B3

Reproduction

Name _____________________________
Class Teacher _______________________

Sections

1. 7Bb Reproductive Organs.

2. 7Ba Animal Sexual Reproduction.
3. 7Bc Pregnancy
4. 7Bd Gestation and Birth
5. 7Be Growing up
6. Answers

7Bb Reproductive organs

Sexual intercourse in mammals

During sexual intercourse, semen (sperm cells mixed with special liquids from the
glands) is forced out of the penis and into the top of the vagina. This is called
ejaculation. The semen travels into the top of the uterus and the sperm cells then
swim down the oviducts.

Males and females have reproductive systems, which contain reproductive

organs to allow them to reproduce. The ovaries and testes produce gametes or sex
cells.

The female reproductive system

The male reproductive system
Sperm and egg cells are adapted to their functions. A sperm cell is much smaller
than an egg cell.

Egg cell
Sperm cell
Word Meaning
adapted When something has special features that allow it to carry out
its function.
bladder Organ that stores urine.
cervix Ring of muscle at the bottom of the uterus in females.
cilia Small hairs on the surface of some cells.
circumcision Removal of the foreskin.
Fallopian tube Another term for ‘oviduct’.
foreskin A covering of skin protecting the head of the penis.
function Something’s job.
glands Special tissues that make and release substances. The
glands in the male reproductive system add a special liquid to
the sperm cells to make semen.
menopause When the ovaries in women stop releasing egg cells.
ovary Female reproductive organ. Produces egg cells.
oviduct Carries egg cells from the ovaries to the uterus in females.
Fertilisation happens here.
puberty Time during which big physical changes happen in the body.
reproductive Organs used in sexual reproduction.
organs
reproductive All the reproductive organs.
system
scrotum Bag of skin containing the testes in males.
semen Mixture of sperm and special fluids released by males during
ejaculation.
sperm duct Tube that carries sperm cells from the testes to the urethra.
testis Male reproductive organ. Produces sperm cells.
Plural = testes.
urethra Tube that carries sperm cells from the testes and urine from
the bladder.
 Word Meaning
uterus Organ in females in which a baby develops.
vagina Tube in females leading from the cervix to the outside. The
penis is placed here during sexual intercourse.

1. What is sexual intercourse?

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2. Where do sperm cells swim after they enter the top of the uterus?
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3. What are the reproductive cells called in males and females?

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4. What happens during fertilization?

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5. What is the function of the cervix in females?

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6. What is the purpose of the glands in the male reproductive system?

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7. What is the scrotum, and what is its role in the male reproductive system?
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8. What is menopause, and how does it affect the female reproductive system?
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9. What is the function of the sperm duct?

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10. What is the role of the urethra in males?

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11. Name one way a sperm cell is adapted to its function?

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12. What egg cell adaptation provides energy for the fertilized egg cell?
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7Ba Animal Sexual Reproduction (Fertilization)

Reproduction produces new living things (offspring). Two parents are needed for
sexual reproduction.

Fertilization occurs when a male sex cell fuses with a female sex cell. In humans the
female egg cell fuses with the male sperm cell to produce a zygote (the first cell
formed after fertilization.)
In all mammals fertilisation happens inside the female. This is called internal
fertilisation. In some animals (e.g. frogs, fish) fertilisation happens outside the
female (external fertilisation).

The fertilized egg cells of many animals also grow and develop outside their parents.
This is called external development. Amphibians, birds and fish use external
development. Humans use internal development and produce fewer offspring than
animals using external development because the growing embryos are protected
inside the mother.

Word Meaning
egg cell The female sex cell (gamete).
externa When fertilisation happens outside the bodies of the parents.
fertilisation
Fertilisation Fusing of a male gamete with a female gamete.
fertilised egg cell What is produced when a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell.
Fuse When two things join together to become one.
Gamete A cell used for sexual reproduction.
internal When fertilisation happens inside the body of a parent.
fertilisation
Offspring The new organisms produced by reproduction.
Parent An organism that has produced offspring.
sex cell Another word for a gamete.
sexual Reproduction that needs two individuals to produce a new organism of the
reproduction same type.
sperm cell The male sex cell (gamete).

1. What is fertilisation?
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2. What is the difference between internal and external fertilisation?

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3. What is external development?

