Earth and Life Science – Grade 12

Quarter 1 – Module 1: Earth and Earth System

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: MARIAN T. DE LA CRUZ

Editors: ELMER A. DELOS ANGELES, JR., MM

GWEN A. DANS

Reviewer:

Illustrator:

Layout Artist: MARIAN T. DE LA CRUZ

MABINI COLLEGES, INC

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 Earth and Life Science – Grade 12
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Earth and Earth System

I.
INTRODUCTION

Every place has an origin and history. As you uncover this topic It’ll open your
curious mind on the origins of the universe and of the Earth, and relates how the unique
characteristics of Earth are important in sustaining life.

Have you ever tried watching the sunrises and sunsets? Definitely! Every time we
see this wondrous view; we begin to ask ourselves: ‘Where did the sun come from? How
was Earth created? How did life begin?’. Those are few questions every human has in
mind. In this module, you will get to seek answers to your queries. Shall we begin our
space ride to knowledge? Buckle up!

II.
OBJECTIVES

In this lesson, you should be able to;

✔ Describe the structure and composition of the universe;

✔ Differentiate Big bang theory and Steady state theory;

✔ Compare different hypotheses explaining the origin of the Solar system;

✔ Explain that Earth consists of four subsystems across whose boundaries matter
and energy flow.
III.
VOCABULARY LIST

To understanding the lesson, here is the list of words with their meanings. Read
and understand them carefully. If ever you encounter some unfamiliar words, go
back here again

✔ CMB - leftover radiation from the Big Bang, or the time when the universe
began.
✔ Redshift - displacement of spectral lines toward longer wavelengths (the red
end of the spectrum) in radiation from distant galaxies and celestial objects.
✔ Baryonic matter - ‘ordinary’ matter consisting protons, electrons, and
neutrons: atoms, planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other bodies.
✔ Dark matter - matter that has gravity but does not emit light.

✔ Dark energy - a source of anti-gravity.

✔ Solar system - the collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit around
the sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteoroids, and
comets.
✔ Planetesimal - a minute planet; a body that could or did come together with
many others under gravitation to form a planet.
✔ Nebular - a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either
as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous
matter.
✔ Hypothesis - a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of
limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
✔ Electromagnetic Spectrum - the range of wavelengths or frequencies over
which electromagnetic radiation extends.
 Let’s find out things that you
IV. have in mind about our topic.
PRE - TEST Try to answer these questions!

Directions: Read each sentence carefully. Write TRUE if the

statement is correct and FALSE if otherwise.

______ 1. The most acceptable theory about the beginning of the

universe is the Big bang theory.

______ 2. The subsystems that make up Earth are known as crust, mantle, and
core.

______ 3. Earth is believed to be 4.6 billion years old.

______ 4. The Solar system is the center of the universe.

______ 5. For a planet to be habitable there should be just temperature, range,

atmosphere, energy, and nutrients.

V.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1. Sci-bit Knowledge!

In your previous subject Physical Science, you already encountered some of

the underlying concepts about the universe and solar system which helped you to
further understand topics linked to it.
 Now, what’s the catch? This time you are to widen your scheme through
these series of learning activities. Let’s start the first challenge!

Directions:

▪ Below is a table divided into two columns. In the first column (What I know),
write the concepts you already know about the universe.

▪ In the second column (What I want to know), write the things you want to
know
and understand deeper about the structure and composition of the universe.

What I know What I want to know

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

ACTIVITY 2. A Place in Space

Previously, you have assessed yourself on the concepts that you already
know and listed the things you want to learn more. In this second activity, you’ll be
exploring the structure and composition of the universe. Let’s see if you will get to
check one of the things you wrote in the ‘What I want to know’ column.

Directions:
 ▪ To complete the description of the universe, fill in the appropriate terms on
the blank spaces.
▪ Refer on the word space provided on the side of your module.

▪ Cross out the words below as you use them.

W
O
R
D universe 200 billion Earth planets moon
S
P
A
C
E star solar sun comets galaxies
system

EXPLORING THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE

The Sun is a _____________ located at the center of our

______________________. Our home, called ______________, is one of 8
__________________ that orbit around the _____________. Earth has one
_____________ that orbits around it each month, showing different phases.

In addition to the Sun, planets, and moons, the Solar System contains smaller
objects such as ____________________, asteroids, and meteoroids. Sometimes
these smaller objects collide with the larger objects.

Our sun is one of more than ________________________ stars contained in

the __________________ we call the Milky Way. Outer space is even bigger yet,
because the Milky Way is only one of an estimated 225 Billion (225,000,000,000)
galaxies in the _____________________!

Essential Notes:
I. Structure and Composition of the Universe
 Any explanation of the origin of the Universe should be consistent with all
information about its composition, structure, accelerating expansion, cosmic
microwave background radiation among others.

