Life Process Class 10 Science Notes
Life Process Class 10 Science Notes
Life Process Class 10 Science Notes
Nutrition: The process by which an organism takes food and utilizes it, is called nutrition.
Need for Nutrition: Organisms need the energy to perform various activities. The energy is supplied by
the nutrients. Organisms need various raw materials for growth and repair. These raw materials are
provided by nutrients.
Nutrients: Materials which provide nutrition to organisms are called nutrients. Carbohydrates, proteins
and fats are the main nutrients and are called macronutrients. Minerals and vitamins are required in
small amounts and hence are called micronutrients.
Modes of Nutrition
1. Autotrophic Nutrition.
2. Heterotrophic Nutrition.
The mode of nutrition in which an organism prepares its own food is called autotrophic nutrition. Green
plants and blue-green algae follow the autotrophic mode of nutrition.
The organisms which carry out autotrophic nutrition are called autotrophs (green plants).
Autotrophic nutrition is fulfilled by the process, by which autotrophs intake CO2 and H2O, and convert
these into carbohydrates in the presence of chlorophyll, sunlight is called photosynthesis.
Equation
Nutrition in Plants: Green plants prepare their own food. They make food in the presence of sunlight.
Sunlight provides energy’, carbon dioxide and water are the raw materials and chloroplast is the site
where food is made.
Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants prepare food is called photosynthesis.
During this process, the solar energy is converted into chemical energy and carbohydrates are formed.
Sunlight
CO2: Enters through stomata, and oxygen (O2) is released as a byproduct through stomata on the leaf.
Water: Water + dissolved minerals like nitrogen, phosphorous etc., are taken up by the roots from the
soil.
Water comes from the soil, through the xylem tissue in roots and stems.
Site of Photosynthesis: Chloroplast in the leaf. Chloroplast contains chlorophyll (green pigment)
Conversion of light energy into chemical energy + splitting (breaking) of water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The hydrogen, released by the splitting of a water molecule is utilized for the reduction of carbon
dioxide to produce carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate is subsequently converted into starch and is stored in leaves and other storage parts.
Stomata: These are tiny pores present in the epidermis of leaf or stem through which gaseous exchange
and transpiration occur.
Functions of stomata
The opening and closing of stomatal pores are controlled by the turgidity of guard cells.
When guard cells uptake water from surrounding cells, they swell to become a turgid body, which
enlarges the pore in between (Stomatal Opening).
While, when water is released, they become flaccid shrinking to close the pore (Stomatal Closing).
Significance of Photosynthesis:
Photosynthesis is the main way through which solar energy is made available for different living beings.
Green plants are the main producers of food in the ecosystem. All other organisms directly or indirectly
depend on green plants for food.
The process of photosynthesis also helps in maintaining the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the
air.
The mode of nutrition in which an organism takes food from another organism is called heterotrophic
nutrition. Organisms, other than green plants and blue-green algae follow the heterotrophic mode of
nutrition. Heterotrophic nutrition can be further divided into three types, viz. saprophytic nutrition,
holozoic nutrition, and parasitic.
Saprophytic Nutrition: In saprophytic nutrition, the organism secretes the digestive juices on the food.
The food is digested while it is still to be ingested. The digested food is then ingested by the organism.
All the decomposers follow saprophytic nutrition. Some insects, like houseflies, also follow this mode of
nutrition.
Holozoic Nutrition: In holozoic nutrition, the digestion happens inside the body of the organism. i.e.,
after the food is ingested. Most of the animals follow this mode of nutrition.
Parasitic Nutrition: The organism which lives inside or outside another organism (host) and derives
nutrition from it is known as parasites and this type of mode of nutrition is called parasitic nutrition. For
example Cuscuta, tick etc.
Nutrition in Amoeba
In holozoic nutrition, the digestion of food follows after the ingestion of food. Thus, digestion takes
place inside the body of the organism.
Holozoic nutrition happens in five steps, viz. ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion.
Digestion: The process of breaking complex food substances into simple molecules is called digestion.
Simple molecules, thus obtained, can be absorbed by the body.
Assimilation: The process of utilization of digested food, for energy and for growth and repair is called
assimilation.
Egestion: The process of removing undigested food from the body is called egestion.
Amoeba is a unicellular animal which follows the holozoic mode of nutrition. The cell membrane of
amoeba keeps on protruding into pseudopodia. Amoeba surrounds a food particle with pseudopodia
and makes a food vacuole. The food vacuole contains food particle and water. Digestive enzymes are
secreted in the food vacuole and digestion takes place. After that, digested food is absorbed from the
food vacuole. Finally, the food vacuole moves near the cell membrane and undigested food is expelled
out.
Nutrition in Human Beings – Life Processes Class 10 Notes
Human beings are complex animals, which have a complex digestive system. The human digestive
system is composed of an alimentary canal and some accessory glands. The alimentary canal is divided
into several parts, like oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. Salivary
gland, liver and pancreas are the accessory glands which lie outside the alimentary canal.
The human digestive system comprises of the alimentary canal and associated digestive glands.
Alimentary Canal: It comprises of mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.
Salivary gland
Gastric Glands
Liver
Pancreas
The mouth has teeth and tongue. Salivary glands are also present in the mouth.
The tongue has gustatory receptors which perceive the sense of taste.
The tongue helps in turning over the food so that saliva can be properly mixed in it.
Teeth help in breaking down the food into smaller particles so that, swallowing of food becomes easier.
There are four types of teeth in human beings. The incisor teeth are used for cutting the food.
The canine teeth are used for tearing the food and for cracking hard substances.
The premolars are used for the coarse grinding of food. The molars are used for fine grinding of food.
Salivary glands secrete saliva: Saliva makes the food slippery which makes it easy to swallow the food.
Saliva also contains the enzyme salivary amylase or ptyalin. Salivary amylase digests starch and converts
it into sucrose, (maltose).
Peristaltic movement: Rhythmic contraction of muscles of the lining of the alimentary canal to push the
food forward.
Stomach
Stomach is a bag-like organ. Highly muscular walls of the stomach help in churning the food.
The walls of the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid kills the germs which may be
present in food.
Moreover, it makes the medium inside the stomach as acidic. The acidic medium is necessary for gastric
enzymes to work.
The enzyme pepsin, secreted in the stomach, does partial digestion of protein.
The mucus, secreted by the walls of the stomach saves the inner lining of the stomach from getting
damaged from hydrochloric acid.
Small Intestine: It is a highly coiled tube-like structure. The small intestine is longer than the large
intestine but its lumen is smaller than that of the large intestine. The small intestine is divided into three
parts, like duodenum, jejunum and ileum.
Liver: Liver is the largest organ in the human body. The liver manufactures bile, which gets stored in the
gall bladder. From the gall bladder, bile is released as and when required.
Pancreas: Pancreas is situated below the stomach. It secretes pancreatic juice which contains many
digestive enzymes.
Bile and pancreatic juice go to the duodenum through a hepatopancreatic duct. Bile breaks down fat
into smaller particles. This process is called emulsification of fat. After that, the enzyme lipase digests fat
into fatty acids and glycerol. Trypsin and chymotrypsin are enzymes which digest protein into amino
acids. Complex carbohydrates are digested into glucose. The major part of digestion takes place in the
duodenum.
No digestion takes place in the jejunum: The inner wall in the ileum is projected into numerous finger-
like structures, called villi. Villi increase the surface area inside the ileum so that optimum absorption
can take place. Moreover, villi also reduce the lumen of the ileum so that food can stay for a longer
duration in it, for optimum absorption. Digested food is absorbed by villi.
Large Intestine:
Some water and salt are absorbed by the walls of the large intestine. After that, the undigested food
goes to the rectum, from where it is expelled out through the anus.
Large Intestine bbsorb excess of water. The rest of the material is removed from the body via the anus.
(Egestion).
Types of respiration, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, human respiratory system, respiration in plants.
Respiration: The process by which a living being utilises the food to get energy, is called respiration.
Respiration is an oxidation reaction in which carbohydrate is oxidized to produce energy. Mitochondria
is the site of respiration and the energy released is stored in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
ATP is stored in mitochondria and is released as per need.
Steps of respiration:
Breaking down of glucose into pyruvate: This step happens in the cytoplasm. Glucose molecule is broken
down into pyruvic acid. Glucose molecule is composed of 6 carbon atoms, while pyruvic acid is
composed of 3 carbon atoms.
