Adolescence

 The period of life of a person when the body undergoes a lot of changes leading to
reproductive maturity is called adolescence. It is transitional period between
childhood and adulthood.
 Adolescents are called teenagers.
 Adolescence begins around 10 or 11 years and last up to 18 or 19 years.
Puberty : Onset of starting phase of adolescence. The period during which adolescent boys
and girls reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction is called puberty.

Changes at puberty and adolescence

 Increase in height
 Increase in height is due to the increase in length of bones of arms and legs.
 Initially, girls grow faster than boys about 18 years of age both reach their maximum
height
 Rate of growth in height varies in different individuals.
 Factors which determine the height are – Genetic information, and the nutrient rich
food taken.
 height of an individual is more or less similar to that of some family member. This is because
height depends on the genes inherited from parents. It is, however, very important to eat
the right kind of food during these growing years. This helps the bones, muscles and other
parts of the body get adequate nourishment for growth.

How to calculate full height = Present height (cm) X 100

% Of full height at this age
SIGNIFICANCE of Adolescence
 Biological growth and development.
 Time to develop knowledge and skills.
 Learn to manage emotions and relationships.
 Develop decision-making skills.
 Search for self. (Introspection)
 Develop required attributes and abilities that will be important for enjoying the
adolescent years.

ADOLESCENCE:The period of life of a person when the body

undergoes a lot of changes leading to reproductive maturity is called
adolescence.

 Adolescents are called teenagers.

PUBERTY: The period during which adolescent boys and girls reach
sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction is called puberty.

 Puberty starts earlier in girls at the age of 10 to 13 years while

boys reach puberty at comparatively higher age of 12 to 14 years.

Changes at puberty:

 Change in body shape

 In boys,
 Shoulder become broader and chest becomes wider
 Muscular
 In girls,
o Hips/pelvic region becomes wider – in order to accommodate the foetus.
 Change in voice
o The growth of voice box is more in boys than girls. In boys, vocal cords
increase and the larynx is clearly visible. Boys develop deep and hoarse voice.
o Girls have small voice box, which gives them shrill/ high pitched voice and
larynx is hardly visible.
 o At puberty, the voice box or the larynx begins to grow. Boys develop larger voice
boxes. The growing voice box in boys can be seen as a protruding part of the throat
called Adam’s apple (Fig. 10.2). In girls, the larynx is hardly visible from the outside
because of its small size. Generally, girls have a high pitched voice, whereas boys
have a deep voice. In adolescent boys, sometimes, the muscles of the growing voice
box go out of control and the voice becomes hoarse. This state may remain for a few
days or weeks after which the voice becomes normal.
 Development of acne and pimples
o Increased activity of Sebaceous glands and sweat glands present in the skin
secrete excess oil,sweat clogging the skin pores. Excess sebum gets clogged in
the hair follicles. There is an elargement of blood capillaries because of which
there is a formation of dead wbc, which is most commonly referred as pus.
Blood vessels get swollen
o Bacteria grow in the pores causing swelling and redness of skin leading to
pimples
o Outbreak of pimple is considered as acne.
 Development of sex organs
o In boys, testes and penis dvelop completely. Testes produce sperms.
o In girls, ovaries enlarge and began to mature. Ovaries start releasing mature
eggs.
Reaching-
 Mental maturity
o It is the time in one's life when the brain has the greatest capacity for learning.

 Intellectual maturity
o The change in a person's way of thinking
o The person feels more independent than before and also become self
conscious.

 Emotional maturity
o A person may feel insecure while trying to adjust to the changes in the body
and mind.
  Hips broaden – to accommodate the foetus growing in them
 Mammary glands – development of breasts
Puberty :
 The period during which adolescence boys and girls reach sexual maturity and
become capable of reproduction is called puberty.
 Puberty starts earlier in girls at the age of 10 to 13 years while boys reach puberty at
comparatively higher age of 12 to 14 years.

Changes at puberty:
 Physical changes

S.No Changes during Boys Girls

puberty
1. Increase in height The rate of growth Initially girls grow
in males varies in faster than boys.
different persons maximum height of
girls is slightly less
than that of boys
2. Change in body Broader Shoulders, broader hips
shape wider Breasts develop
chest,Muscular.
Facial hair develops
3. Change in voice Adam's Apple. do not develop
Hoarse voice Adam's Apple
bigger voice box smaller voice box
shrill voice
 4. Increased activity Development of Development of
of sebaceous glands pimples and acne on pimples and acne on
and sweat glands the face the face
5. Development of sex Testis and penis ovaries, oviduct and
organs enlarge. uterus enlarge and
Testis produce develop completely.
sperms ovaries release
mature eggs

 Reaching Mental maturity

 It is the time in one's life when the brain has the greatest capacity for learning.

 Reaching Intellectual maturity

 The change in a person's way of thinking.
 The person feels more independent than before and also becomes self-conscious.

