6.

5 EXCRETION
1 What is excretion?
The biological process involved in the removal of harmful nitrogenous metabolic
wastes, from the body is called excretion.
2 Mention the process involved in excretion of waste in unicellular organisms.
Simple diffusion from the body surface into the surrounding water.
3 What are the components of human urinary system?
The excretory system of human beings includes a pair of kidneys, a pair of ureters, a
urinary bladder and a urethra.
4 Sketch and label human excretory system.

5 Differentiate between renal artery and renal vein

Renal artery Renal vein
Bring blood containing nitrogenous Take away blood kidney after removing
waste to kidney to remove the waste nitrogenous waste
Contain oxygenated blood Contain deooxygenated blood
6 Tabulate the parts and function of human excretory system
Organ Function
Kidney Filter nitrogenous waste like urea and
uric acid from blood
Maintain water and ionic balance of
blood
Ureter Connect kidney with urinary bladder
Carry urine from kidney to bladder
Urethra Opening for removing urine from the
body
Urinary bladder Collect and store urine until it is removed
Renal artery Bring blood containing nitrogenous
waste to kidney to remove the waste
Renal vein Take away blood kidney after removing
nitrogenous waste
7 What is purpose of making urine?
The purpose of making urine is to filter out nitrogenous waste products from the blood.
8 What is the structural unit of kidney? Why it is called as filtration unit? Write any two

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 salient features of it.
Nephron
It is called as filtration unit because it filters nitrogenous waste like urea and uric acid
from blood.
Salient features are, this unit is richly supplied with cluster of very thin-walled blood
capillaries. Each capillary cluster in the kidney is associated with the cup-shaped end of
a tube that
collects the filtered urine. Nephrons are packed close together.
9 Name the process by which useful substances taken from filtrate. Where does this
process take place? List the substances taken back.
Selective reabsorption
Tubular part of nephron
glucose, amino acids, salts and a major
amount of water, are selectively re-absorbed.
10 What determines the water reabsorption?
The amount of water reabsorbed depends on how much excess water there is in the
body, and on how much of dissolved waste there is to be excreted.
11 Briefly explain the route of urine reaching kidney from nephron.
The urine forming in each kidney eventually enters a long tube, the ureter, which
connects the kidneys with the urinary bladder. Urine is stored in the urinary bladder
until the pressure of the expanded bladder leads to the urge to pass it out through the
urethra.
12 Draw and label the structure of nephron
A) Blood vessel that carries blood after purifying nitrogenous waste.
B) Blood vessel that brings blood to purify
C) Double walled cup like part of nephron
D) Tuft of capillaries inside the cup like structure
E) Part of nephron where selective reabsorption take place
F) The part which connected to many nephrons and collect urine to release to
kidney.

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13 Excretion in Plants
Describe various strategies used by plants for excretion.
Oxygen a waste product generated during photosynthesis is released through stomata.
CO2 is also released through stomata.
They can get rid of excess water by transpiration.
For other wastes, plants use the fact that many of their tissues consist of dead cells, and
that they can even lose some parts such as leaves.
Many plant waste products are stored in cellular vacuoles.
Waste products may be stored in leaves that fall off.
Other waste products are stored as resins and gums, especially in old xylem.
Plants also excrete some waste substances into the soil around them.

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