAD). Examples of each type of diagram are shown. A
side view and a top view for a simple sketch are also
shown. These different views can be made for each type of
drawing. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Practise making the four types of diagrams on your
You will need the following equipment for each type
own.
of diagram.
Hand-drawing tools
• a sharp pencil or mechanical pencil
• a pencil sharpener or extra leads
• an eraser
• a ruler
For simple diagrams
• blank, white paper
For technical and orthographic diagrams
• blank graph paper
For computer-assisted diagrams
• blank diskette
• access to computer and software
A Simple Sketch (Side View)
This photo shows the set-up of an experiment. Practise

drawing it using one or several of the diagram types
presented here. What labels would you include?
Would your labelling choices change depending Hints
on the style of diagram you make?
If you’re going to use your
diagram to help you design a
structure, include a top, side, Continued on next page ➝
and front view.
Toolbox 8 495
T OOLBOX 8
A Technical Diagram
REMEMBER!
top view
• Give your diagram a title at the top of the page.
• Use the whole page for your diagram.
• Include only those details that are necessary, keep them
simple, and identify them by name.
• If you need labels, use lines, not arrows. Place your
labels in line with the feature being labelled, and use a
ruler to keep your lines straight.
• Don’t use colour or shading unless your teacher asks
you to.
• Include notes and ideas if the sketch is a design
for a structure or an invention.
front view side view
A Simple Sketch (Top View) Hints

You can use the squares of your graph paper to
make the scale of your orthographic diagram accurate.
For example, suppose that each square stood for 1 cm. If
what you’re drawing is 14 cm long, you would use
14 squares to represent its length.
A Computer-Assisted Diagram
An Orthographic (Perspective) Diagram
10
cm
cm
10 18
cm
Hints
Hints One advantage of using a computer is that
Use graph paper to help you with the details of your you can easily change your work. After saving
diagram if you don’t have a ruler handy. your original, practise making changes and
moving the image around.
496 Toolbox 8
T OOLBOX 9
VISUAL ORGANIZERS Concept Map
Many people find it helpful to view, share, gather, organize, Concept Map for Green Plants
and explore information in the form of pictures or
diagrams. You have probably learned and used several of
the techniques shown here. Try out the ones that are less
familiar to you. You may find that some help you open up
your thinking in new and creative ways.
Venn Diagram
Cats Dogs
Cats
and
hiss and meow Dogs snarl and bark
superb night animals superb sense of
furry
vision like to smell A concept map, or a mind map, is a kind of web diagram
play
more independent less independent with many uses. For example, you can use it to:
• review something you already know
• gather information about something you don’t know
• explore new ways of thinking about something
This is often used to compare two things. To use a • outline plans for an essay, a song, an experiment, a
Venn diagram, ask yourself questions such as: design challenge, a science project, and multimedia
• What things do I want to compare? presentations
• What do they have in common? To use a concept map, ask yourself questions such as:
• In what ways are they different? • What is the key idea, word, question, problem, or issue
to build the map around?
• What words, ideas, objects, or questions come to mind
Hints when I think about the item at the centre of my map?
You can use Venn diagrams to compare more

than two things. Try it and see!
Hints
If you have access to a computer, find out if it
has the software to help you make your visual
organizers.
Toolbox 9 497
T OOLBOX 9
Tree Diagram Note Taking Chart

A note taking chart helps you understand how the material
you are reading is organized. It also helps you keep track
of information as you read.
Your teacher will assign several pages for you to read.
Before you begin reading, look at each heading and turn it
into a question. Try to use “how,” “what,” or “why” to
begin each question. Write your questions in the left hand
column of your chart. Leave enough space between each
question so that you can record information from your
reading that answers your question.
For example, you may be assigned several pages about
the scientific meaning of work. These pages contain the
following headings:
Tree diagrams allow you to see how things originate or • The Meaning of Work
how larger things can be broken down into their smaller • Calculating Work
components. Tree diagrams also allow you to organize or • Energy and Work
group concepts and things. Knowing about the parts of
something helps you to better understand the concept or Here’s what a note taking chart might look like for this
thing you are studying. reading:
Comparison Matrix Questions from Answers from

Headings Reading
Characteristics
What is the meaning of – work is done when a
can needs can can
move food communicate breathe the word “work”? force acts on an
object to make the
goat X X X X
Things to Compare
object move
tree X – If there’s no
movement, no work is
rock
done
person X X X X – just trying to push
something isn’t
work—it’s only work
This is often used to compare the characteristics or
properties of a number of things. To use a comparison
if the object moves
matrix, ask yourself questions such as:
How do you calculate
• What things do I want to compare?
work?
• What characteristics will I choose to compare?
• How are the things I’m comparing similar and
how are they different? How are energy and
work related?
Hints
A comparison matrix can be useful for brainstorming.
498 Toolbox 9
T O O L B O X 10
• When you settle on an idea for your topic, write it down.

RESEARCHING TOPICS Try to explain it in a couple of sentences or a short
Research involves finding out something about a topic or paragraph. Do that for each of your two or three topic
subject. That means going to certain resources that will ideas.
give you accurate information. Information can be found • Have your teacher approve your topics. Now you’re
just about anywhere: from your home bookshelves to the ready to go!
public library, from asking experts to looking on the The next thing you have to do is settle on one topic.
Internet. Here are the steps you need to follow when you (Remember, you should start your research with two or
do your research. three topic ideas.) One way to help you decide is to
determine how easy it will be to find information on your
Choosing a Topic
topic.
In some situations your teacher may give you the topic to
• Use some of the resources listed on the next page to do
research. Other times, you will have to select one of your
your research.
own. If you have trouble coming up with a topic, try
• If you can’t easily find at least four references for a
brainstorming ideas either by yourself or with a group.
topic, consider dropping it and going on to the next
Remember, when you brainstorm, there are no right or
idea.
wrong answers, just “ideas.” Here are some brainstorming
suggestions to get you started:
• List two or three general topics about science that Hint
interest you. Sometimes topics are too broad in scope or
• For each topic, write down as many words or ideas that too general to make good research reports
relate to that topic. They don’t have to be directly (for example, “transportation” instead of just
connected to science. (Just spend a few minutes.) “bicycles”). Try rewriting your topic to narrow
• Share your list with others and ask them to suggest its focus.
other possibilities.
• Now you have to “filter” your idea list to find a topic to
research. In other words, go through your ideas until
If all the topics are easy to research, then you’ll need some
you find two or three that interest you. To help you
other criteria to help you decide.
narrow your idea list, try grouping similar words or
• Which of your topics interest you the most?
ideas, modifying what you’ve written, or even writing
• Which topic is not being researched by many students
down a new idea. Sometimes, too, working with other
in your class?
people will help to focus your thoughts.
• Which topics interest you the least? (Eliminate them.)
Which Topic Should I Choose? How Hard Will It Be to Find Information?
“How does product design “How do gears improve the How Camera Lenses How Mirrors Are Used in
help sell a product?” performance of a bicycle?” Are Manufactured Some Optical Devices
Toolbox 10 499
T O O L B O X 10
Once you’ve finally chosen your topic, you might want to Searching Tips
work with other students and your teacher to:
• finalize its wording Finding Information at Your Library
• make sure it matches the project or assignment you are Library computer catalogues are a fast way to find books
doing on the subjects you are researching. Most of these
electronic catalogues have four ways to search: subject,
Finding Information author, title, and key words. If you know the author or title
There are many resources that you can use to look up of a book, just type it in. Otherwise, use the subject and
information. Here is a suggested list. You’ll find some of key words searches to find books on your topic.
these resources:
• in your school
• in your community (such as your public library)
On-line Library Catalogue
• on the Internet
Choose one:
• in CD-ROM encyclopedias and databases Subject Author (last name, first name) Title (leave out A, An, The, etc.) Key Word
Resource ✓ Details Type of Materials:
Language:
Books Publication Date:
CD-ROMs Choose one type of numerical search:

Call Number ISBN
Community
Professionals or Experts
Encyclopedias
• If you’re doing a subject search, type in the main topic
Films you are researching. For example, if you’re searching for
Government Agencies information on solar energy, type in “solar energy.” If
(local, provincial, and there are no books on that topic, try again using a more
federal) general category, like “renewable resources,” or just
Internet Sites “energy.”
Journals • If you’re doing a key words search, type in any

combination of words that have to do with your topic.
Laser Disks
For the solar energy example, you could type in words
Library Catalogue such as: “renewable energy sun solar panels.” Using
Newspapers several key words will give you a more specific search.
Using only one or two key words, like “sun” and
Non-profit Organizations
“energy,” will give you a more general search.
Posters
Videos
Hint
The library may also have a way to search for magazine articles. This is
called a periodical search. It’s especially useful for searching for information
on events and/or discoveries that have taken place recently. Ask your librarian
how to do a periodical search.
Also, your library will probably have a reference section where all the
encyclopedias are kept. There you may find science and technology,
environmental, or even animal encyclopedias, as well as other reference books.
500 Toolbox 10
T O O L B O X 10
Web search results

1 - 10 of 478 results most relevant to solar energy > Canada
Finding Information on the Internet
Next 10 > | Hide Summaries | Sort by date | Ungroup results
On the Internet, you can use searching programs, called Contacting Any Company Inc. (Solar Energy Cell, Module,
search engines, to search the Internet on just about any and Off-Grid, renewable...
Any Company Inc. is a Canadian company based in ,
subject. To find a search engine, ask your teacher or click Alberta, which develops world class solar cells, solar modules,
and complete solar...
on the search icon found at the top of your Internet 100% Date: 7 Sep , Size 10.0K,
http://www.anycompany/contact/contactus.htm
browser. Here are some suggestions on how to search the Find similar pages | Grouped results from www.anycompany.com
Internet:
• Once you reach a search engine Web page, type in key
Before You Start!
words or phrases that have to do with your topic. For
Check with your teacher to find out what your school’s
solar energy, you could type in “solar energy,” “solar
policy is about acceptable use of the Internet. Remember
panels,” “renewable resources,” or any combination of
to follow this policy whenever you use the Internet at
these and other similar words.
school. Be aware as you use the Internet that some Web
sites may be strongly biased toward a specific point of
You are here: Home > Search view. If you are looking for scientific or technical
information, educational or government Web sites are
Search the Web: Advanced Search
solar energy generally reliable.
Automotive Computers Health

