Life Processes

Designed with

GAREJA RAM K.
l Life Processes -

The basis function performed by living organisms to maintain their life on this Earth.

These include nutrition, respiration, transportation, excretion.

Life Processes

Nutrition Respiration Digestion Transportation Excretion

Nutrition

 Nutrition : The process of intake of nutrients (like carbohydrates, fats,

proteins, minerals , vitamin and water) by an organism as well as the utilization
of these nutrients by the organism.

 Nutrients : Group of food in which protein, fats, vitamins and

minerals are involved is called nutrients.

Types of Nutrition

 Autotrophic Nutrition

• The process by which organism synthesize its own food from simple inorganic
substances like carbon dioxide and water present in the surrounding
environment is called as autotrophic nutrition.

• Eg.- Green Plants and Bacteria

 Heterotrophic Nutrition

• Organisms that can't synthesize there own food from simple inorganic
 substances and obtain there own food from other organisms , this process is
called heterotrophic nutrition.

• Eg- Animals and fungi

Nutrition in Plants - Pnotosynthesis

• The process by which green plants takes in inorganic

substances like CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) and WATER (H2O)
and convert them into food (like glucose) in the presence of
SUNUGHT and CHLOROPHYLL is called
PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
\

• OXYGEN gas is released during PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Carbon

dioxide

Wa.tcr & minara.ls

Conditionsnecessary for Photosynthesis:

1. Sunlight
2. Chlorophyll
3. Carbon Dioxide
4. Water

steps of Photosynthesis :-

(D Absor tion of Light Energy by Chlorophyll.

Conversiotl of Light Energy to Chemical Energy and splitting of Water molecules into
Hydrogen and Oxygen

G) Reductlon of Carbon Dioxide by Hydrogen to form Carbohydrates like Glucose.

 Ques) Where do plants get each of the raw materials required for photosynthesis?

The process of photosynthesis requires two raw materials:

1. Carbon Dioxide
2. Water

1. Carbon Dioxide - The green plants take Carbon Dioxide from air through Stomata.

2. Water - Water required for photosynthesis is absorbed by roots from soil.

STOMATA

• Tiny Pores present on the surfaces of leaves

• Responsible for gaseous exchange

Open Stomata Close Stomata
• Surrounded by a pair of guard cells
which control opening and closing
of stomata. Nucleus
Chloroplasts

----------------Vacuole
Guard cell
Water flows into Stomata Open
--cell wall
guard cells Stomal

Water flows out of Stomata Close

guard cells

Nutrition in Animals
Heterotrophic Nutrition

l
 Saprophytic Parasitic Holozoic Nutrition

In this the organism takes in

Complex organic food by a
Nutrition Nutrition process called Ingestion, which
is then digested and absorbed
In this the organism In this organism into the body and waste,
obtains its nutrition obtains food from the undigested part is thrown out
from decaying organic body of another living of the body through Egestion.
matter of the dead organisms (host)
Plants and Animals without killing it.

Eg. Amoeba, Man, Dog

etc.

Nutrition in Amoeba

 DIgestion-
- Amoeba takes in food using temporary finger like extensions
of the cell surface called as Pseudopodia

- Pseudopodia fuse over food particle performing a food -

vacuole

 Digestion-

- Various enzymes from cytoplasm enter into food vacuole and

breaks down complex substances into simpler ones.

 Absorption -

- The simple soluble food is absorbed by cytoplasm of Amoeba

through the process of diffusion.

 Egestion
- The remaining undigested material is moved to the surface
of the cell and thrown out.
  Nutrition in Paramecium
Food particle
Mouth-..
Paramecium is an unicellular organism, the cell has definite shape and
food is taken in at a specific spot by the movement of Cilia which
cover the entire surface of the cell.

Nutrition in Human Beings

 Mouth

- The food is ingested through mouth.

- Teeth crushes and breaks down food into smaller pieces.
The process of Digestion starts from Mouth.
-

- The salivary glands secrete Saliva which contains an enzyme

called salivary amylase which digest the starch present in food
into Sugar.

Starch-salivary amylase-sugar
-
(Carbohydrate)

 Oesophagus / Food pipe

- The walls of oesophagus show peristaltic movement

(Rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscles) which
pushes the food forward into the Stomach.
  Stomach

- The glands present in the walls of stomach secrete gastric juice.

- Gastric juice contains - 1. Hydrochloric Juice
2. Enzyme Pepsin
3. Mucus

1) Hydrochloric Acid - Creates an acidic medium which

facilitates the action of enzyme pepsin..

2) Pepsin - It is a Protein digesting enzyme.

3) Mucus - Protects the Inner lining of the stomach from the action
of Acid..

- The exit of food into small intestine is regulated by

'Sphincter muscle'.

 Small Intestine

- Small Intestine is the site for complete digestion of food

(Carbohydrate, Fats, Proteins).

_,,;,, Small Intestine receives secretion of two glands:

Liver and Pancreas.

1) Liver

- Liver secrets Bile juice.

- Bile juice performs two
functions.

i) Makes the acidic food coming from Stomach Alkaline so that

pancreatic enzymes can act on it.
ii) Bile juice breaks the fat present in food into small
globules(emulsified fat) so that enzymes can act on it and
digest them.

2) Pancreas

- Secrets Pancreatic juice which secrets digestive enzyme Trypsin

and Lipase.
 i) Lipase - Breaks down emulsified fat.
ii) Trypsin - Digests Protein.

The walls of small intestine contains glands which secrets

Intestinal juice.

- Intestinal Juice contains enzyme

which convert:-

Protein Amino Acids

Complex
---- Glucose
carbohydrate Fatty Acid+ Glycerol
Fats

The process of absorption starts in small Intestine

Villi - Small finger – like projection which increase

the surface area for absorption and are rich!
Supplied with blood vessels which take absorbed
food to each and every cell of body .

- The inner surface of small intestine has millions of villi

which absorbs nutrients from digested food

 Large Intestine

- Unabsorbed food reaches large Intestine where more

villi absorb water.
  Anus

- Rest of the undigested food is removed from anus.

 RESPIRATION

- The process of releasing energy from food is called Respiration.

- The process of respiration takes place inside the cells of the body.

 How Energy Released During Respiration is stored :-

- The energy released during respiration is stored in the form of ATP

ATP - Adenosine tri-phosphate

ADP - Adenosine di-phosphate

(i) Energy released during respiration is used to make ATP from ADP and inorganic
phosphate.
ADP+ Phosphate+ Energy --- ATP

(ii) When the cell needs energy, then ATP can be broken down using water to release
energy.
ATP-----+ ADP+ Phosphate+ Energy

- The Energy equivalent to 30.5KJ /mole is released in this process.

Types of Respiration

Aerobic Respiration anerobic Respiration

1. Aerobic Respiration

- The Respiration which uses oxygen is called aerobic respiration.

- Glucose is completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water in presence
of oxygen.
 Presence of
Glucose In Pyruvate oxygen
CO2+ H2O + Energy ( 38 ATP)
(6 carbon Cytoplasm (3 carbon
In Mitochondria
molecule) molecule)

- Most of the organisms carry out Aerobic Respiration for Eg:- Man, Dogs,
Earthworms etc.

2. Anaerobic Respiration

- Respiration which takes place without oxygen is called Anaerobic respiration.

- Glucose is completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water in

presence of oxygen.

(i) Micro-organisms like yeast break down glucose into ethanol and carbon-dioxide,
and release the energy.

Absence of
Glucose In Pyruvate oxygen
Ethanol+ CO2+ 2ATP
(6 carbon Cytoplasm (3 carbon
(In Yeast)
molecule) molecule)

- This process is known as Fermentation.

(ii) Anaerobic Respiration takes place in our muscles during vigorous physical
exercise.

Absence of
Glucose In Pyruvate oxygen
Lactic Acid + 2A
(6 carbon Cytoplasm (3 carbon TP
(In our Muscle
molecule) molecule)
cells)

- This causes Muscle Cramps.

Ques) Differentiate between Aerobic Respiration and Anaerobic Respiration.

 Aerobic Respiration Anaerobic Respiration

1) It takes place in the 1) It takes place in the absence

presence of oxygen. of oxygen.

2) In this complete breakdown 2) In this, partial breakdown

of food occurs. of food occurs.

3) End products are carbon- 3) End products maybe ethanol

dioxide and water. and carbon-dioxide (in
yeast) or lactic acid (in
4) It produces a considerable
animal cells)
amount of energy.
4) Much less energy is
produced.

Human Respiratory System

- The main organs of human respiratory system are: Nose, Nasal passage (or
nasal cavity), Trachea, Bronchi, Lungs and Diaphragm.

1) Nostrils - Air is taken in the body through nostrils.

- The Air passing in through nostrils is filtered by fine hair that the
Iine passage.
- The passage is also lined with mucus.

2) Pharynx - The part of throat between the mouth and wind pipe is called pharynx.
- From nostril, air enters into pharynx and then goes into the
trachea or wind pipe.

3) Larynx - The upper end of trachea has a voice box called larynx.
 4) Trachea - Trachea is a tube which is commonly is called wind pipe.
- It is composed of rings of cartilage which prevent the collapse
of trachea in the absence of air.

5) Bronchi - The trachea divides into two smaller tubes called 11Bronchi11•
- The two bronchi are connected to the lungs.

