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Earth Science
Quarter 1: Modules 1-4

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
N a t i o n a l C a pi t a l Reg i o n
Sc h o o l s D i v i si o n O f f i c e o f Las Pi ñ a s C i t y

DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE MODULE

WRITERS: AILINE C. AUSTRIA, Teacher III
MARY ANN C. FAJARDO, Teacher III
JOSELITO P. GRANDE JR., Teacher II

CONSOLIDATOR: JOSELITO P. GRANDE JR., Teacher II

LANGUAGE EDITOR: VIRGILIA D. MUJER, Teacher III

CONTENT EMERINA CLARISSE BERNANTE, Teacher II

VALIDATORS: LEILANIE A. BRIZA, Teacher III
MA. CRISTINA V. DINGAL, Teacher III
GERAME H. TURA, Teacher III

COVER PAGE AIRA MARI CON M. AUSTERO

ILLUSTRATOR:

TEAM LEADER: DR. RAQUEL M. AUSTERO

Education Program Supervisor

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 Module 1 Earth: The Living Planet

Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Describe the characteristics of Earth that are necessary to support life (S11ES-
Ia-b-3)
• Explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems, across whose boundaries
matter and energy flow (S11ES-Ib-4)
• Identify common rock-forming minerals using their physical and chemical
properties (S11ES-Ib-5)

What’s In
Earth: The Living Planet
Earth’s conditions can sustain life because of its position in the solar system; it is
not too hot nor too cold. This habitable zone of the Earth is also called the Goldilocks
Zone.

The remarkable characteristics of the earth make it a living planet. There are
several factors to consider in sustaining life. Temperature, presence of water,
atmosphere, nutrients, and energy source are among these factors. The temperature
limits for living organisms range from -15ºC to 115ºC. At this temperature, water is in
liquid form, a universal solvent that can support biochemical processes necessary to
sustain life. The layers of gases in the atmosphere protect the earth from harmful
radiation and are used for nutrient recycling. Series of chemical reactions take place as
energy from the sun is converted from light to chemical and is used to manufacture food
by plants. The synthesis of biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic
acids) from biologically important elements (commonly Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen,
Oxygen, Phosphorus and Sulfur) found on earth also requires energy.

The Interactions among the Earth’s Subsystems

The earth is a closed system. It is composed of subsystems called spheres,
namely: atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere from which matter and
energy flows. The earth’s atmosphere is composed of biologically important gases
such as Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon 0.9% and trace amount of other gases. The
lithosphere consists of rocks found in crust and mantle, the outer core which is a metallic
liquid and a solid metallic inner core. Plate tectonics is an important process that shapes
the surface of the earth making it a living place for organisms.

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 The biosphere is composed of all
living organisms on Earth, their
ecological connections, and the
biochemical processes necessary to
support life. The earth is covered
with water. The earth’s hydrosphere
is composed of ocean water which
covers 70% of the earth and only 3%
of earth’s water is fresh. These
subsystems interact and influence
each other. A change in one sphere
may affect one or more of the other
spheres. These changes can occur
naturally or can be caused by human
Figure 1. The Earth System activities.
SOURCE: EARTH SCIENCE Teacher’s Guide for SHS p.36

What is a mineral?
Minerals are the basic building blocks of rocks, characterized as naturally
occurring solids with definite chemical composition, form and properties.

Properties of Minerals
1. Luster – the ability of minerals to reflect light. It can tell whether the mineral is shiny
or dull. Luster can be further classified as metallic, vitreous, adamantine, resinous,
silky, pearly, greasy, or oily, pitch-like, waxy, and earthy or dull.
2. Color and streak - Different minerals show different colors. These variations are
based on its impure form and from geologic processes like weathering. As such, color
is not a reliable property to distinguish minerals from each other. Streak is the color
of minerals in its powdered form. The natural color of mineral may vary from its
streak.
3. Crystal Form/Habit – an intrinsic property of minerals as this property remains the
same regardless of the amount of the mineral. Crystal form of mineral varies from
prismatic, tabular, bladed, platy, reniform and equant. This depends on the atom
arrangement of the mineral. Amorphous minerals are minerals that do not possess
crystalline structure.
4. Hardness – the ability of minerals to resist abrasion or scratching. In 1812 a German
geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mohs devised a scale of measuring the scratch
resistance of different minerals from a scale of 1 to 10. This scale is based on the
ability of a harder mineral to scratch a softer mineral.

