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Life Processes-The basic function performed by living organism to maintain their life on earth are called life
processes, which include nutrition, respiration, transportation, excretion, reproduction, growth and movement,
control and coordination.
Nutrition-It is a process of taking in food and utilizing it to provide energy for performing various metabolic
activities. There are mainly two modes of nutrition
*Autotrophic Nutrition
*Heterotrophic Nutrition
AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION-It is a mode of nutrition where organisms prepare their own food from simple
organic materials. Eg. Plants
HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION-It is a mode of nutrition in which an organism depends on other organisms for
food Eg. Humans
NUTRITION IN PLANTS- Green Plants are autotrophic and they synthesize their food by the process of
Photosynthesis.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS- The process by which green plants prepare their own food in the presence of sunlight and
chlorophyll by using carbon dioxide and water
MAIN EVENTS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS- The process of Photosynthesis occurs in the following phases:-
A. LIGHT REACTION- Photosynthesis starts only when light is available. The events that occur are:
1. Absorption of light energy by the chlorophyll.
2. Conversion of light energy to chemical energy and splitting of water molecules (Photolysis) into its
components hydrogen and oxygen.
B. DARK REACTION- This Phase is independent of light. During this phase reduction of carbon dioxide to
carbohydrates (glucose) occurs.
It is not essential that these steps should take place immediately one after the other. For Example desert plants
take carbon dioxide at night and prepare an intermediate compound (malic acid) which is acted upon by the
energy absorbed by the chlorophyll during the night time.
• Sunlight
• Chlorophyll- Sunlight is absorbed by the chlorophyll
• Carbon Dioxide- Enters through the stomata
• Water- Water and minerals are absorbed by the roots from the soil.
SITE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS-
Chloroplast in the leaf which contains the pigment chlorophyll.
STRUCTURE OF STOMATA
It consist of bean shaped cells called guard cells which encloses the opening called stoma or stomatal pore or
stomatal aperture. The guard cells are surrounded by the epidermal cells called subsidiary cells.
❖ Saprophytic nutrition: It is that nutrition in which organisms obtain their food from dead and decaying
organic matter. The organisms are called saprophytes. Example: Fungi, Mushroom
❖ Parasitic Nutrition: It is the mode of nutrition in which organism derives its food from the body of another
living organism (host) without killing. Example: Cuscuta
❖ Holozoic Nutrition: It is that nutrition in which an organism takes in complex organic food material into its
body by the process of ingestion. The ingested food is digested and then absorbed into the body cells of the
organism. Example: Human Being
❖ Nutrition in Animals: On the basis of their food habits all the animals are classified into: -
• Herbivores - Plant eating Animal
• Carnivores - Flesh eating animal
• Omnivores - Both flesh and plant eating
❖ Nutrition in Amoeba: Amoeba is a small microscopic single celled organism which has no definite shape. Its
shape continuously keeps on changing because of the formation of pseudopodia (false feet). Amoeba feeds
on smaller organisms like protozoans, algae, etc. It possesses all five stages of nutrition.
❖ Ingestion: Amoeba gets attracted towards the food which is encircled with the help of pseudopodia and
engulfed in the cell. The ingested food along with some amount of water forms the food vacuole.
❖ Digestion: Digestion of food starts with the help of enzymes (intracellular digestion)
❖ Absorption & Assimilation: The digested food is absorbed by the protoplasm and it is assimilated thereby
becoming a part of protoplasm.
Nutrition in Paramecium: Paramecium uses its hair like structure called cilia to sweep the food particles from
water and put them into its mouth. It possesses all the five steps of nutrition.
❖ Nutrition in Human Beings: The Human digestive system comprises of alimentary canal and associated
digestive glands. The alimentary canal consists of the following parts:
❖ Mouth: It leads to the buccal cavity, where the floor of it has a tongue bearing the taste buds. Men possess
teeth on both the jaws. There are 32 teeth of four different types: incisors, canines, molars & premolars.
❖ Stomach: It lies below the diaphragm on the left side of the abdominal cavity. The food is stored and partly
digested in the stomach.
❖ Small Intestine: It is convoluted tube which is differentiated into three regions- duodenum, Jejunum and
Ileum.
❖ Large Intestine: It is much shorter and wider than small intestine, having three regions- caecum, colon and
rectum.
Digestive Glands
❖ Gastric Gland: Secretes gastric juice which contains HCl, enzymes and mucus.
