Life processes

The expression of protoplasm is called life. Protoplasm in a cell is composed of cytoplasm and
nucleus. Normal characteristics of living things are referred to as life processes. There are eight
life processes which take place in most living things or organisms. These are:

• Movement
• Respiration
• Sensitivity
• Growth
• Reproduction
• Excretion
• Nutrition
• Control

Movement: Animal can move from one place to the next to protect them from hazard or in
search of better survival. They move by the action of muscles. But, plants move to the direction
of stimulus, such as light, gravity, water etc.. Their growth to stimulus is called tropism.
Respiration: It is the break down of food to release energy. Respiration is of two types- aerobic
and anaerobic. A sugar called glucose is used as a respiratory substrate.
Aerobic Respiration: Oxygen is involved in breaking down food to release a huge amount of
energy. It occurs in the mitochondria of a cell.
Word equation:

Glucose + oxygen Carbon dioxide + water + Energy

Chemical equation:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy

Energy thus released in respiration is temporarily stored in the mitochondria in the form of ATP
( Adenosine Triphosphate).

ATP is composed of an organic molecule called adenosine attached to three phosphate groups. In
a cell, ATP can be broken down losing one phosphate group and forming adenosine diphosphate
or ADP.

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When energy is needed ATP is broken down into ADP and phosphate(P):

During respiration ATP is made from ADP and phosphate:

When this reaction takes place, chemical energy is released and this energy can be used in the
following areas:

• To keep the body warmer

• For the contraction of muscle cells to move
• In active transport of molecules and ions
• For the synthesis of protoplasm
• In cell division

Anaerobic Respiration: It occurs in absence of oxygen.

In lower organism,e.g., yeast:
Word equation:
Glucose Ethanol + carbon dioxide + Energy
Chemical equation:
C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + Energy
Knowledge about anaerobic respiration can be used in different commercial processes such as, in
making wine, beer and baking bread etc. The ethanol from this type of respiration is the alcohol
formed in wine and beer-making. The carbon dioxide is the gas that makes bread dough rise.

In higher organism, e.g., human-

Word equation:
Glucose Lactic acid + Energy
Chemical equation:
C6H12O6 2CH3CH(OH)COOH + Energy

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Anaerobic respiration provides enough energy to keep the overworked muscles going for a short
period. During the exercise, the level of lactate produced in anaerobic respiration rises in the
muscle cells and blood stream. Thus, blood pH decreases which as a result affects the central
nervous system. This may reduce nervous stimulation from the brain to the muscle. Thus, it may
reduce or stop muscle contraction.

After the exercise, the lactate is respired aerobically in the mitochondria. The volume of oxygen
needed to completely oxidise the lactate that builds up in the body during anaerobic respiration is
called oxygen debt.

Sensitivity: It is the ability of an organism to respond to the changes in their surroundings. For
example, withdrawn of hand from hot objects, Blinking if an object approaches the eyes,
contracting and dilating of the pupils in response to changing light levels etc.

Growth: Permanent increase in the number and size of the cells and complexity of the
organisms, using materials from their food. This is brought about by cell division and the
utilisation of new materials within the cells and cell expansion.

Reproduction: It is the process through which offspring is produced. For example, fusion of
male and female gametes to form zygote during fertilization. This zygote grows and develop into
a multicellular organism. Organisms may also carry out asexual reproduction which involves
cutting, bulbs, tuber, budding etc.

Excretion: The removal of metabolic wastes from the body is called excretion. For example,
carbon dioxide produced in the mitochondria during respiration is excreted throgh the lungs, urea
produced in the liver is excreted through the kidney and sweat produced by sweat gland is
excreted through the skin.

Excretory products Site of production Site of destination (Excretory organ)

Carbon dioxide Mitochondria Lungs
Urea Liver Kidneys
Sweat Sweat gland Skin

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Nutrition: It is the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
For example, plants make their own food by photosynthesis and animals eat other organisms for
nutrition. It is of two types- autotrophic and heterotrophic.

In autotrophic nutrition, an organism can produce its own food. For example, a plant is an
autotroph. It can produce its own food by photosynthesis.

In heterotrophic nutrition, an organism can feed on other organisms. Heterotrophic nutrition may
be of the following types:

Saprotrophic nutrition: When an organism feeds on dead and decayed organic material and
digestion takes place outside of the organism, then it is termed as saprotrophic nutrition. For
example, fungi, bacteria, earthworm etc are group of decomposers and carry out saprotrophic
nutrition.

Parasitic nutrition: Parasitic nutrition is a mode of heterotrophic nutrition where an organism

lives on the body surface or inside the body of another type of organism .The parasite obtains
nutrition directly from the body of the host. In turns, the host is affected. Hence, parasites are
dependent on their host for survival; host provides nutrition such as glucose, amino acids, fatty
acids etc and protection for the parasite.

For example, head lice obtain nutrients such as glucose from the blood of human host. Likewise,
round worm and tapeworm are parasites in human.

Holozoic nutrition: It involves ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion. It is

observed in higher organisms like human.

Control of internal conditions: Organisms can maintain a steady state inside the body through
negative feedback. Example of some internal conditions are- body temperature, water contents of
the body, blood glucose concentration, carbon dioxide concentration in blood etc.

“GOOD LUCK”

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