Business Education Internet
Careers Entertainment Kids & Family Recording Your Information Sources
Communications The Good Life News
Personal Finance An important part of researching a topic is keeping track of
Shopping
Sports where you obtain information. As you do your research,
Travel you are reading through or viewing a variety of different
What’s New
sources. Some may be in print, such as magazines and
books. Others may be electronic, such as Web sites and
CD ROMs. And others may be visual, such as videos and
photos. No matter what sources you use, you should keep
• The search engine will display a list of Web pages it has
track of them.
found that have these words or phrases somewhere in
With this information, you can easily go back and check
them. Click on any Web page on the list that looks
details. You can also use it to help you respond to any
interesting.
questions about the accuracy or completeness of your
• Quite often you will get a long list of possible Web
report. Your record of information sources should include
pages to look at. You may need to make your search
at least the following basic information:
more specific. This can be done by adding other key
• title or name of the source (e.g., if you read a chapter of
words to your search. For example, if you were looking
a book, you would write down the book’s title; for a Web
for solar energy examples in Canada and used the key
site, you would include the address)
word “solar energy,” you may want to do a second
• author’s name, if known
search of these results with the key word “Canada”
• publisher (e.g., for a Web site, this would be the name
added.
of person or organization who has put up the site)
• Don’t forget to record the addresses of any interesting
• date of publication
Web pages you find. Why not work with a friend? One
• pages consulted
person can record the addresses of Web pages while
the other person searches on the computer. Or you can When you prepare your report, your teacher may want you
save it as a bookmark. Your Internet browser allows you to list your information sources in a specific format. Check
to save Web pages for easy future access. Check with what this format will be before you begin your research so
your teacher or librarian to find out how to save and that you can collect the details you need to complete your
organize your bookmarks. reference list later. You may want to do your own research
on formats for such reference lists or bibliographies.
Toolbox 10 501
T O O L B O X 11
How to Use the Microscope

USING A MICROSCOPE
1 Plug in the microscope and turn on the light source. If
Classroom microscopes are compound microscopes. They your microscope uses a mirror instead of a lamp, be
are called “compound” because they have two or more very careful not to reflect direct sunlight into the
lenses for viewing and magnifying objects. To view an microscope. You could badly damage your eyes.
object with a microscope, light must travel through the 2 Rotate the revolving nosepiece until the low-power
object. For this reason, the full name for your microscope objective lens (the smallest one) is pointing at the
is compound light microscope. Usually, it’s shortened by stage.
leaving the word “light” out.
Before using a microscope, make sure you are familiar 3 Place your slide on the stage. Use the stage clips to
with its different parts and their uses. Take a look at the hold your slide in place.
diagram below to remind yourself. Notice the path that
light takes through a microscope to your eye.
eyepiece or
ocular
coarse
body tube
adjustment
knob
4 Watch the stage from one side of the microscope.
fine Carefully turn the coarse adjustment knob until the lens
adjustment
revolving is as close to the slide as possible without touching it.
knob
nosepiece Make sure you
don’t hit the
objective
arm slide with the
lenses
lens.
stage
5 Look through
stage clips the eyepiece.
Slowly turn the
base
diaphragm coarse
adjustment knob
lamp or
mirror
to move the lens
away from the
stage. This will
focus the image.
6 Use the fine
adjustment knob
to sharpen the
focus of the
image.
The microscope you use in class will
probably look like this one. Note the
use of a mirror instead of a lamp.
502 Toolbox 11
T O O L B O X 11
7 When your slide is in • When you are finished using your microscope, switch
focus, try using the back to the low-power objective, put its plastic cover
medium-power on, and return it to the place where you got it.
objective lens. Watch
from the side of the Magnification Calculation
microscope. Calculate the magnification power of your microscope by
Carefully rotate the multiplying the power of the eyepiece by the power of the
nosepiece to move objective lens that you have in position above the
the medium-power lens so that it points at the stage. specimen. The eyepiece usually has a magnification power
You should hear a “click” when it is in place. Use the of 10. Objective lenses usually are 4 (low power), 10
fine adjustment knob to focus the image. (medium power), and 40 (high power). The total
magnification possibilities of this microscope would
therefore be 40, 100, or 400.
Caution!
Never use the coarse adjustment knob with the Drawing Hints
medium- and high-power objective lenses. Here are some basic guidelines for drawing what you see
through the microscope. Your teacher may have other
suggestions as well.
8 When your slide is once more in focus, try using the
high-power objective lens. Repeat step 7 to change the 1 Start with a sharp pencil and a blank, unlined piece of
lens from medium to high power. Make sure you watch paper (or a clean page in your notebook). Use the
from the side of the microscope to avoid hitting the whole page for your drawing.
slide with the lens. 2 Draw only what you see. Keep your details simple and
straightforward. (You don’t need to add colouring or
Handling Hints shading.)
When using and handling a 3 Add labels that identify features by name (if you know
microscope, be sure to them) or with brief notes. Always draw your label lines
follow these rules: with a ruler. Arrange your labels and label lines clearly
• Always use both hands and neatly on the page.
to hold and carry a 4 Give your drawing a title at the top of the page.
microscope. Support its 5 The magnification power of your microscope should be
base with one hand and indicated in the title of the diagram or under the
hold it by the arm with diagram to the right.
your other hand.
• Place your microscope Typical animal cell
away from the edge of
your desk or work area. cell membrane
• Except for your notebook, writing tools, and
microscope-related equipment such as glass slides, cytoplasm
keep your desk or work area clear and neat. nucleus
• When you aren’t using your microscope, always keep it
in an upright position.
• Always hold glass slides by their edges, between your vacuoles
thumb and forefinger.
• Try keeping both eyes open when you look through the
microscope. You’ll be able to observe longer without 400
tiring the muscles around your eyes.
Toolbox 11 503
T O O L B O X 12
C H E M I S T RY B A C K G R O U N D E R along with several other common elements. The second

table gives the chemical names and formulas and main
The three tables provided here are designed to help you in uses of a range of common elements and compounds.
your study of chemistry. The first table lists the properties The third table is a one-page periodic table for easy
of elements of the first 20 elements of the periodic table, reference.
Properties of Elements 1 to 20 and Selected Common Elements
Atomic Name Colour Melting Boiling Density State and Other Properties
Number Point (°C) Point (°C) (g/cm3)
1 H colourless 259 253 0.09 gas, reacts with oxygen when ignited with a
hydrogen spark
2 He colourless 272 269 0.18 gas, unreactive, odourless
helium
3 Li fresh-cut surface is 181 1342 0.54 solid, soft, reacts with water to form
lithium silvery hydrogen
4 Be lead grey 1287 2469 1.85 solid, resists oxidation in air
beryllium
5 B black 2076 3927 2.46 solid, semiconductor
boron
6 C graphite is black, 3527 4027 2.27 graphite is soft solid, diamond is very hard
carbon diamond is colourless solid, unique in the vast number of
compounds it can form
7 N colourless 210 196 1.25 gas, odourless, does not react with air or
nitrogen water
8 O gas is colourless, 218 183 1.43 gas, very reactive
oxygen liquid is pale blue
9 F pale yellow 220 188 1.70 gas, most reactive element
fluorine
10 Ne colourless 249 246 0.90 gas, very inert
neon
11 Na silvery 98 883 0.97 solid, soft, reacts with water to form hydrogen
sodium
12 Mg silvery white 650 1090 1.74 solid, burns brightly in air, does not react
magnesium with water
13 Al silvery 660 2519 2.70 solid, non-toxic, soft
aluminum
14 Si dark grey with a 1414 2900 2.33 solid
silicon bluish tinge
504 Toolbox 12
1
T O O L B O X 12
Atomic Name Colour Melting Boiling Density State and Other Properties
Number Point (°C) Point (°C) (g/cm3)
15 P 44 277 1.82 solid, white phosphorus spontaneously ignites

phosphorus in air
16 S lemon yellow 115 445 1.96 solid, odourless, brittle, insoluble in water
sulfur
17 Cl yellowish green 102 34 3.21 gas, reacts with nearly all elements,
chlorine respiratory irritant
18 Ar colourless 189 186 1.78 gas, odourless, very inert
argon
19 K silvery white 63 759 0.86 solid, very soft, reacts with water to produce
potassium hydrogen
20 Ca silvery white 842 1484 1.55 solid, burns in air when ignited, reacts slowly
calcium with water, fairly hard
26 Fe lustrous grey 1538 2861 7.87 solid, reactive
iron
28 Ni lustrous silver 1455 2913 8.91 solid, hard, malleable, ductile, somewhat
nickel ferromagnetic, fair conductor
29 Cu shiny reddish 1085 2927 8.92 solid, malleable, ductile, good conductor
copper
30 Zn bluish pale grey 420 907 7.14 solid, brittle at room temperature, tarnishes
zinc in moist air, does not react with water
35 Br red-brown 7 59 3.12 liquid, volatile, unpleasant odour, irritates
bromine membranes
47 Ag shiny silver 962 2162 10.49 solid, very ductile and malleable, highest
silver conductivity, tarnishes when exposed to air
containing sulfur
50 Sn silvery grey 232 2602 7.31 solid, malleable, somewhat ductile, does not
tin react with water
79 Au shiny yellow 1064 2856 19.30 solid, most malleable and ductile metal, good
gold conductor, does not react with air or water
80 Hg silvery white 39 357 13.55 liquid, poor conductor of heat relative to
mercury other metals, fair conductor of electricity,
alloys easily
82 Pb lustrous bluish white 327 1749 11.34 solid, very soft, highly malleable, ductile,
lead relatively poor electrical conductor
Toolbox 12 505
T O O L B O X 12
Common Elements and Compounds
Common Name Scientific Name Chemical Formula Main Uses

