Life Cycle and Growth of Flowering Plants

Q1: What are the two main groups of plants?

Answer: The two main groups are flowering plants and non-flowering plants.

Q2: Give examples of non-flowering plants.

Answer: Mosses, ferns, and conifer trees are non-flowering plants.

Q3: How do mosses take in water?

Answer: Mosses do not have roots; they take in water through their leaves.

Q4:Describe the main parts of a flowering plant and their functions.

Answer:

● Roots: Anchor the plant in the soil and absorb water and nutrients.
● Stem (Trunk): Supports the plant and transports water and food between roots and
leaves.
● Leaves: Use sunlight to make food (photosynthesis).
● Flowers: Produce seeds through pollination and fertilization.
● Fruits: Protect seeds and help in seed dispersal.
● Seeds: Grow into new plants when conditions are right.

Q5: How do non-flowering plants (like mosses and ferns) differ from flowering plants?
Answer:

● Non-flowering plants (e.g., mosses, ferns, conifers) do not produce flowers.

○ Mosses have no roots; they absorb water through leaves.

○ Ferns reproduce using spores instead of seeds.
○ Conifers produce seeds inside hard cones.

● Flowering plants produce flowers, which develop into fruits containing seeds.

Q6: What are the two types of reproduction in plants?

Answer: The two types are asexual reproduction (identical copies) and sexual reproduction
(seeds from pollen and ovules).

Q7; What is the main way flowering plants reproduce?

Answer: Flowering plants mainly reproduce by making seeds through pollination and
fertilization.

Q8: Explain the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction in plants.
Answer:

● Asexual reproduction: The plant makes identical copies of itself (e.g., through spores,
buds, or root splitting). No mixing of characteristics.
 ● Sexual reproduction: Pollen (male part) fertilizes an ovule (female part) to form a seed.
This mixes characteristics from two plants.

Q9: Describe the four stages of a flowering plant’s life cycle.

Answer:

● Seed: The first stage; needs water and warmth to germinate.

● Seedling: The young plant grows roots and shoots.
● Young plant: Develops leaves and stems; can be identified as a specific plant.
● Adult plant: Fully grown, produces flowers, and makes new seeds.

Q10: What conditions do seeds need to germinate?

Answer: Seeds need water, warmth, and oxygen to germinate.

Q11: Do seeds need light to germinate?

Answer: No, seeds do not need light to germinate because they grow underground.

Q12: Explain the structure of a seed and how it helps in germination.

Answer:

● Seed coat: Protects the seed.

● Embryo: The tiny plant inside that will grow into roots and shoots.
● Food store (cotyledon): Provides energy for the embryo until leaves form.

Germination happens when water softens the seed coat, the embryo grows, and roots/shoots
emerge.

Q13: Why don’t all seeds grow into new plants?

Answer:

● Some seeds land in unsuitable places (no water, too cold, no soil).
● Some are eaten by animals or damaged.
● Plants produce many seeds to increase chances that some will survive.

Q14: What is seed dispersal and why is it important?

Answer: Seed dispersal is the natural process by which seeds are spread away from the parent
plant. Seed dispersal reduces the competition between the plants and helps seeds find space,
light, and nutrients to grow.

Q15: Name the four main ways seeds are dispersed.

Answer: The four ways are:

1. Wind (e.g., light seeds with wings)

2. Water (e.g., coconut floating)
3. Animals (e.g., seeds sticking to fur or eaten)
4. Explosion (e.g., seed pods bursting open)

Q16: Explain how wind and water help in seed dispersal, with examples.
Answer:

● Wind: Light seeds (e.g., dandelions) have parachutes or wings to float far.
● Water: Seeds (e.g., coconuts) float on rivers/oceans to new locations.

Q17: How do animals help in seed dispersal? Give two ways.

Answer:

● Sticking to fur: Seeds with hooks (e.g., burrs) attach to animals and drop off later.
● Eating fruits: Animals eat fruits, and seeds pass through their digestive system
unharmed, spreading in new places.

Q18: What is pollination?

Answer: Pollination is when pollen from the male part of a flower (anther) is transferred to the
female part (stigma) of the same or another flower.

Q19: Name three ways pollination can occur.

Answer: Pollination can happen by:

● Insects (bees, butterflies)

● Wind
● Water

Q20: What happens after pollination?

Answer:

● Pollen from the anther (male part) is carried by wind, insects, or water to the stigma
(female part).
● The pollen tube grows down the style to the ovary, where fertilization happens.
● The fertilized ovule becomes a seed, and the ovary becomes a fruit.
Q21: What are the differences between wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated flowers?
Answer:
> Wind-pollinated flowers:

● Small, no bright colors

● No nectar
● Pollen is light and dusty

> Insect-pollinated flowers:

● Brightly colored, scented

● Produce nectar to attract insects
● Pollen is sticky to stick to insects

Q22: What is the male part of a flower called?

