Question

What are the life processes?

Answer 1

Hint: These processes predict the condition of life, and are performed by all living organisms to ensure survival. When the cycle of these processes breaks, the organism is no longer alive. Further, these are the processes that distinguish living from a non-living entity.

Complete answer:
The maintenance of functions in living organisms must go on even when it is at rest. The processes together involved in this function are known as life processes. Energy is needed by these processes to prevent damage and breakdown. This energy comes from outside the body of an individual organism. Different processes involved are as follows:
- Nutrition: It is a process by which an animal or a plant takes in food substances and utilizes it to derive energy for various functions. In human beings, breakdown of food is done by various steps along the alimentary canal and the digested food is absorbed in the small intestine from where it is sent to all cells in the body. It is of two types-
a. Autotrophic nutrition
b. Heterotrophic nutrition
- Respiration: It is a process in which complex organic compounds (glucose) breaks down to provide energy in the form of ATP. ATP is used to provide energy for other reactions in the cells. It is of two types-
-Aerobic respiration: It is the process by which organisms use oxygen to turn fuel, such as fats and sugars, into chemical energy.
-Anaerobic respiration: The type of respiration through which cells can break down sugars to generate energy in the absence of oxygen.
- Transpiration: It is a process in which water and nutrients required for all metabolic activities in plants and animals are transported from one place to another. In humans transport of oxygen, carbon dioxide, food, and excretory products is a function of the circulatory system. It involves the heart, blood, and blood vessels. In plants transport of water, minerals, food, and other materials is a function of vascular tissue ( xylem and phloem cells ).
- Excretion: It is a process that involves the removal of harmful metabolic wastes ( nitrogenous materials ) from the body. Unicellular organisms remove waste by simple diffusion from the body surface into the surrounding water. In humans, excretory products are removed by the nephrons in the kidneys.
- Metabolism: the chemical process in which different types of chemical reactions are involved in controlling the living state of the cells in an organism. It is broadly classified into catabolism and anabolism.
> Catabolism: The metabolic process in which energy is released.
> Anabolism: The metabolic process in which energy is stored for further requirements.
Reproduction: the biological process of producing their own offspring determines the continuity of species, generation after generation. The basic types of reproduction are sexual and asexual reproduction.
> Sexual Reproduction: The process of reproducing by the involvement of the two gametes.
> Asexual Reproduction: The process of reproducing by the involvement of only one parent.

Notes:
-. Our body is made up of about 7 octillion atoms and 37 trillion cells.
- Stomach acid can dissolve metal.
- Our heartbeats 100,000 times/day, pumping 5.5 liters/minute, which adds up to about 3 million liters of blood a year.
- Living organisms represent a high degree of organization that has a natural tendency to get disorganized due to external environmental factors so our body tries to continuously conduct maintenance and repairing activities for which molecular movement is necessary.
- All living organisms are made up of cells and all the cells are made up of molecules. The different types of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus help in forming the different components of the cells and represent it as a living unit.