LIFE PROCESSES

LIFE PROCESSES

Q 1 Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of multicellular organisms

like humans?

Ans- Diffusion is insufficient because- i) All the cells are not in direct contact with the
surrounding.

ii) It is a very slow process.

Q 2 What criteria do we use to decide whether something is alive?

Ans Molecular movement taking place inside the cell is the criteria as visible movements are
not possible in all types of organisms.

Q 3 What are outside raw materials used for by an organisms?

Ans Oxygen, Carbon-di-oxide, food water etc.

Q 4 What processes would you consider essential for maintaining life?

Ans Life processes like nutrition, respiration,transportation and excretion are essential for
maintaining life.

Life Processes- The processes like nutrition, respiration,transportation and excretion together
perform the function of maintenance in the living organism are called life processes.

Nutrition:-

The processes by which organisms take food utilize it in body is called nutrition:-

NUTRITION

Autotrophic Nutrition Heterotrophic Nutrition

Eg: All green plants & some bacteria. (They depend on other for food)

(They make their own food)

Parasitic nutrition Saprophytic Nutrition Holozoic Nutrition

They take digest food They take food from dead They take solid food &
from the body of the host. and decay matter. digest it.

Eg-Tape worm liver fluke Eg: Bacteria & Fungi Eg: Amoeba, all animals
Cuscuta (Amarbel) including humans
Nutrition in plants
 Photosynthesis: - The process by which green plants make their own food utilizing carbon
dioxide and water in presence of sunlight and chlorophyll is called photosynthesis.
Sunlight /chlorophyll
6 CO2 + 12 H2O C6H12O6 + 602 + 6H2O
(a) Events of Photosynthesis :-
i. Light energy of sun is absorbed by chlorophyll.
ii. Light energy converts into chemical energy and water split to form
hydrogen and oxygen gas out of which oxygen is released in the air.
iii. Carbon dioxide is reduced by hydrogen to form carbohydrate.

Note: - In desert plants stomata remain closed during the day to prevent the loss of
water so they take carbon dioxide during the night and convert it into intermediately substance
which is utilized during the day in photosynthesis.

(b) Raw Materials: - Carbon dioxide & water.

(c) Conditions Essential: - CO2 , H2O , Sunlight and Chlorophyll.

(Cross Section of a Leaf)

 Mechanism of Opening of Stomata: - Stomata are surrounded by a pair of guard cells. When
water enters into the guard cell, they swell, become curved and make stomata to open.

 Mechanism of Closing of Stomata: - When water comes out of the guard calls, they shrink,
become straight and make stomata to close.
 (Open Stomatal Pore) (Closed Stomatal Pore)

Note: - Excess food in the plants is stored in the form of starch and animals store them
in form of glycogen.
 Exchange of Gases in Plants:-
During day - They take in carbon dioxide and take out oxygen.
During night – They take in oxygen and take out carbon dioxide.
Nutrition in Animals:-
1. Nutrition in Amoeba
(a) Ingestion: - Amoeba takes food in, by making pseudopodia. Food particles along with
the water make food vacuole and enter into the amoeba.
(b) Digestion: - Enzymes from the cytoplasm enters into the food vacuole and digested.
(c) Absorbtion: Digested food from the food vacuole is absorbed into the cytoplasm.
(d) Assimilation: - Digested food is utilized by the amoeba for growth and other activity.
(e) Egestion: - Cell membrane ruptures from any side and undigested food is taken out.
 2. Nutrition in Humans:-

Digestive System

Alimentary Canal Associated Glands

Mouth, Oesophages, Salivary glands, liver,

Stomach, Small intestine, pancreas
large intestine, anus

a. Ingestion: - Food is taken into the mouth with the help of hands.
b. Digestion :-
Mechanical -Food is chewed by teeth.
i. Mouth :
Chemical- Salivary glands secrete saliva which starts the digestion of
Carbohydrate.
Salivary amylase
Starch Maltose.
ii. Oesophagus: - Partially digested food from the mouth reaches to stomach through oesophagus
by peristaltic movement.

