What are life processes?

Life processes are vital functions carried out by living organisms to sustain life, including nutrition, respiration, circulation, excretion, and reproduction.

Why are these notes important for competitive exams?

These notes help students prepare for NEET, SSC, Railway, and Police Bharti exams as well as Class 10 board exams.

Do these notes cover both human and plant life processes?

Yes, they cover essential processes in both humans and plants with diagrams and key points for easy learning.

1. What are life processes?

Life processes are the functions performed by living organisms to maintain life — mainlynutrition,respiration,transportandexcretion.

2. What are the two main types of nutrition?

Autotrophic(organisms make their own food — e.g., plants via photosynthesis) andheterotrophic(depend on others for food — e.g., animals, fungi).

4. Why are plants green and what is the role of chlorophyll?

Chlorophyll is a green pigment that absorbs light (mainly blue and red wavelengths) to provide energy for photosynthesis. Green light is reflected, making plants appear green.

5. What are stomata and what roles do they play?

Stomata are pores on leaf surfaces controlled by guard cells. They allow CO₂ entry for photosynthesis and permit transpiration (water vapour loss) and gas exchange.

8. What is the role of saliva in digestion?

Saliva moistens food, helps form a bolus, and contains salivary amylase (ptyalin) which begins starch digestion to maltose.

9. What is peristalsis?

Peristalsis is wave-like muscular contraction of the alimentary canal that propels food along (e.g., from oesophagus to stomach and through intestines).

10. Where does absorption of nutrients occur and how?

Absorption occurs mainly in the small intestine — villi and microvilli increase surface area, allowing absorption of digested nutrients into blood and lymph (fat absorption via lacteals).

12. What is the function of bile?

Bile (from liver) emulsifies fats — breaking them into small droplets — increasing surface area for lipase action; it does not contain digestive enzymes but aids fat digestion and absorption.

14. What is respiration and why is it important?

Respiration is the process of breaking down food to release energy (ATP). It can beaerobic(with O₂ — more ATP) oranaerobic(without O₂ — less ATP and by-products like lactic acid/ethanol).

16. What are examples of anaerobic respiration in animals and microbes?

In muscles (during strenuous exercise): glucose → lactic acid + small ATP. In yeast (fermentation): glucose → ethanol + CO₂ + small ATP.

18. What is transpiration and what factors affect its rate?

Transpiration is loss of water vapour from aerial parts (mainly leaves). Rate increases with light, temperature, wind, and low humidity; decreases when stomata close.

19. What are components of the human circulatory system and their roles?

System includes heart (pump), blood vessels (arteries carry blood away, veins bring blood back, capillaries enable exchange), and blood (transport oxygen, nutrients, wastes, hormones).

22. What are the components of blood and their functions?

Exchange occurs by diffusion through thin, single-cell-thick capillary walls — oxygen and nutrients move out; CO₂ and metabolic wastes move in.

23. How does exchange of materials occur at capillaries?

Exchange occurs by diffusion through thin, single-cell-thick capillary walls — oxygen and nutrients move out; CO₂ and metabolic wastes move in.

24. What is lymph and its function?

Lymph is a fluid collected from tissues by lymphatic vessels; it returns excess tissue fluid to blood and helps in immune responses (lymph nodes filter pathogens).

25. What is excretion and why is it important?

Excretion is removal of metabolic wastes (e.g., CO₂, urea) from the body to maintain internal balance (homeostasis).

27. What is dialysis?

Dialysis is an artificial method to remove waste products and excess water from the blood when kidneys fail — using a dialysis machine that filters blood externally.

28. How does the liver contribute to excretion/detoxification?

Liver deaminates excess amino acids producing ammonia which is converted to urea (less toxic) — urea is transported to kidneys for excretion. The liver also detoxifies many harmful substances.

31. How is oxygen transported in blood?

Majority of O₂ is carried by RBCs bound to hemoglobin as oxyhemoglobin (Hb–O₂). In tissues, O₂ is released for respiration (aided by lower pO₂ and higher CO₂).

32. How is carbon dioxide transported in the blood?

CO₂ is transported dissolved in plasma, as bicarbonate ions (major route), and as carbaminohaemoglobin (bound to hemoglobin). Conversion to bicarbonate occurs in RBCs (chloride shift maintains ionic balance).