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 Figure 2. Mohs Scale
Source: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/547ca5b2e4b0f8c457082bed/1418238193887-
WSDUHH6AG42G9LRL5NZV/Mohs

5. Cleavage – a property shown when a mineral exhibits breakage along a flat, parallel
surface. This is determined by atom arrangement and weakness of the bonds holding
them. Minerals can be characterized by their number of unparallel cleavage surfaces.
It can be basal, prismatic, cubic, octahedral, etc.
6. Fracture – it is shown when a mineral exhibits irregular and random breakage
surfaces. It can be further classified as fibrous, irregular or conchoidal.
7. Specific Gravity – the ratio of the density of the mineral to that of water, indicating
how much the mineral weighs compared to an equal amount of water (Specific gravity
of water is 1).
Other properties of minerals include magnetism, odor, taste, tenacity, and reaction to
acid.

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 Chemical Composition of Minerals
Minerals can be classified based on their chemical compositions. The table below
shows the classification of minerals.

Table 1: Classification of minerals based on chemical composition

Classification Native Silicate Oxide Sulfate Sulfide Carbonate Halide

Composition Pure +SiO₄ +O₂ +SO₄ +S₂ +CO₃ +Halogens

form of
the
element

Examples Gold Quartz Hematite Gypsum Pyrite Calcite Chlorine

Bismuth Olivine Magnetite Barite Galena Dolomite Fluorine

Diamond Talc Chromite Anhydrite Bornite Malachite Halite

1. Native Elements – minerals in pure form consisting of a single substance. They can
be further classified as metal, non-metal, and semi metal.
2. Silicates – composed of elements that chemically bond with silicon and oxygen.
3. Oxides – combination of an oxide with another element
4. Sulfates – contain sulfate ions and other elements.
5. Sulfides – binary compound composed of a combination of sulfur and a metal.
6. Carbonates - ternary compound composed of carbonate ion and other elements

What’s More

Activity 1: Explain It!

Directions: Answer the following questions.
1. What conditions are necessary for life to thrive on a planet?
__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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2. How does the earth’s atmosphere impact life?
__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do scientists think that water is important in life?
__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. How does the Earth’s distance from the Sun supports survival of life?
__________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Activity 2: Identify It!

Directions: Identify the mineral property being described.
____________1. It is the ratio of the density of the mineral to that of water, indicating
how much the mineral weighs compared to an equal amount of water.
____________2. It is a property shown when a mineral exhibits breakage along a flat,
parallel surface.
____________3. It refers to the color of minerals in its powdered form.
____________4. An intrinsic property of minerals as this property remains the same
regardless of the amount of the mineral.
____________5. The ability of minerals to resist abrasion or scratching.
____________6. The ability of minerals to reflect light. It can tell whether the mineral is
shiny or dull.
____________7. It is shown when a mineral exhibits irregular and random breakage
surfaces.

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 What I Have Learned
Directions: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What makes the Earth unique?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. How will you explain the connection of the 4 subsystems of Earth?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
Humans use minerals in their daily lives. Identify a common object in your
household that is made up of a mineral and explain the property of this object that made
it useful for humans.

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 Module 2 Rocks

Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. (S11/12ES-Ic-6)

What’s In
Classification of Rocks
Rocks are mixtures of one or more minerals and are naturally part of the Earth’s
lithosphere. Majority of rocks are made up of more than one mineral. If you look closer
at these rocks, it is evident that there are different grains present. Differences in the
appearance and color of a grain embedded in a rock implies that it is made up of different
minerals. However, there are also rocks which are made up of only one mineral. You will
see in these rocks that their composition is uniform in any part of the rock. You will not
see different-looking grains present in it.

Rocks are classified into three types. These are igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic rock. This classification is based on the way they are formed.

1. Igneous Rocks
These rocks form when hot, molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface cools
down. Magma cools when it rises to the Earth’s surface. Igneous rocks are commonly
associated with volcanoes as their explosion causes magma to come out to the Earth’s
surface in the form of lava. Igneous rocks are composed of intergrown crystals. Rapid
cooling can make these crystals too small to be visible. Igneous rocks are usually quite
hard and dense. Layering is rare in this type of rock. Some igneous rocks may have
frothy texture due to gas bubbles trapped in the magma.

The combination of elements or

compounds that make up a rock is its
composition. The composition of igneous
rocks greatly affects its color. Felsic igneous
rocks are light-colored and made up of
feldspar and silicon. On the other hand, mafic
Figure 1. Igneous rocks’ crystals. igneous rocks are rich in magnesium and
Photo taken from Earth Science: The Physical iron and is often dark-colored.
Setting.

