UNIT 3

….…………………………………………………………………………………….

CURRENT ISSUES
ARISING FROM THE
APPLICATION OF
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
LESSON 1
………………………………………………………………………………………

CLIMATE CHANGE

Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the meaning, causes, and
effects of climate change.

Learning Outcomes:
The students will be able to:
1. State the meaning of climate change, global warming and greenhouse
effect;
2. Identify the causes of climate change;
3. Describe the impact of climate change to the society and environment;
4. State possible solution to minimize the implication of climate change.

Word Bank:
climate change, global warming. greenhouse gases, greenhouse effect
DISCUSSION:
The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last
650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat,
with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the
beginning of the modern climate era- and of human civilization. Most of
these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit
that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives.
Earth is a very special planet- it orbits close enough to the sun to receive
a lot of energy, but far enough away not to be scorched. To help keep these
conditions constant, our planet is wrapped in a layer of greenhouse gases.
This layer acts like a blanket, keeping the earth warm and shielding if from
the cold of universe.
Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather
patterns when that change has already had observable effects on the
environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up
earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner.
Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from
global climate change are now occurring: global temperature rise,
shrinking ice sheets or loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer,
more intense heat waves, water acidification and extreme events.
Ninety- seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming
trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities, and
most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public
statements endorsing this position.One manifestation of climate change is
global warming.

WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the
Earth’s near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected
continuation. In common usage the term refers to recent warming and
implies a human influence. Most of the observed increase in globally
averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the
observed increase in greenhouse gas concentrations,” which leads to
warming of the surface and lower atmosphere by increasing the
greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined
with volcanoes also produced greenhouse effect.
WHAT CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE?
Human activities like mining, wrong practices in agriculture, illegal
logging, burning of fossil fuel. deforestation, too much car that emits
carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and producing industrial waste are
believe to be the sources of greenhouse gasses that in the long run cause
the climate change.

TRE GREENHOUSE GASES AND EFFECT

 Small amounts of heat trapping gases such as water vapor (H2O),
carbon dioxide( CO2), Ozone (O3), methane CH4, nitrous oxide
(N2O) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) play a key role in determining
the earth’s average temperature and thus its climates.
 Together, these gases are known as greenhouse gases. They allow
light, infrared radiation (that is heat), which then rises into
troposphere is called greenhouse effect.
 The greenhouse effect first proposed by Swedish chemist Svante
Arrhenius in 1896, has been confirmed by numerous laboratory
experiments and atmospheric measurements.
 Significance: the earth would be a cold and lifeless planet with an
average surface temperature of – 18° C.
 Measured atmospheric levels of certain greenhouse gases- CO2, CFCs,
methane, and nitrous oxide- have risen substantially in recent
decades-caused by human activities: burning fossil, fuels. agriculture,
deforestation, and use of CFCs.

Carbon dioxide concentration- carbon dioxide is responsible for 50-

60% of the global warming from greenhouse gases produced by human
activities since pre-industrial times. The main sources are fossil fuel
burning: coal, oil and natural gas ((75%) and land clearing and burning.
Because of this the layer of greenhouse gas is getting thicker, which is in
turn making the Earth warmer.
Chloroflourocarbon- contribute to global warming in the troposphere
and deplete ozone in the stratosphere. The main sources are leaking air
conditioners and refrigerators, evaporation of industrial solvents.
Methane concentration- Methane is produced when anaerobic bacteria
break down organic matter in moist places that lack oxygen. These
areas include swamps and other natural wetlands, rice paddles and
landfills, intestinal tract of cattle, sheep, and termites.
Nitrous oxide concentration- Nitrous oxide can trap heat in the
troposphere and deplete ozone in the stratosphere. It is released from
nylon production, burning of biomass and nitrogen fertilizers in soil,
livestock wastes.
 WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS ABOUT FUTURE
GLOBAL WARMING AND ITS EFFECTS?
 According to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
the earth’s mean surface temperature will rise 1-3.5° C between
1990 and 2100.
 The northern hemisphere should warm more and faster than the
southern hemisphere because the latter has more heat absorbing
ocean than the land and because water cools more slowly than
land.
SOME POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF A WARMED WORLD
A warmer global climate could have a number of possible effects:
 Changes in food production; reduce water supplies:
 Change in the makeup and location of many world’s forests.
 Can cause massive wild fires
 Reduction in biodiversity due to loss of habitat; destroying the coral
reefs
 Water in the oceans would expand and lead to rise in sea level.
 Warming at the poles caused ice sheets and glaciers to melt, the
global sea level would rise far more; melting of polar ice caps
 Weather extremes are expected to increase in number and severity
 Poses threats to human health, affects the respiratory tract increasing
air pollution in winter months
 Drought
 Lead to a growing number number of environment refugees. Causing
social disorder and political instability.
HOW CAN WE LOWER DOWN THE POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF
GLOBAL WARMING?
Get involved- cut fossil fuel use in half
improve energy efficiency; switch off light when not in use
shift to renewable energy resources
reduce deforestation
use sustainable agriculture
slow population growth
remove carbon dioxide from smoke stack and vehicle emissions
plant and tend trees; green your community
trim production of industrial waste; encourage practices of 3R’s
Full implementation of laws concerning conservation of the
environment and the planet Earth.
 WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSION:
 In 1992 Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro, 106 nations approved a
Convention on Climate Change, in which developed countries
committed themselves to reducing their emission of CO2 and other
greenhouse gases.
 In December 1997 representatives of 160 nations met in Kyoto, Japan
to negotiate a new treaty to help slow global warming. The resulting
treaty would require developed countries to cut greenhouse
emissions by the average of 2% below levels between 2008-2012,;
allow emission trading, in which a country that beats its target goal
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions can sell its excess reductions
to countries that failed to meet their reduction goals; allow forested
countries to get a break in their quotas because trees absorb carbon
dioxide; allow penalties for countries that violate the treaty, to be
determined later.
 DO YOU KNOW?

