Introduction

Living creatures are all around us, and they have certain characteristics that make
them different from non-living things like rocks or water. One of the key features
of living creatures is their ability to move, whether it's animals walking,
swimming, or flying, or plants slowly turning toward sunlight. They also grow over
time, such as a baby growing into an adult or a small plant becoming a big tree.
Breathing is another important characteristic, as all living things need air to
produce energy.

What sets the Living apart from the Non-living?

Living Things: Living Things are things that are alive. They can grow, move,
breathe, eat, and reproduce (have babies or make new plants). Examples include
animals, plants, and humans.
Non-living Things: Non-Living Things are things that are not alive. They do not
grow, move, breathe, eat, or reproduce. Examples include rocks, water, and toys.

Movement in Plants

No, plants do not move from one place to another like animals, but they show
different types of movements such as the opening of flowers and the winding of
climbers around objects.

Different movements of plants:

Plants may not move from one place to another, but they do show different types of
movements. While some plants, like insectivorous plants, rely on insects for
nutrition. Some plants, like climbers, wind themselves around objects that are
close to them.
Examples: Drosera is an example of an insectivorous plant. It has saucer-shaped
leaves with hair-like projections that have sticky ends. When an insect lands on
the leaf, the hairs move inward and trap the insect with their stickiness.
While plants do not move from place to place, they exhibit various types of
movements, such as the opening of flowers, the trapping of insects by insectivorous
plants like Drosera, and the winding of climbers around nearby objects.

Growth and Nutrition in Living Beings

Growth: Growth is a characteristic of all living beings, involving an increase in

size, complexity, and development over time.
Nutrition: Living beings need food for energy, growth, repair, and maintenance of
body functions.

Breathing & Respiration in Living Beings

Breathing is the process of taking air into the body (inhaling) and then pushing it
out (exhaling).
Respiration is a broader process that involves using the oxygen we breathe in to
release energy from food.
All living things, including plants, animals, and even tiny microorganisms, need to
respire to stay alive.

Excretion in Living Beings

Excretion is the process of removing waste products from the body. This process is
important because it helps maintain the body's balance and prevents the buildup of
harmful substances.

Excretion in Animals

Animals excrete waste products through various organs.

For example: This is a liquid waste that is produced by the kidneys. The kidneys
filter the blood to remove excess water, salts, and other waste products, which are
then excreted as urine.

Excretion in Plants

Plants also excrete waste products, although their methods are different from those
of animals.
For example: Plants excrete oxygen as a waste product during photosynthesis and
carbon dioxide during respiration.

Response to Stimuli in Living Beings

A stimulus is anything that happens around us or to us that makes us react or

respond in some way.
For example, if you touch something hot, the heat is the stimulus that makes you
pull your hand away.

Reproduction in Living Beings

Reproduction is the process by which living beings produce new individuals of their
own kind.

It is essential for the continuity of life on Earth.

When a living being can no longer exhibit the characteristics necessary for life,
such as movement, growth, and the need for food, despite having all the necessary
resources like food, air, and water, it is considered dead.

When is a living being considered dead?

A living being is considered dead when it can no longer show characteristics

necessary for life, such as movement, growth, and the need for food, even if it has
access to resources like food, air, and water.

Essential Conditions for Germination of a Seed

Water is important for germination because it activates enzymes that start the
growth process within the seed.

Germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant under
favourable conditions. It requires water, air, and suitable light or dark
conditions to initiate the growth of the embryo within the seed.

Essential Conditions: Water is necessary to activate enzymes that start the growth
process. Air provides oxygen for respiration. Light or darkness is required
depending on the type of seed.

Example: A bean seed germinates when provided with adequate moisture, air, and
light. The seed swells, the seed coat breaks, and the radicle (young root) and
plumule (young shoot) emerge, developing into a new plant.

