<,;; 1 :, "l'fONS AND EXERCISES

{Wit 1 answers)
Cha
pter : LIFE PROCESSES
Q 1 Why is diffusion insu(f· . N fRl Book. Page 95 1
. . I. ic1ent lo rne , nisms like humans .
~s. In large mu ticelluJar organisms . et the oxygen requirements of multiceJJular o,ga . ces inside the
h~~ank body to reach each and e~ike humans, the oxygen of air will have to travel large d1s~o~ proc~s, it
wil ta e a very long time to lllak ery cell of the body. Now, since diffusion 15 a very, _veryis insufficient to
meet ~e oxygen requirements of e ox~gen available to all the body cells. Thus, d1ffus1on f human body
is so big that oxygen (of a· ) multicellular organisms like humans because the volume ? So hen
the size of the multicellu1t cann~t diffuse into all the internal cells of the human body qu1c~y). ' w i in
l dt k
b oo a e up the oxygen from the . 1.~ 1arge, then respiratory pigments (sue h as haemogJobm presen
r organism
What criteria do air m lhe lungs and carry it quickly to all the body cells.
Q. 2, we use to decide h
AJIS, We can decide whether someth' .w ~ther something 1s alive' . . . . . thin ;
(i) Living things mg is alive (or living) by using the following charactenstics of bvmgs gs
can move by themsel
(ii) Living things need food a· d ves.
, 1r an water
(iii) Living things can grow ·
(iv) Living things can resp d t h
. . . on ° c anges around them. They are sensitive.
(v) L1vmg things respire (release energy from food)
th
(vi) Living ings excrete (get nd of waste materials.from their body).
(vir) Living things can reprod uce. They can have young ones.
Q.3. What are outside raw materials used by an organism ?
Ans, (,) An au~otrophic organism (like a green plant) uses outside raw materials such as carbon dioxide, water
and minerals alongwith sunlight to make its own food by the process of photosynthesis.
(ir) A heterotrophic organism (like an animal) uses outside raw matenal such as readymade orgaruc food to
grow, develop, synthesise proteins and other substances needed in the body.
(iii) Most of the organisms use oxygen (of air) as outside material for breaking down food and releasing
energy for themselves in a process called respiration.
QA. What processes would you consider essential for maintaining lifo?
,_._ The various processes essential for maintaining life are : Nutrition, Respiration, Transport, Excretion, Control
and Coordination, Growth, Movement and Reproduction.
< t::R r Bo k, Page 101
\L What are the differences between autotrophic nutrition and heterotrophic nutrition?
,\aa. (r) In autotrophic nutrition, an organis~ synthesises its own organic fo?d from simple inorganic materials
like carbon dI·oxi'de' water and minerals present m the surroundmgs by usmg sunlight energy. In
h . ·ts f d . d
heterotrophic nutrition, an organism cannot synt esISe i own oo , it epends on other organisms for

(iij ::;'~IT green

hie nubition takes place in plants and certain bacteria '_"hich can carry out photosynthesis.
op . nutri.0.on occurs in all arumaJs, and non-green plants which cannot carry out photosynthes·IS.
Heterotrophic
Q" ch f the raw materials required
"- Where do plants get ea O h for photosynthesi~
th · ?
Ans . uired by the plants for p otosyn es1s are : Carbon dioxide and W t Th
. The two raw ma~~ req frOm the air (or atmosphere). The plants get water from the soil • a er. e
plants get carbon dio,ode gas
QJ Wh . cid in our stomach ?
1 .... · at 1s the role of the a . to make the medium of gastric juice acidic so that the enz .
..._ The role of acid in the stomach 18 273 ym.e pepsin can
 SCIENCE FOR TENTH CLASS : BIOLOGY

