UPMSP High School Home Science cheat sheet

Home Science (गृह विज्ञान) is an interdisciplinary applied field drawing on food and nutrition, human development, textiles, resource management, health and community living.

Scope areas: food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, home management, human development and family studies, health and hygiene, housing and interior decoration, extension education.

The field is applied, not purely theoretical: each area converts scientific principles into everyday household decisions.

Home Science links five resource systems: food, clothing, shelter, health and human relationships.

Importance in daily life: improved nutritional status, better budgeting, safer food handling, healthier child rearing, informed consumer choices.

Extension education component carries knowledge from institutions to families and communities, so scope includes community awareness and outreach.

Home Science is vocational as well as academic: it prepares learners for dietetics, tailoring, childcare, catering and rural extension work.

The discipline treats the family as the basic unit of study; individual wellbeing is examined within the household and community context.

Six nutrient classes: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water. Carbohydrates and fats are energy yielding; proteins are body building; vitamins and minerals are protective.

Energy values: carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, protein 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g. Water and minerals supply no energy.

Balanced diet = all nutrients in correct proportion plus adequate dietary fibre and water for the individual's age, sex, activity level and physiological state.

Meal planning rules: include all five food groups, vary colour and texture, respect season and budget, keep cooking loss low, and space meals through the day.

Protein quality: animal proteins and pulses supply essential amino acids; cereal-pulse combinations improve the amino acid profile (mutual supplementation).

Deficiency-linked nutrients: iron and folate for anaemia, calcium and vitamin D for bones, vitamin A for vision and epithelium, iodine for thyroid function.

Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K are stored in the body; water-soluble B-complex and C are not stored and need daily intake.

Dietary fibre (roughage) adds bulk, prevents constipation and assists bowel function; it supplies no energy.

Preservation principles: remove or kill microorganisms, remove moisture, lower temperature, exclude air, or add preservatives such as salt, sugar, acid and oil.

Methods: drying and dehydration, refrigeration and freezing, canning and bottling, pickling, salting, sugaring, fermentation, smoking, irradiation and chemical preservatives.

High temperature destroys microbes; low temperature only slows their growth, so frozen food spoils on thawing if left warm.

Moisture control is central: drying and osmotic methods (salt, sugar) lower water activity and inhibit microbial growth.

Blanching before freezing inactivates enzymes that cause off-colour and off-flavour during storage.

Home storage rules: keep grains and pulses dry and ventilated, store oils away from light and heat, keep perishables refrigerated, use airtight containers, follow first-in-first-out.

Food spoilage signs: off odour, slime, mould, gas, discolouration, souring. Never taste suspect food to test it.

Cross-contamination control: separate raw and cooked foods, use separate boards, wash hands and utensils between tasks.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely absence of disease (WHO definition).

Hygiene levels: personal (bathing, oral care, handwashing, nail and hair care), domestic (food, water, kitchen, toilet, waste) and environmental (drainage, vector control).

Handwashing with soap at critical times - before eating and cooking, after toilet use and handling waste - is the single most effective diarrhoea control measure.

Protein-energy malnutrition: marasmus from overall energy-protein deficit (severe wasting, no oedema); kwashiorkor from protein deficiency (oedema, distended abdomen, skin and hair changes).

Vitamin A deficiency: night blindness, xerophthalmia, Bitot's spots; severe cases lead to corneal damage and blindness.

Iron deficiency anaemia: pallor, fatigue, breathlessness, low haemoglobin; common in adolescent girls and pregnant women.

Iodine deficiency disorders: goitre and cretinism; prevented by iodised salt.

Vitamin D and calcium deficiency: rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults. B-complex deficiency: beriberi (B1), pellagra (niacin), scurvy (vitamin C).

Stages: infancy (0-2 years), early childhood (2-6), later childhood (6-12), adolescence (12-19), adulthood, old age.

Growth means measurable increase in size (height, weight); development means progressive change in function and skill. Growth can stop; development continues.

Development follows cephalocaudal (head-to-tail) and proximodistal (centre-outward) direction.

Principles: development is continuous, sequential, cumulative, proceeds at individual rates, and is influenced by heredity and environment together.

Infancy care: exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, then complementary feeding with continued breastfeeding up to two years; immunisation on schedule.

Milestones: social smile around 6 weeks, head control around 3 months, sitting with support around 6 months, standing and first words near 12 months, walking 12-15 months.

Adolescence: puberty with growth spurt, secondary sexual characteristics, and psychosocial needs for identity, peer acceptance and independence.

Play is the child's work: it develops motor, cognitive, language and social skills; play materials must be safe, age-appropriate and non-toxic.

Resources are anything used to achieve goals: human (time, energy, knowledge, skills, attitude) and non-human (money, material goods, community facilities).

Resource characteristics: limited, usable in alternative ways, and needing management decisions. Management process: planning, organising, controlling, evaluating.

