Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics – CBSE NCERT Study Resources

Living organisms share key traits like growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli. Our textbook shows how a mango tree grows and bears fruit.

• Growth: Plants grow taller, like the banyan tree in NCERT.
• Reproduction: Birds lay eggs, seen in sparrows.

We observe response to stimuli when touch-me-not leaves close on touching. [Diagram: Labeled parts of a plant responding to touch.]

Aquatic animals have features like gills or streamlined bodies. Our textbook mentions fish using gills to breathe.

• Gills: Extract oxygen from water, as in rohu.
• Fins: Help in swimming, like the shark.

We see frogs in ponds with webbed feet for swimming. [Diagram: Fish with labeled gills and fins.]

Butterflies undergo metamorphosis, changing from egg to adult. NCERT shows the monarch butterfly cycle.

• Eggs: Laid on leaves, like in our school garden.
• Pupa: Forms a cocoon, as seen in silkworms.

We spot caterpillars on mint plants transforming. [Diagram: Stages of butterfly life cycle.]

Scavengers clean the environment by eating dead organisms. NCERT mentions vultures as scavengers.

• Decomposition: They break down waste, like hyenas.
• Nutrient recycling: Helps plants grow.

We see crows eating leftover food, preventing spoilage. [Diagram: Scavenger bird feeding on waste.]

Herbivores eat plants, while carnivores eat other animals. NCERT shows cow and lion as examples.

• Teeth: Herbivores have flat teeth, like deer.
• Claws: Carnivores use sharp claws, as in tigers.

At the zoo, we notice giraffes eating leaves and leopards hunting. [Diagram: Comparison of herbivore and carnivore teeth.]

Living organisms share common traits like growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli. Our textbook shows that plants and animals exhibit these features.

• Growth: Plants grow taller, humans grow in height.
• Reproduction: Birds lay eggs, mango trees produce seeds.
• Response: Mimosa folds leaves when touched.

Farmers use these traits to identify healthy crops. For example, wilting plants lack water responsiveness.

Aquatic animals have special features for survival in water. Our textbook mentions fish and dolphins as examples.

• Gills: Fish extract oxygen from water.
• Streamlined bodies: Dolphins swim faster.
• Fins: Help in balance and movement.

Aquariums mimic these adaptations by providing oxygenated water for fish, similar to their natural habitat.

Butterflies undergo metamorphosis, changing form through four stages. NCERT shows this with the example of a monarch butterfly.

• Egg: Laid on leaves.
• Larva: Caterpillar eats leaves.
• Pupa: Forms a chrysalis.
• Adult: Emerges as butterfly.

Gardeners protect caterpillars to ensure butterfly populations thrive.

Plants and animals differ in movement, nutrition, and cell structure. Our textbook compares mango trees and humans.

• Movement: Animals walk; plants are fixed.
• Nutrition: Plants photosynthesize; animals consume food.
• Cells: Plant cells have cell walls.

Zoos separate plant and animal exhibits based on these differences for proper care.

Camouflage lets animals blend into their surroundings to avoid predators. NCERT mentions the chameleon and stick insect.

• Color change: Chameleons match tree bark.
• Body shape: Stick insects resemble twigs.

Army uniforms use camouflage patterns inspired by nature for concealment.

Living organisms exhibit several key characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things. These include:

• Growth: Living beings grow in size and number. For example, a seedling grows into a tree, and animals grow from infancy to adulthood.
• Reproduction: They produce offspring. Humans give birth to babies, while plants reproduce through seeds or spores.
• Respiration: They take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. For instance, humans breathe through lungs, and plants respire through stomata.
• Response to stimuli: They react to their environment. A sunflower turns toward sunlight, and a dog barks at strangers.
• Nutrition: They require food for energy. Animals consume plants or other animals, while plants make their food via photosynthesis.

These characteristics help us differentiate living organisms from non-living things like rocks or water, which do not grow, reproduce, or respond to stimuli.

