Chapter 10
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.
● 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.
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. e.g. 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 is a living being considered dead?
Ans. 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.
e.g A bean seed germinates when provided with adequate moisture, air, and light. The seed
swells, the seed coat breaks, and the radicle and plumule 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.
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 .
Life Cycle of a Plant
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.
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.
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.