LESSON 1

NUTRITION IN PLANTS

I NEW WORDS

1. Autotrophic
2. Chlorophyll
3. Heterotrophs
4. Host
5. Insectivorous
6. Nutrient
7. Nutrition
8. Parasite
9. Photosynthesis
10. Saprotrophs
11. Saprotrophic
12. Stomata
13. Guard cells
14. Pigment
15. Nucleus
16. Cell membrane
17. Cytoplasm
18. Transpiration
19. Carbohydrate
20. Minerals

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. Why do organisms need to take food?

A.  Food is needed by all organisms for many purposes:
(a) The main function of food is to help in growth.
(b) Food provides energy for movements such as running, walking or raising our arm.
(c) Food is also needed for replacement and repairing damaged parts of body.
(d) Food gives us resistance to fight against diseases and protects us from infections

2. Distinguish between a parasite and a saprotroph.

A.
PARASITE
(i) The organism that grow on
the body of another organism
and derives nutrients from it is
known as parasite.
(ii) They directly feed on
organisms for their nutrients.
(iii) They take ready made food
SAPROTROPH
(i) The organism that obtain
nutrients from dead or decaying
organic matter is called saprotrophs.
(ii) They feed on dead and decaying
organisms.
(iii) They take the digested.
 from the host.
(iv) Exampe: Cuscuta (Amarbel) (iv) Example: Fungi and some
and Orchids Bacteria

3. How would you test the presence of starch in leaves?

A. Following are the steps to test presence of starch in leaves:
(i) A fresh leaf is taken.
(ii) The leaf is boiled in water for few minutes to kill the cells in the leaf.
(iii) Now dip the leaf in iodine solution.
(iv) The colour of the leaf will change into black blue colour when iodine is added to it
which shows the presence of starch in it.

4. Give a brief description of the process of synthesis of food in green plants.

A. ( i) Photosynthesis is the process of synthesis of food in the plants with the help of
chlorophyll and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight.
( ii) Water and minerals present in soil are absorbed by the roots and transported to the
leaves by vessels.
( iii) Carbon dioxide from air is taken through stomata present in leaves.
(iv) leaves are the food factorie of the plants which capture the energy of the sunlight
with the help of chlorophyll.
(v) This energy is used to synthesize food from carbon dioxide and water.

5. Show with the help of sketch that the plants are the ultimate source of food.
A.

III. EXTRA QUESTIONS

1. Why do farmers grow many fruits and vegetables crop inside large green house?
What are the advantages to the farmers.
A. 1.To meet the requirements of growing population
2. For continuous supply of food.
3. Season extension.
4. Protected crops are less apt to be damaged by wind, rain and hail to increase the
percentage of marketable products.
5. To protect crops from many disease.

2. Potato and Ginger are both underground plants that store food. Where is the
food preserved in these plants?
A. In both the plants, shoot system and leaves are above the ground. They prepare food
through photosynthesis and transport it to the underground parts for storage.

3. A Goat ate away all the leaves of a small plant. How ever in a few days new leaves
could be seen sprouting in the plant again. How did the plant survive without
leaves?
A. The plant survives on the food stored in the stem and the roots.
3. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth. But farmers who cultivate
pulse crops like green gram, brown gram etc., do not apply nitrogenous fertilizers
during cultivation, why?
A. Roots of pulses (leguminous plants) have a symbiotic association with a bacterium
called Rhizobium which fixes nitrogen gas. Hence, farmers need not use nitrogen
fertilizers.

4. What are the essential factors required by the plants to perform photosynthesis
A. The following are the essential factors required by the plant to perform
photosynthesis.

5. When a Wheat dough is leaf in a open air, after a few days it starts to emit a foul
smell and becomes unfit for use. Give reason
A. Carbohydrates in wheat dough encourage the growth of yeast and other saprophytic
Fungi which break down carbohydrates and emits foul smell.

6. Wild animals like Tiger, Wolf, lion do not eat plants. Does this mean that they can
survive without plant? Can you provide a suitable explanation?
A. It is true that these animals do not eat plants. They hunt and eat herbivorous animals
like Deer, bison, Zebra etc., which are dependent on plants. Herbivorous will not survive
in which animals like Lion, Wolf and Tiger will have nothing to eat, if there are no
plants.
7. Draw and label stomata in open and closed position.
A.

IV EXERCISE

6. Fill in the blanks

(a) Green plants are called autotrophs since they synthesise their own food.
(b) The food synthesised by the plants is stored as starch .
(c) In photosynthesis solar energy is captured by the pigment called chlorophyll
(d) During photosynthesis plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

7. Name the following:

(i) A parasitic plant with yellow, slender and tubular stem. A: Cuscuta

(ii) A plant that has both autotrophic and heterotrophic mode of nutrition. A:
Insectivorous plant

(iii) The pores through which leaves exchange gases. A: Stomata

8. 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
9. Match the items given in Column I with those in Column II:

Column I Column II
(i) Chlorophyll (d) (a) Bacteria
(ii) Nitrogen (a) (b) Heterotrophs
(iii) Amarbel (e) (c) Pitcher plant
(iv) Animals (b) (d) Leaf
(v) Insects (c) (e) Parasite

10. Mark T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if it is false:

(i) Carbon dioxide is released during photosynthesis. (T/F) F

(ii) Plants which synthesise their food themselves are called saprotrophs. (T/F) F
(iii) The product of photosynthesis is not a protein. (T/F) T
(iv) Solar energy is converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis. (T/F) T

11.Choose the correct option from the following.

Which part of the plant takes in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis?
(i) Root hair (ii) Stomata
(iii) Leaf veins (iv) Sepals
Ans. (ii) Stomata

12. Choose the correct option from the following:

Plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere mainly through their:
(i) Roots (ii) Stem
(iii) Flowers (iv) Leaves
Ans. (iv) Leaves