Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics – NCERT Solutions, Notes & Worksheet
Class 6 Science Chapter 10 – Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics
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NCERT Curiosity 2026–27 | Notes, NCERT Solutions, Important Questions, MCQs & Worksheet
Class 6 Science Chapter 10 – Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics. या chapter मध्ये living आणि non-living things, characteristics of living creatures, seed germination, plant growth, mosquito आणि frog life cycles यांचा अभ्यास केला आहे.
Previous Chapter: Chapter 9 – Methods of Separation in Everyday Life | Next: Chapter 11 – Nature’s Treasures
📘 Detailed Notes
1. Living and Non-living Things
Our surroundings contain both living and non-living things. Living creatures perform several life processes and show a combination of characteristics such as movement, nutrition, growth, respiration, excretion, response to stimuli, reproduction and death. A single feature alone is not always enough to decide whether something is living. For example, a car can move but it is non-living, while a plant may remain fixed in one place but is living.
2. Main Characteristics of Living Creatures
• Movement – Living organisms show movement. Animals can move from place to place, while plants show movements such as bending towards light or closing leaves in response to touch.
• Nutrition – Living organisms need food or nutrients for energy, growth and life processes.
• Growth – Living organisms grow and develop during their life.
• Respiration – Living organisms carry out respiration to release energy from food.
• Excretion – Waste materials produced during life processes need to be removed.
• Response to stimuli – Living organisms respond to changes in their surroundings.
• Reproduction – Living organisms produce new individuals of their own kind.
• Life span and death – Every living organism has a life cycle and eventually dies.
• Nutrition – Living organisms need food or nutrients for energy, growth and life processes.
• Growth – Living organisms grow and develop during their life.
• Respiration – Living organisms carry out respiration to release energy from food.
• Excretion – Waste materials produced during life processes need to be removed.
• Response to stimuli – Living organisms respond to changes in their surroundings.
• Reproduction – Living organisms produce new individuals of their own kind.
• Life span and death – Every living organism has a life cycle and eventually dies.
3. Seed – A Living Thing
A dry seed may appear inactive, but it is living. Under suitable conditions it can germinate and develop into a new plant. Germination requires suitable moisture, air and appropriate conditions. Too much water can prevent proper air supply, while unsuitable conditions can stop or slow germination.
4. Growth and Movement in Plants
Plants do not walk from one place to another, but they show movement and directional growth. Shoots generally grow upwards and bend towards light, while roots generally grow downwards. These responses help plants obtain light, water and minerals and remain properly anchored.
5. Life Cycle of a Plant
A typical plant life cycle can be represented as:
Seed → Germination → Seedling → Mature plant → Flowering → Fruit and seed formation → New seeds.
The seeds produced by a plant can germinate and give rise to new plants. Thus reproduction helps maintain continuity of the plant's kind.
Seed → Germination → Seedling → Mature plant → Flowering → Fruit and seed formation → New seeds.
The seeds produced by a plant can germinate and give rise to new plants. Thus reproduction helps maintain continuity of the plant's kind.
6. Life Cycle of Animals
Animals also pass through different stages of growth and development. Depending on the animal, the stages may include egg or newborn, young stage and adult stage. Reproduction produces the next generation and keeps the species continuing.
7. Mosquito Life Cycle
The mosquito life cycle has four major stages:
Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult.
Eggs are generally laid in stagnant water. Larvae and pupae develop in water before the adult mosquito emerges. Preventing stagnant water can help disrupt mosquito breeding.
Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult.
Eggs are generally laid in stagnant water. Larvae and pupae develop in water before the adult mosquito emerges. Preventing stagnant water can help disrupt mosquito breeding.
8. Frog Life Cycle
The frog life cycle can be represented as:
Eggs → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult frog.
Tadpoles live in water and have a tail that helps them swim. As the frog develops legs and changes into an adult, the tail gradually disappears and the animal becomes adapted for life on land as well as in water.
Eggs → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult frog.
Tadpoles live in water and have a tail that helps them swim. As the frog develops legs and changes into an adult, the tail gradually disappears and the animal becomes adapted for life on land as well as in water.
