Il-4-22

mond O hgae

1
Nutrition in Plants
NUTRITION AND ITS TYPES show two kinds of
You already know that all living organisms nutrition-autotrophic
nutrition and heterotrophic nutrition.
require food to
grow AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION IN PLANTS
repair the damaged parts of their bodies, and
yget energy to cary out life processes.
Green plants are able to prepare their own food
from simple raw materials-carbon
You also know that the
components of dioxide from the
food that are necessary for our
air, and water from the soil. Plants get the
body are for preparing food from energy
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and sunlight. This mode of
nutrition where green plants
minerals. These are called nutrients. The make food themselves
of taking in food by an
process from simple substances is called autotrophic
organism and its (auto self; trophism feeding) nutrition. Such
utilization by the body is called nutrition.
The energy from food is obtained plants are therefore called autotrophs.
by two The cells of green leaves and young
processes, i.e. nutrition and respiration. of stems
The living world consists of plants contain_numerous green
organisms that structures
called(chloroplasts.)The chloroplasts are green
IN THIS CHAPTER
NUTRITION AND ITS TYPES AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION IN PLANTS
HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION SAPROTROPHS REPLENISHING
NUTRIENTS IN THE SOTL

NUTRITION IN PLANTS 5
For detailed instructions, see inside front cover.
 Co+H,0 chl 6126 2
because of the
presence of a green pigment IT'S A FACT!
called chlorophylt) It is chlorophyll that traps
energy from sunlight. Leaves take in carbon Water helps to keep à plant figid and
u
Each plant cell has an elastic cell wall aroun
dioxide from the air through tiny
stomata Isingular: stoma). Thesepores called
pores are
The cell takes up water until the
cell wa
located on the stretch no more. The cell is
underside then
of the leaves. rigid
stomata are surrounded by guard cell The
a bicycle tyre when it has
been filled
illed wit
with at
guard cells control The or a
blown-up ballooon.
stomata. The water is
or opening closing of On hot, dry days plants may lose
the root hairs
absorbed from the soil by Then they droop. For large
too much
present in roots. The water and plants such as tWate
and shrubs this kind of
minerals absorbed
by the support is not uees enounh
leaves through xylem plants transported are
to Theydevelop wood--igid fibres which gh
vessels that are like support the can
pipes. These pipes run weight of the big branches
branches and leaves. Youthrough
the root, stem,
will read
xylem vessels in higher classes. about these the presence of
sunlight to form food. The fe
Using the energy from the sun, a synthesized by the green leaves is
reaction takes place in the chemical to the other transporte
parts of the plant by the
green parts of the
plant, in which carbon dioxide most plants,
glucose is converted stem.t
converted into food in the and water are and stored in leaves, stems, into stard
form of glucose. roots, etc.
Oxygen is released in the The food that
plants make is used not
process. by themselves but also
carbon dioOxide chlorophyll on,
+ water by the entire livin
suntightglucose +oxygen world. Besides, as you
Since the
synthesis of food occurs in the already know
photosynthesis helps to maintain
presence of sunlight, it is called between the balante
oxygen and carbon dioxide
(photo light; synthesis photosynthesis the
atmosphere. Therefore, in the absence leves i
of =combination
components).
combines the
Thus,
photosynthesis photosynthesis, life would have been
dt

non-tiving components of the

fhe imposside
simplest method of testingimpossibe
environment-water and carbon photosynthesis has taken
whete
dioxide-in starch is place is to find out
outt
present in a leaf
(Activity 1).
CHLOROPHYLl
rsUNLIGHT
CARBON
DIOXIDE

oXYGEN CHLOROPHYLL
STOMAC

b. A GUARD CELLS
WATER AND cross section
MINERALS of a leaf

a.
Photosynthesis:
from carbon Glucose is
synthesized
STOMATAL OPENING
dioxide and water in GUARD CELL
presence of sunlight and the
chlorophyll.
FIG, 1.1
C. A
6 FOOD stoma surrounded cells
by guar
 AcTvT 1 (Experimental investigation) : To test a leaf for starch
Pluck a leaf from a plant which has been exposed to sunlight.
Boil it for about five minutes in water to soften it. Place it
in a test tube containing alcohol. Place the test tube in a
beaker of water and warm the water gently until the alcohol -WATER ALCOHOL

begins to bot (Caution: Do not allow the water in the

beaker to boil) The alcohol will dissolve the chlorophyll
and the leaf will tose its green colour) (Fig. 1.2).
Wash the leaf in warm water to remove the alcohol
Now spread the leaf out flat on a white tile and pour iodine
solution on it. Remove the leaf from the iodine and wash it
with water, Hold it up against the light. You will observe that BLUE-BLACK
parts of the leaf become blue-black. These parts of the leaf
have starch in them. FIG. 1.2 Testing a leaf for starch

