CHAPTER -9 The living Organisms-Characteristics &Habitats
Answer the following questions
1. What do you mean by acclimatisation?
Ans: The small changes which take place in the body of a single organism over
short periods to overcome small problems due to changes in the surroundings
are called acclimatisation.
2. Differentiate between roots of terrestrial plants and aquatic plants?
Ans: In terrestrial plants roots play role in absorption of water and minerals
from the soil. Whereas in aquatic plants roots are reduced in size and their main
function is to hold the plant in place.
3. Explain why speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals that
live there.
Ans: In grasslands habitats, there are few trees or places for animals to hide.
When their enemy attacks they have to run faster so as to reach a safe place. If
they fail, they lose their life. So, the speed is very important for survival of
grassland animals.
4. Explain different types of habitats with example.
Ans: Different types of habitat are:
a) The plant and animals that live on land are said to live in terrestrial habitats.
Example deserts, mountains and grasslands.
b) Habitat of plant and animal that lives in water is called aquatic habitat.
Example-ponds and oceans.
5. Explain the adaptation of trees to live in mountain regions.
Ans:
(i) The shape of the trees is of normally cone type.
(ii) Branches are sloping.
(iii) The leaves of these trees are needle like.
(iv) These structures prevent accumulation of rainwater and snow over
them.
6. “All living things respond to external stimuli.” Explain.
Ans)All living things respond to changes in their surroundings. These
changes which they respond to, are called stimuli. The living things show
response to stimuli such as heat, light, touch, sound, smell, taste, etc. The
response of living things is usually in the form of some movement of their
body part. Plants also perform movement, though at a slow rate.
Case based questions
A camel lives in a hot desert. The desert has very high temperatures during
the day and very low temperatures at night. The sandy environment lacks
much vegetation, and water sources are scarce. Despite this, camels are well-
suited to survive in such harsh conditions due to specific adaptations.
1.How does camels’ body help him conserve water in a desert where water is
scarce? Explain two adaptations.
Ans) Camels conserve water by producing concentrated urine and having
specialized cells that store fat in their humps, which can be converted into
water when needed.
2.Why do camels have thick fur on top of their bodies and thin fur
underneath? How does this help them in a desert environment?
Ans) The thick fur on top provides insulation from the sun’s heat, while the
thinner fur underneath allows for body heat to escape. This helps regulate the
camel’s body temperature in extreme temperatures.
3.Camel can walk easily on the sand. What features in their feet help with
this?
Ans) Camels have wide, flat feet with two toes that spread out, preventing
them from sinking into the sand.
4.If camels were placed in a rainforest instead of a desert, what challenges
might they face?
Ans) He would face difficulties with the high humidity, abundance of water
(which he doesn’t need in large amounts), and lack of adaptations for
climbing or moving through dense vegetation.
HOT Questions
1.Lions have eyes in front while deer have eyes on the side. How do these
adaptations help the lion and the deer?