Fate of Pyruvic Acid: Further breaking down of pyruvic acid takes place in mitochondria and the
molecules formed depend on the type of respiration in a particular organism. Respiration is of two types,
viz. aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration.
Respiration involves
Gaseous exchange: Intake of oxygen from the atmosphere and release of CO2 → Breathing.
Breakdown of simple food in order to release energy inside the cell → Cellular respiration
Aerobic respiration: This type of respiration happens in the presence of oxygen. Pyruvic acid is
converted into carbon dioxide. Energy is released and water molecule is also formed at the end of this
process.
Anaerobic respiration: This type of respiration happens in the absence of oxygen. Pyruvic acid is either
converted into ethyl alcohol or lactic acid. Ethyl alcohol is usually formed in case of anaerobic respiration
in microbes, like yeast or bacteria. Lactic acid is formed in some microbes as well as in the muscle cells.
Pyruvate (In yeast, lack of O2) → Ethyl alcohol + Carbon dioxide + Energy
Pyruvate (In mitochondria; the presence of O2) → Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy
When someone runs too fast, he may experience throbbing pain in the leg muscles. This happens
because of anaerobic respiration taking place in the muscles.
During running, the energy demand from the muscle cells increases. This is compensated by anaerobic
respiration and lactic acid is formed in the process.
The deposition of lactic acid causes pain in the leg muscles. The pain subsides after taking rest for some
time.
Exchange of gases:
For aerobic respiration, organisms need a continuous supply of oxygen, and carbon dioxide produced
during the process needs to be removed from the body.
Different organisms use different methods for the intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide.
Diffusion is the method which is utilized by unicellular and some simple organisms for this purpose.
In plants also, diffusion is utilized for exchange of gases.
Gills are the respiratory organs for fishes. Fishes take in oxygen which is dissolved in water through gills.
Since, availability of oxygen is less in the aquatic environment, so the breathing rate of aquatic
organisms is faster.
Insects have a system of spiracles and trachease which is used for taking in oxygen.
Availability of oxygen is not a problem in the terrestrial environment so breathing rate is slower as
compared to what it is in fishes.
The human respiratory system is composed of a pair of lungs. These are attached to a system of tubes
which open on the outside through the nostrils.
Nostrils: There are two nostrils which converge to form a nasal passage. The inner lining of the nostrils is
lined by hair and remains wet due to mucus secretion. The mucus and the hair help in filtering the dust
particles out from inhaled air. Further, air is warmed up when it enters the nasal passage.
Larynx: This part comes after the pharynx. This is also called voice box.
Trachea: This is composed of rings of cartilage. Cartilaginous rings prevent the collapse of trachea in the
absence of air.
Bronchi: A pair of bronchi comes out from the trachea, with one bronchus going to each lung.
Bronchioles: A bronchus divides into branches and sub-branches inside the lung.
Alveoli: These are air sacs at the end of bronchioles. The alveolus is composed of a very thin membrane
and is the place where blood capillaries open. This is alveolus, where the oxygen mixes with the blood
and carbon dioxide exits from the blood. The exchange of gases, in alveoli, takes place due to the
pressure differential.
Life Processes Class 10 Notes Science Chapter 6 img-15
Breathing Mechanism
The breathing mechanism of lungs is controlled by the diaphragm and the intercostalis muscles.
The diaphragm is a membrane which separates the thoracic chamber from the abdominal cavity.
When the diaphragm moves down, the lungs expand and the air is inhaled.
When the diaphragm moves up, the lungs contract and air are exhaled.
Circulatory system of human being, transportation in plants. Human beings like other multicellular
organism need a regular supply of foods, oxygen etc. This function is performed by a circulatory system
or transport system.
Transportation in Human Beings: The circulatory system is responsible for transport of various
substances in human beings. It is composed of the heart, arteries, veins and blood capillaries. Blood
plays the role of the carrier of substances.
It is so small that, it can fit inside an adult’s wrist. The heart is a pumping organ which pumps the blood.
The human heart is composed of four chambers, viz. right atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle and left
atrium.
Systole: Contraction of cardiac muscles is called systole.
2. Arteries:
These are thick-walled blood vessels which carry oxygenated blood from the heart to different organs.
Pulmonary arteries are exceptions because they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to lungs,
where oxygenation of blood takes place.