Structure, Composition, and Age

● The universe as we currently know it comprises all space and time, and all
matter and energy in it.
● It is made of 4.6% baryonic matter (‘ordinary’ matter consisting protons,
electrons, and neutrons: atoms, planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other
bodies), 24% cold dark matter (matter that has gravity but does not emit light),
and 71.4% dark energy (a source of anti-gravity).
● Dark matter can explain what may be holding galaxies together for the reason
that the low total mass is insufficient for gravity alone to do so while dark
energy can explain the observed accelerating expansion of the universe.

● Hydrogen, helium, and lithium are the three most abundant elements.

● Stars are the building of galaxies – born put of clouds of gas and dust in
galaxies. Instabilities within the clouds eventually results into gravitational
collapse, rotation, heating up, and transformation into a protostar – the hot
core of the future star as thermonuclear reaction set in.
● A galaxy is a cluster of billions of stars and clusters of galaxies from
superclusters.
● Based on recent data, the universe is 13.8 billion
years old.

Learner’s Tip Expanding Universe

A star’s energy
comes from
combining light
elements into
heavier elements
by fusion, or
nucleosynthesis.
Forming of He from
H gives off lots of
energy (i.e. natural
hydrogen bomb).
Nucleosynthesis
require very high
T.
● In 1929, Edwin Hubble
announced his significant
discovery ‘redshift’ and its
interpretation that galaxies are
moving away from each other,
hence as evidence for an
expanding universe.
● He observed that spectral lines
of starlight made to pass
through prism are shifted toward
the red part of the
electromagnetic spectrum, i.e.
toward the band of lower
frequency; thus, the inference
that the star or galaxy must be moving away from us.

Cosmic Microwave Background

● There is a pervasive cosmic

microwave background (CMB)
radiation in the universe. Its
accidental discovery in 1964 by
Arno Penzias and Robert
Woodrow earned them the
Physics Nobel Prize in 1978.
● It can be observed as a strikingly
uniform faint glow in the
microwave band coming from all
directions-blackbody radiation with an average temperature of about 2.7
degrees above absolute zero.

Essential Notes:
q
II. Origin of the Universe

How did everything in

the universe come to exist?

The origin of the universe can be explained through several theories. In an

effort to make sense of the universe, humans used religion, philosophy, and science
to describe its origin and structure. The following shows how the understanding of
the universe has evolved through the years.

Non- Steady Big bang

scientific State Theory
thought Theory

As the currently
The monotheistic The now accepted theory, it
religions of discredited postulates that
Judaism, theory was 13.8 billion years
Christianity, and proposed in ago, the universe
Islam claim that a 1948 by Bondi expanded from a
supreme being and Gould and tiny, dense and hot
created the by Hoyle. mass to its present
universe. size and cooler
state.

Ancient Egyptians It claims that the This theory has

believed in many universe withstood the test
gods and myths expanded but for expansion:
which narrate that did not change 1) redshift
the world arose density.
from an infinite Eventually 2)abundance of H,
sea at the first rejected with the He. & Li
rising of sun. CMB discovery. 3) Uniform CMB

Essential Notes:
II. Theories on the Origin of the Solar
system

What made it possible for

In the origin of the universe, there was era when the planets to become as
stars and galaxies began to form. Milky Way is one of big as they are?
the billion galaxies in the observable universe. Our solar
system is a vast place, with lots of mostly empty space between planets. But out
there are comets, asteroids and more rocky, frozen objects (including dwarf planets)
yet to be discovered in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud.

The following scientific theories present the explanation on the origin of the
Solar system. It is essential to note these theories to differentiate their key points.

NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS

In the 1700’s Immanuel Kant and Pierre-Simon

Laplace independently thought of a rotating
gaseous cloud that cools and contracts in the
middle to form the sun and the rest into a disc that
become the planets. This hypothesis failed to
account for the distribution of angular momentum in
the solar system.

Based on the nebular hypothesis, how does a nebula form a solar

system?

ENCOUNTER THEORIES

✔ Planetesimal Theory - Thomas Chamberlin and

Forest Moulton proposed that a star passed close
enough to the sun, creating huge tides and
causing materials to be ejected
which planetesimals were Sun formed.
 Massive star

✔ Tidal Theory – James Jeans and Harold Jeffreys (a)

suggested that when a huge tidal was created from Condensations

sun’s collision with another star, a long filament was
drawn out and detached from its principal mass. As
(b)
the gaseous materials condensed, it separated into
masses of various sizes and condensed to form the Protoplanets
planets.

(c)

PROTOPLANET THEORY

The protoplanet theory is a modified version of

nebular hypothesis where Gerard Kuiper and
Carl von Weizsacker suggested that the dense
area of the nebula and the gaseous matter
surrounding it ceased to rotate uniformly. Under the influence of turbulence
and tidal action, the nebula broke into whirlpools of gas within a rotating mass
called protoplanets.

