Class 8 Science Chapter 1 Living World and Classification of Microbes Textbook Questions and Answers

1-Use Whittaker method to classify bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, prokaryotic, eukaryotic, microbes.

Answer:Bacteria: Kingdom Monera

Protozoa: Kingdom Protista

Fungi: Kingdom Fungi

Algae: If unicellular, Kingdom Protista. If multicellular, Kingdom Plantae

Prokaryotic: Kingdom Monera

Eukaryotic: Any kingdom other than Monera.

Microbes: Kingdom Monera or Protista.

2. Complete the five kingdom method of classification using-living organism, prokaryotes, eukaryotes,
multicellular, unicellular, protista, animals, plants, fungi.

Answer:

3. Find out my partner

Answer:

A B

1. FungiCandida

2. Protozoa Amoeba

3. Virus Bacteriophage

4. AlgaeChlorella

5. Bacteria Prokaryotic.
4. State whether the following statements are True or False. Explain your statement:

Question a.

Lactobacilli are harmful bacteria.

Answer:False.

Explanation Lactobacilli are useful bacteria. They are used for curdling the milk. They are also used for
preparing variety of milk products.

Question b.

Cell wall of fungi is made up of chitin.

Answer:True.Explanation The cell wall of the plants is made up of cellulose while the cell wall of fungi is
made up of complex sugar called chitin. Inside the fungal cell wall there is cytoplasm which contains
many nuclei.

Question d.Organ of locomotion in amoeba is pseudopodia.

Answer:True.Explanation Amoeba is a protozoan, primitive organism which possesses pseudopodia as

the organ for locomotion.

Question e.Tomato wilt is a viral disease.

Answer:True.Explanation: Tomato wilt is a viral disease. These viruses are able to infect only plant cells.

5. Give answers

Question a.State the merits of Whittaker’s method of classification.

Answer:For the answer of Merits of Whittaker’s method refer to point I of answer given on this Digest’s
page no. 11; under “Use your brain power!”

Question b.Write the characteristics of viruses.

Answer:1. Viruses are extremely minute of the size range of 10 nrn to 100 nm. They are on the
borderline of living and non-living. They are 10 to 100 times smaller than bacteria and are visible only
through the electron microscope.

2. Though they are not considered as living, they can make replica of their own.

3. They exist in the form of independent particles. They are long molecules of DNA or RNA which are
covered by a protein coat.
4. Their survival is possible only inside the living plant or animal cells. When they infect the host cells,
they produce their own proteins with the machinery of the host cell. These proteins form many replicas
of the infecting virus.

5. This infection destroys the host cell and the virus replicas are released. These free replicas re-infect
the other adjoining cells of the host.

6. Most of the viruses are pathogenic, they cause diseases in plants and animals.

Question c.Explain the nutrition in fungi.

Answer:Most of the fungi are saprophytic in their nutrition. They absorb the nourishment from dead
and decaying matter. By taking the organic matter from dead bodies of plants and animals, fungi survive.
In this process they degrade the organic matter completely.

Question d.Which living organisms are included in the kingdom Monera?

Answer:All the living organisms belonging to Kingdom Monera are unicellular.

The mode of nutrition in them is either autotrophic or heterotrophic.

All of them are prokaryotic and thus they do not have well-formed nucleus. The nuclear membrane and
the cell organelles are absent in them.

Kingdom Monera consists of different types of bacteria and blue-green algae.

E.g. Bacteria Clostridium titani, Vibrio choleri, Treponema pallidum, Streptococcus pneumoniae,
Legionella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum.

6. Who am I?

Question a.I don’t have true nucleus, cell organelles or plasma membrane.

Answer:Microbe from Monera

Question b.I have nucleus and membrane bound cell organelles.

Answer:Protozoan from Protista/I am any one of Eukaryote

Question c.I live on decaying organic matter.

Answer:Fungus

Question d.I reproduce mainly by cell division. (*Binary fission)

Answer:Bacteria and some Protozoa.

Question e.I can produce my replica.

Answer:Virus

Question f.I am green, but don’t have organs.

Answer:Algae

7. Draw neat and labelled diagrams.

8. Arrange the following in ascending order of size Bacteria, Fungi, Viruses, Algae.

Answer:Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi, Algae.

Chp 2 health and diseases

Question 1: Distinguish between – Infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Answer:

Infectious diseases Non-infectious diseases

1. It can be transmitted from one individual to It cannot be transmitted from one individual to another.
another.

2. It is mainly caused by a pathogen. It is caused due to internal reasons, such as metabolic,

hereditary or genetic reasons.