Camels are well-adapted to survive in harsh desert conditions due to their unique features:

• Hump: Stores fat, which provides energy when food is scarce.
• Long legs: Keep their body away from the hot sand.
• Thick fur: Protects them from the scorching sun during the day and keeps them warm at night.
• Eyelashes and nostrils: Prevent sand from entering their eyes and nose during sandstorms.
• Water conservation: They can drink large amounts of water at once and lose very little through sweat or urine.

These adaptations allow camels to thrive in deserts where temperatures are extreme, and water is scarce. For example, their hump helps them go without food for days, and their padded feet prevent sinking into the sand.

Living organisms exhibit certain key characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things. These include:

• Growth: Living beings grow in size and complexity. For example, a seedling grows into a tree.
• Reproduction: They produce offspring. Humans give birth to babies, while plants reproduce through seeds.
• Respiration: They take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Animals breathe through lungs or gills.
• Response to stimuli: They react to changes in their environment. A sunflower turns towards sunlight.
• Nutrition: They require food for energy. Plants make their own food (photosynthesis), while animals consume other organisms.

Non-living things, like rocks or water, do not show these characteristics. For instance, a rock does not grow or reproduce. These features help scientists classify organisms and study life processes.

Camels are well-adapted to survive in harsh desert habitats. Their key adaptations include:

• Hump: Stores fat, which provides energy when food is scarce.
• Long legs: Keep their body away from the hot sand.
• Thick fur: Protects them from the sun's heat during the day and keeps them warm at night.
• Eyelashes and nostrils: Prevent sand from entering their eyes and nose during sandstorms.
• Water conservation: They can drink large amounts of water at once and lose very little through sweat or urine.

These adaptations allow camels to travel long distances without food or water, making them ideal for desert life. For example, their hump acts like a food reserve, helping them survive when resources are limited.

Living organisms exhibit several key characteristics that differentiate them from non-living things. These include:

• Growth: Living organisms grow in size and complexity. For example, a seedling grows into a tree.
• Reproduction: They produce offspring. Humans give birth to babies, and plants produce seeds.
• Respiration: They respire to release energy. Animals breathe in oxygen, and plants exchange gases.
• Response to stimuli: They react to their environment. A sunflower turns toward sunlight.
• Excretion: They remove waste. Humans excrete urine, and plants release oxygen.

Non-living things, like rocks or water, do not show these traits. These characteristics help scientists classify organisms and study life processes.

Camels live in desert habitats, where conditions are harsh with extreme heat and scarce water. Their adaptations include:

• Humps: Store fat, which provides energy and water when food is scarce.
• Long legs: Keep their body away from the hot sand.
• Thick eyelashes and nostrils: Protect from sandstorms.
• Broad, padded feet: Prevent sinking into the sand.

These adaptations allow camels to survive long periods without water and travel across deserts efficiently. Their ability to conserve water and tolerate heat makes them perfectly suited for desert life.

Living organisms share several key characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things. These include:

• Growth: Living organisms grow in size and complexity. For example, a seedling grows into a tree.
• Reproduction: They produce offspring. Humans give birth to babies, and plants produce seeds.
• Respiration: They respire to release energy. Animals breathe in oxygen, and plants exchange gases.
• Response to stimuli: They react to their environment. A sunflower turns toward sunlight.
• Nutrition: They require food for energy. Animals eat plants or other animals, while plants make their food via photosynthesis.

Non-living things, like rocks or water, do not show these characteristics. For instance, a rock does not grow or reproduce. These features help scientists classify organisms as living or non-living.

Camels live in deserts, where conditions are harsh due to extreme heat and scarcity of water. They have unique adaptations to survive:

• Hump: Stores fat, which provides energy when food is scarce.
• Long legs: Keep their body away from the hot sand.
• Thick eyelashes and nostrils: Protect from sandstorms.
• Water conservation: They can drink large amounts of water at once and lose very little through sweat or urine.

These adaptations help camels survive long journeys in deserts without food or water. For example, their hump allows them to go without eating for days, making them ideal for desert travel.