Conditions necessary for photosynthesis Availability of carbon dioxide

The conditions necessary for photosynthesis to Availability of water
take place are as follows. Let us experimentally verify some of these
Presence of chlorophyll conditions (Activities 2, 3, 4, and 5).
Presence nf light

AcTTVITY 2 (Experimental AcTIvTY 3 (Experimental

investigation): To show that light
is necessary for photosynthesis
Take a potted plant and destarch its leaves
by keeping it in dark for 2 days. Take a
black paper and cut a simple shape init
by using a stencil. Cover one leaf with this
paper. Leave the set up in sunlight for 4-6
hours,
Detach the leaf and test it for presence of
starch. You will observe that only the part of
the leaf that could get sunlight through the
cut out design as well as the other exposed
parts of the leaf turn blue-black showing t
presence of starch (Fig. 1.3).
investigation): To show that rate of
photosynthesis is affected by light
Fill a beaker three-quarters with water. Put
some Hydilla plants in it. Cover the plants
with a glass funnel. Carefully invert a test
tube full of water over the stem of the funnel.
Keep the arrangement in sunlight. You will find
bubbles of a gas escaping from the leaves of
the plant. Keep the plant away from sunlight
now. You will observe that the number of
bubbles have decreased in the shady place.
AIR
BUBBLES
SUNLIGHT

WATER

HYDRILLA
PLANTS

BLUE-BLACK
FiG. 1.4 Rate of photosynthesis
FT6. 1.3 Light is necessary for photosynthesis. is affected by light.
 ACTIvnY 4 (Experimental investigation): ACTIVY 5 (Experimental
Chlorophyll is necessary for Carbon dioxide is investiga
photosynthesis
The leaves of plants, such as
money plant, have
for photosynthesls
Take a destarched potted plant.
necessarytton)
both geen and white parts
(Fig. 1.5). Chlorophyll conical flask and put some Takea
into it. Potassium potassium
is present only in their
green portions.
Select such a leaf from a plant that has
hydroxide hydroxide
absorbs the carbon dioxide. Insert
been exposed to suntight for a few hours
into this conical flask through a one leaf
Draw its outtine on a sheet of split
paper. Indicate (Fig. 1.6). Leave the plant in sunlight Cork
the green and white areas on the
drawing. few hours. After few hours take for
Test the leaf for starch.
Compare the parts leaf from conical flask and
out thiis
stained blue-black with the remove it
drawing. the plant. Take another leaf from from
Which parts of the leaf turn blue-black? the
plant. Test both these aves for
Why does the white portion not show the
of starch. You will observe that presen
presence of starch? the leaf
from the conical flask
Note: Leaves of some plants
does not turn blue-
such as Coleus and croton are
black while the
multi-coloured. Their non-green one that was
portions also carry chlorophyl exposed to
However, the colour of the
atmospheric air
chlorophyll is hidden by other
turns blue-black.
pigments present in the leaves This shows that
Fis. 1.5
Chlorophyll is necessary for
photosynthesis. carbon dioxide
is necessary for
PODASSTUM HYORCKTDE
Synthesis of food other than photosynthesis. ABSORRS CARBON OItATe
carbohydrates by plants FaG 1.6 Carbon dioxide is
necessary for
Carbohydrates that plants synthesize during photosynthesit
photosynthesis are
made up of carbon,
hydrogen Soil contains certain bacteria called
and oxygen. These are used to Rhizobium
synthesize that can convert
atmospheric
other components of food such as proteins into nitroge=
and fats. Proteins contain nitrogen. (Though. water-soluble compounds. Plant
air
v absorb these compounds along with water
contains large amounts of nitrogen, plants t
cannot absorb this nitrogen
get nitrogen.
directly. They get Farmers add fertilizers rich in
nitrogen in two ways.
the soil. These are absorbed by nitrogen t

plants.)
ORAL QUESTIONS
. If a new
organisn is discovered and it is found that
ít can make food for itself fronm simple
on-living substances tound in nature, what will
Give reasons
you classify it as-un autotroph or a heterotruph?
2. The atbsence of which of these will not aftect
chioruphyil, ight? Give reasons. photosynthesis-oxygen, carbon dioxide, water,
3 Do you expect the
intensity of
light to alfect the rate of photosynthesis?