Essential Notes:
III. Earth’s subsystems

Earth science looks at the entire planet as a system of interacting parts

called subsystems. It focuses on the processes and changes within and among
these parts. Each subsystem can be studied separately, but significantly, they are
dependent on and connected with the other subsystems.

Earth as a Closed System

Changes within one subsystem eventually causes changes in others.

Although Earth is considered a closed system, its four subsystems are open
systems, and matter and energy can freely transfer between them.
 Earth is composed of four basic subsystems: lithosphere, hydrosphere,
atmosphere, and biosphere. Let’s tackle it individually.

ATMOSPHERE

It is a thin gaseous layer Mainly composed of 78%

that enevelopes the Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen,
lithosphere. 0.9% Argon, and trace
amount of other gases.

One of the most important

processes by which the
heat on the Earth's
surface is redistributed
through atmospheric
circulation.

LITHOSPHERE

It is composed of naturally-
It includes the rocks of the occuring solid aggregate of
crust and mantle, the minerals, organic material,
metallic liuidouter core, rocks and loose particles
and the solid metallic inner of rocks blanketing the
core. surface of Earth called
regolith.

HYDROSPHERE

About 70% of the Earth is Only 3% of Earth's water

covered with liquid water is fresh: 2/3 of ice, and
and much of it is in the the remaining 1/3 is
form of ocean water. present in streams, lakes
and groundawater.

BIOSPHERE
 Most life on Earth exists
within a zone no wider
It is the set of all life It covers all ecosystems. than 20 km where
forms on Earth. interactions between
lithosphere, atmosphere,
& hydrosphere

These four-subsystem linked through biogeochemical cycles which

means the involvement of biological, geological, and chemical factors.

For example: Hydrosphere interacts with the lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere
through water cycle.

Water from the ground absorbed by plants released to atmosphere

(lithosphere) (biosphere) through transpiration

Water vapor in the atmosphere eventually falls as precipitation where some portion
of it is absorbed by rocks and become groundwater.

VI.
PRACTICE TASKS

Practice Task 1: BIG BANG BALLOON

Objective
In this experiment, you’ll create a simple model to better understand the
universe expands over time.

Materials
● 12-inch (30 cm) round latex balloon

● Permanent marker pen

● 24-inch (60 cm) piece of string

● Metric ruler
Procedures
● Inflate you balloon until it is about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, but do not tie
the end.
● Using the marker, make five dots on the balloon in widely scattered locations.
Label one dot ‘home’ and the other A-D. The home dot represents the Milk
Way galaxy, and the others represents galaxies formed in the early universe.
● Without letting air out of the balloon, flatten the string from ‘home dot’ to dot A
then flatten the string to the ruler to measure the distance from home to each
dot. Record the distances in the table under the heading ‘Time 1’.
● Inflate the balloon so that its diameter is about 2 inches (5 cm) bigger. Again,
measure the distances from home to each of the dots, and record the
distances under ‘Time 2’ on the table.
● Inflate the balloon in 2-inch (5 cm) increment two more times. After each
inflation, measure and record the distances on the table.
● Answer the follow-up questions below the table.

Observations
Record your measurements below in your notebook.

Distance 4 inches (10 2 inches (5 2 inches (5 2 inches (5

from home cm) cm) cm) cm)

Dot A
Dot B

Dot C
Dot D

Questions
1. How did the distance from your home dot to each of the other galaxies
change each time you inflated the balloon?

2. Did the galaxies near home or those farther away appear to move the
greatest distance?

3. What does this tell you about the universe?

 Practice Task 2: Let’s get HYPE-othesizing

Directions:
● In long coupon bond, create your own hypothesis on the formation of solar
system. (It can be hand-written or type-written.)
● Include an illustration of your own hypothesis.

“If you were to make your own hypothesis about how the formation of the solar
system, how would you go about it?”
 POSSIBLE
EVENTS FOR
ANALYSIS

Flooding
Algal Bloom
Acid rain
Photosynthesis
Practice Task 3: SUBSYSTEM RELATES! Oil spill
Amazon
deforestation
In this activity you will make a connection model to
show and explain the correlation of the subsystems. Wildfires
Tsunami
Directions:
● Choose one possible event subject for analysis.

● Research on you chosen event and critically decide how it

may cause a change to each or any of the spheres
(hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere)
and how these spheres may impact the event.
● In order to do so, you will make a connection model like
this to show and explain your ideas.
● Write this in your notebook.