3. They are also known as communicable diseases. They are known as non-communicable diseases.

4. Examples: diarrhoea, tuberculosis, cholera, etc. Examples: hypertension, diabetes, cancer, etc.

Question 2: Identify the odd term.

a. Malaria, hepatitis, elephantiasis, dengue.

b. Plague, AIDS, cholera, T.B.

Answer: a. Malaria, hepatitis, elephantiasis, dengue: Among all these diseases, Hepatitis is the odd one
because it is caused by a virus while the rest of three usually spread through mosquito bites.

b. Plague, AIDS, cholera, T.B.: Among all these diseases, AIDS is the odd term because it is caused by a
viral infection while the rest of the diseases are caused by bacteria.

Question 3: Answer in one to two sentences.

a. Which are various media of spreading the infectious diseases?

b. Give the names of five non-infectious diseases other than given in the lesson.

c. Which are the main reasons for diabetes and heart diseases?

Answer: a. Infectious diseases usually spread through water, air, human blood to blood transfusion and
animal vectors.

b. Non-infectious diseases include cataract, arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkingson’s and
Alzheimer’s disease.
c. Some of the reasons for diabetes include obesity, lack of physical activity, mental anxiety & stress,
imbalanced diet and genetic causes.

Some of the reasons for heart diseases include heavy smoking, drinking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity,
lack of physical activity, mental anxiety & stress and imbalanced diet.

Question 4: What can be achieved / can be prevented ?

a. Drinking boiled and filtered water.

b. Avoiding smoking and alcoholism.

c. Regular balanced diet and exercise.

d. Proper checking of blood before blood donation.

Answer: a. Boiling and filtration are useful methods of purifying water that renders it suitable for
consumption. Drinking boiled and filtered water can prove helpful in prevention of various water-borne
diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, etc. Most of the water-borne diseases are caused due to the
consumption of contaminated water in some form or the other.

b. Smoking and alcoholism are two major causes of health problems which affect our society greatly.
Smoking leads to different kinds of respiratory disorders and hinders the respiration process in humans.
It can lead to acute health diseases such as lung cancer, throat cancer, etc. On the contrary,
consumption of alcohol affects the liver, nervous and digestive system of our body. People can maintain
a healthy lifestyle and stay protected from various diseases by avoiding alcohol and smoking in their
lives.

c. Having a balanced diet and proper exercise are key factors which contribute to good health. When
both are combined together, it helps our systems to function properly, maintain a healthy body mass
and weight, reduces body fat, provides energy, promotes sound sleep and makes us feel fresh and fit
about ourselves.

d. Proper checking of blood before blood donation is important to check the blood thoroughly before it
is transferred to others. Many a time, there are chances of transmission of infectious diseases from the
donor to the recipient in case the former is suffering from any such diseases. One more important
reason, it is important to check blood before donation is to examine that the donor is not anaemic as
donating blood may be harmful to him/her.

Question 5: Read the passage and answer the questions.

Master ‘X’ is a 3 year old child. He is living with his family in a slum. Public toilet is present near his
house. His father is a drunkard. His mother does not know the importance of a balanced diet.

a. Master ‘X’ can suffer from which different possible diseases in above conditions ?

b. How will you help him and his family in this situation ?
c. Which disease can occur to the father of master ‘X’ ?

Answer: a. Since, the house of master X is in a slum area and there is a public toilet near it, there are
chances that there is a lack of cleanliness in that area. He is likely to suffer from diseases like shigellosis,
salmonellosis, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, giardiasis, trachoma, tapeworm infection or threadworm
infection.

b. In this case, the family needs to maintain personal hygiene and cleanliness in and around their
houses. They should be explained about the importance of a balanced diet for the entire family. Since,
the father is a drukyard, he needs proper counselling, rehabilitation and treatment to get rid of this ill-
habit of alcoholism.

c. Since the father of master X is a drunkard, he is likely to suffer from complex diseases such as liver
cirrhosis, heart diseases, ulcers and gastrointestinal problems, brain haemorrhage, etc.

Question 6: Give the preventive measures of the following diseases.

a. Dengue

b. Cancer

c. AIDS

Answer: a. Dengue is a disease which is transmitted by Aedes mosquito which lays eggs in water-logged
places, which multiply over time. Mosquitoes breeding can be prevented by adopting the following
measures:

Larvae-eating fishes should be introduced and left in pond water.

Water storage and collection should always be done in closed vessels.

There should be proper drainage of potted plants to avoid accumulation of water in the pots.

Use of pesticides against mosquitoes as and when necessary.

b. Preventive measures for cancer:

To maintain a healthy diet.

Proper exercise daily.

Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol.

Regular health checkups to maintain health.

c. Preventive measures for AIDS are:

Avoid sexual contact / intercourse with unknown people.

Check blood thoroughly before transfusion.

Avoid sharing or using the same needles or syringes.

Question 7: Explain the importance.

a. Balanced diet.

b. Physical exercise / Yoga asanas.

Answer: a. A balanced diet is a diet that consists of all essential nutrients such as proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in the right proportion. A balanced diet helps us in the
following ways:

supplies important nutrients to our body that is required for body growth.

helps us to maintain fitness and stay free from diseases.

strengthens the human immune system.

helps to maintain and function our systems properly.

helps to maintain a healthy and balanced body weight

reduces or helps in cutting down body fat.

provides energy to the entire body.

promotes sound sleep and boosts our overall health.

b. Importance of exercise and yoga asanas are:

reduces the risk of heart diseases such as attacks or strokes.

helps in maintaining proper weight.

helps in maintaining blood pressure levels.

helps in maintaining proper cholesterol level of blood.

lowers the risk of cancers and type 2 diabetes.

helps in maintaining stronger muscles, bones and joints.

lowers the risk of osteoporosis disease.

makes you feel relaxed by boosting energy levels.

Question 8: Make a list.

a. Viral diseases.

b. Bacterial diseases.

c. Diseases spread through insects.

d. Hereditary diseases.

Answer:

Type of Diseases Examples

Viral diseases Chicken pox, Mumps, Measles, Swine flu, etc.

Bacterial diseases Diphtheria, Tuberculosis, Cholera, Tetanus, Typhoid, etc.

Diseases spread through insects Malaria, Dengue, Plague, etc.

Hereditary diseases Hypertension, Diabetes, Cancer, etc.

Question 9: Write the information on modern diagnostics and treatments of cancer.

Answer: Diagnostics of cancer: There are various techniques which are used in the diagnosis of cancer.
The application completely depends upon the type of cancer. Radiography (use of X-rays), biopsy, CT
Scan (Computed Tomography), histopathological studies of bone and blood and MRI (Magnetic
Resonance Imaging) are mostly used in the diagnosis of cancer. Some of the modern techniques such as
Radiography, CT Scan and MRI are used in cancer diagnosis.

1. MRI uses strong magnetic rays and non-ionising radiations to accurately detect and identify
pathological and physiological changes in the living tissue or body.

2. CT Scan uses X-rays to generate a three-dimensional image of the internal parts of a particular object
or human body.

Treatment of cancer: Cancer can be treated by using three major approaches based upon the type of
cancer. These approaches include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

1. In surgery, the tumor is removed from its site through operation and is applicable in specific body
regions and cases only.

2. Radiotherapy is a technique in which the cancer cells are damaged with radiations and take care of
the normal tissues surrounding the cancer cells.

3. Chemotherapy uses various types of drugs for treating cancer. These chemotherapeutic drugs can be
used specifically for particular tumors only and they have a lot of side effects such as hair loss, paling of
skin, anaemia, etc.
Most of the cancers can be treated by using a combination of all these three approaches.

Question 10: Enlist the names and composition of the medicines present at your home.

Answer: The following medicines are found in our houses:

1. For treating influenza, we generally use Paracip – Paracetamol or Acetaminophen.

2. For treating minor stomach aches and disorders, we use Digene, Polycrol, Pudin Hara, etc.

3. For treating body aches we use Volini, Moov, Iodex, etc.

Chp 3 force and pressure

Question 1: Write the word in the blank space.

a. The SI unit of force is_________ (Dyne, Newton, Joule).

b. The air pressure on our body is equal to __________ pressure (Atmospheric, sea bottom, space)

c. For a given object, the buoyant force in liquids of different ________ is__________ (the same,
density, different, area).

d. The SI unit of pressure is_______ (N/m3 , N/m2, kg/m2, Pa/m2).

Answer:

a. The SI unit of force is Newton.

b. The air pressure on our body is equal to atmospheric pressure.

c. For a given object, the buoyant force in liquids of different density is different.

d. The SI unit of pressure is N/m2.

Question 2: Make a match:

A groupB group

1. Fluid a. Higher pressure

2. Blunt knife b. Atmospheric pressure

3. Sharp needle c. Specific gravity

4. Relative density d. Lower pressure

5. Hecto Pascal e. Same pressure in all directions

Answer:

A groupB group

1. Fluid a. Same pressure in all directions

2. Blunt knife b. Lower pressure

3. Sharp needle c. Higher pressure

4. Relative density d. Specific gravity

5. Hecto Pascal e. Atmospheric pressure

Question 3: Answer the following questions in brief.

a. A plastic cube is released in water. Will it sink or come to the surface of water?

b. Why do the load carrying heavy vehicles have a large number of wheels?

c. How much pressure do we carry on our heads? Why don’t we feel it?