Class 10 Science — Chapter 6: Life Processes

By RAAM SETU | NEET, SSC, Railway & Police Bharti Focused Notes 📘

📘 Introduction

This chapter explores Life Processes in living organisms, including nutrition, respiration, circulation, excretion, and reproduction. Vital for NEET, SSC, Railway, and Police Bharti exams and Class 10 board exams.

🔹 Key Concepts

Nutrition: Autotrophic and heterotrophic modes
Respiration: Aerobic and anaerobic processes
Circulation: Blood, heart, and transport of nutrients & oxygen
Excretion: Removal of metabolic wastes (kidneys, lungs)
Reproduction: Sexual and asexual methods in plants and animals

📊 Chapter Summary Table

Life Process	Example / Organ	Function
Nutrition	Plants – Chloroplast	Produces food via photosynthesis
Respiration	Humans – Lungs	Releases energy from food
Excretion	Kidneys	Removes metabolic wastes

🧮 Practice Questions

Define nutrition. ➡ Show Answer
Nutrition is the process by which organisms obtain food to provide energy and materials for growth and maintenance.
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration? ➡ Show Answer
Aerobic respiration uses oxygen to release energy, while anaerobic respiration releases energy without oxygen, producing lactic acid or ethanol.
Name the organ responsible for excretion in humans. ➡ Show Answer
Kidneys filter blood and remove metabolic wastes in the form of urine.

Life Processes — 50 Q&A

NCERT Class 10 — Nutrition, Respiration, Transportation, Excretion. Tap to expand answers. Mobile-friendly.

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Nutrition Respiration Transport Excretion

NCERT Class 10 — Life Processes

📘 Introduction

🔹 Key Concepts

📊 Chapter Summary Table

🧮 Practice Questions

1. What are life processes?

2. What are the two main types of nutrition?

3. What is photosynthesis? Give the equation and where it occurs.

4. Why are plants green and what is the role of chlorophyll?

5. What are stomata and what roles do they play?

6. Name types of heterotrophic nutrition with a short example each.

7. List main parts of the human digestive system and their functions.

8. What is the role of saliva in digestion?

9. What is peristalsis?

10. Where does absorption of nutrients occur and how?

11. Differentiate mechanical and chemical digestion with examples.

12. What is the function of bile?

13. Name factors affecting rate of photosynthesis.

14. What is respiration and why is it important?

15. Give the equation for aerobic respiration and where it occurs.

16. What are examples of anaerobic respiration in animals and microbes?

17. Describe transport in plants: xylem and phloem.

18. What is transpiration and what factors affect its rate?

19. What are components of the human circulatory system and their roles?

20. Explain double circulation in humans.

21. What is the role of heart valves? Name two examples.

22. What are the components of blood and their functions?

23. How does exchange of materials occur at capillaries?

24. What is lymph and its function?

25. What is excretion and why is it important?

26. Describe the structure of a nephron and the process of urine formation.

27. What is dialysis?

28. How does the liver contribute to excretion/detoxification?

29. Name major waste substances excreted in urine.

30. Is human circulation open or closed? Explain.

31. How is oxygen transported in blood?

32. How is carbon dioxide transported in the blood?

33. Explain the mechanism of breathing (ventilation).

34. What features of alveoli make them suitable for gas exchange?

35. Why do multicellular organisms need transport systems?

36. Briefly describe the pressure-flow (mass flow) hypothesis for phloem transport.

37. Name two types of dialysis.

38. What does normal urine contain?

39. Which other organs play role in excretion besides kidneys?

40. How do plants get rid of wastes?

41. How do kidneys help in osmoregulation (water-salt balance)?

42. How does exercise affect respiration and circulation?

43. Why is a balanced diet important?

44. Differentiate between breathing and respiration.

45. Describe the flow of food from ingestion to egestion (short sequence).

46. Do plants respire? When does it happen?

47. How do decomposers (bacteria/fungi) contribute to life processes?

48. How is vitamin D produced and why is it important?

49. Mention membrane transport methods relevant to life processes.

50. Quick revision: High-yield points for Life Processes.