Chapter 5- Life Processes
Life processes are the basic activities and functions that living organisms perform to maintain life,
survive, and continue their existence.
These include essential processes such as:
Nutrition/ Digestion – obtaining and using food for energy/ digesting obtained food in
presence of digestive enzymes for energy.
Respiration – breaking down food to release energy in presence of oxygen..
Transportation – movement of substances like food, water, and oxygen inside the body.
Excretion – removal of waste products.
Reproduction – producing new individuals.
Growth – increase in size and number of cells.
Response to stimuli – reacting to changes in the environment.
Metabolism is the sum total of all biochemical process that take place inside a living organism to
maintain life.
It has two main types:
Catabolism – breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones to release energy (e.g.,
respiration).
Anabolism – building complex molecules from simpler ones using energy (e.g.,
photosynthesis, protein synthesis).
Nutrition is the process by which living organisms obtain food and use it to get energy for growth,
repair, and maintaining life.
There are two main modes of nutrition:
1. Autotrophic Nutrition is the mode of nutrition in which organisms prepare their own food
from simple inorganic substances like CO₂ and H₂O using an external energy source (like
sunlight or chemical energy).
Photosynthesis – Food is prepared using sunlight energy, chlorophyll, CO₂, and
[Link]: Green plants, algae.
The following events occur during this process-
(i) Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll.
(ii) Conversion of light energy to chemical energy and splitting of water molecules into
hydrogen and oxygen.
(iii) Reduction of carbon dioxide to carbohydrates.
Stomata:
The stomata are tiny pores present mainly on the surface of leaves (mostly lower epidermis) that
are surrounded by guard cells.
Functions of Stomata:
1. Exchange of Gases – Allow entry of CO₂ (needed for photosynthesis) and release of O₂
(produced during photosynthesis) and water vapor.
2. Transpiration – Help in the loss of water vapor from leaves, which also helps in cooling the
plant and maintaining water movement.
3. Maintaining Balance – Open and close to regulate gas exchange and water loss according to
environmental conditions.
The opening and closing of the pore is a function of the guard cells. The guard cells swell when
water flows into them, causing the stomatal pore to open. Similarly the pore closes if the guard
cells shrink
Heterotrophic Nutrition:
Heterotrophic Nutrition is the mode of nutrition in which organisms cannot prepare their own
food and depend directly or indirectly on other organisms (plants or animals) for nourishment.
Nutrition in Unicellular organism
Amoeba is a unicellular protozoan that shows holozoic mode of nutrition.
1. Ingestion → Amoeba surrounds food with pseudopodia (false feet), forming a food vacuole.
2. Digestion → Digestive enzymes from cytoplasm break complex food into simpler forms inside
the food vacuole.
3. Absorption → Digested food diffuses into cytoplasm for energy, growth, and repair.
4. Assimilation → Nutrients are used for producing energy (respiration) and forming cell
components.
5. Egestion → Undigested food is thrown out by rupturing the cell membrane.
Paramecium is also unicellular but has a more complex feeding mechanism than Amoeba.
1. Ingestion → Cilia direct food particles into the oral groove → gullet → food vacuole.
2. Digestion → Enzymes inside the food vacuole digest food.
3. Absorption → Soluble nutrients diffuse into cytoplasm.
4. Assimilation → Used for energy and cell functions.
5. Egestion → Waste is removed through a specialized structure called anal pore (cytoproct).
Nutrition in Humans
They follow holozoic nutrition → ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and egestion.
The whole process takes place in the digestive system (also called the alimentary canal).
1. Ingestion
Food is taken into the mouth.
Teeth → chew and grind food.
Tongue → helps in mixing food and swallowing.
2. Digestion
Breaking complex food into simpler soluble forms with the help of enzymes.
(a) Mouth/Buccal Cavity
Saliva contains salivary amylase, which converts starch → sugar (maltose).
(b) Stomach
Gastric juice contains:
o HCl (kills bacteria, activates enzymes).
o Pepsin (digests proteins into peptides).
o Mucus (protects stomach lining).
(c) Small Intestine (main site of digestion & absorption)
Liver secretes bile (stored in gallbladder) → breaks fats into small droplets (emulsification).
Pancreas secretes enzymes:
o Amylase (carbohydrates → sugars),
o Trypsin (proteins → amino acids),
o Lipase (fats → fatty acids + glycerol).
Intestinal juice completes digestion.
3. Absorption
Digested food is absorbed in the small intestine.
Inner lining has villi → finger-like projections that increase surface area for absorption.
4. Assimilation
Absorbed nutrients are carried by blood to body cells.
Used for energy (respiration), growth, repair, and storage.
5. Egestion
Undigested food passes into the large intestine.
Water is absorbed, and waste is expelled through the
anus.
Human Digestive System