Acetic acid ethanoic acid CH3COOH(aq) vinegar
Acetone propanone (CH3)2CO(l) nail polish remover
Ammonia water ammonia NH3(aq) cleansers, deodorizers, etching of

aluminum
ASA acetylsalicylic acid CH3COOC6H4COOH(s) pain reliever
Aspartame aspartyl-phenylalanine C14H18N2O5(s) artificial sweetener

methyl ester
Baking soda sodium hydrogen carbonate NaHCO3(s) raising agent in food
Battery acid sulfuric acid H2SO4(aq) car batteries
Bleach/chlorine sodium hypochlorite NaOCl(aq) laundry bleach, disinfectant for

swimming pools, water supply
Bromine bromine Br2(g) fumigants, water purification, flame

proofing agents, pesticides
CFCs (e.g., freons) chlorofluorocarbons (e.g., e.g., CCl3F(l) refrigerants, asthma inhalers, circuit
trichlorofluoromethane) board cleaners
Chlorine chlorine Cl2(g) water treatment, production of paper,

dyes, textiles, cleansers
Citric acid 2-hydroxy-1,2,3- C3H4OH(COOH)3(s) large amounts in citrus fruits,

propanetricarboxylic acid pH control in foods
Dry ice carbon dioxide CO2(s) carbonated beverages
Fluorine fluorine F2(g) uranium production, HCFC production
Glucose glucose C6H12O6(s) energy source for organisms
Graphite carbon C(s) metal production, pencils
Gypsum calcium sulfate dihydrate CaSO4•2(H2O)(s) drywall
Hydrogen hydrogen H2(g) rocket fuel, hydrogenation of oils,

cryogenics
Iodine iodine I2(s) wound disinfectant, internal medicine,

photography, nutrient
Lime calcium oxide CaO(s) mortar, steel and glass making, smoke-
stack scrubbers
Limestone calcium carbonate CaCO3(s) cement and mortar, chalk, marble
506 Toolbox 12
T O O L B O X 12
Common Name Scientific Name Chemical Formula Main Use

Milk of magnesia magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2(s) antacid medication
MSG monosodium glutamate C5H8NO4Na(s) flavour enhancer
Muriatic acid hydrochloric acid HCl(aq) tile cleaner, etching of masonry and
marble surfaces
Natural gas methane CH4(g) fuel
Oxygen oxygen O2(g) and O3(g) rocket fuel, respiratory aid, steel
production, cellular respiration, ozone
filters out UV rays
PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls C12H10-nCln electrical transformers
Peroxide hydrogen peroxide H2O2(aq) antiseptic, disinfectant, bleaching

agent
Potash potassium chloride KCl(s) fertilizer
Road salt calcium chloride CaCl2(s) de-icing and dust control of roads
Rotten egg gas hydrogen sulfide H2S(g) dye, tanning, wood pulp industries
Rubbing alcohol 2-propanol CH3CHOHCH3(l) antiseptic
Silica sand silicon dioxide SiO2(s) glass
Silver nitrate silver nitrate AgNO3(s) antiseptic, photography, treatment of

warts
Soda ash sodium carbonate Na2CO3(s) glass, paper, and detergent production
Sugar sucrose C12H22O11(s) sweetener, preservative, food for yeast
Table salt sodium chloride NaCl(s) flavour
Urea (carbamide) urea NH2CONH2(s) fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and resins
Vitamin C ascorbic acid C6H8O6(s) production of connective tissue,

antioxidant
Washing soda sodium carbonate decahydrate Na2CO3•10H2O(s) laundry detergent booster
Toolbox 12 507
508
Periodic Table
atomic number 8 2 ion charge
symbol
T O O L B O X 12
1 O
Toolbox 12
1 1
Solid S Metal name
H Oxygen 18
1 Hydrogen 2
atomic mass 16.0
1.0 Liquid Br Metalloid He
Helium
2 13 14 15 16 17 4.0
3 1 4 2 Gas He Non-metal 5 3 6 4 7 3 8 2 9 1 10
2 5
2
Li Be B C N O F Ne
Lithium Beryllium Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine Neon
6.9 9.0 10.8 12.0 14.0 16.0 19.0 20.2
11 1 12 2 13 3 14 4 15 3 16 2 17 1 18
2 4
Na Mg Al Si P S 6 Cl Ar
3 Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon
23.0 24.3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 27.0 28.1 31.0 32.1 35.5 39.9
19 1 20 2 21 3 22 3 23 2 24 2 25 2 26 3 27 2 28 2 29 1 30 2 31 3 32 4 33 3 34 2 35 1 36
4 5 3 7 2 3 3 2 2 5 4
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr 6 Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se 6 Br Kr
4 Potassium Calcium Scandium Titanium Vanadium Chromium Manganese Iron Cobalt Nickel Copper Zinc Gallium Germanium Arsenic Selenium Bromine Krypton
39.1 40.1 45.0 47.9 50.9 52.0 54.9 55.8 58.6 58.7 63.5 65.4 69.7 72.6 74.9 79.0 79.9 83.8
37 1 38 2 39 3 40 4 41 5 42 6 43 7 44 3 45 3 46 2 47 1 48 3 49 3 50 2 51 3 52 2 53 1 54
3 2 3 3 1 4 5 4
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd 4 Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te 6 I Xe
5 Rubidium Strontium Yttrium Zirconium Niobium Molybdenum Technetium Ruthenium Rhodium Palladium Silver Cadmium Indium Tin Antimony Tellurium Iodine Xenon
85.5 87.6 88.9 91.2 92.9 95.9 (98) 101.1 102.9 106.4 107.9 112.4 114.8 118.7 121.8 127.6 126.9 131.3
55 1 56 2 57 3 72 4 73 5 74 6 75 7 76 2 77 2 78 2 79 1 80 1 81 1 82 2 83 3 84 2 85 1 86
2 3 3 3 4 3 2 3 4 5 4
Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os 4 Ir 4 Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
6 Cesium Barium Lanthanum Hafnium Tantalum Tungsten Rhenium Osmium Iridium Platinum Gold Mercury Thallium Lead Bismuth Polonium Astatine Radon
132.9 137.3 138.9 178.5 180.9 183.8 186.2 190.2 192.2 195.1 197.0 200.6 204.4 207.2 209.0 209 210 222
87 1 88 2 89 3 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112
7
Fr Ra Ac Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Uun Uuu Uub
Francium Radium Actinium Rutherfordium Dubnium Seaborgium Bohrium Hassium Meitnerium Ununnilium unununium Ununbium
(223) (226) (227) (261) (262) (263) (262) (265) (266) 269 272 277
58 3 59 3 60 3 61 3 62 2 63 2 64 3 65 3 66 3 67 3 68 3 69 2 70 2 71 3
4 4 3 3 4 3 3
Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
Cerium Praseodymium Neodymium Promethium Samarium Europium Gadolinium Terbium Dysprosium Holmium Erbium Thulium Ytterbium Lutetium
140.1 140.9 144.2 (145) 150.4 152.0 157.3 158.9 162.5 164.9 167.3 168.9 173.0 175.0
90 4 91 4 92 3 93 3 94 3 95 3 96 3 97 3 98 99 100 101 102 103
5 4 4 4 4 4
Th Pa U 5 Np 5 Pu 5 Am 5 Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lw
6 6 6 6
Thorium Protactinium Uranium Neptunium Plutonium Americium Curium Berkelium Californium Einsteinium Fermium Mendelevium Nobelium Lawrencium
232.0 231.0 238.0 (237) (244) (243) (247) (247) 251 252 257 258 259 262
T O O L B O X 13
other common ones. The table is followed by a list of

ELECTRICITY BACKGROUNDER safety guidelines to keep in mind when you use electricity
The table below is a handy reference for drawing electrical in the lab. Remember that electricity is dangerous—be
circuits. It includes all the symbols you learned in Unit D: very careful when you use electricity at home or in the lab.
Electrical Principles and Technologies, as well as some
Symbols Used in Circuit Diagrams
Symbol Represents Description
ammeter measures amount of current in circuit
battery combination of cells
capacitor stores electricity and regulates current
cell stores electricity (large bar is positive)
conductor (wire) conducts electricity through circuit
connection shows connection between wires in a circuit
diode converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC);

only allows current to flow in one direction
fuse melts if current is too high
lamp converts electricity to light
LED (light emitting diode) diode that emits light (usually red) when current flows
motor converts electricity to mechanical energy
photoconductor allows current to flow when exposed to radiant energy

(e.g., light, infrared)
Toolbox 13 509
T O O L B O X 13
Symbol Represents Description
resistor reduces the amount of current in the circuit
rheostat variable resistor
speaker converts electrical energy into sound energy
switch opens and closes circuit; allows current to flow
voltmeter measures voltage across a device in circuit
Electrical Safety in the Lab

• Handle batteries carefully because they contain acids or
bases that can cause corrosive burns.
• Do not connect the two battery terminals with a wire or
you will create a short circuit.
• Do not use bare connecting wires.
• Have your teacher check the circuit before you close the
switch or connect the power source.
• Disconnect or turn off the power source before you
connect wires in a circuit.
• Wear safety goggles when working with liquid
electrolytes.
510 Toolbox 13
G L O S S A RY
A asexual reproduction reproduction without the

