NCERT Solutions Class 7 Science Chapter 10 Life Processes in Plants

Life Processes in Plants, the tenth chapter in NCERT Solutions Class 7 Curiosity, delves into the remarkable systems that enable plants to survive, grow, and interact with their environment. By exploring photosynthesis, respiration, transportation, stomatal function, and related experiments, the chapter builds on foundational knowledge gained in Class 6, offering students a deeper understanding of plant biology and its connection to life on Earth.

This NCERT Solutions Class 7 Science chapter is crucial for several reasons: it teaches how plants manufacture and utilize food, how they breathe and transport substances internally, and how tiny structures like stomata play a vital role in everything from gas exchange to water regulation.

1.0NCERT Solutions Class 7 Science Chapter 10 Life Processes in Plants – Download PDF

Download the free PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 10 offers clear, step-by-step answers to all in-text and exercise questions, complete with labelled diagrams and examples.

2.0Key Concepts in Chapter 10: Life Processes in Plants

1. Autotrophic Nutrition & Photosynthesis

• Plants are autotrophs, capable of producing their own food using simple inorganic substances.
• Photosynthesis captures light energy via chlorophyll in leaves to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen:
  6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O —[sunlight, chlorophyll]→ C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂
• Experiments with variegated leaves and iodine tests show that starch forms only in green areas with chlorophyll and sunlight. 
• Another experiment using a salt that absorbs CO₂ proves carbon dioxide is essential, and testing bubble formation in water plants confirms oxygen release. '

2. Respiration

Like animals, plants respire—breaking down glucose in the presence of oxygen to release energy:
C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂ → 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + energy

• Evidence comes from experiments with moong beans, where CO₂ production turns limewater milky. 

3. Gas Exchange via Stomata

• Stomata are tiny pores primarily on leaves that facilitate gas exchange—taking in CO₂ for photosynthesis and releasing O₂, and vice versa for respiration. 

4. Transport Systems: Xylem & Phloem

• Xylem vessels conduct water and dissolved minerals upward from roots to leaves.
• Phloem distributes glucose or manufactured food from leaves to other plant parts for growth or storage.

5. Cross-functional Tissues & Processes

• Non-green plant parts with chlorophyll (like green stems) can also photosynthesize. 
• Nutrients like minerals and water absorbed by roots are vital not only for growth but also for photosynthesis. 

3.0NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 10 - Life Processes in Plants : Detailed Solutions

Multiple choice questions

• Complete the following table:

• Imagine a situation where all the organisms that carry out photosynthesis on the Earth have disappeared. What would be the impact of this on living organisms? Ans. If all photosynthetic organisms disappeared, the consequences would be devastating. Oxygen level in the atmosphere would rapidly decline, making it difficult for animals and humans to breathe. Additionally, the primary source of food (plants and algae) would vanish, collapsing the entire food chain and leading to the extinction of most life forms, including humans.
• A potato slice shows the presence of starch with iodine solution. Where does the starch in potatoes come from? Where is the food synthesised in the plant and how does it reach the potato? Ans. The starch in potatoes is a stored form of glucose produced during photosynthesis. Glucose is synthesized in the leaves of the plant using sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. The glucose formed is converted into starch and transported through the phloem to different parts of the plant, including underground stems like the potato, where it is stored.
• Does the broad and flat structure of leaves make plants more efficient for photosynthesis? Justify your answer Ans. Yes, the broad and flat structure of leaves increases the surface area available for absorbing sunlight. This maximizes absorption of sunlight, which is essential for photosynthesis. Additionally, it allows for better gas exchange (carbon dioxide in, oxygen out) through the stomata, making the process more efficient.
• X is broken down using Y to release carbon dioxide, Z and energy. $\mathrm{X}+\mathrm{Y}\to$ Carbon dioxide $+\mathrm{Z}+$ Energy $X,Y$ and $Z$ are three different components of the process. What do X, Y and Z stand for? Ans. X stands for glucose, Y is oxygen and Z is water. During aerobic respiration, glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen to release carbon dioxide, water and energy. This process provides energy required for various life activities. Glucose + Oxygen $\to$ Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy
• Krishna set-up an experiment with two potted plants of same size and placed one of them in sunlight and the other in a dark room, as shown in fig. answer the following questions -
  
  (a) Sunlight
  
  (b) Complete dark Experimental pots (i) What idea might she be testing through this experiment? (ii) What are the visible differences in plants in both the conditions? (iii) According to you, leaves of which plants confirm the iodine test for the presence of starch? Ans. (i) She is testing whether sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis. (ii) The plant kept in sunlight appears healthy, green and upright. The plant kept in the dark room looks pale or yellowish, weak and droopy due to the absence of sunlight which prevent chlorophyll production and photosynthesis. (iii) The leaves of the plant kept in sunlight will confirm the iodine test by turning blue-black, indicating the presence of starch. The plant in the dark room will not show a colour change, as no photosynthesis (and thus no starch formation) occurred.
• Vani believes that 'carbon dioxide is essential for photosynthesis'. She puts an experimental set-up, as shown in fig. to collect evidence to support or reject her idea.
  
