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Summary of Class 10 Science Chapter 6: Life Processes

ncert book January 04, 2025

Summary of Class 10 Science Chapter 6: Life Processes

Life on Earth is sustained by various processes that help organisms grow, reproduce, and maintain their health. Chapter 6 of Class 10 Science focuses on the life processes that are essential for the survival of all living organisms, including nutrition, respiration, transport, and excretion.

What Are Life Processes?

Life processes are the vital activities that occur in living organisms, ensuring their survival and well-being. These processes help organisms obtain energy, nutrients, and oxygen, while also removing waste products. The main life processes are:

  1. Nutrition
  2. Respiration
  3. Transportation
  4. Excretion

1. Nutrition in Organisms

Nutrition is the process of obtaining and utilizing food to produce energy for growth and maintenance. There are two types of nutrition in organisms:

Autotrophic Nutrition

  • Organisms like plants produce their own food using sunlight through the process of photosynthesis.

  • The general equation for photosynthesis:

    6CO2+6H2O→lightC6H12O6+6O26CO_2 + 6H_2O \xrightarrow{light} C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2

  • Chlorophyll in the leaves captures sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (food) and oxygen.




    (Caption: Photosynthesis is the process through which plants make their food.)

Heterotrophic Nutrition

  • Organisms like animals and fungi cannot make their own food and rely on others for nutrition.
  • Types of heterotrophic nutrition:
    • Ingestion: Taking in food (e.g., humans).
    • Absorption: Absorbing nutrients (e.g., fungi).
    • Parasitic: Obtaining nutrients from a host (e.g., lice, tapeworms).

2. Respiration in Organisms

Respiration is the process of releasing energy from food. It can be:

  • Aerobic Respiration: Involves oxygen and produces a large amount of energy. C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+EnergyC_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2 → 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + Energy
  • Anaerobic Respiration: Occurs without oxygen and produces less energy (e.g., fermentation in yeast). C6H12O6→2C2H5OH+2CO2+EnergyC_6H_{12}O_6 → 2C_2H_5OH + 2CO_2 + Energy

In animals, respiration takes place in the lungs, while in plants, it occurs in mitochondria.

3. Transportation in Organisms

Transportation refers to the movement of substances like water, nutrients, and gases within an organism.

In Humans and Animals

  • The circulatory system transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste products.
    • The heart pumps blood through arteries and veins.
    • Blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets.

In Plants

  • Xylem transports water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.

  • Phloem transports food produced in leaves to other parts of the plant.




    (Caption: The human circulatory system ensures that nutrients and oxygen are transported throughout the body.)

4. Excretion in Organisms

Excretion is the process of removing waste products from the body, which could be harmful if allowed to accumulate.

In Humans and Animals

  • The kidneys filter out wastes like urea and excess salts from the blood, forming urine.
  • The lungs expel carbon dioxide and water vapor.

In Plants

  • Plants excrete waste substances like oxygen during photosynthesis and other waste through stomata in the leaves.

5. Importance of Life Processes

Each life process plays an essential role in maintaining the homeostasis (balance) in organisms. For example:

  • Nutrition provides the required energy and materials for growth.
  • Respiration ensures a continuous supply of energy.
  • Transportation allows the distribution of necessary substances throughout the organism.
  • Excretion prevents the build-up of harmful substances.

Conclusion

Life processes are fundamental for the functioning of living organisms. They are intricately interrelated, ensuring the survival, growth, and reproduction of organisms. Understanding these processes is crucial to appreciate the complexity and beauty of life on Earth.

Did You Know?

  • Plants respire at night too! They take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide just like animals do.
  • The human circulatory system is 96,000 kilometers long (if you were to stretch out all the blood vessels).

Image Sources

  • Photosynthesis process: Unsplash.
  • Human circulatory system: Pixabay.

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