Hey, Class 10 students! Welcome to your complete guide for Chapter 6: Life Processes from the NCERT Science book. This chapter is all about what keeps us alive—like eating, breathing, and getting rid of waste. It’s super important for your exams and really fun to learn! We’ll break down the key questions and answers in a simple way so you can ace your studies. Let’s dive into the amazing world of life processes!
What Are Life Processes?
Life processes are the basic activities that all living things do to stay alive. Think of them as the must-haves: nutrition (food), respiration (energy), transportation (moving stuff around), and excretion (getting rid of waste). This chapter covers how these work in humans and plants. Let’s get to the questions!
Key Questions and Answers from Chapter 6
Here are the most important questions from Life Processes with clear, student-friendly answers:
Q1: What are life processes? Name some examples.
Answer:
Life processes are the essential activities that keep organisms alive. Examples:
- Nutrition: Getting food for energy (eating or photosynthesis).
- Respiration: Breaking food into energy.
- Transportation: Moving nutrients and oxygen around.
- Excretion: Removing waste.
Fun Fact: Even plants do these in their own way!
Q2: What is the difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition?
Answer:
- Autotrophic: Organisms make their own food using sunlight or chemicals. Example: Plants use photosynthesis (CO₂ + H₂O → Glucose + O₂).
- Heterotrophic: Organisms get food from others. Example: Humans eat plants or animals.
Think: Plants are chefs; we’re customers!
Q3: How does photosynthesis work in plants?
Answer:
Photosynthesis is how plants make food using sunlight.
- Where: In chloroplasts (thanks to chlorophyll).
- What Happens: CO₂ (from air) + H₂O (from soil) + sunlight → Glucose (food) + O₂ (oxygen).
- Equation: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.
Cool Part: Oxygen we breathe comes from this!
Q4: What are the steps of nutrition in humans?
Answer:
Humans are heterotrophs—here’s how we process food:
- Ingestion: Eating food (mouth).
- Digestion: Breaking it down (stomach, intestines).
- Absorption: Taking nutrients into blood (small intestine).
- Assimilation: Using nutrients for energy/growth (cells).
- Egestion: Removing waste (large intestine).
Example: Pizza → energy + poop!
Q5: How does digestion happen in the stomach?
Answer:
The stomach mixes food with:
- Gastric Juice: Has HCl (kills germs, softens food) and pepsin (breaks proteins).
- Churning: Muscles turn food into a paste called chyme.
Result: Proteins start breaking into smaller bits.
Fact: HCl’s why acidity hurts!
Q6: What is the role of the small intestine in digestion?
Answer:
The small intestine finishes digestion and absorbs nutrients:
- Bile (from liver): Breaks fats into tiny drops.
- Pancreatic Juice: Digests carbs, proteins, fats.
- Intestinal Juice: Completes digestion.
- Villi: Tiny fingers absorb nutrients into blood.
Why Long?: More area = more absorption!
Q7: What is respiration? How is it different from breathing?
Answer:
- Respiration: Breaking food (glucose) into energy inside cells.
Equation: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Energy. - Breathing: Taking in O₂ and releasing CO₂ (lungs).
Difference: Breathing is the air part; respiration is the energy part.
Types: Aerobic (with O₂), Anaerobic (without O₂).
Q8: How do lungs help in respiration?
Answer:
Lungs bring O₂ in and push CO₂ out:
- Inhale: Diaphragm lowers, air enters alveoli (tiny sacs).
- Exchange: O₂ moves into blood; CO₂ moves out to alveoli.
- Exhale: CO₂ leaves.
Cool Fact: Alveoli have tons of surface area—like a tennis court!
Q9: What is anaerobic respiration? Give an example.
Answer:
Anaerobic respiration happens without oxygen, producing less energy.
Example: In muscles during hard exercise → Glucose → Lactic Acid + Energy.
Equation: C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₃H₆O₃ + Energy.
Feel It: Muscle cramps from lactic acid buildup!
Q10: How does transportation work in humans?
Answer:
Blood moves stuff around via the heart:
- Oxygen: From lungs to cells (in hemoglobin).
- Nutrients: From intestine to body.
- Waste: CO₂ to lungs, urea to kidneys.
- Heart: Pumps blood (double circulation—lungs + body).
Fact: Arteries carry O₂-rich blood; veins bring it back.
Q11: How do plants transport water and food?
Answer:
- Water: Xylem moves water and minerals from roots up (via transpiration pull).
- Food: Phloem carries glucose from leaves to other parts (translocation).
Difference: Xylem goes up; phloem goes all directions.
Think: Plants have pipes too!
Q12: What is excretion? How do kidneys help?
Answer:
Excretion removes waste from the body.
- Kidneys: Filter blood to make urine (urea, extra water, salts).
- Process: Nephrons (tiny filters) clean blood, send waste to bladder.
- Urine: Leaves via urethra.
Why?: Keeps body balanced—no toxic buildup!
Q13: How do plants excrete waste?
Answer:
Plants don’t have kidneys—they excrete differently:
- O₂: Released during photosynthesis.
- CO₂: Out through stomata in respiration.
- Other Waste: Stored in leaves (fall off) or gums/resins.
Example: Fallen leaves carry waste away.
Q14: What is the role of hemoglobin in blood?
Answer:
Hemoglobin (in red blood cells) carries:
- O₂ from lungs to body.
- CO₂ back to lungs.
Color: Red when O₂ binds, darker without.
Fact: Iron in hemoglobin makes blood red!
Q15: Why do we need energy from respiration?
Answer:
Energy from respiration (ATP) powers:
- Movement (muscles).
- Growth (cells).
- Body heat.
- Digestion and more!
Think: Food = fuel for life!
Extra Questions from NCERT Exercises
- Why do herbivores have longer small intestines?
Answer: Plants are tough to digest (cellulose), so a longer intestine gives more time for absorption. - What happens if you block stomata in plants?
Answer: No CO₂ in = no photosynthesis; no O₂/CO₂ out = respiration trouble. - How does amoeba get nutrients?
Answer: By phagocytosis—engulfs food with pseudopodia, digests it inside.
Tips to Master Chapter 6
- Learn Diagrams: Draw lungs, digestive system, nephron—label them!
- Memorize Equations: Photosynthesis, respiration—write them daily.
- Understand Processes: Link steps (e.g., digestion: mouth → stomach → intestine).
- Relate to Life: Breathing, eating—see it in you!
- Practice Questions: Test yourself with friends.
Chapter 6: Life Processes is all about how living things—humans, plants, even amoeba—stay alive. With these questions and answers, you’re ready to rock your Class 10 Science exams! Keep practicing, stay curious, and you’ll do awesome. Got doubts? Comment below—I’m here to help. Happy studying, life process legends!
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