Chapter – 2

Control and Coordination

In Text Questions-Pg-119
Q. 1 What is the difference between a reflex action and walking?
Answer:

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reflex action Walking

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It is rapid, automatic response to It is a voluntary action
a stimulus.

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It is an involuntary action It is under the control of an

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organism.
It is under the control of the It is under the control of the

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Peripheral Nervous (System Central Nervous System(Brain )
Spinal chord )

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Q. 2 What happens at the synapse between two neurons?

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Answer: Transmission of nerve impulses between two neurons takes
place through the synapse. Axon bulb releases specialized chemicals

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called as neurotransmitters like acetylcholine which help in chemical

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transfer of information through synapses into the dendrites of another

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neuron which receives the information and passes on further in a
similar manner. These chemical messengers passes through synapses

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and start an electric impulse

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Q. 3 Which part of the brain maintains posture and equilibrium of the
body?
Answer: Cerebellum in the Hind Brain maintains posture and
equilibrium of the body. Hind brain is divided into Pons, Cerebellum
and Medulla.
Q. 4 How do we detect the smell of an aggarbatti (incense stick)?
Answer: The temporal lobes of the brain are concerned with smell,
hearing and taste. When an incense stick burns, it produces fumes of
pleasant smells. The forebrain has regions that receive impulses from
various receptor organs. So when the smell of aggarbatti reaches our
olfactory receptors (in nose), the receptors send electrical or chemical
impulses via neurons to the forebrain. The forebrain thus detects the
smell of an aggarbatti.
Q. 5 What is the role of the brain in reflex action?
Answer: Brain has no role in case of reflex action as it is an extremely
quick action which does not involve any thinking by the brain. In case

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of reflex action the stimulus is received by the spinal cord and the only
role that brain plays is to register the information that the reflex action

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has taken place.

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In Text Questions-Pg-122

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Q. 1 What are plant hormones?

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Answer:

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 Plant hormones (also called phytohormones) are small, signal
molecules which are responsible for regulating plant cell

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processes.
 There are five major hormones which are

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o auxin

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o cytokinin
o gibberellin
o abscisic acid

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o ethylene.

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 Each hormone differs in its effects.
 Auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins act as growth stimulators.
 Abscisic acid and ethylene act as growth inhibitors.
Q. 2 How is the movement of leaves of the sensitive plant different
from the movement of a shoot towards light?
Answer: The movement of leaves of sensitive plant are nastic
movements that are independent of any stimulus, be it light.
Movement of a shoot towards light is due to phototropism which is a
plant’s growth response to light source. The movement of shoot
towards light is positive and the shoots are said to be positively
phototropic. If the plant part grows away from light, it is known as
negatively phototropic.
Q. 3 Give an example of a plant hormone that promotes growth.
Answer: Auxins and Gibberellin are plant hormones that promote
growth.

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• Gibberellin controls stem elongation and also germination.

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• Auxins bring about elongation of cells in shoot and thus are a growth

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regulator.

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Q. 4 How do auxins promote the growth of a tendril around a support?

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Answer:

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 Auxin is one of the major plant growth hormones.

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 In tendrils, auxin is present in the tips.
 When a tendril comes in contact with a support, auxin stimulates

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faster cell growth on the opposite side.
 This makes the tendril curve and bend towards the support.

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 This curving tendril can then encircle the support and sling

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around it.

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Q. 5 Design an experiment to demonstrate hydrotropism.
Answer: Hydrotropism is the growth of roots in response to the
unilateral stimulus of water. Roots are positively hydrotropic because
they bend towards the source of water.
Experiment to demonstrate hydrotropism-
Germinate few seeds in moist dust in the ground. After some time you
will observe that radicles start coming out of the ground but they start
bending and again enter the moist saw dust. This happens because roots
are positively hydrotropic. They bend towards the source of water i.e.
moist sawdust in this case.

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In Text Questions-Pg-125

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Q. 1 How does the chemical coordination take place in animals?

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Answer: Chemical coordination takes place in animals through

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Hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers released by the

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endocrine system that move through the blood stream and can reach

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every cell in the body. They help to maintain a constant environment
inside the body, and control cellular activities by entering the cell and

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influencing its activities by sending commands to chemical messengers
within cell.

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Q. 2 Why is the use of iodized salt advisable?

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Answer: Lack of iodine in diet leads to deficiency of thyroxin hormone
which results in a condition known as simple goitre. It is a swelling of

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the thyroid gland without any over secretion sign of thyroid hormone.
If the iodine deficiency is moderate, it leads to high concentrations of

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Thyroid Stimulating Hormone which leads to swelling of the glands.
For these reasons it is advisable to take iodine in diet because it
stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxin hormone and thus
prevents from such disorders.
Q. 3 How does our body respond when adrenaline is secreted into the
blood?
Answer: Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands in
case of flight situation/ emergency. When adrenaline is secreted into
the blood, it-
• Speeds up the heartbeat, thus providing more oxygen to the limbs.
• Increases the rate of blood circulation thus resulting in an increase in
blood pressure.
• Increases the blood supply to limbs and face.