Conditions Essential for Seed Germination

Water: Seeds need water to germinate. Water helps soften the seed coat and allows
the tiny embryo inside, like the bean seed, to grow into a plant. It also enables
the necessary processes for growth to happen.
Air and Soil: Seeds require air for germination, which they get from the spaces
between soil particles. These spaces also help the roots to grow easily.
Light and Dark Conditions: For bean seeds, light is not necessary for germination,
and generally, most seeds don’t need light at this stage. However, after
germination, sunlight is essential for the further growth of the seedling.
Light and Darkness in Seed Germination

Some seeds of flowering plants, like Coleus and Petunia, need light to start
growing. If you cover these seeds with soil, it stops them from sprouting. On the
other hand, seeds like Calendula and Zinnia need darkness to germinate, so they
should be covered with enough soil to block out the light.

Growth and Movement in Plants

Upright Position: When a plant is kept upright, the root grows downwards , and the
shoot grows upwards.
Inverted Position: When a plant is kept inverted, the root bends but still grows
downwards, while the shoot bends and grows upwards.
Directional Sunlight: When a plant receives sunlight from only one direction, the
shoot grows towards the light, while the root continues to grow downwards .

Seed Germination: A seed sprouts into a young plant under suitable conditions.

Growth and Maturation: The young plant grows and matures, eventually producing
flowers and fruit.

Seed Production: The fruit, such as a pod, contains seeds which will give rise to a
new generation of bean plants.
Life Cycle Process: The entire journey from seed to plant and back to seeds is
known as the life cycle of a plant.

Plant Death: When a plant stops growing and its life activities come to an end,
even with all necessary conditions met, the plant is considered dead.

Life Cycle of Animals

No, different animals have different life cycles. Some animals undergo
metamorphosis, like butterflies, while others, like humans, have a more direct
development.

Life Cycle of a Mosquito

Mosquitoes go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
The adult mosquito comes out of the pupa, rests on the water for a short time, and
then flies away.
Adult mosquitoes can live for about 10 to 15 days.

Stages:

Egg: Laid on or near water surfaces.

Larva: Aquatic, feeds on organic matter.
Pupa: Transitional stage, does not feed.
Adult: Emerges from pupa, capable of flight and reproduction.

The mosquito starts as an egg (stage I), then grows into a larva (stage II), which
turns into a pupa (stage III), and finally becomes an adult mosquito (stage IV).
The female mosquito lays eggs on or near water, and the cycle repeats.
At each stage, the mosquito looks different.
The egg doesn’t look like the larva, the larva looks different from the pupa, and
the pupa looks very different from the adult mosquito.

Life Cycle of the Silk Moth

The silk moth goes through four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and
adult.
Eggs hatch into larvae, which grow in size. As they grow, larvae produce a thread-
like material that they wrap around themselves. This process leads to the formation
of pupae.
The thread-like material secreted by the larvae is used to make silk fabric.
In India, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has established
several centers to support silk production.

Life Cycle of a Frog

Frogs have a distinct life cycle with stages that include egg, tadpole, froglet,
and adult frog.

Each stage shows significant changes in form and habitat.

Stages:

Egg: Laid in water, often in clusters.

Tadpole: Aquatic, has gills and tail.
Froglet: Develops legs, lungs, and starts losing the tail.
Adult Frog: Terrestrial or semi-aquatic, fully developed.

Life Cycle of a Frog

Example: Frogs lay eggs in water. Eggs hatch into tadpoles, which live in water and
breathe through gills. Tadpoles undergo metamorphosis, developing legs and lungs
and transforming into froglets. Froglets grow into adult frogs, capable of living
on land and reproducing.

Key Points
Living beings and non-living things surround us; understanding their differences is
crucial in biology.
Living beings exhibit movement; animals move visibly, plants show subtle movements
like phototropism.

Growth is an increase in size and number of cells, driven by nutrient intake.

Living beings obtain and use food for energy, growth, and maintenance.
Exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) is essential for energy production in
cells.
Removal of waste products to maintain internal balance and prevent toxicity.
Living beings respond to environmental changes for adaptation and protection.
Producing new individuals to ensure the continuity of the species.
Cessation of all life processes, marking the end of an organism's life cycle.
Living beings show movement, growth, nutrition, respiration, excretion, response to
stimuli, and reproduction; non-living things do not.