· an digest proteins effectively

break down proteins of the food effectively. This is because the enzyme pep~m c . . t the sto h
only in the acidic medium. Another role of acid is that it kills any bacteria which may en er mac
with our food.
Q .4. What is the function of digestive enzymes? (l'k
1 1
Ans. Digestive enzymes are the biological catalysts which break down the complexdfofrod ~~ ec~ e: / e
carbohydrates, proteins and fats) into such small particles which can be absorbe om e a Im nary
canal into the blood stream.
Q.5. How is the small intestine designed to absorb digested food ? . .
· urf f mall · ·
mteshne has milli' ons o f ·
hny, f'
mger- lik e ProJ·ech·ons called villi.
. The presence of
Ans. The inner s ace o s
· th · alls f th all · · 1
o e sm mteshne a very arge sur ace a • f rea And the large inner surface area of
villi gives e inner w
small intestine helps in the rapid absorption of the digested food.
NCERT Book, Page 105
Q .1. What ad vantage over an aquatic organism does a terrestrial organism have with regard to obtaining oxygen
for respiration ?
Ans. The aquatic organisms use the oxygen dissolved in water for carrying out respiration._ The ~mount ~f oxygen
dissolved in water is, however, limited. The terrestrial organisms take oxygen from atr wh1ch c?nta~ns much
higher amount of oxygen. Thus, a terrestrial organism has an advantage over an aquatic organism m regard
to obtaining oxygen because it is surrounded by an oxygen-rich air from which it can take any amount of
oxygen.
Q.2. ~ '/ hat are the different ways i11 1.\ihich glucose is oxidised to provide energy in various orga,~srns ?
Ans. There are two different ways in which glucose is oxidised to provide energy in various organisms : aerobic
respiration, and anaerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen (of air) whereas anaerobic respiration
takes place without oxygen.
(z) In aerobic respiration, the glucose food is completely broken down by the oxygen (of air) inhaled during
breathing to form carbon dioxide and water, and a lot of energy is released.
(if) In anaerobic respiration, the glucose food is incompletely broken down by micro-organisms like yeast in
the absence of oxygen (of air) to form ethanol and carbon dioxide, but much less energy is released.
Q.3. How are oxygen a. d ca1bon dioxide tra sportPd ir hu nan beings?
Ans. In human beings, oxygen is carried from the lungs by the respiratory pigment haemoglobin which is present
in red blood corpuscles. Haemoglobin has a very high affinity for oxygen. Carbon dioxide is more soluble in
water than oxygen. So, most of the carbon dioxide produced during respiration in the human body is
transported in the dissolved form in our blood.
Q.4. Ho w are the lungs designed ir bu 1a, bei 1gs to mayimise the area for excha 1ge of ga ,.., ?
Ans. There are millions of alveoli in the lungs. The presence of millions of alveoli in the lungs provides a very
large area for the exchange of gases. And the availability of large surface area maximises the exchange of
gases. For example, if all alveoli from the two human lungs are unfolded, they would give an area of about
80 square metres (which is nearly the size of a tennis court !).
NCERT Book, Page 110
Q.1. What are the components of transport system in human beings ? What are the functions of these
components?
Ans. The components of transport system in human beings are blood and lymph. The functions of blood and
lymph are as follows :
(i) Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all the cells of the body. Blood plasma carries digested
food, proteins, common salt, waste products (like carbon dioxide and urea) and hormones from one part
to another part in the body.
(ir) Lymph puts into circulation large protein molecules by carrying them from the tissues into the blood
stream (which could not be absorbed by blood capillaries due to their large size). Lymph also carries
digested fat from intestine to other tissues, and excess fluid from the extra-cellular space back into blood.
Why is it necessary to s~parate oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in mammals and birds?
~ and birds are warm-blooded animals which have high energy needs because they constantly
 JBOOK QUESTIONS A
. ND EXERCISES
reqwre energy to .
deoxygenate d blood maintain
in their bod ·
ated blood and
oxygen to the body cellsm~~als and ii!emperature. It is necessru:y to separate. oxyg:~ficient supply of
What are th "'hich is re . ds because such a separation allows a highly
Th t r e components of th qtllred for producing a lot of energy needed by them.
!JtS, e "' o component8 e trans o
of transport . . P rt system in highly organised plants ?
(i) Xylem ti'
hl m
dissolved . mad e of dead ll
ssue is m highly organised
· plants are xylem and p oe . t and
.") Phl IlUnerals from ro t ce s in the form of xylem vessels and tracheids. It transports wa er
(11 oem tiss . o s to all th
ue lS made of li . e parts of the plant
.
made m leaves by photos ~g ~ells in the form of sieve ~bes and companion cells. It transports food
Q.4. How are water and . yn esis to all the parts of a plant.
nunerals tr
Ans, Water and the minerals d' ansported in plants?
vessels and tracheids of thlSsolved in it are transported in plants by xylem tissue. In xylem tissue, the xylem
channel which reaches alle~~ots, stems and leaves are interconnected to form a continuous wate: conductin~
The leaves of plants h . parts of the plant. The mechanism of transport of water in plants is as follows.
being lost by evapora~ve ~ pores called stomata. The water brought in by xylem to the leaves is constantly
a plant is called trans _on . ough st0mata. The loss of water in the form of water vapour from the leaves of
creates a kind of sucti~Iratiohin. The continuous evaporation of water (or transpiration) from the cells of leaves
. on w ·ch pulls · ld drink es
up the straw when w ck up water from the roots through the xylem Gust as a co mov
of water and dissolv:Ju . at the upper end of the straw). Thus, transpiration helps in the upward movement
. rrunerals from the roots to the leaves.
Q.5. How 1s food transported in pl an ts.,
Ans. The transport
. of food. (made bY Ph otosynthes1s) •
. in the plant leaves takes place through ,phloem tissue•, The

