S1. The Living World: Adaptations & Classification | General Science | Class 7

Welcome to “The Living World: Adaptations & Classification,” your go-to resource for understanding the incredible diversity of life on Earth. In this blog, we’ll explore how different organisms adapt to their environments and dive into the fascinating science of classification. Plus, you’ll find helpful Q&A sections to ace your school assignments!

Q1. Find my match !

‘A’ Group	‘B’ Group
(1) Lotus	(a) flower and leaves attract insects
(2) Aloe	(b) Haustorial roots for absorption of food
(3) Cuscuta	(c) Adapted to live in deserts
(4) Venus flytrap	(d) Adapted to live in water.

ANSWER:

‘A’ Group	‘B’ Group
(1) Lotus	(d) Adapted to live in water.
(2) Aloe	(c) Adapted to live in deserts
(3) Cuscuta	(b) Haustorial roots for absorption of food
(4) Venus flytrap	(a) flower and leaves attract insects

Q2. Read the paragraph and answer the following questions.

I am a penguin. I live in polar region covered by snow. My abdomen is white. My skin is  thick with a layer of fat underneath. My body is spindle-shaped. My wings are small. My toes are webbed. We live in flocks.

(a) Why is my skin white and thick and why is there a thick layer of fat underneath ?

Answer: The penguins live in extremely cold regions like the polar region that is always covered with ice. They have white skin so that they could not be seen by their predators. They have a thick skin with a thick layer of fat underneath, so as not to allow the escape of body heat. Thus they are well adapted to their surrounding for survival.

(b) Why do we live in flocks sticking close to each other ?

Answer: The penguins live in flocks sticking close to each other because:

• It helps in protection of their young ones
• It helps to avoid escape of body heat in the cold weather

(c) Which geographical region do I inhabit? Why?

Answer: Penguins are found in Antartica region, at the South Pole. Here they have plenty of food available and hence are found in good numbers.

(d) Which adaptations should you have to enable you to live permanently in the polar region? Why?

Answer: To enable us to live permanently in polar region we should be adapted to survive in cold temperatures. We should have a thick layer of fat under the skin to protect us from cold and there should be good temperature regulation mechanism developed.

3. Who is lying?

• Cockroach – I have five legs.

ANSWER: Cockroach is lying, it has six legs.

• Hen – My toes are webbed.

ANSWER: The hen is lying, it has no webbed toes.

• Cactus – My fleshy, green part is a leaf.

ANSWER: The cactus is lying, its green part is the stem.

Q5. Answer the following.

(a) Why is the camel called the ‘Ship of the desert’ ?

ANSWER: The camel is called the ship of the desert because:

• The camel can survive in severe scarcity of water.
• It has a thick skin to prevent loss of water from the body.
•  Their legs are long with flat and cushioned soles.
•  Its nostrils are protected by folds of skin.
• Its eyelashes are long and thick.

Thus with all the above adaptations the camel is well adapted to survive in desert and hence is called the ‘Ship of the desert’.

(b) How can the plants like cactus and acacia live in deserts with scarce water ?

ANSWER: The plants like cactus and acacia live in deserts with scarce water because of the following adaptations:

• They are either leafless or their leaves are like small needles or have been modified into thorns. As a result, they lose very little water by evaporation.
• The stem stores water and food and is therefore fleshy.
•  The stems are green as they perform photosynthesis in the absence of leaves.
•  Their roots penetrate deep into the soil and some roots spread away into the soil in search of water.
• There is a thick layer of a waxy substance on the stems of these plants, too.

(c) What is the inter-relationship between adaptations of organisms and their surroundings ?

ANSWER:

• Adaptation is the ability of living organisms to adjust themselves to their surroundings, undergoing changes in their body and structure.
• Adaptations enable organisms to live, feed, reproduce to perpetuate themselves.
•  They also enable organisms to protect themselves from their enemies in specific surroundings.
•  The type of changes the organism will undergo depends to which geographical conditions it is exposed and hence has inter-relationship.

(d) How are organisms classified ?

ANSWER: Organisms like plants and animals are classified based on their features or characteristics. After detail study of the organism their basic similarities and differences are noted and classified into groups and sub-groups, called as ‘hierarchy of classification’. In this way the organisms are classified.

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