NCERT Solutions for Class 10

Biology
Chapter 6 - Life processes

1. Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of

multicellular organisms like humans?

Ans: Diffusion is insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of multicellular

organisms like humans because the process of diffusion is very slow and will take
a lot of time to reach each and every cell of the body since our body is very huge
and complex and each and every cell of the body requires oxygen.

2. What criteria do we use to decide whether something is alive?

Ans: The main criteria that we use to decide whether something is alive or dead
are the events of Life processes. These fundamental life processes include
nutrition, respiration, transportation, excretion, control and coordination, growth,
and reproduction. If these processes occur normally then the organism is
considered living because in the case of non-living organisms these processes do
not take place

3. What are outside raw materials used by an organism?

Ans: Food, water, and oxygen are the outside raw materials that are used by an
organism. These raw materials vary in amounts, source, and type depending upon
various organisms and are used mainly for some important functions in the body
of the organisms. They also provide energy to the body to perform various
functions.

4. What processes would you consider essential for maintaining life?

Ans: The processes that are essential for maintaining life are nutrition,
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respiration, transportation, excretion, and control, and coordination. These are the
processes that make the organism living.

5. What are the differences between autotrophic nutrition and heterotrophic

nutrition?

Ans: The differences between autotrophic nutrition and heterotrophic nutrition

are:

AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION

The organisms make their own food The organisms do not make their own
with the help of various raw materials food, instead obtain their nutrition
that include carbon dioxide and water from other living organisms like plants
and the process occurs in the presence (autotrophs).
of sunlight and chlorophyll.
Autotrophs require energy that is Heterotrophs obtain energy from food
obtained from light to synthesize their that they consume by digesting them
food. and other organic substances as well.
Eg: All green plants, algae, some Eg: All animals, Humans, fungi such
bacteria, seaweeds, etc. as mushrooms, yeast, etc.

6. Where do plants get each of the raw materials required for

photosynthesis?

Ans: These raw materials required by plants for photosynthesis are as follows:
sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and chlorophyll.

 Carbon dioxide in plants can be obtained from the atmosphere and is absorbed
through the stomata.
 Water is absorbed by the roots of plants from the soil as soil mainly holds the
water.
 Sunlight is obtained from nature.
 Chlorophyll acts as the main component and is found in the plant organelle
called a chloroplast. (Chlorophyll is found in all of the green parts of the
plants).
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7. What is the role of the acid in our stomach?

Ans: The role of the acid in our stomach is to mainly dissolve the large chunks
of food and create an acidic medium to activate various digestive enzymes. In the
acidic medium, the enzyme pepsinogen is activated and then converted to pepsin,
which is a protein-digesting enzyme and helps in the digestion of proteins and
can also kill the bacteria present in the stomach that enters along with food. The
enzyme pepsin requires HCl to get activated in the presence of HCl. The acid will
break down the food more easily and helps in absorbing nutrients and easy
digestion of food.

8. What is the function of digestive enzymes?

Ans: The digestive enzymes perform certain important functions that include the
breaking down of complex food molecules into simpler food molecules that can
be easily absorbed by the cells of the body. These enzymes also function as a
biocatalyst that increases the rate of reaction and thus accelerates the rate of
breaking down of complex food. There are various digestive enzymes present in
the body, such as pepsin, trypsin, amylase, lipase, etc.

9. Write the role of villi in the human digestive system.

Ans: Villi are the finger-like projections that are present throughout the lining of
the internal surface of the small intestine. They are primarily responsible for
increasing the surface area of the small intestine which in turn increases surface
area for absorption of the digested food. Villi are majorly supplied with blood
vessels that help to absorb digested food into the bloodstream.

10. What advantage over an aquatic organism does a terrestrial organism

have with regard to obtaining oxygen for respiration?

Ans: The advantage terrestrial organisms have over aquatic organisms is the
amount of oxygen present in the surroundings. Terrestrial organisms have air in
the atmosphere that surrounds them making it easy for them to breathe while in

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the case of aquatic organisms they breathe the air which is dissolved in the water.
Thus the amount of oxygen present in the air is much more than the amount of
oxygen present in the water.