  (a) Sunlight with carbon dioxide
  
  (c) Dark with carbon dioxide
  
  (b) Sunlight without carbon dioxide
  
  A potted plant with sufficient water is placed under the prescribed conditions Answer the following questions - (i) In which plant(s) in the above setup(s) will starch be formed? (ii) In which plant(s) in the above setup(s) will starch not be formed? (iii) In which plant(s) in the above setup(s) will oxygen be generated? (iv) In which plant(s) in the above setup(s) will oxygen not be generated? Ans. (i) (a) only. Because both sunlight and carbon dioxide are available for photosynthesis. (ii) (b), (c) and (d). Because each of these setups lacks either carbon dioxide or sunlight, so photosynthesis cannot take place. (iii) (a) only. Oxygen is released during photosynthesis and only setup (a) has the required conditions. (iv) (b), (c) and (d). Because without photosynthesis (due to missing ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ or light), no oxygen is produced.
• Ananya took four test tubes and filled three-fourth of each test tube with water. She labelled them A, B, C and D. In test tube $A$, she kept a snail; in test tube $B$, she kept a water plant; in test tube $C$, she kept both a snail and a plant. In test tube D, she kept only water. Ananya added a carbon dioxide indicator to all the test tubes. She recorded the initial colour of water and observed if there are any colour changes in the test tubes after 2-3 hours. What do you think she wants to fi nd out? How will she know if she is correct?
  
  Experiment Set-up Ans. Ananya performed an experiment to understand how plants and animals affect the levels of carbon dioxide in water. She uses a carbon dioxide indicator to observe changes in the test tubes.

• In the test tube A with the snail, the indicator changes colour because the snail produces carbon dioxide through respiration.
• In the test tube B with the plant, the indicator changes colour as the plant uses carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
• In the test tube C with both the snail and the plant, the plant uses the carbon dioxide produced by the snail, so the colour change is less noticeable or balanced.
• The test tube D with only water shows no colour change because there is no respiration or photosynthesis. These observations help Ananya understand the role of carbon dioxide in photosynthesis and respiration. Carbon dioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis to make food, while it is produced by animals and plants during respiration as a waste product.

• Design an experiment to observe if water transportation in plants is quicker in warm or cold conditions Aim: To find out whether water moves faster in plants in warm or cold conditions. Materials:

• Two similar healthy potted plants (or cut celery sticks)
• Two clear glasses or beakers
• Coloured water (use food colouring)
• One warm place (e.g., near a window in sunlight)
• One cold place (e.g., inside the fridge or a cool shaded area) Procedure:

• Fill both glasses with coloured water.
• Place one plant or celery stick in the warm place with coloured water.
• Place the other plant or celery stick in the cold place with coloured water.
• After 30 minutes to 1 hour, observe how far the colour has moved up the stem in both plants. Observation:

• The plant in the warm place will show coloured water moving faster and higher up the stem.
• The plant in the cold place will show slower movement of coloured water.
• Conclusion: Water transportation is quicker in warm conditions because heat increases the rate of evaporation and transpiration, pulling water faster through the plant.

• Photosynthesis and respiration are essential to maintain balance in nature. Discuss. Ans. Photosynthesis and respiration work together to keep life on Earth balanced. In photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to make food (glucose) and release oxygen. This oxygen is essential for animals and humans to carry out respiration. Respiration is the process by which living organisms, including plants and animals, use oxygen to break down glucose and release energy needed for their activities. This process produces carbon dioxide and water as by-products. The carbon dioxide produced during respiration is used again by plants in photosynthesis and the oxygen released in photosynthesis is used in respiration. This cycle keeps the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide balanced in the atmosphere, supporting all living beings.

4.0Key Features of NCERT Solutions Class 7 Science Chapter 10: Life Processes in Plants

• Conceptual clarity: Every process—photosynthesis, respiration, transport—is broken down into understandable steps, supported by everyday practical examples.
• Experiment-based explanations: From starch tests to oxygen bubble observations, students can visualize learning through hands-on activities.
• Diagrams & labeling: High-quality visuals of leaves, stomata, xylem/phloem, and set-ups like the inverted test-tube water plant enrich comprehension.
• Word equations & flowcharts: Summarizing complex processes in succinct formats helps in quick revision.
• Solved in-text and exercise questions: Every question, including extrapolative ones (e.g., potato starch origin or variegated leaf behavior), is answered with depth.
• FAQs and conceptual links: Helps bridge learnings from Class 6 chapters (e.g., nutrition basics) to Class 7 applications.