❖ Liver- It is the largest gland in the body. It is situated in the upper part of the abdominal cavity. It secretes
bile juice which passes through bile duct to the gall bladder. Bile is a yellowish green liquid with an alkaline
pH of 8, which neutralizes the acid of the stomach.
❖ Pancreas: It is the second largest gland on the body which is situated behind the stomach in the U-Shape of
duodenum. The pancreatic juice secreted by the pancreas contains enzymes for the digestion of starch,
proteins, lipids and nucleic acid.
Process of Digestion: -
❖ Ingestion and Digestion of Food – ingestion is the process of taking food inside the body. The ingested food is
crushed and masticated with the help of teeth. Saliva lubricates the food and helps in mastication.
❖ Digestion – it is the process of conversion of large, complex and insoluble organic molecules into simpler,
smaller and soluble molecules. The process of digestion starts in the mouth and continues up to the intestine.
❖ In mouth or buccal cavity – Salivary glands secrete saliva which contains an enzyme salivary amylase or
ptyalin.
The Semi solid paste of food from the buccal cavity passes to the pharynx and then to the tubular Oesophagus.
The semi-solid food mixed with the saliva passes down the Oesophagus into the stomach by a wave like
contraction and relaxation of circular muscles present on the wall of Oesophagus. These involuntary
movements are called Peristalsis
In the stomach the bolus is mixed with gastric juice secreted by the gastric gland which contains HCI, pepsin
and small amount of gastric lipase and mucus. The HCl creates an
a) Acidic medium which activates the enzyme pepsin.
b) It also kills bacteria and germs present in the food.
In Stomach-
In the small intestine, food is mixed with bile juice and pancreatic juice
➢ Fat Bile Emulsified fat (emulsification – conversion of large fat molecules to smaller
globules) Bile consist of bile pigments and bile salts but no enzymes. It makes the medium alkaline for the
pancreatic juice to act. Pancreatic juice contains three enzymes- Pancreatic amylase, trypsin and lipase
(steapsin)
The final digestion of food is done by the enzymes secreted by the wall of the intestine i.e, intestinal juice.
ABSORPTION OF FOOD
It is the process of mixing of digested food in the body fluid. The digested food is absorbed by the internal
membrane of the ileum. To increase the surface area of absorption the lining of the intestine is thrown into finger
like projection called villi.
IN LARGE INTESTINE- Intestinal glands present in it secretes mucus (has no enzymes). Excess of water is
absorbed in the large intestine through the mucus membrane. The mucus also helps in the lubrication of faecal
matter.
ASSIMILATION OF FOOD
It is the process of utilization of absorbed food for various body functions. The absorbed nutrients are utilized to
resynthesize complex molecules like carbohydrates, proteins and fats inside the cells.
1. Glucose is the main source of energy. Excess amount of it is converted to glycogen and is stored as fat.
2. The amino acids are used for the synthesis of structural and functional protein (the breakdown of amino
acids produces ammonia which is converted into urea in the liver and excreted out with urine).
3. The Glycerol and fatty acids may provide energy if needed or reconvert into fats which gets deposited into
adipose tissue.
EGESTION
It is the process of elimination of undigested food formed in the cells, or in the lumen of large intestine. The
undigested food is passed from the large intestine and egested out through the anus.
DENTAL CARIES
It is tooth decay which involves the destruction of the enamel layer of the tooth by the acids produced by the action
of bacteria on sugar. If dental caries is not treated then it can spread to the dentine and pulp of the tooth causing
inflammation and infection of the tooth.
TYPES OF RESPIRATION
AEROBIC RESPIRATION ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION
CO2+H2O+ENERGY (38 ATP)
Q. Explain the structure of human respiratory system with the help of a diagram.
1. Nostrils- The two nostrils which converge to form a nasal passage. The inner lining of the nostrils is lined by
hairs which help in filtering the air we breathe.
3. Larynx - This part comes after the pharynx and is also called the voice box.
4. Trachea- This is composed of rings of cartilage. Cartilaginous rings prevent the collapse of trachea in the absence
of air.
5. Bronchi- A pair of bronchi comes out from the trachea; with one bronchus going to each lung.
6. Bronchioles- A bronchus divides into branches and sub branches inside the lung.
7. Alveoli- These are air sacs at the end of bronchioles. Alveolus is composed of very thin membrane and it is the
place where blood capillaries open. It is in the alveolus; where oxygen mixes with the blood and carbon dioxide
exit the blood. The exchange of gases takes place due to pressure differential.