fusion of sex cells, resulting identical offspring
acid compound that dissolves in water to form a
and parent
solution with a pH lower than 7
asterism a distinctive star grouping that is not one
active transport process in which plant cells use
of the 88 recognized constellations (e.g., the Big
energy to move nutrient molecules from areas of
Dipper, which is part of the constellation Ursa
lower concentration to areas of higher
Major)
concentration
asteroids small, rocky bodies orbiting the Sun and
aerobic refers to processes or environments that
lying mainly in a narrow belt between Mars and
require or contain oxygen (“aero-” means “air”)
Jupiter
alkali metals group 1 elements in the periodic
astronomical unit (AU) a measure of distance used
table, not including hydrogen; the most reactive of
to describe the position of planets relative to the
the metals
Sun; 1 AU is equal to the average distance from
alkaline-earth metals group 2 elements in the the centre of Earth to the centre of the Sun
periodic table; their reactivity is not as strong as (149 599 000 km)
that of the alkali metals
atom the smallest part of an element that is
allele a possible form of a gene representative of that element; a neutral particle
alternating current current that flows back and made up of a nucleus containing protons and
forth 60 times per second; this is the current used neutrons, and in which the number of electrons
in homes equals the number of protons
altitude the height of a celestial body above the atomic mass mass of one atom of an element
horizon, ranging from 0 at sea level to 90° straight calculated from the total number of protons,
up neutrons, and electrons of that atom; measured in
atomic mass units (amu)
amino acids building blocks of proteins
atomic mass unit measure of atomic mass; 1 amu
ammeter meter used to measure electrical current
is equal to 1/12th the mass of a carbon 12 atom
in amperes
atomic number number of protons in the nucleus
ampere (A) the unit of electrical current
of one atom of an element
anaerobic refers to processes or environments that
azimuth the angle between the most northerly
do not require or contain oxygen (“an-” means
point of the horizon and the point directly below a
without; “aero-” means “air”)
celestial body; also the horizontal angle or
anther a part of the stamen that produces pollen direction of a compass bearing
and stores it
aqueous solution a solution in which water is the B
solvent base compound that dissolves in water to form a
armature rotating shaft and coil in a motor or solution with a pH higher than 7
generator battery set of cells connected together
artificial insemination artificial collection and binary fission a type of asexual reproduction in
injection of sperm from a male into a female; used amoebas and other organisms in which a parent
in livestock breeding cell divides exactly into two identical cells
artificial satellite see satellite binary number number having two as its base
artificial selection breeding by humans of plants (instead of 10) and so having only ones and zeroes
and animals with desirable traits to produce
offspring with those desirable traits
Glossary 511
03_GR.9_TOOLBOX_F1 7/31/02 9:26 AM Page 512
biodegradation breakdown of materials by chemical change change that results when two or
organisms such as earthworms, bacteria, and more substances react to create a different
fungi; “bio-” refers to living things and “degrade” substance or substances; the new substances have
means to break up completely different properties from the original
biological diversity the variety of species and ones
ecosystems on Earth and the ecological processes chemical energy energy stored in chemicals and
of which they are a part; ecosystem diversity, released when chemicals react; a form of potential
community diversity, and genetic diversity are or stored energy
three main components chemical formula combination of symbols that
biomagnification increase in concentration of a represent a compound; the formula identifies the
chemical or element as it moves up the food chain elements in the compound and the amount of each
biomass organic matter, such as food or element
agricultural waste, used as an energy source chemical property description of how a substance
biotechnology the use of living things to make interacts with other substances, such as acids;
agricultural, industrial, or medicinal products chemical properties are observable only when a
chemical change occurs
black dwarf the final phase in the life cycle of a
Sun-like star chemical reaction a reaction that takes place when
two or more substances react to form new
black hole a super-dense remnant of a supernova; substances
an object around which gravity is so intense that
even light cannot escape chromosome a structure in which DNA is arranged
and along which genes are located
brush mechanism that makes electrical contact
with the moving commutator in a motor circuit complete path that charged particles flow
through
budding a type of asexual reproduction in which a
new organism develops from an outgrowth, or circuit breaker special wire that heats up and
bud, on the parent turns off switch when excess current flows
through an electrical circuit
C class a category in the classification of living
things, more general than an order, but more
carbohydrates organic molecules made up of
specific than a phylum
atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (e.g., pasta,
rice, potatoes, fruits, bread); can form simple cleavage the first divisions of a fertilized egg
molecules, such as sugar, or large, complex clone a genetically identical copy of an entire
molecules, such as starch, cellulose, and glycogen organism or of its cells or genes; cloning is the
carbon monoxide (CO(g)) colourless, odourless gas; process of creating a clone
produced by incomplete combustion of chemicals closed system an experiment in which all reactants
containing carbon (e.g. hydrocarbons); major and all products of a chemical reaction are
source: motor vehicles accounted for
catalyst substance that helps a chemical reaction cogeneration use of waste energy from a process
to proceed more quickly for another purpose, such as heating or generating
cellular respiration chemical reaction that takes electricity
place in cells; food (sugar) reacts with oxygen to colloid cloudy mixture in which tiny particles of
produce energy, water, and carbon dioxide one substance are held within another and
charge separation concentration of like charges in particles cannot be separated out from the other
specific areas of a neutral object, caused by the substance
approach of a charged object; for example, a combustion chemical reaction that occurs when
negatively charged object brought close to a wall oxygen reacts with a substance to form a new
repels the electrons in the wall, leaving the area of substance and give off energy
the wall closest to the object positively charged
512 Glossary
comet a celestial body composed of dust and ice dilution mixing of a substance with air or water;
that orbits the Sun; it has a bright centre and long, this reduces the substance’s concentration
faint tail that always points away from the Sun direct current current that flows in only one
commensalism the relationship between species in direction
which one species benefits, and the other species discrete variation variation in a heritable
neither benefits nor is harmed characteristic that has an either/or form, such as
community a group of populations of different either being albino or not being albino
species living in the same area dispersion scattering of a substance away from its
commutator split ring in a motor that breaks the source
flow of electricity for a moment and then reverses DNA deoxyribonucleic acid, genetic material
the connection of the coil found mainly in the nuclei of cells of living things
compound chemical combination of two or more dominant trait the outward form observed when
elements in a specific ratio two opposite-acting alleles are inherited, e.g., long
condensation change of state from a gas to a liquid leg length in fruit flies; an offspring with one
conductivity ability of a substance to conduct short-leg allele and one long-leg allele will grow
electricity or heat long legs; the short-leg allele is recessive because
it has no influence if a dominant, long-leg allele is
conductor a material that electric charge can move present
through easily
Doppler effect the apparent change in frequency of
conservation of mass principle that matter is not sound, light, and other waves as the observer and
created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; the the wave source move towards or away from each
mass of the products always equals the mass of the other; also referred to as “Doppler shift”
reactants
dry cell cell that has its electrolyte in the form of a
constellations groupings of stars that form patterns paste, usually in a sealed case; the type of cell
in the night sky (e.g., Ursa Major); officially, there commonly used in portable devices such as
are 88 constellations flashlights
continuous variation variation in a heritable ductile description of a solid that can be stretched
characteristic that falls within a range, such as into a long wire
height
corrosion slow chemical change that occurs when E
oxygen in the air reacts with a metal
ecliptic the apparent path of the Sun and planets
cross-fertilization the joining of a gamete from a through the stars during the year, as viewed from
pollen grain and a gamete from an ovule to form a Earth
zygote
ecosystem a particular environment where living
cross-pollination the transfer of pollen from the things interact with other living things and non-
anther of one plant to the stigma of another by living things
wind, water, or animals
efficiency ratio of the useful energy output to the
current electricity electricity that flows total energy input in a device or system; usually
continuously given as a percent
effluent wastewater released from a factory or
D
sewage treatment plant
density amount of mass in a given volume of a egg cell or ovum, a female sex cell
substance
electrical current steady flow of charged particles
deposition change of state from a gas to a solid
diffusion process in which molecules move from
an area of higher concentration to one of lower
concentration
Glossary 513
electrical discharge sudden transfer of electrical endothermic reaction chemical reaction that
charge from one object to another, indicated by a absorbs energy
spark energy ability to do work
electrical energy energy of charged particles; enhanced greenhouse effect greenhouse effect
transferred when electrons travel from place to made greater by human activities, such as burning
place fossil fuels and clearing land, that add greenhouse
electrochemical cell package of chemicals gases to the atmosphere
designed to produce small amounts of electricity; enzyme catalyst involved in chemical reactions in
produces electricity from chemical reactions living things
electrochemistry study of chemical reactions equinox either of the two times a year (once in
involving electricity spring and once in autumn) when the Sun crosses
electrode conductor through which electric current the equator and day and night are of equal length;
enters or leaves a device or material usually on or about March 21 and September 23
electrolysis decomposition of a substance by an evaporation change of state from a liquid to a gas
electric current exothermic reaction chemical reaction that
electrolyte liquid or paste that conducts electricity releases energy
because it contains ions ex-situ conservation the maintenance of organisms
electromagnet coil of insulated wire (usually outside of their ecosystems or natural habitats; an
wrapped around a soft iron core) that becomes a endangered species maintained in a zoo is an
magnet when current flows through it example
electromagnetic energy forms of radiated energy extinction no longer in existence on the planet
that travel at the speed of light (300 000 km/s), extirpation extinction of an organism from a
although they have different wavelengths and specific region
frequencies than light
electromagnetic induction generation of electric F
current in a conductor by a changing magnetic
family (in biology) a category in the classification
field
of living things, more general than a genus, but
electromagnetic spectrum the complete range of more specific than an order
wavelengths over which electromagnetic energy
family (in chemistry) vertical column of elements
extends; includes gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet
in the periodic table; elements in a family all have
rays, visible light, infrared radiation, microwaves,
similar chemical properties; also called a group
and radio and television signals
fertilization the union of a female sex cell and a
electron invisible negatively charged particle that
male sex cell
orbits the nucleus of an atom
fertilizer substance that enriches soil so that plants
electron shell orbit of electrons around the nucleus
will grow better
of an atom
fly ash fine airborne ash produced by burning coal
electroplating use of electricity to coat a thin layer
or other solid fuels
of metal onto an object
fossil fuel fuel formed from dead plants and
element pure substance that cannot be broken
animals; coal, oil, and natural gas
down into other substances; substance made up of
only one type of atom freezing change of state from a liquid to a solid
ellipse an oval formed around two foci (a circle is fuel cell primary cell that generates electricity
formed around one focus); the orbital paths of directly from a chemical reaction with a fuel
planets travelling around the Sun are ellipses fuse thin piece of metal that melts to break an
embryo an undeveloped organism in its beginning electrical circuit when excess current flow occurs
stages
514 Glossary
G heavy metals metals that have a density of 5 or
higher (e.g., copper, zinc, lead, mercury, cadmium,
galaxy a grouping of millions or billions of stars,
nickel); heavy metals are one type of substance
gas, and dust, held together by gravity
monitored to determine water quality
galvanometer device for detecting and measuring
heliocentric model the Sun-centred model of the
small electric currents
solar system first proposed by Polish astronomer
gamete a sex cell, either female or male, that can Nicholas Copernicus in 1530
unite with another to form a fertilized cell (zygote)
heritable characteristics characteristics that are
that can develop into a new individual
transmitted from generation to generation, such as
gene a segment of DNA, located at one particular eye colour
place on a chromosome, which determines a
Hubble Space Telescope (HST) one of the largest,
specific characteristic of an organism
most complex satellites ever built; launched in
genetic code arrangement of four chemical 1990 from the space shuttle Discovery, the HST
“letters” on a DNA molecule that can be arranged (named for American astronomer Edwin P.
into “words” that form the instructions for making Hubble) uses a series of mirrors to focus light from
an organism extremely distant objects
genetic engineering the intentional altering of the hybrid an organism produced by crossing two
DNA of an organism or a population of organisms individuals purebred for different forms of a trait
genetics the study of how heritable characteristics hydrolysis reaction of a substance with water;
are transmitted through generations of organisms “hydro” means water and “lysis” means break
genus (plural, genera) a category in the down
classification of living things, more general than a hydrolyze break down by water
species, but more specific than a family
geocentric model the Earth-centred model of the I
solar system originally proposed about 2000 years in vitro fertilization fertilization that happens
ago by the Greek philosopher Aristotle outside the body, usually in a Petri dish; used in
geothermal energy energy derived from the livestock breeding
internal heat of Earth incomplete dominance a pattern of inheritance
global warming increased average temperatures seen when two different alleles are present at the
worldwide caused by the enhanced greenhouse same gene location, but neither is dominant; for
effect example, in pink snapdragons, both a white-flower
gravity the force of attraction between masses allele and a red-flower allele are present and both
influence flower colour
greenhouse gases gases in Earth’s atmosphere that
trap the heat that forms when radiant energy from induction creation of electrical current
the Sun reaches Earth’s surface; water vapour, ingestion process by which we take food into our
carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide are bodies
all greenhouse gases inorganic compounds compounds whose
groundwater the water that fills all the molecules do not contain carbon, also included as
interconnected spaces in the soil inorganic compounds are carbon dioxide, carbon
group vertical column of elements in the periodic monoxide, carbonates, and cyanides
table; elements in a family all have similar in-situ conservation the maintenance of wild
chemical properties; also called a family organisms within their functioning ecosystems
insulator substance that strongly resists the flow of
H electricity
halogens group 17 elements in the periodic table;
the most reactive non-metals
Glossary 515
integrated circuit circuit of inseparable, often load device in a circuit that converts electrical
microscopic, components formed on the surface of energy to another form of energy (e.g., a light bulb)
a single piece or chip of semiconductor crystal,
usually silicon M
interferometry a technique of combining the macronutrients nutrients that organisms need in
observations of two or more telescopes to produce relatively large amounts
images that have better resolution than what one
main sequence on the Hertzsprung-Russell
telescope alone could produce
diagram, the stage in the life cycle of most stars
interspecies competition two or more species using during which they produce energy by converting
the same limited resource hydrogen into helium; main sequence stars,
interstellar matter the gases and dust that exist in including our Sun, are in a stable state
the space between stars malleable description of a substance that can be
invertebrates animals without backbones pounded or rolled into sheets
ion atom that has become electrically charged mass number the sum of the number of protons
because it has lost or gained electrons; a positive and neutrons in an atom
ion is an atom that has lost one or more electrons; massive star one of the two main types of stars
a negative ion is an atom that has gained one or that can form (the other being Sun-like stars,
more electrons which are, by comparison, smaller in mass than
ionic compound pure substance formed when at massive stars)
least one metal and one non-metal combine Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) detailed
issue any subject of importance about which information sheet about a potentially hazardous