11. What are the different ways in which glucose is oxidized to provide
energy in various organisms?

Ans: The different ways in which glucose is oxidized to provide energy in various
organisms are:

12. In mammals and birds, why is it necessary to separate oxygenated and

deoxygenated blood?

Ans: In Mammals and birds it is important to separate the oxygenated and

deoxygenated blood because they are homoeothermic and warm-blooded
animals. Due to this character, they can maintain their temperature constant
throughout and the changes in their environment do not affect their body
temperature regulation. This process also results in a good supply of oxygen in
the case of birds and mammals so that optimum oxidation of glucose can take
place. So to supply the required amount of oxygen it is important to have separate
oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.

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13. List three characteristics of the lungs that make them an efficient
respiratory surface.

Ans: The characteristics that make lungs an efficient respiratory surface are:

1. Thin: The walls of the alveoli or air sac are very thin resulting in the quick
diffusion of gases. They help in the absorption of oxygen inside the blood by
inhalation process and also remove the carbon dioxide from the lungs by
exhaling it to the outside.

2. Moist: The air sacs are composed of mucus that makes them moist which helps
the gases to dissolve easily before diffusing.

3. Large surface area: In the lungs of human beings, its surface area is almost
similar to the surface area of the tennis court that helps in the diffusion of gases.
The alveoli or air sacs results in increasing the surface area of the lungs for the
absorption of oxygen.

4. Good blood supply: The air sacs or alveoli are composed of a large capillary
network that helps in the exchange of large volumes of gases. Thus greater the
flow of blood in the lungs the greater would be the exchange of gases.

14. What are the components of the transport system in human beings?
What are the functions of these components?

Ans: The main components of the transport system in human beings are the heart,
blood, and blood vessels and their function are as follows:

 The heart helps in pumping the oxygenated blood throughout the body. From
the various parts of the body the deoxygenated blood is accumulated in the
heart and from there it goes to the lungs for oxygenation.
 Blood is the main body fluid that helps in the transport of nutrients, oxygen,
carbon dioxide, nitrogenous wastes, and hormones. Blood also consists of
white blood cells (WBCs) thus making it the main component of our immune
system. Blood also consists of platelets that cause the clotting of blood that
helps in repairing the damaged blood vessels. Also, the temperature of the body
is also maintained by transportation.

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 Blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) are responsible for blood
transportation either from the heart to various other body organs or from
various body organs to the heart. All arteries carry oxygenated except
pulmonary arteries and they transport blood from the heart to various parts of
the body while all veins carry deoxygenated blood except pulmonary veins.
The material that exchanges between the blood and tissues takes place inside
the capillaries.

15. What are the components of the transport system in highly organized
plants?

Ans: In highly organized plants, the transport system consists of vascular tissues.
These are also called conducting tissues that two are of different types which
include − xylem and phloem. The water and mineral which is obtained from the
soil through roots are conducted through the xylem tissues to various parts of the
plant while the food materials are conducted through the phloem tissues from the
leaves to different parts of the plant body.

16. How are water and minerals transported in plants?

Ans: The transportation of water and minerals in the plants occurs through the
xylem tissues which is a part of the vascular system and occurs mainly in the
upward direction that is from roots to the leaves while the other part of the
vascular system includes phloem vessels which help in the transportation of the
photosynthetic products within the plants, from leaves to all parts like the stem,
roots, fruits, etc. and the transportation takes place in all directions.

17. How is food transported in plants?

Ans: The food is produced in the leaves of the plants through the process of
photosynthesis and from leaves it is then transported to various parts of the body
through phloem tissues. The phloem requires energy in the form of ATP for the
transportation of food materials. This results in the development of osmotic

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pressure inside the tissue that increases the movement of water into the tissues.
The osmotic pressure results in the movement of the material in the phloem to
those tissues which have less pressure. This helps the tissue in moving the food
materials according to the needs of the plant. Sucrose is a food material that
requires energy in the form of ATP when it is transported into the phloem tissue.

18. Describe the structure and function of the nephron in the human body.

Ans: The structural and the functional units of the kidney are Nephrons (filtration
units). Each kidney consists of a large number of nephrons. Nephrons are
composed mainly of two parts - renal corpuscle and renal tubule.

