Class 10 Science


Life Processes

Processes which are essential to continue life in a living being are called life processes. Let us try to understand the real meaning of life processes.

In your junior classes, you have read about various bases on which we differentiate between living and non-living things.

You may recall that living beings show movement, respiration, nutrition, growth, etc. But non-living things do not show movement, respiration, nutrition, growth, etc.

Growth and Movement

A cloud grows in size but it is a non-living thing. We know that a cloud grows in size due to accumulation of matter from outside. On the other hand, a living being grows from inside.

A car shows movement but it is a non-living thing. A car cannot move on its own rather it needs human intervention to move.

We can easily see movement in animals and consider their movement as the sign of life in them. But plants do not move yet are considered as living beings. Similarly, we are unable to see breathing in plants.

Many other living beings do not show breathing or movement which can be apparent to us. How do we say that such organisms are living beings?

Various movements, which may not be apparent from outside take place inside a living being. These movements can be on the scale of molecules or on the scale of cells.

For example; water and minerals from soil move through roots and stems to reach leaves of plants. Similarly, food from leaves moves to different parts of plants. This knowledge of movement of materials in plants proves that plants are living beings.

Living beings need certain processes to replace worn out parts. They need some raw materials for doing that. These raw materials come through food.

Food is further converted into energy so that various movements can take place. So, it can be said that there are certain processes in a living being which are necessary to maintain life. These processes are called life processes.

Examples of Life Processes

All living beings need food to survive. So, nutrition is a life process because it is necessary to maintain life. Lack of food for a long time would eventually end the life in a living being.

All living beings need respiration to survive. So, respiration is a life process because it is necessary to maintain life. End of respiration results in end of life in a living being.

All living being need to remove waste materials from their body otherwise they would die. So, excretion is a life process because it is necessary to maintain life.

What is Life Process?

Various functions carried out by living beings, which are necessary to maintain and continue life are called life process. Following are the life processes in living beings:

  • Nutrition
  • Respiration
  • Transportation of substances
  • Excretion
  • Movement

Is reproduction a life process?

Is reproduction required to continue life in a living being? The answer is in negative. In animal world, many individuals may not get a mate in their lifetime. Such an individual is unable to reproduce a progeny. But such an individual continues to live. So, reproduction cannot be called a life process. Reproduction is required to continue the lineage of a species.


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