EXCRETION

Q.1. Define excretion.

Ans: The process of removal of toxic waste from the body of an organism is called
excretion.
Q.2. What are excretory substances?
Ans: The toxic substances which are eliminated from the body of an organism are called
excretory substances. Eg. Urea, Ammonia etc.
Q.3. State the major excretory substances of human.
Ans: The major excretory substances of human are:_
(i) Carbon dioxide (CO2)
(ii) Nitrogenous wastes

Q.4. Give some examples of nitrogenous wastes.

Ans: Some examples of nitrogenous wastes are:-
(i) Ammonia
(ii) Urea
(iii) Uric acid
(iv) Creatinine

Q.5. What is the difference between ammonia and urea?

Ans: Ammonia is highly toxic and urea is less toxic.
Q.6. What is the difference between urea and uric acid?
Ans:
UREA URIC ACID
1. It is a toxic substance. 1. It is less toxic than urea.
2. It is highly soluble in water. 2. It is insoluble in water.

Q.7. Name the chief excretory product of human.

Ans: Urea.
Q.8. What are nephrons?
Ans: Nephrons are the structural and functional units of kidney.
Q.9. Describe the structure of Nephron with the help of a diagram.
Ans: Each nephron consists of two parts:-
(i) Malphigian body
(ii) Renal tubule
Malphigian body again consist of a mesh of capillaries called glomerulus and a cup like
structure called Bowman’s capsule.
The renal tubule consists of :-
(i) Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
(ii) Loop of Henle
(iii) Distal convoluted tubule(DCT)
(iv) Connecting tubule
Q.10. What is dialysis?
Ans: The procedure used for cleaning the blood of a person by separating the waste
substances from it is called dialysis.
Q.11. How is the amount of urine produced regulated?
Ans: The amount of urine produced is regulated by selective re-absorption of water and
some of the dissolved substances into the blood, through blood capillaries surrounding the
tubules of nephrons.
Q.12. Describe the mechanism of formation of urine.
Ans: The basic filtration unit in the kidneys is a cluster of very thin-walled blood capillaries.
Each capillary cluster in the kidney is associated with the cup shaped end of a coiled tube
called Bowman’s capsule that collects the filtrate. Each kidney has a large number of these
filtration units called nephrons packed close together. Some substances in the initial filtrate,
such as glucose, amino acids salts and a major amount of water are selectively re-absorbed
as the urine flows along the tube. The amount of water re-absorbed depends on how much
excess water there is in, the body and on how much of dissolved waste there is to be
excreted.
Q.13. What are the methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products?
Ans: The methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products are:-
(i) Oxygen itself can be thought of as a waste product generated during
photosynthesis.
(ii) They can get rid of excess water by transpiration.
(iii) Plants use the fact that many of their tissue consist of dead cells, and that can
get rid of some parts such as leaves.
(iv) Many plants waste products are stored in cellular vacuoles.
(v) Other waste products are stored as resins and gum, especially in old xylem.
(vi) Plants excrete some wastes substances into the soil around them.