SHRINKING ICE SHEETS

The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass.

Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic km of ice per year between 2002 and 2006,
while Antarctica lost about 152 cubic km of ice between 2002 and 2005.

Extreme events- The number of record of extreme temperature events has

been increasing since 1950. The U.S has also witnessed increasing numbers
of intense rainfall events. In the Philippines intense typhoons occur that
kill people and destruct agriculture and environment land.
 Check your understanding!

….……………………………………………………………………………………

Name:_______________________________Course:____________________

Activity 1 IT’S REFLECTION TIME

Procedure:

Watch two documentary films about climate change: UNOS by Loren

Legarda and BAGYO by DINGDONG DANTES.

1. Make a summary and reflection about the documentary films;

( 60 points)

RUBRICS:
ORIGINALITY - 10
CONTENT/STYLE - 30
CONVENTIONS - 20

TOTAL - 60

2. Give one pledge on how to lessen further elevation of global warming.

Answer must be back up with theories and concepts of science and
technology. ( 20 points)

3. What are possible effects of a warmed world? (10 points)

 LESSON 2
….……………………………………………………………………………………

The State of Natural Resources

Management

Content Standard:

The learners demonstrate an understanding of the state of environment

and natural resources management.

Learning Outcomes:

The students will be able to:

1. State the meaning and types of natural resources;
2. Recognize and describe the causes of natural resources exhaustion;
3. State possible solution to solve problem of natural resources
exhaustion;
4. Describe the impact of lesser natural resources to the society.

Word Bank:

Natural resources, biotic resources, abiotic resources, renewable resources,

non-renewable resources
DISCUSSION

Natural Resources are all that exists naturally on Earth. It include sunlight,
atmosphere (air), water, land (includes all minerals), metal ores, oil and
most forms of energy along with all vegetation and animal life that
naturally exist on Earth. Some natural resources such as sunlight and air
can be found everywhere, and are known as ubiquitous resources.
However, most resources only occur in small sporadic areas, and are
referred to as localized resources.
There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible( will not
run out) these are solar radiation, geothermal energy, and air (though
access to clean air may not be). The vast majority of resources are
exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity, and can be depleted
if managed improperly.

On the basis of origin, natural resources may be divided into:

 Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic
material), such as forest and animals, and the materials that can be
obtained from them.Fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are also
included in this category because they are formed from decayed organic
matter.
 Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living, non-organic
material. Examples of abiotic resources include land, fresh water, air
and heavy metals including ores such as gold, iron, copper. Silver, etc.

Renewability is very popular topic and many natural resources can be

categorized as either renewable or non-renewable:

 Renewable resources can be replenished naturally. Some of these

resources like sunlight, air, wind, geothermal heat, biomass, etc., are
continuously available and their quantity is not noticeably affected by
human consumption. Renewable resources are an important aspect of
sustainability.
 Non-renewable resources or finite resources either form slowly or do
not naturally form in the environment. Minerals are the most common
source included in this category. A good example of this are fossil fuels
( Petroleum and natural gas), because their rate of formation is
extremely slow( potentially millions of years)meaning they are
considered non-renewable.

Though many renewable resources do not have such a rapid recovery rate,
these resources are susceptible to depletion by over-use. Resources from a
human use perspective are classified as renewable only so long as the rate
of replenishment/ recovery exceeds that the rate of consumption.
 THREATS TO RENEWABLE RESOURCES
Today, natural resources are decreasing at accelerated rate not only
because of the natural environmental changes but ‘of non-natural
environmental changes caused by human activities. Extinction is a natural
part of life on Earth. Over the history of the planet most of the species that
ever existed, evolved and then gradually went extinct. Species go extinct
because of natural shift in the environment that take place over long
periods of time, such as ice ages and human activities.