people have strong, conflicting points of view product, provided by the manufacturer; includes a
detailed description of the product, precautions to
K take when using it, first aid treatments, spill
procedures, and disposal advice
kilowatt hour commonly used unit of electrical
energy, equal to a power consumption of 1000 W matter anything that has mass and occupies space
for one hour mechanical energy energy possessed by an object
kingdom one of the five or six main categories in because of its motion or its potential to move; a
the current classification system of living things thrown baseball has mechanical energy because of
its movement and its potential to fall
L mechanical mixture heterogeneous mixture;
mixture in which the different substances that
law of conservation of energy fundamental
make up the mixture are visible
principle that energy cannot be created or
destroyed meiosis a type of cell division that produces four
sex cells from one parent cell; each sex cell
LD50 lethal dose 50; amount of a substance that
contains half the genetic material of the original
causes 50% of a group of test animals to die if
cell
they are given a specified dose of the substance all
at once melting change of state from a solid to a liquid
leachate liquid that dissolves and carries metal shiny, malleable, ductile element that
substances as it passes through soil conducts electricity
light-year the distance that light travels in 1 year metalloid element that has both metallic and non-
(approximately 9.5 trillion km); used to measure metallic properties
distances between stars and galaxies meteor a meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere,
lipids organic molecules made up of atoms of where the heat of friction causes it to glow
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (e.g., fats, oils and brightly
waxes); lipids are insoluble in water
516 Glossary
meteorite the remains of a meteor that do not burn neutral (in electricity) description of an object that
up completely and so last long enough to hit has equal amounts of positive and negative
Earth’s surface charges
meteoroid a solid body, usually a fragment of rock neutralization reaction between an acid and a base
or metal, travelling in space with no particular that produces water and a solid compound called
path a salt
microcircuit circuit made up of miniaturized neutron neutral particle in the nucleus of an atom
components, especially an integrated circuit neutron star a small, super-dense remnant of a
microgravity the condition in which the supernova
gravitational forces that act on a mass are greatly niche the role of an organism or species in an
reduced ecosystem, including where it lives, what it eats,
micronutrients nutrients that organisms need in how it reproduces, and how it interacts with other
only minor or trace amounts living and non-living things
millivoltmeter instrument used to measure small nitrogen fixation process of changing free nitrogen
voltages so that the nitrogen atoms can combine with other
mitosis a type of cell division that produces two elements to form compounds that organisms can
identical daughter cells from one parent cell use; carried out mainly by bacteria in the soil
mixture combination of pure substances; unlike a nitrogen oxides NOx(g); major air pollutant; forms
compound, the components of a mixture do not when nitrogen combines with oxygen as a result of
combine chemically and are not always in the fuel combustion; gives smog its characteristic
same ratio brown colour; major source: motor vehicles
molecular compound pure substance formed when noble gases group 18 elements in the periodic
non-metals combine table; the most stable and unreactive elements
molecule group of atoms joined by covalent bonds non-heritable characteristics characteristics caused
by the environment, such as tanned skin due to
monitoring keeping track of something for a exposure to sunlight
specific purpose; certain chemicals are monitored
in the environment to ensure they do not exceed non-metal dull, brittle element that does not
safe levels conduct electricity
multimeter meter that can measure voltage, nonrenewable resource a resource, such as coal or
current, or resistance in a circuit natural gas, that cannot be replenished
mutualism the relationship between species in nuclear fission splitting of atoms, which
which both species benefit transforms them into lighter elements and releases
large amounts of energy
N nucleic acids largest and most complicated
molecules found in all the cells of living things;
natural selection a process in which the
the two most important are deoxyribonucleic acid
environment “selects” which individuals will
(DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), made up of
survive and reproduce
phosphates, a simple sugar called ribose, and
nebulae vast clouds of gas (mostly hydrogen) and nitrogen-containing bases; play a major role in
dust in space, where stars form; nebula (singular) heredity and in controlling a cell’s activities
neutral (in chemistry) pH of 7; a neutral substance nucleus positively charged centre of an atom;
is neither an acid nor a base contains protons and neutrons
nutrients elements and compounds that organisms
need for living, growing, and reproducing
Glossary 517
O parasitism the relationship between species in
which one species benefits and the other species
ohm (Ω) the unit of resistance
is harmed
Ohm’s law law stating that, as long as the
parts per million (ppm) measurement used to
temperature remains constant, the resistance of a
describe very small concentrations of chemicals; a
conductor remains constant, and the current is
solution having a concentration of 1 ppm has one
directly proportional to the voltage applied;
part of solute per million parts of solution
R = V/I or I = V/R or V = IR
period horizontal row of elements in the periodic
open system an experiment in which one or more
table
products of a chemical reaction can escape
periodic table a table in which the elements are
optimum amount amount of a substance that
organized by their physical and chemical
provides an organism with the best health
properties
order a category in the classification of living
permeable description of a substance that contains
things, more general than a family, but more
connected pores; fluids can flow through a
specific than a class
permeable substance
organic compounds compounds whose molecules
pest organism that harms people, crops, or
contain carbon (e.g., fossil fuels), except carbon
structures
dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonates, and
cyanides, which are inorganic compounds pesticide chemical used to kill pests
osmosis type of diffusion in which water pH measure of the percent of hydrogen ions in a
molecules move across a membrane from an area solution; most solutions have a pH in the range of
where there are more water molecules to an area 0 to 14; 0 is very acid, 14 is very basic, and 7 is
where there are fewer water molecules neutral
ova (singular, ovum) female sex cells photoconductor a resistor that becomes more
conductive when exposed to light
ovary female reproductive organ in which egg
cells are produced; in plants, the structure photolysis breakdown of compounds by sunlight;
contains the ovules “photo” means light and “lysis” means break
down
overspecialization species has adaptations for a
small set of environmental conditions, which phylum (plural, phyla) a major category in the
leaves it vulnerable to extinction classification of living things, more general than a
class, but more specific than a kingdom
ovule sac containing the female sex cells (gametes)
of a plant physical change change in the appearance or state
of a substance that does not change the
ozone (O3(g)) colourless, odourless gas; at ground
composition
level, it’s a pollutant produced as a result of
industrial processes and the use of motor vehicles; physical property property that describes the
high in the atmosphere, it forms a layer protecting physical appearance and composition of a
Earth from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation substance
ozone layer layer of ozone O3(g) in the atmosphere phytoremediation clean up of the environment
15 to 50 km above Earth’s surface; protects Earth’s using plants; “phyto-” means plant and
surface from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation “remediation” means cleanup; plants have been
used to clean up metals, hydrocarbons, and other
P chemicals
pistil the female reproductive organ of a flower
parallax the apparent shift in position of a nearby
object against a distant background when the pollen fine yellow powder on the anthers of
object is viewed from two different positions flowers, consisting of grains that contain male sex
cells (gametes)
parallel circuit circuit in which the current can
flow in two or more paths
518 Glossary
pollination the transfer of pollen from anther to recessive trait the outward form observed only
stigma when two same-acting, non-dominant alleles are
pollution any change in the environment that inherited. Short leg length in fruit flies is an
produces a condition that is harmful to living example. An offspring with two short-leg alleles
things will grow short legs. The short-leg allele is
recessive; it has no influence if the dominant long-
polyatomic ions group of atoms acting as one (for leg allele is present.
example, carbonate or CO32)
rechargeable cell cell that produces electricity by
population group of individuals of the same means of a chemical reaction that can be reversed
species living in an area by using an external source to run electricity back
pores tiny spaces between soil grains or mineral through the cell
grains in a rock; a substance with many pores is red giant the stage in the life cycle of a Sun-like
porous; if these pores are connected, a substance star during which the star increases in size and
is permeable becomes very bright
potential difference change in the potential energy red supergiant the stage in the life cycle of a
of electric charge compared to its potential energy massive star during which the star increases in
at a reference point, such as the ground; voltage size and becomes very bright
power rate at which a device converts energy reflecting telescope a type of optical telescope that
primary cell cell that produces electricity by uses mirrors instead of lenses to gather and focus
means of a chemical reaction that cannot be light
reversed refracting telescope a type of optical telescope that
product new substance produced in a chemical uses two lenses to gather and focus light
reaction between reactants renewable resource resource such as water or
property characteristic that describes a particular wind energy that is continually replenished and
substance (e.g., colour, lustre, melting point, therefore can be used indefinitely
crystal shape, solubility, density) resistance measure of how difficult it is for
protein organic compound made up of units called electrons to flow through a substance; unit of
amino acids; protein molecules contain atoms of measure is the ohm
nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon resistor device having resistance to the passage of
proton positively charged particle in the nucleus electrical current, often used to control current in
of an atom a circuit
protostar a contracting mass of gas in the first resource partitioning division of a resource among
stage of a star’s formation two or more coexisting species such that the niche
pure substance substance made of only one kind of of each species differs slightly
matter, which has a unique set of properties rheostat continuously variable resistor used to
purebred referring to a plant or animal that has regulate electric current
ancestors all with the same form of a trait
S
R salt compound produced in a neutralization
radio telescope a telescope system that collects reaction between an acid and a base
and analyzes radiation in the radio frequency satellite a small body that orbits a larger one;
range from stars and other bodies in space satellites may be natural, such as a moon orbiting
reactant substance that reacts with another a planet, or artificial, such as a spacecraft put into
substance or substances in a chemical reaction to orbit around Earth by humans for research or
create new substances with different properties communication purposes
Glossary 519
schematic or schematic diagram diagram using space probes unmanned satellites or remote-
standardized symbols to show the components controlled “landers” used to explore areas or
and connections in a circuit objects in space that are too difficult or dangerous
secondary cell rechargeable cell to send humans to
semiconductor a material, such as silicon or species living things of the same kind that are able
germanium, having a conductivity greater than an to reproduce successfully
insulator but less than a good conductor spectrometer an instrument used by astronomers
septic tank underground container where bacteria to observe and measure the spectrum of a star
break down organic materials in sewage before sperm cell a male sex cell
they are moved out to the soil spore a cell produced by asexual reproduction in
series circuit circuit in which there is only a single certain organisms such as ferns, which can
pathway for the current so the same current passes develop directly into an adult
through all the components spring acid shock concentration of acid that can
sewage wastewater containing dissolved and dramatically lower the pH of the water in a pond,
undissolved materials from your kitchen, slough, lake, or river for a short period of time;
bathroom, and laundry occurs in areas where acid precipitation is a
sewage treatment plant building and grounds problem and acidic deposits build up in ice and
containing special equipment to treat wastes from snow in the winter; in spring, when the ice and
homes, businesses, industries, and institutions so snow melt, the acid meltwater flows into aquatic
the wastes can be disposed of safely systems
sexual reproduction reproduction involving the stamen the male part of a flower
exchange of genetic material between two states of matter refers to the three common states
individuals resulting in offspring that are in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, and gas
genetically different from the parents static electricity a stationary electric charge
short circuit accidental low-resistance connection stigma the female part of a flower, which receives
between two points in a circuit, often causing pollen
excess current to flow
storm sewers large pipes that carry runoff water
solar wind streams of electrically charged particles from yards and streets directly (without treatment)
discharged by the Sun in every direction; solar into a river, lake, or ocean
wind passes Earth at nearly 400 km/s
style the structure that supports the stigma and
solstice either of two times in the year when the connects it with the ovary of a plant
Sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky
at noon; in the northern hemisphere, the summer sublimation change of state from a solid to a gas or
solstice occurs near June 21 (longest day of the from a gas to a solid
year) and the winter solstice occurs near December subphylum (plural subphyla) a secondary category
21 (shortest day) of a phylum in the classification of living things,
solubility mass of a substance that can dissolve in which includes one or more classes
a given amount of solvent to form a saturated substrate surface on which an organism lives or
solution at a given temperature moves
solution homogeneous mixture; mixture of two or sulfur dioxide (SO2(g)) forms when sulfur combines
more pure substances that looks like one with oxygen in the air; major air pollutant that
substance forms both smog and acid rain; major source:
“sour” gas natural gas that contains hydrogen industrial processes
sulfide Sun-like stars one of the two main types of stars
space junk refers to all the pieces of debris that that can form (the other being massive stars,
have fallen off rockets, satellites, space shuttles, which are, by comparison, larger in mass than
and space stations and remain floating in space Sun-like stars)
520 Glossary
superconductor perfect conductor; substance with V
no resistance to electron flow
variability variations within a species
supernova an enormous explosion that marks the
variable resistor resistor whose resistance can be
death of a massive star
changed by adjusting the portion of the resistor
suspension cloudy mixture in which tiny particles the current travels through
of one substance are held within another, and the
vegetative reproduction a type of asexual
particles can be separated out
reproduction in plants that does not involve the
sustainability use of resources at a rate that can be formation of a seed
maintained indefinitely without depleting the
volt (V) the unit of voltage
resources or harming the environment
voltage a measure of how much electrical energy a
symbiosis the relationship between two different
charged particle carries
species
voltage drop voltage across a resistor or other
T device in a circuit
thermal energy total kinetic energy of all the voltmeter instrument for measuring potential
particles in a substance; the faster a particle moves difference in volts
the more kinetic energy it has; if you have two
cups holding equal amounts of water, the one W
containing more thermal energy will feel warmer water table top of the groundwater zone
thermocouple device consisting of two wires of watt (W) the unit of power, equal to one joule per
different metals joined such that a voltage is second
produced between the ends in proportion to the
wet cell electrochemical primary cell having a
difference in their temperatures
liquid electrolyte
toxic poisonous
white dwarf one of the latter stages in the life
toxicity how poisonous a substance is cycle of a Sun-like star during which the star
toxin poison; substance that produces serious collapses; white dwarfs are hot but very faint
health problems or death when introduced into WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials
an organism Information System; a system of easy-to-see
trait a characteristic of an organism warning symbols on hazardous materials
transformer device that changes electricity at one
voltage into electricity at a different voltage; a Z
step-up transformer increases the voltage; a step- zenith the highest point in the sky directly
down transformer decreases the voltage overhead
transistor device usually with three layers zygote a fertilized egg
arranged such that a small voltage through the
middle layer controls a current between the outer
layers, allowing the device to act as a switch or
amplifier
triangulation a method of indirectly measuring
distance by creating an imaginary triangle between
an observer and an object whose distance away is
to be estimated
turbine machine that uses the flow of a fluid such
as steam, water, or air to rotate a shaft
Glossary 521
I NDEX
A B chemical reaction, 157 dissolved oxygen, 217