Peristaltic Movement: - The contraction and relaxation of the muscles of the

oesophagus which helps in the movement of food is called peristaltic movement.
iii. Stomach: - It is a “J” shaped organ. Its wall contains gastric glands which secrete gastric juice.
Gastric juice contain:
a. H C l
 It provide acidic medium to convert pepsinogen into pepsin.
 It kills harmful bacteria of the stomach.
b. Pepsin
 It starts the digestion of protein.
c. Mucus
 It prevents the wall of stomach from its own secretion of HCL.

iv. Small Intestine: Food from the stomach reaches to small intestine and is regulated by sphincter
muscles.
The first part of the small intestine called duodenum receives secretion from liver and
pancreas.
a. Liver
 Liver secrete bile juice;-
Functions:-
o It converts acidic medium of the food into alkaline medium.
o It converts fat into water soluble form called emulsification.
b. Pancreas
It secrete pancreatic juice which contains three enzymes;-
o Pancreatic amylase: It digests carbohydrates
o Trypsin : It digests protein
o Lipase: It digests fat.
Small intestine secretes intestinal juice which completes the digestion.
End product of digestion is:
Carbohydrate Glucose
Protein Amino Acids
Fat Fatty acids and glycerol

Note: Small intestine is 6-5m long and is present in coiled form in the body. It is called small
because its lumen is narrow and large intestine has broad lumen.

c. Absorbtion :- Digested food has to be absorbed from small intestine into the blood small
intestine has finger leks projections called Villi

Villi:-

 Villi have large surface area form more absorption of food.

 Villi is surrounded by blood capillaries to absorb more food.
Now, food from small intestine reaches to large intestine where water is absorbed from the
food.
d. Assimilation: - Digested food is transported by blood lnto all the calls of the body where it is
utilized to produce energy.

e. Egestion: - Undigested food taken out from the body through anus. It is regulated by anal
sphincter.

Respiration:-
The process by which oxygen is taken by an organism and utilized in the body to
produce carbon dioxide water and energy is called respiration:-
It is of two types:-

1. Aerobic Respiration: - It takes place in presence of oxygen and large amount of energy is
produced.
Glycolysis In mitochondria
Glucose Pyruvic acid CO2 + H2O + 36 ATP
(Incytoplesm) in presence of O2
2. Anaerobic Respiration; - It takes place in absence of oxygen and less amount of energy is
produced.

i. In yeast or plants:-

Glycoysis in absence of
Glucose Pyruvic acid CO2+C2H5OH (Ethanol) + 2 ATP
(In cytoplasm) O2
ii. In muscles:
Glycoysis in Lack of
Glucose Pyruvic acid Lactic acid +2ATP
(In cytoplasm) O2

Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration

Complete breakdown of food take Food does not break down completely
place
Its take place in absence of oxygen
It takes place in presence of oxygen
Less amount of energy is produced
Large amount of energy is produced
CO2, C2H5OH ethanol and lactic acid
Co2 and Ho2 are produced. are produced

Note: - Lactic acid causes cramps in our muscles.

Respiration in plants: - All the parts of the plants do respiration individually.

Roots: - Roots have root hair (epidermal outgrowth) present in between the soil particles
Oxygen present in soil diffuses into the root hair and carbon dioxide diffuses out.

Stem: - In herbaceous stem, stomata are present for the exchange of gases. In woody stem,
lenticels are present for exchange of gases.

Leaf: - On the surface of leaf, stomata is present for exchange of gases.

Differentiate between:

SN. Respiration in Plants Respiration in Animals

1 All the parts do respiration individually Animals do respiration as a single unit

 No Transportation of gases take place Transportation of Gases takes place
2
mainly by blood.
3 It is a slow Process It is a fast process

Animal Respiratory organ

Amoeba Cell

Earthworm Moist skin

Fish Gills

Insect Tracheal system,

Frog Gills in larva, lungs and skin in adults.

Humans Lungs

Characteristics of Respiratory Organs:-

(i) All the respiratory organs have then membrane for easy diffusion of
gases.
(ii) All respiratory organs have large surface area for better exchange of
gases.
(iii) Except tracheal system other respiratory organs are surrounded by lots
of blood capillaries for better absorption of gases.

Human Respiratory system:-

It consists of following organs:-

a. Nose: - Nose has two nostrils through which air enters passage behind the nostrils is called
nasal; passage nasal cavity. It is lined by hair and mucus to percent the entry of impurities
into the lungs. Nasal cavity is separated from Buccal cavity by a Bony palate so we can
breathe even when we are eating food.

b. Pharynx: - It is a common passage for both respiratory and digestive system.

c. Trachea: - It is a tube like structure supported by rings of cartilage so trachea does not
collapse when there is no air in it; It upper part of the trachea has a voice box called larynx.
When we swallow the food, the glottis is covered by a flop like structure called epiglottis
to prevent the entry of food into the lungs.
d. Lungs: - We have two lungs which are surrounded by membrane called pleura.
 Trachea divides and forms two bronchi Trachea each enters into the one lung. Bronchi
divide further to form bronchioles. Each bronchiole ends into a so like structure called
Alveoli.
 Alveoli:-
i. Alveoli has large surface area for more absorption of gases from lungs
into the blood.
ii. Alveoli is surrounded by lots of blood capillaries for more exchange of
gases. Lungs lie in a cavity called chest cavity or Thoracic cavity.
At the lower side of the lungs, a muscular structure called diaphragm is present.

