LIFE PROCESSES

The maintenance of living organisms must go on even at the conditions, when they are not physically active.
Even when we sit idle and during sleeping, this maintenance job through cells functioning has to go on. The
life process includes the activities performed by the different organs to maintain the body.

Some of the life processes in the living beings are described below:
Nutrition
The process of obtaining energy through consumption of food is called as nutrition.
Respiration
The process of acquiring oxygen through breathing and make it available to cells for the process of
breaking down of organic substances into simpler compounds is called as respiration.
Transportation
Transportation is the process by which the food and oxygen is carried from one organ to other organs
in the body.
Excretion
It is the process by which the metabolic waste or by-products are removed from the different organs
and released out from the body.

NUTRITION
The process by which an organism takes food and utilizes it is called nutrition.

NEED OF NUTRITION
Organisms need energy to perform various activities. The energy is supplied by the nutrients. Organisms need
various raw materials for growth and repair. These raw materials are provided by nutrients.

NUTRIENTS
Materials which provide nutrition to organisms are called nutrients. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the
main nutrients and are called macronutrients. Minerals and vitamins are required in small amounts and hence
are called micronutrients. Carbohydrates are classifies as
Monosaccharides- glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides- sucrose, maltose, lactose
Polysaccharides- starch and glycogen

TYPES OF NUTRITION:
Autotrophic Nutrition: The
mode of nutrition in which an organism
prepares its own food is called autotrophic
nutrition. Green plants and blue-green
algae follow the autotrophic mode of
nutrition.

Heterotrophic Nutrition: The

mode of nutrition in which an organism
takes food from another organism is
called heterotrophic nutrition. Organisms;
other than green plants and blue-green
algae follow heterotrophic mode of
nutrition.

AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION
Autotrophic organisms are able to produce organic matter from simple inorganic materials.
They consequently create their own food—but require a source of energy to do this.
Photoautotrophs harvest energy from light to produce organic matter.
Chemoautotrophs use energy from inorganic reactions in the environment to drive the creation of
organic matter.
HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION
These organisms eat organic matter in other organisms—either alive (as predators) or dead (as scavengers).
Saprotrophic organisms are the decay organisms. They digest dead materials using enzymes that they secrete
externally. Fungi and many bacteria are saprotrophes. Parasites (biotrophs) feed on living organisms
without killing them.

Heterotrophic nutrition can be further divided into two types, viz. saprophytic nutrition and holozoic
nutrition.
o Saprophytic Nutrition: In saprophytic nutrition; the organism secretes the digestive juices on the
food. The food is digested while it is still to be ingested. The digested food is then ingested by the
organism. All the decomposers follow saprophytic nutrition. Some insects; like houseflies; also
follow this mode of nutrition.
o Holozoic Nutrition: In holozoic nutrition; the digestion happens inside the body of the organism,
i.e. after the food is ingested. Most of the animals follow this mode of nutrition.

Chloroplast: Green plastid, contains green pigment- Chlorophyll.

• Chloroplasts are present in mesophyll cells which are present between upper and lower epidermis of
leaves. Palisade mesophyll cells have generally more chloroplast than spongy mesophyll cells.
• Chloroplasts are also present in Guard cells of stomata.
• Chloroplasts are also present in Outer layers of young green stems.

Chlorophyll is present in the walls of thylakoids.

Stomata: Minute openings in the epidermal layer of leaves.
Cuticle: Waxy layer secreted by epidermis on the two surface of leaf.
Lenticel: Special openings that develop on barks of older stems in place of stomata.

Exchange of gases in plants takes place through stomata, lenticels, root surfaces and through intercellular
spaces in stomata.
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Heterotrophic nutrition
Steps of Holozoic nutrition
INGESTION • Process of taking in food into mouth cavity

DIGESTION • Process in which large complex molecules of food are broken down into simpler forms
with help of enzymes.
ABSORPTION • Process in which the digested food is absorbed into the body from digestive structure.

ASSIMILATION • Process in which the digested food is utilized to provide energy and substances for
additional protoplasm
EGESTION • The process of removal of undigested food from the body

Enzymes are Biocatalyst proteins, acts on specific- substrate producing same end products, affects rate of
chemical reaction, can be used repeatedly at a particular pH and optimum temperature- 35 to 40oC

Holozoic nutrition in amoeba paramecium and Human:

 Human digestive system
• Alimentary canal= Mouth + oesophagus+ stomach+ small intestine (Duodenum+ Jejunum+
ileum)+ large intestine (caecum+colon+rectum)+ Anus
• Digestive glands= salivary glands +liver + pancreas.