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2. Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks are made of broken, small pieces of rocks that have been
eroded and later deposited as sediment in layers. Over time, the sediments are
compressed by the weight of the layers above them. The layers may become cemented
by mineral material left by water circulating through the sediments. There are three types
of sedimentary rocks: clastic, chemical, and biochemical sedimentary rocks. Clastic
sedimentary rock forms when fragments of other rocks are bound or cemented
together. The sediment pieces in different rocks can be of different sizes. Geologists
group clastic sedimentary

Figure 2. Samples of Clastic Sedimentary rocks.

Photo taken from Holt Interactive Earth Science Textbook.

Chemical sedimentary rocks form when minerals dissolved by water

crystallizes. This type of rock forms due to evaporation and precipitation. In geology,
precipitation is defined as the act of a solid coming out of a solution. In the formation of
chemical sedimentary rocks, water that dissolved rock-forming minerals will eventually
evaporate. As the water evaporates, the concentration of minerals gets higher,
precipitates, and then forms the rocks. Rock salt (halite) is a common example of this
type of rock. Biochemical sedimentary rocks are the last type of sedimentary rocks.
They form from the remains of living organisms. Coal, limestone, and chalk are examples
of this type of rocks.

Figure 3. Figure 3. A sample of Biochemical Sedimentary rock.

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Photo taken from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/38332058154
 2. Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic rocks are the only type of rock that begin from a previous rock
type. In the formation of metamorphic rocks, a rock is exposed to extreme heat and
pressure which causes its mineral composition and texture to change. This process is
called as metamorphism.
Metamorphic rocks can form either by contact metamorphism or regional
metamorphism. In contact metamorphism, magma comes in direct contact and heat up
a rock surrounding it. On the other hand, regional metamorphism is associated with the
movement of the Earth’s crust. As the movement happens, a large mass of rock is
exposed to extreme heat and pressure. The table below shows the comparison between
contact and regional metamorphism.
Contact Metamorphism Regional Metamorphism

It happens when a rock is in It happens due to exposure of rock to heat

direct contact with hot molten and pressure due to movement of tectonic
rock. plates.

Smaller area Larger area

Little to no pressure is exerted to More pressure is exerted to the rocks.

the rock.

What’s More

Activity 1: Answer It!

Directions: Answer the question below.
1. What are the things that you need to look for before classifying a rock?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. How will you differentiate the three types of rocks?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. How will you describe the formation of sedimentary rocks?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. What is the difference between felsic igneous rock and mafic igneous rock?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. How do the clastic sedimentary rocks form?
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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Activity 2: Identify It!

Directions: Identify the type of rock based on the descriptions given.

1. ________________________ 2. ________________________

This is obsidian. This is a

Has a smooth conglomerate. It
texture which is made up of
results from rapid different sized
cooling of sediments from
magma. It is different rock
usually dark and called as volcanic materials.
glass.

3. ________________________ 4. ________________________

Fossils are Schist is formed after

sometimes found a mudstone is
in a limestone. It is exposed to heat and
made up of calcium pressure due to the
carbonate that came movement of tectonic
from shells of marine organisms. plates.
Photo taken from McGuire, T. (2005). Earth Science: The Physical Setting. New York: Amsco School
Publications, Inc.

What I Have Learned

Complete the phrase below.

I have learned that rocks are __________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
Create a poster that will show how rocks are used by humans in their daily lives.
Use a separate sheet of paper. Refer to the rubrics in creating your poster.

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 Criterion Excellent (4) Very Good Good (2) Fair (1)
(3)
Content The output was The output The output was The output was
interesting and was somewhat not connected
was connected connected to connected to to the topic.
to the topic. the topic. the topic.
Creativity The output was The output The output was The output
creative and was somewhat lacked
appealing. appealing appealing. creativity.
Organization The ideas The ideas The ideas The ideas
presented presented presented were presented did
showed great showed somewhat not show
connection to connection to connected to connection to
the other parts. the other the other parts. the other parts.
parts.

