BIOLOGY- CHAPTER 7 – CONTROL AND COORDINATION

1 .What is the need for a system of control and coordination in an organism?

Organisms make movements as a response to changes in the environment. Each kind of a change in
the environment evokes an appropriate movement in response.

The movement to be made depends on the event that is triggering it.

Hence such controlled movements must be connected to the recognition of various events in the
environment followed by only the correct movement in response.

So there is a need for a system that provides control and coordination.

2. How are messages transmitted through neurons?

Refer text pg 115.

3. What is a reflex action?

Rapid, automatic response to a stimulus without involving the thinking action of the brain is called
reflex action.

Eg. Knee-jerk reflex

Pulling back hand on touching a hot object.

Closing of eyes when bright light is focused.

4. What is the difference between reflex action and walking?

Reflex action Walking

1. It is a sudden, automatic response to a 1. It is a thought out voluntary action.

stimulus.

2. Thinking action of the brain is not 2.Brain is involved in the thinking process
involved.

3. It is a very quick action. 3. It is a comparatively slow action.

5. How do we detect the smell of an incense stick?

We can sense the smell of an incense stick by the olfactory lobes of the forebrain.

The particles of fragrance from the incense stick strike the olfactoreceptors in the nose and through
the sensory neurons, the impulses are sent to the brain.

The olfactory lobes of the forebrain analyse the impulse and produce the sensation of smell.
6. Define a reflex arc. Name the components of a reflex arc and mention the function of each of them
with an example.

Reflex arc is defined as the pathway followed by a nerve impulse in a reflex action.

For example, pulling the hand back on touching a hot object.

Parts of the reflex arc.

1 .Receptor- It receives the stimulus. The heat and pain receptors in the skin of hand receive the
stimulus and convert it into an electrical impulse.

2. Sensory neuron – It conducts the impulse to the central nervous system. i.e., the spinal cord in a
reflex action.

3. Relay neuron – In the spinal cord, the sensory neuron relays the impulse to a relay neuron, which
transmits it to the motor neuron.

4. Motor neuron – It conducts the impulse to the effector organ.

5. Effector – It is the organ which functions according to the message or impulse brought by the motor
neuron; the muscles of the forearm contracts to pull the hand back.

7. What is the function of receptors? Think of situations where receptors do not work properly. What
problems are likely to arise?

Receptors are specialized nerve cells located in our sense organs. Their function is to detect and
receive all information from our environment. The information acquired at the specialized tips of
dendrites sets off a chemical reaction that creates an electrical impulse.

If the receptors do not function properly, no information will be received from outside and we may
not be able to see, hear, or detect taste, smell etc.

8. Describe the various parts of human brain.

Brain is the main coordinating centre in the human body. It is protected by the skull and a fluid which
functions as a shock absorber.

Brain is divided into three regions – Fore brain, Midbrain and Hind brain.

Forebrain is the main thinking part of the brain. It includes cerebrum.

It has separate sensory areas, motor areas, and association areas.

i) Sensory areas : There are specialized areas to receive sensory impulses from various
receptors; these areas are for hearing, sight, pain etc.
ii) Association areas : These are the areas where the sensory information is interpreted by
putting together with information from other receptors and the information that is already
stored in the brain. Based on all these, a decision is made about how to respond and the
information is passed on to the motor areas.
iii) Motor areas: These are the areas which control the movement of voluntary muscles; they
send the impulse to the effector organs.
iv) A centre associated with hunger, which is in a separate part of the forebrain provides us
 the sensation of feeling full on having eaten enough.

Mid brain controls reflex movements of eye muscles, changes in pupil size and shape of
the eye lens.
It also controls reflex movements of head, neck and trunk in response to visual and
auditory stimuli.
Hind brain: It has three parts: a) Pons b) Cerebellum and c) Medulla.

a) Pons- regulates respiration.

b) Cerebellum – is responsible for :- i) maintaining posture and balance of the body.

ii) Precision of voluntary movements.

c) Medulla – controls involuntary functions like blood pressure, salivation and vomiting.

9. How are involuntary actions and reflex actions different from each other?

Involuntary actions Reflex actions

1. These are actions controlled by the 1.These actions are controlled by the spinal
midbrain and the hindbrain. cord.

2. These involve the involuntary muscles. 2. These involve the voluntary muscles.

3. They occur in a rhythmic manner and 3.They are sudden or spontaneous responses to
are not sudden responses to stimuli. some stimuli.