6) Lungs - The lungs lie in chest cavity which is separated from abdominal cavity
by a muscular partition diaphragm.
- The lungs are enclosed in a 11Rib Cage11 made of bones called 11Ribs11•

7) Bronchioles - Each bronchus divides into smaller tubes called 11Bronchioles11•

8) Alveoli - These are Air-Sacs at the end of "bronchioles".

- Its walls are very thin and they are surrounded by thin blood
capillaries.
- Gaseous exchange takes place inside alveoli.
- Millions of alveoli in the lungs provide large area for the exchange
of gases.
Mechanism of Breathing :-

Breathing - Inhalation of oxygen and exhalation of Carbon-Dioxide is called Breathing.

Breathing consists of Inhalation and Exhalation.

1) Inhalation - As we inhale, Ribs lift and Diaphragm moves downward the chest cavity
becomes larger. Because of this, air is sucked into the lungs and fills the
expanded alveoli.

- The oxygen in alveolar air is taken up by the alveolar blood vessels to be

transported to all cells of body.

- The oxygen is carried in the blood by the respiratory pigment Haemoglobin

Which can store high quantity of Oxygen.

- This pigment is present in the Red Blood Corpuscles.

- The oxygen reaches the cells where the process of respiration takes place
producing Carbon-Dioxide.

- This Carbon-dioxide diffuses into blood which carries it to the lungs in

dissolved form.

Exhalation - As we exhale, Ribs relax due to which Diaphragm moves upward. This
decreases the space in our chest cavity pushing the air out of the lungs.

(Ques) What advantage over an aquatic organism does a terrestrial have with regard to
obtaining oxygen for respiration?

Since the amount of dissolved oxygen is fairly low compared to the amount of
oxygen in the air. The rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than
that of Terrestrial organisms.
 Respiration in Plants

Respiration in Leaves Through Stomata

Respiration in Green Stem Through Stomata

Respiration in Woody Stem -- Through Lenticel

(i) During the day, CO2 generated during respiration is used up for photosynthesis, hence
there is no CO2 release. Instead Oxygen release is the major event at this time.

(ii) At night, When there is no photosynthesis occurring, CO2 elimination is the major
exchange activity going on.
 Human Circulatory System

Blood - Blood is a fluid connective tissue which consists of :-

i) Plasma - It is the fluid medium in which cells are suspended.

- It transported food, carbon-dioxide and nitrogenous waste.

ii) Red Blood Cells - RBC contains haemoglobin which carries oxygen from lungs to all
the cells of the body.

iii) White Blood Cells - They protect us from diseases by fighting infection.

iv) Platelets - They help in clotting of the blood in the case of injury.

• The human blood circulatory system consists of the heart and blood vessels.

• There are three types of blood vessels:

i) rteries - Carry blood from heart to all parts of the body.

iiJ Veins - RBC contains haemoglobin which carries oxygen from lungs to all the
cells of the body.

iii) Capil ar1es - Narrow, Thin walled blood vessels that connects arteries to
veins.

- The exchange of materials such as 02, CO2 and food

between blood and cells takes place through capillaries.

Capillaries
 Huwuut Hettrt-

- Heart pumps blood around the body.

- It is triangular in shape and roughly the size of our 'closed fist'.

- Human heart has four chambers .

- The upper two chambers are called Atrium and lower two chambers are called Ventricles.

11 11
- These chambers are separated by a partition called Septum •

- Valves present inside heart prevents the backflow of blood.

Aorta
Vena cava
From upper
body Pulmonary
/ Artery

Pulmonary
Vein

Vena Cava
Left
From lower body

Left
Ventricle

Septum

Blood Circulatiott -

1) When the muscle of all the four chambers are in relaxed state, the pulmonary vein brings
o genate blood from the lungs into the left atrium.

2) Oxygenated blood is pushed from the left atrium to Left vent icle.

3) The muscles of left ventricle contract and the blood is pushed through Aort (largest
artery) to the whole body (except lungs).
The oxygenated blood reaches the cells of the different body organs where the process
of respiration takes place. Due to this oxygenated blood converts into deoxygenatec:fl
blood.
4) Deoxygenated blood reaches right atrium through vena cava (largest vein).

5) When the right atrium contracts, deoxygenated blood is pushed into Lght ventricle.

6) When the right ventricle contracts, the deoxygenated blood is pumped into lungs
through pulm.onary artery.

In lungs, the deoxygenated blood becomes oxygenated. This oxygenated blood is again
sent to left atrium by pulmonary vein for circulation in the body.

