Life Processes Vocabulary

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from the Class 10 Science chapter on Life Processes.

Life Processes

The maintenance functions performed together by living organisms to sustain structure and prevent bodily damage or breakdown.

Nutrition

The process of transferring a source of energy (food) from outside the body of an organism to the inside.

Respiration

The process of acquiring oxygen from outside the body and using it to break down food sources for cellular needs.

Excretion

The biological process involved in removing harmful metabolic waste products from the body.

Autotrophs

Organisms, such as green plants and some bacteria, that fulfill energy requirements using simple inorganic food sources like carbon dioxide and water.

Heterotrophs

Organisms whose survival depends directly or indirectly on autotrophs and which break down complex organic substances into simpler ones.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts used by organisms to break down complex substances into simpler molecules.

Photosynthesis

The process by which autotrophs convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.

Starch

The internal energy reserve in plants, formed by carbohydrates that are not used immediately.

Glycogen

The form in which energy derived from food is stored internally within the human body.

Chloroplasts

Green dot-like cell organelles in plant cells that contain chlorophyll.

Stomata

Tiny pores on the surface of leaves through which massive amounts of gaseous exchange take place.

Guard Cells

Cells surrounding stomatal pores that regulate their opening and closing by swelling when filled with water and shrinking when water exits.

Pseudopodia

Temporary finger-like extensions of the cell surface in Amoeba used to capture food particles into a food vacuole.

Salivary Amylase

An enzyme present in saliva that breaks down complex starch molecules into simple sugar.

Peristaltic Movements

Rhythmic muscular contractions occurring along the lining of the digestive tract to push food forward.

Pepsin

A protein-digesting enzyme secreted by gastric glands in the stomach wall that functions in an acidic medium.

Villi

Finger-like projections on the inner lining of the small intestine that increase surface area for absorbing digested food.

Dental Caries

Tooth decay causing gradual softening of enamel and dentine due to bacterial production of acid from sugars.

Pyruvate

A 3-carbon molecule formed in the cytoplasm during the initial step of glucose breakdown in cellular respiration.

Anaerobic Respiration

The breakdown of pyruvate or glucose taking place in the absence of oxygen, such as yeast fermentation producing ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Aerobic Respiration

The breakdown of pyruvate occurring in the presence of oxygen within mitochondria to yield carbon dioxide, water, and energy.

ATP

The primary energy currency for cellular processes, releasing $30.5\,kJ/mol$ of energy when its terminal phosphate linkage is broken with water.

Haemoglobin

A respiratory pigment present in human red blood corpuscles that has a high affinity for binding and carrying oxygen.

Alveoli

Balloon-like structures at the end of bronchial tubes in the lungs surrounded by extensive capillary networks for gas exchange.

Double Circulation

A pathway in which blood flows through the heart twice during each complete cycle of transport through the body.

Systolic Pressure

The pressure exerted by blood against arterial walls during ventricular contraction (systole), normally around $120\,mm\text{ of Hg}$.

Diastolic Pressure

The pressure exerted by blood inside an artery during ventricular relaxation (diastole), normally around $80\,mm\text{ of Hg}$.

Transpiration

The evaporation and loss of water vapour from the aerial parts of a plant, producing a suction pull that drives water transport in xylem.

Human Excretory System

The organ system consisting of a pair of kidneys, ureters, a urinary bladder, and a urethra responsible for removing nitrogenous wastes.