The Living World - Standard 6 - General Science - Balbharati
The Living World
Exercise
Q.1 Write the answers to the following questions in your own words.
(a) What are the differences between plants and animals?
Ans.
| Plants | Animals |
|---|---|
| Plants grow as long as they live | Animals grow for a certain period |
| Plants can make their own food | Animals depend on plants or other animals for their food |
| Plants don't have special organs for respiration | Animals have special organs for respiration |
| Plants show movement but cannot change position | Animals show movement and can change position |
(b) What are the similarities between plants and animals?
Ans. Both plants and animals share numerous similarities in terms of their essential characteristics and requirements for survival. They exhibit various features commonly associated with living organisms, such as growth, respiration, excretion, responsiveness to stimuli, and reproduction. It is interesting to note that both plants and animals possess a cellular structure, as the bodies of plants are composed of cells similar to those found in animals. Furthermore, both organisms rely on water and nutrients for their continued existence.
(c) How is the plant kingdom useful to us?
Ans. Plants are essential for our everyday lives. They give us food like grains, fruits, and vegetables. Some plants, like Vasaka, Hirda, Behada, and Asparagus, have medicinal properties and can be used as home remedies for minor illnesses. Plants are also used for industrial purposes. We get timber and wood from them to make furniture and houses. Additionally, plants like cotton and jute provide us with fibers for clothing. In this way, plants fulfill our basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing.
(d) How is the animal kingdom useful to us?
Ans. Domesticated animals are highly useful to us in many ways. They provide us with food like milk, meat, and eggs. Occupations such as poultry farming, dairy production, and fishery depend on animals. Animals like oxen, horses, and camels help us with transportation. Earthworms are friends of farmers as they decompose waste and make the soil fertile. Some insects like honey bees, lac insects, and silk moths are beneficial to mankind.
(e) What makes living things different from non-living things?
Ans. In living things we can see growth feeding respiration excretion responsiveness to stimuli movement and reproduction living beings also show death all such a characteristics are not seen in non living things this marks the difference between living and non-living things.
Q.2 What helps them to breathe?
(a) A fish: gills
(b) A snake: lungs
(c) A crane: lungs aided with air sacs.
(d) An earthworm: skin (cuticle)
(e) Man: lungs and diaphragm
(f) A banyan tree: Pores on the leaves
(g) A caterpillar: spiracles (small pores on their body)
Q.3 Fill in the blanks with the proper words from the brackets.
(a) The process by which plants make their own food is called photosynthesis.
(b) To inhale oxygen and to exhale carbon dioxide is called respiration.
(c) The elimination of waste substances from the body is called excretion.
(d) The ability to respond to an event is called responsiveness to stimuli.
(e) On completing their lifespan, every living thing dies.
Q.4 Write the uses of these animals and plants.
Animals:
(1) Honey bees: Honey bees collect nectar from flowers and turn it into honey, which is stored in their hives. Honey and beeswax are valuable products. Honey is used in cooking and as medicine. Honey bees also help plants by pollinating them, which is beneficial for farmers and orchard owners.
(2) Sharks: Sharks provide shark liver oil, which is harvested from them. Shark meat is consumed as food, and shark fins are in high demand in other countries as a delicacy. Shark skin is used to make certain items. Shark meat is also used in livestock and poultry feed.
(3) Yaks: Yaks are primarily used as working animals and means of transportation in hilly and snowy regions. In Nepal and Tibet, yaks are used for plowing fields. Yak meat is consumed in remote areas, and yak milk, cheese (known as Churpi), and yak butter are widely used in Tibet. Yak dung is used as a fuel source.
(4) Sheep: Sheep provide wool, which is used for various purposes. In some places, sheep meat is consumed as food. The shepherd community uses sheep milk. The excreta or pellets of sheep are used to make high-quality fertilizer. Additionally, sheep help clear vegetation as they graze.
(5) Earthworms: Earthworms move through the soil and aid in the decomposition of dead plants and animals. They improve soil quality by loosening it. Earthworms are also used in vermicomposting to break down biodegradable waste. Their activities make the soil fertile, making them beneficial friends of farmers.
(6) Dogs: Dogs are known for their loyalty and are considered the best friends of humans. They guard homes and properties of their owners. Sniffer dogs are trained to detect narcotics and explosives, making them valuable assets in police and military operations. Dogs play with children and provide entertainment. They are also used in medical research.
(7) Bivalves: Bivalves are soft-bodied animals that live inside two shells made of calcium carbonate. These shells have various uses. They can be used to create decorative articles, and crushed shells are utilized in building materials. The shells are also employed in medicinal preparations. The soft animal inside the shell is considered a delicacy. Pearl oysters, a type of bivalve, are used in culturing pearls.
(8) Horses: Horses have been used as a mode of transportation for a long time. They pull carts and carriages and are also utilized in the army and police force. Horse racing is also a popular sport.
(9) Mice: While mice are more harmful than helpful, as they destroy food and can transmit diseases like the plague, they do serve a purpose in biology labs. Mice are used as experimental animals for scientific research.
• Plants:
(1) Ginger: Ginger is not only used as a spice in various dishes, but it is also a popular remedy for aches and pains. Ginger extract and dried ginger powder (sunth) have medicinal properties and are used as home remedies for headaches, nausea, and acidity.
(2) Mango: Mango, known as the king of fruits, ripens during the summer season. It is rich in vitamin A and contains natural sugar called fructose. Mangoes are used to make different products such as juice, pulp, ice cream, squash, and pickles. The leaves of the mango tree hold religious significance and are used in religious ceremonies.