8 FOOD
 HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION
Animals and non-green plants, such as fungi
and bacteria, cannot prepare their own
food. They depend directly or indirectly on
green plants for their nutrition. This mode of
nutrition is called heterotrophic nutrition.
Animals and non-green plants are known as
heterotrophs.
Herbivorous animals depend directly on
plants for their nutrition. Carnivores depend
on other animals, which in turn depend on FiG. 1.8 Mistletoe plant
plants (Fig. 1.7). Thus, when you eat meat, you minerals from the host plants. They are known as
are indirectly depending on food prepared by partial parasites
plants. You know that green plants get the The plant kingdom also has plants that
energy to prepare food from the sun. Thus, consume insects. The Venusflytrap and pitcher
the sun is the ultimate source of energy for all plant, catch insects by ingenious methods.
living organisms. Theyare known as insectivorous plants, In
leaf becomes modified to
the pitcher plant, a
nutrition in plants form apitcher-like structure with a lid.Inside
Heterotrophic
V{Somenon-green plants live in or on other living the pitcher there are
hairs pointing downwards.
organisms and derive their food from them. When an insect enters in the pitcher plant,
For example, dodderis a plant that sucks food thelid closes to trap the insect, and it gets
fromanother plant using root-like structyres. entangled in the hair. The cells of the pitcher
Such plants are calledparasites,) The plant plant secrete digestive juices to digest the
from which a parasite gets its food is called insect.
a [host Some_parasitic plants like (mistletoe H Venus flytrap and pítcher plant grow in
plant)(Fig. 1.8), which grow on trees such as soil that is not so rich. They use the nutrition
mango or mahua, have green leaves and_can obtained from insects to supplement the food
synthesize their food. They take water and they prepare by photosynthesis.

SUN IS THE ULTIMATE

SOURCE OF ENERGY

CARNIVORES

HERBIVORES

-- PRODUCERS OR AUTOTROPHS
HETEROTROPHS

FiG. 1.7 The flow of energy in a food chain

NUTRITION IN PLANTS 9
Saprotrophs
Some non-green live on dead and
plants
their
aecaying plants and animals, and derive
food from them. Examples are mushrooms and
other fungi, and bacteria. They secrete digestive
juices on the dead and decaying matter. This
converts the solid matter into a liquid. They
then absorb the nutrients from this liquid. This FIG. 1.10 Lichen
method of getting nutrients from dead and
known supplieswater and minerals to the celle
decaying matter in the form of a liquid is food totheetfungit
as saprotrophic nutrition alga,while the algasupplies
beneficial relationsh
Fungi and bacteria that use this mode
of nutrition are known as saprotrophs or called symbiosisyB
Such a mutually
relationship
saprophytes. REPLENISHING NUTRIENTS IN THECO
S0M
Spores of fungi always floating around
are
Plants absorb nutrients from thesoil. There
in the air. They start germinating when they the amount of nutnents in the soil goes
land on wet and warm things. Fungi grow on
articles in decreasing. In a forest, these nutrient
shoes, clothes, pickles and other naturally replenished by decaying of de
warm and humid weather.
plants and animals. However, a fam thes
on

nutrients have to be added to the soil in t

ACTTvITY 6 (Information gathering)
form of manure and fertilizers. These manuie
Compare a mushroom with a green plant.
find? and fertilizers contain plant nutrients sucha
What differences and similarities do you
nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. A fme
knows which nutrients are crucial for which arog
AcTIvITY 7 (Experimental investigation):
To grow fungi and adds manures and fertilizers accordingly.
Take a slice of bread. Sprinkle
some water on Most crops require a lot of nitrogen te
for 2-3 days. make proteins. After the crop is harvestal
it and leave it in a moist place
Can you see
Observe with a magnifying glass. the soil becomes deficient in nitrogen. lou
patches of thread-like
brown
have already read that bacteria Rhizobium
or ca
white, green
the bread? This is a fungus.
growth take atmospheric nitrogen and convert itjmt
on