rate of, 166, 169 Doppler effect, 452, 453
acetylsalicylic acid, 180 banded snail, 22 (Inquiry chestnut dry cell, 288
acid, 191 Activity) American, 60 ductility, 99
acid-base indicator, 193 bark beetle, 210 (Careers and blight, 60
acidity, 191, 220 Profiles) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
acid rain, 191, 195 Bartlett, Neil, 133 232 E
active transport, 205 base, 191 chromosome, 41, 43 Earth, 394
aerobic biodegradation, 244 battery, 292, 348 circuit, 280 ecliptic, 404
air pollution, 351 Bayer company, 180 circuit breaker, 286 ecosystem, 9
air quality, 225 Becquerel, Alexandre, 347 class, 12 efficiency, 336
Aldrin, Edwin “Buzz”, 368 Bengal tiger, 38 cleavage, 32 increasing, 342
alkali metals, 133 billiard ball model, 118 clones, 67 limits to, 340
alkaline-earth metals, 133 binary fission, 30 creating plant, 67 effluent, 188
allele, 45 binary number, 355 closed system, 163 egg cell, 32
alternating current (AC), 328 biodegradation, 244 coal, 188 electrical current, 279
generator, 331 factors affecting, 246 cogeneration, 346 electrical discharge, 276
altitude, 401 biological diversity, 9, 11 colloid, 103 electrical energy, 321
aluminum, 90 classifying, 12 combustion, 160 transformations, 321
foam, 90 preserving global, 72 comet, 398 electrical technologies, 354
amino acid, 202 reduction of, 57, 58, 65 commensalism, 17 benefits of, 354
ammeter, 308 strategies to conserve, 72 community, 10 computers, 355
ampere, 280 biomagnification, 248 commutator, 325 drawbacks of, 355
Ampère, André-Marie, 280 biomass, 346 compact disc (CD), 356 electric shock, 284, 285
anaerobic bacteria, 244 biotechnology, 67 compound, 102 electrochemical cell, 288
anemones, 208 (illustration) risks in animals, 69 inorganic, 196 electrochemistry, 292
anodizing, 294 black dwarf, 387 molecular, 150, 152 applications, 294
antacid, 193 black hole, 387, 388 organic, 196, 199 electrode, 289
anther, 33 Bohr, Niels, 120 computer network technician, electrolysis, 292, 293
antibiotics, 21 Bohr’s model of the atom, 120 303 (Careers and Profiles) electrolyte, 288
aquatic invertebrate, 214 (illustration) concentration electromagnet, 325
aqueous solution, 103 boiling point, 99 effect on rate of reaction, electromagnetic energy, 440
Aristotle, 373 Bondar, Dr. Roberta, 426 169 electromagnetic induction,
armature, 325 Boyle, Robert, 117 condensation, 97 329
Armstrong, Neil, 368 Brahe, Tycho, 374 conductivity, 99 electromagnetic spectrum,
artificial insemination, 67 brushes, 325 conductors, 280 440
artificial reproductive Bt toxin, 68 constellation, 390 electron, 118
technology, 67 budding, 30 continuous variation, 28 electron shell, 120
artificial selection, 66 copper, 114 electroplating, 293
asexual reproduction, 30 effect of heat on, 114
advantages of, 35 C electrorefining, 294
coral reefs, 15 (illustration) element, 102, 184
binary fission, 30 calcium hydroxide, 195 corrosion, 160 as a pure substance, 118
budding, 30 Canadarm 1, 460 cross-fertilization, 33 ellipse, 374
disadvantages of, 35 Canadarm 2, 461 cross-pollination, 33 embryo, 32
spore production, 30 carbohydrate, 199 crude oil, 250 endothermic reaction, 160
vegetative reproduction, 31 carbon, 122 (infoBIT), 129 spill, 250, 251 energy
Aspirin, 180 dating, 129 crystal shape, 99 conservation, 352
asterism, 390 carbon dioxide, 229 current electricity, 279 kinds of, 319
asteroid, 397 carbon monoxide, 227 law of conservation of, 335
astronomical unit (AU), 379 catalase, 166 enhanced greenhouse effect,
atom, 118 catalyst, 166
D
230
billiard ball model of cell division, 46 Dalton, John, 118 enzyme, 166, 202
(also Dalton’s model), 118 cellular respiration, 160, 185 Davy, Humphry, 292 equinox, 372
Bohr’s model of, 120 characteristic (see also trait) density, 99 evaporation, 97
Nagaoka’s model of, 119 heritable, 28 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), exothermic reaction, 160
Rutherford’s model of, 119 non-heritable, 28 40, 41, 203 (illustration) ex-situ conservation, 75
Thomson’s model of, 118 charge separation, 276 instructions on alleles, 51 extinction, 58
atomic mass, 124, 129 chemical change, 102 structure of, 41 human causes of, 61
atomic mass unit (amu), 124, evidence of, 105 deposition, 97 natural causes of, 59, 60
129 chemical energy, 320 diffusion, 204 extirpation, 58
atomic number, 128 transformations, 321 dilution, 243 human causes of, 61
azimuth, 401 chemical formula, 139 direct current, 328 natural causes of, 59
for water, 141 generator, 331 Exxon Valdez oil spill, 250
chemical name, 139 discrete variation, 28
chemical properties, 102 dispersion, 243
522 Index
F hazardous chemicals, 253 K homogeneous, 103
disposal of, 257 Kepler, Johannes, 374 mechanical, 103
family MSDS, 254 kilowatt hour, 333 suspension, 103
(in biology), 12 storage of, 255 kingdom, 12 molecular compound, 150
(in chemistry), 127 transportation of, 257 molecule, 150
Faraday, Michael, 324, 329 hazardous waste collection monitoring, 212
fertilization, 32 site, 257 L multimeter, 308
cross-, 33 hazard symbols, 94 mutualism, 17
in vitro, 67 lab safety rules, 95
(illustration)
fertilizer, 186 Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent,
heavy metals, 222
fly ash, 351 heliocentric model of solar
117 N
formic acid, 191 (infoBIT) law of conservation of energy,
system, 374 Nagaoka, Hantaro, 119
fossil fuel, 188, 345 335
herbicide, 186 natural gas, 190
fox, swift, 74 law of conservation of mass,
Hertzsprung, Ejnar, 384 processing, 190
freeze-drying process, 108 163
heterogeneous mixture, 103 natural selection, 24
freezing, 97 LD50, 221
Hippocrates, 180 nebulae, 386
fuel cell, 348 leachate, 240 (Inquiry
homogeneous mixture, 103 neon sign, 297
fungicide, 186 Activity), 241
Hopper, Grace, 355 (infoBIT) Neptune, 396
fuse, 286 lead, 222
Hubble Space Telescope, 382, neutral
Libau, Andreas, 117
438 (illustration) (in physics), 276
lichens, 208 (illustration)
hybrid, 50, 51
G light-year, 379 (in chemistry), 191
hydrocarbon, 188 neutral solution, 191
lime, 195
galaxy, 390 contamination of soil, 242 neutralization, 193
Linnaeus’s classification
types of, 391 (illustration) hydrogen sulfide, 190 neutron, 120
system, 12
Galilei, Galileo, 374 hydrolysis, 206, 207 (Inquiry neutron star, 387
lipids, 199
galvanometer, 308 Activity) niche, 18, 19
Lippershey, Hans, 436
gamete, 32 hydrolyze, 206 nitrogen, 219
litmus paper, 181 (QuickLab),
gene, 43 193 nitrogen cycle, 184, 185
generator (illustration)
AC, 331
I load, 280
nitrogen fixation, 184
DC, 331 incinerator, 187 nitrogen oxide, 226
Van de Graaff, 278 incomplete dominance, 53 M noble gases, 133
genetic code, 41 industrial processing , 190 non-metals, 132
genetic diversity, 11 macronutrient, 197
ingestion, 206 nonrenewable
genetic engineering, 68 main sequence, 387
inherited characteristic, 45 resource/energy, 350
genetic resources malleability, 99
inorganic compound, 196 conservation, 352
conservation, 75 Mars, 395
insecticide, 186 nuclear fission, 345
ex situ, 75 mass, law of conservation of,
pyrethrum, 213 (infoBIT) nucleic acid, 203
in situ, 73 163
in-situ conservation, 73 nucleus, 119
genetics, 50 (infoBIT) mass number, 129
insulator, 285 nutrient, 197
genus, 12 massive star, 387
insulin, 68, 202 (illustration)
geocentric model of solar Material Safety Data Sheet
integrated circuit, 315
system, 373 interdependence, 16, 17
(MSDS), 253, 254 O
geothermal energy, 346 matter, 92
interferometry, 437 Oersted, Hans Christian, 324
Global Positioning System properties of, 97
optical, 437 ohm, 300
(GPS), 430 mechanical energy, 319
radio, 442 Ohm, Georg Simon, 306
global warming, 230 mechanical mixture, 103
International Space Station, Ohm’s law, 306
glycine, 202 (illustration) meiosis, 46
416 open system, 163
glycogen, 199 gold, 114 melting, 97
interspecies competition, 18 optical telescopes, 436
grasslands, 208 (illustration) melting point, 99
interstellar matter, 386 optimum amount, 198
gravity, 420 Mendeleev, Dmitri, 124
invertebrate, 214 order, 12
Greenhouse Effect, 229 mercury, 222, 248
in vitro fertilization, 67 organic compound, 196, 199
(illustration) Mercury, 394
ion, 146, 288 osmosis, 205
enhanced, 230 metalloids, 132
charge, 147 ova, 32
greenhouse gas, 229 metals, 132
polyatomic, 146 ovary, 33
groundwater, 238 meteor, 398
ion drive, 413 over-hunting, 62
group, 127, 132 meteorite, 370, 398
ionic compound, 144 overspecialization, 60
meteoroid, 398
naming, 146 ovule, 33
microcircuit, 315
properties of, 144
H microgravity, 420 oxygen
Iron Age, 115 dissolved, 217
micronutrient, 197
habitat destruction, 61 issue, 186 in reactions, 160
millivoltmeter, 307
halogen, 133 mitosis, 46 ozone, 212, 227
hardness, 99 ozone layer, 212, 232
J mixture, 103
colloid, 103
Jacob’s ladder, 272 heterogeneous, 103
Jupiter, 395
Index 523
P R space junk, 458 toxicity, 221

