DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, JAIPUR

GRADE-X
SUBJECT-SCIENCE (BIOLOGY)
CHAPTER 5: Life Processes

NUTRITION

Life Processes: The basic functions performed by living organisms to maintain their life on this
earth are called life processes. E.g. Nutrition Respiration, Transportation, etc.
Nutrition: It is a process of intake of nutrients by an organism as well as the utilization of these
nutrients by the organism.
Modes of Nutrition: There are two modes of nutrition- Autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
Autotrophic Nutrition: A mode of nutrition in which an organism synthesizes its own food from
simple inorganic substances like CO2 and H2O. E.g. all green plants, some bacteria.
Nutrition in plants:
Photosynthesis: It is a process by which green plants prepare their own food CO2 and H2O in the
presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.

SUNLIGHT
6CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + H2O + O2
CHLOROPHYLL
Steps:
1. Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll.
2. Conversion of light energy to chemical energy and splitting of water molecules into hydrogen
and oxygen.
3. Reduction of CO2 to carbohydrates.
Heterotrophic Nutrition: A mode of nutrition in which an organism cannot synthesize its own food
and depends on other organisms for its food. E.g. all animals, Fungi and some bacteria.
Types of Heterotrophic Nutrition:
Saprophytic Nutrition: A mode of nutrition in which an organism obtains its food from decaying
organic matter of dead plants and animals. E.g. Fungi, Yeast and Mushrooms and many bacteria,
etc.
Parasitic Nutrition: A mode of nutrition in which an organism obtains its food from the body of
another living organism (host) without killing it. E.g. Lice, Leeches, Tapeworms, Cuscuta (Amar
bel) and ticks, etc.
Holozoic Nutrition: A mode of nutrition in which an organism takes the organic food into its body
by the process of ingestion, the ingested food is digested and then absorbed into the body cells of
the organism. E.g. Amoeba, Humans, Dog, etc.
QUESTION-ANSWERS
QUES: Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of multicellular organisms
like humans?
Ans. In multicellular organisms, all the cells may not be in direct contact with the surrounding
environment. Hence diffusion will not meet the requirements of all the cells.
QUES: What criteria do we use to decide whether something is alive?
Ans. Molecular movement.
QUES: What processes would you consider essential for maintaining life?
Ans: Nutrition, respiration, transportation and excretion.
QUES: Why do desert plants take up the CO2 at night? How does photosynthesis take place in
them?
Ans: In desert plants, the stomata are open during the night. During the night, desert plants absorb
carbon dioxide and form an intermediate (Malic Acid). Then during day time when the stomata are
closed to prevent loss of water, they use this stored carbon dioxide to perform photosynthesis.
QUES: How do stomata open and close? Draw a neat and labelled diagram of open and closed
stomata.
Ans: Guard cells play an important role in the open and closing of stomata. When the guard cells
absorb water they swell causing the stomatal pore to open. The guard cells shrink on losing water
this causes the pores to close. The movement of water in and out of the guard cells is by osmosis.

DIAGRAM OPEN AND CLOSED STOMATA

QUES: What are chloroplasts?
Ans: Chloroplasts are the cell organelles present in green parts of the plant. They contain
chlorophyll and are the site of photosynthesis.
QUES: Why is the small intestine in herbivores longer than in carnivores?
Ans: Herbivores eating grass need a longer small intestine to allow the cellulose to be digested.
Meat is easier to digest, hence carnivores have a shorter small intestine.
QUES: In which form are carbohydrates stored in plants and animals?
As : Carbohydrates are stored in the form of starch in plants and as glycogen in animals.
QUES: What are outside raw materials used for by an organism?
Ans. Outside raw materials are used for maintenance and sustenance of life by an organism.
insectivorous plants.

