Reproduction in human beings

1) What is puberty?
Ans: The age of sexual maturity is known as puberty.
The boys get their puberty around 12 to 15 years.
The girls get their puberty around 10 to 13 years.
During puberty hormones starts getting released. The hormones brings the behavioural, sexual
and appearance changes in both boys and girls.
The hormone released in man during puberty is testosterone.
The hormone released in female during puberty is oestrogen and progesterone.
2) Secondary sexual changes seen in boys during puberty –
I) Broad shoulders
II) Wider chest
III) Growth of muscles
IV) Growth of facial hair
V) Acnes and pimples on face
VI) Development of pubic hair
VII) Development of armpit hair
3) Secondary sexual changes seen in female –
I) Wider region below waist
II) Development if mammary glands or breast
III) Acnes or pimples on face
IV) High pitched voice
V) Development of pubic hair
VI) Development of armpit hair
Male reproductive system
1) Write the overall function of male reproductive system?
Ans: I) Produces germ cells ( sperm)
II) Transports the sperm out of the body.
III) To produce hormone ( testosterone)
2) Testis –
Testis is the primary sex organ of man. It is located in scrotum ( a bag like pouch outside of
abdomen) . Sperm is produced in the testis. Scrotum has a temperature lower by 2 to 3 ° C
than the rest of the body, to produce sperms. Testis also produces a hormone called
testosterone.
3) Write the functions of testosterone?
Ans : I) It regulates the formation of sperm.
II) It also regulates the formation of secondary sexual characters in males like – low
pitched voice, broad shoulders and chest, facial hair etc.
4) Write about the journey of sperm?
Ans: The sperm formed in testis is delivered with the help of vas deferens to the prostate
gland , then to seminal vesicles and it comes out from the urethra.
5) Write the function of prostate gland and seminal vesicles?
Ans: Glands adds secretions to increase the fluid which makes transport easier.
Fluids also provide nutrition to sperm.
6) What is semen?
Ans : The sperm together with the secretion of prostate gland and seminal vesicles is known
as semen.
7) What is the common passage of urine and semen?
Ans: The vas deferens unites with the tube coming from the urinary bladder. Therefore the
urethra of male is the common duct or passage for both urine and semen.
8) Write about the parts of the sperm?
Ans: The head of the sperm contains the genetic material ( DNA).
The middle portion of the sperm contains a lit of mitochondria to help in the faster
movement.
The lower region has a long tail which helps in the movement of sperm towards the
ovule.
Female reproductive system
1) Parts of female reproductive system –
a) Ovary – The primary reproductive organ in human is ovary, which produces egg
or ova or female gamete and also produces the hormones known as oestrogen
and progesterone.
b) Fallopian tube – Fallopian tube or oviduct carries the egg from the ovary to the
uterus
c) Uterus – In uterus the development of baby takes place.
d) Cervix and vagina – They are the birth canal.
2) What are the function of oestrogen and progesterone ?
Ans: Oestrogen and progesterone are responsible for secondary sexual characters like
broadness below the waist, less facial hair, development of mammary glands, high
pitched voice etc.
3) Why is female reproductive life limited, whereas man can produce sperm through out
his life?
Ans: In female the production of eggs starts in the embryo itself. Therefore a female is
born with limited number of eggs. After the baby girl is born, it cannot produce eggs.
Therefore female reproductive life is limited. They cannot produce babies throughout
their life. They can have babies only upto 40 to 45 years of age, because after that the
eggs are finished. Every month one egg mature in a female.
But male starts the sperm production from 12 to 13 years of age. Therefore a
man can have a child throughout his life, if their organs are functioning well.
4) Write the function if fallopian tube?
Ans: I) It is the site of fertilization, the site where sperm and ova gets fused.
II) It transports the fertilised egg to the uterus, for its further nourishment.
5) Write the function of uterus?
Ans: The uterus helps in the development of the zygote.
6) Define –
a) Zygote b) Embryo c) Foetus
Ans: a) Zygote – It is the single cell which is formed just after the fusion of the
egg and sperm.
 b) Embryo – When the single cell (zygote ) develops into a ball of cell, it is known
as the zygote.
c) Foetus – When in the ball of cells ( embryo ) organs develops, it is known as
foetus.
7) What is insemination?
Ans: When sexual intercourse happens, the blood flow in penis increases and the penis
becomes erect. The sperm is then ejaculated through the penis and travels upwards
through vaginal passage and reaches the oviduct or fallopian tube, this is known as
insemination.
8) What is implantation?
Ans: The process of attachment of the embryo or ball of cells to the wall if the uterus for
its further nourishment, is known as implantation.
9) What is gestation period?
Ans: The development of the foetus takes place in the mother’s womb across 9 months,
this period is known as gestation period.
10) What is placenta? Write it’s functions.
Ans: Placenta is the tissue between the baby and the mother.
The functions of placenta are
I) It helps in the transportation of – nutrients, gases like oxygen, antibodies,
vitamins, water from the mother to the baby.
II) It helps in the transportation of carbon dioxide, urea and some hormones from
the baby to the mother.
11) What is parturition? What happens during parturition?
Ans: The rhythmic contraction of muscles in the uterus results in the birth of the baby,