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 Module 3 Mining and Fossil Fuels

Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Describe how ore minerals are found, mined, and processed for human use
(S11/12ES-Ic-d-8)
• Describe how fossil fuels are formed (S11/12ES-Id-10)

What’s In
The Earth is made up of different types of minerals. Humans mine minerals and
use it in their daily lives. However, it is not enough for a certain mineral to be just present
in an area. Its level must be concentrated in one place to make it viable for mining. This
is what geologists call a mineral resource. A mineral resource is a volume of rock that
contains a substantial amount of one or more useful minerals. On the other hand, mineral
occurrence is described as a concentration of mineral that is of scientific or technical
interest. A mineral occurrence will not be enough for a mining company to invest and
mine an area. Typically, they will look for an ore deposit. An ore deposit is a mineral
deposit that has been tested and known to be economically profitable to mine.
Search, Mine and Process Minerals
1. Mineral Exploration
Mining companies need to ensure
that they will profit from a mineral deposit
because they will be investing a large
amount of money for machineries and
manpower. Typically, mining companies
will search for an ore deposit. The process
of searching for an area with commercially
viable ore deposit is called mineral
exploration. Creating a project design,
field exploration, and feasibility study are
the stages done under mineral
exploration. Creating a project design is
the initial stage in mineral exploration.
During this stage, mining companies send
Figure 1. Core drilling Photo taken from
out experts to look for available information https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cable
about the area. They may interview locals, _suspended_ice_
search for historical records, look on core_drilling_system_schematic.png

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previous geographic records with the aim of consolidating information about the possible
presence of ore deposit. Furthermore, experts will also look on information about the
ecosystem and communities that may be disrupted during the mining operations.
Government permits and other requirements will also be studied. The acceptance
of the community will also be considered as well as the budget it will take to operate the
mining site. If the information taken from the project design positively recommends the
operation of a mining site, then field exploration will be done. In field exploration,
physical activities will be done in the selected area.
Core drilling is done in this stage. Here, a machine will drill through the surface with
the goal of collecting undisturbed and intact samples of the materials underground. The
samples taken by the core will be examined and minerals present will be measured. The
mapping of the zones where ore deposits are present will also be obtained with the use
of the core samples taken. Lastly, all the information taken from the two previous stages
will be consolidated and validated in a feasibility study. Aside from serving as a record, a
feasibility study is used by mining companies to look for interested investors that will
fund the mining operations. Once all of these are achieved, mining operations may now
start.

2. Mining Process
Mining is the removal of
valuable minerals from the Earth.
Mining is classified as either subsurface
(underground) mining or surface
mining. Subsurface (underground)
mining refers to a group of techniques
used to remove ores from deep
underground. Alternatively, surface
mining is done if the ores are near the
Earth’s surface. Figure 2 shows some
examples of surface and subsurface
mining. On the upper right portion of
the picture, open pit mine is illustrated.
As an example of surface mining, open
pit mines remove large deposits of
Figure 2. Some examples of mining.
minerals near the surface. Slope mine Photo taken from
is depicted at the middle portion of the https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cable_suspende
image. In this type of mining, an d_ice_ core_drilling_system_schematic.png

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inclined tunnel is dug deep into the ground that is parallel to the ore deposit being
mined.
Lastly, shaft mining is shown at left portion of the picture. Here, miners dig deep
straight to the ground until they reach the desired area where mineral deposits are
located. Take note that the mining methods that will be used will be based on the data
gathered during the mineral exploration. This will maximize the resources that the mining
companies will invest in a certain mining project.
3. Milling Process
The ore deposit mined is a mixture of minerals and waste materials. These waste
materials include rocks with no economic value and even remnants of living organisms.
The recovery of minerals from the ore and separation of waste materials can involve one
or more processes which are usually done in a mill. There are different separation
methods done during the milling process. These separation methods are based on the
characteristics that a mineral has. However, most milling processes start with crushing,
screening, and grinding of ores which result to reduction in their size until they are
pulverized. The different separation methods are discussed below.
Different Methods to Separate Minerals during the Milling Process
a) Heavy Media Separation. In this process, crushed rocks are submerged in a
liquid with a different density from the minerals. The floating or sinking of minerals
will be triggered by the differences in density. In the process, the minerals desired
will be concentrated either on top or at the bottom of the container, separated
from other unwanted materials.
b) Magnetic separation. This process uses a powerful magnet to separate metallic
minerals from other unwanted materials.
c) Flotation. The pulverized ore is mixed into a chemical mixture. The mixture will
be agitated using a large machine to stir it and forms bubbles. The bubbles will
contain the minerals separated from the unwanted materials.
d) Cyanide heap leaching. This is commonly done in milling gold ore deposits. A
pile of ore deposits will be placed in an area where cyanide will be sprayed. As
the cyanide is sprayed, gold will be dissolved and mix with the cyanide. The
solution with cyanide and gold will be processed to extract gold.
The unwanted materials from the milling process are called tailings. Typically, it
has a mud-like consistency. It is a mixture of rocks, soils, other unwanted materials, and
the chemicals used during the separation method. If handled incorrectly, tailings will
become a major environmental issue as it may destroy ecosystems that it may
contaminate.

