Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Question 1:
What is the difference between a reflex
action and walking?
Answer:
A reflex action is a rapid, automatic
response to a stimulus. It does not involve
any thinking. For example, we close our
eyes immediately when the bright light is
focused.
Walking, on the other hand, is a voluntary
action. It is under our conscious control.
Question 2:
What happens at the synapse between two
neurons?
Answer:
A very small gap that occurs between the
last portion of axon of one neuron and the
dendron of the other neuron is known as a
synapse. It acts as a one way valve to
transmit impulses in one direction only. This
uni-direction transfer of impulses occurs as
the chemicals are produced in only one side
of the neuron i.e., the axon’s side. From
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
axon, the impulses travel across the
synapse to the dendron of the other neuron.
Question 3:
Which part of the brain maintains posture
and equilibrium of the body?
Answer:
Cerebellum, a part of hindbrain is
responsible for maintaining posture and
equilibrium of the body.
Question 4:
How do we detect the smell of an agarbatti
(incense stick)?
Answer:
The thinking part of our brain is the
forebrain. It has separate areas that are
specialized for hearing, smelling, sight,
taste, touch, etc. The forebrain also has
regions that collect information or impulses
from the various receptors. When the smell
of an incense stick reaches us, our forebrain
detects it. Then, the forebrain interprets it
by putting it together with the information
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Question 1:
received from other receptors and also with
the information already stored in the brain.
Question 5:
What is the role of the brain in reflex action?
Answer:
Reflex actions are sudden responses, which
do not involve any thinking. For example,
when we touch a hot object, we withdraw
our hand immediately without thinking as
thinking may take time which would be
enough to get us burnt.
The sensory nerves that detect the heat are
connected to the nerves that move the
muscles of the hand. Such a connection of
detecting the signal from the nerves (input)
and responding to it quickly (output) is
called a reflex arc. The reflex arcs
−connections present between the input
and output nerves − meet in a bundle in the
spinal cord.
Reflex arc
Reflex arcs are formed in the spinal cord
and the information (input) reaches the
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
brain. The brain is only aware of the signal
and the response that has taken place.
However, the brain has no role to play in the
creation of the response.
What are plant hormones?
Answer:
Plant hormones or phytohormones are
naturally-occurring organic substances.
These are synthesized in one part of the
plant body (in minute quantities) and are
translocated to other parts when required.
The five major types of phytohormones are
auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic
acid, and ethylene.
Question 2:
How is the movement of leaves of the
sensitive plant different from the movement
of a shoot towards light?
Answer:
The movement of leaves of the sensitive
plant, Mimosa pudica or “touch me not”,
occurs in response to touch or contact
stimuli. This movement is independent of
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Question 1:
growth. The movement of shoot towards
light is known as phototropism. This type of
movement is directional and is growth
dependent.
Question 3:
Give an example of a plant hormone that
promotes growth.
Answer:
Auxin is an example of growth-promoting
plant hormone.
Question 4:
How do auxins promote the growth of a
tendril around a support?
Answer:
Auxin is synthesized at the shoot tip. It helps
the cell grow longer. When a tendril comes
in contact with a support, auxin stimulates
faster growth of the cells on the opposite
side, so that the tendril forms a coil around
the support. This makes the tendrils appear
as a watch spring.
Question 5:
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Design an experiment to demonstrate
hydrotropism.
Answer:
Take two small beakers and label them as A
and B. Fill beaker A with water. Now make a
cylindrical-shaped roll from a filter paper
and keep it as a bridge between beaker A
and beaker B, as shown in the figure. Attach
few germinating seeds in the middle of the
filter paper bridge. Now, cover the entire
set-up with a transparent plastic container
so that the moisture is retained.
Observation:
The roots of the germinating seeds will grow
towards beaker A.
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Question 1:
This experiment demonstrates the
phenomenon of hydrotropism.
How does chemical coordination take place
in animals?
Answer:
Chemical coordination takes place in
animals with the help of [Link]
is the chemical messenger that regulates
the physiological processes in living
organisms. It is secreted by glands. The
regulation of physiological processes, and
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control and coordination by hormones
comes under the endocrine system. The
nervous system along with the endocrine
system in our body controls and coordinates
the physiological processes.
Question 2:
Why is the use of iodised salt advisable?
Answer:
Iodine stimulates the thyroid gland to
produce thyroxin hormone. It regulates
carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism
in our body. Deficiency of this hormone
results in the enlargement of the thyroid
gland. This can lead to goitre, a disease
characterized by swollen neck. Therefore,
iodised salt is advised for normal functioning
of the thyroid gland.
Question 3:
How does our body respond when
adrenaline is secreted into the blood?
Answer:
Adrenalin is a hormone secreted by the
adrenal glands in case of any danger or
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Question 1:
emergency or any kinds of stress. It is
secreted directly into the blood and is
transported to different parts of the body.
When secreted in large amounts, it speeds
up the heartbeat and hence supplies more
oxygen to the muscles. The breathing rate
also increases due to contractions of
diaphragm and rib muscles. It also increases
the blood pressure. All these responses
enable the body to deal with any stress or
emergency.
Question 4:
Why are some patients of diabetes treated
by giving injections of insulin?
Answer:
Diabetes is a disease in which the level of
sugar in the blood is too high. Insulin, a
hormone secreted by the pancreas, helps in
regulating the blood sugar levels. This is the
reason why diabetic patients are treated by
giving injections of insulin.
Question 1:
Which of the following is a plant hormone?
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Insulin
Thyroxin
Oestrogen
Cytokinin Answer:
(d) Cytokinin is a plant hormone.