 Attaining Emotional maturity

 A person may feel insecure while trying to adjust to the changes in the body and
mind.
 Show intense feelings such as Joy, anger, Boredom, worry, sadness which are not
based on reasoning or knowledge.

Secondary sexual characteristics in humans

Primary sexual characteristics
The sexual characteristics which are present
at birth.
Directly involved in reproduction
Male: testis, penis,
Female: ovaries, oviduct, and uterus.
Secondary sexual characteristics
The sexual characteristics controlled by
hormones which distinguish between
sexually mature males and females.
Are not directly involved in reproduction
Male:
 Facial hair
 Shoulders and chest broaden
 Deeper voice/ low pitched voice
 Development of Adam's Apple
Female:
 Development of breasts
 Hips broadens become more
prominent.
  Shrill voice /high pitched voice
Sex hormones
Male - testosterone
Female - oestrogen

TEXTBOOK QUESTION AND ANSWERS.

Define adolescence
The period of life, when the body undergoes changes, leading to reproductive maturity, is
called adolescence. The period of adolescence is normally 11 years to 19 years.
List changes in the body that take place at puberty.
Answer: The changes take place differently in the body of boys and girls at puberty. These
change may be listed as below:
 There is a sudden increase in the height of both boys and girls. However, both reach
their maximum height at the age of 17 to 18 years.
 The voices of boys become hoarse and that of girls become shrill.
 Shoulders become broader and muscles grow more prominently in boys. In girls, the
regions below the waist become wider.
 Hair starts growing in different parts of boys and girls.
 In most of the teenagers, due to increased secretion of sweat and sebaceous gland, get
acne and pimples on their face.
 Onset of puberty brings changes in secondary sexual characters in both male and
female.
 Boys and girls become capable of reproduction.
 In girls, menstruation starts.
 Different types of hormones start to release in initiating a reproductive function
Write notes on:
(a) Adam’s apple
(b) Secondary sexual characters.

Adam’s apple: During puberty, a change in the voice of boys and girls takes place due to an
increase in the size of the voice box or larynx. In boys, the voice box tends to protrude out on
the upper part of the neck, below the chin and is often referred to as Adam’s apple.
(b) Secondary sexual characters: Those characters which are visible more apparently and
help in distinguishing a male from a female are called secondary sexual characters. For
example, in girls, breasts and in boys, facial hair, i.e., moustache and beard
Q10.The table below shows the data on likely heights of boys and girls as they grow in
age. Draw graphs showing height and age for both boys and girls on the same graph
paper. What conclusions can be drawn from these graphs?
Age (Years) Height (cm)

Boys Girls

0 53 53

4 96 92

8 114 110

12 129 133

16 150 150

20 173 165

Answer:
From the above graph, we conclude that initially boys grow faster than girls from 0-8 years,
and girls grow faster than boys from 8-16 years. But both reach their maximum height at the
age of 20. Here boys show a greater increase in height than girls.
Hormones are chemical substances secreted by endocrine glands which hep coordinate all
activities.
Exocrine glands🡪 produce enzymes🡪have ducts(tubes)
Endocrine 🡪produce hormones🡪 do not have ducts 🡪 directly enters through the blood stream
Iodine is necessary for the secretion of thyroxine.
Role of hormones in initiating reproductive function
 There are many endocrine glands are ductless glands in the body
 The testis and ovary secrete hormones.
 The sex hormones are under the control of the hormones from the pituitary gland.
 The pituitary gland secretes many hormones one of which (LH) Stimulates testis and
ovary to release testosterone in males and oestrogen in females
Hormones: Hormones are the chemical substances which coordinate
the activities of living organisms and also their growth.
 Hormones are made and secreted by specialised tissues called
endocrine glands.
 Endocrine glands are called ductless glands as they do not have a
duct and secrete their products directly into the bloodstream.
 Some of the endocrine glands are pituitary gland, thyroid gland
adrenal gland.
 Hormones involved in the development and control of the
reproductive organs and secondary sexual characteristics are
called sex hormones.
 The common sex hormones are teststerone in males and
oestrogen in females.
Role of hormones in initiating reproductive functions
Different Endocrine glands and their functions
S.N0 Endocrine Hormone Main function
Glands secreted & Deficiency
disease
1. Pituitary gland growth hormone Regulate the
normal growth
of of the body,
development of
muscles and
bones
Dwarfism
less secretion
or
hyposecretion -
short
Gigantism
excessive
secretion
hypersecretion-
tall
2. Thyroid gland thyroxine Control body
metabolism
Deficiency
causes goitre
3. Pancreas insulin Control
 carbohydrate
metabolism
Deficiency
diabetes
4. Adrenal glands Adrenaline control
emotions like
fear anger
regulates blood
Aldosterone
pressure and
heartbeat