Notes: NUTRITION IN HUMAN BEINGS

The process of nutrition in human beings completes in the following steps:
1. Ingestion- taking in food.
2. Digestion- breaking of complex food substances into simple soluble forms with the help pf
enzymes.
3. Absorption- the process by which soluble substances are taken up.
4. Assimilation-utilisation of nutrients for various processes.
5. Egestion-removal of solid waste from the body.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF HUMAN BEINGS

Digestion definition: Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into small
water soluble food molecules so that they can be absorbed into the blood plasma.
Digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, pepsin, trypsin etc. help to break the complex food
particles into simpler ones so that these simple particles can be easily absorbed by the blood and
thus transported to all the cells of the body.
The process of nutrition in human beings completes in the digestive system which consists of a long
tube called Alimentary canal (also called Gastro-Intestinal tract) which is about 9 metres long and is
supported by some accessory glands. It has the following parts:
1. Mouth or Buccal cavity: It is the space from where food is taken inside the body and
chewed. It consists of 3 parts:
a) Teeth: They help in biting, tearing, crushing and grinding the food.
b) Tongue: It has taste buds which help in tasting the food. Also helps in mixing the food,
rolling the food and swallowing it.
c) Salivary glands: They secrete a watery liquid called saliva which help in making the
food wet for easy chewing (mastication). Saliva also contains an enzyme called salivary
amylase (which starts the digestion of carbohydrates in the mouth itself. It converts
Starch into sugar.

2. Oesophagus: It is a straight muscular tube about 25 cm in length and connects the buccal
cavity with the stomach. Food passes down the oesophagus by rhythmic contraction and
relaxation of the muscles of its wall. This process is called Peristalsis.

3. Stomach: It is a J-shaped muscular bag. The food is stored and churned here. The lining of
stomach wall consists of gastric glands. These glands secrete gastric juices which consists of
HCl, Pepsin and Mucus.
a) HCl or Hydrochloric acid serves two purpose:
i. It kills the bacteria that enter the stomach along with food.
ii. Its acidic medium activates Pepsin, a Protein digesting enzyme.
b) Pepsin: It is a Protein digesting enzyme. It converts Proteins into Peptones.
c) Mucus: It protects the walls of the stomach from the harmful effects of HCl.

4. Liver: The liver secrets a greenish liquid called Bile which gets stored in the Gall Bladder.
The gall bladder in turn opens in the U-Shaped part of intestine.
Functions of Bile:
i. Makes the medium alkaline for Pancreatic enzymes to act.
ii. Emulsification of fats, i.e., breaking of large fat globules into smaller ones.

5. Pancreas: It is a leaf-shaped gland beneath the stomach. It also opens in the U-shaped
duodenum. It secretes pancreatic juices which contain pancreatic enzymes which further
help in digestion. They are:
i. Pancreatic amylase- converts starch to sugar and glucose.
ii. Pancreatic trypsin- converts proteins ------ peptones -------amino acids.
iii. Pancreatic lipase- converts fats ---------------- fatty acids and glycerol.

6. Small Intestine: Intestinal glands secretes intestinal juices which contains enzymes for the
digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which converts carbohydrates to glucose,
proteins to amino acid and fat to fatty acids and glycerol.
 *It is about 6 metres long coiled tube. Digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins gets
completed here and absorption of nutrients starts.
*The inner lining of the SI has numerous finger-like projections called Villi which increase
the surface area many times. These villi are richly supplied with blood vessels.
*Herbivores eating grass need longer small intestine to allow the cellulose to be digested.
Cellulose in plants is complex and takes more time to digest. Meat is easier to digest, hence
carnivores like tigers have a shorter small intestine.
* The U- shaped part of SI (called Duodenum) receives secretions from two glands called
Liver and Pancreas which help in digestion.

(diagram is only for reference)

7. Large intestine: It is about 1.5 metres long. It is called large due to its larger diameter.
Absorption of water takes place here from the remaining undigested food. Now the waste
material, also called excreta or faeces gets stored in the rectum.

8. Rectum- it is the last part of the alimentary canal that stores the undigested food. It opens
into an opening called anus.

