Life Processes in Living Organisms
Exercises
Q. 1. Match the pairs and explain.
Answer :
Q. 2. Complete the paragraph.
The milk was on the stove. Rasika was engrossed watching television. She
smelled something burning. She ran towards the kitchen. The milk was boiling
over. She held the vessel with her bare hands but, screaming, she let it go at
once. This activity was controlled by ...... cells. Special ends of .......... in these
cells collected the information, from where it was transferred to the ........ and then
towards the terminal end of the ........... The chemicals produced at the terminal
end passed through the minute space i.e. .......... . In this way, …....... were
conducted in the body and the process of ........... was completed by conducting
the impulses from.... ..... to ........
(Nerve, muscle cell, impulse, dendrite, synapse, axon, reflex action, cell body)
Answer :
The milk was on the stove. Rasika was engrossed watching television. She smelled
something burning. She ran towards the kitchen. The milk was boiling over. She held
the vessel with her bare hands but, screaming, she let it go at once. This activity was
controlled by ....nerve.. cells. Special ends of ... dendrite..... in these cells collected the
information, from where it was transferred to the ..cell body.... and then towards the
terminal end of the .....axon.... The chemicals produced at the terminal end passed
through the minute space i.e. .....synapse..... . In this way, impulse..... were conducted
in the body and the process of ........reflex action.... was completed by conducting the
impulses from....nerve cells ..... to ....muscle cells....
Q. 3. Write notes on-
Root pressure, Transpiration, Nerve cell, Human brain, Reflex action
Answer : Root pressure: After absorbing water from the soil root cell swells (turgid).
The turgid root cell put pressure on the adjacent root cell. This pressure is called root
pressure. Water and minerals reach to the water conducting (xylem) of the root due to
this pressure.
Transpiration: Removal of water in the form of vapours through pores (stomata)
present in the leaves is called transpiration. It occurs during day. Transpiration
promotes absorption and distribution of water and minerals. It gives cooling effect to the
plants.
Nerve cell: Nerve cell or neuron is the largest cell of the human body. It consist of a cell
body, dendrites and axon. Neurons are the structural and functional units of the nervous
system. They conduct impulses from one place to another in the body.
Human brain: Human brain is very delicate organ. An adult human brain weighs about
1.3 kg to 1.4 kg and has 100 billion of nerve cells. It is the main controlling part of the
nervous system and it is safely located in the cranial cavity. It is protected by three
layers called meninges. In the brain there are various cavities called ventricles. In the
ventricles the long tubular cavity of the spinal cord is called the ‘central canal’. The
ventricles, central canal and in the layers of meninges are filled with cerebro-spinal fluid.
This fluid supplies nutrients to the central nervous system and protects it from shock.
The human brain has the following parts:
i. Cerebrum: The largest part of the brain, occupies two-thirds of brain and consists of
two cerebral hemispheres. They are joined by nerve tracts. It control of voluntary
movements such as decision-making, memory, intelligence.
ii. Cerebellum: this part is smaller than the cerebrum, situated below the cerebrum at
the back of the cranial cavity. It maintains the body’s balance and co-ordinates of
voluntary movements.
iii. Medulla oblongata: The hind-most part of brain. The medulla oblongata continues
downwards as the spinal cord. It controls involuntary activities (activities which are not
our control) such as of the heart, blood circulation, breathing, sneezing, coughing, etc.
Reflex action: Reflex actions are sudden, automatic reactions of the body in response
to stimuli (The change which promotes a reaction in an organ or tissue in response to
that change). Reflex actions occur without the involvement of the brain, these actions
involved spinal cord.
For examples, contraction of the pupils of the eye when exposed to light, Withdrawal of
the hands when one touches a burning candle.
Q. 4. Name the hormones of the following endocrine glands and the function of
each.
Pituitary, Thyroid, Adrenal, Thymus, Testis, Ovary.
Answer :
Q. 5. Draw and label the diagrams.
Human endocrine glands, Human brain, Nephron, Nerve cell, Human excretory
system.
Answer : Human brain:
Human endocrine glands:
Nephron:
Nerve cell:
Human excretory system:
Q. 6. Answer the following.
A. Explain chemical co-ordination in humans and give the names and functions of
some hormones.
