Saprotrophic nutrition: organisms feed on dead organic matter. Example: fungi, bacteria
✅ Digest Answers
Q. What is photosynthesis? Write the equation.
Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make food using sunlight, water and CO₂. Equation: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂. It takes place in chloroplasts in the presence of chlorophyll and sunlight.
Q. What are insectivorous plants? Give two examples.
Plants that trap and digest insects to fulfill their nitrogen requirement are insectivorous plants. They grow in nitrogen-poor soil. Examples: Venus Flytrap (closes leaves to trap insects), Pitcher plant (traps insects in pitcher-shaped leaves).
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Science
Chapter 4 — Heat
📌 Key Points
Temperature: measure of hotness or coldness. Unit: degree Celsius (°C)
Heat: form of energy that flows from hot to cold body. Unit: Joule (J) or calorie
Thermometer: instrument to measure temperature
Clinical thermometer: range 35°C to 42°C. Used for body temperature
Normal body temperature = 37°C (98.6°F)
Conduction: transfer of heat through direct contact. Occurs mainly in solids
Convection: transfer of heat through movement of fluids (liquids and gases)
Radiation: transfer of heat without any medium. Example: heat from sun
Dark, rough surfaces are good absorbers and radiators of heat
Light, shiny surfaces are poor absorbers (good reflectors)
✅ Digest Answers
Q. What is the difference between heat and temperature?
Heat is a form of energy that flows from a hot body to a cold body. It is measured in Joules. Temperature is a measure of hotness or coldness of an object measured in degrees Celsius. A large body at low temperature can have more heat than a small body at high temperature.
Q. Why do we wear white or light-coloured clothes in summer?
Light-coloured clothes absorb less heat and reflect more sunlight compared to dark-coloured clothes. So we feel cooler in white or light clothes during hot summer days.
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Science
Chapter 14 — Electric Current and Its Effects
📌 Key Points
Electric circuit: closed path through which current flows
Cell: source of electric energy. Battery = two or more cells connected
Switch: device to open or close a circuit
Conductor: material that allows current to flow. Example: copper, iron
Insulator: material that does not allow current to flow. Example: rubber, plastic
Heating effect of current: current produces heat in a conductor (used in bulb, heater, iron)
Fuse: safety device — melts and breaks circuit if too much current flows
Magnetic effect of current: current-carrying wire behaves like a magnet
Electromagnet: temporary magnet made by passing current through a coil around iron core
Electric bell: works on magnetic effect of current
✅ Digest Answers
Q. What is an electromagnet? Give its two uses.
An electromagnet is a temporary magnet formed by passing electric current through a coil wound around an iron core. It acts as a magnet only when current flows. Uses: 1) Electric bell 2) Cranes to lift heavy iron objects 3) Electric motors 4) Speakers.
Q. Why is a fuse used in electric circuits?
A fuse is a safety device made of low melting point wire. When excess current flows, the fuse wire melts and breaks the circuit, preventing damage to appliances and fire. It protects the circuit from short circuits and overloading.
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English Grammar
Nouns and Pronouns
📌 Key Points
Common noun: name of any person, place or thing. Example: boy, city, book
Proper noun: specific name. Example: Shashikant, Mumbai, Ganga. Always capitalised.
Collective noun: name of a group. Example: flock (birds), herd (cattle), team, class
Abstract noun: name of quality, feeling or idea. Example: honesty, happiness, knowledge
Countable noun: can be counted — book/books, child/children
Uncountable noun: cannot be counted — water, sugar, air
An abstract noun is the name of a quality, feeling, state or idea that cannot be seen or touched. Examples: Courage, Kindness, Love, Freedom, Intelligence, Happiness.
Q. Identify nouns: "The team of students won the competition."
team (collective noun), students (common noun), competition (common noun)
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English Grammar
Adjectives and Degrees of Comparison
📌 Key Points
Positive degree: describes quality without comparison. Example: tall, fast, good
Comparative degree: comparison of two things. Add -er or use 'more'. Example: taller, faster, better
Superlative degree: highest degree. Add -est or use 'most'. Example: tallest, fastest, best
Short adjectives (1 syllable): add -er/-est. Example: big → bigger → biggest
Long adjectives: use more/most. Example: beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful
Q. Give comparative and superlative of: beautiful, good, little
beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful good → better → best little → less → least
Q. Change to superlative: "Riya is taller than all other girls."
Riya is the tallest girl.
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History
Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years
📌 Key Points
Historians use manuscripts, inscriptions, coins, buildings to study the past
Manuscript: handwritten text, usually on paper, palm leaf or bark
Archives: places where manuscripts and records are kept
Maps in the medieval period were often not accurate — they showed the world differently
Al-Idrisi: Arab cartographer who made a map in 1154 — showed south at top
The word "Hindustan" was first used by Minhaj-i-Siraj to mean the subcontinent
Medieval period: roughly from 700 CE to 1750 CE
Languages change over time — scholars who copied manuscripts sometimes changed words
Jatis (castes) and religious groups were important social divisions
✅ Digest Answers
Q. What are manuscripts? Why are they important?
Manuscripts are handwritten texts, usually on paper, palm leaf or birch bark. They are important because they contain information about history, literature, religion and science of the past. They help historians understand how people lived centuries ago.
Q. Why is it difficult to study the medieval period?
Because: 1) Manuscripts were copied by hand and errors were introduced. 2) Words changed meaning over time. 3) Maps were not accurate. 4) Many sources are in different languages. 5) Records were not kept systematically.
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Geography
Our Environment — Key Topics
📌 Key Points
Environment: everything around us — living and non-living
Biotic components: all living things — plants, animals, humans, microorganisms
Abiotic components: non-living things — air, water, soil, sunlight
Ecosystem: interaction between biotic and abiotic components in an area
Lithosphere: solid crust of earth (land). Hydrosphere: water bodies. Atmosphere: layer of gases. Biosphere: zone of life
Rotation of Earth → day and night. Revolution → seasons
Earth takes 24 hours to complete one rotation, 365¼ days to complete one revolution
✅ Digest Answers
Q. What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a system formed by the interaction of all living organisms (biotic components — plants, animals, bacteria) with the non-living physical environment (abiotic components — sunlight, water, soil, air) in a specific area. Example: forest ecosystem, pond ecosystem.
Q. Difference between rotation and revolution of Earth?
Rotation: Earth spinning on its own axis — takes 24 hours — causes day and night. Revolution: Earth moving around the Sun — takes 365¼ days (1 year) — causes seasons and years.
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