9. Anus- It is the last part of the alimentary canal and its opening is guarded by a round
voluntary muscle called anal sphincter. It regulates the exit of faeces from the body.
RESPIRATION
1. BREATHING: Inhalation of oxygen and exhalation of carbon dioxide is called breathing.
2. RESPIRATION: Respiration is a process in which glucose is broken down with the help of
oxygen and energy is released along with the production of carbon dioxide and water.
3. Differences between
BREATHING RESPIRATION
1. It is simply an intake of oxygen and removal of It is an oxidation of food to form carbon
carbon dioxide. dioxide and water
2.It is an extracellular process/physical It is an intracellular process/bio- process
chemical process
3.No energy is released Energy is released in the form ATP molecules
4. No enzymes are involved. Enzymes are involved.
4. There are two types of respiration: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration:
Aerobic Respiration Anaerobic respiration

1. Takes place in presence of Oxygen. 1. Takes place in absence of Oxygen.

2. End products- carbon dioxide and water 2. End products- ethanol and carbon dioxide.
3. More energy is released. 3. Less energy is released.
4. Takes place in Cytoplasm & Mitochondria 4. Takes place in only in Cytoplasm
5. Complete oxidation of glucose takes place 5. Incomplete oxidation of glucose takes place.

6. It occurs in most organisms. 6. It occurs in certain bacteria, yeast & certain

tissues of higher organisms. E.g. In humans
during vigorous exercise, when the demand
for oxygen is more than the supply muscle
cells respire anaerobically for some time.

5.Different ways in which glucose is oxidised to provide energy in various organisms:

Glycolysis: Breakdown of glucose, a six-carbon molecule into a three carbon molecule called
pyruvate is called glycolysis. It occurs in cytoplasm.
Kreb’s Cycle: It is the process of conversion of pyruvic acid into carbon dioxide and water with
the release of energy is called Kreb’s cycle. It occurs in mitochondria.
6. Respiration in animals
Respiratory Organs:
(i) Unicellular organisms (Amoeba) - Through cell membrane (by diffusion)
(ii)Fishes: Gills
(iii)Terrestrial animals: Lungs
♦ Terrestrial animals- take oxygen from the atmosphere.
♦ Aquatic animals- take oxygen dissolved in water.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in water is fairly low as compared to the amount of oxygen in
the air, the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than that in terrestrial
organisms.
7. Respiration in fish: Fishes take in water through their mouths and force it past the gills where
the dissolved oxygen is taken up by blood.

7.Human Respiratory system-

External nostrils → Nasal cavity → Trachea→ Bronchi → Bronchioles →Alveoli
 ALVEOLI

Respiratory Tract
The respiratory tract in humans is made up of the following parts:
External nostrils – For the intake of air.
Nasal chamber – which is lined with hair and mucus to filter the air and remove dust and dirt.
Pharynx – It is a passage behind the nasal chamber and serves as the common passageway for both
air and food.
Larynx – Also known as the sound box as it helps in the generation of sound and thus helps us in
communicating.
Epiglottis – It is a flap-like structure that covers the glottis and prevents the entry of food into the
windpipe.
Trachea – It is a long tube passing through the mid-thoracic cavity. From nostrils air passes through
(throat) trachea. Trachea is surrounded by rings of cartilage. These rings ensure that the air-passage
does not collapse even when there is very less air in it.
Bronchi – The trachea divides into left and right bronchi.
Bronchioles – In the lungs each bronchus (bronchi) is further divided into bronchioles.
Alveoli – The bronchioles end up into the balloon-like structures known as the alveoli. There are
millions of alveoli in the lungs to provide a large surface area for the exchange of gases. The
Alveoli is surrounded by an extensive network of blood capillaries.
Deficiency of haemoglobin in the red blood of a person reduces the oxygen- carrying capacity of
blood resulting in breathlessness, tiredness and lack of energy .The person looks pale and loses
weight. The deficiency of Haemoglobin in our body is called anaemia.
8. Mechanism of breathing – It includes:
(i) Inhalation
(ii) Exhalation

