Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics Class 6 Questions and Answers NCERT Solutions
Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics
Intext Questions
(Page no. 191)
Question 1.
How would you now categorise a seed, as living or non-living?
Answer:
Seed is a living thing. Seed can grow into a plant under right conditions.
(Page no. 197)
Question 1.
How can the life cycle of a mosquito be disrupted?
Answer:
Larvicides (a substance used to kill larvae) target larvae in the breeding habitat before they can mature into adult mosquitoes and disperse. Larvicide treatment of breeding habitats helps reduce the adult mosquito population in nearby areas.
Liquid larvicide products are applied directly to water using backpack sprayers and truck or aircraft-mounted sprayers. Tablet, pellet, granular, and briquet formulations of larvicides are also applied by mosquito controllers to breeding areas.
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Question 1.
List the similarities and differences in life cycles of plants and animals.
Answer:
Similarities in life cycles between plants and animals are as follows
(i) Both undergo different stages in their life cycles (e.g. seed to plant, egg to adult).
(ii) Both reproduce to maintain the continuity of their own kind.
Differences in life cycles of plants and animals are as follows
(i) Animals move from one place to another, while most plants are stationary.
(ii) Animal life cycle involve stages like birth, growth and reproduction, while plant life cycles include seed germination, growth, flowering and seed production.
Differences
(i) Mobility: Animals are generally mobile and can move from one place to another, while plants are stationary.
(ii) Respiration: While both respire, the mechanisms differ; animals use lungs or gills, plants use stomata and lenticels.
(iii) Reproductive Structures: Animals have specialized organs for reproduction, while plants use flowers, cones, or spores.
(iv) Growth Patterns: Plants exhibit indeterminate growth (can grow throughout their life), while animals have determinate growth (stop growing after reaching maturity).
Question 2.
The table on the next page shows some data. Study the data and try to find out examples appropriate for the conditions given in the second and third columns. If you think that an example /or any of the conditions given below is not possible, explain why.
Answer:
| Does it grow? | Does it respire? | Example | Remarks |
| No | No | Book | Non-living |
| No | Yes | – | – |
| Yes | No | Sand dunes | Non-living |
| Yes | Yes | Dog | Living |
Example for condition-3 is not possible. This is because respiration is characteristic of living things and all living things grow.
Question 3.
You have learnt that different conditions are required for seed germination. How can we use this knowledge for proper storage of grains and pulses?
Answer:
To ensure proper storage of grains and pulses and prevent germination:
- Keep Dry
- Cool Storage
- Airtight Containers
Question 4.
You have learnt that a tail is present in a tadpole but it appears as it grows into a frog. What is the advantages of having tail in the tadpole stage.
Answer:
Tadpole has a long tail which helps to swim easily in water and escape predators. It also assists in maintaning balance while moving in water.
Question 5.
Charan says that a wooden log is non-living as it cannot move. Charu counters it by saying that it is living because it is made of wood obtained from trees. Give your arguments in favour or against the two statements given by Charan and Charu.
Answer:
Against Charu/ Favour Charan – Once the wood is separated from the tree, it no longer exhibits growth, reproduction or other life processes, making it non-living.
Question 6.
What are the similarities and distinguishing features in the life cycles of a mosquito and a frog?
Answer:
Similarities:
- Life cycle of both, frog and mosquito, has four stages.
- Egg represents the first stage of both life cycles.
- Significant changes occur during the various stages of both life cycles.
Differences:
| Life Cycle of Mosquito | Life Cycle of Frog |
| 1. Life cycle of mosquito has four stages—egg, larva, pupa and adult. | 1. The life cycle of frog has four stages— egg, tadpole, froglet and adult frog. |
| 2. The adult mosquito cannot live in water. | 2. The adult frog can live both on land and ih water. |
| 3. The adult mosquito may survive for 10 to 15 days. | 3. The adult frog may survive for 14 weeks. |
Question 7.
A plant is provided with all the conditions suitable for its growth (Fig. below). Draw what you expect to see in the shoot and the root of the plant after one week. Write down the reasons.
Fig: Pot kept along the ground
Answer:
Expected observations
- Shoot: Growth upwards, towards the light source.
- Root: Growth downwards, into the soil for stability and nutrient absorption.
Reasons
- Shoots grow towards light (phototropism) for photosynthesis.
- Roots grow downwards (gravitropism) for – nutrient absorption.
Question 8.
Tara and Vijay set up the experiment’ shown in the picture (Fig. below). What do you think they want to find out? How will they know if they are correct?
Experimental set-up
Answer:
Tara and Vijay are likely trying to understand how the orientation of a seed affects the growth direction of the shoot (the green ^art above ground) and the root (the part below ground).
Observation: If the shoot always grows upwards (towards the light) and the root always grows downwards (into the soil), regardless of how the seed is placed, this shows that plants have natural mechanisms (like phototropism and gravitropism) that guide their growth direction.
Question 9.
Design an experiment to check if temperature has an effect on seed germination.
Answer:
The experiment follow as:
- Take a small heap of moong seeds.
- Soak some moong seeds in water for a day then out water.
- Keep some soaked and wet moong seeds in sunlight for a few days.
- Keep some soaked and wet moong seeds in a very cold place like a refrigerator for a few days.
After a few days we will observe that the moong seeds kept in sunlight germinate but those kept in dark do not grow showing that sunlight (temperature) has an effect on seed germination.
Activities:
Activity 1.
Aim: To idenffy the ftllowing as living or non-living.
Material Required: Pencil, book, pigeon, car, plant.