MOUTH
• Lips, Teeth tongue, salivary glands
Homodont teeth: similar in size & shape E.g.: fishes, frogs, reptiles
Heterodont teeth: different size, shape and functions. E.g.:
mammals- humans
Four types of teeth
• Incisors- biting& cutting
• Canines-tearing
• Premolars-crushing & grinding
• Molars- crushing & grinding
Two sets
• Milk or temporary or deciduous teeth 20 (8I, 4C, 8P)
• Permanent 32(16+16)
Dental caries: Caries: bacteria- acid- corrodes the enamel- forms
cavities. Plaque:- small bits of food, yellowish, sticky substance. Tartar-
hard plaque.

Tongue: Fleshy muscular organ. Functions: chewing, tasting, mixes

saliva with food, cleaning, speaking

The salivary glands: Secretes saliva. Contains water, salts and slimy
mucus. Has salivary amylase- digests starch into maltose.

Functions of saliva
• Moistens & lubricates
• Makes speaking and swallowing easy
• Acts as solvent-to stimulate taste.
• Cleans mouth, destroys germs
• Initiates digestion
• Forms bolus.

The oesophagus: food pipe. Peristalsis causes the movement of food from oesophagus, all along the
alimentary canal.
The stomach: Elastic bag, Highly muscular, Food is mixed with digestive juices, Gastric glands secretes
Digestive juice. Gastric juice: contains water, HCl, mucus & enzymes- Pepsin, rennin. Food stays 4-5hrs in
stomach. After digestion in stomach forms chyme- thick paste and moves into small intestine.

Mucus HCl Rennin Pepsin

• Protects muscular • Kills germs • Prorennin • Pepsinogen
walls of stomach • Activates enzymes • Casein to Paracasein • Proteins to Peptones/
against action of Proteoses
HCL

The small intestine: Coiled tube, 7mts long, Short upper part- duodenum- receives bile and pancreatic juice
Secretes Intestinal juice. Food- 3-5hrs---digestion & absorption. Site of complete digestion and absorption.
Pancreas - Enzymes
Amylase

Starch to Maltose

Trypsin
Trypsinogen activated by Enterokinase
Left over Proteins/ peptones/ Proteoses to peptides.

Lipase

Fats to fatty acids & glycerol

The liver- bile juice

• Yellowish green watery fluid
• Bile pigments: biliverdin and bilirubin
• Emulsification of fats: Breaks fats & oils into tiny droplets.
• Contains NaHCo3- neutralizes acid- converts acidic chyme to alkaline chyme

Intestinal juice- enzymes

Peptidases/ Erepsin •Peptides to aminoacids
Maltase •Maltose to Glucose+ Glucose
Sucrase/ Invertase •Sucrose to Glucose + Fructose
Lactase •Lactose to Glucose + Galactose
Lipase •Fats to Fatty acids + Glycerol

Small intestine- villi

Villi- Facilitates Absorption
Characteristics:
• Numerous - Increase in inner surface area.
• Covered by single-cell epithelium.
• Long and narrow
• Artery, veins, capillaries, lacteal.

The large intestine

• Secretes no enzymes.
• Caecum, colon and rectum
• Villi- Absorbs water from undigested food
• Semi solid faeces contains undigested food & residue of
cellulose.
• Egestion

End products od digestion- assimilation

• Glucose: liver- Glucose to glycogen
• Amino acids- Deamination
• Fatty acids + glycerol- Stored
Respiration:

The process of breakdown of glucose to produce energy in every cell.

• Oxidative process.
• Catabolic process.
• In presence of oxygen.
• In absence of oxygen.
• In lack of oxygen.
• Release of Carbon Dioxide
• Exothermic reaction.
• Release of energy- ATP- /universal energy carrier/ energy currency of the cell

Activity 6.4 6.5

To prove that carbon dioxide is released during respiration:

Breakdown of glucose by various pathways

Types of respiration:
 • C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP
Aerobic Respiration
• C6H12O6 2C3H6O3 + 2ATP
Anaerobic Respiration in muscle cells
• C6H12O6 ⟶ 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + 2ATP.
Anaerobic Respiration in yeast and plant cells

ATP-energy currency of the cell

Respiration in plants
• Leaf- Stomata
• Stem- Lenticels
• Roots- general surface.
• Large intercellular spaces
• Diffusion.
• Day time- Photosynthesis and Respiration
• Night time- Respiration

Respiration in animals:
• Rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than terrestrial organism.
Aquatic animals: Fishes-water – mouth force it – gills- dissolved O2, rate of breathing is faster.
• Terrestrial animals: Lungs.
Process of respiration:
 Breathing: inhalation-nose-nasal cavity-lungs- exhalation-lungs.
 Gaseous transport: O2- blood (lungs)- haemoglobin- oxyhaemoglobin- carried to body cells &
tissues. CO2 is collected as carbaminohaemoglobin and as bicarbonates in plasma – lungs –
removed.
 Cellular respiration: cells- process of breakdown of food in cell – energy.series of chemical reaction-
ATP
Structural characteristics of Alveoli:
 Increases surface area for exchange of gases.
 Thin permeable walls.
 Alveoli walls are richly supplied with blood capillaries.

