Super TET / State TET Environmental Studies and Science (Paryavaran evam Vigyan) Syllabus

What are the three states of matter and how do their particle arrangements differ?

Solid (particles tightly packed, fixed shape/volume), liquid (loosely packed, fixed volume but takes container shape), gas (far apart, no fixed shape or volume).

Define the terms melting, evaporation, condensation and sublimation.

Melting: solid to liquid. Evaporation: liquid to gas. Condensation: gas to liquid. Sublimation: solid directly to gas (e.g., camphor).

What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change?

Physical change: no new substance formed and is usually reversible (melting ice). Chemical change: a new substance forms and is usually irreversible (burning paper).

State Newton's three laws of motion.

1) An object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a force (inertia). 2) Force = mass x acceleration (F = ma). 3) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is the rate of change of distance (scalar, no direction); velocity is the rate of change of displacement in a given direction (vector).

What is the formula for work, and its SI unit?

Work = Force x Displacement (W = F x d). SI unit is the joule (J).

State the law of conservation of energy.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it only changes from one form to another. The total energy remains constant.

What is the difference between kinetic energy and potential energy?

Kinetic energy is energy due to motion (KE = 1/2 mv^2); potential energy is stored energy due to position or state (PE = mgh).

What are the three main ways heat is transferred?

Conduction (through solids by contact), convection (through fluids by movement), and radiation (through space without a medium).

What is the speed of light and the speed of sound in air (approximate)?

Light travels at about 3 x 10^8 m/s (300,000 km/s); sound travels at about 343 m/s in air at room temperature.

What are the seven colours of the visible spectrum (VIBGYOR)?

Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red.

What is the difference between reflection and refraction of light?

Reflection is the bouncing back of light from a surface; refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another of different density.

What is an echo, and what minimum distance is required to hear one?

An echo is a reflected sound heard after the original. To hear a distinct echo, the reflecting surface must be at least about 17 metres away.

What is Ohm's law and its equation?

The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it (at constant temperature). V = I x R, where V is voltage, I is current, R is resistance.

What is the difference between conductors and insulators? Give one example of each.

Conductors allow electric current to flow (copper, silver); insulators do not allow current to flow (rubber, plastic, wood).

What are the differences between a series circuit and a parallel circuit?

In series, components are connected end to end so the same current flows and one break stops all; in parallel, components have separate paths so each gets full voltage and others keep working if one fails.

What are the basic properties of a magnet?

A magnet has two poles (north and south), attracts magnetic materials, like poles repel and unlike poles attract, and a freely suspended magnet aligns north-south.

What is the approximate composition of air (by volume)?

Nitrogen about 78%, oxygen about 21%, and the remaining ~1% argon, carbon dioxide, water vapour and other gases.

Describe the water cycle and its main stages.

Water evaporates from water bodies, condenses into clouds, falls as precipitation (rain/snow), and collects/runs off back to water bodies and groundwater, repeating continuously.

What are the three main layers of soil from top to bottom?

Topsoil (humus-rich, fertile), subsoil (minerals, less humus), and bedrock (solid parent rock).

What is an ecosystem, and what are its two main components?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living environment. Components: biotic (living: plants, animals, microbes) and abiotic (non-living: air, water, soil, sunlight).

What is a food chain, and name its trophic levels?

A food chain shows the transfer of energy through eating. Levels: producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), tertiary consumers, and decomposers.

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

A food chain is a single linear sequence of who eats whom; a food web is a network of many interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.

Name the major environmental issues caused by human activity.

Air, water and soil pollution; deforestation; global warming/climate change; ozone layer depletion; loss of biodiversity; and waste accumulation.

What is the greenhouse effect and which gases cause it?

The trapping of heat in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases, warming the Earth. Main gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour.

What are the three R's of waste management?

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

What is the concept and scope of EVS (Environmental Studies)?

EVS is an interdisciplinary subject integrating science, social science, and environment to help children understand their natural and social surroundings. Its scope covers physical, biological, social, and cultural environments.

What are the key approaches used in teaching EVS?

Child-centred, activity-based, experiential, inquiry/discovery, observation, project, and integrated thematic approaches that connect learning to the child's environment.

Name common activities used in EVS teaching.

Field trips/nature walks, experiments, surveys, observation tasks, projects, role play, discussions, and gardening/collection activities.

What are teaching aids, and give examples used in EVS?

Teaching aids are materials that make learning effective and concrete. Examples: charts, models, maps, specimens, real objects, pictures, and audio-visual/ICT tools.

What is the difference between formative and summative evaluation in EVS?

Formative evaluation is continuous, during the learning process, to improve learning (observation, projects); summative evaluation is at the end of a term/unit to assess achievement (final tests/exams).