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Energy Resources
Energy resource refers to a source that can produce heat, power life, move
objects or produce electricity. We use different energy resources in our daily lives. We
use it to move our vehicles, cook food, power our devices and more. Energy is harvested
by mankind from different sources. Energy resources could either be renewable or
nonrenewable energy. Nonrenewable resources are resources that formed in nature
and in fixed amounts. The formation of these resources is so slow and may take a million
years, thus humans use them faster than they can form. Examples of non-renewable
resources are coal, oil and gas. In contrast, renewable resources are resources
available in nature that can be replaced by natural processes with the rate equal to rate
at which humans consume them. Renewable resources are said to have an infinite
amount. Examples of this are hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar energy.

Types of Fossil fuels and Its Formation

Fossil fuels are nonrenewable sources of energy formed from buried dead
organisms. They must be buried deep to ensure that air will not flow to it as they
decompose. Their formation will take millions of years and sometimes exceed 650 million
years. Coal, oil, and natural gas are the different types of fossil fuels.
Coal is produced from decayed plant materials. The formation of coal is called as
coalification or carbonification. As you may know, plant materials are made up of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (may sometimes include nitrogen). But during
coalification, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are gradually removed from the dead plant
materials which in turn leaves carbon as the primary component of coal. A coal with
higher carbon content is more volatile, thus considered to have a higher grade.

Figure 4. Coal Formation. Photo taken from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/

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 The formation of coal starts in area where large vegetation is near a body of water.
Millions of years ago, tectonic activity raises water level which in turn covers and kills the
large area of vegetation. Plant debris will, then, be covered with layered mud and sand.
As it is buried, plant debris will be exposed to pressure and heat, where carbon will
remain, and other materials will be removed. This may happen repeatedly, as geologic
evidence suggests that layers of coal with different ages is found in an area.
Oil and natural gas, like coal, are classified as fossil fuels because they formed
from the remains of living organisms. Oil and natural gas formed from remains of marine
plants and animals. As marine organisms die, they decompose as they are eaten by other
marine organisms or bacteria. However, a small portion escapes this fate and sinks deep
at the bottom of the sea where there is less oxygen. During this time, the remains are
also covered with sand and other dead marine microorganisms. Anaerobic bacteria will
act on it and transforms it into a dark, foul-smelling mud. This mud will then harden, and
if the amount it will be the precursor for oil and gas deposits and will then be called as
source rock.

Figure 5. Oil Formation. Photo taken from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/

The process of accumulation of decayed marine organisms and the action of the
anaerobic bacteria will be repeated until it reaches the point where it is heavy enough to
sink to the Earth’s crust. As it sinks deep below ground, the source rock is subjected to
increasingly high temperatures, the organic matter that makes up the rock is crushed by
the weight of the accumulating sediments, and the pressure increases. These physical
conditions allow nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus to be gradually converted into kerogen.
Kerogen is an intermediate material made up of water, carbon dioxide, carbon and

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hydrogen, which is then transformed into oil or gas. Oil and gas will then seep out from
the source rock to the reservoir rock. This reservoir rock should be porous enough to
provide space for the seeping oil and gas. For the oil and gas not to escape, a cap rock
should seal the reservoir rock. This cap rock, unlike the reservoir rock, should not be
porous. This will ensure that the oil and gas will be trapped inside the reservoir rock.

Fossil Fuel Power Generation

Humans can only use fossil fuels after exploration and mining of it. It will then be
transported to power plants where it will be burned. It may be used to heat up water and
produce steam. The produced steam will then turn a turbine. The turning of the turbine
will be the way to produce electricity that humans will consume. Shown in the illustration
below is the diagram of a fossil fuel power plant.

Figure 6. Diagram of a fossil fuel power plant.

Photo taken from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel_power_station#/media/File:Coal_fired_power_plant_diagra
m.svg

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 What’s More

Activity 1: Choose It!

Directions: Read each question. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which is an example of surface mining?

A. Drift mining
B. Shaft mining
C. Slope mining
D. Open pit mining

2. Which statement is TRUE about mineral resource?

A. It is described as a concentration of mineral that is of scientific or technical
interest.
B. It is a volume of rock that contains a substantial amount of one or more useful
minerals.
C. It is a mineral deposit that has been tested and known to be economically
profitable to mine.
D. All of the statements are true.

