Question 1: The Seed Puzzle
Scenario: A seed in a packet does not move, eat, or breathe visibly. Is it alive?
Solution: A seed is considered alive but dormant. It has an embryo inside that is resting. Its metabolic activities (respiration) are happening at a very, very slow rate, almost undetectable. Once favourable conditions (water, warmth, air) are provided, it “wakes up” and actively displays characteristics of life like growth and higher respiration.
Question 2: The Moving Cloud
Scenario: A cloud moves across the sky and grows larger as it gathers more vapor. Why is it not a living being?
Solution:
- Growth: A cloud grows by accumulation of material from the outside (external growth). Living beings grow from the inside by cell division (internal growth).
- Nutrition/Reproduction: A cloud does not eat food or reproduce to create baby clouds in a biological sense.
- Life Cycle: It does not have a biological birth or death, it just changes state (evaporation/condensation).
Question 3: Broken Stomata
Scenario: If we coat the leaves of a plant with thick wax or oil, what will happen to the plant?
Solution: The plant will likely die.
- Reason 1 (Respiration): The wax blocks the stomata (tiny pores). The plant cannot take in oxygen for respiration or release carbon dioxide.
- Reason 2 (Photosynthesis): It cannot take in Carbon Dioxide needed to make food.
- Reason 3 (Transpiration): It cannot release excess water.
Question 4: Mosquito Control
Scenario: Why does the municipal corporation advise not to leave water in coolers or pots for many days?
Solution: Stagnant water is the breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant water.
- The eggs hatch into larvae and pupae which live in water.
- By removing water, we break the life cycle at the Egg/Larva stage, preventing the emergence of adult mosquitoes that spread diseases like Dengue and Malaria.