rP. hloem
hl tis sue consISts of sieve tub es alongw1th · comparuon
· their • cells. The mechamsm · of movement of food
~ o~ (or translocation) by utilising energy is described below : The sugar (food) made in leaves is
oa e~ ~to the sieve tubes of phloem tissue by using energy from ATP. Water now enters into sieve tubes
contauung sugar b~ the process of osmosis due to which the pressure in the phloem tissue rises. This high
pre~s~e produ~ed m the phloem tissue moves the food to all the parts of the plant having less pressure in
therr ~sues. This allows the phloem to transport food according to the needs of the plant. The movement of
food m phloem can be upwards or downwards depending on the requirements of the plant.
NCERT Book, Page 112
Q.1. Describe the structure and functioning of nephrons.
Ans. The nephron has a cup-shaped bag at its upper end which is called Bowman's capsule. The lower end of
Bowman's capsule is tube-shaped and it is called a tubule. The Bowman's capsule and the tubule taken
together make a nephron (Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons). One end of the tubule is connected to
Urine from
other tubules

Dirty blood
containing ~
.j,1/"
wastes
Glomerulus °'
Bowman'scapsule ..-----" 7 "'- i
Some water,
Filtrate containing some salts
glucose, amino acids, and all urea
salts, water and urea form urine

All glucose, all amino acids,

\
Urine
most salts and most water
reabsorbed in blood here.
(Urea not reabsorbed)
Diagram to show the working of a nephron.
 &CEIICE r-oA TENTH CUSS -: adtAl8r'