Answer: The male part is called the stamen (made of anther and filament).

Q23: What is the female part of a flower called?

Answer: The female part is called the carpel (made of stigma, style, and ovary).

Q24: Why is the stigma sticky?

Answer: The stigma is sticky to catch pollen grains during pollination.

Q25: What do plants need to grow healthy?

Answer: Plants need water, light, warmth, and nutrients from soil.

Q26: Do plants grow better in warm or cold conditions?

Answer: Plants grow better in warm conditions.

Q27: Why do plants need light, water, and warmth to grow?

Answer:

● Light: Used in photosynthesis to make food (energy).

● Water: Helps transport nutrients and keeps the plant firm (prevents wilting).
● Warmth: Speeds up germination and growth.

Q28: What happens if a plant gets too much or too little light?
Answer:

● Too little light: The plant grows weak, turns yellow, and dies.
● Too much light: Leaves may burn or dry out.

Q29: Explain the full life cycle of a flowering plant, including pollination, fertilization, and
seed dispersal.
Answer:

1. Seed → Germinates with water and warmth.

2. Seedling → Grows roots and shoots.
3. Young plant → Develops leaves and stems.
4. Adult plant → Produces flowers.
 5. Pollination → Pollen moves to stigma.
6. Fertilization → Pollen + ovule = seed.
7. Seed dispersal → Seeds spread by wind, water, animals, or explosion.
8. New plant → Cycle repeats.

Q30: What is the final stage in the life cycle of a flowering plant?
Answer: The final stage is the adult plant, which produces flowers and seeds.

Q31: What happens after a seed is dispersed?

Answer: The seed germinates (starts to grow) if it has water, warmth, and oxygen.

Q32: Why do some plants (like bamboo) flower only after many years?
Answer: Bamboo flowers rarely (after 65–120 years) because they store energy for a long time
before reproducing.

Q33: How do farmers help plants grow better in cold places (like Iceland)?
Answer: They use greenhouses with heat (e.g., underground hot water) to provide warmth.

Fill in the Blanks

1. The two main groups of plants are ______ and ______.

(flowering plants, non-flowering plants)

2. Mosses absorb water through their ______ because they don't have ______.

(leaves, roots)

3. The ______ of a plant supports it and transports water and nutrients.

 (stem)

4. The male part of a flower is called the ______, which includes the ______ and ______.

(stamen, anther, filament)

5. The female part of a flower is called the ______, which includes the ______, ______, and
______.

(carpel, stigma, style, ovary)

6. When pollen moves from the anther to the stigma, it is called ______.

(pollination)

7. After pollination, the pollen tube grows down the ______ to reach the ______ for fertilization.

(style, ovary)

8. A fertilized ovule becomes a ______, while the ovary develops into a ______.

(seed, fruit)

9. Seeds are dispersed by wind, water, animals, and ______.

(explosion)

10. Dandelion seeds are dispersed by ______ because they have ______ structures.

(wind, parachute-like)

11. Coconut seeds float on ______ to reach new places.

(water)

12. Seeds with hooks (like burrs) stick to ______ for dispersal.

(animals)

13. The three main parts of a seed are the ______, ______, and ______.

(seed coat, embryo, food store/cotyledon)

14. Germination requires ______, ______, and ______ (but not light).

(water, warmth, oxygen)

15. If a plant doesn't get enough water, it will ______ and droop.

(wilt)

16. Plants use sunlight to make food in a process called ______.

 (photosynthesis)

17. Bamboo plants may flower only after ______ years.

(65-120)

18. In Iceland, farmers use ______ heated by underground hot water to grow plants.

(greenhouses)

19. Wind-pollinated flowers are usually ______ and not brightly colored.

(small)

20. Insect-pollinated flowers often produce ______ to attract pollinators.

(nectar)

True or False
1. All plants produce flowers. (False)

2. Mosses have roots to absorb water. (False)

3. The stamen is the female part of a flower. (False)

4. Pollination can happen through wind, water, or insects.(True)

5. After fertilization, the ovary becomes a seed. (False)

6. Seeds need light to germinate. (False)

7. Dandelion seeds are dispersed by water. (False)

8. Animals help disperse seeds by eating fruits and dropping seeds elsewhere. (True)

9. A seed's food store is called the embryo. (False)

10. Plants grow faster in cold conditions than in warm ones.(False)

11. Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant. (True)

12. Too much light can burn a plant's leaves. (True)

13. Wind-pollinated flowers are usually bright and scented. (False)

14. The life cycle of a flowering plant ends after seed dispersal. (False)

15. Ferns reproduce using seeds. (False)

16. Roots only anchor the plant and don't absorb water. (False)

17. A plant's stem carries food from leaves to roots. (True)

18. All seeds survive and grow into new plants. (False)

19. Insect-pollinated flowers produce sticky pollen. (True)

20. Greenhouses are used to protect plants from excess sunlight. (False)