Biology

Ch 6 Life Processes
NCERT Solutions:
1. Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of
multicellular organisms like humans?
Ans: In multicellular organisms all the cells may not be in direct contact
with the surrounding environment. Hence diffusion will not meet all the
requirements of all the cells.
2. What criteria do we use to decide whether something is alive?
Ans: Movement in response to external stimuli, breathing, growth etc. 3.
What are outside raw materials used for by an organism? Ans: Food
like plants and other animals as a source of supplying energy and
materials.
Oxygen for the breakdown of food to obtain energy.
Water for proper digestion of food and other functions inside the body 4.
What processes would you consider essential for maintaining life?
Ans: All processes that perform the maintenance function of living
organisms are called life processes. All life processes are essential for
maintaining life.
5. What are the differences between autotrophic nutrition and
heterotrophic nutrition?
Ans:
Autotrophic Nutrition Heterotrophic Nutrition
(i) Food is made from Food is obtained from
inorganic components. organic components
 (ii) Chlorophyll and Chlorophyll and sunlight
sunlight is required. is not required.
(iii) Photosynthesis or These processes do
chemosynthesis takes not occur.
place.
(iv) It occurs in green plants It occurs in animals
and some bacteria. and insectivorous
plants.

6. Where do plants get each of the raw materials required for

photosynthesis?
Ans: For photosynthesis plants obtain the following raw
materials: i. Water: Roots absorb it from the soil.
ii. Carbon dioxide: Stomata in leaves allow the carbon
dioxide gas to enter into the plant.
iii. Chlorophyll: It is already present in the leaves.
iv. Sunlight: From the sun.
7. What is the role of acid in our stomach?
Ans: Acid (HCl) present in our stomach makes the medium acidic so as
to facilitate the action of the enzyme pepsin and it kills the bacteria
ingested with food.
8. What is the function of digestive enzymes?
Ans: Digestive enzymes act on the complex food to break them into
simpler components.
9. How is the small intestine designed to absorb the digested food?
Ans: Small intestine has finger like projection in the inner lining which
 increases the surface area for absorption of food. These finger like
projections are called villi. The villi are richly supplied with blood vessels
which take the absorbed food to each and every cell of the body.
10. What advantages over an aquatic organism does a terrestrial
organism have with regard to obtaining oxygen for
respiration?
Ans: Aquatic organism takes in the oxygen dissolved in water which is in
less percentage than the oxygen present in air. Terrestrial organism can
take in more amount of oxygen at a time than aquatic organisms.
11. What are the different ways in which glucose is oxidised to provide
energy in various organisms?
Ans: Breakdown of glucose by various pathways for different organisms
are:

12. How is oxygen

and carbon dioxide transported in human beings? Ans: Oxygen is
carried by haemoglobin present in the RBC of the blood, carbon dioxide is
soluble in water and hence is transported by the blood in dissolved form.
13. How are lungs designed in human beings to maximise the area for
exchange of gases?
Ans: In human beings lungs have the tubes called bronchioles which
divide into smaller tubes and terminate into balloon like structures
called alveoli. The alveoli provide large surface area where the exchange
of gases can take place.
14. What are the components of transport system in human beings?
What are the functions of these components?
 Ans: In human beings the transport system consists of the
following: i. Heart: It acts as a pumping organ.
ii. Blood: It is the transport medium. It is made up of:
a) Plasma–It carries food molecules, nitrogenous wastes,
salts, carbon dioxide, hormones proteins etc. in a dissolved
form.
b) RBC–Consists of haemoglobin and transports oxygen.
c) WBC–Helps to fight infection.
d) Platelets–Helps in the clotting of blood.
iii. Blood vessels:
a) Arteries–Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to
each and every cell.
b) Veins–Bring de-oxygenated blood to heart for purification.
15. Why is it necessary to separate oxygenated and deoxygenated
blood in mammals and birds?
Ans: Mammals and birds need large amount of energy for their life
processes and hence the oxygenated blood can help them to obtain this
energy by breaking down the food.
16. What are the components of the transport system in highly
organised plants?
Ans: The components of the transport system are xylem and phloem in
highly organized plants.
17. How are water and minerals transported in plants? Ans: Water and
minerals are transported in plants with the help of xylem tissue. Roots
absorb the water from the soil by actively taking up ions, creates the
difference in the concentration of these ions between the root and the
soil. Water enters the root cells. The water moves up creating a column of
water that is steadily pushed upwards in vessels and tracheids of the
roots, stem and leaves, and are interconnected to form a continuous
system of water-conducting channels reaching all parts of the plant. The
 water loss by leaves through stomata is called transpiration. It creates a
suction pull, which pulls water from the xylem cells of roots.
18. How is food transported in plants?
Ans: The transport of food in plants is called translocation. It takes place
with the help of a conducting tissue called phloem. Phloem transports
glucose, amino acids and other substances from leaves to root, shoot,
fruits and seeds. Sieve tube and companion cells help in transporting the
food in upward and downward directions. Sucrose like materials are
transported using energy from ATP and osmotic pressure, which is
caused due to water. This pressure moves the material in the phloem to
tissues which have less pressure. This pressure helps in the movement
of material in plants.
19. Describe the structure and functioning of nephrons.
Ans: Structure of nephrons: It consists of a Bowman’s capsule in which
glomerulus is present (cluster of capillaries). The afferent artery brings the
impure blood to nephron. The cup shaped structure (Bowman’s capsule)
form a tubular part of nephron which leads to collecting duct. Working of
Nephron
(i) Filtration: The renal artery or afferent artery is wider and slowly it
becomes a narrow tube in the glomerulus. Due to difference in the
width, pressure difference is caused and water with dissolved
impurities are squeezed out from the tube. It is collected in the
Bowman’s capsule which is cup like structure and passes into the
tube.
(ii) Reabsorbtion: The above filtrate passes through the tubule where the
major amount of water, glucose, amino acids are selectively reabsorbed by the
capillaries which are surrounding the tubule.
(iii) Urine formation: The water and impurities which is not
reabsorbed is sent to a collecting duct. This filtrate contains more
of dissolved nitrogenous wastes i.e. urea and hence it is termed as
 urine. From here the urine enters the ureter and is collected in
urinary bladder.