Deforestation- The destruction of rain forests is one of the critical causes of

climate change. Deforestation causes carbon dioxide to linger in the
atmosphere. As carbon dioxide accrues, it produces layer in the
atmosphere that traps radiation from the sun. It also mean habitat loss for
some living things. Deforestation also affects the water cycle. It reduces the
content of water in the soil and groundwater as well as atmospheric
moisture. Deforestation reduces soil cohesion, so that erosion, flooding and
landslides follow.

Over exploitation/ Overfishing is causing loss of some endangered species

like the blue fin tuna.

Growing human population causing some renewable resources, species

and organisms facing a very high risk of extinction due to over-
consumption. It has been estimated that over 40% of all living species on
Earth are at risk of going extinct.

Climate change leads to rise of the sea level, thereby losing some of land
territory, Increase in global temperature that warms the earth specially the
oceans making it possible for some species to survive, the Greenland and
Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in the mass due to shrinking of ice
sheets. Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-
warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human
activities.

Pollution is the presence of a substance in the environment that because of

its chemical composition or quantity prevents the functioning of natural
processes and produces undesirable environmental and health effects.
Pollutant is any material that causes the pollution coming from: by product
of essential activities such as transportation, factory; basic biological
function- excreting wastes and non biodegradable wastes such as plasctics,
cans, organic chemical,etc.
 At present, the main energy source used by humans is non-renewable
fossil fuels. Since the dawn of internal combustion engine technologies in
the 17th century, petroleum and other fossil fuels have remained in
continual demand. As a result, conventional infrastracture and transport
systems, which are fitted to combustion engines, remain prominent
throughout the globe. The continual use of fossil fuels at the current rate is
believed to increase global warming and cause more severe climate change.

The use of nuclear technology relying on fission requires naturally

occuring radioactive material as fuel. Uranium, the most common common
fission fuel, and is present in the ground at relatively low concentrations
and mined in 19 countries. This mined uranium is used to fuel energy-
generating nuclear reactors with fissionable uranium -235 which generates
heat that is ultimately used to power turbines to generate electricity.

THE CONCEPT OF 8R’S IN SAVING NATURAL

RESOURCES

Reuse- Instead of buying everything new, reuse things as much as you can.
This will not only reduce waste but also save you money.

Repurpose- Don’t throw away things you’re no longer using: repurpose

them into something useful or beautiful. Worst case scenario, donate used
items to a charity or thrift store for someone else.

Rot- Compost as many things as you can instead of throwing it in the

garbage. Composting is a great way to renew the Earth, help reduce waste
and maybe even help your garden.

Repair- When something breaks, don’t just immediately go out and buy a
replacement. First, see if you can repair the item, or take it somewhere and
have it repaired. It will not only save you some money in the long run but
also help reduce waste.

Recycle- On the topic of reducing waste, recycle whenever you can. Glass,
cardboard, paper, bottles, aluminum. Batteries, elecronics, scrap metal can
be recycled into a usable things such as decor, storage, or safety box.

Refill- Disposable items like cups, paper plates, paper napkins and bottles
might be convenient, but they’re terrible for the environment. Try using
something that can be washed or refilled more than once whenever you
can.
Reduce- Downsize and simplify your home to reduce waste and excess.
Living simply can really help you gain an appreciation for the little things,
reduce your bills and help the environment by having less waste.

Refuse- Whenever possible, refuse to buy over-packed and single-use

items or items that are not organic. Change your daily habits and eating
habits, lessen extravagant expenses of material thing and food. Spend your
money worthy. Try shopping at farmer’s markets instead of supermarket
and pay attention to what you put in the shopping cart.
 DO YOU KNOW?

Wind is just moving air created as the sun heats the Earth’s surface. As long
as the sun is shining, the wind remains an infinite, renewable resource.
Wind power is clean energy because wind turbines do not produce any
emissions. The windmill harnessed the wind’s energy turning wind into
electricity.

Solar panel. The sun has pronounced energy in the form of heat and light
since the Earth formed. Solar energy systems do not produce emissions and
are often not harmful to the environment. Thermal solar energy can heat
water or buildings. Photovoltaic devices or solar cells, directly convert
solar energy into electricity. Individual solar cells grouped into panels
range from small applications that charge calculator and watch batteries to
large systems that power residential dwellings.
 Check your understanding!
….……………………………………………………………………………………

Name:_________________________________Course:____________________

Activity 1. (20 points each)

1. Why is the Concept of 8R’s in Saving Natural Resources important?

2. What is the impact of lesser natural resources to the society?

 LESSON 3
….……………………………………………………………………………………

FOOD INSECURITY

Content Standard:

The learners demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of Food

Insecurity and its application to the society.

