CAMBRIDGE SECONDARY

ONE SCIENCE

CHAPTER 1: PLANTS AND

HUMANS AS ORGANISMS

1.1 PLANT ORGANS

Most plants are green

because they contain
chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll absorbs light
energy to make food. All the
food that is eaten by animal
was originally made by plants.
Plants give out oxygen during
photosynthesis in the
daytime.

1.1 PLANT ORGANS

The parts of an organism

are called organs.
Organ

Function

Leaves

Absorb light energy to make

food

Flowers

Produce seeds which can

grow into new plants

Stem

Holds the leaves and flowers

above the ground

Roots

Hold the plant firmly in the

soil. They absorb water and
mineral salts from the soil

1.2 HUMAN ORGANS SYSTEMS

Animals also have organs.

For example, the eye and
heart are organs.
A group of organs that
work together is called an
organ system.

1.2 HUMAN ORGANS SYSTEMS

Organ system

Description

Digestive system

Breaks down food into tiny

particles so that it can be
absorbed by the small intestine
The absorbed food moves into the
blood to all body parts

Circulatory
system

Transports substances all over the

body
The blood is pumped around the
circulatory system by the heart

Nervous system

Helps different parts of the body

to communicate with one another
Signals travel along nerves from
the brain and spinal cord to all
other body parts and from sense
organs to the brain

Respiratory
system

Allows oxygen to enter the body

and carbon dioxide to leave it

1.2 HUMAN ORGANS SYSTEMS

1.2 HUMAN ORGANS SYSTEMS

1.2 HUMAN ORGANS SYSTEMS

Levels of organisation:

1.3 THE HUMAN SKELETON

1.3 THE HUMAN SKELETON

1.4 JOINTS

A joint is a place where 2

bones meet.
Moveable
The skull
Ball-and-socket
joints
has fixed
joints
joints
(allows
in thebone
cranium
to move in all directions)

1.4 JOINTS

Structure of a moveable joint

To reduce the friction at
moveable joints:
(i) The end of the bones are
covered by cartilage
(ii) Synovial fluid fills the
spaces between the 2
bones

1.5 MUSCLES

Muscles are organs that

help us to move.
The muscles are attached
to bones by tendons.
Tendons are very strong
and they do not stretch.

Muscle is connected to

1.5 MUSCLES

How muscles work

When the biceps muscle contracts, it transmit a pulling force

Biceps muscle contract

1.5 MUSCLES

Antagonistic muscles are

a pair of muscles working
together, pulling in opposite
directions.
The contracting biceps
makes the arm bend at the
elbow joint. The triceps
muscle relaxes.

1.5 MUSCLES

For the arm to be straight

again, the triceps muscle
contracts and the biceps
muscles relaxes.

Biceps and triceps muscles are antagonistic

1.6 STUDYING THE HUMAN BODY