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4. What are offspring?

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5. What is the advantage of internal fertilisation in mammals compared to external

fertilisation in animals like fish or frogs?
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6. What are the role of gametes in sexual reproduction?

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7. How does external development in amphibians, birds, and fish differ from internal
development in humans?
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8. Why do humans produce fewer offspring compared to animals that use external
development?
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7Bc Pregnancy

If an egg cell meets a sperm cell in an oviduct, fertilization can occur (the nuclei
from the two cells fuse). The fertilized egg cell divides to form a ball of cells (an
embryo). The embryo travels to the uterus where it sinks into the uterus lining
(implantation).

Word Meaning
amnion Bag containing amniotic fluid.
amniotic fluid Liquid surrounding the growing embryo and protecting it.
ejaculation When semen is pumped out of a man’s penis.

embryo Tiny new human life that grows by cell division from a fertilised egg cell.
erection When the penis becomes stiff.
implantation When an embryo sinks into the lining of the uterus.
placenta Attached to the uterus wall, this takes oxygen and food out of the mother’s
 Word Meaning
blood and puts waste materials into the mother’s blood.
pregnant When a female animal has an embryo growing inside her uterus.
sexual intercourse Or ‘making love’, ‘having sex’, during which semen is ejaculated into the
end of the vagina.
umbilical cord Carries food, oxygen and waste between the placenta and the growing
embryo or fetus.

The woman is now pregnant. Once the embryo has developed all its organs it is
called a fetus. It takes about 40 weeks (9 months) for a human fertilized egg cell to
grow into a baby ready to be born. This time is called the gestation period.

While inside the uterus, the fetus is supplied with oxygen and food by the placenta.
The placenta also gets rid of waste (especially carbon dioxide) from the fetus. The
umbilical cord connects the fetus to the placenta.

If a mother smokes, drinks too much alcohol or takes drugs while pregnant, she
might damage the baby. The baby might be premature.

1. What happens when an egg cell meets a sperm cell in an oviduct?

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2. What is an embryo?
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3. What is implantation?
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4. What is the role of the placenta in pregnancy?

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5. What is the function of the umbilical cord?

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6. What is a fetus?
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7. How long does it take for a human fertilized egg cell to grow into a baby ready to
be born?
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 7Bd
Gestation and
Birth

Birth in mammals

● The uterus starts contractions and the woman goes into labor.

● The muscles of the cervix relax.

● The baby is pushed out head first through the cervix and the vagina.

● The baby starts to breathe and the umbilical cord is cut. The scar left behind is
the navel.

● Then the placenta is pushed out of the uterus. This is the afterbirth.

The mother’s breasts contain mammary glands that produce milk to feed the baby.
Breast milk contains all the nutrients that a baby needs and antibodies, which help
destroy micro-organisms that might cause diseases.

Word Meaning
IVF A procedure in which egg cells are taken from a woman and fertilized in a
dish outside the woman’s body. The embryo develops and is then placed
inside her.
sperm count The number of sperm cells in a certain volume of semen.
afterbirth When the placenta is pushed out through the vagina after the baby has been
born.
antibodies Substances produced by white blood cells that help to fight micro-organisms
that might cause diseases.
contractions The uterus muscles squeezing.
fetus An embryo is known as a fetus once it has developed a full set of organs.
gestation period The length of time from fertilization to birth.
labour Labor starts when contractions start in the uterus and ends when the
afterbirth has come out.
mammary glands Glands contained in the breasts of women that produce milk after childbirth.
navel Scar left by the cord. Often called the ‘belly button’.
ultrasound scan An ultrasound scanner uses sound to create a picture of what is inside
someone’s body.
 1. What does the mother's breast produce to feed the baby?
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2. What is the afterbirth?

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3. What are antibodies, and what is their role in breast milk?

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4. What is an ultrasound scan, and how is it used during pregnancy?

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7B
e
Growin
g Up
Growing up
The stages through which an organism goes as it grows and develops are its
lifecycle. In the human lifecycle, a baby grows into a child. Between the ages of 10
and 14 years, most children start to go through puberty. During puberty, sex
hormones cause big physical changes to occur. Adolescence is the time when
emotional as well as physical changes occur. It ends at about 18.