 Mechanism of Breathing :-

1. Inhalation :-

Muscles of ribs & diaphragm contract

Chest cavity expand

Volume inside the chest cavity increases & air pressure decreases

Air from atmosphere rushes into the lungs.

 2. Exhalation:-

Muscles of ribs & diaphragm relax

Chest cavity contract

Volume inside the chest cavity decreases & air pressure increases.

Air from lungs rushes in the atmosphere.

 Exchange of gases:-

Exchange of gases occurs at two places in the body.

A. Between alveoli & blood

B. Between blood and blood cells.

A. Between alveoli & blood

Blood capillaries surround the alveoli when we breathe in air reaches up to the alveoli.
Oxygen from the alveoli diffuses into the surrounding blood and carbon dioxide from the
surrounding blood diffuses into the alveoli which we breathe out.

B. Between blood and the body cells.

When oxygenated blood reaches to the body cells, oxygen from the blood diffuses into the cells and
carbon dioxide from the cell diffuses into the blood.

Questions Pg No 105

Q: 1 what advantages over an aquatic organism does a terrestrial organism have with regard
to obtaining oxygen for respiration?

Ans: Amount of oxygen present in atmosphere is more than the amount of oxygen dissolved in
water. So terrestrial organisms get more oxygen then the aquatic organisms.

Q.3 how is oxygen and carbon dioxide transported in human beings?

Ans: Red pigment called hemoglobin is present in our blood which binds with oxygen and
transported it in the form of oxyhaemoglobin Carbon dioxide is transported. In dissolved form in the
plasma of the blood.
Questions pg No 101

Q1. What are the differences between autotrophic nutrition and heterotrophic nutrition:-

Ans: Autotrophic Nutrition

SN. Autotrophic Nutrition Heterotrophic Nutrition

They make their own food They depends on others food
1
Food is synthesised from simple inorganic raw Food is obtained directly or indirectly from
2 materials such as CO2 and water. autotrophs. This food is broken down with
the help of enzymes.
3 Chlorophyll is required Chlorophyll is not required

4 Food is generally prepared in day time. Food can be obtained at all time.
5 Eg. All green plants and some bacteria Eg. All animals and fungi.

Q2. Where do plants get each of the raw materials required for photosynthesis?

Ans: - The following raw materials are required for photosynthesis:-

Carbon dioxide Plants get CO2 from atmosphere through stomata

Water: - Plants absorb water from soil through roots and transport to leaves.

Sunlight: Sunlight which is absorbed by the chlorophyll and other green parts of the plant.

Q4. What is the function of digestive enzymes?

Ans: - Digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, pepsin trypsin, etc help in the breaking down of
complex food particles into simple ones. This particle can be easily absorbed by the blood and thus
transported to all the cells of the body.

Transportation:-
Transportation in plants:-

The process by which substances move from one place to another in the body is called
transportation. In plants, the water is transported by xylem and food is transported by phloem.

1. Transportation of water: - Xylem is made up of four types of cells vessels, tracheids, and Xylem
parenchyma and xylem fiber. Except xylem parenchyma all other cells are dead. Vessels and
tracheids conduct water. Cells of the vessels join end to end to form a hollow pipe like structure
through which water is transported. In Angiosperms, both tracheids and vessels carry water. But
in gymnosperms only tracheids conduct water.
 Mechanism of transport of water: - Root hair is present between the soil particles. Root hair is
connected to epidermis, endodermis and root xylem. Root xylem in turn connected to stem
xylem and stem xylem to the leaf xylem.
Water is absorbed by the root hair by the process of diffusion. Water from the root hair
enters into the epidermis, cortex, endodermis and to the root xylem by osmosis .when water is
loosed by the leaf stomata ,a suction is created, so water enters into the stomata from the
nearby cells . Nearby cells pull water from the leaf xylem and leaf xylem in turn pull water from
the stem xylem and stem xylem pull water from the root xylem. In this way water is transported
from root hair up to the leaves.