POPES a soluble form that the plants can absord

Rhizobium cannot make its own food
It therefore lives in the roots of legumino
plantslike gram,peas andmoong where itge
them wu
bread
food and shelter. In turn, it provides
nitrogen. It thus has a symbiotic relationsn
on
FIG. 1.9 Fungi growing
of
with leguminous plants. We get most t
In another mode of nutrition(two different
organisms work together for their pulses from leguminous plants. Farmers k
kinds of 0US

is an that they do not need to add nitrogen

mutual benefit. For example, alga,which
a_saprophyte, fertilizers in the soil in which legum
autotroph, and_fungus, whichis The fungus plants are grown.
ive together in lichen (Fig.
1.10).
10 FOOD
 ORAL QUESTIONS
1. A tiger does not eat plants, so it does not depend on plants for food. Is the statement true?
Jusity your answer
2. All plants are autotrophic. Do vou agree? Give reasons.
3. Plants need nitrogen to make proteins. Can they absorb from the
nitrogen atmosphere

1T OUR HERITAGE
The eartiest evidence of crops being cultivated and animals being domesticated in India,
dates back to 9000 BCE. Evidence of barley and wheat cultivation, along with domestication
of sheep and goat, has been obtained from Mehrgarh, which is now in Balochistan (Pakistan).
by 8000-6000 BCE.

NEW WORDS
AUTOTROPHS-organisms that can make their food from simple non-living substances
HETEROTROPHS-Organisms that directly or indirectly depend on green plants for nutrition
PARASITES-organisms that live in or on other living organisms and derive
their food from them
SAPROTROPHS-organisms that live on dead plants and animals and derive
their food from them
sYMBIOSIS-the mode of nutrition where two different organisms work
together for their mutual benefit

NUTRITION IN
PLANTS

AUTOTROPHIC HETEROTROPHIC
NUTRITION NUTRITION
requires takes place in

Chlorophy Sunlight Carbon dioxide Parasites Insectivonous Saprophvtes

plants

NOW YOU KNOW

Green plants are autotrophs.
Green plants use water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to prepare their food
during photosvnthesis.
Energy for photosynthesis is obtained from sunlight trapped bv chlorophvll
All non-green plants and animals are
heterotrophs.
Non-green plants are parasites, saprophytes or insectivorous.
NUTRITION IN PLANTS I1
 EXERCISES

a n s w e r .

A.
propriate
Choose the most
c. all animals d. unicellular
1. Which of these are autotrophsí
a. all plants green plants
photosynthesis
for . nitrogen
2. Which of these is not necessary c. light
and «
a. carbon dioxide b. chlorophyll carbon,
hydrogen oxygen to mak
addition to
needed in d. calcium
3. Which of these elements is c. p o t a s s i u m

A. nitrogen b. phosphorus
the atmosphere
o5phere dur
during photosynthesi
absorbed from c. carbon dioxide d. nitrogen
4. Which of the following gets
oxygen
b. water vapour
obtain their
nutrition from the host a
5. Organisms that live in or near the host and
c. heterotrophs. d. parasites. callet
saprophytes. b. autotrophs.
6. Which of these is a saprophyte? c. pitcher plant d. dodder
B . mushroom
a. venus flytrap

one word.
B. Answer the questions in Ch\oroDlasts
are called
T h e structures in cells that contain chlorophyll
2. What does 'photo' in photosynthesis refer to? e d
into sOluble compound? e
3. Which bacteria in the soil can convert atmospheric nitrogen
4. What type of plant is Cuscuta? Plont paro si
5. Name one organism that gets its food from dead and decaying matter. Saystenlule
al&C
in nature. True or false? al&e
6. Some green plants are also heterotrophic
7. Which cells control the opening and closing of stomata? astd Ceus

C. Answer in one or two sentences.

1. What is nutrition?
2. What are 'stomata'? Where are they normally found?
3. Write down the chemical equation for manufacture of food in green plants.
4. What factors are essential for photosynthesis to take place?
5. How does an insectivorous plant absorb nutrients from an insect trapped by it?
6. How does a saprophyte digest its food?