(3) Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus leaves yield valuable oil with medicinal properties. The oil is commonly used as a remedy for cold, fever, and as an astringent. It also helps eliminate unpleasant odors. The bark of the eucalyptus tree has its uses, and the stem is utilized for papermaking.
(4) Babul (Acacia): The leaves and legumes of the Babul tree serve as fodder for cattle. The thin twigs of the tree are used for teeth cleaning. The thorny branches of Babul are used to create enclosures and boundaries. The gum obtained from the tree bark is in high demand, and the sturdy wood of Babul finds application in shipbuilding.
(5) Teak: Teak wood is highly valued for its durability and is commonly used in making furniture. It is also widely used in construction for doors, windows, and other wooden structures. The Indian Forest Department cultivates teak trees on a large scale to meet the demand for this versatile wood.
(6) Spinach: Spinach is a popular leafy green vegetable known for its high nutrient content. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and iron. Regular consumption of spinach promotes good health, particularly for the heart and memory. Spinach is also known to alleviate constipation.
(7) Aloe vera: Aloe vera is a medicinal plant known for its healing properties. The sap and juice of aloe vera are effective against various skin infections, cuts, bruises, burns, and wounds. Consuming aloe vera juice aids in digestion. Aloe vera is also used in the treatment of conditions like diabetes and cancer. The gel from aloe vera is commonly found in cosmetic products.
(8) Turmeric: Turmeric is commonly used in cooking and has many health benefits. It aids in wound healing due to its antiseptic properties and acts as a germicidal agent. Turmeric is also used in cosmetics. Drinking milk with turmeric powder is an effective remedy for cough and cold.
(9) Holy basil: Holy basil, also known as tulsi, is a medicinal herb considered sacred in the Hindu religion. The juice from basil leaves is used to treat various ailments. Holy basil plants repel insects, and in the past, every courtyard used to have one. The dried stems of holy basil are used to make beads for saints. Basil is also used in Ayurvedic medicine and adds a distinct flavor to Thai cuisine. Essential oil is extracted from the Karpur Tulsi variety.
(10) Karanja: The Karanja tree provides oil extracted from its fruits, leaves, roots, bark, seeds, and twigs. Ayurvedic medicines derived from Karanja are effective against a range of diseases. Karanja is also used in biodiesel production and serves as a source of fuelwood.
(11) Moh: The Moh tree is found in forested areas and yields medicines and extracts from its seeds and flowers. Moh oil is known to alleviate headaches, skin infections, and rheumatism. In Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, jam is made from Moh flowers, and among tribal communities, Moh wine is popular.
(12) Mulberry: Mulberry trees are crucial for sericulture, as silkworms feed on their leaves during their development. The silkworms then create cocoons, from which silk is extracted. Mulberry fruits can be eaten fresh or dried, and mulberry wine is produced.
(13) Grapevine: Grapes, the fruits of the grapevine, are enjoyed fresh or dried as raisins. Grapes are not only consumed but also used in the production of medicines. Wine is made from grapes, and seedless grapes from Maharashtra are exported.
Q.5 What are the peculiarities of the movements of these living things?
Living things : Snakes, tortoises, kangaroos, eagles, chameleons, frogs, gulmohur, sweet potato creeper, dolphins, ants, rattlesnakes, grasshoppers, earthworms.
(1) Snakes: Snakes lack legs and move along the ground by alternately contracting and relaxing their body muscles, enabling them to shift from one location to another.
(2) Tortoises: Tortoises possess claws on their limbs and slowly crawl on the ground due to their bulky and heavy shell, which hampers their speed and makes their movement clumsy.
(3) Kangaroos: Kangaroos employ their powerful hind limbs and a supporting tail to propel themselves in impressive jumps from place to place, granting them high-speed movement.
(4) Eagles: Eagles soar gracefully in the sky, aided by their strong, powerful wings and a streamlined body that is well-suited for flight.
(5) Chameleons: Chameleons have comparatively shorter and weaker limbs. To move, they crawl with their four legs while their tail and claws provide additional support.
(6) Frogs: Found near water, frogs swim using their hind limbs and webbed membrane between their digits. On land, they jump using their muscular and powerful hind limbs, while their front forelimbs assist in balance.
(7) Dolphins: Dolphins, marine creatures, navigate efficiently through the seas using flippers and their streamlined body. Being mammals, they must surface for inhalation and exhalation, and this rising action can be mistaken for attempting to leap out of the water.
(8) Rattle snakes: Rattle snakes glide swiftly through the sand using a technique known as slide windings. As they glide, they move on their sides.
(9) Ants: As insects, ants possess six legs that facilitate their fast-paced walking.
(10) Grasshoppers: Grasshoppers take flight using two pairs of wings and have three pairs of walking legs. The third and strongest pair aids in jumping, enabling them to cover distances of up to one meter.
(11) Earthworms: Earthworms have a cuticle covering their body, and small structures called setae, along with their muscles, allow them to wriggle through the soil.
(12) Gulmohur: A large tree, the Gulmohur's leaflets spread horizontally during the day and droop down and close at sunset. They exhibit responsiveness to sunlight.
(13) Sweet potato creeper: The delicate stem of the sweet potato creeper seeks support to spread and grow. Without support, it creeps along the ground, but upon finding any support, it bends towards it.
Q.6 Write in detail about how the plants and animals found in your surroundings prove useful or harmful.
Ans. [Students should write their own answer.]