9. Metamorphosis
Some animals undergo major changes in body form during their life cycle. This is called metamorphosis. Mosquitoes and frogs are common examples. Their young stages look very different from the adult forms and may live in different ways or habitats.
Living → Nutrition → Growth → Respiration → Excretion → Response to Stimuli → Reproduction → Life Cycle → Death
📝 NCERT Textbook Questions & Answers
खालील प्रश्न NCERT Curiosity Chapter 10 मधील in-text आणि end-of-chapter अभ्यासावर आधारित आहेत. उत्तरं विद्यार्थ्यांना सोप्या भाषेत दिली आहेत.
Q1. How would you now categorise a seed, as living or non-living?
Answer: A seed is a living thing. Although it may remain dormant and show very little visible activity, it can germinate and grow into a new plant when suitable conditions are available.
Q2. How can the life cycle of a mosquito be disrupted?
Answer: The mosquito life cycle can be disrupted by preventing breeding in stagnant water. Removing standing water and using appropriate mosquito-control measures can stop eggs, larvae and pupae from developing into adult mosquitoes.
1. List the similarities and differences in life cycles of plants and animals.
Answer: Both plants and animals pass through stages of growth and development, reproduce to continue their kind, and eventually die. A plant life cycle commonly begins with seed germination and includes flowering and seed production. Animal life cycles begin with an egg or newborn and pass through young and adult stages, depending on the animal.
2. Study the data and try to find out examples appropriate for the conditions given in the second and third columns. If you think that an example for any of the conditions given below is not possible, explain why.
Answer: No growth and no respiration can be shown by a non-living object such as a stone. Growth without respiration is not a suitable condition for a living organism because growth requires energy and life processes involve respiration. Growth with respiration can be seen in a growing plant or animal. The key idea is that growth in living beings is associated with life processes.
3. You have learnt that different conditions are required for seed germination. How can we use this knowledge for proper storage of grains and pulses?
Answer: Grains and pulses are seeds. To prevent germination during storage, keep them dry, cool and protected from excess moisture. Proper storage should also allow prevention of conditions that encourage germination.
4. You have learnt that a tail is present in a tadpole but it disappears as it grows into a frog. What is the advantage of having a tail in the tadpole stage?
Answer: The tadpole's tail helps it swim efficiently in water and supports movement while it searches for food and avoids danger. As the frog develops legs and changes its mode of movement, the tail becomes unnecessary and gradually disappears.
5. Charan says that a wooden log is non-living as it cannot move. Charu counters it by saying that it is living because it is made of wood obtained from trees. Give your arguments in favour or against the two statements given by Charan and Charu.
Answer: Charan's conclusion is correct for the wooden log as it is no longer carrying out the life processes of a living tree. Charu is correct that the wood originally came from a living tree, but the log itself is not living merely because its material came from a living organism.
6. What are the similarities and distinguishing features in the life cycles of a mosquito and a frog?
Answer: Both begin their life cycle from eggs and have aquatic young stages. A mosquito passes through Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult, whereas a frog passes through Egg → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult. The body form and development of their young stages are different.
7. A plant is provided with all the conditions suitable for its growth (Fig. 10.9). Draw what you expect to see in the shoot and the root of the plant after one week. Write down the reasons.
Answer: The shoot is expected to grow upward, generally towards light, while the root grows downward into the soil. This directional growth helps the shoot obtain light and the root obtain water and minerals and provide anchorage.
8. Tara and Vijay set up the experiment shown in the picture (Fig. 10.10). What do you think they want to find out? How will they know if they are correct?
Answer: They want to find out how the direction in which a seed is placed affects the growth of its root and shoot. If seeds placed in different orientations still produce shoots growing upward and roots growing downward, the observation supports the expected directional growth of plants.
9. Design an experiment to check if temperature has an effect on seed germination.
Answer: Take equal numbers of the same type of seeds and place them under different temperature conditions—cool, room temperature and warm—while keeping water, air, seed type and other conditions as similar as possible. Observe and record germination over several days. Compare the number and rate of germination to determine the effect of temperature.
⭐ Important Extra Questions & Answers
1. Why is movement alone not enough to decide whether something is living?
Answer: A car moves but is non-living, while a plant may remain fixed in one place but shows growth and other life processes. Therefore, several characteristics must be considered together.
2. What is a stimulus?
Answer: A stimulus is a change in the surroundings that causes a living organism to respond, such as touch, light, heat or sound.
3. Why does a seed germinate only under suitable conditions?
Answer: Germination needs suitable moisture, air and appropriate environmental conditions. If essential conditions are missing, the seed may remain dormant.
4. Write the life cycle of a mosquito in correct order.
Answer: Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult.
5. Write the life cycle of a frog in correct order.
Answer: Egg → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult frog.
6. Why are stagnant-water sources important in mosquito control?
Answer: Mosquitoes commonly lay eggs in stagnant water. Removing such water reduces places where eggs, larvae and pupae can develop.
7. Why does the tadpole need a tail?
Answer: The tail helps the tadpole swim and move efficiently in water.
8. What is meant by a life cycle?
Answer: A life cycle is the sequence of stages through which a living organism passes from its beginning to adulthood, reproduction and finally death.
🎯 Class 6 Science Chapter 10 MCQs
1. Which of the following is a characteristic of living things?
A) Rusting B) Reproduction C) Melting D) Breaking
2. A seed is considered living because it can:
A) Shine B) Germinate under suitable conditions C) Move from place to place D) Produce sound
3. Which sequence shows the mosquito life cycle?
A) Egg → Pupa → Larva → Adult B) Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult C) Egg → Tadpole → Adult D) Seed → Larva → Pupa
4. Which stage of a frog has a tail and lives in water?
A) Adult B) Froglet C) Tadpole D) Egg
5. Plants generally show which direction of root growth?
A) Downward B) Upward C) Sideways only D) No growth
6. Which process removes waste from a living organism?
A) Reproduction B) Excretion C) Germination D) Pollination
7. Which condition helps prevent germination of stored grains?
A) Excess moisture B) Suitable warmth and water C) Dry storage D) Continuous watering
8. The young stage of a mosquito is called:
A) Tadpole B) Larva C) Froglet D) Seedling
9. A wooden log is non-living because it:
A) Came from a tree B) Is made of cells C) No longer performs life processes D) Has a brown colour
10. A stimulus is:
A) A response to food B) A change that causes a response C) A type of seed D) A stage of a frog
📄 Worksheet – Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics
A. Fill in the blanks
- Living things need ______ for energy and growth.
- The removal of waste from the body is called ______.
- The first stage in the mosquito life cycle is ______.
- A young frog is called a ______.
- The process by which a seed starts growing is called ______.
B. True or False
- A car is a living thing because it moves.
- Plants respond to changes in their surroundings.
- A mosquito passes through the pupa stage.
- A tadpole has a tail.
- Excess moisture is useful for long-term grain storage because it always prevents germination.
C. Match the pairs
| A | B |
|---|---|
| 1. Mosquito | a. Tadpole |
| 2. Frog | b. Larva |
| 3. Seed | c. Germination |
| 4. Waste removal | d. Excretion |
D. Short Answer Questions
- Write any four characteristics of living things.
- Why is a seed considered living?
- Write the life cycle of a mosquito.
- Why does a tadpole have a tail?
- Why should stored grains be kept dry?
✅ Answer Key
MCQs: 1-B, 2-B, 3-B, 4-C, 5-A, 6-B, 7-C, 8-B, 9-C, 10-B.
Fill in the blanks: 1. food/nutrients, 2. excretion, 3. egg, 4. tadpole, 5. germination.
True/False: 1-False, 2-True, 3-True, 4-True, 5-False.
Match: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-d.
Fill in the blanks: 1. food/nutrients, 2. excretion, 3. egg, 4. tadpole, 5. germination.
True/False: 1-False, 2-True, 3-True, 4-True, 5-False.
Match: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-d.
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