SUMMARY FOR “LIVING CREATURES: EXPLORING THEIR CHARACTERISTICS” : Class 6 : Science
Living things have certain common characteristics that make them different from non-living things.
Growth – Living things grow in size and shape; non-living things do not grow on their own.
Movement – Animals move from place to place; plants show movement in parts (bending towards light, roots growing downwards).
Response to stimuli – Living things respond to changes in their surroundings (touch, light, heat, sound).
Nutrition – All living things need food. Plants make food by photosynthesis; animals depend on plants or other animals.
Respiration – Living things breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide to get energy.
Excretion – They remove waste materials formed inside the body.
Reproduction – All living things give rise to new organisms of their own kind.
Lifespan – Living things have a definite life cycle: birth, growth, maturity, and death.
Cellular structure – All living things are made up of tiny units called cells.
Non-living things do not show these features.
SHORT QUESTION AND ANSWER
Q1. What is the basic unit of life?
A1. The cell.
Q2. Name two main groups of things in our surroundings.
A2. Living and non-living things.
Q3. Do living things grow?
A3. Yes, living things grow in size and shape.
Q4. Give an example of movement in plants.
A4. Bending of a plant towards sunlight.
Q5. What is respiration?
A5. The process of breathing in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
Q6. Name the gas used by living things during respiration.
A6. Oxygen.
Q7. Name the gas released during respiration.
A7. Carbon dioxide.
Q8. What is excretion?
A8. Removal of waste products from the body.
Q9. Name one waste product excreted by humans.
A9. Urine.
Q10. How do plants excrete waste?
A10. Through leaves, roots, and stems.
Q11. What is reproduction?
A11. The process by which living things produce young ones of their own kind.
Q12. Give one example of reproduction in plants.
A12. Formation of seeds.
Q13. Do non-living things reproduce?
A13. No.
Q14. What is meant by response to stimuli?
A14. Reacting to changes in the surroundings.
Q15. Give one example of response to stimuli in animals.
A15. Closing eyes when light is too bright.
Q16. Give one example of response to stimuli in plants.
A16. Touch-me-not plant closing its leaves when touched.
Q17. Do all living things need food?
A17. Yes.
Q18. How do plants get food?
A18. By photosynthesis.
Q19. How do animals get food?
A19. By eating plants or other animals.
Q20. What do we call organisms that make their own food?
A20. Autotrophs.
Q21. What do we call organisms that depend on others for food?
A21. Heterotrophs.
Q22. What is a lifespan?
A22. The time period from birth to death of a living organism.
Q23. Do non-living things have a lifespan?
A23. No.
Q24. Name one living thing that cannot move from place to place.
A24. Plants.
Q25. What is one difference between living and non-living things?
A25. Living things grow, non-living things do not.
Q26. Give one example of a non-living thing.
A26. Stone.
Q27. Name one living creature that breathes through gills.
A27. Fish.
Q28. Name one living creature that breathes through lungs.
A28. Humans.
Q29. Do plants breathe?
A29. Yes, through tiny pores called stomata.
Q30. What is photosynthesis?
A30. The process by which green plants make food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Q31. Name the green pigment in plants that helps in photosynthesis.
A31. Chlorophyll.
Q32. Do living things die?
A32. Yes, all living things have a natural end to life.
Q33. Are living things made of cells?
A33. Yes, all living things are made of cells.
Q34. Give one example of a unicellular organism.
A34. Amoeba.
Q35. Give one example of a multicellular organism.
A35. Human being.
LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. Explain five main differences between living and non-living things with examples.
A1. Living things grow, move, reproduce, respire, and respond to stimuli, while non-living things do not. For example, a dog grows and breathes, while a stone does not.
Q2. What are the main characteristics of living things? Explain briefly.
A2. The main characteristics are growth, movement, respiration, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, response to stimuli, cellular structure, and definite lifespan.
Q3. Describe how living things grow. How is this different from non-living growth?
A3. Living things grow by cell division, increasing size and number of cells. Non-living things like mountains appear to grow when materials are added externally.
Q4. Write about the different ways in which animals move. Give examples.
A4. Animals move using legs (humans, cows), wings (birds), fins (fish), or crawling (snakes). Movement helps them find food, shelter, and escape danger.
Q5. How do plants show movement? Explain with examples.
A5. Plants bend towards sunlight (phototropism), roots grow downward (geotropism), and touch-me-not folds leaves when touched. These show plant movements.
Q6. What is respiration? Explain its importance in living organisms.
A6. Respiration is the process of breaking down food with oxygen to release energy. Energy is essential for growth, movement, reproduction, and other life activities.