3. What term is used to describe the unwanted materials produced after the milling
process?
A. Tailings
B. Disturbance
C. Heap leaching
D. All of the above

4. Which term is described as the removal of valuable minerals from the Earth?
A. Milling
B. Mining
C. Separation
D. Field exploration

5. Which is described as the process of searching for an area with commercially viable
ore deposit?
A. Core drilling
B. Feasibility study
C. Field exploration
D. Mineral exploration

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Activity 2: Describe It!
Directions: Describe the different methods used in the milling process.
1. Heavy media separation
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Flotation
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. Magnetic separation
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Cyanide heap leaching
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

What I Have Learned

Complete the phrases below.

I have learned that mining is ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I have learned that fossil fuels are _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
Energy resources have helped advance the quality of human lives. Today, most
of the things that humans do are dependent on the consumption of different energy
resources. In a sheet of paper, create a short essay that will discuss the importance of
energy resources and how you can help ensure that it will still be available for the
future generation.

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 Module 4 Energy and Water Resources

Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Explain how heat from inside the Earth (geothermal) and from flowing water
(hydroelectric) is tapped as a source of energy for human use. (S11/12ES-Ie-
11)
• Identify the various water resources on Earth (S11ES-If-g-15)

What’s In

Geothermal and Hydroelectric Energy

For the longest time, humans depended on fossil fuels for power generation.
But advancements in knowledge and technology lead us in tapping other sources of
energy that are cleaner and infinite. In this module we will focus on discussing
geothermal and hydroelectric energy power sources.

Geothermal Power Generation

Geothermal energy is a renewable form of energy where heat beneath the Earth’s
surface is used to produce power. Although geothermal reservoir is available in most
countries, some of it only produces low temperate and may not be suitable for energy
production. A reservoir should produce a temperature of 90°C and above for it to
become a viable source of power.

Figure 1. Diagram of a geothermal power plant. Photo taken from

https://archive.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/solutions/technologies/geothermal.html

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 Philippines is one of the few countries that can harvest power from geothermal
sources. Most of the time, geothermal reservoir will heat up the underground water
surrounding it and may produce steam. This water and steam will be used for energy
production. Steam flows through a tube that is directly connected to the turbine. Then,
the turbine will rotate and produce electricity with the generator. The steam will then flow
to the condenser where it will turn into liquid water. The condenser is connected to a
tube that will return the liquid water to the geothermal reservoir. Figure 1 shows how a
type geothermal powerplant works. This is just one example of how geothermal
powerplant works as there are other types that directly uses water from the reservoir.

Hydroelectric Power Generation

Hydroelectric energy is the world’s leading source of renewable energy. It produces
83% of renewable power and this is because of the abundance of water in our planet.
Hydroelectric energy encompasses the energy that is produced with the used of water
whether by its current, waves or tides. The kinetic energy generated by moving water
is then turned into electric energy. Most of the time, a hydroelectric powerplant has the
following three components (CHED, 2016):

Figure 2. An illustration of hydroelectric energy power production. Photo taken from

http://water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/wuhytypicalplant.gif

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 • A dam that produces a large waterfall and stores enough water to continuously
supply the plant. Aside from producing and storing energy, a dam also helps
regulate and prevent flooding.
• A penstock that transfers or directs water from its natural source (river or lake)
to supply the dam reservoir. It can vary between an open channel, tunnel or
pipeline.
• A powerhouse that contains the turbines driven by the waterfall and a generator
that is driven by the turbines.

Water Resources
Water is a polar molecule composed of a combination of two hydrogen atoms and
one oxygen atom covalently bonded together. Its properties include cohesion adhesion,
high boiling point and low freezing point, high specific heat capacity and its capability to
dissolve many solids. These properties explain why water is necessary for life to be
possible. Many processes in living things happen in the presence of water. Without water,
life could presumably not exist on Earth.
How much of the Earth is water? A glimpse at the Earth from space can clearly
show the abundance of water on our planet.

Distribution of Water on Earth

It is clearly evident that the Earth is surrounded by vast water. There may be a
lot of water on Earth, but not all of this water is available for us to use.

Figure 2. Total water on Earth

Photo taken from: http://resources.has.concord.org/resources/water/0101-water-
quantity-EN-2.jpg

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 Around 71 percent of the world's surface is covered in water. Figure 2 shows that
of all of this water, only about 2.5 percent is freshwater and the remaining 97.5 percent
is saltwater. Freshwater resources are distributed in glaciers and ice caps (68.9%),
groundwater and soil moisture (30.8%), and surface water (0.3%). Even with the
abundance of water on Earth, only about 0.3% of all Earth's water is easily accessible –
from underground aquifers, lakes, rivers, and streams – as fresh water for human use.