AEROBIC RESPIRATION
In Presence of O2
Glucose Glycolysis 2 Pyruvate Krebs’s cycle 6CO2 + 6H2 O + 38ATP
In cytoplasm (3 – C) In Mitochondria
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
RESIDUAL AIR
It is the volume of the inhaled air that is left in the lungs after exhalation. The lungs always contain a residual
volume of air so that there is sufficient time for oxygen to be absorbed and for the carbon dioxide to be released.
HAEMOGLOBIN
EXTRA QUESTIONS
Activity 6.1 | Page 96 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class X (10th) Science
▪ Take a potted plant with variegated leaves – for example, money plant or crotons.
▪ Keep the plant in a dark room for three days so that all the starch gets used up.
▪ Now keep the plant in sunlight for about six hours.
▪ Pluck a leaf from the plant. Mark the green areas in it and trace them on a sheet of paper.
▪ Dip the leaf in boiling water for a few minutes.
▪ After this, immerse it in a beaker containing alcohol.
▪ Carefully place the above beaker in a water-bath and heat till the alcohol begins to boil.
Question 1. What happens to the colour of the leaf? What is the colour of the solution?
Answer. The green leaf becomes colourless. On immersing green leaf in a alcohol, chlorophyll responsible for its green
colour gets dissolves in alcohol. The colour of the alcohol solution turns green
Activity 6.2 | Page 97 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class 10th Science
▪ Take two healthy potted plants which are nearly the same size.
▪ Keep them in a dark room for three days.
▪ Now place each plant on separate glass plates. Place a watch-glass containing potassium hydroxide by the
side of one of the plants. The potassium hydroxide is used to absorb carbon dioxide.
▪ Cover both plants with separate bell-jars as shown in Fig. .
▪ Use Vaseline to seal the bottom of the jars to the glass plates so that the set-up is air-tight.
▪ Keep the plants in sunlight for about two hours.
▪ Pluck a leaf from each plant and check for the presence of starch as in the above activity.
Question 1. Do both the leaves show the presence of the same amount of starch?
Answer. No, both the leaves do not show the presence of the same amount of starch, because in photosynthesis starch is
produced using sun light, chlorophyll and CO 2. In first set up availability of CO2 will be less for making starch by the plant
leaves, as potassium hydroxide (KOH) absorb the CO2. In second plant setup, the leaves will have more amount of starch.
Activity 6.3 | Page 99 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class X (10th) Science
Question 3. What does this tell us about the action of saliva on starch?
Answer. It tells us that on addition of saliva in starch solution, the starch gets converted into some other product (here
maltose sugar)
Activity 6.4 | Page 101 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class 10th Science
Question 1. Note how long it takes for the lime water to turn milky. ?
Answer. When we blow air through mouth, the lime water in test tube turns milky with in no time.
▪ Use a syringe or pichkari to pass air through some fresh lime water taken in another test tube (Fig.)
Question 2. Note how long it takes for this lime water to turn milky.
Answer. When we use syringe or pichkari, to pass air through the lime solution, it takes much time and effort to turn the
lime water milky.
Question 3. What does this tell us about the amount of carbon dioxide in the air that we breathe out ?
Answer. This indicates that the amount of carbon dioxide in the air that we breathe out is much more as compared to
normal air outside.
Activity 6.5 | Page 101 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class 10th Science
▪ Take some fruit juice or sugar solution and add some yeast to this. Take this mixture in a test tube fitted
with a one-holed cork.
▪ Fit the cork with a bent glass tube. Dip the free end of the glass tube into a test tube containing freshly
prepared lime water.
Activity 6.6 | Page 103 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class X (10th) Science
Question 1. Observe fish in an aquarium. They open and close their mouths and the gill-slits (or the operculum
which covers the gill-slits) behind their eyes also open and close. Are the timings of the opening and closing of the
mouth and gill-slits coordinated in some manner?
Answer. Yes, the timings of the opening and closing of the mouth and gill-slits are coordinated. They open and close
alternatively.
Question 2. Count the number of times the fish opens and closes its mouth in a minute.
Answer. This varies from fish to fish, size and state of activities under taken by fish. Students are advised to observe
themselves.
Question 2. Compare this to the number of times you breathe in and out in a minute.
Answer. As availability of oxygen is much less in dissolved form in water than in open air, therefor fish breaths at higher
rate than us to full fill the demand for respiration
Activity 6.8 | Page 109 | Chapter 6. Life Processes| CBSE Class X (10th) Science
▪ Take two small pots of approximately the same size and having the same amount of soil. One should have
a plant in it. Place a stick of the same height as the plant in the other pot.
▪ Cover the soil in both pots with a plastic sheet so that moisture cannot escape by evaporation.
