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CLASS: X
SECTION: ALL SECTIONS
SUBJECT: BIOLOGY
SESSION: 2024-25
CHAPTER 5: LIFE PROCESSES
NOTES PART II
RESPIRATION
Respiration: The process, by which a living being utilizes the food to get energy, is called respiration. Respiration is
an oxidation reaction in which carbohydrate is oxidized to produce energy. Mitochondria are the site of respiration
and the energy released is stored in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is stored in mitochondria and is
released as per need.

Steps of respiration:

1. Breaking down of glucose into pyruvate:

This step happens in the cytoplasm. Glucose molecule is broken down into pyruvic acid. Glucose molecule is
composed of 6 carbon atoms, while pyruvic acid is composed of 3 carbon atoms.

2. Fate of Pyruvic Acid: Further breaking down of pyruvic acid takes place in mitochondria and the molecules formed
depend on the type of respiration in a particular organism. Respiration is of two types, viz. aerobic respiration and
anaerobic respiration.

Respiration involves:-
1. Gaseous exchange: Intake of oxygen from the atmosphere and release of CO2 → Breathing.
2. Breakdown of simple food in order to release energy inside the cell → Cellular respiration
TYPES OF RESPIRATION

1. Aerobic respiration: This type of respiration happens in the presence of oxygen. Pyruvic acid is converted into
carbon dioxide. Energy is released and water molecule is also formed at the end of this process.

2. Anaerobic respiration: This type of respiration happens in the absence of oxygen. Pyruvic acid is either converted
into ethyl alcohol or lactic acid. Ethyl alcohol is usually formed in case of anaerobic respiration in microbes, like yeast
or bacteria. Lactic acid is formed in some microbes as well as in the muscle cells.

▪ Glucose (6 carbon molecule) → Pyruvate (3 carbon molecules) + Energy

▪ Pyruvate (In yeast, lack of O2) → Ethyl alcohol + Carbon dioxide + Energy
▪ Pyruvate (In muscles, lack of O2) → Lactic Acid + Energy
▪ Pyruvate (In mitochondria; the presence of O2) → Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy

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Pain in leg muscles while running:

o When someone runs too fast, he may experience throbbing pain in the leg muscles. This happens because of
anaerobic respiration taking place in the muscles.
o During running, the energy demand from the muscle cells increases. This is compensated by anaerobic
respiration and lactic acid is formed in the process.
o The deposition of lactic acid causes pain in the leg muscles. The pain subsides after taking rest for some time.

HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Following are the main structures in the human respiratory system:

1. Nostrils: There are two nostrils which converge to form a nasal passage. The inner lining of the nostrils is lined by
hair and remains wet due to mucus secretion. The mucus and the hair help in filtering the dust particles out from
inhaled air. Further, air is warmed up when it enters the nasal passage.

2. Pharynx: It is a tube-like structure which continues after the nasal passage.

3. Larynx: This part comes after the pharynx. This is also called voice box.

4. Trachea: This is composed of rings of cartilage. Cartilaginous rings prevent the collapse of trachea in the absence
of air.

5. Bronchi: A pair of bronchi comes out from the trachea, with one bronchus going to each lung.

6. Bronchioles: A bronchus divides into branches and sub-branches inside the lung.

7. Alveoli: These are air sacs at the end of bronchioles. The alveolus is composed of a very thin membrane and is the
place where blood capillaries open. This is alveolus, where the oxygen mixes with the blood and carbon dioxide exits
from the blood. The exchange of gases, in alveoli, takes place due to the pressure differential.

DIAGRAM OF HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM:

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Breathing Mechanism

• The breathing mechanism of lungs is controlled by the diaphragm and the intercostalis muscles.
• The diaphragm is a membrane which separates the thoracic chamber from the abdominal cavity.
• When the diaphragm moves down, the lungs expand and the air is inhaled.
• When the diaphragm moves up, the lungs contract and air are exhaled.