Learning Outcomes:
The students will be able to:
1. State the meaning of Food Insecurity;
2. Describe the infiltration of Food Insecurity to health of individual;
3. Identify the impact of food insecurity to the society;
4. Understand the importance and implications of food insecurity in
the development of science and technology.

Word Bank:

Food Insecurity, hunger, malnutrition, poverty, food utilization, food

security
DISCUSSION

THE FOUR DIMENSIONS /PILLARS OF FOOD

SECURITY

A household is “food secure” if “all household members have access

at all times to enough food for a healthy active life”. A household is “food
insecure” it it “ had difficulty at some time during the year providing
enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources”.

Physical AVAILABILITY of food - Food availability addresses the

“supply side” of food security and is determined by the level of food
production, stock levels and net trade.

Economic and physical ACCESS to food- An adequate supply of food

at the national or international level does not in itself guarantee household
level of food security. Concerns about insufficient food access have
resulted in a greater policy focus on incomes, expenditure, market and
prices in achieving food security objectives.

Food UTILIZATION- Utilization is commonly understood as the way the

body makes the most various nutrients in the food. Sufficient energy and
nutrient intake by individuals is the result of good care and feeding
practices, food preparation, diversity of the diet and intra-household
distribution of food. Combined with good biological utilization of food
consumed, this determines the nutritional status of individuals.

STABILITY of the other three dimensions over time- Even if your food
intake is adequate today, you are still considered to be food insecure if you
have inadequate access to food on a periodic basis, risking a deterioration
of your nutritional status. Adverse weather conditions, political instability,
or economic factors (unemployment, rising food prices) may have an
impact on your food security status.

For food security objectives to be realized, all four dimensions must be

fulfilled simultaneously.
 A. THE MEANING OF FOOD INSECURITY AND IMPACT TO
THE PHILPPINES

 It refers to the state of being without consistent access to an adequate

quantity of affordable nutritious food. Food scarcity is one of the
common examples and this has long been part of human experience
and human culture. This is also one big reason that some animals
became endangered and now have become extinct.
 People that do not have enough access to sufficient food each day are
those who suffer from Food insecurity and as a result they suffer from
chronic hunger or poor nutrition and most like not have favorable
condition for healthy and productive living.

In the Philippines there are about 8.8 million families who consider
themselves to suffer from food insecurity as reported in 2013. Hunger often
refers to a complex state of a person with no single source to obtain food.
According to some researchers sponsored by the World Food Programmed
(WFP) and Philippine Statistics Authority, hunger usually experienced in
most families are those from the poorest provinces of Apayao, Masbate,
Negros Oriental, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar,Western Samar,
Zamboanga del Norte, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, North
Cotabato, Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and
Sulu. The results showed that 90% of the families who participated in a
survey, went hungry, with only rice and corn as their diet. The common
reasons of hunger on the said provinces are: the family has inadequate
income, the head of the family has no regular job, drought in an area,
strong rains in an area, and other reasons such as lack of education to gain
knowledge and skills.

B. FOOD INSECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS

IMPACT TO THE SOCIETY.

 It refers to the social and economic problem of lack of food due to

resource not voluntary
fasting or dieting, or because of illness, or for because of illness, or for other
reasons as stated by the Americans. This definition was supported by the
ethnographic research conducted by many researchers. Food insecurity is
experienced when there is:

 UNCERTAINTY
This usually happens whenever the ability to acquire suitable
foods in freely satisfactory ways is limited or future availability and access
of food is unsure.
 INSUFFICIENCY
This usually happens whenever there is a perception of
malnutrition, which is a disorder due to insufficient intake of nutrients to
meet necessary body calls requirement for a healthy living. Normally to
live a healthy life and become productive, it is recommended that each
person must consume 2,200 calories each day.

About 1 in 6 Americans face hunger and that gives about 17.5 million
families who suffer food insecurity of the estimated 49 million Americans.
This number increase due to continued frequency of poverty. The
American government shells about 165 billion dollars a year to help feed 25
million Americans. There are 8 states that have statistically higher food
insecurity and these are : Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Tenenessee, North
Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, and Ohio.

THE DURATION OF FOOD INSECURITY

Food security analysts have defined two general types of food insecurity:

 CHRONIC FOOD INSECURITY

- Is long term or persistent
- Occurs when people are unable to meet their minimum food
requirement over a sustained period of time.
-Resulted from extended periods of poverty. Lack of assets an
inadequate access to productive resources, such as credit. They may also
need more direct access to food to enable them to raise their productive
capacity.