▪ Cover both sets, one with the plant and the other with the stick, with plastic sheets and place in bright
sunlight for half an hour.
Question 1. Do you observe any difference in the two cases?
Answer. Yes, we can see water droplets in the plastic sheet covering the pot with plant. These water droplets are formed
due to condensation of water vapour released by the plant out of transpiration. While, there is no water drops in other pot
which has stick.
AIM
To show experimentally that carbon dioxide is given out during respiration,
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Conical flask, U-shaped delivery tube (tube bent twice at right angles), cotton wool or moist blotting paper, water, thread,
beaker, test tube, rubber cork with one hole, 20% freshly prepared KOH solution, vaseline, soaked gram seeds.
THEORY
Respiration is a biochemical process during which food (glucose) is oxidised to liberate energy. It is a catabolic process.
In the experiment, moist gram seeds are taken as they are actively respiring and releasing CO 2. The CO2 released is
PROCEDURE
1. Take about 25-30 seeds of gram and germinate these seeds by placing them on moist cotton wool or moist blotting
paper for 3-4 days.
2. Place the germinated seeds into a conical flask and sprinkle a little water in flask to moist the seeds.
3. Take freshly prepared 20% KOH solution in a test tube and hang it in conical flask with help of thread.
4. Close the mouth of conical flask by placing a rubber cork containing one hole. .
5. Through the hole of rubber cork, insert one end of the U-shaped glass delivery tube in the conical flask and place
the other end into a beaker filled with water.
6. Seal all the connections of the experimental set-up with vaseline so as to make it air-tight.
7. Mark the initial level of water in the U-shaped delivery tube.
8. Keep the apparatus undisturbed for 1-2 hours and note the change in level of water in the delivery tube.
OBSERVATIONS
After sometime, the level of water in U-shaped delivery tube dipped in water of the beaker rises.
RESULT
Germinated gram seeds in a conical flask release CO, during respiration. The C02 released is absorbed by KOH present in
the hanging test tube in conical flask. This creates a vacuum in conical flask which causes upward movement of water in the
delivery tube leading to change in level of water in the delivery tube.
PRECAUTIONS
Question 7.
Does respiration occur in plants along with photosynthesis?
Answer:
Yes, plants also respire during day along with photosynthesis.
Question 9.
Why should the seeds be kept moist during the experiment?
Answer:
Germinating seeds require water for growth. If moisture is not available, the seeds dry up, and rate of respiration would fall.
Question 10.
What would happen if instead of moist germinating seeds, boiled seeds are used for experiment?
Answer:
Boiled seeds do not respire and hence, no result will be obtained.
Question 11.
How does the use of KOH help to show that C02 is released during respiration in the above experiment?
Answer:
KOH solution absorbs the CO2 released during respiration of seeds, which creates a partial vacuum in the conical flask,
causing the rise in the water level of the U-shaped delivery tube. Rise in the level of water shows that CO 2 is released
during respiration.
Question 12.
What would happen if test tube containing KOH solution is removed from the conical flask in the set-up?
Answer:
CO2 released during respiration of seeds will not be absorbed and there will be no rise in the level of water.
Question 13.
Why is vaseline used in the experiment?
Answer:
Vaseline is involved in all the joints in the experimental set-up, thereby making the set-up air-tight.
Question 14.
Suggest an alternate set-up for the experiment to show that CO2 is released during respiration.
Answer:
Instead of plain water in beaker, lime water can be used. Lime water turns milky with CO2.
Question 15.
Name the gas absorbed by KOH solution.
Answer:
CO2
uestion 16.
CO2 is called respiratory gas. Why?
Answer:
Gases involved during respiration are called respiratory gases. They include CO 2 and O2.
Question 17.
Write an equation to represent aerobic respiration.
BHPS/BIOLOGY NOTES PART I Page 16
Answer:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 ——> 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP
Question 18.
What is fermentation?
Answer:
The anaerobic respiration carried out by some microorganisms in called fermentation.
Question 19.
Give the end products of anaerobic respiration occurring in muscles in humans.
Answer:
Lactic acid and energy (2 ATP).
Question 20.
Why is respiration called a catabolic process?
Answer:
Respiration involves the breakdown of big molecules (e.g carbohydrates or fats) to smaller molecules.
Question 21.
At what time of the day does plants respire?
Answer:
Plants respire all the time.
Question 22.
Define breathing.
Answer:
Breathing is a physical process of inhalation (taking in) of oxygen-rich air and exhalation (giving out) of carbon dioxide-rich
air.