Extra 20 important long questions and answers from the chapter:9 "The Living Organisms – Characteristics and Habitats" for Class 6 Science (CBSE):-
1. What are the main characteristics of living organisms?
Answer: Living organisms have several defining characteristics:
Movement:
Animals move from one place to another, while plants show movement in their parts (e.g., bending towards light).
Growth:
Living organisms grow in size and develop new structures.
Respiration:
They take in oxygen (or carbon dioxide in plants) and release energy from food.
Reproduction:
Living organisms produce offspring of their own kind.
Excretion:
They remove waste products from their bodies.
Response to stimuli:
They react to environmental changes like light, heat, and touch.
2. What is a habitat? What are its different types?
Answer: A habitat is the natural environment where an organism lives and survives. It provides food, water, shelter, and proper conditions for survival. The main types of habitats are:
Terrestrial habitats:
Found on land (e.g., forests, deserts, mountains, and grasslands).
Aquatic habitats:
Found in water (e.g., rivers, lakes, oceans, and ponds).
Arboreal habitats:
Some animals live on trees (e.g., monkeys, squirrels).
Amphibians:
Some organisms can survive both on land and in water (e.g., frogs, salamanders).
Human-made habitats:
Farms, gardens, and cities created by humans.
Microhabitats:
Small, specific places within a habitat (e.g., under rocks, inside tree bark).
3. How do desert plants survive in extreme conditions?
Answer: Desert plants have special adaptations to survive dry conditions:
Leaves are modified into spines
to reduce water loss.
Thick stems store water
for a long time.
Deep roots
reach underground water sources.
Waxy coating on leaves and stems
prevents water loss.
They open stomata at night
to reduce water loss by transpiration.
Some plants have reduced leaf surface area
to minimize evaporation.
4. How do aquatic animals adapt to living in water?
Answer: Aquatic animals have special features to live in water:
Fins or flippers
help in swimming (e.g., fish, turtles).
Gills help in breathing
by extracting oxygen from water (e.g., fish, crabs).
Streamlined bodies
reduce resistance and help in movement.
Some aquatic mammals like whales and dolphins have lungs
and come to the surface to breathe.
Slimy skin in amphibians
helps in respiration underwater (e.g., frogs).
Blubber (fat layer) in polar aquatic animals
provides warmth (e.g., seals, penguins).
5. How do birds adapt to flying?
Answer: Birds have special adaptations for flight:
Hollow bones
make their bodies lightweight.
Strong chest muscles
help in wing movement.
Feathers provide insulation
and assist in flying.
Streamlined body shape
reduces air resistance.
Wings with a special shape
create lift in the air.
Sharp eyesight
helps in spotting food from great heights.
6. How do camels survive in the desert?
Answer: Camels have adaptations to survive in extreme desert conditions:
Long legs
keep the body away from the hot sand.
Broad, padded feet
help them walk easily on sand.
Hump stores fat
that can be converted into energy and water.
Thick eyelashes and nostrils
protect against sand.
Can survive without water for days
by conserving it in their body.
Light-coloured fur
reflects sunlight and keeps the body cool.
7. Why do animals migrate? Give examples.
Answer: Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another. Reasons include:
To escape extreme weather conditions
(e.g., Arctic terns migrate to warmer places in winter).
To find food and water
(e.g., wildebeests migrate in search of fresh grass).
To reproduce in a safer environment
(e.g., turtles lay eggs on beaches).
To avoid predators
(e.g., monarch butterflies migrate to avoid predators in winter).
To follow seasonal changes
(e.g., Siberian cranes migrate to India in winter).
To return to their birthplace
(e.g., salmon return to freshwater rivers to spawn).
8. How do polar bears survive in cold regions?
Answer: Polar bears have special adaptations to live in the Arctic:
Thick fur and a layer of fat
(blubber) keep them warm.
White fur
helps in camouflage with snow.
Large paws with fur
provide insulation and grip on ice.
Strong, sharp claws
help in catching prey.
Small ears and nose
reduce heat loss.
Good swimmers
with strong legs help them move through water.
9. What is hibernation? Give examples.
Answer: Hibernation is a long winter sleep to conserve energy.
Animals slow down their metabolism
to survive without food.
Their body temperature drops
to match the environment.
Heart rate and breathing slow down.
Common in cold regions
where food is scarce.
Examples:
Bears, frogs, hedgehogs, and bats hibernate in winter.
It helps in energy conservation
when food is not available.
10. What is camouflage? How does it help animals?
Answer: Camouflage is an adaptation that helps animals blend with their surroundings.
Protects them from predators
by making them less visible.
Helps them hunt prey
without being noticed.
Colour-changing ability
in chameleons helps in disguise.
Stripes on tigers and zebras
help them hide in grass.
Insects like stick insects
look like twigs for protection.
