FRANK Solutions for Class 9 Biology Chapter 2 - Being Alive - What is its Meaning?

Chapter 2 - Being Alive - What is its Meaning? Exercise 13

Question 1

Discuss the characteristics of living organism.

Solution 1

Characteristics of living organisms are:
(i) All living organisms exhibit a definite shape and size. For example - Mango trees can be identified among all the other tress. Also tigers can be identified among other animals.
(ii) All living beings show some type of body organization.  Their body may be made of one cell in case of unicellular organisms or many cells in case of multicellular organisms. In multicellular organisms, cells are further organized into tissues, organs and organ systems.
(iii) Living organisms show autotrophic or heterotrophic modes of nutrition.
(iv) All living organisms respire continuously. During respiration, most organisms use up oxygen from environment and release carbon dioxide. This oxygen oxidizes food materials to release energy which is used to carry out the various life processes of the organism.
(v) In all living organisms, many chemical processes occur in order to maintain life and this is called metabolism. Some of these processes are constructive called anabolic processes whereas others are destructive called catabolic processes.
(vi) All living organisms show the characteristic feature of growth.  From a small size at birth, living organisms grow due to formation of new cells and building up of protoplasm within cells. Example - A seedling growing into a small plant and then into a big tree.
(vii) Reproduction helps in producing offsprings similar to parents and thus helps in maintaining continuity of race.
(viii) All living organisms show some form of movement or another.  This may be movement of the entire body from one place to another as seen in most animals, few plants and certain plant organs, or movement of a part of the body only.
(ix) All living organisms excrete waste products of metabolism from their body.
(x) Every living organism shows a definite life-cycle including four stages i.e. birth, growth, maturity and death.  Every living organism has a definite life-span.

Question 2

Differentiate between the following:
(a) Feeding and Nutrition
(b) Ingestion and Egestion
(c) Movement and Locomotion
(d) Catabolic and Anabolic process
(e) Autotrophic and Heterotrophic nutrition

Solution 2

Question 3

Mention whether the following statements are true or false:
(a) Only plants respire.
(b) Animals show movement while the plants do not.
(c) Plants can move from one place to another.
(d) All plants have chlorophyll.
(e) Animals and plants both require nutrition.
(f) Generally, plants are autotrophic while animals are heterotrophic.
(g) Plants grow throughout their life.

Solution 3

(a) False
(b) False
(c) False
(d) False
(e) True
(f) True
(g) True

Question 4

Describe the living and non-living things. Is the growing of crystal of copper sulphate considered as a living character? Give reasons.

Solution 4

Organisms capable of performing all the vital activities of life like nutrition, growth, respiration, digestion and excretion etc. are called living organisms. Example - man, bird, fish, trees.
Things which do not perform any vital life activities are called non-living things. Example - pen, table, stone, water, car etc. Non-living things require external energy for their movement (car, train etc.) or addition of particles from outside for increase in size (eg. increase in size of alum crystals in their concentrated solutions).
Growing of the crystal of copper sulphate is not a living character. This is because the increase in its size is due to deposition of new material externally and not from within. This is known as extrinsic growth. In living organisms, growth occurs due to formation of new cells and building up of protoplasm within cells.

Question 5

A motor car moves, takes in oxygen and gives out carbon dioxide, consumes fuel but nevertheless is not a living creature. In what ways does it not quality as a living organism.

Solution 5

A motor car requires external energy for its movement and also it does not perform the vital life activities on its own, hence it is not a living organism. A living organism has internal energy which is used for carrying out all its vital life activities.

Question 6

Comment upon the following:
(a) Irritability
(b) Metabolism
(c) Respiration
(d) Cellular structure
(e) Growth

Solution 6

(a) Irritability is a feature shown by living beings, but not non-living things. It refers to the ability of the organism to respond in accordance with internal or external environmental stimuli. Irritability is well-developed in animals due to the evolution of nervous system. An example is the immediate removal of hand from a hot object. Irritability is also shown by plants but it is not very prominent.

(b) Metabolism - In all living organisms, many chemical processes occur constantly in order to maintain life and this is called metabolism. Metabolism includes two types of processes i.e. constructive and destructive. Only living organisms show metabolism.

(c) Respiration - All living organisms respire continuously. During respiration, most organisms use up oxygen from environment and release carbon dioxide.

(d) Cellular structure -All living organisms are made up of one or many cells. Each cell contains protoplasm wherein all the life activities are carried out. Protoplasm is surrounded by a thin, elastic plasma membrane. Plant cells possess an additional cell wall to provide rigidity to the cells.

(e) Growth - All living organisms show the characteristic feature of growth.From a small size at birth, living organisms grow due to formation of new cells and building up of protoplasm within cells. Example - A seedling growing into a small plant and then into a big tree.

Question 7

Give four characters of living organisms.

Solution 7

The characters of living organisms are:
(i) Growth
(ii) Reproduction
(iii) Metabolism
(iv) Respiration
(v) Nutrition
(vi) Movement and locomotion
(vii) Definite form and size
(viii) Reproduction
(ix) Excretion
(x) Irritability
(Write any four)

Question 8

Justify that a rolling stone is a non-living object.

Solution 8

A rolling stone just rolls down due to gravitational force acting on it. It will stop rolling once it reaches a hurdle or plain ground. Then it cannot roll or move on its own. It needs some external force to cause its movement. Hence it is a non-living object. A living organism would be able to move by itself using its own energy, without depending on external force.

Question 9

Select out living, non-living and dead from the following:
Egg, table, protoplasm, glass, coral, cactus, flower, seed, iron, leather, car, nail, cork.

Solution 9

Living - Egg, protoplasm, cactus, flower, seed
Non-living - Table, glass, iron, car, nail
Dead - Coral, leather, cork

Question 10

State two example of movement in living things and non-living things each.

Solution 10

Examples of movement in living things -
(i) Running of a lion
(ii) Drooping of leaves
Examples of movement in non-living things -
(i) Running of train or car
(ii) Rolling down of a stone

Question 11

Define the following:
(a) Life
(b) Death
(c) Locomotion
(d) Reproduction

Solution 11

(a) Life is the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms.
(b) Death is the cessation of all life activities in a living being due to weakening and losing of energy from them after completing their life span
(c) Locomotion is the movement of the entire organism from one place to another.
(d) Reproduction is the ability of living organisms to produce young ones that are similar to parents.

Chapter 2 - Being Alive - What is its Meaning? Exercise 14

Question 1

Every question has four options. Choose the correct answer:
(i) Life activities in living beings are performed by
(a) protoplasm (b) water
(c) cytoplasm (d) cell wall
(ii) Which one of the following is dead?
(a) Snake poison (b) Dried bone
(c) Milk (d) Saliva
(iii) Internal growth is present in
(a) living (b) non-living
(c) dead (d) crystal of copper sulphate
(iv) Important character by which you can distinguish between living and non-living.
(a) The capacity of locomotion.
(b) The capacity for growth.
(c) The capacity of synthesizing macromolecules.
(d) The capacity to respond to the stimuli.
(v) The structural unit of the body of living beings is
(a) cell (b) tissue
(c) organ (d) cytoplasm
(vi) A life process that is not essential for the life of an individual but is essential for the survival of a species is
(a) mutation (b) excretion
(c) reproduction (d) respiration

Solution 1

(i) (a) Protoplasm
(ii) (b) Dried bone
(iii) (a) Living
(iv) (d) The capacity to respond to the stimuli
(v) (a) Cell
(vi) (c) Reproduction