Question 2:
The gap between two neurons is called a
(a) dendrite.
synapse.
axon.
impulse.
Answer:
(b) The gap between two neurons is called
a synapse.
Question 3:
The brain is responsible for (a) thinking.
regulating the heart beat.
balancing the body.
all of the above.
Answer:
(d) The brain is responsible for thinking,
regulating the heart beat and balancing the
body. Question 4:
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Question 1:
What is the function of receptors in our
body? Think of situations where receptors
do not work properly. What problems are
likely to arise?
Answer:
Receptors are sensory structures
(organs/tissues or cells) present all over the
body. The receptors are either grouped in
case of eye or ear, or scattered in case of
skin.
Functions of receptors:
They sense the external stimuli such as heat
or pain.
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They also trigger an impulse in the sensory
neuron which sends message to the spinal
cord.
When the receptors are damaged, the
external stimuli transferring signals to the
brain are not felt. For example, in the case
of damaged receptors, if we accidentally
touch any hot object, then our hands might
get burnt as damaged receptors cannot
perceive the external stimuli of heat and
pain.
Question 5:
Draw the structure of a neuron and explain
its function.
Answer:
Neurons are the functional units of the
nervous system. The three main parts of a
neuron are axon, dendrite, and cell body.
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
Structure of a neuron
Functions of the three parts of a
neuron:
Axon: It conducts messages away from the
cell body.
Dendrite: It receives information from axon
of another cell and conducts the messages
towards the cell body.
Cell body: It contains nucleus, mitochondria,
and other organelles. It is mainly concerned
with the maintenance and growth.
Question 6:
How does phototropism occur in plants?
Answer:
The growth movement in plants in response
to light stimulus is known as phototropism.
The shoots shows positive phototropism and
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roots show negative phototropism. This
means that the shoots bend towards the
source of light whereas the roots bend away
from the light source.
Some examples of phototropism are as
follows:-
The flower head of sunflower is positive
phototropic and hence it moves from east
to west along the sun.
The ovary stalk of groundnut is positively
phototropic before fertilization and beco
mes negatively phototropic after
fertilization, so that the fruit is formed
underground
Question 7:
Which signals will get disrupted in case of a
spinal cord injury?
Answer:
The reflex arc connections between the
input and output nerves meet in a bundle in
the spinal cord. In fact, nerves from all over
the body meet in a bundle in the spinal cord
on their way to the brain. In case of any
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injury to the spinal cord, the signals coming
from the nerves as well as the signals
coming to the receptors will be disrupted.
Question 8:
How does chemical coordination occur in
plants?
Answer:
In animals, control and coordination occur
with the help of nervous system. However,
plants do not have a nervous system.
Plants respond to stimuli by showing
movements. The growth, development, and
responses to the environment in plants is
controlled and coordinated by a special
class of chemical substances known as
hormonesFor example, a hormone produced
in roots is translocated to other parts when
required. The five major types of
phytohormone are auxins, gibberellins,
cytokinins, abscisic acid, and ethylene.
These phytohormones are either growth
promoters (such as auxins, gibberellins,
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cytokinins, and ethylene) or growth
inhibitors such as abscisic acid.
Question 9:
What is the need for a system of control and
coordination in an organism?
Answer:
The maintenance of the body functions in
response to changes in the body by working
together of various integrated body systems
is known as coordination. All the movements
that occur in response to stimuli are
carefully coordinated and controlled. In
animals, the control and coordination
movements are provided by nervous and
muscular systems. The nervous system
sends messages to and away from the brain.
The spinal cord plays an important role in
the relay of messages. In the absence of this
system of control and coordination, our body
will not be able to function properly. For
example, when we accidentally touch a hot
utensil, we immediately withdraw our hand.
In the absence of nerve transmission, we
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will not withdraw our hand and may get
burnt.
Question 10:
How are involuntary actions and reflex
actions different from each other?
Answer:
Involuntary actions cannot be consciously
controlled. For example, we cannot
consciously control the movement of food in
the alimentary canal. These actions are
however directly under the control of the
brain. On the other hand, the reflex actions
such as closing of eyes immediately when
bright light is focused show sudden
response and do not involve any thinking.
This means that unlike involuntary actions,
the reflex actions are not under the control
of brain.
Question 11:
Compare and contrast nervous and
hormonal mechanisms for control and
coordination in animals.
Answer:
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Nervous system Hormonal
mechanism system
mechanism
1. The information is 1. The information
conveyed in the is conveyed in
form of electric the form of
impulse. chemical
messengers.
2. The axons and 2. The information
dendrites transmit is transmitted or
the information transported
through a through blood.
coordinated effort.
3. The flow of 3. The information
information is rapid travels slowly
and the response is and the response
quick. is slow.
4. Its effects are short 4. It has prolonged
lived. effects.
Question 12:
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
What is the difference between the manner
in which movement takes place in a
sensitive plant and the movement in our
legs?
Answer:
Movement in Movement in
sensitive plants our legs
1. The movementthat 1. Movement in
takes place in a our legs is an
sensitive plant such as example of
Mimosa pudica occurs voluntary
in response to touch actions.
(stimulus).
2. For this movement, 2. The signal or
the information is messages for
transmitted from cell these actions
to cell by are passed to
electrochemical the brain and
signals as plants do hence are
not have any consciously
specialised tissue for controlled.
conduction of
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Class X Chapter 7 – Control and Coordination Science
impulses.
3. For this movement to 3. In animal
occur, the plant cells muscle cells,
change shape by some proteins
changing the amount are found
of water in them. which allow
the movement
to occur.
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