Changes in boys Changes in girls

● hair grows under arms, on face and on ● hair grows under arms
chest
● pubic hair grows ● pubic hair grows
● shoulders get wider ● hips get wider
● body smell increases ● body smell increases
● testes start to make sperm cells ● ovaries start to release egg cells
● testes and penis get bigger ● breasts develop
● voice deepens (‘breaks’)

After puberty, animals are able to sexually reproduce. Men produce sperm cells for
the rest of their lives. Women stop releasing egg cells at the age of 45–55 and this is
called the menopause.

Word Meaning
puberty Time when big physical changes happen in the body.
sex hormones Natural chemicals released in our bodies that control the menstrual cycle
and puberty.
acne Spots on the skin.
adolescence Time when physical and emotional changes occur in teenagers.
menstrual cycle Series of events lasting about a month, happening in the female
reproductive system. The cycle causes ovulation, and the lining of the
uterus is replaced.
menstruation When the lining of the uterus and a little blood pass out of the vagina as
part of the menstrual cycle.
ovulation Releasing of an egg cell from an ovary.
lifecycle The series of changes in an organism during its life.

1. What is puberty?
___________________________________________________________________
___________
2. What are sex hormones?
___________________________________________________________________
___________

3. What are some changes that occur during puberty in boys?

___________________________________________________________________
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4. What are some changes that occur during puberty in girls?

___________________________________________________________________
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5. What is adolescence?
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6. What is the menopause and when does it typically occur?

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7. What is the menstrual cycle and what are its main events?
___________________________________________________________________
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8. How long does puberty typically last?

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9. What is the significance of the production of sperm cells in men during and after
puberty?
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___________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________
___________

7Bb Answers

1. What is sexual intercourse?

Answer: Sexual intercourse is the process where semen, which contains sperm cells
mixed with special liquids, is ejaculated from the penis into the vagina.

2. Where do sperm cells swim after they enter the top of the uterus?
Answer: Sperm cells swim down the oviducts (Fallopian tubes).

3. What are the reproductive cells called in males and females?

Answer: In males, the reproductive cells are sperm in females the reproductive cells
are eggs
4. What happens during fertilization?
Answer: Fertilization occurs when an egg cell meets a sperm cell, and their nuclei
fuse together.

5. What is the function of the cervix in females?

Answer: The cervix is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the uterus that acts as a
gateway between the uterus and the vagina.

6. What is the purpose of the glands in the male reproductive system?

Answer: The glands in the male reproductive system produce special liquids that mix
with sperm cells to form semen, providing nourishment and aiding in the
transportation of sperm cells.

7. What is the scrotum, and what is its role in the male reproductive system?
Answer: The scrotum is a bag of skin that contains the testes in males. It helps
regulate the temperature of the testes, which is crucial for sperm production.

8. What is menopause, and how does it affect the female reproductive system?
Answer: Menopause is the stage when the ovaries in women stop releasing egg
cells. It marks the end of the reproductive period and is accompanied by hormonal
and physical changes.

9. What is the function of the sperm duct?

Answer: The sperm duct is a tube that carries sperm cells from the testes to the
urethra in males for ejaculation.

10. What is the role of the urethra in males?

Answer: The urethra in males serves as a passage for both sperm cells and urine,
allowing the release of semen during ejaculation and the elimination of waste
products.

11. Name one way a sperm cell is adapted to its function?

Answer: Has a streamlined shape and a tail that allows it to swim.
12. What egg cell adaptation provides energy for the fertilized egg cell?
Answer: The cytoplasm of an egg cell contains a store of food.

7Ba Answers

1. What is fertilisation?
Answer: Fertilisation is the process of fusing a male gamete (sperm cell) with a
female gamete (egg cell) to form a fertilised egg cell.

2. What is the difference between internal and external fertilisation?

Answer: Internal fertilisation occurs inside the female's body, while external
fertilisation occurs outside the bodies of the parents.

3. What is external development?

Answer: External development refers to the growth and development of offspring that
occurs outside their parents' bodies.

4. What are offspring?

Answer: Offspring refers to the new organisms produced as a result of reproduction.

5. What is the advantage of internal fertilisation in mammals compared to external

fertilisation in animals like fish or frogs?
Answer: Internal fertilisation in mammals provides a higher level of protection for the
developing embryos since they grow and develop inside the female's body.