Q7. Explain the process of respiration in plants and animals.
A7. Plants respire through stomata, taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Animals use lungs, gills, or skin for respiration depending on their habitat.
Q8. Differentiate between autotrophs and heterotrophs with examples.
A8. Autotrophs make their own food (plants using photosynthesis). Heterotrophs depend on others for food (humans, animals).
Q9. Describe the process of photosynthesis and its importance.
A9. Photosynthesis uses sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and chlorophyll to make food and release oxygen. It provides food and oxygen for all living beings.
Q10. What is excretion? How do humans and plants excrete wastes?
A10. Excretion is removal of waste. Humans excrete through urine, sweat, and lungs. Plants excrete through stomata, roots, and dropping leaves.
Q11. Explain with examples how living things respond to stimuli.
A11. Living things sense changes in environment and react. Touch-me-not folds leaves when touched, humans feel pain when hurt, and pupils contract in bright light.
Q12. What is reproduction? Why is it necessary?
A12. Reproduction is the process of producing young ones. It is necessary to continue the species and prevent extinction.
Q13. Explain different methods of reproduction in living organisms.
A13. Animals reproduce by giving birth (humans, cows) or laying eggs (birds, reptiles). Plants reproduce by seeds, stem cuttings, roots, or spores.
Q14. What is a life span? Give examples of different life spans.
A14. Lifespan is the period from birth to death. Mayfly lives for one day, dogs about 12–15 years, humans about 70–80 years, and banyan trees for hundreds of years.
Q15. Why do we say all living things are made of cells?
A15. Because the cell is the smallest unit of life. All living beings, from unicellular Amoeba to multicellular humans, are made of cells.
Q16. Differentiate between unicellular and multicellular organisms with examples.
A16. Unicellular organisms have only one cell (Amoeba, Paramecium). Multicellular organisms have many cells (plants, animals, humans).
Q17. Explain the importance of nutrition in living beings.
A17. Nutrition provides energy for growth, repair, reproduction, and survival. Plants prepare food through photosynthesis, while animals eat plants or other animals.
Q18. How do plants and animals depend on each other for survival?
A18. Plants provide oxygen and food. Animals provide carbon dioxide and help in pollination and seed dispersal. Both are interdependent.
Q19. Write about movement in animals and its importance.
A19. Animals move to find food, shelter, and mates, and to escape danger. Example: Fish swim with fins, birds fly with wings, humans walk with legs.
Q20. Why is respiration considered the most important life process?
A20. Because without respiration, energy cannot be released from food, and without energy, no other life processes (growth, movement, reproduction) can occur.
Q21. Describe different breathing organs in animals with examples.
A21. Humans breathe with lungs, fish with gills, frogs with both skin and lungs, and insects with spiracles.
Q22. What is sensitivity? Explain with examples from plants and animals.
A22. Sensitivity is the ability to respond to stimuli. Example: Deer runs on hearing sound, touch-me-not closes leaves when touched.
Q23. Write about the stages of life in living beings.
A23. Living beings are born, grow, reproduce, become old, and die. Example: Human life stages are infancy, childhood, adulthood, and old age.
Q24. Explain the role of chlorophyll in plants.
A24. Chlorophyll captures sunlight energy for photosynthesis. Without it, plants cannot prepare food.
Q25. Compare growth in plants and animals.
A25. Animals grow only up to a certain age, but plants grow throughout their life.
Q26. Write the importance of excretion in living beings.
A26. Excretion removes harmful wastes. If not removed, wastes can damage cells and cause death.
Q27. Why are living things said to be interdependent?
A27. Plants depend on animals for carbon dioxide and seed dispersal, while animals depend on plants for food and oxygen.
Q28. How does reproduction in plants differ from reproduction in animals?
A28. Plants reproduce by seeds, roots, stems, or spores. Animals reproduce by laying eggs or giving birth.
Q29. What are the similarities between all living things?
A29. All living things grow, move, respire, reproduce, excrete, respond to stimuli, are made of cells, and have a lifespan.
Q30. Write a detailed note on the cellular structure of living beings.
A30. Cells are the smallest units of life. Unicellular organisms like Amoeba perform all life functions in one cell. Multicellular organisms like humans have billions of specialized cells forming tissues and organs.