~
5
Bowman's capsule and its other end is connected to a u~llecting duct of the kidney. 15 Bowman
capsule contains a bundle of capillaries which is called gJomerulu.s.. One end of glomerulus attached to
renal artery which brings the dirt}' blood containing the urea waste in it. The other ~
of g~~us ~
out of Bowman's capsule as a blood capillacy, surround.$ the tubule of nerhron and nnally ~ins a renal'~
(putting urea-free clean blood into it). The function of ,glomerulus is :o filter the blood passmg through Jl
The dirty blood containing waste like urea (b::ougM by renal art~~-, e;.ters the glome.rulus. The glomerulus
filters this blood. During filtration, the substances like g: ... cose1 ami;-.o add:=, s.ab, water and ure~ etc.,
present in the blood pass into Bowman's capsale and ther: er:~:- ci-.e ='-lbule o: ..ephron. When the filtrate
containing useful substances as well as the' was:-e st0s;:ar..:es :,as~ :."-1:-o:..;gh ::ne tubule. then the useful
substances like all glucose, all amino acids. most sai.:s, a,.,;:i :;1os~ ~-.·a:e.:- er.::.1 are reai:-so:bed into . the blood
through blood capillaries surrounding :J1e tubule. Oniy f.i,_e-;•:as:e 5'..0stcr.ce5 area, some ~,..,-~tect ~ts and
excess water remain behind in the tubuie. The liqu.id. :e..~ ::.ci-.ind. ~-. ±.e xb:i.e o: ::-.epnron 15 unne. The
nephron carries this urine into the collectino- d .... c: o: fr.e £dn.e·: i;:c;n ~-.-::-..ere :: is ~;rr::eci :-o ureter. from the
ureter, urine passes into urinar: bladder. U~._i-1e is storec.::;. the-n3dder i"o: some ~.e ar..i ·.uai.:.-i.ately passed
out of the body through ure~a.
Q.2. l-Vhat are tl-.e meth.:;ds •..;sed by pia..".!s !c get rid of excretory prodad:s ?
Ans. (1) The plants produce carbon cioxide as a ,\·as:e :mxiuc: • du..~~ ~
.:-es:Jira:ior:
• anci. O'-~.-gen
.w as a ~,·a.:,.--te produc::
d uring photosynthesis. Ti.'le plants ge, rici. oi gasrol.15 ·.·:x:-:e :,:-oc.:.:.c::s rh:o:.:g:-. storr..ata i..., therr :ea.Yes and
lenticels in stems. -
(iz) The plants store some o: the soilci anci liquid ·..·as:es i_.-,_ :..'leir ::xx:.y :pai---ts %IT, as .:.ea-n~, bar~ and iru.its.
The plants get rid of stored. so;id and iiquid ,.,·as.es i:r: :r. e s:. e<lfr.~ o: :ea,.-es. :Jeelin0a oi bark and relli...,g
of fruits. · ~ • ~
(iii) The plants get rid of 0-eir ,•;as::es b=• secr~...ng them in fr.e iorm oi gtw-t.S and ~~'"15- The plants also
secrete some waste substances into .:..'"le soil around t."f-ierr...
Q.3. Ho~ :s the amo~. o{ urine produced regulated ?
Ans. !he amount of urine produced. is r~ted by re.absorption oi ~·-·a::e: a;-.d. sorr,.e oi :he dissolYed substances
mto the blood through blood cap8ar:es su..."Toundi."1.g t.ii.e :ubU:.es o: a~xo:is. ~.e amount oi uri.c"le produced
depenedds on how much excess ·•;ate: is presen: ir. fae bod~: a.....ci ic·.-· .:::.uc...'1 o:
riissob.-eci 'Sib""ies a..~ to be
excret .
NCERT Book: Page 113
Q. 1 The kidneys in human beings are a part of the S)Stem for:
fa' ri.trition (b) respiratior1 (c) ell'.cretion (dJ transportation
Ans. (c) excretion.
Q.2. The --:·:em in plants are responsible for:
(aJ transport of water Cb) transport of food
Cc transport cf amino acids (dJ transport of oxygen
Ans. (a) transport of v:ater.
Q.3. The autotrophic mode of nutrition requires :
(a) carbon dioxide and water (b) chlorophyll
(c) sunHght (d) all of the aboH
Ans. (d) all of the above
Q.4. The breakdown of pyruvate to give carbon dioxide, 1•;ater and energy takes I •
(a) cytoplasm (b) mitochondria (c) chloroplast . (d) ; ace m :
Ans. (b) mitochondria nuc eus