3. Veins:
These are thin-walled blood vessels which carry deoxygenated blood from different organs to the heart,
pulmonary veins are exceptions because they carry oxygenated blood from lungs to the heart.
4. Capillaries: These are the blood vessels which have single-celled walls.
Blood: Blood is a connective tissue which plays the role of the carrier for various substances in the body.
Blood is composed of 1. Plasma 2. Blood cells 3. Platelets.
Blood plasma: Blood plasma is a pale coloured liquid which is mostly composed of water. Blood plasma
forms the matrix of blood.
Bloods cells: There are two types of blood cells, viz. Red Blood Cells (RBCs) and White Blood Cells (WBCs).
(a) Red Blood Corpuscles (RBCs): These are of red colour because of the presence of haemoglobin which
is a pigment. Haemoglobin readily combines with oxygen and carbon dioxide. The transport of oxygen
happens through haemoglobin. Some part of carbon dioxide is also transported through haemoglobin.
(b) White Blood Corpuscles (WBCs): These are of pale white colour. They play important role in the
immunity.
Platelets: Platelets are responsible for blood coagulation. Blood coagulation is a defense mechanism
which prevents excess loss of blood, in case of an injury.
Lymph:
Lymph a yellowish fluids escape from the blood capillaries into the intercellular spaces contain less
proteins than blood.
Lymph flows from the tissues to the heart assisting in transportation and destroying germs.
Double circulation: In the human heart, blood passes through the heart twice in one cardiac cycle. This
type of circulation is called double circulation. One complete heartbeat in which all the chambers of the
heart contract and relax once is called cardiac cycle. The heart beats about 72 times per minute in a
normal adult. In one cardiac cycle, the heart pumps out 70 mL blood and thus, about 4900 mL blood in a
minute. Double circulation ensures complete segregation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood which
is necessary for optimum energy production in warm-blooded animals.
Transportation in plants: Plants have specialized vascular tissues for transportation of substances. There
are two types of vascular tissues in plants.
Xylem: Xylem is responsible for transportation of water and minerals. It is composed of trachids, xylem
vessels, xylem parenchyma and xylem fibre. Tracheids and xylem vessels are the conducting elements.
The xylem makes a continuous tube in plants which runs from roots to stem and right up to the veins of
leaves.
Carry water and minerals from the leaves to the other part of the plant.
Phloem: Phloem is responsible for transportation of food. Phloem is composed of sieve tubes,
companion cells, phloem parenchyma and bast fibers. Sieve tubes are the conducting elements in
phloem.
Transportation in plants
Ascent of sap: The upward movement of water and minerals from roots to different plant parts is called
ascent of sap. Many factors are at play in ascent of sap and it takes place in many steps. They are
explained as follows :
Root pressure: The walls of cells of root hairs are very thin. Water from soil enters the root hairs
because of osmosis. Root pressure is responsible for movement of water up to the base of the stem.
Capillary action: A very fine tube is called capillaiy, water, or any liquid, rises in the capillary because of
physical forces and this phenomenon is called capillary action. Water, in stem, rises up to some height
because of capillaiy action.
Adhesion-cohesion of water molecules: Water molecules make a continuous column in the xylem
because of forces of adhesion and cohesion among the molecules.
Transpiration pull: Loss of water vapour through stomata and lenticels, in plants, is called transpiration.
Transpiration through stomata creates vacuum which creates a suction, called transpiration pull. The
transpiration pull sucks the water column from the xylem tubes and thus, water is able to rise to great
heights in even the tallest plants.
Transport of food: Transport of food in plants happens because of utilization of energy. Thus, unlike the
transport through xylem, it is a form of active transport. Moreover, the flow of substances through
phloem takes place in both directions, i.e., it is a two-way traffic in phloem.
Transpiration is the process of loss of water as vapour from aerial parts of the plant.
Functions
Transport of food from leaves (food factory) to different parts of the plant is called Translocation.
These need to be removed in time because their accumulation in the body can be harmful and even
lethal for an organism.
A tube, called ureter, comes out of each kidney and goes to the urinary bladder.
Urine is collected in the urinary bladder, from where it is expelled out through urethra as and when
required.
A pair of kidneys.
A urinary bladder.
A urethra.
Kidney:
Kidney is a bean-shaped organ which lies near the vertebral column in the abdominal cavity.