D. Answer these questions

1. Differentiate between autotrophs and heterotrophs,
giving two examples of each.
2. How will you test a leaf for starch? Mention any
precautions you will take.
3. How do plants get
nitrogen to synthesize proteins?
4. Explain following
the with the help of an example for each:
a. parasitic nutrition b. symbiosis
C. saprotrophic nutrition
5. Why are manures and fertilizers added to the soil in a farm2
12 FOOD
 2
Nutrition in Animals
All animals including humans need certain
nutrients to stay alive and grow. These
nutrients are obtained from food. The food
you eat (feeding) is not in a form that can
instantly provide you with nutrients. First, it
has to be broken down into small particles.
These particles must then be changed into
simple, soluble forms, which the body cells can
absorb. Only then can food provide nutrients.
The various processes involved in nutrition, in
animals that take in solid food, are as follows.
Ingestion is the taking in of food. It
involves taking in the food through the
mouth and eating it.
Digestion is the breakdown of food into
a simple, soluble form with the help of
digestive juices made in the body.
NUTRITION IN AMOEBA,
For detailed instruchons. see inside front cover.
Absorption isthe process bywhich the
in the soluble form passes into the t
fluids such as blood.
Assimilation is the process by w-
absorbed nutrients are utilized by
body.
Egestion is the process of eliminaion.
undigested solid parts of the food.
NUTRITION IN AMOEBA,
HYDRA AND FROG
Theunicellular(Amoeba engulfs tiny partic
of food by throwing its false feet, known
pseudopodia around it. The pseudopodia
togethertoform a small cavityknown as at
vacuole.,)The food inside the vacuole is digest
by digestive juices (Fig. 2.1a). It is absor
IN THIS CHAPTER
HYORA AND FROG THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM RUMINANTS
and assimilated there to provide energy and PSEUDOPODTA
perform other functions. FOOD
VACUOLE
Hydra is a simple, multicellular animal.
It has a number of temtacles around its mouth,
which are used for ingestion of food. The a.
Amoebo uses its pseudopodia
tentacles entangle small aquatic animals and TENTACLES

kill them with their stinging cells. They then

push them into the mouth (Fig. 2.1b). Inside
the body cavity the digestive juices secreted by
the surrounding cells help to digest the food.
www
This is then absorbed through the cavity walls
and assimilated in the cells.
The frog uses its long sticky tongue to catch
insects (Fig. 2.1c). Frogs have a well-developed D.
Hydra uses its tentacles
TONGUE
digestive system in which food is digested with
the help of digestive juices.
The unicellular Paramecium has stiff hair-like
structures called cilig all over its body, which are
used for ingestion. The constant movement of the
C.Frog uses its long sticky tongue
cilia pushes the food particles into the mouth-like
FiG. 2.1 Animals ingest food using different body parts
structure of a Paramecium. The rest of the nutrition
processes are similar to those in Amoeba. The mosquito sucks up the blood of animals
A spider weaves a sticky web in which small with its proboscis (Fig. 2.2a). The housefly also
insects get stuck. It then injects digestive juices lives on liquid food. It uses its saliva to dissolve
into the body of the insect, which digest the body thefood and form a solution. Then it sucks up
parts of the insect. Thus, the digestion of a spiders the solution with the help of its feeding tube
food actually takes place outside the spiders body. (Fig. 2.2b). The butterfly also uses its proboscis
The spider then sucks up the digested food. to suck nectar from flowers (Fig. 2.2c).

b. Housefty
a. Mosquito sucks up
sucks up the food in c. Butterfly
the biood of the solution sucks up
animals with form with its nectar with
its proboscis feeding tube its proboscis.

FiG. 2.2 The mouth parts of insects are modified to suit their feeding habits.

ORAL QUESTIONS
. Why does food need to be digested?
2. Digestion offood in all animals occurs inside the body. Do you agree? Justify your answer. a L
3. Name two animals that live on liquid food only