10. How does chemical coordination occur in plants?

Chemical coordination occurs in plants with the help of plant hormones.

1. Plant hormones are chemicals secreted by plants in minute quantities at different locations
like shoot tip.
2. These chemicals are secreted at locations away from the site of their action.
3. They simply diffuse to the site of action and coordinate growth, development and responses to
changes in the internal and external environment.

11. How do auxins promote the growth of a tendril around a support?

Tendrils are sensitive to touch.

When they come in contact with any support, variation in growth is exhibited at two points.

Part of the tendril in contact with the support does not grow rapidly

Part of the tendril away from the support grows rapidly, as auxin gets diffused in this area.

This causes cell elongation in this area and causes the tendril to coil around the support.
12. How do the movements of a sensitive plant differ from the movement of a shoot towards light?

Movement of leaves of sensitive plant Movement of shoot towards light

1. Movement independent of growth 1. Movement dependent on growth.

2. Movement neither towards nor away

from stimulus.
2. Movement is towards stimulus.

3. It is a quick movement.
3. It is a slow movement.

4. Cells change shape by changing the 4. Plant hormone auxin helps in cell
amount of water in them.
elongation and growth of the stem.

13. Give two reasons why chemical coordination is necessary along with nervous coordination?

1. The electrical impulses can reach only those cells that are connected by nervous tissue. All cells are
not connected by nervous tissue.

2. Cells cannot continually create and transmit electrical impulses; once an electrical impulse is
generated and transmitted, it takes some time for the cell will take some time to reset its mechanisms.

14. What is the difference between the manner in which movement takes place in a sensitive plant and
movement in our legs?

Movement in sensitive plant Movement in human legs

1. The plant uses electrical and chemical
means to convey the information, but
does not have any specialized tissues for
conduction of information.
2. Movement involves change in the shape
of cells that is brought about by
changing the amount of water in them
resulting in swelling and shrinking.
Humans also employ electrical and chemical
means to convey the information, but has
specialized nervous tissue for conduction of
information.
Movement involves change in shape of muscle
cells, brought about by change in the shape and
arrangement of special proteins in the muscle
cells.

15. Design an experiment to demonstrate hydrotropism.

The movement of a plant part in response to water is called hydrotropism. The roots of a plant always
grow towards water, so roots are positively hydrotropic.

Experiment to demonstrate hydrotropism.

1. Take two glass troughs A and B.
2. Fill each of them two thirds with soil.
3. In trough A plant a tiny seedling.
4. In trough B also plant a similar seedling and place a small clay pot inside the soil.
5. Water the soil in trough A daily and uniformly.
6. Do not water the soil in trough B, but put some water in the clay pot buried in the soil.
7. Leave both the troughs for few days.
8. Now, dig up the seedlings carefully from both the troughs without damaging their roots.

We will find that the roots of the seedling in trough A is straight; whereas roots of the seedling in
trough B is bent towards the clay pot.

In trough B, roots gets water oozing out from the clay pot. Hence the roots bend towards the clay
pot which is the source of water.

16. Describe how the drooping movement of leaves is brought about in a sensitive plant.

The drooping of leaves in a sensitive plant occurs in response to touch.

Movement happens at a point different from the point of touch.

The plant uses electrical – chemical means to convey this information from cell to cell, as there is
no specialized tissue for conduction of information.

Inorder to bring about the movement, the cells change shape, which is carried out by changing the
amount of water in them, resulting in swelling or shrinking.

In this case, cells at the base of the petiole lose water, leading to the drooping movement.

17. Compare and contrast nervous and hormonal mechanisms for control and coordination in
animals.

Nervous mechanism Hormonal mechanism

1. It is performed by nervous system 1. It is performed by chemical

receiving information from receptors substances called hormones secreted
and acts through effectors. by endocrine glands.
2. Messages are transmitted in the form 2. Messages are transmitted in the form
of electrical impulses. of chemicals called hormones.

3. The information is transmitted very 3. The information is transmitted

quickly. slowly.

4. The system is directly connected to 4. The system is not directly connected

the tissues and organs under its to tissues and organs under its
control. control.
5. Messages are transmitted through
5. Messages are transmitted along nerve blood stream.
fibers.
DIAGRAM OF NEPHRON