The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye
Study Guide — Definitions & Important Questions (Chapter 2, Grade 8 Science)
Part A: Key Definitions
Lens
A curved piece of glass, thick in the middle and thin at the edges (like a lentil seed), that makes small
things look bigger.
Organisms
All living beings, whether plants or animals, differing in shape, size, colour, and structure.
Cell
The basic structural and functional unit of life; all living beings are made up of cells.
Cell Membrane
The outer layer of a cell that encloses the cytoplasm and nucleus, separates one cell from another, and
is porous, allowing entry of essential materials and exit of waste.
Nucleus
The round structure in the middle of a cell, covered by a thin membrane, that regulates all activities and
growth within the cell.
Cytoplasm
The substance filling the space between the cell membrane and the nucleus; it contains carbohydrates,
proteins, fats, and mineral salts, and is where most life processes occur.
Cell Wall
An extra rigid outer layer (found in plant, fungal, and bacterial cells, but not typically in animal cells) that
provides rigidity and strength.
Plastids
Tiny rod-shaped structures found in plant cells.
Chloroplasts
A type of plastid that contains chlorophyll, giving cells a green colour and enabling photosynthesis.
Vacuole
A large, empty-looking space in plant cells that stores substances, removes waste, and maintains cell
shape; in animal cells, vacuoles are usually absent or small.
Tissue
A group of similar cells that perform a common function.
Organ
A structure formed by different tissues organised together.
Organ System
A group of organs working together to perform a major function of the body.
Organism
A complete living being (plant or animal) formed by all organ systems working together.
Levels of Organisation
The sequence: Cell → Tissue → Organ ← Organ System → Organism.
Multicellular Organisms
Living beings made up of many cells, developed from a single cell (egg) that divides repeatedly.
Example: animals and plants.
Unicellular Organisms
Organisms made up of just one cell that carries out all life functions. Example: bacteria, Amoeba,
protozoa.
Microorganisms (Microbes)
Tiny living organisms, made of one or very few cells, that cannot be seen with the naked eye and are
found in water, soil, air, and living bodies. Categories include bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and algae.
Nucleoid
The region in a bacterial cell containing genetic material, since bacteria lack a well-defined nucleus and
nuclear membrane.
Virus
A microscopic, acellular (non-cellular) particle that multiplies only inside a living host cell and may cause
disease in plants, animals, or bacteria.
Decomposition
The process by which microorganisms break down complex substances of dead plants and animals into
simpler, nutrient-rich substances that return to the soil.
Manure
A dark-coloured, nutrient-rich material formed when microorganisms (like fungi and bacteria) break
down plant/animal waste, increasing soil fertility.
Biogas
A mixture of gases (mainly carbon dioxide and methane) released when bacteria decompose plant and
animal waste or wastewater in an oxygen-free environment; used as fuel.
Fermentation
A process in which microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus) act on food
substances, producing gases, acids, or alcohol, used in making bread, curd, idli, dosa, etc.
Rhizobium
A nitrogen-fixing bacterium that lives in the root nodules of leguminous plants (beans, peas, lentils) and
traps nitrogen from air, improving soil fertility.
Root Nodules
Swollen regions on the roots of legumes that house nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium.
Microalgae
Microscopic, plant-like organisms found in water, soil, air, and on trees that make their own food via
photosynthesis and release oxygen (e.g., Spirulina, Chlorella, Diatoms).
Patent
A legal right given to a person so that no one else can copy, use, or sell their invention without
permission.
Part B: Important Questions
Short Answer Questions
1. Who invented the microscope, and how did it change our understanding of the living world?
2. What are the three basic parts common to all cells? Name the additional structure found in plant,
fungal, and bacterial cells.
3. Differentiate between an animal cell and a plant cell.
4. Why is the shape of a nerve cell different from that of a muscle cell? How does shape relate to
function?
5. What are the levels of organisation in the body of a living organism? Arrange them in the correct
order.
6. What is the difference between unicellular and multicellular organisms? Give one example of each.
7. How does a bacterial cell differ from a plant or animal cell in terms of the nucleus?
8. Explain how yeast helps in making bread soft and fluffy.
9. Why does milk turn into curd faster in a warm place than in a cold place?
10. How do Rhizobium bacteria help legume plants and farmers?
11. What is decomposition, and why is it important for nature?
12. What is biogas, and how is it produced?
13. Why do pickles and murabbas not get spoiled by microorganisms easily?
14. How are microalgae useful to humans and the environment?
15. Who was Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty, and what was his contribution to science?
Long Answer / Application-Based Questions
1. Describe Activity 2.2 (studying onion peel cells) step by step. What structures were observed, and
what was the role of safranin and glycerin?
2. A farmer grows wheat and uses nitrogen fertiliser, while a neighbouring farmer grows beans without
adding nitrogen fertiliser but still gets a healthy crop. Explain the scientific reason behind this using the
concept of Rhizobium and root nodules.
3. Snehal dug two pits in her garden — pit A with fruit/vegetable peels mixed with dried leaves, and pit
B with the same waste but without dried leaves. She observed both after 3 weeks. What was she trying
to test, and what result would you expect?
4. Aanandi set up two test tubes with sugar solution, adding yeast only to test tube B, and attached
balloons to both. After a few hours, the balloon on test tube B inflated. Explain why, and describe how
she could confirm the identity of the gas produced using lime water.
5. Design an experiment to show that microorganisms need optimal temperature, air, and moisture to
grow.
6. Explain the contributions of Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek to the discovery of cells
and microorganisms.
7. Explain, with examples, how microorganisms can be both beneficial and harmful to humans.
8. Take two bread slices — place one near the sink and one in the refrigerator. Predict and explain
what will happen to each after three days.
Identify the Microorganism
1. I live in every kind of environment, and inside your gut. Who am I?
2. I make bread and cakes soft and fluffy. Who am I?
3. I live in the roots of pulse crops and provide nutrients for their growth. Who am I?
Quick Recap (Snapshot Points)
● Microorganisms are not visible to the unaided eye and live in all kinds of environments, including
inside plants and animals.
● They are unicellular (bacteria, protozoa) or multicellular (some fungi, algae); plants and animals are
always multicellular.
● The cell is the basic unit of life, consisting of a cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus; plant, fungal,
and bacterial cells also have a cell wall. Bacteria lack a well-defined nucleus.
● Cell shape relates to the function it performs.
● Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa are types of microorganisms; viruses are acellular and reproduce only
inside a host.
● Microorganisms can be both beneficial (decomposition, nitrogen fixation, fermentation) and harmful
(disease-causing).
● Yeast (fungus) helps in making bread, cakes, and pastries rise; Lactobacillus (bacterium) helps form
curd and ferment idli/dosa batter.