 TRANSITORY FOOD INSECURITY

- Is short -term and temporary
- Occurs when there is a sudden drop in the ability to produce or
access enough food to maintain a good nutritional status.
- Resulted from short-term shocks and fluctuations in food availability
and food access including a year-to-year variations in domestic food
production, food prices and household incomes.
- can be overcome with transitory food insecurity is relatively
unpredictable and can emerge suddenly. This makes planning and
programming more difficult and requires different capacities and safety net
programmes

The concept of seasonal food security falls between chronic and

transitory food insecurity . It is similar to chronic food insecurity as it
usually predictable and follows a sequence of known events. However, as
seasonal food insecurity is of limited duration it can also be seen as
recurrent, transitory food insecurity. It occurs when there is a cyclical
pattern of inadequate availability and access to food. This is associated
with seasonal fluctuations in the climate, cropping patterns, work
opportunities (labor demand) and disease.

HUNGER, MALNUTRITION AND POVERTY

It is important to understand how these three concepts are related to food

insecurity.

Hunger is usually understood as an uncomfortable or painful sensation

caused by insufficient food energy consumption. Scientifically, hunger is
referred to as food deprivation.

Simply put, all hungry people are food insecure, but not all food
insecure people are hungry, as there are other causes of food insecurity,
including those due to poor intake of micro-nutrients.

Malnutrition results from deficiencies, excesses or imbalance in the

consumption of macro and/or micro-nutrients. Malnutrition may be an
outcome of food insecurity, or it may relate to non-food factors, such as:
 Inadequate care practices for children,
 Insufficient health services; and
 An unhealthy environment.

While poverty is undoubtedly a cause of hunger, lack of adequate and

proper nutrition itself is an underlying cause of poverty.

A current and widely used definition of poverty is: “ Poverty

encompasses different dimensions of deprivation that relate to human
capabilities including consumption and food security, health, education,
rights, voice, security, dignity and decent work”.
Figure 1. Food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty are deeply
interrelated phenomena

pOVERTY

FOOD INSECURITY, HUNGER

LOW PRODUCTIVITY
AND MALNUTRITION

POOR PHYSICAL AND

COGNITIVE

DEVELOPMENT

It is argued that a strategy for attacking poverty in conjunction

with policies to ensure food security offers the best hope of
swiftly reducing mass poverty and hunger. However, recent
studies show that economic growth alone will not take care of the
problem of food security. What is needed is a combination of:
income growth; supported by direct nutrition interventions; and
investment in health, water and education.

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

 In the Philippines, feeding proograms are being implemented in selected

schools by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
and the Department of Education (DepEd).
 DepEd also advices canteens to provide nutritious meals and to ban
unhealthy snacks. Recently, a bill seeking the ban of softdrinks in schools
was filed in Congress. The department implements nutrition education
and Gulayan sa Paaralan, a vegetable gardening program, across
schools.
 The Department of Health (DOH) promotes food fortification through
its Sangkap Pinoy Seal Program, which encourages food manufacturers
to fortify products with micronutrients.
 Republic Act 8976 or the Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000
promotes the fortification of staple foods like rice, wheat flour, refined
sugar,and cooking oil to “ compensate for the inadequacies in the
Filipino diet”.
 DOH also conducts Operation Timbang to monitor the nutrition status of
Filipino children.
 DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program provides cash grants on
the condition that families send their children to school and health
check-ups. Other DSWD efforts include livelihood and skills training
programs, and community gardens, among others.
 The National Nutrition Council (NNC) prepared the Philippine Plan of
Action for Nutrition 2011-2016, which sets the country’s strategies for
achieving its nutrition targets.
 Meanwhile, the National Food Authority ( NFA) is “ vested the functions
of ensuring the food security of the country and the stability of supply
and price of the staple grain-rice.” However. NFA rice has been at the
center of criticism in the past years.
 The Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP), an non-profit
organization, conceptualized Nutri-pan sa eskwelahan. It establishes
bakeries in primary schools and communities selling nutri-pan, bread
fortified with iron and vitamin A, at an affordable price. The profits
sustain bakery operations. There are over 50 NCP bakeries nationwide.
 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local government units
(LGUs), private sector, individual donors, volunteers, and local
communities are also conducting their own programs in different parts
of the country.

DO YOU KNOW?

As of October 12, 2017 according to the Global Hunger Index

detailed that the Central African Republic rests the top of the list
as the hungriest country in the world because of some reasons
like instability, ethnic violence, and conflict that disrupt food
production and displacing more than half of its population to
hunger.
 Check your understanding!
….…………………………………………………………………………

Name:___________________________Course: _________________

ACTIVITY 1 REFLECTION TIME!

