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Diversity in the Living World - Characteristics of Living Organisms

Grade 6CBSE

Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.

🔑Concepts

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Nutrition: All living organisms require food to get energy for growth and maintenance. Plants prepare their own food using CO2CO_2, H2OH_2O, and sunlight.

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Growth: Living things show an irreversible increase in size. For example, a seedling grows into a plant and a puppy grows into a dog.

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Respiration: It is the process of inhaling O2O_2 and exhaling CO2CO_2. Inside the body, O2O_2 is used to break down food to release energy.

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Response to Stimuli: Living organisms react to changes in their surroundings (stimuli). Example: Withdrawal of hand on touching a hot object or closing of leaves in Mimosa pudicaMimosa\ pudica.

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Excretion: The process of getting rid of metabolic waste products like CO2CO_2, sweat, and urine from the body.

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Reproduction: Living organisms produce young ones of their own kind to ensure the continuity of their species.

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Movement: While animals show locomotion (moving from place to place), plants show movement of parts (like flowers opening or turning towards the sun).

📐Formulae

6CO2+6H2O→Sunlight/ChlorophyllC6H12O6+6O26CO_2 + 6H_2O \xrightarrow{\text{Sunlight/Chlorophyll}} C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2

Glucose(C6H12O6)+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+Energy\text{Glucose} (C_6H_{12}O_6) + 6O_2 \rightarrow 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + \text{Energy}

💡Examples

Problem 1:

A car moves and consumes fuel (energy). Why is it not considered a living organism?

Solution:

A car lacks biological characteristics like growth, reproduction, and cellular structure.

Explanation:

While a car shows movement and uses energy, it does not grow on its own, it cannot reproduce to create new cars, and it does not respond to stimuli like a biological organism (e.g.,e.g., it doesn't feel pain or heal).

Problem 2:

Which gas is taken in by plants during the process of respiration?

Solution:

O2O_2 (Oxygen)

Explanation:

Like animals, plants also take in O2O_2 and release CO2CO_2 during respiration to produce energy. Note that during photosynthesis, they take in CO2CO_2 and release O2O_2, but respiration occurs continuously day and night.

Problem 3:

What is the stimulus and response when you move from a dark room into bright sunlight?

Solution:

Stimulus: Bright light; Response: Closing or squinting of eyes.

Explanation:

The sudden change in light intensity acts as a stimulus, and the involuntary contraction of eye muscles is the response to protect the retina.