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olympiad notes

Uploaded by

nehamaheshwari0288
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Nutrition in Plants

1. Photosynthesis:

 Definition: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to
synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.
 Formula: 6CO2+6H2O→light, chlorophyll---C6H12O6+6O2
 Process:
o Light Reaction (Photochemical phase): Occurs in the thylakoid membrane of
the chloroplast, where light energy splits water molecules, releasing oxygen and
storing energy in the form of ATP and NADPH.
o Dark Reaction (Calvin Cycle): Occurs in the stroma of the chloroplast. The
ATP and NADPH from the light reaction are used to convert carbon dioxide into
glucose.
 Role of Chlorophyll: It absorbs light energy, mainly red and blue wavelengths, and uses
it for splitting water molecules during the light reaction.

2. Modes of Nutrition in Plants:

 Autotrophic Nutrition: Plants are autotrophs as they can synthesize their own food via
photosynthesis.
 Heterotrophic Nutrition: Some plants like insectivorous plants (e.g., Venus flytrap,
Pitcher plant) and parasitic plants (e.g., Mistletoe) derive nutrients from other plants or
organisms.

3. Mineral Nutrients:

 Plants require a variety of minerals from the soil for proper growth. These include:
o Macronutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca),
Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S).
o Micronutrients: Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B),
Molybdenum (Mo), and Chlorine (Cl).
 Deficiency Symptoms:
o Nitrogen deficiency leads to yellowing of leaves (chlorosis).
o Phosphorus deficiency affects root development and causes purple leaves.
o Potassium deficiency weakens plant immunity and reduces photosynthesis.

4. Absorption of Water and Minerals:

 Water and minerals are absorbed by root hairs through osmosis and active transport.
The movement of water from roots to leaves is known as transpiration, which also helps
in cooling the plant.

5. Transport in Plants:

 Xylem: Transports water and dissolved minerals from roots to the rest of the plant.
 Phloem: Transports the products of photosynthesis (mainly sugars) from leaves to other
parts of the plant.

Nutrition in Animals

1. Types of Nutrition in Animals:

 Heterotrophic Nutrition: Animals are heterotrophs, meaning they depend on other


organisms for food. They obtain energy by consuming plants, animals, or both.
 Ingestion, Digestion, Absorption, Assimilation, and Egestion are the key steps
involved in animal nutrition.

2. Digestive System in Humans:

 Ingestion: The process of taking in food (mouth).


 Digestion: The breakdown of food into smaller, absorbable components.
o Mechanical Digestion: Breaking down food by chewing (mouth) and churning
(stomach).
o Chemical Digestion: The breakdown of large molecules into simpler ones by
enzymes (e.g., amylase, protease, lipase).
 Types of Digestive Enzymes:
o Amylase: Breaks down starch into sugars (in the mouth and pancreas).
o Protease: Breaks down proteins into amino acids (in the stomach and pancreas).
o Lipase: Breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol (in the pancreas).
 Organs involved:
o Mouth: Ingestion and mechanical breakdown; salivary amylase starts
carbohydrate digestion.
o Esophagus: Moves food to the stomach via peristalsis.
o Stomach: Mechanical and chemical digestion (gastric juices contain hydrochloric
acid and pepsin).
o Small Intestine: Most digestion and absorption occur here. The pancreas releases
enzymes, and bile (from the liver) emulsifies fats.
o Large Intestine: Water and salts are absorbed; remaining food is prepared for
egestion.
 Absorption: Nutrients from digested food are absorbed through the villi and microvilli in
the small intestine.
 Egestion: Removal of undigested food in the form of feces through the anus.

3. Types of Digestive Systems:

 Incomplete Digestive System (e.g., Hydra): One opening serves as both mouth and
anus.
 Complete Digestive System (e.g., Humans): Two openings – mouth for ingestion and
anus for egestion.
4. Energy Requirement and Metabolism:

 Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The amount of energy required for the body’s basic
functions while at rest.
 Caloric Requirements: Vary depending on factors like age, sex, activity level, and
health status.
 Metabolism: The sum of all chemical reactions in the body, including both catabolism
(breaking down molecules for energy) and anabolism (building complex molecules from
simpler ones).

5. Types of Feeding Habits in Animals:

 Herbivores: Animals that eat plants (e.g., cows, deer). They have long intestines to break
down plant material.
 Carnivores: Animals that eat other animals (e.g., lions, hawks). They have sharp teeth
for tearing meat.
 Omnivores: Animals that eat both plants and animals (e.g., humans, bears).
 Saprophytic/Detritivores: Animals that feed on decaying organic matter (e.g.,
earthworms, fungi).

6. Specialized Digestive Adaptations:

 Ruminants: Cows and sheep have a specialized stomach with four chambers to digest
tough plant materials. They regurgitate food as cud.
 Carnivorous Animals: Have sharp, pointed teeth for tearing meat and short digestive
tracts since meat is easier to digest than plant matter.
 Filter Feeding: Some aquatic animals (e.g., whales, sponges) feed by filtering water
through their bodies to trap small organisms.

Concepts Related to Both Plants and Animals

1. Symbiosis:

 Mutualism: Both organisms benefit (e.g., nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of plants
and plants).
 Commensalism: One organism benefits, and the other is neither helped nor harmed (e.g.,
remoras and sharks).
 Parasitism: One organism benefits at the expense of the other (e.g., tapeworms in
humans).

2. Digestion vs. Photosynthesis:

 Photosynthesis in plants produces glucose and oxygen using carbon dioxide and water
with light energy.
 Digestion in animals breaks down food to release energy in the form of ATP.

Key Differences Between Nutrition in Plants and Animals:

Feature Plants Animals


Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic (photosynthesis) Heterotrophic (ingestion)
Energy Source Sunlight (via photosynthesis) Organic food (plants/animals)
Through roots (osmosis, active
Absorption Method Through digestive system (ingestion)
transport)
Products Glucose, Oxygen Nutrients, energy from digestion
End Products of Simple sugars, amino acids, Simple nutrients like amino acids,
Digestion minerals fatty acids

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