6. What are the role of gametes in sexual reproduction?

Answer: Gametes are the sex cells (sperm cells in males and egg cells in females)
that fuse during fertilisation to create a new organism.

7. How does external development in amphibians, birds, and fish differ from internal
development in humans?
Answer: In external development, the offspring grow and develop outside their
parents' bodies, while in internal development (as seen in humans), the growing
embryos are protected and develop inside the mother's body.

8. Why do humans produce fewer offspring compared to animals that use external
development?
Answer: Humans produce fewer offspring because internal development requires
more resources and provides greater protection for each individual offspring,
allowing them to have a higher chance of survival.

7Bc Answers

1. What happens when an egg cell meets a sperm cell in an oviduct?

Answer: Fertilization can occur, where the nuclei of the two cells fuse together.

2. What is an embryo?
Answer: An embryo is a ball of cells that forms after the fertilized egg cell divides.

3. What is implantation?
Answer: Implantation is when the embryo sinks into the lining of the uterus.

4. What is the role of the placenta in pregnancy?

Answer: The placenta is attached to the uterus wall and acts as an interface between
the mother's blood and the embryo/fetus, providing oxygen, nutrients, and removing
waste materials.

5. What is the function of the umbilical cord?

Answer: The umbilical cord serves as a connection between the placenta and the
growing embryo/fetus, allowing the transfer of food, oxygen, and waste materials.

6. What is a fetus?
Answer: A fetus is the term used to describe the embryo once it has developed all its
organs.

7. How long does it take for a human fertilized egg cell to grow into a baby ready to
be born?
Answer: It takes about 40 weeks or 9 months for a human fertilized egg cell to
develop into a baby ready for birth.

7Bd Answers

1. What does the mother's breast produce to feed the baby?

Answer: The mother's breasts contain mammary glands that produce milk to feed the
baby.

2. What is the afterbirth?

Answer: The afterbirth refers to the placenta being pushed out of the uterus after the
baby has been born.

3. What are antibodies, and what is their role in breast milk?

Answer: Antibodies are substances produced by white blood cells that help fight
micro-organisms that may cause diseases. Breast milk contains antibodies that
provide the baby with immune protection.

4. What is an ultrasound scan, and how is it used during pregnancy?

Answer: An ultrasound scan uses sound waves to create images of the developing
fetus inside the mother's body. It is used to monitor the growth and development of
the baby and detect any potential abnormalities.

7Be Answers

1. What is puberty?
Answer: Puberty is the time when big physical changes happen in the body as a
person grows and develops.

2. What are sex hormones?

Answer: Sex hormones are natural chemicals released in our bodies that control
puberty and the menstrual cycle.

3. What are some changes that occur during puberty in boys?

Answer: Some changes that occur during puberty in boys include the growth of hair
under the arms, on the face, and on the chest, the development of pubic hair,
widening of the shoulders, increased body smell, testes making sperm cells, and the
deepening of the voice.

4. What are some changes that occur during puberty in girls?

Answer: Some changes that occur during puberty in girls include the growth of hair
under the arms, the development of pubic hair, widening of the hips, increased body
smell, ovaries releasing egg cells, the development of breasts, and the onset of
menstruation.

5. What is adolescence?
Answer: Adolescence is the time in life when physical and emotional changes occur,
typically during the teenage years.

6. What is the menopause and when does it typically occur?

Answer: The menopause refers to the time when women stop releasing egg cells
and experience a cessation of menstruation. It typically occurs between the ages of
45 and 55.

7. What is the menstrual cycle and what are its main events?
Answer: The menstrual cycle is a series of events that occur in the female
reproductive system, lasting about a month. The main events include ovulation (the
release of an egg cell from an ovary), the thickening and shedding of the lining of the
uterus (menstruation), and the preparation of the uterus for a potential pregnancy.

8. How long does puberty typically last?

Answer: Puberty typically starts between the ages of 10 and 14 and lasts until about
the age of 18, marking the end of adolescence.

9. What is the significance of the production of sperm cells in men during and after
puberty?
Answer: During and after puberty, men begin to produce sperm cells, which are
necessary for sexual reproduction. The production of sperm cells continues
throughout a man's life, allowing him to potentially father children.