1. What are plant hormones?

Ans. Plant hormones are the organic substances produces at certain sites of the plant and are
translocated to other parts based on the requirement. Plant hormones help to coordinate growth,
development and responses to the environment. Ex: Auxin, Gibberellin, cytokines, abscisic acid
and ethylene.

2. How is the movement of leaves of the sensitive plant different from the movement of a shoot
towards light?
Ans. The movement of leaves of a sensitive plant is neither towards, nor away from the stimulus
touch; it is a non-directional movement (nastic movement) while movement of shoot is towards
the stimulus like light; it is a directional movement (tropic movement).

3. Give an example of a plant hormone that promotes growth.

Ans. Auxin is the plant hormone that helps in cell growth and elongation. Gibberellins promote
growth of stem.

4. How do auxins promote the growth of a tendril around a support?

Ans. When tendrils come in contact with any support, the part of the tendril in contact with the
object does not grow as rapidly as the part of the tendril away from the object. This is caused by
the action of auxin hormone. Less auxin occurs on the side of contact as compared to the free
side. As a result, auxin promotes growth on the free side and the tendrils coil around the support.

5. Design an experiment to demonstrate hydrotropism.

Ans. To demonstrate hydrotropism in plants.

PROCEDURE :

i. Plant a seedling in a vessel containing soil.

ii. Adjacent to the seedling put a porous pot containing water.

iii. Leave the set up for a few days.

OBSERVATION :

iv. On examining the roots of seedlings it is observed that the roots bend towards the source of
water and do not grow straight.

RESULT :

It confirms that plant shows hydrotropism as the roots bend towards the porous pot of water.
Hydrotropism is a plant growth response in which the direction of growth is determined by a
stimulus of the gradient in water concentration.

Plant Movements
Plants move in response to a stimulus. The plant growth can be divided into:

• Tropic Movements
• Nastic Movement

1. Tropic Movements
When a plant shows some growth movement in response to a stimulus, it is known as tropism.
Tropism is a direction, which is specific and depends on the direction of the stimulus.
Plants may either show a positive or negative movement as a response to a stimulus. If the
movement is towards the direction of stimuli, it is known as positive tropism, if the movement is
away from the stimuli, it is known as negative tropism.

Phototropism
Plants grow towards or away from the light, the type of tropism in the response to light is called
phototropism. In general, the stems usually show positive phototropism, while roots show
negative phototropism. Leaves also positively respond toward the source of light.

Geotropism
It is a type of tropism where plants show some growth in response to gravity. Stems are negative
to the geotropism while roots are positive to the geotropism.
Roots show positively geotropic by growing directly towards the centre of gravity. The stems are
called as the negatively geotropic as they grow away from the centre of gravity.

Chemotropism
When plants grow in response to certain chemicals, this type of response is known as
chemotropism.eg: The growth of a pollen tube down the style during fertilization

Hydrotropism
The movement or the growth of a plant in relation to the stimulus of water are called hydrotropic
movements and the equivalent response to the stimulus of water is called hydrotropism. In this
type of movement, roots show the positive hydrotropic response, as they move and grow towards
the water.
Thigmotropism
The growing or developing movements made through plants in response to contact with a solid
object are called thigmotropism. These types of movements are usually seen in tendrils and
twiners.

2. Nastic movements
These movements are non-directional responses to the stimuli. These movements are
independent of the direction of the stimulus. These movements can be due to changes in turgor
or growth. For eg., the response of the touch-me-not (Mimosa pudica) plant to touch. However,
this is not a growth phenomenon.

The response of insectivorous plants, such as the Venus fly trap, to prey.
Plant Hormones
Based on their action, plant hormones are categorized into two categories:

• Plant Growth Promoters-These stimulate the plant growth

• Plant Growth Inhibitors-These retards the plant growth

Auxin

• Auxin synthesized at the shoot tip.

• It promotes cell elongation and cell differentiation
• Promotes root formation
• Promotes fruit growth

Gibberellins

• Help in stem growth.

• Cell enlargement and cell differentiation.
• Help in fruit growth

Cytokinin
 • Promotes cell division
• Maximum concentration found in fruits and seeds
• Helps in breaking dormancy of seeds and buds
• Promotes opening of stomata
• Promotes fruit growth

Abscisic acid

• This is a growth inhibitor

• Inhibits plant growth
• Promotes dormancy in seeds and buds
• Promotes wilting of leaves
• Promotes closing of stomata.

Ethylene

• Promotes ripening of fruits

• Helps in breaking dormancy of seeds

11. How does chemical coordination take place in animals?

Ans. In animals, chemical coordination is maintained by hormones secreted by endocrine glands,

which function as chemical messengers. They are released by endocrine glands directly into the
blood without any involvement of special ducts from where they reach the target tissue or organ
to act. These organs and tissues then respond and enables the body to deal with different
situations.

12. Why is the use of iodised salt advisable?

Ans. Iodine is necessary for the thyroid gland to make thyroxin hormone. Thyroxin regulates
carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism in the body so as to provide the best balance for
growth. If iodine is deficient in our diet, there is a possibility that we might suffer from goitre.
The thyroid gland enlarges causing swelling in the neck. Iodised common salt contains proper
content of iodine. Thus, to avoid deficiency of iodine, iodised salt is recommended.

13. How does our body respond when adrenaline is secreted into the blood?

Ans. Adrenal gland secretes, hormone adrenalin which is also called emergency hormone.
Adrenalin is directly secreted into blood and is carried to different parts of the body. The target
organs include, the heart. As a result, heart beats faster, resulting in more supply of oxygen to
our muscles. The blood to the digestive system and skin is reduced due to contraction of muscles
around small arteries in these organs. This diverts the blood to our skeletal muscles. The
breathing rate also increases because of contraction of diaphragm and rib muscles. All these
responses together ,enables the animal body to be ready to deal with any emergency situations.

14. Why are some patients of diabetes treated by giving injections of insulin?

Ans. Diabetes is caused due to less or no secretion of hormone insulin by pancreas. In such a
person, blood sugar level is high. Insulin converts extra sugar present in blood into glycogen.
Thus, patients suffering from diabetes are given insulin injection to control their blood sugar
level.

15. What is the function of receptors in our body? Think of situations where receptors do not
work properly. What problems are likely to arise?

Ans. The function of receptors in our body is to collect information about the changes in the
environment. Receptors passes information to CNS, where message is interpreted and
appropriate instructions are sent to effector, which reveals response.
Receptors are located in the sense organs if receptors do not work properly body cannot convert
external stimuli to impulses and does body would not respond.

16. Which signal will get destructed in case of spinal cord injury?

Ans.
• Reflex action will be disturbed because reflex arcs are located in the spinal cord. So the
quick responses needed to safeguard the body will not take place.
• Messages from brain to the body will not be communicated.
•
17. Compare and contrast nervous and hormonal mechanisms for control and coordination in
animals?

Ans.
Nervous Mechanism
It is performed by nervous system which
sends electric impulse along axons and as a
chemical (neuro transmitter) across synapse
and act through effectors
Information is transmitted instantaneously
Defects are short lived
It does not use feedback mechanism in
generating nerve impulse
Hormonal Mechanism
It is performed by chemical substances called
hormones secreted by endocrine glands
Information is transmitted slowly
Defects are generally more prolonged
The timing and amount of hormones released
are regulated by feedback mechanism