Grade 7 Science - Life Processes in Animals

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining key terms related to digestion, respiration, and life processes in animals from Grade 7 Science.

Life Processes

Essential biological functions required for the survival of living beings, including nutrition, respiration, excretion, and reproduction.

Alimentary Canal

A long continuous tube starting at the mouth and ending at the anus where complex food is broken down, absorbed, and processed.

Mechanical Digestion

The physical process of initial breakdown of food into smaller pieces by crushing and chewing with teeth.

Saliva

A digestive fluid secreted in the mouth that moistens food for easy swallowing and contains enzymes that break down starch into simple sugars.

Digestion

The chemical and physical process of breaking down complex food components into simpler forms that the body can absorb and utilize.

Oesophagus

A flexible tube, also known as the food pipe, that moves softened food from the mouth to the stomach via wave-like muscle movements.

Stomach

An organ that churns food and mixes it with digestive juices, acid, and mucus to partially digest proteins and kill harmful bacteria.

Mucus

A protective secretion along the inner lining of the stomach that prevents damage from stomach acids.

Alexis St. Martin

A man whose stomach wound in $1822$ allowed Dr. William Beaumont to observe real-time human stomach digestion through an unhealed hole.

Small Intestine

The longest part of the alimentary canal, measuring nearly $6\text{ metres}$, where food completes digestion and nutrient absorption occurs.

Bile

A mildly basic fluid secreted by the liver that neutralises stomach acids and breaks down fats into tiny droplets for easier digestion.

Pancreatic Juice

A basic digestive fluid secreted by the pancreas that neutralises acids and breaks down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Absorption

The process by which digested nutrients pass through finger-like projections in the small intestine lining into blood vessels.

Celiac Disease

A medical condition triggered by gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) that damages the inner lining of the small intestine and impairs nutrient absorption.

Large Intestine

A tube approximately $1.5\text{ metres}$ long and wider than the small intestine that absorbs water and essential salts from undigested food.

Stool

The semi-solid waste material remaining after water and salts are absorbed by the large intestine.

Rectum

The lower section of the large intestine where semi-solid waste (stool) is stored prior to elimination.

Egestion

The final stage of digestion in which undigested semi-solid waste is expelled from the body through the anus.

Rumination

The process in plant-eating animals where partially digested swallowed food is brought back from the stomach to the mouth for gradual chewing.

Ruminants

Grass-eating animals, such as cows and buffaloes, that undergo rumination to digest their food.

Gizzard

A specialized chamber in a bird's digestive tract that grinds food using muscular wall contractions and swallowed grit (small stones).

Breathing

The physical process of inhaling environmental air into the lungs and exhaling air containing carbon dioxide.

Respiration

The chemical process occurring inside cells where oxygen breaks down glucose to produce usable energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Nostrils

A pair of external openings equipped with tiny hairs and mucus to trap dust and dirt from inhaled air.

Alveoli

Tiny balloon-like air sacs at the end of fine lung branches surrounded by blood vessels where exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs.

Diaphragm

A dome-shaped muscle located beneath the lungs that contracts downward during inhalation and moves upward during exhalation.

Circulatory System

An internal transport system comprising the heart, blood, and blood vessels that delivers nutrients and oxygen while carrying away waste.

Gills

Specialised blood-vessel-rich organs found in aquatic animals like fish that extract dissolved oxygen from water.

Pranayama

A traditional breathing practice known for enhancing respiratory health, mental relaxation, and concentration.

Tummo Breathing

A traditional breathing practice from Ladakh that improves lung function and aids in maintaining body temperature in cold conditions.