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• Stimulates the liver to put more glucose into the blood.

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All these characteristics that occur on adrenaline secretion prepare the
organism for flight from danger.

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insulin?
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Q. 4 Why are some patients of diabetes treated by giving injections of

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Answer: A person suffers from diabetes when his/her body fails to
produce adequate amount of Insulin.

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Insulin is a hormone secreted by pancreas that helps in regulating the

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blood glucose level. If insulin is not produced in sufficient amount in
blood, the level of glucose in the blood increases which leads to various
serious conditions like retinopathy, blindness, fatigue, excessive

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urination and other serious complications too. So in order to maintain
the insulin level in the blood of a diabetic person, insulin injections are
administered artificially into them.

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Exercise-Pg-125
Q. 1 Which of the following is a plant hormone?
A. Insulin
B. Thyroxin
C. Oestrogen
D. Cytokinin
Answer: Cytokinins are plant growth hormones that Control cellular
division in root and shoot, also called as antiaging hormones.
Q. 2 The gap between two neurons is called a;
A. Dendrite
B. Synapse
C. Axon

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D. Impulse

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Answer: Synapse is the gap between two neurons that passes chemical

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or electrical signals from one neuron to another.

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Q. 3 The brain is responsible for:

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A. Thinking

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B. Regulating the heart beat

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C. Balancing the body
D. All of the above

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Answer: Brain is divided into many parts- cerebrum, cerebellum,
hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, pons, Cerebrum is concerned with

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thinking. Midbrain, pons and medulla are concerned with regulating

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the heartbeat. Cerebellum helps in balancing the body.

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Q. 4 What is the function of receptors in our body? Think of situations

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where receptors do not work properly. What problems are likely to
arise?
Answer: A receptor is a protein molecule that receives chemical signal
from outside and interprets them. On receiving these signals the
receptors bring about cellular responses. There are receptors in nose,
tongue, ear, eye etc.
If receptors do not work properly then the information sent by the
chemical signals will not be interpreted and perceived. Suppose the
receptors found on our tongue, gustatory receptors do not work, an
organism will not be able to perceive the taste of things one puts on
tongue or eats. If the receptor in eye, say rod, does not work properly
then an organism will not be able to perceive vision at night because
rods function in less intense lights; so if rods will not function the
person will not be able to perceive vision at night. Similarly, If in a
situation the receptors in nose, i.e. the olfactory receptors fail to
function properly, then the signals sent to brain regarding any smell

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will not be perceived and an organism will not be able to smell.

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Q. 5 Draw the structure of a neuron and explain its function.

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Answer:

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A neuron consists of a cell body which gives off a variable number of

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processes. They give off several short branching processes called

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dendrites and one longer process known as axon.
Neurons transmit chemical and electric signals in the brain. The ends
of axons possess bulb like structures which have neurotransmitters in
them, these bulbs connect with the dendrite of another neuron and form
synapses. These neurotransmitters transmit signals from one end of
neuron to the dendrites of another neuron, thus conducting the chemical
impulse. Electrical signals also occur in neurons but they are
comparatively slower.
Q. 6 How does phototropism occur in plants?
Answer: Phototropism are curvature movements that occur when a
plant is provided with artificial, natural light just from one direction.
Plant parts that show a bending towards the source of light are said to
be positively phototropic, whereas plant parts that bend/ grow away
from light source are said to be negatively phototropic.
This curvature / bending of parts usually stem is due to unequal
distribution of auxin under the influence of light. Auxins accumulate
on side away from light. So wherever auxin concentration will be high,

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the stem will promote growth on that side.

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Q. 7 Which signals will get disrupted in case of a spinal cord injury?
Answer: In case of a spinal cord injury, the signals coming from nerves

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and signals coming to the receptors will be disrupted, also disturbing

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the reflex and involuntary actions.

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Q. 8 How does chemical coordination occurs in plant?

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Answer: Chemical coordination occurs in plant with plant hormones.
Plant hormones are synthesized at places away from where they act and
diffuse to the area of action. Different plant hormones help to

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coordinate growth and development. For example, auxins and
gibberellins. Gibberellins help in growth of the stem. Abscisic acid,

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another plant hormone, inhibits growth in plants.

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Q. 9 What is the need for a system of control and coordination in an
organism?

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Answer: There are various organs and organ systems in an organism.
To allow proper functioning and survival of an organism they need to
be coordinated and controlled.
In human beings nervous system and endocrine system work together
to control and coordination.
Q. 10 How are involuntary actions and reflex actions different from
each other?
Answer:
INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS REFLEX ACTION
They happen in involuntary They happen in a voluntary organ
organs. and are regulated by spinal cord.
These actions are a part of daily They are in response to sudden
routine. stimulus of danger.
Eg- beating of heart. Eg- decrease in size of pupil on
stepping out in light.

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