9. Residual Volume: Some amount of air is always left inside the lungs in spite of forceful
exhalation so that there is sufficient time for the oxygen to be absorbed and for carbon dioxide to be
released.
10. Respiratory pigment:
(i) As the body size is large, diffusion alone is not enough.
(ii) Respiratory pigments are also required.
(iii) Respiratory pigment in human beings is Haemoglobin, which is present in red blood
corpuscles.
(iv) It has very high affinity for oxygen.
(iv)Carbon dioxide is more soluble in water than oxygen is and hence it is mostly transported in the
dissolved form in our blood.
11. Common features of Respiratory organs-
(i) Large surface area- for greater rate of diffusion of respiratory gases.
(ii) Thin permeable walls – to ensure easy diffusion & exchange of gases.
(iii) Extensive blood supply- Respiratory organs are richly supplied with blood vessels for quick
transport of gases.
12. Respiration in plants
1. All the parts of a plant (like root, stem and leaves) perform respiration individually.
2. Gaseous exchange occurs through:
(i)Stomata in leaves
(ii) Lenticels in stems
(iii)General surface of the roots
3. Gaseous exchange in plants-
♦ Process – Diffusion
♦ Direction of diffusion depends on-
(i) Environmental conditions
(ii) Requirement of the plant.
♦ Day time- Carbon dioxide given out during respiration is used up for photosynthesis. Therefore
only Oxygen is released, which is a major activity during the day.
♦ Night time –Only respiration takes place. Therefore only Carbon dioxide is released, which is a
major activity during the night.
TRANSPORTATION

1. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM: It is the system that moves blood, oxygen and nutrients
through the body. An example of the circulatory system is the functioning of the human
heart, blood and blood vessels.
2. Importance of Circulatory System: In human beings, a rapid supply of nutrients, oxygen and
hormones to various tissues and the immediate disposal of waste products is an essential
requirement. So, human beings have a specialised circulatory system. This circulatory
system has three main parts:
 Circulatory medium- Blood and Lymph
 Blood vessels- arteries, veins and capillaries
 Pumping organ- Heart
3. BLOOD: It is a fluid connective tissue. It is made up of two components- Plasma (fluid
part) and cellular elements (solid part).
a) Plasma: it transports food, carbon dioxide and nitrogenous wastes in dissolved form.
b) Cellular elements are found suspended in plasma. They are of three types.
(i) Red blood corpuscles (RBC) or erythrocytes- They have the respiratory pigment
Haemoglobin which binds to oxygen and carries it.
(ii) White blood corpuscles (WBC) or leucocytes- They fight against infections.
(iii) Platelets- help in clotting of blood when there is an injury.

4. BLOOD VESSELS: They are of three types:

a) Arteries carry blood away from the heart; they have thick and elastic walls to endure
high pressure of blood.
b) Veins collect the blood from different organs and bring it back to the heart. They have
thinner walls but there are valves in them at regular distance to prevent backflow of
blood.
c) Capillaries are microscopic vessels that carry blood from arterioles to small veins. They
are one cell-thick. Exchange of material between the blood and the surrounding cells
takes place across this thin wall.

5. Differences between Arteries and Veins:

ARTERIES VEINS

Carry blood from heart to various Carry blood from different body parts to
1. body parts. the heart.

Blood flows under high pressure Blood flows under low pressure
2.
Valves are absent. Valves are present which prevent the
3. backflow of blood.

They are deep-seated. They are superficial.

4.
They have thick, elastic walls. They have thin walls which are less
5. elastic.
6. OUR PUMP- THE HEART

a) Position, shape and size of the heart:

 The human heart is located between the lungs in the centre of the thoracic cavity with
its lower end inclined towards the left.
 It is a hollow, muscular organ and is somewhat conical in shape.
 It is about the size of one’s fist.
The heart is enclosed in a double-layered membranous sac called Pericardium.
Pericardium protects the heart from mechanical injury.
b) Structure of the heart:
 The human heart is a four-chambered organ divided by septa into two haves- the right
half and the left half.
 Each half consists of two chambers- the upper, small-sized auricle or atrium and the
lower, large-sized ventricle.
c) Chambers of the heart
 Atrium / Auricles- The receiving chambers: The atriums are thin-walled chambers
and are separated from each other by an inter-auricular septum.
 Ventricles- The discharging chambers: They are thick-walled chambers and are
separated from each other by inter-ventricular septum. The wall of the left ventricle is
thicker than that of the right ventricle because the left ventricle has to pump blood into
vessels, which in turn carry the blood to the entire body.
d) Great blood vessels of the heart:
 Superior (Anterior) vena cava: It brings deoxygenated blood from the upper part of the
body.
 Inferior (Posterior) vena cava: It brings deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the
body.
 Pulmonary artery: It carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs for
oxygenation.
 Aorta: It carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle and provides it to all parts of
the body.

e) Circulation of blood through the heart: (in steps)

1. The oxygenated blood from lungs enters the left atrium through pulmonary vein.
The left atrium is relaxed while collecting the blood.
2. Now, the left atrium contracts and the oxygenated blood is pushed into the expanded
left ventricle.
3. Now, the left ventricle contracts and the oxygenated blood is pumped into the aorta.
The oxygenated blood is then transferred to all parts of the body.
4. The deoxygenated blood from the body is carried to right atrium as it expands.
5. When the right atrium contracts, the right ventricle dilates transferring the blood to
the right ventricle.
6. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation.
7. Since blood flows through the heart twice in one complete cycle, this type of
circulation is called Double circulation.
f) Importance of Double Circulation:
 The separation of the right side and the left side of the heart is useful to keep oxygenated
and deoxygenated blood from mixing.
 Such separation allows a highly efficient supply of oxygen to the body.
 This is useful for warm-blooded organisms like mammals and birds who have high
energy needs to maintain a constant body temperature.
 In animals which do not use energy for this purpose, the body temperature depends on
the temperature of the environment. They are called cold blooded and can have 2-
chambered heart (eg. Fish) or 3-chambered heart ( eg. Amphibians and many reptiles).
 g) Blood pressure: It is the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries.
In a healthy young human, it is about 120/80 mmHg. The instrument used to measure
blood pressure is called Sphygmomanometer.

7. LYMPH:
Lymph is the fluid that circulates throughout the lymphatic system.
 It is also called Tissue fluid.
 Through the pores present in the walls of the capillaries, some amount of plasma,
proteins and blood cells escape into the intercellular spaces in the tissues to form tissue
fluid or lymph.
 It is similar to plasma of blood but is colourless and contains less proteins.
 Lymph drains into lymphatic capillaries from the inter-cellular spaces, which join to
form large lymph vessels that finally open into larger veins.
 An important function of lymph is that it captures the bacteria and bring them
to lymph nodes, where they are destroyed.
 It carries digested and absorbed fat from the intestine and drains excess fluid from
extra-cellular space back into the blood.

1. Transportation in plants: Plant transport system moves energy stored in leaves and
raw materials like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium from roots to other parts of the
plant.
 2. Xylem: These are conducting tubes (tissues) which transport water, minerals obtained
from the soil. It consists of (i) vessels, (ii) tracheids, (iii) xylem parenchyma and (iv)
xylem fibres.
3. Phloem: These are conducting tubes which transport products of photosynthesis from
leaves to other parts of the plant.
4. Conducting tissues: Together the xylem and phloem constitute the vascular bundles.
5. Transport of water and minerals: The water and minerals are absorbed from the soil
by the roots of the plant and transported to other parts like leaves and flowers.
6. Transport of water:
a) In xylem tissue, vessels and tracheids of roots, stem and leaves are
interconnected to form a continuous system of water conducting channels
reaching all parts of the plant.
b) Cells in contact with soil, actively pick up ions from the soil. This creates a
concentration gradient i.e. difference in concentration of these ions between
roots and soil.
c) Water moves into the roots from the soil due to concentration gradient to
remove the difference. Water moves into the root xylem in which water is
pushed up continuously to reach all parts of the plant.