Blood supply to lungs

 Mechanism of breathing

Breathing: Involuntary activity, Lungs are never empty, Importance of fresh air, Breathing rate: adult- 12 to
18 times/min, new born- 60times/min, 4-5 times lower than heartbeat. Medulla oblongata is called as
respiratory centre.
 Transportation in animals:

Need for Transport inside Our Body

• In Digestive System: The nutrients absorbed from the digested food need to be transported to
each cell to perform their functions.
• In Excretory System: All the wastes generated need to be collected from whole body and
flushed out.
• In Endocrine System: The hormones produced need to be sent to each and every part of our
body.
• In Respiratory System: The oxygen and CO2 need to be transported through out the body.

 Non- Circulating Body fluids: Synovial fluid, vitreous humour, aqueous humour
 Circulating Body fluids- consists of Fluid connective tissue such as Blood: present in heart, blood
vessels and Lymph: present in lymph vessels, lymphatic organs.

Circulatory System consists of

 Heart: Location: present in the centre between the lungs and above the diaphragm
 Blood vessels – Arteries, Veins and capillaries.
 Blood:

Blood: Connective tissue consisting of fluid matrix, plasma, and formed elements. Its composition and
function is given below:
Plasma:
 water, proteins, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonates, glucose, amino acids, hormones, nitrogenous
waste, CO2.
 It is a light yellow-coloured alkaline liquid.
 It mainly consists of Water 90–92%, Proteins 7–8%, Inorganic Salts 1%, other Substances Trace
amounts.

Cellular elements:
 Erythrocytes- RBC- O2 / CO2.
 Leucocytes- WBC- Ingests germs- immunity.
 Thrombocytes- Platelets- clotting of blood.

Function:
 Transport and Protection
Functions of Blood
(i) Transportation
• Transport of digested food from alimentary canal to
tissues
• Transport of oxygen from lungs to the tissues
• Transport of carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs
• Transport of excretory material
• Distribution of hormones from endocrine glands
• Distribution of heat throughout the body
(ii) Protection
• Formation of clot in case of cut, thus preventing
blood loss
• Protecting body from bacteria
• Production of antitoxins and antibodies

Structure of Human Heart:

Coronary veins: collects deoxygenated blood from heart muscles and pours it into right auricle.
Circulation of Blood in the Heart

The circulation of blood in the heart occurs due to alternate contraction and relaxation of the heart chambers.
Contraction is also known as systole, while relaxation is also known as diastole.
The series of events which occur during one complete beat of the heart is called cardiac cycle.

Atrial Systole and Ventricular Diastole

 Auricles are contracting
 Blood from the atria passes into the ventricles.
 Tricuspid and bicuspid valves open and blood enters into the corresponding ventricles.
 The semilunar valves closes producing the heart sound Dup.

Ventricular Systole and Atrial Diastole

 Ventricles are contracting
 Tricuspid and bicuspid valves close producing the heart sound Lubb and also preventing the
backflow of blood into the respective atria. Chordae tendinae holds these valves in position.
 Both the semilunar valves open, and the ventricular blood enters the pulmonary artery from the right
ventricle and the aorta from the left ventricle.

Cardiac muscles contract rhythmically in response to self-generated impulses.

-atrial node (SA node) is located in the upper wall of the right atrium. It
triggers an impulse which causes an atrial systole.
o-ventricular node (AV node) located at the bottom of the right
atrium which initiates a ventricular systole.

Hence, circulation in human body is called as double circulation as blood flows twice in the heart.
Pulse
xpansion and elastic recoil of the wall of the artery during ventricular
systole. Counting of pulse is indirectly the counting of the heart beat.

Blood Pressure
walls.

me when the heart contracts and fresh

blood is pumped into arteries. Systolic pressure: ventricular systole. 120mm of Hg.
ssure: The lower limit of the pressure. It occurs each time when the heart is in diastole,
i.e. this pressure is observed between two heart beats. Diastolic pressure: ventricular diastole. 80 mm of Hg.
–140 mm (systolic) and 60–80 mm (diastolic).
Hypertension: 140/90- high BP - constriction of arterioles.

TRANSPORATION IN PLAN
EXCRETION
Study Excretion in plants from NCERT textbook. Revise all NCERT exemplar questions