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CHAPTER 1 NUTRITION IN PLANTS

I FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. Green plants are called autotrophs since they synthesise their own food.
2 The food synthesised by the plants is stored as starch.
3. In photosynthesis solar energy is captured by the pigment called chlorophyll.
4. During photosynthesis plants take in carbon di oxide and release oxygen.
5. Plants obtain carbon dioxide through pores called Stomata
6. Nutrients enable living organisms to build their bodies, to grow, to repair damaged parts of their bodies and provide the energy to
carry out life processes.
7. Insect eating plants are called insectivorous plants.
II VERY SHORT ANSWER
1 NAME THE FOLLOWING
(i) A parasitic plant with yellow ,slender and tubular stem. Ans Cuscuta
(ii) A plant that has both autotropic and heterotropic mode of nutrition. Ans Pitcher plant
(iii) The pores through which leaves exchange gases. Ans Stomata
2 TICK THE CORRECT ANSWER
a. Amarbel is an example of ,i)autotroph ii)parasite iii)saprotroph iv)host
b. The plant which traps and feeds on insects is , i)Cuscuta ii) china rose iii)Pitcher plant iv)rose
3. MATCH THE ITEMS GIVEN IN COLUMN I WITH THOSE IN COLUMN II
column I column II
Chlorophyll leaf
Nitrogen Rhizobium
Cuscuta Parasite
Animals Heterotrophs
Insects Pitcher plant
4 MARK T IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE AND F IF IT IS FALSE: -
(i) Carbon di oxide is released during photosynthesis. False
(ii) Plants which synthesise their food themselves are called saprotrophs. False
(iii) The product of photosynthesis is not a protein. True
(iv) Solar energy is converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis. True
5. CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION FROM THE FOLLOWING: -
a. 1. Which part of the plant takes in carbon di oxide from the air for photosynthesis , i) root hair ii) stomata iii) leaf veins iv) sepals
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b. 2. Plants take carbon di oxide from the atmosphere mainly through their , i) roots ii) stem iii) leaves iv) flowers
6. Why do organisms need to take food?
All organisms take food and utilize the nutrients present in it to get energy for the growth and maintenance of their bodies.
7. Show with the help of sketch that the plants are the ultimate source of food.
The food chain show that the plant is the ultimate producer. The reaction to show how the plants are the primary source of
food
Sun --> Green Plants --> Herbivore --> Carnivore
III SHORT ANSWER
1. Distinguish between a parasite and a saprotroph
PARASITE SAPROTROPH
These are organisms that live on another organism and derive These are organisms that live on dead and decaying matter.
food from it.
These need a host These do not need a host
These harm the host The help to break down dead matter
Eg. Cuscuta Eg. Fungus
2. Draw a neat diagram showing process of photosynthesis in plants

3. What is cell?
The body of living organisms are made of tiny units called cells, therefore Cell are called the building
blocks of living organism. Cells can be seen only under the microscope. Some organisms are made of single
cell they are called Unicellular. Ex. Amoeba, Paramecium etc. While others are made of multicell and are
called multicellular. Ex. man, tree etc.

4. Write a note on Rhizobium. Why is Rhizobium important to farmers?

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 The bacterium called Rhizobium can take atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a soluble form. But it cannot make its own
food. So it lives in the roots of gram, peas, moong beans and other legumes and provides them with nitrogen. This association is of
great significance for the farmers because they do not need to add nitrogen fertilizer to the soil in which leguminous plants are grown.
IV LONG ANSWER
1 Give a brief description of the process of synthesis of food in green plants.
Photosynthesis is defined as the process in which the chlorophyll- containing plant cells synthesize food in the form of
carbohydrates, using carbon dioxide and water in the presence of solar energy.
Sources of raw materials required for photosynthesis:
(a) Water is taken in, from the roots of the plant and is transported to the leaves.
(b) Carbon dioxide from the air enters the leaves through the pores called stomata and diffuses to the cells containing chlorophyll.
(c) Solar energy is used to break water into hydrogen and oxygen. This hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide to form food for
the plants, which is ultimately used by the animals as well.
Thus, photosynthesis can be represented by the
following equation.
Concept insight: Photosynthesis is the process through which plants prepare their food.
2. How do you test the presence of starch in leaves?
i. Take two healthy green potted plants of the same type.
ii. Keep one potted plant in a dark room for one or two days in order to remove all the starch from the leaves.
iii. Keep the other plant in sunlight.
iv. Now, take one leaf from each potted plant and put a few drops of iodine solution on them.
v. Note down the change in the colour of both the leaves.
Observation: No blue-black colour will be observed on the leaves of plant kept in the dark room. This indicates the absence of starch.
Blue-black colour will be observed on the leaves of the plant kept in sunlight. This indicates the presence of starch.
Concept insight: Plants prepare glucose during photosynthesis which gets stored in plants in the form of starch. Iodine turns blue-
black when reacted with starch.
V PRACTICAL BASED QUESTION
1. Why do farmers grow many fruits and vegetable crops inside large green houses? What are the advantages to the farmers?
Green house protects the plants inside from the climatic conditions outside and gives it suitable temperature for growth. The
advantages to the farmers are:
(i) It protects crops from many diseases
(ii) It also protects the plant from heavy winds and rodents.
2. How humans and animals are directly or indirectly dependent on plants?

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 All living organisms require food. Plants can make their food themselves by organic substances but animals including humans
cannot make their food themselves. They get it from plants or animals that eat plants. Thus, humans and animals are directly or
indirectly dependent on plants.

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