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The renal corpuscle is composed of a cup-shaped structure called Bowman’s
capsule which is surrounded by a cluster of capillaries that helps in the collection
of filtered urine. The composition of urine changes as it passes through the tubular
part of the nephron due to the reabsorption of amino acids, glucose, salts, and
water. The reabsorption of the amount of water and other substances depends on
their presence in the body. The urine then enters the collecting duct of the kidney
from where it is then transported to the long tube called the ureter. Lastly, the
urine is then collected in the urinary bladder.

19. What are the methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products?

Ans: The excretory products of the plants may either be excreted out or may be
stored as per the need of the plant. The excess amount of water in the plants can
be removed by transpiration while the waste materials may be stored in the cell
vacuoles or especially in old xylem vessels such as gum and resin. If it is also
stored in the leaves then they fall off later. By the process of diffusion through
stomata, the waste products that are obtained at the end of photosynthesis
(oxygen) and respiration (carbon dioxide) are released.

20. How is the amount of urine produced regulated?

Ans: The amount of urine that is regulated depends upon the amount of water and
other substances that are present. The urine is composed mainly of water so water
is the main component in its regulation. If the amount of water is more in the
body then the water reabsorbed will be less and more water will be released from
the body and vice versa. There are various other factors that are responsible for
the regulation of urine hormone such as Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and also
the habitat of an organism that regulates the amount of urine produced.

21. The kidneys in human beings are a part of the system for
(a) nutrition.
(b) respiration.
(c) excretion.

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(d) transportation.

Ans: (c) The kidneys in human beings are a part of the system for excretion. They
are the organs that help in the excretion and removal of waste materials from the
body through the regulation of urine.

22. The xylem in plants is responsible for

(a) the transport of water.
(b) transport of food.
(c) transport of amino acids.
(d) transport of oxygen.

Ans: (a) The xylem in plants is responsible for the transport of water. The xylem
tissues are the vascular or conducting tissues that help in the transport of water
and minerals from the roots to various parts of the plant. These minerals and water
are absorbed from the soil through the roots.

23. The autotrophic mode of nutrition requires

(a) carbon dioxide and water.
(b) chlorophyll.
(c) sunlight.
(d) all of the above.

Ans: (d) The autotrophic mode of nutrition requires carbon dioxide, water,
chlorophyll, and sunlight. Autotrophic nutrition is the process of making food by
the organism itself. The food here is prepared by the process of photosynthesis
which requires all the raw materials that are mentioned above.

24. The breakdown of pyruvate to give carbon dioxide, water, and energy
takes place in
(a) cytoplasm.
(b) mitochondria.
(c) chloroplast.

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(d) nucleus.

Ans: (b) The breakdown of pyruvate to give carbon dioxide, water, and energy
takes place in mitochondria. This process is known as aerobic respiration where
oxygen is required.

25. How are fats digested in our bodies? Where does this process take place?

Ans: Fats are present in the small intestine of our body in the form of large
globules. The various juices from the liver (bile juice) and liver (pancreatic juice)
are secreted in the small intestine. The bile salts that are released from the bile
juice of the liver will help in breaking down the large fat globules into smaller
globules so that the pancreatic enzymes (lipases) can easily act on them. The
process of breaking down large fat globules into smaller fat droplets is termed
emulsification.

26. What is the role of saliva in the digestion of food?

Ans: Saliva is a watery fluid that is secreted by the salivary glands present in the
mouth. The functions of saliva start from the moistening of food that results in
the formation of a food bolus, this food bolus can be easily swallowed and thus
saliva helps in the process of digestion of food starting from the mouth. Saliva
breaks down starch into maltose and dextrin with the help of an enzyme amylase
present in it.

27. What are the necessary conditions for autotrophic nutrition and what
are its by-products?

Ans: Autotrophic nutrition is the process where the organisms make their own
food by themselves; this takes place through the process of photosynthesis. The
necessary conditions that are required for autotrophic nutrition are the presence
of sunlight along with raw materials that include carbon dioxide, water, and
chlorophyll. The by-products of autotrophic nutrition are the carbohydrates in the
form of glucose (food) and oxygen which are inhaled by animals.