Exchange of gases:

EXCHANGE OF GASES THROUGH ALVEOLI IN HUMAN LUNGS-

C
N

▪ For aerobic respiration, organisms need a continuous supply of oxygen, and carbon dioxide produced during the
process needs to be removed from the body.
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▪ Different organisms use different methods for the intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide.
▪ Diffusion is the method which is utilized by unicellular and some simple organisms for this purpose.
▪ In plants also, diffusion is utilized for exchange of gases.
▪ In complex animals, respiratory system does the job of exchange of gases.
▪ Gills are the respiratory organs for fishes. Fishes take in oxygen which is dissolved in water through gills.
▪ Since, availability of oxygen is less in the aquatic environment, so the breathing rate of aquatic organisms is
faster.
▪ Insects have a system of spiracles which is used for taking in oxygen.
▪ Terrestrial organisms have developed lungs for exchange of gases.
▪ Availability of oxygen is not a problem in the terrestrial environment so breathing rate is slower as compared to
what it is in fishes.
▪ Terrestrial organisms: Use atmospheric oxygen for respiration.
▪ Aquatic organisms: Use dissolve oxygen for respiration.

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TRANSPORTATION
Human beings like other multicellular organism need a regular supply of foods, oxygen etc. This function is
performed by a circulatory system or transport system.

Transportation in Human Beings: The circulatory system is responsible for transport of various substances in human
beings. It is composed of the heart, arteries, veins and blood capillaries. Blood plays the role of the carrier of
substances.

1. Heart: Heart is a muscular organ, which is composed of cardiac muscles.

• It is so small that, it can fit inside an adult’s wrist. The heart is a pumping organ which pumps the blood.
• The human heart is composed of four chambers, viz. right atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle and left atrium.
• Systole: Contraction of cardiac muscles is called systole.
• Diastole: Relaxation of cardiac muscles is called diastole.
• STRUCTURE OF HEART

2. Arteries:
• These are thick-walled blood vessels which carry oxygenated blood from the heart to different organs.

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• Pulmonary arteries are exceptions because they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to lungs, where
oxygenation of blood takes place.
3. Veins:
• These are thin-walled blood vessels which carry deoxygenated blood from different organs to the heart,
pulmonary veins are exceptions because they carry oxygenated blood from lungs to the heart.
• Valves are present in veins to prevent back flow of blood
4. Capillaries: These are the blood vessels which have single-celled walls.

Differentiation between arteries, veins and capillaries:

Artery Vein Capillary

1. It is a blood vessel 1. It is a blood vessel having 1. It is a very narrow blood vessel that
having a thick wall. a thin wall. has very thin walls.

2. It carries blood from 2. It brings blood from 2. It forms a network throughout the
the heart to different different parts of the body in all living cells connecting
parts of the body. body to the heart. arteries to veins.

3. It contains valves that

3. It doesn't contain any allow the blood to flow
3. It doesn't have any valve.
valve. in one direction towards
the heart.

4. As the capillaries are much thinner

4. All arteries carry 4. All veins carry
so, the artery becomes arterioles
oxygenated blood deoxygenated blood
and the vein becomes venules
except the pulmonary except the pulmonary
when they need to exchange
artery. vein.
substances with the cells.

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➢ Blood: Blood is a connective tissue which plays the role of the carrier for various substances in the body. Blood is
composed of 1. Plasma 2. Blood cells 3. Platelets.
➢ Blood plasma: Blood plasma is a pale coloured liquid which is mostly composed of water. Blood plasma forms the
matrix of blood.
➢ Bloods cells: There are two types of blood cells, viz. Red Blood Cells (RBCs) and White Blood Cells (WBCs).
1. Red Blood Corpuscles (RBCs): These are of red colour because of the presence of haemoglobin which is a
pigment. Haemoglobin readily combines with oxygen and carbon dioxide. The transport of oxygen happens
through haemoglobin. Some part of carbon dioxide is also transported through haemoglobin.
2. White Blood Corpuscles (WBCs): These are of pale white colour. They play important role in the immunity.
3. Platelets: Platelets are responsible for blood coagulation. Blood coagulation is a defense mechanism which
prevents excess loss of blood, in case of an injury.