NUTRITION IN ANIMALS 15

THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Your body performs the steps of nutrition inside
long tube, coiled in some places, called the
gut or alimentary canal. Its main parts are: the
mouth; food pipe or oesophagus; stomach;
smalt intestine; large intestine ending in the
rectum; and anus.
and
$alivary glands, liver, gall bladder
pancreas are organs that secrete digestive
juices that help convert complex substances in
food to simpler substances. Digestive juices are
also secreted by the inner walls of the stomach
and the small intestine.
Digestion fn the mouth
Food is taken in or ingested through the
mouth. Digestion begins inside your mouth
when you chew the food. Think about your
favourite food. Does your mouth water? The
water in your mouth is a digestive juicecalled
saliva. It is secreted by three pairs of
the
salivary glands in your mouth. Chewingbreaks
WIY IS
HEWNG down the food into small pieces and mixes it.
NATCeL with saliva. This process is called mastication,
FOR VS Your teeth cut, tear and grind the food before
you swallow it. You have different types of
teeth to do these jobs.
A child has only 20 teeth-10 in each
jaw. These are known_as milk teeth. They
fall off by the age of ten and are replaced by
larger permanent teeth. This set contains
32 teeth, 16 in each jaw. There are 4 incisors,
2 canines, 4 premolars and 6 molars in each
jaw (Fig. 2.3). Feel the different shapes of your
teeth with your tongue.
Your front teeth are known_as incisors
These are chisel-shaped and are used for
biting and cutting.
Next to the incisors are thejcanines/These
are pointed and are used for
piercing and
tearing pieces of food such as meat.
The teeth at the back of your mouth are broad
16 FOOD
INCESOR
CANTNE
PREMOUAR
MOUAR
set of teeth of humans
FiG. 2.3 Pemanent
of four types of teeth
consists
almost flat surface. These crush an
with an
food. These are called the premola
grind the
and/molars., Molars are larger than premolar-
covers your teet-
Thewhite substance that hardest
is calledenamelt is
the substan-
in the body.
The saliva in your mouth helps to bre=
down starch of the food into sugars that a-
easier to digest. It also makes food easier
swallow by making it wet and slippery.
AcTivITY 1 (Experimental
investigation): To study the
effect of saliva on food
You have read that saliva converts starch of
food into sugar. Let us do an experiment.
You will need saliva test tubes starch
glass slides iodine solution
Take a little of your saliva in a test tube.
In another test tube boil some starch
(you can take the starch that is used to
starch our clothes). Put a drop of boiled
starch on a glass slide. Add to it a drop
of iodine solution. It will turn blue-black
showing the presence of starch. Now add
some boiled starch to the saliva. Test the
resulting solution for starch. Is starch presen
now? Why?
Your tongue is a muscular organ that hs
ou to eat food. It pushes food towards
teeth. It also helps to mix the food with sa
and then enables you to swallow it.
OFUNCT OS
 THEN NOW from a few minutes to a few hours depending
on the type of food eaten. The inner lining
BITTER
of the stomach secretes mucous, hydrochlonic
SOUR SOUR
acidand digestive juices. The mucous protects
SALTY SALTY the inner lining of the stomach. Theacid kills
bacteria that enter along with food and also
SWEET
helps in digestion of proteins. The stomach
Scientists earlier thought that the Now it is proved muscles squeeze and mix the food with digestive
taste buds that detect different that each taste juices. The digestive juices break down proteins
kinds of tastes are located in bud can detect
specific areas of the tongue.
into simpler substances. Thus, food gets partly
all tastes.
digested in the stomach. Thenit goesintothe
FI6. 2.4 Each taste bud can detect all
smallintestine where most of the digestion
tastes-sweet, salty, sour and bitter.
OCCurs.
Your tongue does another job too. Small
taste buds are spread across its surface. Each Digestion in the small intestine
taste bud can detect all tastes-sweet, salty, As the food leaves your stomach, little by
sour and bitter. Scientists earlier thought little, it enters a long winding tube below it,
that the taste buds that detect different called the small intestine. The last steps of
kinds of tastes are located in specific areas digestion take place here.
of the tongue (Fig. 2.4). However, this is not
considered to be true now.
The tongue also helps you to speak.
SALIVARY
MOUTH- GLANDS
stomach
Digestion in the
After the food is swallowed, it slides down
the pharynx into the OESOPHAGUS
oesophagus (food
pipe). The oesophagusS
FOOD OESOPHAGUSs
leads from your mouth
to the stomach. It
is
made up of muscles. LIVER
These muscles gently GALL
BLADDER STOMACH
push food down to your PANCREAS
stomach in a wave- LARGE
FIG. 2.5 Peristalsis:
like action called INTESTINE

pushing down of food SMALL

peristalsis (Fig. 2.5). by muscles INTESTINE
Actually this movement

takes place throughout RECTUM

push the food forward. ANUS
the atimentary canal to
made up of
Your stomach is a J-shaped bag
two litres
muscles (Fig. 2.6). It can hold up to system
the stomach FIG. 2.6 The human digestive
of food at a time. Food stays in
ANIMALS 17
NUTRITION IN
 THE STORY OF THE STOMACH
- LAYER OF VILLI
WTH A HOLE