Snow leopards have white fur
to blend in snowy areas.
11. What is the difference between living and non-living things?
Answer: Living and non-living things have distinct characteristics:
Growth:
Living things grow, while non-living things do not.
Respiration:
Living things breathe and release energy; non-living things do not.
Reproduction:
Living things reproduce and produce offspring; non-living things cannot.
Movement:
Living things show movement (plants move their parts, animals move freely); non-living things move only when pushed or pulled.
Response to stimuli:
Living things respond to changes in the environment, while non-living things do not.
Excretion:
Living organisms remove waste; non-living things do not produce waste.
12. What is the importance of respiration in living organisms?
Answer: Respiration is essential for all living beings because:
It releases energy
required for survival.
It helps in the breakdown of food
into simpler substances.
It provides oxygen to cells
for proper functioning.
It removes carbon dioxide
as a waste product.
In plants, respiration occurs through stomata and roots.
In animals, different respiratory systems exist, such as gills in fish and lungs in humans.
13. How do animals in cold regions adapt to their habitat?
Answer: Animals in cold regions have special adaptations:
Thick fur and blubber (fat) provide insulation
(e.g., polar bears, seals).
Hibernation helps conserve energy
during extreme cold (e.g., bears, bats).
White-
colored
fur helps in camouflage
in snowy surroundings.
Small ears and noses reduce heat loss
(e.g., Arctic foxes).
Webbed feet help in swimming
(e.g., penguins, polar bears).
Body heat is retained by thick layers of fat.
14. What are the different types of terrestrial habitats?
Answer: Terrestrial habitats are land-based habitats, including:
Forests:
Home to diverse plants and animals (e.g., tigers, elephants, snakes).
Deserts:
Dry areas with extreme temperatures; adapted plants and animals (e.g., camels, cacti).
Grasslands:
Wide open spaces with moderate rainfall (e.g., lions, deer).
Mountains:
Cold, rocky habitats with less oxygen (e.g., yaks, snow leopards).
Arctic and Polar regions:
Covered with snow and ice (e.g., polar bears, seals).
Human-made habitats:
Cities, villages, and farms created by humans.
15. What are the adaptations of amphibians?
Answer: Amphibians live both on land and in water and have unique adaptations:
Moist skin helps in respiration
(e.g., frogs).
Webbed feet assist in swimming.
Lungs help in breathing on land, while skin absorbs oxygen in water.
Powerful hind legs help in jumping.
Camouflage protects them from predators.
They lay eggs in water for reproduction.
16. How do nocturnal animals survive at night?
Answer: Nocturnal animals have adaptations to live in darkness:
They have large eyes to see in low light.
Sharp hearing helps detect prey or predators.
Some animals use echolocation
(e.g., bats).
Their fur or skin
color
helps them blend into the dark environment.
They sleep during the day and are active at night
(e.g., owls, bats).
Sensitive whiskers help detect objects in the dark.
17. How do plants adapt to aquatic habitats?
Answer: Aquatic plants (hydrophytes) have special features to survive in water:
Floating plants have air-filled spaces in their stems
(e.g., water hyacinth).
Submerged plants have thin leaves
to allow easy movement of water (e.g., hydrilla).
Lotus and water lilies have broad leaves
that float on water.
Roots are weak or absent
since they do not need to anchor in soil.
Stems are flexible
to move with water currents.
Waxy surfaces on leaves prevent waterlogging.
18. What is migration? Give two examples.
Answer: Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another:
It helps in avoiding extreme weather conditions.
Birds migrate to warmer places in winter
(e.g., Siberian cranes come to India).
Fish migrate to lay eggs in freshwater
(e.g., salmon).
Some mammals travel long distances
for food (e.g., wildebeests in Africa).
Butterflies migrate in large numbers
(e.g., Monarch butterflies).
Whales travel long distances
to breed and feed.
19. What are arboreal animals? How are they adapted to live on trees?
Answer: Arboreal animals live on trees and have special adaptations:
Strong claws help them grip branches
(e.g., monkeys, squirrels).
Prehensile tails help in balance
(e.g., spider monkeys).
Sharp eyesight helps them locate food
(e.g., birds, chameleons).
Long fingers and toes help in climbing trees.
Lightweight bodies allow them to jump easily.
Some animals, like sloths, have curved claws
for hanging from branches.
20. How do desert animals survive with very little water?
Answer: Desert animals have adaptations to conserve water and tolerate heat:
They are mostly active at night
to avoid daytime heat (e.g., snakes, foxes).
They have concentrated urine
to reduce water loss.
Some store fat in their bodies
to be converted into water (e.g., camels).
They have light-coloured fur
to reflect sunlight.
Burrowing into the ground
helps them stay cool (e.g., desert rats).
Thick skin or scales prevent water loss
(e.g., lizards).