Procedure:
Watch a documentary movie entitled “PAGPAG”

1. Make a reflection about the movie. (50 points)

RUBRICS:
ORIGINALITY - 10
CONTENT/STYLE - 20
CONVENTIONS - 20

TOTAL - 50

Check your undertaking! (20 points each)

1. Is Food Insecurity part of your everyday living? If yes,

cite 5 examples.

2. As a student, what can you do to alleviate food insecurity?

Cite 5 possible realistic solutions about the matter.
 Lesson 4
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the implications of weapons of Mass
Destruction.

Learning Outcomes:
The strudents will be able to:

1. Discuss the different kinds of weapons of mass destruction (WMD);

2. Identify the effects of these WMD both to humans and the environment;
3. Propose actions actions or policies to regulate the use of WMD.

Word Bank:
weapons of mass destruction. biowarfare, chemical weapon of mass destruction
DISCUSSION
Who will ever forget the massive destruction in Hiroshima, Japan which downed several
civilians during its bombing in August 1942? Weapon making is a part of a country’s activity. It
is an art and a craft. It is a symbol of power and strength and power of a country. And just any
other piece of technology, it undergoes evolution. They are used as a defense against invaders,
terrorists and even against those who have evil minds to inflict harm for no apparent reasons.

Weapon is a device that is designed to be used in fighting an enemy of war to cause bodily
harm to another or defend oneself from attackers (Cambridge University Press, 2018).

Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is a term used to describe different kinds of weapons
with two important characteristics: (1) The ability to produce large –scale destruction and (2)
They do not choose who they want to attack which affects usually the civilians. According to
Laura Reed, there are major types of WMD. They are : nuclear weapons, chemical warfare
agents, and biological warfare agents. But in addition, other analysts include radiological
materials as well as missile technology and delivery systems such as aircraft and ballistic
missiles. Possession of WMD is a great threat to all nations anf aggravated if it falls in the hands
of terrorists.

FOUR KINDS OF WEAPONS OF MASS

DESTRUCTION

1. Biological weapon of mass destruction ( BIOWARFARE)

------A weapon that uses harmful biological agent (such as a pathogenic microorganism
or a neurotoxin, maybe a virus or bacteria) to cause death or disease on a large scale
( Merriam Webster, 2018)

EXAMPLES:
SMALLPOX ------is caused by by the variola virus.

SIGNS:

1. High fever

2. Body Aches

3. Rash that develops from fluid-filled bumps and when healed it produces scabs to
permanent, pitted scars.

ANTIDOTE:

Include proper medical management for affected patients is advised by the following
supportive care such as: the patient should be isolated until all scabs have fallen off (about 3-4
wk after rash onset) to prevent transmission of the virus; maintain fluid and electrolyte balance
to avoid dehydration; give medications for fever and pain; give food rich in nutrition; skin
lesions should properly be treated; Monitor complications and treat them immediately;
vaccination to prevent transmission of smallpox and in case of death, corpse should be
cremated; health workers should wear protective clothing, face mask and gloves and these
should be properly disposed or sterilized; pregnant women should not receive smallpox
vaccination, and women should be advised advised against becoming pregnant for 4 weeks
after smallpox vaccination( Aneela Nuareen Hussain, 2015).
 ANTHRAX--------is one of the deadliest and most feared agent of biological weapon.
It is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus antracis that is found naturally in some
animals in low levels but when its pores are inhaled by humans, it becomes deadly.

ANTIDOTE:

Include large doses of intravenous and oral antibiotics, such as fluoroquinoles

( ciprofloxacin), doxycycline, erythromycin, vancomycin, or penicillin.

EBOLA VIRUS--------is a killer virus that cause hemorrhagic fevers marked by

severe bleeding. Ebola got its name from the the Ebola River, which is near one of the villeges
in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease was first discovered( WHO, 2018).

ANTIDOTE:

There is no vaccine and no cure for Ebola only proper medical management such as
avoiding people who are exposed to it and maintain balance of fluids and electrolytes and
oxygen; blood transfusion and treatment for other infections.

PLAGUE-------is also called Black Death killed half of the population in Europe in
the 14th century caused by the bacterium Yersenia pestis which was transmitted to
humans by infected rats ( Schoenstadt, Bubonic plague, 2017). Plague exist in two
main strains: BUBONIC and PNEUMONIC. BUBONIC PLAGUE techinically
spreads by bites from infected fleas, but also can be transmitted from person to
person through contact with infected bodily fluids. This strain is named for the
swollen glands, or buboes, around the groin, armpit and neck that is accompanied
by fever, chills, headache and exhaustion. Symptoms occur two or three days and
typically last between one and six days. Unless treated within the first 24 hours of
infection, 70 percent of those infected die. PNEUMONIC PLAGUE is less common
and spreads through the air by coughs, sneezes and face-to-face contact. Its
symptoms include high, cough, bloody mucus and difficulty breathing.