this is known as parturition.
The pituitary gland of the mother releases a hormone, known as oxytocin, which
produces the contraction in the walls of the uterus – after the baby is fully grown, so
that the baby comes out.
12) Why does the rhythmic contraction of the walls of the uterus takes place?
Ans: The rhythmic contraction of the uterus takes place because of the oxytocin
hormone released by the pituitary gland.
Mensuration
13) What is menstrual cycle?
Ans: The cycle of changes that takes place in female reproductive system, is known as
menstrual cycle.
The menstrual cycle in female is for about 28 days.
14) What is menarche and menopause?
Ans: The start of the reproductive life in female is known as menarche. The first period
of female takes place in menarche. It happens at age of about 10 to 13 years.
The end of reproductive life in a female is known as menopause. It happens at the
age of about 40 to 45 years. After menopause a female cannot reproduce
15) What happens during the menstrual cycle?
Ans: During 0 to 5 days, bleeding occurs (periods). On the 14th day of the menstrual
cycle, egg gets released. During 5 to 28 days the uterus lining becomes thick.
16) Give reason : During 5 to 28 days the uterus lining becomes thick?
Ans: The uterus lining becomes thick, so that if the egg gets fertilised and the embryo
gets attached to the uterus, it can hold and supply full nourishment to the embryo. So,
our uterus , every month, prepares itself to have a baby.
17) When is the chances of pregancy more during the menstrual cycle and why?
Ans: The chances of pregancy is more between 14 to 28 days, because on the 14th day
the egg is released.
18) If fertilization occurs, will there be bleeding?
Ans: No.
19) In human females, what happens when -
a) Egg is fertilised
b) Egg is not fertilised?
Ans: a) If the egg is fertilised, it moves upto uterus and gets implanted on uterus. The
uterine walls thickens and is richly supplied with blood. The region between embryo and
uterine wall grows into placenta which provides nourishment and oxygen to the
embryo. The child is born as a result of rhythmic contraction of the uterine muscle.
b/ If the egg is not fertilised, the thick and nourishing lining of the uterus breaks
and comes out through vagina as blood and mucus, which is called
menstruation Or periods.
Reproductive health
1) What are sexually transmitted diseases?
Ans: STDs are diseases which spread by sexual contact from an infected
person to a healthy person.
2) List two example of diseases caused due to -
I) Bacterial infection
II) Viral infection.
Ans: I) Gonorrhea and Syphilis are STDs caused by bacterial
infection.
II/ AIDs and genital warts are STDs caused by viral infection.
3) How can we prevent STDs?
Ans: a) By avoiding sexual contact with infected persons.
b/ Using condom for penis during sexual act.
4) What is AIDs? Which microbe is responsible for AIDs infection?
Ans: AIDs is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
AIDs is caused by a virus called HIV ( Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
5) List any four modes of spreading AIDs?
Ans: I) By having sexual contact with an infected person.
II/ By the transfusion of blood from an infected person.
III/ Through infected needles used for injection.
IV/ Through placenta from the mother to child during pregnancy.
6) List any four methods of prevention of AIDs?
Ans: I/ Using condom during sex.
II/ Avoiding sharing needles or use of disposal needles.
III/ Testing blood for AIDs before transfusion.
 IV/ Avoiding sexual contact with unknown person.
7) List four categories of contraceptive methods?
Ans: I/ Mechanical methods – Using mechanical barrier such as condom.
They prevent sperm and ova from meeting each other. It is worn by men
over a penis. The semen released by the male is captured on the condom,
so the female cannot get pregnant.
II/ Contraceptive devices – They are also known as intra – uterine devices.
These devices are put inside the uterus of a female. For eg – Copper- T.
Copper-T releases copper ions, which reduces the sperm mobility, so the
sperm cannot fertilise the egg.
III/Chemical methods – Chemical methods are methods which prevent the
pregnancy by making the uterus unsuitable for implantation, so that the
baby cannot form or get attached to the uterus. For eg - I-pill, unwanted-72
etc.
IV/Surgical methods – Surgical method is called vasectomy in case of male
and tubectomy in case of female.
In vasectomy, the vas deferens of male is cut and tied, therefore the sperm
cannot travel through the penis.
In tubectomy, the fallopian tube is cut and tied, therefore the egg cannot go
to the uterus.
Surgical methods are permanent methods, while mechanical barriers
and chemical methods are temporary methods.
8) State in brief two advantages of adopting such preventive methods.
Ans: Advantages of using contraceptives are –
I/ It helps in avoiding unwanted pregnancy.
II/ Condom helps in preventing transmission or STDs.
9) List three points of significance of reproductive health in society.
Ans: I/ The mother carrying a child should be physically matured.
II/ The mother should be physically fit to take care of the child.
III/ There should be atleast 3 years of gap between 2 children.
IV/ Nutritious food should be available to the mother during pregnancy and
lactation period.
10) List three distinguishing features between sexual and asexual types of
reproduction.
Ans: sexual Asexual

I/ Sexual reproduction Asexual reproduction

Uses two individuals need only one

Individual.

II/ Hereditary characters Hereditary

Vary from one remains same.

Generation to next
 Generation.

III/ It plays a prominent It’s role in the

Role in the origin origin of a new

Of a new species species is minimum.