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CSEC_Integrated_Science_Section_A_Notes

The document covers the fundamental concepts of cells as the basic units of life, detailing processes such as diffusion, osmosis, and active transport in both plant and animal cells. It also discusses plant reproduction methods, including asexual and sexual reproduction, and factors affecting plant growth, as well as farming techniques and soil fertility. Additionally, it highlights the importance of maintaining soil health to prevent erosion and nutrient loss.

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5 views

CSEC_Integrated_Science_Section_A_Notes

The document covers the fundamental concepts of cells as the basic units of life, detailing processes such as diffusion, osmosis, and active transport in both plant and animal cells. It also discusses plant reproduction methods, including asexual and sexual reproduction, and factors affecting plant growth, as well as farming techniques and soil fertility. Additionally, it highlights the importance of maintaining soil health to prevent erosion and nutrient loss.

Uploaded by

wallacebrittney145
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CSEC Integrated Science Notes: Section

A – Organisms and Life Processes


Unit I: Units of Life
A cell is the smallest living unit of any organism, and it is called the basic building
block of life because it carries out all the important functions that allow an
organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. In both plants and animals, cells work
together by performing different jobs that help keep the body alive and healthy.
Without cells, life would not be possible, and everything we see in living things,
from skin to leaves to roots to organs, is made up of cells working in groups.

Diffusion is a natural process where substances like gases or liquids move from
an area where there are a lot of particles (high concentration) to an area where
there are fewer particles (low concentration), and this movement continues until
everything is evenly spread out, and it happens without the need for any energy
from the cell.

Osmosis is a special type of diffusion that only involves water, and it occurs when
water moves across a thin, semi-permeable membrane (like a cell membrane)
from a place where there is more water to a place where there is less water, and
this helps keep the cell hydrated and working properly.

Active Transport is different from diffusion and osmosis because it requires the
cell to use energy so that substances like minerals or nutrients can be moved
from an area where there is a low concentration to an area with a high
concentration, and this is important when the cell needs certain materials that are
not easily available.

Animal cells and plant cells are similar in some ways but also have important
differences. Both types of cells have a cell membrane that controls what goes in
and out of the cell, cytoplasm where the chemical reactions take place, and a
nucleus that controls everything the cell does and contains the instructions for
life. However, only plant cells have a cell wall, which gives them a stiff shape;
chloroplasts, which help the plant make its own food using sunlight in a process
called photosynthesis; and a large vacuole, which stores water and nutrients and
keeps the plant strong and upright.
Unit II: Reproduction and Growth in Plants
Asexual reproduction in plants is when a single parent plant is able to produce
offspring that are exactly the same as itself without the help of another plant, and
this process is usually fast and efficient but does not allow for any variation in the
new plants. On the other hand, sexual reproduction in plants involves two parent
plants, where one plant produces pollen (male cell) and the other produces an
egg (female cell), and when these two cells come together during fertilization,
they form a seed that will grow into a new plant that is different from both
parents, which is important for variation and survival.

Plants can reproduce asexually through several methods. One method is using
runners, which are long stems that grow out from the parent plant and take root
to form new plants, as seen in strawberry plants. Another method is using tubers,
like potatoes, where parts of the plant grow underground and develop into new
plants. Plants can also reproduce using cuttings, where a small piece of the plant
like a stem or leaf is cut off and placed in soil or water to grow roots and become
a new plant.

In sexual reproduction, the process starts with pollination, where pollen grains
are transferred from the anther (male part of the flower) to the stigma (female
part). After pollination, the pollen travels down a tube to reach the ovule, where
fertilization takes place. During fertilization, the male nucleus from the pollen
joins with the female nucleus from the ovule to form a zygote, which will develop
into a seed. The seed is protected by a fruit and, under the right conditions like
warmth and water, it will grow into a new plant.

Plants grow by increasing their size, and this can be seen in the length of their
roots, the height of their stems, and the spread of their leaves. This growth is
affected by several factors including the amount of water they get, the type of soil
they grow in, the amount of sunlight they receive, and the temperature of their
environment.

Farmers use different methods to grow crops depending on the land, weather,
and needs. These methods include organic farming, where only natural materials
are used without chemicals; hydroponics, where plants grow in water with added
nutrients instead of soil; and intensive farming, where large amounts of crops are
grown using machines, fertilizers, and pesticides to produce food for many
people.

Soil fertility is how rich the soil is in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and
phosphorus, which plants need to grow healthy and strong. When soil is
overused or not protected properly, it can lose these nutrients, and the top layer
can be washed or blown away in a process called soil erosion, which makes the
land less useful for farming.

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