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6CO2  6H2O 
Sunlight Energy
C6H12O6  6O2

28. What are the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?
Name some organisms that use the anaerobic mode of respiration.

Ans: The differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration are:

Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration occurs in the Anaerobic respiration occurs in the
presence of oxygen. absence of oxygen.
In this process, glucose breakdown In this process, the glucose molecule
completely results in oxidation. breaks down incompletely.
carbon dioxide, water, and energy areThe ethyl alcohol or lactic acid, carbon
released in the form of end products.dioxide, and energy are formed as the
end products.
It takes place in both the plant and It takes place in many anaerobic
animal cells. bacteria, yeast, and human muscle
cells.

29. How are the alveoli designed to maximize the exchange of gases?

Ans: Alveoli are the air sacs that are in the form of tiny pouches or sac-like
structures present inside the lungs. They are in the form of balloon-like structures
which increase the surface area for inhalation of air composed of blood
capillaries. The alveoli present in the lungs are more than millions that increase
the surface area of the lungs for the exchange of gases. Thus, a large amount of
air is brought in contact with the air in the lungs; this maximizes the exchange of
gases in the lungs.

30. What would be the consequences of a deficiency of hemoglobin in our

bodies?

Ans: Haemoglobin is found in the red blood cell of the blood as the respiratory
pigment that helps in the transportation of oxygen to the body cells for cellular

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respiration. Therefore, if the hemoglobin is deficient in the blood then it will
affect the oxygen supplying capacity of blood resulting in the deficiency of
oxygen in the body cells. This can also lead to anemia, an iron deficiency
condition where the amount of blood in the body is quite less than required.

31. Describe double circulation in human beings. Why is it necessary?

Ans: Double circulation is a process of blood circulation in which blood flows

twice through the heart.

It constitutes of two steps:

1. Pulmonary circulation.

2. Systemic circulation.

Pulmonary circulation starts from the right ventricle and ends in the left atrium
after the process of oxygenation occurs from the lungs.

While the systemic circulation starts from the left ventricle and ends in the right
atrium after the materials get exchanged throughout the body.

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Importance of double circulation:

The oxygen is supplied more efficiently to the body cells when there is a
separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. The efficient oxygen supply
in human beings is very useful for the maintenance of high blood pressure for
various processes and also provides pure blood to reach various parts of the body.

32. What are the differences between the transport of materials in the xylem
and phloem?
Ans: The differences between the transport of materials in the xylem and phloem
are:

Transport of materials in xylem Transport of materials in phloem

They help in the transportation of They help in the transportation of
water. water and minerals.
Xylem elements consist of vessels and Phloem elements consist of sieve
tracheids. tubes and companion cells.
Transportation starts from the roots to Transportation starts from the leaves
various parts of the plant. and then moves towards the roots.
Helps in providing water and minerals Helps in providing nutrients to all
to all parts of the plant. parts of the plant.

33. Compare the functioning of alveoli in the lungs and nephrons in the
kidneys with respect to their structure and functioning.

Ans: The comparison of alveoli in the lungs and nephrons in the kidneys are:

Alveoli Nephron
Structure Structure
Alveoli are air-sacs that are present in Nephrons are present inside the
the lungs in the form of balloon-like kidneys in the form of tubular
structures. structures.
Nephrons consist of three main parts
- glomerulus, bowman’s capsule, and

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 The cell walls of alveoli are thin, only a long renal tube. They are composed
one cell thick and composed of an of a cluster of thin-walled capillaries.
extensive network of blood capillaries.

Function Function
The gaseous exchange of oxygen and Nephron helps in the process of
carbon dioxide occurs in between the filtration of the blood and removal of
blood of the capillaries that are present
wastes. The solutes and excess water
around the alveoli and the gases that is filtered out when the filtration
are present in the alveoli. starts in the nephron. The selective
In alveoli, there is no selective reabsorption of essential molecules
reabsorption. like amino acids, sodium salts,
glucose, and water occurs before the
formation of the final filtrate (urine).
The exchange of gases for the process The basic filtration unit for excretion
of respiration takes place in alveoli. is nephrons.

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