NCERT Question-Answer Solution for Class 6 Science Chapter 10 – Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics
Complete NCERT Question–Answer Set for Class 6 Science (Curiosity Textbook) – Chapter 10: Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics
Class 6 Science NCERT Solution – Chapter 10: Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics
Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics – Full NCERT Question–Answer Solution (CBSE Class 6 Science – Curiosity Book)
SECTION 1: From “Let Us Enhance Our Learning”
Q1. List similarities and differences between the life cycles of plants and animals.
Similarities:
- Both grow and mature.
- Both reproduce.
- Both undergo life stages.
- Both eventually die.
Differences:
- Plants begin life as seeds; animals begin as young ones or hatch from eggs.
- Many animals show major body changes (metamorphosis); plants do not.
- Plants are fixed; animals move.
- Seeds can remain dormant for long; young animals cannot.
Q2. Complete the table.
| S.No. | Does it grow? | Does it respire? | Example | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No | No | Rock, pen | Non-living |
| 2 | No | Yes | Impossible | Respiration cannot occur without life |
| 3 | Yes | No | Impossible | Growth cannot occur without respiration |
| 4 | Yes | Yes | Human, plant | Living |
Q3. How can knowledge of seed germination help in storing grains and pulses?
Answer:
Grains must be kept dry. Moisture can trigger germination or fungal growth.
Hence, grains should be:
- Sun-dried before storage
- Stored in airtight containers
- Kept away from damp areas
Q4. A tadpole has a tail but a frog does not. What is the advantage of having a tail?
Answer:
The tail helps the tadpole swim in water, which is its primary habitat at that stage.
Q5. Charan says wooden log is non-living; Charu says it is living. Who is correct?
Answer:
Charan is correct.
A wooden log cannot grow, respire, reproduce, respond to stimuli or die.
Although it came from a living tree, after being cut, it is non-living.
Q6. Similarities and differences in the life cycles of mosquito and frog.
Similarities:
• Both undergo metamorphosis
• Both have larval stages
• Both start life in water
Differences:
Mosquito: egg → larva → pupa → adult
Frog: egg → tadpole → froglet → adult
Mosquito larva breathes air at surface; frog embryo is jelly-like and underwater.
Q7. Draw and describe what will happen in Fig. 10.9 after one week.
Answer:
• Shoot will grow upward (towards light)
• Root will grow downward (towards gravity)
Reason:
Shoots show phototropism; roots show geotropism.
Q8. What are Tara and Vijay trying to find out in Fig. 10.10?
Answer:
They are trying to find out whether seeds require air for germination.
If seeds in the closed container without air do not germinate, they are correct.
Q9. Design an experiment to check if temperature affects seed germination.
Answer:
- Take two identical pots with moistened seeds.
- Keep one pot in a warm place (sunlight or near light bulb).
- Keep the other pot in a cold place (refrigerator or shady cool place).
- Observe for 7–10 days.
Seeds in warm pot germinate faster, proving temperature affects germination.
SECTION 2: Questions from Activity 10.1 (Living and Non-living)
Q10. Why is a pencil non-living but a pigeon living?
Answer:
A pencil does not show any characteristics of living beings such as movement, growth, respiration, nutrition, excretion, response to stimuli, reproduction or death.
A pigeon shows all these characteristics, so it is living.
Q11. List five things around you that move on their own. Are all of them living?
Answer:
Examples: dog, insect, bird, fish, human.
Yes, all these are living.
Non-living things like a robot or car can also move, but they need external force or fuel. They cannot grow, respire, or reproduce. Hence they are non-living.
Q12. Why are plants considered living even though they do not move from one place to another?
Answer:
Plants show other characteristics of living beings such as growth, respiration, nutrition, response to stimuli, reproduction and excretion. They also show movements like opening of flowers, movement of climbers, and the movement of insectivorous plants.
SECTION 3: Questions from Seed Germination (Activity 10.2)
Q13. Which conditions were tested in Pots A, B, C and D? What were the results?