Q.5. How are fats digested in our bodies ? '".1here does this process take pla ,
~ ts di ce .
Aas. . a ~ gested in the small intestine in our bod.::. The li•;er secretes an alkalin • . . .
:intestin,~. 1he salts present in bile emulsm· (or break) large globul . , e liqwd called bile mto small
·-tllObldes makin . - es ot tat present. food .
. g_it easy_for the enzymes to act on them and digest them. Pan m our into ~m-~er
iUnall intestine which also contains an enzvme called 'lipase' Th creas ~etes pancreatic Jwce
.furl:her. And finally, the enzvmes p~esent in intestinal•·. : ~me lipase breaks down the
. them into fatty aci~ and glycerol. JUICe nngs about the complete digestion
 BOOK QUESTIONS
• ANO EXERCISES
Q.6. What 1s the roI
e of saliv .
Sallva contains a in the di .
down the comp: :~me called s!::tion of food ? ent in saliva breaks
What are th rch' carboh.ydr ary amylase. The enzyme salivary amylase pres
. e conditions n ate present in food into a simpler sugar.
Au to tr ophic m d ecessary f ?
The conditionso e of nutrition m· or autotrophic nutrition and what are its by-products thesis
necess Valves th akin th recess of photosyn ·
and Sunlight. C b ary for autotr . em g of food by green plants by e_ P . W t r Chlorophyll
chlorophyll) to foar on dioxide co:t~c nu~tion are the presence of: Carbon d~oXlde, er a e (absorbed by
A part of luc ~ food like lu mes with water in the presence of sunlight en gy t the lant
,& J1
needs it
the air. .
os~ is stored in
e maJor by-product :ts
cose. This glucose carbohydrate is used for providing energy o the ~Ian;
as starch which can be used as a source of energy when:~ goes into
autotrophic nutrition (or photosynthesis) is oxygen gas w c
Q.8. (a) What are the diff
(b) N erences betw . .
ame some organis een aerobic and anaerobic respiration ?
Ans. (a) See Tab le on page msofthat. use th e anaerobic
• mode of respiration.
36
(b) Anaerobic mode f this book.
known as anaerob · b
°
respir ~ ti on is used by certain micro-organisms such as yeast and some b ac tena
·
ic actena.
Q.9. How are the alveoli d es1gned
. to . .
Ans. There are millions f al ·. maximise the exchange of gases?
0 veoli (thin-walled arr-sacs)
• · · al li · th
lungs provides ave lar in the lungs. The presence of millions of veo _ID. e
the exchange of g ry Fge area for the exchange of gases. And the availability of large surface area maxmuses
·ve
an area of about ases. or example, if all alveoli. from the two human lungs are unfolded, th ey wo uld gi
80 square metres (which is nearly the size of a tennis court!).
Q.10. What would be the cons equences of a deficiency of haemoglobin in our bodies ?
Ans. The bloxygen
d Th . . for brea thing and respiration
required · (release of energy) is carried by haemoglobin ·
· present m
~~ d 00 · . e ?eficiency of haemoglobin in the blood of a person reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of
00 resulting m breathing problems, tiredness and lack of energy. The person looks pale and loses weight.

Q.11. Describe double circulation in human beings. Why is it necessary ?

Ans. A circulatory system in which the blood travels twice through the heart in one complete cycle of the body is
called double circulation. In the human circulatory system, the pathway of blood from the heart to the rest
of the body and back to the heart is called systemic circulation; and the pathway of blood from the heart to
the lungs and back to the heart is called pulmonary circulation. These two types of circulation taken together
make double circulation. The double circulation is necessary to supply oxygenated blood to the whole body
(except lungs), and then to get deoxygenated blood reoxygenated in the lungs. (For detailed description of
double circulation in human beings, see page 61 of this book).
Q.12. What are the differences between the transport of materials in xylem and phloem ?
Ans. (i) Xylem tissue transports water and dissolved minerals in plants whereas phloem tissue transports the
food (made by photosynthesis) to all the parts of the plant.
ii) X lem tissue carries the water and dissolved minerals only upwards from the roots of the plant but the
( Y f f od from the leaves through phloem can be upwards as well as downwards depending
movement o o
on the requirements of the plant. . . . . .
nt of water and dissolved minerals m xylem tissue 1s caused by a suction force
e · · ) fr om th e cells of leaves of the plant
(iii) The upwar d movem
th tinuous evaporation of water (or transpiration
produced by e con from the roots. On the other hand, the food made in leaves is transported through
hich pulls up water TP
w . b utilising energy from A . .
phloem tissue y and nephrons m the kid neys wit
. . structure and .functioning
. h respect to their
Compare aIv eoli in the. 1.ungsthe lungs and nephrons m .
. the kidneys, both possess an elaborate network of.
s. (i) Structure. Alveoli in
blood capillaries. . ify the deoxygenated blood by removing carbon dioxide from it and making it
(ii) Functioning. Alveoli P~ oxygen in it (during the gaseous exchange). Similarly, nephrons purify the
oxygenated by ~tro_duc:~ waste products like urea from it in the form of urine. •
dirty blood by filtering