Nephron
The artery which takes blood to the glomerulus is called afferent arteriole and the one receiving blood
from the glomerulus is called efferent arteriole.
The glomerulus is enclosed in a capsule like portion, called bowman’s capsule. The bowman’s capsule
extends into a fine tube which is highly coiled.
Tubes from various nephrons converge into collecting duct, which finally goes to the ureter.
Urine formation in the kidney: The urine formation involves three steps:
Glomerular filtration: Nitrogenous wastes, glucose, water, amino acid filter from the blood into
bowman’s capsule of the nephron.
Tubular reabsorption: Now, useful substances from the filtrate are reabsorbed back by capillaries
surrounding the nephron.
Secretion: Extra water, salts are secreted into the tubule which opens up into the collecting duct and
then into the ureter.
Urine produced in the kidneys passes through the ureters into the urinary bladder where it is stored
until it is released through the urethra.
The purpose of making urine is to filter out waste product from the blood i.e., urea which is produced in
the liver.
Haemodialysis: The process of purifying blood by an artificial kidney. It is meant for kidney failure
patient.
Excretion in Plants
Other wastes may be stored in leaves, bark etc. which fall off from the plant.
Some metabolic wastes in the form of crystals of calcium oxalates in the leaves of colocasia and stem of
Zamikand.
Mode of nutrition:
Saprotrophic nutrition
Parasitic nutrition
Holozoic nutrition
Autotrophs: It is a mode of nutrition in which organisms can make their own food from simple raw
material. Example, all green plants.
Heterotrophs: It is a mode of nutrition in which organisms cannot prepare their food on their own and
depend on others. Example, animals.
Saprotrophic Nutrition: It is the process by which the organism feeds on dead and decaying matter.
Example, Rhizopus, Mucor, yeast.
Photosynthesis: It is the process by which green plants prepare their own food.
Water and Minerals: These are absorbed by the roots from the soil.
Carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide enters the leaves through tiny pores called stomata.
Symbiotic relationship: Two organisms live in a close association and develop a relationship that is
beneficial to both this is called a symbiotic relationship.
Example, Lichen is a living partnership between a fungus an alga. Fungus absorbs water and provides
shelter and alga prepare food by photosynthesis
Omnivores: Animals which feed on both plant and flesh. Example, man, dog.
Digestion: Break down of large insoluble food into small water-soluble molecules by enzymes.
Absorption: Digested food absorbed through the intestinal wall into the blood.
Assimilation: Absorbed food is taken by body cells for releasing energy, growth and repair.
Digestive organs of human beings: Mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine with
glands like salivary gland, liver, pancreas.
Teeth: An organ which breaks down the complex food and helps in chewing the food.
Milk teeth: The first set of 20 small teeth when the baby is 6-7 months old.
Permanent teeth: The second set of 32 larger teeth, when a child is 6-7 years old and comes by replacing
milk teeth.
Tongue: A muscular organ attached to the floor of the buccal cavity which helps in tasting and mixing
the food with saliva for digestion.
Translocation: The process of transporting food from leaves to other parts of plants.
Plasma: Fluid part of the blood which consists of nutrients, hormones, and waste products.
Blood vessel: Tube-like structure present in the body for carrying blood inside the body.
Heart: A muscular organ present in the thoracic cavity and helps in pumping blood in the body.
Double circulation: A circulatory system in which blood travels twice through the heart in one complete
cycle.
Heartbeat: One complete contraction and relaxation of the heart (72 times in a minute).
Systolic pressure: Maximum pressure at which blood flows during contraction of the heart. (120 mm Hg)
Diastolic pressure: Minimum pressure at which blood flows during relaxation of the heart. (80 mm Hg)
Lymph: A light yellow liquid flowing from body tissue to the blood circulatory system and provides
immunity.
Excretory products of plants: CO2, O2, water vapour, peel of bark, fruits, leaves, gum, raisin, etc.
Kidney: Organ which removes the toxic substance urea from blood and filters it.
Dialysis: The procedure used for cleaning the blood of a person in case of kidney failure.
Nephron: Functional unit of excretory system present in the kidney for filtering blood.
Renal Artery: Blood vessels which bring blood from heart to kidney.
Renal Vein: Blood vessel which brings blood from kidney to heart.