Answer:
| Pot | Air | Water | Sunlight | Germination | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Yes | No | Yes | No | Water is essential for softening seed coat and activating embryo |
| B | No (air blocked due to excess water) | Excess | Yes | No | No air due to waterlogged soil |
| C | Yes | Moderate | No | Yes | Light not needed for bean seed germination |
| D | Yes | Moderate | Yes | Yes | All necessary conditions (air + water) available |
Q14. Which conditions are essential for seed germination?
Answer:
Seeds need:
- Water (to soften seed coat and activate embryo)
- Air (oxygen for respiration)
Proper temperature is also needed.
Light may or may not be required depending on seed type.
Q15. Is sunlight necessary for seed germination?
Answer:
No. Sunlight is not essential for germination in bean seeds, but it is required later for the plant’s growth.
Q16. Why do seeds in excess water fail to germinate?
Answer:
Excess water fills soil pores and blocks the air supply. Seeds cannot respire without air.
SECTION 4: Questions from Activity 10.3 (Growth and Movement in Plants)
Q17. What is the direction of growth of roots and shoots in different conditions?
- Beaker A (upright, light from all sides)
• Shoot grows upward
• Root grows downward - Beaker B (inverted)
• Shoot bends and grows upward
• Root bends and grows downward - Beaker C (light from one side)
• Shoot grows towards light (phototropism)
• Root grows downward (geotropism)
Q18 What conclusions were drawn from Activity 10.3?
Answer:
- Shoots grow upward and towards sunlight.
- Roots grow downward due to gravity.
- Plant parts respond differently to light and gravity.
SECTION 5: Life Cycle of a Plant (Activity 10.4)
Q19. Describe the life cycle of a bean plant.
Answer:
- Seed
- Germination
- Seedling with leaves
- Flowering
- Fruit (pod) formation
- Seeds inside pod
- Plant dries and dies
The seeds produce a new generation of plants. This is the life cycle.
Q20. Why does a bean plant dry and die even after watering?
Answer:
Because the plant has completed its life cycle. After producing seeds, its life processes gradually stop.
SECTION 6: Life Cycle of Mosquito (From Activity 10.5)
Q21. Why do mosquito larvae and pupae come to the water surface repeatedly?
Answer:
They need air for respiration. They cannot breathe underwater.
Q22. Why does spraying kerosene on stagnant water kill mosquito larvae?
Answer:
Kerosene forms a thin layer on the water surface, blocking air supply. Larvae and pupae die due to lack of oxygen.
Q23. State the four stages in the life cycle of a mosquito.
Answer:
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa
- Adult mosquito
Q24. How can mosquito breeding be prevented?
Answer:
- Do not allow water to stagnate.
- Empty and clean coolers and pots regularly.
- Cover water containers.
- Spray kerosene or use larvicides.
SECTION 7: Life Cycle of Frog (Activity 10.6)
Q25. What is spawn?
Answer:
A jelly-like mass of frog eggs found in water.
Q26. State the stages in the life cycle of a frog.
Answer:
- Spawn (eggs)
- Embryo
- Tadpole (with tail)
- Tadpole with legs
- Froglet
- Adult frog
Q27. What changes occur in tadpoles as they grow?
Answer:
• They develop legs
• Tail becomes smaller and disappears
• Lungs develop
• They start living partly on land
• They transform into froglets and then adult frogs
Q28. Why does a tadpole need a tail?
Answer:
The tail helps it swim efficiently in water.
SECTION 8: Additional NCERT Reasoning Questions
Q29. Is a seed living or non-living? Explain.
Answer:
A seed is living because it has a living embryo inside that can grow under suitable conditions. It appears non-living because it shows no movement or growth until it gets moisture and air.
Q30. Do plants excrete? How?
Answer:
Yes.
Plants excrete excess water and minerals through:
- Guttation
- Shedding of leaves
- Storing wastes in bark or old cells
Q31. Why do touch-me-not plants fold their leaves when touched?
Answer:
Because they respond to a stimulus. Touch causes a change in cell pressure, making leaves fold.