Parts of a Plant

• Plants are living organisms. Just like animals, plants also need air, water and other nutrients. They prepare their food using sunlight, chlorophyll, water and minerals.
• Plants are of different sizes and shapes. They live on land as well as in water.

• Plants show different variations in their body as per the habitat they grow in.
• We use parts of a plant to prepare food, extract raw materials, medicines etc.

Germination of Seeds

Question 1:

How Does a Seed Develop Into a New Plant?

Answer:

• Seeds have tiny baby plants enclosed within them.
• When the seeds get an appropriate environment, they germinate, which leads to the development of a new plant.
• This baby plant grows the shoot and root systems and grows into a new plant.

Question 2:

Why Are Fruits Colourful and Have Varying Tastes?

Answer:

• Fruits have their characteristic colour due to different coloured substances called pigments.
• These pigments make them attractive. Animals, insects, and birds consume these fruits and help in spreading the seeds of these fruits by defecating them to different places.

Question 3:

What Are Fertilizers? Why Are They Important for Plants?

Answer:

• The substances that increase the fertility of the soil are called fertilizers.
• They are essential for plants as they are rich in specific elements that promote plant growth.

Question 4:

What Happens if a Potted Plant Is Kept Inside a Closed Space for Many Days?

Answer:

• Sunlight is necessary for plants to make their food.
• If a potted plant is kept in a closed space for many days, its leaves start turning yellow, leading to wilting of leaves.
• This leads to the death of the plant gradually.

Question 5:

What Happens if We Over Water the Plants?

Answer:

• Too much water leads to water logging due to roots not having enough space to exchange gases.
• This leads to wilting of roots and the gradual death of the plant.

Root system

Question 1:

Banyan Tree Develops Hanging Roots Other Than the Main Underground Roots. Why Does the Tree Need Additional Roots?

Answer:

• Roots help to support the tree. The crown of the banyan tree is enormous and expands over a large area.
• Hence, the additional roots grow from the tree branches, which provide the support it wants due to its enormous size.
• These additional roots are called prop roots.

Question 2:

Why Are Sweet Potatoes Considered Roots, Whereas Potatoes Are Stems?

Answer:

• Potatoes have small eyes which can grow buds which shows that they are specialized stems.
• On the other hand, no such structure can be seen in sweet potatoes; hence they are considered roots.

Question 3:

Mangrove Roots Grow Out of the Soil. Why Does the Mangrove Plant Need Such Roots?

Answer:

• Mangroves grow in waterlogged areas.
• Roots cannot exchange gases in waterlogged conditions; hence mangroves grow roots out of the soil so that gaseous exchange can occur.
• These roots are called stilt roots.

Uses of Plants

Question 1:

Some Plants Are Called ‘Oil Plants’. Why?

Answer:

• Some plants, such as mustard, groundnut, coconut, olive, etc., are used to extract vegetable oil from them, hence called oil plants.

Question 2:

What Is the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable?

Answer:

Both fruits and vegetables are different due to the following reasons: