Chapter 2: The Living World
Solved textbook questions with step-by-step explanations.
Grade 6 Q&A: Chapter 2: The Living World
Welcome to the Questions and Answers section for Grade 6 Environmental Studies (Part One), Chapter 2: "The Living World." This chapter explores the fascinating characteristics that define living things, from their growth and movement to their ability to reproduce and respond to stimuli. We will also delve into the incredible diversity found within the plant and animal kingdoms and understand how living beings are classified.
Important Questions and Answers
Q1: What are the main characteristics of living things?
Answer: The main characteristics of living things include growth, respiration, excretion, reproduction, responsiveness to stimuli, movement, and a definite lifespan.
Q2: Explain the characteristic of 'growth' in living things.
Answer: Growth is an increase in the size and mass of an organism over time. Living things grow from a young stage to an adult stage, and this growth is generally irreversible.
Q3: What is respiration? Why is it important for living things?
Answer: Respiration is the process by which living things take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide to produce energy from food. It is important because this energy is needed for all life processes.
Q4: What is excretion?
Answer: Excretion is the process by which living things remove waste products generated during various life processes from their bodies.
Q5: Explain the characteristic of 'reproduction'.
Answer: Reproduction is the process by which living things produce new individuals of their own kind, ensuring the continuation of their species.
Q6: What is meant by 'responsiveness to stimuli'? Give an example.
Answer: Responsiveness to stimuli means that living things react to changes in their surroundings. For example, a touch-me-not plant folds its leaves when touched, or an animal runs away from danger.
Q7: How do plants show movement?
Answer: Plants show movement by growing towards sunlight (phototropism), their roots growing towards water (hydrotropism), or flowers opening and closing, even though they are fixed in one place.
Q8: What is a 'definite lifespan'?
Answer: A definite lifespan means that every living thing has a certain period for which it lives, after which it dies. This period varies from one organism to another.
Q9: Give examples of diversity found in plants.
Answer: Diversity in plants includes variations in size (from tiny algae to huge trees), shape, color, habitats (aquatic, terrestrial), and modes of nutrition (some are parasitic, some carnivorous).
Q10: Give examples of diversity found in animals.
Answer: Diversity in animals includes variations in size (from microscopic insects to giant whales), body structure, habitat (land, water, air), food habits (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores), and movement.
Q11: What is the primary difference between plants and animals in terms of food?
Answer: Plants generally produce their own food through photosynthesis (autotrophs), while animals obtain their food by consuming plants or other animals (heterotrophs).
Q12: What are unicellular organisms? Give an example.
Answer: Unicellular organisms are living things made up of only one cell. An example is Amoeba.
Q13: What are multicellular organisms? Give an example.
Answer: Multicellular organisms are living things made up of many cells. Examples include humans, animals, and most plants.
Q14: What are terrestrial animals?
Answer: Terrestrial animals are animals that live primarily on land, such as cows, dogs, and lions.
Q15: What are aquatic animals?
Answer: Aquatic animals are animals that live in water, such as fish, whales, and crabs.
Q16: Name some amphibians.
Answer: Amphibians are animals that can live both on land and in water, such as frogs and salamanders.
Q17: What are aerial animals?
Answer: Aerial animals are animals that can fly, such as birds and bats.
Q18: What is the importance of classification in the living world?
Answer: Classification helps us to study and understand the vast diversity of living organisms in an organized way, making it easier to identify, categorize, and learn about their characteristics and relationships.
Q19: How do plants and animals depend on each other?
Answer: Plants produce oxygen and food that animals need, while animals release carbon dioxide that plants use for photosynthesis. Animals also help in pollination and seed dispersal for plants.
Q20: What is photosynthesis?
Answer: Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food (glucose) and release oxygen.
Q21: How do living things adapt to their environment?
Answer: Living things adapt to their environment by developing special features or behaviors that help them survive and thrive in specific conditions, like a camel adapting to desert life or a polar bear to cold regions.
Q22: Give an example of how plants reproduce.
Answer: Plants can reproduce through seeds, spores, or vegetatively from parts like stems (e.g., rose cuttings) or roots.
Q23: How do animals typically reproduce?
Answer: Animals typically reproduce by laying eggs (e.g., birds, fish, insects) or by giving birth to young ones (e.g., mammals).
Q24: What is the role of sunlight in the living world?
Answer: Sunlight is the primary source of energy for almost all life on Earth, as it is used by plants for photosynthesis, which forms the base of most food chains.
Q25: Why do living things need food?
Answer: Living things need food for energy to carry out all life processes, for growth, repair of worn-out cells, and to stay healthy.
Q26: What are some examples of waste products excreted by animals?
Answer: Waste products excreted by animals include urine, feces, sweat, and carbon dioxide (during respiration).
Q27: How does the lifespan vary among different living things?
Answer: Lifespan varies greatly; some insects live only for a few days, while trees can live for hundreds or even thousands of years. Humans have an average lifespan of several decades.
Q28: What is the significance of the 'Living World' chapter in environmental studies?
Answer: This chapter is significant as it lays the foundation for understanding ecology, biodiversity, and the interconnectedness of all life forms, which are crucial concepts in environmental studies.
Exercise Solutions
Q1: Fill in the blanks.
- The process of taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide is called respiration.
- Living things produce new individuals like themselves through reproduction.
- The reaction of living things to changes in their surroundings is called responsiveness.
- Plants generally produce their own food through photosynthesis.
- Animals that live both on land and in water are called amphibians.
Q2: Match the pairs.
(Note: As an AI, I cannot create interactive matching. I will provide the correct pairs.)
- Growth - Increase in size
- Excretion - Removal of waste products
- Reproduction - Producing young ones
- Responsiveness - Reacting to stimuli
- Lifespan - Period of life
Q3: True or False.
- All living things grow. True
- Plants do not show movement. False
- Animals make their own food. False
- Unicellular organisms are made of many cells. False
- Birds are aerial animals. True
Q4: Answer the following questions.
- What are the characteristics of living things?
Answer: The characteristics of living things are growth, respiration, excretion, reproduction, responsiveness to stimuli, movement, and a definite lifespan. - How do plants reproduce?
Answer: Plants reproduce mainly through seeds, but also through spores, or vegetatively from parts like stems, roots, or leaves. - What is the difference between unicellular and multicellular organisms?
Answer: Unicellular organisms are made up of a single cell (e.g., Amoeba), while multicellular organisms are composed of many cells (e.g., humans, trees). - Why is there diversity in the living world?
Answer: Diversity exists in the living world due to variations in habitats, food habits, adaptations to different environments, and evolutionary processes over millions of years.
Q5: Give reasons.
- Plants are considered living things.
Reason: Plants are considered living things because they exhibit all the characteristics of life: they grow, respire, excrete, reproduce, respond to stimuli (like light), show movement (e.g., growth towards light), and have a definite lifespan. - Animals are dependent on plants.
Reason: Animals are dependent on plants because plants produce food through photosynthesis, which forms the base of almost all food chains. Animals either eat plants directly (herbivores) or eat other animals that eat plants (carnivores/omnivores). Plants also release oxygen, which animals need for respiration. - It is important to classify living things.
Reason: It is important to classify living things because the living world is vast and diverse. Classification helps to organize this diversity, making it easier to study, identify, understand relationships between different organisms, and manage biodiversity.
References
- Maharashtra State Board Environmental Studies (Part One) Standard Six Textbook (2015 Edition) - Chapter 2: The Living World.
- Maharashtra State Board 6th Standard Environmental Studies Syllabus.
- Balbharati Environmental Studies Part 1 Textbook.