space probes, 444 toxin, 221
parallax, 450 radio telescopes, 441, 442 species, 9 trait (see also characteristic)
parallel circuit, 313 reactant, 158 classifying biological dominant, 50
applications of, 315 rechargeable cell, 290 distribution, 11 recessive, 51
parasitism, 17 red giant, 387 non-native, 62 transformer, 329
parthenogenesis, 30 (infoBIT) red supergiant, 387 restoration of ecosystems transistor, 315
parts per million (ppm), 216 remote-control (RC) vehicle, and, 73 triangulation, 446, 447
period, 127 296 spectroscope, 452 tundra, 208 (illustration)
periodic table, 126, 127, 132, renewable resource/energy, sperm cell, 32 turbine, 345
133 350 spore, 30
ion charges and the, 147 reproduction, 30 spore production, 30
permeable, 239 resistance, 300 spring acid shock, 220 U
pest, 186, 187 resistor, 300 Sputnik, 410 universal indicator, 193
pesticide, 186, 187, 221 carbon-composition, 310 stamen, 33 Uranus, 396
pH, 191 wire-wound, 310 star, 384, 386
meter, 193 resource partitioning, 19 composition of 452
phosphorus, 219 rheostat, 302 group, 390 V
photoconductor, 314 ribonucleic acid (RNA), 203 life and death of, 387
photolysis, 247 rocket, 412 Van de Graaff generator, 278
states of matter, 97
phylum, 12 parts, 412 vaporization, 97
static charge, 276
physical change, 98, 105 Russell, Henry Norris, 384 variability, 20
static electricity, 275
physical properties of matter, Rutherford, Ernest, 119 variable resistor, 302
stigma, 33
98 variation of characteristics, 28
Stonehenge, 372
phytoremediation, 246 vegetative reproduction, 31
storm sewer, 188
pistil, 33 S Venus, 394
storage cell, 290
planetary motion, 373 volatile organic compounds
salicylic acid, 180 strip mine, 351
geocentric model, 373 (VOCs), 227
salt, 144, 193 style, 33
heliocentric model, 374 volcanoes, 183 (infoBIT)
sanitary landfill, 187 sublimation, 97
plasma, 97 (infoBIT) volt, 281
satellite, 427 subphylum, 12
Pluto, 396 Volta, Alessandro, 281
artificial, 427 substrate, 209
pollen, 33 voltage, 281
communication, 429 sulfur dioxide, 225
pollination, 33 voltage drop, 307
observation, 429 Sun-like stars, 387
pollutants, 237 voltmeter, 281, 307
remote sensing of, 429 superconductor, 298
airborne, 237 Saturn, 395 supernova, 387
concentration of, 243 schematic diagram, 31 surface area W
pollution, 61, 185 scrubbers, 225 effect on rate of reaction,
air, 351 secondary cell, 290 169 wastewater, 188
polyatomic ions, 146 selenium, 198 suspension, 103 water, 182
polychlorinated biphenyls semiconductor, 297 sustainability, 353 quality, 213, 214
(PCBs), 244 septic tank, 188 switch, 302 water table, 239
polygraph machine, 301 series circuit, 313 symbiosis, 17 watt, 332
population, 10 applications of, 315 Watt, James, 332
pores, 239 sewage, 188 wet cell, 289
potassium, 186 treatment plant, 188
T white dwarf, 387
potential difference, 281 sexual reproduction, 32 willow bark 180
table salt, 144
power, 332 advantages of, 35 tea, 180, 181 (QuickLab)
telescope, 436
predator-prey relationship, 16 disadvantages of, 35 wind energy, 347
Hubble Space, 382, 438
primary cell, 290 in animals, 32 Workplace Hazardous
(illustration)
product, 158 in plants, 33 Materials Information
optical, 436
property, 90, 97 short circuit, 284 System (WHMIS), 94
radio, 441
protein, 202 sodium chloride, 144 symbols, 95, 253
reflecting, 436
proton, 120 solar cell, 347 refracting, 436
protostar, 386 solar sails, 413 spin casting method, 437 Y
pure substance, 102 solar system (see planetary temperature
purebred, 50 motion) effect on rate of reaction, Yukon to Yellowstone
solar wind, 392 169 Conservation Initiative
solid waste, 187 (Y2Y), 4, 5
Q Tesla coil, 272
solstice, 372 Tesla, Nikolai, 272
quality control analyst, 135 solubility, 99 thermal energy, 319 Z
(Careers and Profiles) solution, 103 thermocouple, 323
“sour” gas, 190 theory of atomic structure, zenith, 401
space exploration 118 zygote, 32
pros and cons of, 464, 465 Thomson, J.J., 118
risks and dangers of, 457, tidal power stations, 347
458 toxic, 221
524 Index
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Acknowledgements 525
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Laboratories Ltd.; p.324 (top left) © Bettmann/CORBIS/MAGMA; NASA; p.462 (middle left) NASA; p.462 (bottom left) NASA; p.462
p.324 (middle) Ray Boudreau; p.325 Ray Boudreau; p.326 Ray (bottom right) Courtesy Canadian Space Agency © Canadian Space
Boudreau; p.327 Ray Boudreau; p.329 (top) W. Fraser/Ivy Images; Agency 2001 Website: http://www.space.gc.ca; p.464 (left) ©
p.329 (middle) H.J.Bruckman, Sci-Tech of Windsor; p.329 (bottom) Vittoriano Rastelli/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.464 (right) NASA; p.466 ©
The Mach2 Photo Exchange Ltd.; p.330 Ray Boudreau; p.332 (top Bill Wittman; p.468 © Morton Beebe, S.F./CORBIS/MAGMA; p.471
left) © Grant Pix/Photo Researchers, Inc.; p.332 (bottom left) © © Cydney Conger/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.472 (background) NASA;
Martin Bond/SPL/Photo Researchers Inc; p.332 (bottom right) B. p.472 (inset left) NASA; p.472 (inset right) NASA; p.472 (inset
Ivy/Ivy Images; p.333 TJP Photography; p.334 Ray Boudreau; p.335 bottom) NASA; p.476 Ray Boudreau; p.478 (left) Alex Li; p.478
J. DeVisser/Ivy Images; p.337 Ray Boudreau; p.338 © Richard (right) Ray Boudreau; pp.479-503 Ray Boudreau
Megna/FUNDAMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHS, NYC; p.339 (top left)
Courtesy LG Electronics; p.339 (top right) Courtesy LG Electronics;
p.339 (bottom) B. Ivy/Ivy Images; p.341 (top left) Courtesy of
Illustrations
OPTIMUS CORP (Contractor to US EPA); p.341 (bottom left) Amid Studios 22, 116, 139, 140, 160, 199, 202, 226, 228, 231, 251,
TerraChoice Environmental Services Inc.; p.341 (right) © Dick 254, 259, 267, 280, 294, 302, 313, 315, 316, 336, 390, 402, 407,
Hemingway; p.344 Lester Lefkowitz/The Stock Market/First Light; 409, 411, 422
p.346 Peter Skinner/Photo Researchers Inc; p.347 (top) © James R. Kevin Cheng 119, 141, 142, 145, 152
Page/VALAN PHOTOS; p.347 (middle) Frank Rosotto/The Stock Crowle Art 5, 11, 231, 238, 250, 264, 268, 292, 298, 312, 430
Market/First Light; p.347 (bottom) © Bruce Frisch/Photo Francois Escalmel 93, 206, 260, 371, 417, 432, 438, 465
Researchers, Inc.; p.349 Ray Boudreau; p.351 (top) © Phillip John Fraser 237, 410, 447
Norton/VALAN PHOTOS; p.351 (bottom) TJP Photography; p.352 © Gefen Group, Knowledge Media Designs 96
Martin Bond/SPL/Photo Researchers Inc.; p.354 (left) David Tanaka; Philippe Germain 21, 57, 78, 91, 97, 98, 113, 122, 129, 133, 142,
p.354 (top right) Photo courtesy of Handango; p.354 (bottom right) 157, 158, 167, 181, 196, 217, 226, 273, 275, 282, 290, 304, 311,
Comstock, Inc.; p.355 © Bettmann Archive/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.356 318, 324, 328, 336, 348, 355, 371, 377, 389, 393, 397, 418, 428,
(left) Iverson Science Media; p.356 (middle © Kristen Brochmann/ 435, 446, 467
FUNDAMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHS, NYC; p.356 (right) Iverson Imagineering Art 453
Science Media; p.361 © AFT/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.362 Ray Bernadette Lau 219, 248, 305
Boudreau; p.366 NASA; p.368 NASA; p.369 NASA; p.370 © The Paul McCusker 284
Stapleton Collection/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.370 (inset) NASA; p.372 Dave Mazierski 19, 28, 32, 33, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47, 50, 51, 85, 113,
(top left) © Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.372 (bottom left) 202, 203, 205, 214, 234, 249
©Dorling Kindersley; p.372 (bottom right) © Steve Vidler/ Dave McKay 123, 124, 126-127, 136, 147, 176, 187, 342, 373, 374,
SuperStock; p.376 © Macduff Everton/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.378 (far 375, 377, 379, 401, 421, 442, 443, 444, 448, 450, 452, 460
left) ©Dorling Kindersley; p.378 (middle left) © Austrian NSV Productions 16, 94, 95, 103, 110, 118, 120, 136, 166, 175, 183,
Archives/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.278 (middle right) © Bettmann/ 229, 230, 243, 276, 278, 280, 288, 305, 340, 345, 357, 375, 380,
CORBIS/MAGMA; p.278 (far right) ©Dorling Kindersley; p.380 Ray 381, 385, 386, 388, 392, 393, 404, 408, 412, 413, 430, 436, 437,
Boudreau; p.383 © Optical Artists/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.384 © Roger 440
Ressmeyer/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.387 NASA; p.388 © NASA/Roger Mike Opsahl 99, 163, 286, 302, 307, 308, 312, 325, 329, 331
Ressmeyer/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.390 (left) ©Roger Ressmeyer/ Dusan Petricic 339
CORBIS/MAGMA; p.390 (right) ©Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/ Pat Stevens 185
MAGMA; p.391 (left) NASA; p.391 (middle) NASA; p.391 (right) © Cynthia Watada 160, 204, 239, 289, 293, 311, 316, 327, 328, 347
Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/MAGMA; p.394 (top) ©Dorling
Kindersley; p.394 (middle) NASA; p.394 (bottom) NASA; p.395 (top)
526 Acknowledgements
AUTHORS
Kirsten Mah
Josef Martha
Linda McClelland
James Milross
Joanne Neal
Lionel Sandner
ISBN 0-201-72963-6
www.pearsoned.ca/scienceinaction
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Preserving Biological Diversity 4 2.1 A Closer Look at Variation 27