MCQS
1. The smallest unit of life is:
a) Tissue
b) Cell
c) Organ
d) Organ system
Answer: b) Cell
2. Amoeba is an example of:
a) Multicellular organism
b) Plant
c) Unicellular organism
d) Non-living thing
Answer: c) Unicellular organism
3. All living beings need _______ to survive.
a) Toys
b) Food
c) Clothes
d) Shelter
Answer: b) Food
4. Plants prepare their food by:
a) Respiration
b) Photosynthesis
c) Germination
d) Excretion
Answer: b) Photosynthesis
5. Which gas is released during respiration?
a) Oxygen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Nitrogen
d) Hydrogen
Answer: b) Carbon dioxide
6. Which part of the plant is mainly responsible for photosynthesis?
a) Roots
b) Stem
c) Leaves
d) Flowers
Answer: c) Leaves
7. Humans breathe through:
a) Gills
b) Spiracles
c) Lungs
d) Skin
Answer: c) Lungs
8. Fish breathe through:
a) Lungs
b) Spiracles
c) Gills
d) Skin
Answer: c) Gills
9. Frogs can breathe through:
a) Only lungs
b) Only gills
c) Lungs and skin
d) Mouth only
Answer: c) Lungs and skin
10. Which of the following shows movement towards light?
a) Roots
b) Stem and leaves
c) Fruits
d) Seeds
Answer: b) Stem and leaves
11. Growth in living beings happens due to:
a) Eating
b) Cell division
c) Sleeping
d) Drinking water only
Answer: b) Cell division
12. Excretion means:
a) Intake of food
b) Removal of wastes
c) Breathing in oxygen
d) Reproduction
Answer: b) Removal of wastes
13. Which of the following is NOT a living thing?
a) Cat
b) Tree
c) Stone
d) Bird
Answer: c) Stone
14. Which plant folds its leaves when touched?
a) Rose
b) Tulip
c) Touch-me-not
d) Mango
Answer: c) Touch-me-not
15. The process of producing young ones is called:
a) Growth
b) Reproduction
c) Respiration
d) Excretion
Answer: b) Reproduction
16. Which organisms reproduce by laying eggs?
a) Birds
b) Humans
c) Dogs
d) Cows
Answer: a) Birds
17. Which organisms give birth to young ones?
a) Birds
b) Reptiles
c) Humans and cows
d) Fish
Answer: c) Humans and cows
18. Plants release which gas during photosynthesis?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Oxygen
c) Nitrogen
d) Hydrogen
Answer: b) Oxygen
19. Which one is a unicellular organism?
a) Dog
b) Mango tree
c) Amoeba
d) Cow
Answer: c) Amoeba
20. What is the process of taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide?
a) Photosynthesis
b) Excretion
c) Respiration
d) Reproduction
Answer: c) Respiration
21. Which living being has the shortest lifespan?
a) Human
b) Banyan tree
c) Mayfly
d) Dog
Answer: c) Mayfly
22. Which is the longest living plant?
a) Mango
b) Banyan tree
c) Rose
d) Tulip
Answer: b) Banyan tree
23. Which one of these is NOT a characteristic of living beings?
a) Respiration
b) Reproduction
c) Sensitivity
d) Shining
Answer: d) Shining
24. Plants excrete wastes through:
a) Fruits
b) Stomata
c) Flowers
d) Stem only
Answer: b) Stomata
25. Which life process provides energy to living beings?
a) Reproduction
b) Respiration
c) Excretion
d) Growth
Answer: b) Respiration
26. Non-living things do not:
a) Grow
b) Respire
c) Reproduce
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
27. The ability to respond to changes in the environment is called:
a) Respiration
b) Growth
c) Sensitivity
d) Nutrition
Answer: c) Sensitivity
28. Which animal breathes through spiracles?
a) Dog
b) Insects
c) Fish
d) Frogs
Answer: b) Insects
29. All living things are made up of:
a) Atoms
b) Cells
c) Bones
d) Organs
Answer: b) Cells
30. What do plants need for photosynthesis?
a) Water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll
b) Oxygen, water, sunlight
c) Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen
d) Soil only
Answer: a) Water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll
31. Which of the following is an autotroph?
a) Dog
b) Cow
c) Plant
d) Human
Answer: c) Plant
32. Which is an example of heterotroph?
a) Grass
b) Mango tree
c) Human
d) Algae
Answer: c) Human
33. What happens to living things after completing their life span?
a) They reproduce
b) They die
c) They stop eating
d) They shine
Answer: b) They die
34. Which of these organisms can reproduce without seeds?
a) Mango
b) Rose (stem cutting)
c) Wheat
d) Papaya
Answer: b) Rose (stem cutting)
35. Which statement is true?
a) Stones can grow like trees
b) All living things are made of cells
c) Non-living things reproduce
d) Plants do not breathe
Answer: b) All living things are made of cells