ANTIDOTE:

Antibiotics are prescribe to treat bubonic plague, and the patient is adviced
to be hospitalized in isolation. Delayed treatment can easily make the bacteria quickly
multiply in the blood or spread to the lungs. If left untreated, mortality rate is increased
from 50-99%.

TULAREMIA--------is also called rabbit fever. It is a disease called by the bacterium

Francisella tularensis and is one of the most infectious bacteria on earth.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:

1. Fever 6. joint pain

2. Chills 7.dry cough

3. headache 8. progressive weakness

4. diarrhea

5. muscle aches

ANTIDOTE:

Tularemia is not transferred between human hosts but can be spread very rapidly
between animal hosts and humans or when used in aerosol form. It can be easily treated with
antibiotics or prevented with a vaccine.
 BOTULINUM TOXIN -------is caused by a bacteria Clostridium botulinum that
contains the deadly botulinum toxin. It id colorless and odorless in air. The spores
are found in fruits, vegetables and seafood. In this spore state, they are considered
harmless but when they begin to grow they produce deadly toxin.

SIGNS:

1. blurred vision 2. vomiting 3. difficulty swallowing

If untreated victim will experience paralysis, affecting the muscles and eventually the
respiratory system. In the absence of respiratory support, Clostridium botulinum can kill
exposed victim within 24 to 72 hours. Because of these reasons, the deadly toxin was labeled as
Category A biological weapon.

ANTIDOTE:

Antitoxin drugs can be administered to the patient to prevent the disorder from
worsening, but recovery still takes many weeks according to Davis (2017).

RICE BLAST------is classified as a bioweapon, a kind of crop disease caused by the

fungus Pyricularia oryzae (also known as Magnaporthe grisea). It make leaves of
plants that were exposed to the fungus develop grayish lesions with buildup of
thousands of fungal spores. The spores quickly multiply and spread to all plants it
comes in contact with, weakening them and producing lower crop harvest. This
bioweapon does not kill instantly, but low food production could lead to severe
hunger in poorer countries, as well as loses in income.

ANTIDOTE:

It is suggested to develop fungus resistant plant varieties. Other crop management

measures can also be done, such as: Do not use excessive fertilizer; Irrigate the soil regularly;
Plant early; Use silicon fertilizers (e.g., calcium silicate) as alternative fertilizer they help can be
applied to soils that can help reduce blast; and apply appropriate fungicide to infected plants.

RINDERPEST (cattle plague) ---------is a German name and a kind of pest caused by
a virus similar to measles, but affects mostly cattle and other ruminant animals such
as goats. bison ang giraffes. It is a highly contagious disease, characterized with
fever, loss of appetite, dysentery and inflammation of the mucus membranes. The
condition gets serious for six to 10 days after exposure until the animal suffers
dehydration.

ANTIDOTE:

There is no known treatment and animals exposed to it are required to be isolated and
slaughtered. Vaccination can be administered if directed by the authorities. Proper disposal of
dead animals and contaminated material. Maintain cleanliness and proper sanitation of cattle
farms. Using disinfectant like Sodium hypochlorite a 3% household bleach can kill RPV virus.

NIPAH DISEASE------------is caused by the nipah virus in 1999, that resulted to an

outbreak in some region of Malaysia, infecting 265 nad killing 105. Nipah Virus is
classified as a Category C biological weapon.

ANTIDOTE:

Treatment is limited to supportive care

 2. Chemical weapon of mass destruction
------A weapon containing any several chemical compounds like chlorine gas, mustard
gas, of which some are toxic agents, that are intended to kill, injure, or incapacitate an
enemy (Schneider, 2018)
MOST COMMON CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCLUDE:

 SARIN (GB)-------------is a colorless, odorless nerve gas and considered an

organophosphate chemical, a potent pesticide.
 SOMAN-----------------is a combination of Sarin and Lewisite, an effective blistering
agent. It is more expensive to produce than sarin. It is a colorless liquid, becomes dark
brown if aged. It is tasteless but has been variously describe as having a sweet, musty,
fruity, spicy or nutty smell.It is more deadly than sarin and tabun. Antidote to nerve
agent poisoning must be given immendiately. These include: Atropine, Pralidoxime
diazepam.
 VX, or O-ETHYL S- DIISOPROPYLAMINOMETHYL
METHYLPHOSPHONOTIOLATE

----------is brownish in liquid form,and its vapors are odorless. It can cause convulsions,
loss of consciousness, paralysis,and failure of the respiratory system leading to death.
It is 100 times more deadly than sarin.