Pulmonary artery------
Pulmonary
circulation

Left atrium
Right atrium

Right ventricle
Left ventricle ---¼-

Aorta (main artery)

Vena cava (main vein)-,

Systemic circulation

Capillaries in the body

Red: Oxygen-rich blood

Blue: Oxygen-poor blood

Double. Circulation-

- In human circulatory system, the circulation of blood from heart to lungs and back to
the heart is called Pulmonary Circulation and the circulation of blood from heart to
rest of the body and back to heart is called Sy_stemic Circulation.

- In such circulatory system in which blood travels twice through the heart is one
complete cycle is called Double Circulation.
- Eg. Humans

Sinle Circulation-

ishes have a two-chambered heart and thus show single circulation.

- Lymphatic system contains lymph which is another type of fluid involved in

transportation.

- Lymph is colourless and contains ess protein than blood.

- Lymphatic system carries digested and absorbed faf from intestine and drains excess
fluid from cellular space back into the blood.

- Lymphatic system plays role in the immunity of our body.

 - Plants have two transport systems :

1) Transport of water & minerals-->Conducted by Xylem ( Xylem vessels &Xylem

tracheids)

2) Transport of foo --> Conducted by Phloem ( Primarily by Sieve tubes helped by

companion Cells )

Transport of water and minerals

Pressure Transpiration

- At the roots, cells in contact with the - The loss of water in the form of water
soil actively take up ions. vapour from aerials parts of the plant
is known as transpiration.
- This creates a difference in
concentration of ions between the root - Evaporation of water molecules from
and the soil. stomata creates a suction which pulls
water from the Xylem cells of roots.
- Water moves into the root from the
soil to eliminate this difference which - It also helps in temperature regulation.
results in steady movement of water.
- Transpiration occurs mostly during
- Root pressure occurs mostly at night
the day and can transport water over
and can transport water over short
highest points of plant body.
distances only.

Transport of food

Translocation
- Translocation in phloem is achieved by utilising energy.

- Material like sucrose is transferred into phloem tissue using energy from ATP.

- This increase the osmotic pressure of the tissue causing water to move into it.
This pressure moves the material in the phloem to tissues which have less
pressure.

- This allows the phloem to move material according to plant's needs.

- Eg: In the spring, sugar stored in root or stem tissue would be transported to the
buds which need energy to grow.

Xylem v/s Phloem

Xylem and Phloem

Water and
Water and
minerals
food
0
One-way ,....,._.......o Two-way
, flow of sap
flow of sap O o
0 0

Thick cell wall 0 Thin cell wall

made of lignin 0 0 made of
Q I
cellulose
Cells having
no end walls Cells with
between them end walls and
perforations
I Xylem I IPhloeml

Ques) What are the differences between the transport of material in Xylem and Phloem?
 phloemJ

1) It transports water and 1) It transports food.

Minerals.

2) It only transports in upward 2) It transports in both

direction. upward and
downward directions
3) Its transport occurs due to
the suction force produced 3) Food is transported by
due to evaporation of water utilizing energy from ATP.
in the form of water vapours
 Excretion

- The process of removal of toxic wastes from the body of an organism is called Excretion.

Human Excretory System

1) Kidney - Kidney are bean shaped organ.

- We have a pair of kidney.
- Function of kidneys is to clean our blood by filtering it to
remove unwanted substances present in it.

2) Ureter - The Ureter is a long tube which collects urine from kidneys.

3) Ucinary Bladder - Urine is stored in the urinary bladder

4) Urethra - The collected urine is passed out from the body through urethra.
 Nephron

- Nephron is the filtration unit of kidney. Bowman's capsule

Glomerulus O;roximal tubule
- Nephron has a cup shaped structure at its Arteriole---...'\ /
from renal
upper end called Bowman's capsule. artery

- The Bowman's capsule contains a bundle of blood Arteriole-------"Iii..

from glomerulus E)Distal
capillaries called glomerulus. tubule

Branch
i
- The renal artery brings dirty blood containing urea of renal
rFrom
another
which passes through glomerulus. vein nephron

-Collecting
- Glomerulus filters the blood passing through it. duct

- Small molecules like Urea, Uric Acid, Extra

glucose, Amino acid, Salt and Water is filtered out
8 Loop of Henle
with capillary
network
and reaches the tubular part of nephron.

- In the tubular part of nephron, selective

reabsorption of useful substances such as
Glucose, Amino acid, Salt and water takes place.

- The remaining liquid from various nephrons forms urine which is collected in the collecting duct.

- From collecting duct, urine is passed into ureter. From ureter, urine passes into urinary
bladder where it is stored for some time and ultimately passed out of the body through
Urethra.

(Ques) Name the nitrogenous waste that is removed from the blood in our Kidney.

Ans - Urea

Excretion in Plants

- Plants excrete:

• Gaseous waste through stomata/ lenticels

•Solid/liquid waste through shedding of leaves

• In the form of Gum and Resins.

• In the surrounding soil.