Skill Practice: Exploring Wolf Give It a Try: Observing Variation in

Variability and Survival 20

Section Review: Assess Your Learning 25

Focus On: Social and Environmental Context 25

Reproduction in Plants and Animals 46 Biotechnology 67

Purebred Versus Hybrid 50 4.3 Reducing Our Impact on Biological Diversity 72

Dominant Traits 50 Strategies to Conserve Biological Diversity 72

Science World Case Study: Zoos and

Project: Maintaining Local Biological Diversity 82

Focus On: The Nature of Science 91 Stone Age Chemists 113

Focus On: The Nature of Science 137

Combining Elements to Make 4.1 Chemical Reactions 157

Compounds 139 QuickLAB: Rocket Science 157

QuickLAB: Ionic or Molecular Focus On: The Nature of Science 171

Comparing Ionic and Molecular Project: What’s in the Bottle? 174

Section Review: Assess Your Learning 154

Focus On: The Nature of Science 155

Uptake of Substances by Plants 204

Check and Reflect 190 Biological Indicators 214

Sulfur Dioxide 225 Biomagnification 248

Activity C-8 Inquiry: Analyzing Carbon Government Regulations 253

Section Review: Assess Your Learning 260

Transport in Air 237 Unit Summary 262

Electrical Energy 272 2.0 Technologies can be used to transfer and

Focus On: Science and Technology 273

Electrical Current 279 2.2 Modelling and Measuring Electricity 304

Protecting Yourself from Activity D-4 Inquiry:

Electrical Safety Pointers 285 Types of Resistors 310

Plugs, Fuses, and Breakers 285 Check and Reflect 310

Dry Cells 288 Parallel and Series Circuits 312

QuickLAB: Fruit Cells 290 Activity D-5 Problem Solving:

Activity D-2 Inquiry: Applications of Series and

Batteries 292 Check and Reflect 316

Electrochemistry 292 Section Review: Assess Your Learning 317

Transformations Involving Chemical

Electric Motors 325 Activity D-12 Problem Solving:

The Steering Analogy 328 Check and Reflect 350

Give It a Try: Shopping for Appliances 339

Limits to Efficiency 340 Unit Review 363

Tracking Cosmological Events 372

The Birth of a Star 386

The Sun 392 The Space Suit 420

The Planets 393 A Home in Space 421

Skill Practice: Building a Activity E-4 Experiment on your own:

Satellites 427 4.0 Society and the environment are affected

Skill Practice: On Location with GPS 430

Check and Reflect 432 Space Junk 458

Give It a Try: What Does It Take

The Pros and Cons of Space Exploration 464

Give It a Try: Light Bulb Stars 446 Unit Review 474

An outline gives you an overview of

give you an opportunity to

on activity introduces the topic of the unit and

The Key Concepts are the main

The Learning Outcomes

The Focus On section has QUICKLAB is a hands-on