LYMPH Is similar to blood but RBCs are absent in lymph.

➢ Lymph is formed from the fluid which leaks from blood capillaries and goes to the intercellular space in the
tissues. This fluid is collected through lymph vessels and finally returns to the blood capillaries.
➢ Lymph also plays an important role in the immune system.
➢ Lymph a yellowish fluids escape from the blood capillaries into the intercellular spaces contain less proteins than
blood.
➢ Lymph flows from the tissues to the heart assisting in transportation and destroying germs.

PROCESS OF TRANSPORTATION IN HUMANS-

Double circulation: In the human heart, blood passes through the heart twice in one cardiac cycle. This type of
circulation is called double circulation. One complete heartbeat in which all the chambers of the heart contract and
relax once is called cardiac cycle. The heart beats about 72 times per minute in a normal adult. In one cardiac cycle,
the heart pumps out 70 mL blood and thus, about 4900 mL blood in a minute. Double circulation ensures complete
segregation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood which is necessary for optimum energy production in warm-
blooded animals.

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TRANSPORTATION IN PLANTS
Transportation in plants: Plants have specialized vascular tissues for transportation of substances. There
are two types of vascular tissues in plants.
➢ Xylem: Xylem is responsible for transportation of water and minerals.
1. It is composed of trachids, xylem vessels, xylem parenchyma and xylem fibre.
2. Tracheids and xylem vessels are the conducting elements.
3. The xylem makes a continuous tube in plants which runs from roots to stem and right up to the veins
of leaves. Carry water and minerals from the leaves to the other part of the plant.
➢ Phloem: Phloem is responsible for transportation of food.
1. Phloem is composed of sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma and bast fibers.
2. Sieve tubes are the conducting elements in phloem.
3. Carries product of photosynthesis from roots to other part of the plant.
4. Transport of food from leaves (food factory) to different parts of the plant is called Translocation.

➢ Ascent of sap: The upward movement of water and minerals from roots to different plant parts is called
ascent of sap. Many factors are at play in ascent of sap and it takes place in many steps. They are
explained as follows :
1. Root pressure: The walls of cells of
root hairs are very thin. Water from
soil enters the root hairs because of
osmosis. Root pressure is
responsible for movement of water
up to the base of the stem.
2. Capillary action: A very fine tube is
called capillary, water, or any liquid,
rises in the capillary because of
physical forces and this
phenomenon is called capillary
action. Water, in stem, rises up to
some height because of capillary
action.
3. Adhesion-cohesion of water
molecules: Water molecules make
a continuous column in the xylem
because of forces of adhesion and
cohesion among the molecules.
4. Transpiration pull: Loss of water
vapour through stomata and
lenticels, in plants, is called
transpiration. Transpiration through
stomata creates vacuum which
creates a suction, called
transpiration pull. The transpiration pull sucks the water column from the xylem tubes and thus,
water is able to rise to great heights in even the tallest plants.
Transpiration is the process of loss of water as vapour from aerial parts of the plant.
• Absorption and upward movement of water and minerals by creating pull.
• Helps in temperature regulation in plant.

5. Transport of food: Transport of food in plants happens because of utilization of energy. Thus, unlike
the transport through xylem, it is a form of active transport. Moreover, the flow of substances
through phloem takes place in both directions, i.e., it is a two-way traffic in phloem.

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EXCRETION IN HUMAN BEINGS

• The process of removal of harmful waste from the body is called excretion.
• Many wastes are produced during various metabolic activities.
• These need to be removed in time because their accumulation in the body can be harmful and even
lethal for an organism.