Event Lithosphere
Event Atmosphere
Event Hydrosphere
Event Biosphere

Reminder: The double-headed arrows

( ) indicate that the cause and effect
relationships of these interactions go in
both directions. For example, “tsunami
hydrosphere” refers to the effects of the
tsunami on the hydrosphere, and the
effects of the hydrosphere on the tsunami.
Question:

1. How important are the relationships and interactions between the subsystems that
make up Earth?

VII.
POST - TEST

MULTIPLE CHOICE
Directions: Read each sentence carefully. Encircle the correct answer from the given
choices.

1. This theory that the universe expanded but did not change density and was
eventually rejected with the discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background radiation.

A. Big bang Theory B. Steady State Theory

C. Creationism D. Nebular Hypothesis

2. Who discovered the ‘redshift’ and its interpretation that galaxies are moving away
from each other, hence as evidence for an expanding universe?

A. Immanuel Kant B. Nicholas Copernicus

C. Edwin Hubble D. Arno Penzias

3. Thomas Chamberlin and Forest Moulton proposed that a star passed close
enough to the sun, creating huge tides and causing materials to be ejected which
planetesimals were formed.

A. The statement is always true B. The statement is never true

C. The statement is sometimes true D. There’s an error in the statement.

4. Which subsystem contains oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and other gases that
help us to survive?

A. Lithosphere B. Biosphere
B. Hydrosphere D. Atmosphere

5. Which sphere contains all living things in the planet?

A. Lithosphere B. Biosphere
B. Hydrosphere D. Atmosphere

VIII.
ASSIGNMENT / ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
 You have been assigned to write a short story about travelling to space.
Describe what you see and feel throughout your space journey. Use your notes and
refer to some articles as guide. Write this in short bond paper and you may include
some illustrations.

IX.
ANSWER KEY

Pre-test

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True

Learning Activity 1: Sci-bit Knowledge

Accept any reasonable response.

Learning Activity 2: A Place in Space

The Sun is a star located at the center of our solar system. Our home, called
Earth, is one of 8 planets that orbit around the sun. Earth has one moon that orbits
around it each month, showing different phases.

In addition to the Sun, planets, and moons, the Solar System contains smaller
objects such as comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. Sometimes these smaller
objects collide with the larger objects.

Our sun is one of more than 200 billion stars contained in the galaxy we call
the Milky Way. Outer space is even bigger yet, because the Milky Way is only one of
an estimated 225 Billion (225,000,000,000) galaxies in the universe.

Practice Task 1: Big bang Balloon

1. How did the distance from your home dot to each of the other galaxies change
each time you inflated the balloon?
The distance from ‘home’ dot to each Dot A, B, C and D lengthens/increase as
the balloon is inflated by 2-inches (5 cm).
(Give actual numbers from your data to explain further your answer.)

2. Did the galaxies near home or those farther away appear to move the greatest
distance?
The galaxies or dots farther away from the ‘home’ dot appear to move the greater
distance than the dots nearer to the ‘home’ dot.
 (Give actual numbers from your data to explain further your answer.)

3. What does this tell you about the universe?

The experiment ‘Big bang balloon’ modeled the concept of expanding universe
wherein as the balloon is inflated the dots farther away from the ‘home’ dot move
in greater distance compare to nearer dots. The results of the experiment lead to
the conclusion that the farther away a dot is from the ‘home’ dot, the faster its
movement.

Practice Task 2: Let’s get HYPE-othesizing

Accept any reasonable response.

Practice Task 3: SUBSYSTEM RELATES!

Question:

1. How important are the relationships and interactions between the subsystems that
make up Earth?
The four subsystems of Earth initiates all of its vital processes and support life on our
unique planet. These interactions maintain the earth’s balance and life sustainability.
Together, they comprise all of the components of our planet, both living and non-
living.

Post - test

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. D
5. B
X.
REFERENCES

Books

Commission on Higher Education (2016). Teaching Guide for SHS, Earth and Life
Science. Quezon City: EC-TEC Commercial; p. 20-30.

Olivar, J., Ramos, A.C., (2016). Exploring Life through Science. Quezon City:
Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.; p. 8-19.

Web

National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (2010, June). Exploring
Solar Systems Across the Universe
Retrieved from
https://messenger.jhuapl.edu/Learn/pdf/MissionDesign_G9- 12_L1.pdf

Bahcall N. (2015, May 17). Hubble’s Law and the Expanding Universe External
Retrieved from https://www.pnas.org/content/112/11/3173

National Academy of Sciences (2020). Origin of the Universe, Earth and Life
Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/6024/chapter/3#8

Redd, N. (2017, February 17). How did the Solar system form?
Retrieved from https://www.space.com/35526-solar-system-formation.html

Photo Attributions

● https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-81-322-1539-4_4

● https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/CMplanhypoth.html

● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoqihBXXjVQ
● https://slideplayer.com/slide/1416522/

● https://www.space.com/33892-cosmic-microwave-background.html

● http://www.cotf.edu/essc2/outline/week2a.html