Types of Water Resources

A. Saltwater Resources
Saltwater is abundant in chloride and sodium ions, together with other elements
such as sulfur, magnesium, calcium etc. These ions form salts that give bodies of water
such as oceans and seas their high salinity. Organisms living in these waters
have adaptations to make them survive such salinity conditions. In order to be usable for
drinking and other purposes, saltwater requires desalination. This process is energy
consuming and expensive, but in extremely dry areas, this can provide freshwater to
people and agriculture for their daily consumption. Saltwater resources serve as habitat
for many organisms that maintain balance in the ecosystem and can be our source of
food. The rise and fall of these waters produce tides that are being used as a source of
hydroelectric energy. While saltwater is not directly providing water for our consumption
and use, it does however provide resources that humans rely on.
B. Groundwater Resources
Groundwater is the most abundant of all liquid freshwater resources. As water
permeates into the ground through layers of soil, earth, and rock, some of it remains
within the topmost layers to give water to plants. This water is in the unsaturated or
vadose zone. The pore spaces in the vadose zone are loaded up with air, but in times
of heavy rainfall, these pore spaces become filled with water
Gravity keeps on moving the water down through the ground. Eventually, the
water arrives at the soaked zone or saturated zone. This is also called the
groundwater zone, where all pore spaces are filled with water. The saturated and
unsaturated zone is separated by the water table. Aquifers are zones of sufficiently
permeable rock that can transmit and hold water. Typically, aquifers are made of
bedrock that has many fractures and connected pores, such as limestone, sandstone
and gravel. As shale and clay layers are impermeable, they make poor aquifers. An
aquifer is filled with water through precipitation from above gradually seeping through

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the layers of soil and rock. In this way, there is significant interaction between surface
water and groundwater.

Figure 4. Aquifer
Photo taken from https://inhabitat.com/possible-solutions-to-tackle-the-california-
drought/california-drought-5/
Groundwater sustains surface water through springs. Surface water can also
restore groundwater supply. Groundwater is often accessed by humans via wells. To
build a well, drilling must be done past the water table. A pump is placed at the bottom
of the well which then siphons water. As water is pumped starting from the ground, a
cone of depression forms around the well and groundwater from the surrounding area
then moves towards the well. Wells can run dry during times of drought, or if surrounding
wells are siphoning a lot of water, making the cone of depression huge.
The layers of soil, clay and rock serves as a natural filter, making water siphoned
from wells generally clean. However, contaminants from nearby soils or septic systems
can pollute a well. It is also possible that saltwater intrusion may occur in areas near the
sea or ocean.
The continuous siphoning and development of wells may cause the gradual
settling of the land known as subsidence. This occurs when groundwater is pumped
out faster than it can be replenished, and the sediment beneath becomes compacted. It
can cause structural problems to foundations, an increased incidence of sinkholes and
flooding.

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C. Surface Water Resources
Surface water is found in streams and lakes. It is used for drinking water supply,
agriculture, industry, animals, transportation, and hydroelectric energy. It is used in open
water supply by 63%, irrigation systems by 58% and industries by almost 98%. The
extensive use of water from surface water systems drives the need for conservation and
quality of these resources. The stream characteristics and nature of surface water is
consistently monitored. Stream flow variations can be used as warning for flooding and
drought conditions. It is also necessary to check the quality of water from a natural,
chemical, and physical point of view. Water quality can be impacted negatively by both
natural and human causes. Tests for water quality include turbidity, conductivity, pH,
temperature, phosphorus level, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen levels and coliform count.
The conservation of the water supply would give assurance of future water resources for
human use.

What’s More

Activity 1: Choose It!

Directions: Read each question. Circle the letter of the correct answer.
1. Which is a type of renewable energy where heat beneath the Earth's surface is
used to produce power?
A. Wind energy
B. Solar energy
C. Geothermal energy
D. Hydroelectric energy

2. Which is TRUE about hydroelectric power?

A. It uses the kinetic energy of wind.
B. It cannot harness energy from waves and tides.
C. It is the world's leading source of renewable energy.
D. All of the above.

3. Which part of a hydroelectric power plant produces a large waterfall and stores
enough water to continuously supply the plant?
A. Dam
B. Penstock
C. Powerhouse
D. All of the above.

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4. Which part of a hydroelectric power plant contains the turbines driven by the
waterfall and a generator that is driven by the turbines?
A. Dam
B. Penstock
C. Powerhouse
D. All of the above.
5. Which type of water resource is the most abundant?
A. Saltwater resources
B. Groundwater resources
C. Surface water resources
D. All of these types have equal quantity.

Activity 2: Describe It!