Mineral balance
in the body
deficiency
causes
addison's
disease
3. Ovaries oestrogen Control growth
progesterone and
development of
female
reproductive
system

4. Testes Testosterone Control growth

and
development of
male
reproductive
system

Reproductive phase starts with the production of gametes-

 Males- Sperm (male gamete)
 Females- Ovum (female gamete.
 Maturation and production of gametes lasts much longer in males than in females.
Reproductive phase in human life- menstrual cycle.
 Reproductive phase starts when adolescents’ ovaries and testes
begin to produce gametes (ovum and sperm).
 Maturation and production of gametes lasts much longer in males
than in females.
 In females reproductive phase begins at the onset of puberty
usually between 10-12 yrs when the 1st menstrual flow begins. It is
termed as menarche.
 At 45 to 50 years of age, the menstrual cycle stops. Stoppage of
menstruation is termed menopause.
  In case the egg is fertilised it begins to divide and then gets
embedded in the uterus for further development

Determining sex of an unborn baby

Role of hormones in completing the life history of insects and
frogs.

The physical and mental wellbeing of an individual is regarded as an individual’s health.

 In order to be healthy, one has to maintain-
 o Personal hygiene
o Good diet
o Physical exercise
 These become more important in adolescents.
Reproductive health
Myths/ Taboos/ Do’s & Don’ts
A girl becomes pregnant if she looks at boys during menstruation.
The mother is responsible for the sex of her child.
A girl should not be allowed to work in the kitchen during menstruation.

Adolescent pregnancy.
 Legal age for marriage- 18 yrs for girls, 21 yrs for boys because
teenage mothers are not ready mentally, emotionally and
physically to take care of the children.
 Early marriage and motherhood cause health problems in the
mother and the child.
 Also reduces employment opportunities.
In females, the reproductive phase of life begins at puberty (10 to 12 years of age) and generally
lasts till the age of approximately 45 to 50 years. The ova begin to mature with the onset of puberty.
One ovum matures and is released by one of the ovaries once in about 28 to 30 days. During this
period, the wall of the uterus becomes thick so as to receive the egg, in case it is fertilised and begins
to develop. This results in pregnancy. If fertilisation does not occur, the released egg, and the
thickened lining of the uterus along with its blood vessels are shed off. This causes bleeding in
women which is called menstruation. Menstruation occurs once in about 28 to 30 days. The first
menstrual flow begins at puberty and is termed menarche. At 45 to 50 years of age, the menstrual
cycle stops. Stoppage of menstruation is termed menopause. Initially, menstrual cycle may be
irregular. It take some time to become regular.

Menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones. The cycle includes the maturation of the egg, its release,
thickening of uterine wall and its breakdown if pregnancy does not occur. In case the egg is fertilised
it begins to divide and then gets embedded in the uterus for further development

Determining the sex of an unborn baby

Inside the fertilised egg or zygote is the instruction for determining the sex of the baby. This
instruction is present in the thread-like structures, called chromosomes in the fertilised egg. Recall
from Chapter 8, that chromosomes are present inside the nucleus of every cell. All human beings
have 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nuclei of their cells. Two chromosomes out of these are the sex
chromosomes, named X and Y. A female has two X chromosomes, while a male has one X and one Y
chromosome. The gametes (egg and sperm) have only one set of chromosomes. The unfertilised egg
always has one X chromosome. But sperms are of two kinds. One kind has an X chromosome, and
the other kind has a Y chromosome. See Fig. 10.4. When a sperm containing X chromosome fertilises
the egg, the zygote would have two X chromosomes and develop into a female child. If the sperm
contributes a Y chromosome to the egg (ovum) at fertilisation, the zygote would develop into a male
child.

Nutrition and balanced diet for an adolescent

balanced diet is. Recall that a balanced diet means that the meals include proteins, carbohydrates,
fats and vitamins in requisite proportions. Our Indian meal of roti/rice, dal (pulses) and vegetables is
a balanced meal. Milk is a balanced food in itself. Fruits also provide nourishment. For infants,
mother’s milk provides all the nourishment that they need. Iron builds blood and iron-rich food such
as leafy vegetables, jaggery, meat, citrus, Indian gooseberry (amla) are good for adolescents. Chips
and packed or tinned snacks, though very tasty should never replace regular meals as they do not
have adequate nutritional value.

legal age for marriage is 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys. This is because teenage mothers are
not prepared mentally or physically for motherhood. Early marriage and motherhood cause health
problems in the mother and the child. It also curtails employment opportunities for the young
woman and may cause mental agony as she is not ready for responsibilities of motherhood.

AIDS which is caused by a dangerous virus, HIV. This virus can pass on to a normal person from an
infected person by sharing the syringes used for injecting drugs. It can also be transmitted to an
infant from the infected mother through her milk. The virus can also be transmitted through sexual
contact with a person infected with HIV.