HUMAN EXCRETORY SYSTEM

• The human excretory system is

composed of a pair of kidneys.
• A tube, called a ureter, comes out of
each kidney and goes to the urinary
bladder.
• Urine is collected in the urinary
bladder, from where it is expelled
out through the urethra as and
when required.
Excretory system of human beings
includes:
• A pair of kidneys.
• A urinary bladder.
• A pair of the ureter.
• A urethra.
Kidney:
• Kidney is a bean-shaped organ
which lies near the vertebral column in the abdominal cavity.
• The kidney is composed of many filtering units, called nephrons.
• Nephron is called the functional unit of the kidney.

Nephron
• It is composed of a tangled mess of tubes and a filtering part, called glomerulus.
• The glomerulus is a network of blood capillaries to which the renal artery is attached.
• The artery which takes blood to the glomerulus is called afferent arteriole and the one
receiving blood from the glomerulus is called efferent arteriole.
• The glomerulus is enclosed in a capsule-like portion, called a bowman’s capsule. The
bowman’s capsule extends into a fine tube which is highly coiled.
• Tubes from various nephrons converge into the collecting duct, which finally goes to
the ureter.

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URINE FORMATION IN THE KIDNEY: The urine formation involves three steps:

•Glomerular filtration
•Nitrogenous wastes, glucose, water, amino acid filter from the blood into bowman’s capsule of the
1. nephron.

•Selective reabsorption
•Now, useful substances from the filtrate are reabsorbed back by capillaries surrounding the nephron
2.
•Tubular secretion
•Extra water, salts are secreted into the tubule which opens up into the collecting duct and then into
3. the ureter.

Urine produced in the kidneys passes through the ureters into the urinary bladder where it is stored until
it is released through the urethra.
• The purpose of making urine is to filter out waste product from the blood i.e., urea which is produced in
the liver.

HAEMODIALYSIS:
• Dialysis is an artificial process used to remove water and waste substances from the blood when the
kidneys fail to function properly.
• The word “HAEMO” refers to blood. Hemodialysis is a method for removing waste products such as
potassium and urea, as well as free water from the blood when the kidneys are in renal failure.
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• The blood travels outside the body

through the tubing and passes through
a filter of the dialysis machine.
• The filter cleans the blood and the
clean blood is returned to your body.
• Dialysis works on the principles of the
diffusion of solutes and ultrafiltration of
fluid across a semipermeable
membrane.
• Diffusion describes a property of
substances in water. Substances in
water tend to move from an area of
high concentration to an area of low
concentration.
• ______________________________________________________________________________
EXCRETION IN PLANTS
Excretion in plants occurs to remove the wastes produced by them. These waste products are excreted by
plants in completely different forms than those of animals.
Plants excrete various waste products during their life processes they are as follows
GASEOUS WASTE PRODUCTS OF PLANTS
• Plants release gaseous wastes such as carbon dioxide and water vapour produced during respiration at
night and oxygen produced during photosynthesis in the daytime through stomata in leaves and
lenticels found in stems.

LIQUID WASTE PRODUCTS OF PLANTS

• Plants get rid of excess water produced as waste during respiration by the process of transpiration.
• Some species of plants exude water through stomata, while others through hydathodes.
• Plants also store waste substances in old xylem as resins and gums.
• Gums are the degradation products of internal plant tissues (mostly cellulose), while resins are formed
as the oxidation products of various essential oils.
• Rubber plant is a common example of a plant which exudes latex (used in the tyre industry) as an
excretory product.
• Plants also excrete some essential oils like sandalwood oil, clove oil, etc., as excretory products.

SOLID WASTE PRODUCTS OF PLANTS

• Some plants store waste substances in the cellular vacuoles and in tissues with dead cells, e.g. in the
heartwood.
• Waste products may also be stored within leaves, barks, etc., which fall off or get rid of by plants, e.g.
deciduous plants.
• Uses of other plant wastes are-
1. Plants like oak store their excretory products as tannin in their trunk, which is used in the
treatment of leather.
2. Essential oils excreted by plants such as sandalwood oil, olive oil, etc., are widely used in various
household purposes.
3. Gums from plants are widely used to make adhesives.
4. Resins are used to make varnishes, glazing agents, etc.
5. Natural rubber is used as raw material in tyre industry.

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