B. Explain the difference between the excretory system of humans and plants.
C. Explain co-ordination in plants with the help of suitable examples.
Answer : A. Human body is chemically coordinated by the complex chemical
compounds called hormones. They are secreted by endocrine glands, examples
thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands. Hormones are released directly into blood circulation
and transport to the target organ for chemical co-ordination.
Some of the hormones are:
i. Growth hormone: It regulate height and growth of human body.
ii. Thyroxine: Stimulate tissue metabolism and maintains basic metabolic rate.
iii. Adrenaline: It is stress hormone, it controls behaviour during emergency and
emotional situations.
B.
•Removal of waste products from the body is called excretion. Excretion is carrued out
by the excretory system.
•The primary components of the excretory system are the kidneys, the ureter, the
urinary bladder, and the urethra.
•When blood reaches the kidneys, useful substances are absorbed back into blood,
while the waste materials are dissolved in water and removed from the body in the form
of urine.
•Plants remove waste materials by various processes as they do not have any excretory
system.
•Oxygen, a by-product of photosynthesis is removed through stomata.
•Most of the waste substances of plants are stored in vacuoles of leaf-cells and in
flowers, fruits and the bark of the stem.
•Some waste materials are stored in xylem the form of resin and gum. Some waste
materials excreted through roots into the surrounding soil.
C.
Nervous system and muscular system bring movement in animals. These systems are
absent in plants. It doesn't mean that plant do not show movement. Plants also show
movements, called growth movements. The plant hormones or growth regulators bring
about coordination in plants.
Examples:
•Auxin: it promotes growth in the stem and root.
•Gibberelin: it promotes seed germination.
•Cytokinin: it promotes cell division.
•Abscisic acid: it prevents seed germination.
Q. 7. Explain in your own words with suitable examples.
A. What is meant by co-ordination?
B. How does excretion occur in human beings?
C. How is excretion in plants useful to human beings?
D. Describe the transportation system in plants.
Answer : A.
The working together of various organs of the body of an organism in a proper manner
to produce an appropriate reaction to the changes in the environment is called
coordination. In humans, coordination is done by the nervous system and the endocrine
system. Neurons and hormones together bring growth and movements in humans.
In plants, plant hormones such as auxin, cytokinin bring coordination.
B.
The primary components of the excretory system are the kidneys. The kidney is made
of its units called nephron. When blood reaches the kidneys, nephrons filter blood. The
useful substances are absorbed back into the blood, while the waste materials are
dissolved in water and removed from the body in the form of urine. With the help of
ureter, urinary bladder, and urethra, the urine is discharged.
C.
The excretory products of plants such as Rubber, wax, gums, resins. All these products
are used by humans in their daily activities.
D.
The transport system in plants consists of xylem and phloem. Xylem transports water
and minerals from the soil to the roots and from roots to every part of the plant. Phloem
transports food from leaves to other parts of the plant.
Q. 8. Collect information about the evolution of the brain of vertebrates and
present it in the classroom.
Answer : The brain structure in all vertebrate (animals with backbone) is basically the
same. In the course of evolution, the vertebrate brain has undergone changes, and
become more effective. In lower animals frogs and lizards most of the brain structure is
transfer from one generation to other. Therefore, their behaviour is mostly without any
teaching. In mammals, and especially in humans, the brain is developed further during
life by learning. This has the benefit of helping them fit better into their environment.
Q. 9. Explain the functions of various endocrine glands by presenting an act like
‘Why I Am Important?’
Answer : Hello!! I am pituitary gland, I secrete many hormones, I am important because
I regulates growth and stimulate other glands to secrete their hormones.
Hello!! I am thyroid gland, I secrete thyroxine, I am important because I control growth
and metabolic activities.
Hello!! I am adrenal gland, I secrete adrenaline, I am important because I help in
bearing stress during emergency.
Hello!! I am thymus gland, I secrete thymosin, I am important because I protect your
body from diseases.
Q. 10. Collect the information to justify the statement ‘Human beings are
intelligent and different from other animals’ and present it in the classroom.
Answer : Human beings are intelligent and different from other animals due to the
following reasons:
I. Size of the brain: in enlarged brain in neuron connections more which increases IQ.
Whereas, the number of brain cells actually remains constant in other animals.
II. Development of large number of folds: a greater number of folds in the cerebral
cortex is a significant step in human brain evolution, it increases intelligence.
III. Division of cerebrum: Another unique feature of the human brain division of the
cerebrum into 2 halves. The left side of our brain controls the right side of our body and
right side of our brain controls left side of the body.