2. Transportation of food: - Phloem is made up of sieve tube comparison cells, phloem

parenchyma and phloem fiber. Except phloem fibers all other cells are living.
Sieve tubes are connected end to end. In between two sieve tubes, sieve plate is present. Sieve
tube does not have nucleus. So its functions are controlled by companion cells present along
with it.

Mechanism of transport of food:-

The food which is prepared by leaf is loaded into the nearby sieve tubes by the use of
energy in the form of ATP. Water also enters from the nearby cells into the sieve tubes by
osmosis and pressure inside the sieve tube increases. Food along with water passes through the
sieve tube from higher concentration to lower concentration.
Wherever food is need, it comes out of the sieve tube by the use of energy.
Note:- Water is transported only in one direction i.e. from the root to the leaves but food is
transported in both the directions as per the need of the plant(upward and downwards) For Eg
:- During spring season, when food is required by lend stored food of the root and stem move
upward by phloem.

Transportation is humans:-
 Circulatory system of humans is made up of blood, blood vessels and Heart.

1. Blood: It is a liquid connective tissue which transports materials from one place to another in
the body. It has two parts plasma & blood cells
 Plasma: - It is the liquid part of the blood. 90% of the plasma is made up of water. It also
contains salt, hormones digested food, waste materials like urea, carbon dioxide etc.
 Blood cells:- Three types of blood cells are

a. RBC (Red Blood Corpuscles). It contains the red pigment called hemoglobin. RBC can be
of any shape. In human RBC nucleus is not present .So their life span is very short that
means they die after 120 days and replaced by new RBC. Hemoglobin binds with oxygen
and transports it in the body.

b. WBC (White Blood Corpuscles) they are called the soldiers of the body as they fight
against infections and protect body from diseases.

c. Platelets: - They help in clotting of blood. Whenever there is an injury platelets reach
their and clot the blood.

Note: - Blood help in maintaining body temperature.

2. Blood Vessels:- Three types of blood vessels are:-

(i) Artery: - The blood vessel which carries blood away from the heart is called artery.
Except pulmonary artery all other arteries carry oxygenated blood. Its walls are thick
and have narrow lumen. They are present deep under the skin. They do not have valve.
(ii) Vein: - The blood vessel which carries blood towards the heart is called vein. Except
pulmonary vein, all other veins carry deoxygenated blood. They have thin walls and
broad human. They are present well above under the skin. They contain value to
prevent the back flow of the blood.
(iii) Capillary: - The fine blood vessel which connects artery to the vein is called the capillary.

3. Heart: - Heart is roughly triangular in shape and is made up of cardiac muscles. The size of the
heart is about the same as our clenched fist.

The heart has four chambers .The upper two chambers are called atria and lower two chambers
are called ventricles.

Both the upper two chambers are connected to veins and lower two chambers are connected
artery. The left atrium is connected to left ventricle by a value V1. And right atrium is connected
to right ventricle by a valve V2 to prevent the back flow of the blood.

Heart is covered by a sheet of tissue called pericardium the right part of the heart is separated
from the left part of the heart by a partition called septum.
 The wall of the ventricle is thicker than the atria as they have to push the blood with pressure
.Left atrium receives blood from the lungs through pulmonary vein and passes it to the left
ventricle. From the left ventricle blood reaches to all the body parts through the main artery
called Aorta. In the body cells, Oxygen from the blood reaches to the cells and carbon dioxide
from the cells reaches to blood and blood become deoxygenated.

This deoxygenated blood is collected by different veins and reached to right atrium by main vein
called vena cava. From the right atrium deoxygenated blood reaches to right ventricle by valve
V2. From right ventricle, pulmonary artery carries this deoxygenated blood to the lunge where
blood becomes oxygenated and circulated again.

Sectional view of human heart

Blood circulation in humans:-

1. When all the chambers of the heart are relaxed, pulmonary vein brings oxygenated blood to the
let atrium.

2. When left atrium contracts, oxygenated blood reaches to left ventricle through valve V1.

3. When left ventricle contracts, main artery called aorta carry oxygenated blood to all the body
parts. Around the cells, oxygen from the blood goes to alls and carbon dioxide from the cells to
the blood and blood becomes deoxygenated.