7. Transpiration: The loss of water in the form of water vapour through the aerial parts of the
plant i.e. leaves is called transpiration. It helps in movement of water and minerals from roots
to leaves. It also helps in regulating the temperature.

● The water lost in transpiration by stomata is replaced by xylem vessels in the leaves.
● The evaporation of water in leaves creates a suction pull which sucks water from the
xylem cells of roots.
● At night root pressure is enough because stomata are closed.
● The transpiration pull becomes a driving force in the movement of water in xylem
during day when stomata are open.

8. Transport of food and other substances:

● Translocation: The transport of soluble products of photosynthesis is called

translocation and it occurs with the help of phloem.
● Phloem also transports amino acids and many other substances.
● These substances are delivered to the storage organs of roots, fruits, seeds and growing
organs.
● Translocation takes place in the sieve tube with the help of adjacent companion cells,
in both upward as well as in downward direction. It takes place by utilising energy.
● Sucrose is transferred into phloem tissue using energy from ATP.
● Sucrose increases the osmotic pressure of the tissues, causing water to move into the
phloem. Osmotic pressure helps to move the materials to places where osmotic
pressure is low as per the need of the plant, e.g. in the spring season, sugar stored in
roots or stem tissues would be moved to the buds, which need energy to grow into
flowers.
 EXCRETION
1. EXCRETION: The biological process of removal of toxic metabolic wastes from
the body of an organism is called excretion.
2. In unicellular organism the waste products are removed from the cells into the surroundings by
diffusion.
In multicellular organisms the waste products are removed through specialised organs.
3. The major wastes produced by the human body are: Carbon dioxide and Urea.
Our Lungs excrete CO2 and our Kidneys excrete Urea.
4. HUMAN EXCRETORY SYSTEM
Excretory system of human beings includes:
1. A pair of kidney
2. A pair of Ureter
3. A Urinary Bladder
4. A Urethra
Kidneys: Kidneys are bean-shaped structures located on either side of the backbone.
The renal artery brings in the dirty blood containing waste substances into the kidneys.
The renal vein carries the clean blood away from the kidneys.
Ureter: It is a thin muscular tube that comes out of each kidney extending till urinary bladder. It
carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder.
Urinary Bladder: It is a sac-like structure that stores urine until micturition. Micturition is the
expulsion of urine from the body.
Urethra: It is a tube that arises from the urinary bladder and helps to expel urine out of the body.
5. Structure of Nephron
Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney.
1. Each nephron has a cup like structure called Bowman’s capsule containing a bundle of
capillaries called glomerulus.
2. The Bowman’s capsule leads into a long tubular structure called tubules which joins into a
collecting duct.
3. The renal artery brings the unclean blood into the kidneys.
4. Renal vein carries the clean blood away from the kidneys.
6. Formation of Urine/Functioning of Nephron
1. Dirty blood containing waste like Urea enters the glomerulus.
2. The glomerulus filters this blood.
3. During filtration the substances like urea, salts, glucose, amino acids and water pass into
Bowman’s capsule and then enter the tubule of nephron.
4. When filtrate passes through the tubules the useful substances like glucose, amino acids, some
salts and water are reabsorbed into the blood through blood capillaries surrounding the tubule.
5. Only the waste substances Urea, extra water and salts remains behind in the tubule. The liquid
left in the tubule of nephron is urine.
6. The nephron carries this urine into the collecting duct & then into the ureter.
7. From ureter, urine passes into urinary bladder.
8. Urine is stored in the urinary bladder for some time and passed out of the body through Urethra.

7. Functions of kidney:
1. Removal of nitrogenous wastes.
2. Osmoregulation
8. Excretion in plants
1. In plants the gaseous waste products produced during respiration (CO2) and photosynthesis (O2)
are removed through the stomata.
2. Excess water is removed through the stomata. This process is called transpiration.
3. Some waste products are stored in the leaves and removed when the leaves dry and fall off.
4. Some waste products are stored in vacuoles.
5. Some waste products like gums and resins are stored in the old xylem cells.
6. Some waste products are removed through the roots.