Directions: Describe the words/phrases connected with water resources.
1. Saltwater resources ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Groundwater resources ________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. Aquifers ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. Water table _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. Surface water resources _______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned
Complete the phrases below.

I have learned that energy resources are ________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I have learned that geothermal energy resources are ______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I have learned that water resources are __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
Water is essential. The presence of water on our planet has driven the survival
and evolution of life. Although, earth is mostly covered by water, humans still experience
scarcity of it. In your own little way, what are the things that you can do to conserve water.
List down at least 10 the ways to conserve water in the space below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

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 30
MODULE 2 MODULE 1
Activity 1
1. The planet needs to have the right temperature,
Activity 1 biologically important gases, water, and energy
1. The physical and chemical properties of it and source.
the way it formed. 2. It protects the life from harmful rays from the
2. Igneous rocks are made up of molten rocks, sun and has important gases needed to sustain
sedimentary rocks are made up of pieces of life.
preexisting rocks, and metamorphic rocks formed 3. Because scientists believed that life started from
due to intense heat and pressure. it and almost all living things in our planet need
3. Sedimentary rocks are made of broken, small water for its metabolism.
pieces of rocks that have been eroded and later 4. Because of its right distance from the Sun, the
deposited as sediment in layers. Earth receives just the right amount of heat and
4. Felsic igneous rocks are light-colored and made energy which permits water to stay in liquid form.
up of feldspar and silicon. On the other hand,
mafic igneous rocks are rich in magnesium and Activity 2
iron and is often dark-colored. 1. specific gravity
5. Clastic sedimentary rock forms when fragments 2. cleavage
of other rocks are bound or cemented together. 3. streak
4. crystal form
Activity 2 5. hardness
1. igneous 6. luster
2. sedimentary 7. fracture
3. sedimentary
4. metamorphic
What I have Learned
1. Students' answer may vary. They may identify
What I Have Learned the following characteristics that make the Earth
Students’ answers may vary. Rocks are classified unique such as presence of water and important
into three types. These are igneous, sedimentary, gases, right distance from the Sun, etc.
and metamorphic rock.
2. Students' answer may vary.
Answer Key
 31
MODULE 4 MODULE 3
Activity 1 Activity 1
1. c 1. d
2. c 2. b
3. a 3. a
4. c 4. b
5. a 5. c
Activity 2 Activity 2
1. Saltwater is abundant in chloride and sodium 1. In this process, crushed rocks are submerged in
a liquid with a different density from the minerals.
ions, together with other elements such as sulfur,
magnesium, calcium etc. 2.The pulverized ore is mixed into a chemical
2. Groundwater is the most abundant of all liquid mixture. The mixture will be agitated using a large
machine to stir it and forms bubbles. The bubbles
freshwater resources.
3. Aquifers are zones of sufficiently permeable will contain the minerals separated from the
rock that can transmit and hold water. unwanted materials.
3.This process uses a powerful magnet to separate
4. The saturated and unsaturated zone is
metallic minerals from other unwanted materials.
separated by the water table.
5. Surface water is found in streams and lakes. It is 4.A pile of ore deposits will be placed in an area
used for drinking water supply, agriculture, where cyanide will be sprayed. As the cyanide is
sprayed, gold will be dissolved and mix with the
industry, animals, transportation, and hydroelectric
energy. cyanide. The solution with cyanide and gold will be
processed to extract gold.
What I Have Learned
What I Have Learned
Students' answers may vary. Geothermal energy is
Students' answers may vary. Energy resource
a renewable form of energy where heat beneath
refers to a source that can produce heat, power
the Earth’s surface is used to produce power;
life, move objects or produce electricity.
Hydroelectric energy is the world’s leading source
Nonrenewable resources are resources that
of renewable energy. It produces 83% of
formed in nature and in fixed amounts.
renewable power; Water is a polar molecule
composed of a combination of two hydrogen
atoms and one oxygen atom covalently bonded
together.
References
3 Types of Rocks: A Science Poem. (2019, August 27). Retrieved from
https://sciencepoems.net/3-types-of-rocks-poem/
Blast from the Past: The Rock Cycle. (2011, June 7). Retrieved from
https://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2011/06/07/blast-from-the-past-the-rock-cycle/
Commission on Higher Education. 2016. Teaching Guide for Senior High School: Earth
Science.
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill . (2007). Earth Science. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Holt, R. a. (n.d.). Earth Science Interactive Textbook. Austin, Texas.
McGuire, T. (2005). Earth Science: The Physical Setting. New York: Amsco School
Publications, Inc.

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