Science Class 6 Notes Chapter 10 Curiosity

Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics

Characteristics of Living Beings:

Living beings are different from non-living things based on these characteristics:

Movement: Living beings can move by themselves (e.g., animals walk or fly). Plants show movement like opening of flowers and the movement of climbers or insectivorous plants.

Growth: Living beings grow over time. For example, plants grow from seeds into larger plants, and humans and animals grow in size.

Need for Food (Nutrition): All living beings require food to grow and gain energy.

Respiration: Living beings breathe and respire to obtain energy from food. For example, humans and animals breathe oxygen, while plants take in air through stomata.

Excretion: Living beings excrete waste. For example, humans excrete urine and sweat, while plants excrete water through leaves.

Response to Stimuli: Living beings respond to their environment. For example, a touch-me-not plant folds its leaves when touched.

Reproduction: Living beings reproduce to produce offspring. Animals give birth to young ones, while plants produce seeds that grow into new plants.

Death: All living beings eventually die when they no longer show these characteristics.

Difference Between Living and Non-Living Things:

• Living things (e.g., plants, animals) can move, grow, reproduce, breathe, and excrete.
• Non-living things (e.g., a chair, car) do not grow, move on their own, or show any of the above characteristics.

Seed Germination:

For seeds to grow into plants, they need the right conditions:

• • Water: Softens the seed coat and helps the embryo develop.
  • Air: Seeds use air from the soil for respiration.
  • Sunlight: Although not necessary for germination, it is essential for the further growth of the seedling.
• Germination begins when a seed turns into a sprout. The right combination of water, air, and warmth allows seeds to grow into plants.

Plant Growth and Movement:

• Plant Growth: Plants grow by extending their roots downward into the soil and their shoots upward towards the sun.
• Plant Movement: While plants do not move from place to place, they show movements like bending toward light (phototropism) and roots growing downward (geotropism).

Life Cycle of a Plant:

• The life cycle of a plant begins with seed germination, followed by growth into a seedling, and eventually, the plant produces flowers and fruits. The fruits contain seeds that lead to the next generation of plants.

Life Cycle of a Mosquito:

Mosquitoes pass through four stages:

1. 1. Egg: Laid in water.
   2. Larva: Lives in water and breathes air at the surface.
   3. Pupa: Stage where the mosquito develops inside water.
   4. Adult: The mature mosquito flies away and repeats the cycle.

Life Cycle of a Frog:

Frogs go through the following stages:

1. 1. Egg: Laid in water.
   2. Tadpole: Lives in water with a tail for swimming.
   3. Froglet: Develops legs and starts living on land and water.
   4. Adult Frog: Lives both on land and in water, and reproduces to complete the cycle.