 TABUN----------------was discovered by accident in Germany by a German chemist,

Gerhard Schrader, sometime in 1937. It is a colorless or brownish liquid,and odorless as
a vapor. Tabun, is classified as an organophosphate and originally intended to be used
as pesticides, and considered among the easiest of nerve gases to manufacture. Signs of
exposure are visual disturbance, runny nose, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting and
convulsions. A large dose exposure can lead to loss of consciousness, convulsions,
paralysis and respiratory failure, which can lead to death. Antidote for tabun is
administration of injectable atropine and pralidoxime ( Kermit D Huebner, 2016).
 ZYKLON B-------------is another poison gas invented in Germany in 1920 by Fritz Haber,
a type of hydrogen cyanide used by the Nazis to kill war victims inside gas chamber
during World War II. It is a colorless vapor at normal temperatures with a smell like
bitter almonds. Antidote use is Amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and sodium thiosulfate
which are antidotes for cyanide toxicity.
 MUSTARD AGENTS-------- was first used near the end of World War I. Exposure to it
caused severe eye and lung damage.

3. Nuclear Weapons of mass destruction

-------is a weapon combining radiological materials with conventional explosive
device (Schneider, 2018). They are considered as the greatest weapons of mass
destruction ever created because they are capable of releasing large amounts of energy
by splitting the atoms of highly enriched uranium or plutonium in a process called
fission, or reaction.
TWO MAIN TYPES OF NUCLEAR REACTION THAT CAN BE USED TO MAKE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS:

 FISSION WEAPONS: In fission weapons, atoms are split.

 FUSION WEAPONS: In fusion weapons—often known as hydrogen bombs—
deuterium and tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen, are fused together to create heavier
atoms.
 EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Nuclear explosion produces several distinct forms of energy that each has its own
devastating set of consequences:

 Blast
 Thermal radiation
 Direct nuclear radiation
 Fallout

EFFECT OF RADIATION ON HUMANS

 Depending on the amount of radiation contamination, it ca affect the cells, tissues and
organs of the body. Large doses can cause death within hours, days or weeks of
exposure
 the most serious delayed, long-term effect of radiation exposure is increased cases of
leukemia. thyroid, lungs, breast, and bone cancers. The type of cancer acquired depends
on how the body was exposed to radiation. In the case of uranium mine workers, high
cases of lung cancer is caused by inhaling radioactive dusts.
 While workers who painted glow-in-the-dark radium onto watch faces licked their
radioactive paintbrushes, which lead to increase cases of bone cancer and radiation
induced anemia.
 Hiroshima survivors exposed from the nuclear bomb attack have been seen to manifest
high cases of leukemia, cataracts, hair loss, increased in infertility rates and birth
defects(Reed).

4. Radiological Weapon of Mass Destruction

--------devices that spread dangerous radioactive materials that is wrapped
around conventional explosive to spread toxic radiation.
 Check your understanding!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Name: __________________________Course: _________________________

Activity 1 ESSAY (10 points each)

Answer the following question briefly.
1. What are weapons of mass destruction (WMD)? Explain
2. Give an example of WMD and explain how it works.

3. If you are a government leader will you allow the use of WMD? Why?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages in using WMD?
5. Are Filipino scientists capable of producing WMD? Why?
Activity 2. CHAPTER TEST
Test 1. Classify the following weapons into Chemical, Biological, or Nuclear.
_________1. Sarin _________6. Black plague
_________2. Anthrax _________7. Ebola
_________3. Fission bomb _________8. Smallpox
_________4. Rice Blast _________9. Fusion bomb
_________5. Mustard _________10. Botolinium
Test 2. Identify the specific type of WMD being described.
__________1. Also called GB, is a colorless, odorless nerve gas and considered an
organophosphate chemical, a potent pesticide.
__________2. A combination od Sarin and Lewisite, an effective blistering agent and
more deadly than Sarin.
__________3. A poison gas invented by Fritz Haber a type of hydrogen cyanide that was
used by the Nazis to kill war victims inside gas chamber during World War II.
__________4. A virus that causes a severe kind of hemorrhagic fever.
__________5. A very toxic nerve gas, composed of an extremely toxic chemical agent
and 100 times more toxic than sarin.
__________6. Symptoms of this disease include high fever, body aches, and a rash that
develops from fluid-filled bumps and it produces permanent scars
__________7. One of the deadliest and most feared agent of biological weapon
produced by a bacterium, found naturally in some animals in low levels but when its
spores are inhaled by humans, it becomes deadly. Once spread through snail mails in
US senate.
__________8. It is caused by the bacterium Yersenia pestis which was transmitted to
humans by bites from infected rats.
__________9. It is also called rabbit fever.
__________10. It is also called cattle plague.