Procedure and Observations:
Living and non-living things in our surroundings
| I Name |
II My Guess (Living/Non-living) |
III Reason/ Remarks |
IV Correct Answer |
V Reason/Remarks for the correct answer |
| 1. Pencil | Non-living | Do not move | — | — |
| 2. Book | Non-living | Do not move | — | — |
| 3. Pigeon | Living | Can grow | — | — |
| 4. Car | Non-living | Does not grow | — | — |
| 5. Plant | Living | Can grow | — | — |
Conclusion: All living things need food, air and water. They can grow. They can move by themselves. They can reproduce.
Activity 2.
Aim: To find conditions required for seed germination.
Material Required : Four identical pots, soil, bean seeds, water.
Procedure:
- Take four identical pots filled with garden soil.
- Sow four bean seeds in each pot.
- Do not water the soil in pot A. Place this pot in direct sunlight.
- In pot B, add excess water to the soil such that water is always present above the soil.
Keep adding water on a regular basis if water reduces. Place this pot in direct sunlight. - Keep the soil in pot C slightly moist by adding a moderate amount of water on a regular basis. Place this pot in a dark location.
- Maintain the soil in pot D slightly moist by adding a moderate amount of water on a regular ‘basis’. Place this pot in direct sunlight.
- Regularly observe the pots for 7-10 days to check the status of germination of the seeds.
Observations:
Conclusion: Germination of bean seeds requires the right amount of water, air and sunlight. The absence of one or more of these conditions will affect seed germination.
Activity 3.
Aim : To show that shoots of plants grow upward and exhibit movement towards sunlight but roots grow downwards.
Materials Required : Bean or gram seeds, moist cloth, three glass beaker/tumblers, three glass plates, blotting paper, soft cotton thread, water, cardboard box.
Procedure:
- Take some bean or gram seeds and allow them to germinate on a moist cloth or on a moist tissue paper.
- Let them germinate until each of them develop into a seeding having a small root and a small shoot.
- Now, take three glass beakers/tumblers, and lable them as A, B and C.
- Take three glass plates and attach a thick blotting paper to one side of each plate using a thick soft cotton thread.
- Fix one seedling on each plate using a thick cotton thread, ensuring that the plant is not damaged.
- Now, place one glass plate upright with a seedling attached into each of the Beaker A and C .
- In Beaker B, arrange the plate such that the shoot of a seedling is directed downwards and the root is directed upwards.
- Pour water into all the three beakers/tumblers to ensure that the seedling in each beaker remains above the water level.
- In each case, let the bottom of the blotting paper get completely wet by soaking in the water. Thus, the seedling will get the moisture from the wet blotting paper.
- Place beaker A and beaker B in sunlight.
- Place beaker as shown in Fig. 2(c). Place a cardboard box in such a way that the seedling gets light from one direction only through a small circular hole.
Observations:
Result:
- When the plant is kept upright, the root grows downwards and the shoot grows upwards.
- When the plant is kept inverted, the root bends and grows downwards. The shoot bends and grows upwards.
- When the plant gets sunlight only from one direction, the shoot grows in the direction of light while the root continues to grow downwards.
Conclusion : Shoots of plants grow upwards and exhibit movement towards sunlight but roots of plants grow downwards.
Activity 4.
Aim : To explore the changes a plant undergoes in its whole life.
Material Required : A bean seed, water, soil.
Procedure:
- Plant a bean seed and provide suitable conditions for its growth.
- Observe regularly for three months.
- Record your observations us and when changes become visible.
- Note that date when any change is observed.
Observations:
| Date | Observations | Sketches |
| 15/01/24 | Seeds are grown | |
| 16/04/24 | Young plant and matured to produce flowers |
|
| 14/06/24 | Plant becomes yellow and dry | |
| 15/09/24 | Plant is dead |
Conclusion: A seed grows into a young plant and matures to produce seeds which give rise to a new generation of beam plants.
Activity 5.
Aim: To show on which stage (larva or pupa) comes immediately after the egg stage.
Material Required: A water container with mosquito larvae and pupae.
Procedure:
- Take a water container with mosquito larvae and pupae.
- Separate 4-5 larvae and pupae into two separate containers with the same water.
- Keep watching both the containers to see in which one a mosquito appears first.
Observations:
Conclusion: A mosquito begins its life as an egg (stage I), the egg develops into a larva (stage II), the larva grows into pupa (stage III), and the pupa transforms into an adult mosquito (stage IV). The adult female mosquito, lays eggs directly on or near water, and the cycle continues.
Activity 6.
Aim : To analyse the life cycle of frog.
Procedure:
- Take a surrounding walk to reach shallow pond.
- Watch everything from distance without causing any disturbance.
- Keep watching both the containers to see in which one a mosquito appears first.
Observations:
Table 10.1. Changes in different life stages of a frog
| A | B | C | D | E | F |
| Jelly-like substance |
Froglet | Tadpole with tail (larva) | It is similar to ‘C’ but it has two legs | Adult Frog |
Eggs |
Conclusion: There are four stages in the life cycle of a frog – the egg stage, which progresses to the embryo stage, the tadpole stage, consisting of an early stage with a tail and no legs and a late stage with hind legs; the froglet stage and the adult frog stage. The process of transformation from an immature form of an animal like ‘larva’ to its ‘adult’ form in two or more distinct stages, is called metamorphosis.
Result : Tadpoles develop legs but still have tails. Tails help them swim in water. Tadpoles grow gradually and start looking like little frog called froglets. They live in water but begin to spend some time on land. They continue to grow and lose their tails completely. Their legs become strong to help them jump and land. They become fully developed adult frogs living both in water and on land.