Life Processes: Nutrition MCQs Quiz | Class 10
This quiz covers important Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on ‘Life Processes: Nutrition’ from Class X Science (Code 086), Unit II: World of Living. It focuses on the basic concept of nutrition and an overview of nutritional processes in plants versus animals. Test your knowledge, submit your answers, and download a detailed PDF answer sheet for review.
Understanding Nutrition: A Key Life Process
Life processes are the fundamental activities essential for an organism’s survival and maintenance. Nutrition is one such vital process that involves the intake of food and its utilization by an organism to obtain energy for growth, repair, and other metabolic activities.
What is Nutrition?
Nutrition is broadly classified into two main types based on how organisms obtain their food:
- Autotrophic Nutrition: Organisms that can synthesize their own food from simple inorganic substances like carbon dioxide and water. They are known as autotrophs. Example: Green plants, certain bacteria.
- Heterotrophic Nutrition: Organisms that cannot synthesize their own food and depend on other organisms for their nutritional requirements. They are known as heterotrophs. Example: Animals, fungi, most bacteria.
Autotrophic Nutrition in Plants (Photosynthesis)
Green plants perform autotrophic nutrition primarily through a process called photosynthesis. This process uses sunlight energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (food) and oxygen.
The equation for photosynthesis is:
6CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) + 6H2O (Water) + Light Energy → C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2 (Oxygen)
Key requirements:
- Chlorophyll: The green pigment found in chloroplasts, which traps sunlight energy.
- Sunlight: The primary energy source.
- Carbon Dioxide: Absorbed from the atmosphere through stomata on leaves.
- Water: Absorbed from the soil through roots.
The glucose produced is either used immediately for energy or stored as starch for future use.
Heterotrophic Nutrition in Animals
Animals exhibit various modes of heterotrophic nutrition. The most common type is holozoic nutrition, which involves the ingestion of complex organic food materials, followed by digestion, absorption, assimilation, and egestion.
- Holozoic Nutrition: Seen in humans, amoeba, and other animals. Involves a multi-step process of food intake and processing.
- Saprophytic Nutrition: Organisms obtain nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter. Example: Fungi, some bacteria.
- Parasitic Nutrition: Organisms derive nutrition from another living organism (host) without killing it, often harming it in the process. Example: Tapeworm, Cuscuta (a plant parasite).
Nutrition in Animals (Overview: Human Digestive System)
The human digestive system is a complex alimentary canal designed for holozoic nutrition. It includes:
- Mouth: Ingestion and initial mechanical digestion (chewing) and chemical digestion (salivary amylase for starch).
- Esophagus: Tube connecting mouth to stomach, food moved by peristalsis.
- Stomach: Churns food, secretes gastric juices (hydrochloric acid, pepsin for protein digestion).
- Small Intestine: Site of most chemical digestion (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. It receives secretions from the liver (bile) and pancreas (pancreatic enzymes).
- Large Intestine: Absorbs water and electrolytes, forms feces.
- Anus: Egestion of undigested waste material.
Comparing Nutrition in Plants vs. Animals
| Feature | Plants (Autotrophic) | Animals (Heterotrophic) |
|---|---|---|
| Mode of Nutrition | Produce their own food through photosynthesis. | Obtain food by consuming other organisms or organic matter. |
| Energy Source | Mainly sunlight. | Chemical energy stored in consumed organic compounds. |
| Digestive System | No specialized digestive system. | Simple to complex digestive systems (e.g., alimentary canal). |
| Raw Materials | Carbon dioxide, water, minerals. | Complex organic food (carbohydrates, proteins, fats). |
| Example | Green plants, algae. | Humans, dogs, Amoeba. |
Quick Revision Checklist
- Nutrition: Process of obtaining and utilizing food.
- Autotrophs: Self-feeders (e.g., plants, algae).
- Heterotrophs: Depend on others for food (e.g., animals, fungi).
- Photosynthesis: Plant food-making process using light, CO2, H2O.
- Chlorophyll: Green pigment essential for photosynthesis.
- Holozoic Nutrition: Ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, egestion (e.g., humans, Amoeba).
- Pseudopodia: Temporary extensions used by Amoeba for movement and engulfing food.
Practice Questions (for self-assessment)
- What is the primary difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition, and give two examples for each?
- List the main events that occur during photosynthesis, and identify the role of chlorophyll.
- Describe the process of nutrition in Amoeba, highlighting the structures involved.
- Name the major organs of the human digestive system and briefly explain their primary functions related to food digestion and absorption.
- How do saprophytic organisms obtain their nutrition, and why are they important in an ecosystem?
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