Biology Life Processes LIFE PROCESSES INTRO.

Some sort of movement either growth related are used as common evidence for bein g alive. A plant not visibly growin but is still alive and some animals can brea the without visible molecular movements. SO we can conclude that visible movemen ts cannot be taken as an individual indicator for the characteristic of life. In addition to these Invisible movement can be taken. Invisible Molecule Movement are necessary for life. It can be considered as a ch aracteristic of life. Living Beings must keep repairing their cells and tissues for life to continue. This must go on even when they are not doing any work and just sleeping or doing any unproductive work. SO life processes are jobs that are done by the body tha t are essential for the continuity of life. a. Nutrition: Process of transfer of a source of energy form outside to the body of the organism to inside is called as Nutrition. Most sources of food obtained by the organism are Carbon Based. b. Respiration: Process of acquiring Oxygen from outside the body and to use it in the process of break down of food resources for cellular energy needs is know n to be respiration. We need respiration because the energy in the food is to be converted to a uniform source and that source is being converted during respira tion. Unicellular Organism have their whole structure in contact with the environment and so they can perform their life processes such as respiration by the means of simple diffusion but for multicellular organisms this wont be possible since t hey have got complex structure and there are many cells and each and every cell may not be in contact with the external environment so simple diffusion may not fulfill the needs of multicellular organisms. c. Transportation: Now since the body or multicellular organism has parts specif ied to do a job respiration will take place at a given organ and the energy will also be released here. The energy will be needed by the whole organism so it wi ll have to be transported around the body and hence a transportation system will be required and hence there is a transportation system. So finally what is tran sportation? Transportation: It is a process in which substances are absorbed in one part of the body and moved to other parts of the body. d. Excretion: The process by which the waste products of the processes like resp iration, nutrition are removed or discarded outside the body is known as excreti on. The waste from these places is required to be sent to the excretory organs w hich is a group of tissues which performs the process of excretion via the trans portation system. NUTRITION Autotrophs are the organisms which use simple food material obtained from inorga nic sources in form of CO2 and H20. EG green plants and some bacteria. Heterotrophs are the organisms which utilize complex substances and break down t hese complex substances into simpler ones so that they can be used for the growt h of the body. This is achieved by the use of enzymes. They depend directly or i ndirectly on the autotrophs. a. AUTOTROPHIC Nutrition Energy requirements of the autotrophs are fulfilled by a process known as Photos ynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which autotrophs take in substances form outsid

e and convert into stored forms of energy known as starch. Photosynthesis > CO2 H2O taken in > Converted to carbohydrates > In presence of Sunlight and chlorophyll > Carbohydrates produced Carbohydrates > Used for providing energy. > If not used immediately then are converted to starch 6CO2 + 12H2O ---> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O + ENERGY Events during photosynthesis > Absorption of light energy - chlorophyll > Light energy is converted to chemical energy and H2O is split to Hydrogen and Oxygen > Reduction of CO2 to C6H12O6 since Hydrogen is added to CO2 Desert Plants > Take CO2 at night > prepare an intermediate > Intermediate reacts with energy absorbed by the chlorophyll during the day. They do all this stuff to prevent the loss of water during the day since if the stomata would be open then evaporation of water would have occurred. Chloroplast > Are green colored cell organelle > It contains chlorophyll Stomata > Massive amt of gaseous exchange is taken place through them > They are also present on roots, stems and leaves > Large amount of water can be lost during the day if the stomata are kept open > The opening and closing of stomata are a function of the guard cells. When wa ter flows into the guard cell they swell and the stomatal pores get opened. When they lose water or they shrink the stomatal pores get closed. Sources from where Requirement Fulfilled > Water -Soil, by the roots in terrestrial plants > N, P, Fe, Mg - taken up form soil > N-important for the synthesis of protein. Taken up inform of inorganic nitrite s and nitrites. OR are taken up as organic compound prepared by the bacteria fro m atmospheric nitrogen. b. HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION Type of Hetero Nutrition depends upon the type and availability of food material as well as how it is obtained. Types: > organism that break down the food outside the body and then absorb it or take in - Fungi (Yeast, Mushroom) > Holozoic - take in food as a whole and then break it down inside the body and absorb. Eg - Humans > Parasitic - Feed on the host, derive nutrition from the host without killing t hem. EG- Tapeworms, Leeches The digestive system of various organisms differ due to the variability in the w ay they obtain the food, and way consume it. Nutrition in Amoeba

> Amoeba takes in food using temporary finger like extensions of cell surface > They fuse over the food particle forming a food vacuole > Inside food vacuole, complex substances are broken down into simpler ones and diffused in the cytoplasm. > Undigested material is moved to surface and thrown out. Nutrition in Paramecium > Unicellular Organism, Definite Shape > Food is taken at specific spot > food is moved to this spot by movement of cilia which covers entire surface of cell NUTRITION IN HUMAN BEINGS > Alimentary Canal is a long tube extending from mouth to anus. It has muscles t hat contract rhythmically to ease the pushing of food. A. TEETH Food consumed buy us is of various type and sizes so it is needed to be processe d to generate particles which are small and of the same size and texture. So thi s is the function of the teeth. B. Saliva > Lining of the canal is soft so the food has to be wetted and this is done by S aliva > Saliva is secreted by Salivary Glands > Enzymes are bio catalyst that turn down complex molecules into simpler ones. T he enzymes in Saliva is Salivary Amylase(ptylain) which breaks down starch to gi ve maltose/sugar C. Tongue Food is mixed with saliva and is moved around the mouth while chewing. This work is of the tongue. D. Stomach > Stomach is a large organ which expands when the food enters it > Muscle walls of the stomach help in mixing the food throughly with the digesti ve juices. > Gastric Glands in the walls of the stomach take care of digestion functions > Gastric Glands release HCl, Pepsin, and Mucus > HCl : Creates acidic medium for the pepsin to act > Pepsin : It is a protein digesting enzyme. It converts proteins to simpler sub stances. > Mucus : Protects the lining of the stomach from the action of HCl E. Sphincter Muscles Place from where food exits the stomach and enters the Small Intestine. F. Small Intestine > Length of Small intestine depend upon the type of nutrition that is taken in. ie herbivore, carnivore > The length of small intestine is larger in Herbivores cause cellular digestion is required. > Complete digestion of Carbohydrates, Fats and proteins take place here. > For the digestion they receive secretion of pancreas and liver. > Food from stomach is acidic in nature & has to be made alkaline for action of pancreatic juice. Bile juice form the liver does this job as well as breaks down the large fat globules into smaller ones to increase the action of enzymes. > Pancreas secrete Pancreatic juice which contains enzymes like trypsin for dige stion of protein and lipase for digestion of fats. > Walls of intestine contain glands which secrete intestinal juice. Enzymes of s

mall intestine finally converts PROTEINS TO AMINO ACIDS, FATS TO GLYCEROL AND FA TTY ACID, CARBOHYDRATES TO GLUCOSE. > The digested food is taken up by the small intestine. G. Villi > The inner lining of small intestine has numerous finger like projections calle d villi. > These increase the surface area for absorption. > Villi are richly supplied blood vessels which take the absorbed food to each a nd every cell of body, where it is used for obtaining energy. H. Large Intestine Unabsorbed food is sent to the large intestine where the water and salts are ext racted and the rest is move to anus. I. Anus Rest Material is removed via the anus. Exit of waste material is regulated by an al sphincter.