4. This deoxygenated blood is collected by veins and ultimately reaches to main vein called vena
cava which brings the blood to right atrium.
5. When right atrium contracts, deoxygenated blood reaches to right ventricle through valve V2.

6. When right ventricle contract, pulmonary artery carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs where
again gases are exchanged and blood becomes oxygenated and circulated in the body.

 Double circulation:-

In one complete cycle of the body, blood travels twice through the heart is
called double circulation.

Blood Circulation in Fishes:-

Fishes have two chambered heart so it pumps deoxygenated blood to the gills. In the
gills, Carbon dioxide from the blood reaches to gills and oxygen from the gills reaches to blood
and blood becomes oxygenated which is supplies to all the body parts. In one complete cycle of
the body blood comes once in the heart is called single circulation.

Blood circulation in Amlia and Reptilia:-

They have three chambered heart (Except crocodile) two atria and one ventricle is
present .Ventricle receives mix blood and supply mix blood to the body cells .So body cells do
 not get sufficient oxygen to produce enough energy. So they cannot maintain body
temperature and are called cold blooded animals.

Blood Circulation in Aves and Mammals:-

They have four chambered heart so pure oxygenated blood is supplied to all the body
parts. So cells get sufficient oxygen and produce enough energy to maintain the body
temperature. So they are called warm blooded animals.

Lymphatic System:-

A system of tiny tube, lymph vessels and lymph nodes which transport the liquid called
lymph from body tissue to the blood circulatory system is called lymphatic system.

The pores present in the walls of lymph capillaries are bigger than the blood capillaries.
So larger protein molecules. Digested fat, germs and fragments of dead alls enters into the
lymph capillaries. The lymph capillaries join to form lymph vessels. Lymph vessels have nodes a
the intervals which contains special cells called lymphocytes which help in cleaning he lymph
and protects body from diseases by eating away germs and dead cells.

The lymph vessels are connected to main vein of the blood circulatory system which
carries lymph to the blood. The lymph is a light yellow liquid which flows only in one direction
that is from body tissue to the heart.

 Functions of Lymphatic System :-

1. They help in transportation of big protein and fat molecules in the body.
2. It protects body from diseases.
3. It maintains the constituent of the blood.

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

1. Excretion in Plants:-

Plants remove waste on the following ways:

a. Plants get rid of gaseous wastes through stomata and lenticels.
b. The stored liquid and solid waste is removed by shading of leaves, peeling of
bark and felling of fruits.
Plants secrete some of the waste in the form of gum and resins. Plants create some
waste substances into the solid around them.
2. Excretion in animals:-

Different animals do excretion in different ways.

 a. In amoeba, nitrogenous waste is collected in the contractile vacuole which is thrown
out of the cell.
b. In earth worm, tubular structure called nephridia act as excretory organ.
c. In humans nephron is an excretory unit and kidney is an excretory organ.
Excretory system of Humans:-

It is made up of two kidneys, two ureters, one urinary bladder and one urethra.
Kidney is bean shaped organs which receive blood from renal artery. Blood has useful
as well as waste substances in it. This blood is filtered, cleaned and urine is formed inside the
kidney and clean blood is taken away from the kidney by renal vein. Urine from the kidney is
collected by ureter and carried to the urinary bladder.
Urinary bladder is a bag like structure which collects and store urine for some time and
ultimately taken out of the body by the urethra.

(The Human Excretory System)

 Mechanism of urine Formation:-

Each kidney has millions of nephrons. Each nephron has two parts. Upper cup shaped
structure is called Bowmans capsule and lower tube like structure is called Tubule. A branch of
renal artery makes a tuft of capillaries called Glomerulus in each Bowmans capsule. The other
part of the Glomerulus comes out in the form of blood capillary and ultimately joins the renal
vein. The one part of the tubule is joined to Bowman”s capsule and other to the urine collecting
duct.

 Urine Formation:-

Blood which comes to the Glomerulus filtered and filtrate reaches to the Bowman’s
capsule. Filtrate contains useful as well as waste substances in it. From the blood glucose, amino
acids, salt, urea, and water come into the filtrate. When this filtrate passes through the tubule,
 useful substances like all glucose, all amino acids, some salts and some water is reabsorbed into
the blood capillary. The remaining liquid containing water, area and salt is called urine and
reaches to urine collecting duct and clean blood is taken away by renal vein.

Q. How is the amount of urine produced depends is regulated?

Ans : The amount of urine produced depends upon:-

o Amount if water present in the body.

o Amount of waste to be excreted out of the body.