Answer: (a) As the density of the plastic cube is less than that of water, it will float on the surface of
water.

(b) We know,

Pressure = Force / Area

When the area of contact between two surfaces is greater, the pressure will be less too. Hence, the load
carrying heavy vehicles usually have greater number of wheels as there is a reduction in pressure on the
road due to greater contact area. This happens as the load is equally shared among the tyres which
ensures that the force caused is equally distributed among all the tyres and no single tyre is under
tremendous pressure.

(c) It is said that human beings can carry an atmospheric pressure of 105 Pa (approx.) on their heads. We
don’t feel the pressure because there is a balance of atmospheric pressure created by the air and the
blood running inside our body.

Question 4: Why does it happen?

a. A ship dips to a larger depth in fresh water as compared to marine water.

b. Fruits can easily be cut with a sharp knife.

c. The wall of a dam is broad at its base.

d. If a stationary bus suddenly speeds up, passengers are thrown in the backward direction.

Answer: a) The density of fresh water is less than marine water due to the buoyant force on the ship
that floats on marine water and is greater than the fresh water. For this reason, the ship dips to a larger
depth in fresh water as compared to marine water.

b) Fruits can be easily cut with a sharp knife because of acute pressure. The sharp edged knife makes
less contact with the fruits that are meant to be cut, hence the pressure exerted by it on the fruit is
immense.

c) We are aware that pressure of liquid increases along with its depth. So, the walls of a dam are made
broader at its base so that it can bear the heavy amount of pressure that is exerted by the river water.
d) If a stationary bus suddenly speeds up, the passengers are thrown in the backward direction because
initially the passenger’s whole body was in the state of rest inside the bus. However, when the bus
suddenly starts speeding up, the lower part of the passenger’s body comes in motion towards the
forward direction but the upper part of the body still remains at rest particularly due to inertia of rest.
This is the reason why the passengers are thrown in a backward direction when a stationary bus
suddenly increases its speed.

Question 5: Complete the following tables.

Mass(Kg) Volume (m3) Density (kg/m3)

350 175 –

– 190 4

Density of Metal (kg/m3) Density of water (kg/m3) Relative Density

103 5

8.5×103 103 –

Weight (N) Area (m2) Pressure(Nm−2)

– 0.04 20,000

1500 500 –

Answer:

We know,

Density = Mass / Volume

By using the above formula, we can find the quantity of one substance if the other two quantities are
furnished:

Mass (kg) Volume (m3) Density (kg/m3)

350 175 2

760 190 4

We know,

Relative density of substance = Density of substance / Density of water

By using the above formula, we can find the quantity of one substance if the other two quantities are
furnished:

Density of Metal (kg/m3) Density of water (kg/m3) Relative Density

5×103 103 5

8.5×103 103 8.5

We know,

Pressure = Force / Area

By using the above formula, we can find the quantity of one substance if the other two quantities are
furnished:

Weight (N) Area (m2) Pressure (Nm−2)

800 0.04 20,000

1500 500 3

Question 6: The density of a metal is 10.8×103 kg/m3. Find the relative density of the metal.

Answer:

Given: Density of metal = 10.8×103 kg/m3

We have density of water = 1000 kg/m3

Relative density of substance =Density of substance / Density of water

Relative density of substance = 10.8×103 / 1000 = 10.8

Question 7: Volume of an object is 20 cm3 and the mass is 50 g. Density of water is 1 gcm-3. Will the
object float on water or sink in water?

Answer:

Given: Volume of object = 20 cm3

Mass of object = 50 g

Density of object = Mass of object / Volume of object = 50 / 20 = 2.5 g /cm3

Now, we know density of water = 1 g/cm3

Since, density of object > density of water, therefore, the object will sink in water.
Question 8: The volume of a plastic covered sealed box is 350 cm3 and the box has a mass 500 g. Will
the box float on water or sink in water? What will be the mass of water displaced by the box?

Answer:Given: Volume of box = 350 cm3

Mass of box = 500 g

Density of object = Mass of object / Volume of object = 500 / 350 = 1.43 g/cm3

We know, density of water = 1 g/cm3

Since, density of box > density of water, therefore, the object will sink in water.

Now, volume of liquid displaced = Volume of the object = 350 cm3

⇒Mass of liquid displaced / Density of liquid displaced = 350 cm3

⇒Mass of liquid= 350×1 = 350 g