How the of the stomach was discovered

working
makes an interesting story On 6 June 1822,
a

man called Alexis St Martin was accidentally

shot Magnified view
of a villus
in the stomach. He was treated by an American
doctor Wiliam Beaumont. Martin survived projections in
Vili: small finger-like
but with a hole in his stomach that never FiG. 2.7 the small intestine
wall of
the inner
completely healed. Dr Beaumont recognized this
intestine
as a unique opportunity to observe digestve the small
Absorption in
processes. He began to perfom experiments
on
food is then by the smak
absorbed
The digested Tooa occurs throuo
digestion using Martin's stomach.
intestine. Absorption
or
gh
finger-like projectione
The expeniments were mainly conducted by thousands of
small in
the small intestine. These
inserting a piece of food tied to a string through the inner walls
of
the hole into Martin's stomach. Every few hours, as (Illi (Singular: villus
projections known of absorption
Dr Beaumont would remove the food and observe surface area
increase the
that
how well it had been digested. He observed villus has
churned in the stomadh. digested food (Fig. 2.7). Each close to th
the food was being capillaries
Dr Beaumont also extracted a sample of gastric network of fine blood
absorbed onthe suface of the
from Martin's stomach for analysis. He used surface. The food
juices blood in the capillaries.
the villus passes into the
t to"digest bits of food in cups. This led to
important discovery that the stomach juices digest IT'S A FACT!

the food into nutrients the body can use; in

minerals and vitamins
chemical During digestion,
other words, digestion was primarily a The cells are able
do not need to be changed.
process and not a mechanical one.
to absorb them as they
are.

The muscles in the small intestine mix
food with more digestive juices. Some juices
intestine
are secreted by the cells of the small
itself. Others come from the liver, which is the
the pancreas
largest gland in the body, and
that is located just below the stomach.
The liver secretes(bile juice/which is
stored in the (gall bladder The bile breaks
up fats into tiny droplets that can be digested
and absorbed more easily. The digestive
juices then act on these tiny droplets to form
simpler compounds known as fatty acids and
glycerol. The pancreas secretesthe pancreatic
juice that changes starch into simple sugars,
and proteins into simpler compounds called
amino acids,
18
Assimilation
The food absorbed into the blood ís transportet
to different parts of the body. It is used to
provide enegy and matenals for growth and
repair of body tissues. This is the final stage
in the process of digestion and is known as
assimilation. Glucose is broken down in the
cells with the help of oxygen into carbon
dioxide and water, to provide energy. Amino
acids are used for building and repairing of
body parts. Fatty acids and glycerol are stored
under the skin and act as energy reserves.
Egestion
Not all the food
you eat is digested and
absorbed. The food that cannot be digested
FOOD
moves from the small intestine into a wide RUMINANTS
tubecalled the large intestine. Here, most of Ruminants are hooved, plant-eating animals
the water present in the waste is absorbed. The
that digest their food in two steps. Some
waste food which is now almost solid is stored examples are cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep
in the last part of the large intestine called
the
rectum) It is then passed out of the body
and bison. They have complicated stomachs
consisting of four chambers.
through the(anus.) Food that is swallowed goes into the first
chamber called the rumen, Here it is partially
ITS A FACT!
The small intestine is smaller in diameter but
digested and is called cud) It then goes to the
second chamber from where it is returned to
longer in length (about 7 metres) than the large
the mouth for thorough chewing. This process
intestine (about 1.5 metres).
is called rumination) That is why these animals
are called ruminants. After chewing, the
ITS A FACT! food is swallowed for a second time and then
Sometimes a food chunk may get into the digested further in the remaining chambers.It
trachea instead of the food pipe, leading to is finally sent to the smallintestine, where the
a bout of coughing. This is nature's way of absorption of the nutrients occurs.
removing the food chunk from the trachea. If
this does not remove the food, the person can
choke. A method called Heimiich Manoeuvre
can stop the person from choking. It consists
of giving a sudden thrust to the abdomen just
below the rib cage. The thrust forces air out
of the person's lungs and blows the food from RUMEN

the trachea. However, the manoeuvre should STOMACH

since it can be dangerous if
be learnt properly,
wrongly applied and can even break the ribs.
FIG. 2.8 A cow digests its food in two steps.