Work simplification means achieving the same result with less time, energy and fatigue - not doing less work.

Techniques: motion economy, proper work height, correct posture, good lighting, planned storage at point of first use, combining tasks, and eliminating unnecessary steps.

Path chart (string diagram) records movement of a worker in the kitchen; fewer and shorter trips mean better layout.

Budget types: balanced (income equals expenditure), surplus, deficit. Steps: estimate income, list fixed and flexible expenses, allocate, record, review.

Fixed expenses recur predictably (rent, school fees, insurance); flexible expenses can be adjusted (food, clothing, entertainment).

Saving is income minus expenditure; emergency fund and insurance protect the family against unforeseen events.

Fibre classification: natural (cotton, linen, silk, wool) and man-made (rayon, nylon, polyester, acrylic). Natural fibres are further classed as cellulosic (cotton, linen) or protein (silk, wool).

Cotton: absorbent, strong when wet, shrinks, wrinkles, damaged by strong acids; washes well with soap and hot water.

Wool: warm, elastic, weak when wet, felts on agitation, damaged by alkalis and bleach; wash gently in cool water with mild detergent and dry flat.

Silk: lustrous, strong, sensitive to sunlight and perspiration; use mild soap and avoid harsh rubbing.

Polyester and nylon: strong, quick drying, low absorbency, thermoplastic (iron at low temperature, never hot), do not bleach.

Basic weaves: plain (strong, firm, e.g. muslin, poplin), twill (diagonal lines, e.g. denim, gabardine), satin (lustrous, floats, snag-prone).

Care label symbols: tub = wash, triangle = bleach, square = drying, iron = ironing, circle = dry cleaning; dots or bars indicate temperature or restrictions.

Stain removal rule: treat fresh stains at once, blot (do not rub), work from outside inward, use cold water for protein stains, test chemicals on a hidden seam.

Housing functions: shelter, protection, privacy, family interaction space, and a base for work and rest.

Selection criteria: location, ventilation, lighting, water supply, drainage, sanitation, safety, cost and accessibility.

Ventilation supplies fresh air and removes heat, moisture, odours and pollutants; cross-ventilation needs openings on opposite walls.

Lighting: natural daylight is best; general lighting illuminates the whole room, task lighting the work surface, and avoid glare and deep shadows.

Principles of design: balance (symmetrical or asymmetrical), rhythm, emphasis, proportion and harmony; achieved through colour, line, texture and form.

Colour rules: warm colours (red, orange, yellow) advance and suit large cool rooms; cool colours (blue, green) recede and make small rooms look larger.

Household equipment selection: durable, easy to clean, safe, correctly sized, energy-efficient, and matched to family needs and budget.

Kitchen work triangle links sink, cooking range and refrigerator; short, unobstructed trips reduce fatigue.

First aid is immediate, temporary care given before medical help arrives; it aims to preserve life, prevent worsening, and promote recovery.

Burns: cool with running water for at least 10-20 minutes, cover with clean non-stick cloth, do not apply oil, toothpaste or ice, do not burst blisters.

Cuts and bleeding: apply direct pressure with a clean cloth, raise the limb if possible, clean the wound, cover it; seek help for deep or dirty wounds.

Choking: encourage coughing; if the airway is blocked, give back blows and abdominal thrusts (Heimlich manoeuvre) for adults and children over one year.

Fracture: immobilise the limb in the found position with a splint, do not attempt to straighten it, and get medical help.

Fainting: lay the person flat, raise the legs, loosen tight clothing, ensure fresh air, and turn the head to one side if vomiting.

Poisoning: do not induce vomiting; identify the substance, keep the container, and take the person to hospital immediately.

Home safety: store medicines, chemicals and sharp tools out of children's reach, keep electrical fittings earthed, guard stairs and windows, and keep a first aid box stocked.

Consumer rights: safety, information, choice, being heard, redressal, consumer education, and satisfaction of basic needs.

Consumer responsibilities: check quality, quantity and date before buying, insist on a bill or cash memo (proof of purchase), read labels, and complain when cheated.

Label information to check: name and address of manufacturer, net weight, ingredients, date of manufacture and best-before/expiry, batch number, maximum retail price, and statutory marks (ISI, Agmark, FSSAI, Hallmark).

Redressal route: complain to the seller, then the manufacturer, then a consumer court; a cash memo is essential evidence.

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 established the Central Consumer Protection Authority and provides for district, state and national consumer commissions.

Advertisements can mislead through exaggeration and hidden costs; a consumer should compare products and not be swayed by free gifts or discounts alone.

Community awareness tools: street plays, posters, group discussions, demonstrations, and school and village health campaigns.

Adulteration tests: drop iodine on a potato slice (turns blue-black if starch is added), rub turmeric on paper, check milk with a lactometer; report adulteration to food authorities.