Lesson 11:

Essentials for Life




Chemicals are the basic building blocks that make up all living and non-living things on Earth. Many chemicals occur naturally in the environment and may be found in our air, water, food, and homes. Some chemicals are synthetic and are used in everyday products from medicines to computers to fabrics and fuels. In this lesson, you will learn about the substances that are essential for life on Earth as well as what can harm Earth.

 
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In this lesson, you will:

  • learn about how living things take in materials through ingestion and absorption
  • learn about common organic and inorganic substances that are essential for life
  • learn about how chemicals dispersed into the environment can harm the planet



Key terms for this lesson:

  • absorption
  • ingestion
  • digestive system
  • esophagus
  • small intestine
  • large intestine
  • organic compounds
  • inorganic compounds
  • chlorofluorocarbons
  • ozone layer
  • bioaccumulation