ORAL QUESTIONS
of food in humans mainly occur?
. In which twoorgans does digestion
of digested food occurs in the stomach. Do you agree? Justify your
answer.
2. Absorption
3. All digestive juices are by
secreted cells in the stomach and small intestine. Do you agree? Give reasons.

and absorbed by the blood?

4. What happens to food after it is digested,
different from the stomach of a human?
5. In what way is the basic structure of the stomach of a cow

NEW WORDS
food
PSEUDOPoDIA-falsefeet of Amoeba which it uses to engulf
it into small pieces
MASTICATiON-chewing food to break
that digest their food in two steps
RUMINANTS-plant-eating animals
of the small intestine that help
VILL-Small projections in the inner walls
food
in absorption of digested
NUTRITION IN ANIMALS 19
 NOW YOU KNOW

involves ingestion, digest

es ingestio digestioan, absorption,
animals
nutrition in
The process of
and egestion.
their food
in different ways
Animalsget consists of the mouth,
oesophagus
stom sma
digestive system salivary planac
The human
ending in
the rectum, and anus. The ary glands, liver
large
intestine
and
that also help in digestion. prem
organs
The different types ofteeth
in humans
are incisors, canines,
nolars and molan
in the mouth and
continues in the stomach and small intestina
and

Digestion begins small intestine. ine

absorbed in the
tood is
Digested
in two steps.
Ruminants digest theirfood

Mouth
Aus
NUTRITION
through
************ IN HUMANS
REtun
INGESTION
(PROCESS) Large intesing 2
(absorption ol wao
ABSORPTION ASSIMILATION *********)
thunsp
DIGESTION
OCcurs in
EGESTION
occurs inn
takes place in
- **ar ******
Small Cells of
intestine the body
Mouth Stomach Small
intestine

EXERCISES
A. Choose the most appropriate answer.

I. Which of these is not a part of nutrition?

a. digestion b. absorption C. egestion d. excretion

2. The pointed teeth in your mouth are

a. premolars. . incisors. C. molars d. canines
3. The last part of
digestion of food takes place in the
a. stomach. b. small intestine. C. large intestine. d. oesophag

4. Which of the folowing organs does not secrete

a. stomach
digestive juices?
b. small intestine c. liver d. oesophau

5. Breaking down of food into

simple soluble compounds is called
a. ingestuorn. b. digestion. d. e gestion
C. nutrition.

20 F0OD
 6. Bile is produced in the
a. stomach. b. small intestine.
C. pancreas. d. liver
7. What kind of teeth do you think
a. incisors
are
especially developed in carnivores?
b. canines C. pre-molars d. molars

B. Answer the questions in one word.

1. Digestion is the process of breaking down of food into simple, Solvabe form.
2. What is the name
given to the process
by which absorbed nutrients are utilized by the body?
3. Name the cavity in unicellular animals in which food is
present.
4. Saliva helps by making the food wet. It does not have any other function. True or false?
5. Where does initial digestion of take proteins place?
6. The white hard substance that covers the teeth is called
7. In which part of the digestive system is water absorbed from undigested food?

C. Answer in one or two sentences.

1. How does a frog catch its prey?
2. How does a spider digest its food?
3. Name the organs that make up the human alimentary canal.
4. What is he difference between milk teeth and permanent teeth?
5. What is saliva and where is it produced?
6. What is the function of taste buds?
7. How does the presence of acid in the stomach help?

D. Answer these questionns.

1. List and explain in one sentence each, the various processes involved in nutrition in animals.
2. Explain through diagrams ingestion of food in a. Amoeba b. Hydra.
3. Name the four types of teeth in your mouth. What are their functions?

4. Explain how digested food is absorbed into the blood.

5. Briefly explain the process of digestion in ruminants.
HOTS QUESTIONS: Think and answer.

get digested-sugar beans (beans

1. Which food do you think will take a longer time to or

contain lot of proteins)?

body to provide energy from food.
2. Digestion needs the systems in the
help of two more

Which are these systems and how do they help?

do you think it will still go through the
3. If you eat food while hanging upside down,
alimentary canal? Give reasons.

BE ASCIENTIST you think this

but very few overweight animals. Why do
we can see many overweight people
is so?