(OR)

20. What are the methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products?
Ans: Wastes excreted from plants are:
(i) Gaseous wastes–through stomata pores CO2 is given out
during respiration and O2 is given out during photosynthesis.
(ii) Liquid wastes (water)–through stomata pores by transpiration. (iii) Other
wastes–are stored in leaves dead cells and the leaves fall off. (iv) Some other
waste products are stored as resins and gums in old
xylem of the plant and other wastes are also thrown out from nodes into
the soil.
21. How the amount of urine is produced regulated?
Ans: The amount of urine produced depends on how much excess water
there is in the body and how much of dissolved waste there is to be excreted.
On a hot day, when we sweat and lose a lot of body water and salts, most of
the water and salts in kidney will be reabsorbed into the blood from the
filtrate in the tubule. Thus the volume of urine produced will be less. In
winters, when we do not sweat a lot, a little water and salts will be reabsorbed
and the volume of urine produced will be more. Thus there is perfect
osmoregulation in the body.
QUESTIONS FROM NCERT TEXTBOOK
1. The kidneys in human beings are a part of the system for
a) nutrition.
b) Respiration
c) Excretion
d) transportation.
Ans. c) excretion.
2. The xylem in plants are responsible for
a) transport of water
b) transport of food.
c) transport of amino acids.
d) transport of oxygen.
Ans. (a) transport of water.
3. The autotrophic mode of nutrition requires
a) carbon dioxide and water.
b) chlorophyll.
c) sunlight.
 d) all of the above.
Ans. (d) All of the above.
4. The breakdown of pyruvate to give carbon dioxide, water and energy
takes place in
a) Cytoplasm
b) chloroplast.
c) Mitochondria
d) nucleus.
Ans. c) mitochondria.
5. How are fats digested in our bodies? Where does this process take
place?
Ans: Fats are digested in the small intestine. The secretion of liver, called
bile, breaks down the large globules of fat into smaller globules. This is
called emulsification of fats. The bile also makes the medium alkaline so
that the pancreatic enzyme containing lipase further digest fats to form
fatty acids. The alkaline medium is required for pancreatic enzyme to act
on lipase.
6. What is the role of saliva in the digestion of food?
Ans: Saliva contains enzymes, salivary amylase and is released in our
mouth. It breaks down starch into sugar (complex carbohydrates into
simpler ones).
7. What are the necessary’ conditions for autotrophic nutrition and
what are its byproducts?
Ans: For autotrophic nutrition to take place the conditions necessary are
light, carbon dioxide and water should reach a cell which contains
chlorophyll in it. Water first splits to release oxygen and hydrogen. This
process is photolysis of water. Hydrogen then combines with carbon
dioxide to form glucose.
The byproduct of the autotrophic nutrition is oxygen which is released
through stomata.
 8. What are the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?
Name some organisms that use the anaerobic mode of respiration.
Ans:
Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration
(i) Takes place in presence Takes place in absence of
of oxygen. oxygen.
(ii) Its end products are Its end products are
carbon dioxide and water. ethanol and carbon
dioxide.
(iii) More energy is released. Less energy is released.
(iv) It takes place in It takes place only in the
cytoplasm and cytoplasm.
mitochondria.
(v) Complete oxidation of Incomplete oxidation of
glucose takes place. glucose takes place.

Some organisms that use the anaerobic mode of respiration are—yeast and
bacteria.
9. How are the alveoli designed to maximise the exchange of gases?
Ans: The alveoli are present at the terminal of bronchioles. They are
balloon shaped structures which increases the surface area for the
exchange of gases and are richly supplied with blood vessels to take the
oxygen to different cells.
10. What would be the consequences of a deficiency of haemoglobin in
our bodies?
Ans: Haemoglobin is a red pigment present in our blood which carries
oxygen to all the parts of the body. If there is deficiency of haemoglobin
 then amount of oxygen reaching our body cells will decrease. Which may
lead to release of less energy in our body, leading to a disease called
anaemia. Breathlessness, tiredness and weakness are the symptoms of
anaemia.
11. Describe double circulation in human beings. Why is it necessary?
Ans: The heart of human beings consist of two sides right and left. The right
side of the heart receives de-oxygenated blood from the cells and tissues and
sends it further for purification to lungs. The left side of the heart receives
oxygenated blood from lungs which is pumped further and sent to all the
parts of the body through blood vessels. This is called double circulation. The
energy demand of human beings is too large and hence it is necessary for the
separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to meet this energy
demand. 12. What are the differences between the transport of materials
in xylem and phloem?
Ans:
Transport in Xylem Transport In Phloem
(i) Water and mineral salts Food in aqueous form is
are transported. translocated.
(ii) The transport is The transport is active.
generally passive.
(iii) Vessels and tracheids Sieve tubes and companion cells
are dead cells. are living cells.

13. Compare the functioning of alveoli in the lungs and nephrons in

the kidneys with respect to their structure and functioning. Ans:
Alveoli Nephron
(i) It is the structural and It is the structural and
functional unit of lungs. functional unit of kidneys.

(ii) It is thin walled, has a It is thin walled, has a large

large surface area and is surface area and is richly
richly supplied with blood vessels.
supplied with blood vessels.
(iii) It removes carbon It removes nitrogenous wastes
dioxide from the blood. from the blood.