The

Class-VI

LIVING
WORLD
(A Book of Science & Technology)

Publication Division
D.A.V. College Managing Committee
Chitra Gupta Road, New Delhi-110055

CONTENTS
S.No.

Topic

Page No.

1.

Our Environment

1 16

2.

Food

17 33

3.

Nature of Matter

34 48

4.

Separation of Substances

49 69

5.

Changes Around Us

70 82

6.

Measurement & Motion

83 102

7.

The World of Living

103 122

8.

Structure and Function of the Living OrganismsPlants

123 139

9.

Structure and Function of the Living OrganismsAnimals

140 156

10.

Work and Energy

157 168

11.

Electric Currents and Circuits

169 187

12.

Light and Shadows

188 202

13.

Magnets

203 219

14.

Fabic from Fibre

220 230

C h a pt e r

Our Environment

We see a variety of plants and animals around us. They may be similar, or different,
depending upon the geographical and climatic conditions. Living objects do
not live in isolation. They interact with one another and also with the non-living
surroundings in which they live. As a result, both plants and animals get adapted
to their surroundings.
We find that there are two types of objects in our surroundings. Plants and animals,
including human beings, form the living components. They are also called the biotic
components. Air, water, soil, light, temperature, etc., are non-living and are also called
abiotic components. Both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components, taken
together constitute our environment.

Biotic Environment
Living organisms, i.e. all plants and animals, including humans, form the biotic
environment. Let us try to understand its different components one by one.
1

1. Plants (Producers): We all know that plants, like other organisms, need food. All

green plants have the colouring matter, called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll, which
is present in the leaves, absorbs energy from the sunlight. This energy is used to
prepare food. For this, plants also use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and
water and minerals from the soil. This process of preparing food, by the plants,
is called photosynthesis. The following equation represents this process.
sunlight

Carbon dioxide +
Water
chlorophyll

Glucose

Oxygen

(Carbohydrate)

The green plants, which prepare their own food (glucose), are called producers
or autotrophs (auto = self; troph = food).

Plants prepare their own food using sunlight

2. Animals (Consumers): Animals cannot prepare their own food. They have to
depend on plants for their food. They are called consumers or heterotrophs
(hetero = other; troph = food).

Cow feeds on grass

A boy eating plant products (fruits)

All animals feed on green plants, either directly or indirectly. Animals, like cattle
and goat, directly eat plants, like grass and fodder. They are called primary
consumers or herbivores. Animals, like tiger and lion, feed on these herbivores.
In other words, they hunt, and eat, cattle, goat, etc. Such consumers, which feed
on plants indirectly, are called secondary consumers or carnivores. There are
some animals which feed on both producers as well as the primary consumers.
They are called omnivores. Animals, like bears, pigs, etc., are omnivores. We,
human beings, are also omnivores.

Herbivore (Deer)

Carnivore (Tiger)

Omnivore (Bear)

3. Micro-organisms (Decomposers): In addition to producers and consumers,

there are some organisms which derive their food from dead and decaying plants
and animals. They are called decomposers. Decomposers breakdown the dead
and decaying plants and animals into minerals. These
minerals get mixed up with the soil and are then again
used by the plants. This process is called recycling of
minerals.

Fungi and bacteria are the organisms that help in

decomposition. These are so small that they cannot
be seen with the naked eyes. They are called microorganisms.

Fungus on fruits

Animals and birds, like jackals, crows, vultures and kites, consume dead bodies
of animals. This process helps in keeping the environment clean. They are called
scavengers.

If dead organisms are not decomposed, their number will go on increasing and there will be no
space left for the living organisms.
Some bacteria, present in air, water and soil can cause various diseases.
3

Activity 1
A zoo feeder wants to segregate the animals, listed below, into three groups, on the
basis of the types of food they eat.
giraffe | lion | bear | leopard | chimpanzee | tiger | elephant | panda |
deer | crocodile | rhinoceros | cheetah | hippopotamus | fox | kangaroo
Help the zoo feeder to organise the animals, into the three groups, listed below.
Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

There are certain materials that cannot be decomposed in nature. Now let us
perform the following activity.

Activity 2
Take some pieces of a newspaper, a piece of cloth and a used plastic bag. Burry these
in the soil. After one month, dig up the soil and check for the three things.
What do you observe? The plastic bag shows no change and is in the same condition
as when it was buried. Paper and cloth have changed and are partially decomposed.
Why has this difference in these materials occurred? This is due to the difference in
the action of decomposers on them.
We observe that paper and cloth are biodegradable materials (bio = living
organisms; degradable = decomposable). These are materials which can be broken
down into simpler substances by micro-organisms.
Plastic is non-biodegradable, i.e. it cannot be
broken down into simpler substances by any microorganism. Plastic, and other such materials, affect
the environment adversely. Their accumulation, in
the sewerage system, leads to blocking of drains in
our cities. Burning of plastic materials adds to air
pollution. We should, therefore, convince our friends
Children saying No to plastic bags
and relatives not to use plastic bags!
4

In some cities, a twin bin system has been introduced for the welfare of environment. Blue
dustbins and green dustbins are placed in the localities. In the blue bins, non-biodegradable waste
(plastic, aluminium foil, glass, batteries, etc.) are disposed off; in green bins, biodegradable waste
(vegetable waste, paper, cloth, cardboard, etc.) are disposed off.

It is important for us to segregate biodegradable and nonbiodegradable wastes and dispose them in an environment
friendly way. The kitchen waste can be put in a pit dug in
the garden which is then covered with soil and dry leaves.
This waste, in the pit, is acted upon by micro-organisms
and gets converted into useful compost. This compost can
be used for growing healthy plants in fields and gardens.
In order to hasten the process of compost making, a variety
of earthworms, called redworms, can be mixed with the
kitchen waste. They convert it into compost very fast. The
process, of forming compost with the help of various worms
usually redworms, whiteworms and other earthworms, is
known as vermicomposting. Vermicompost is an excellent,
nutrient rich, organic fertiliser and soil conditioner.

Vermicomposting

Redworms

Activity 3
List the things, or items, you throw away as a waste in the dustbin. Dont you think
some of them can be recycled, reused or composted?
Try to categorise the items, in your list, into three columns under their appropriate
heading. You may find it interesting to note that the names of some of the items can
be put in more than one column!
Items that can be
Recycled

Reused

Composted

Abiotic Environment
Abiotic Components include physical conditions and non-living material that affect
the growth, maintenance and reproduction of living components, and can interact
with each other. Water, air, light, temperature, soil and rocks, etc., are all examples of
non-living or abiotic components. These non-living components form the physical, or
abiotic environment in nature. Let us study about them in detail.

Water

Water is essential for the survival and growth of all living organisms. It is needed,
and used, for drinking, bathing, cooking, etc. Animals and plants cannot survive
without water. It is used for irrigation of crops. Humans, and other animals, need
water for different activities of their life. Try to think, and list, the various activities
for which we use water.

Rain Water Harvesting

Rain water harvesting is a way to collect rain water when it rains. Rain water
can be stored, above the ground, or underground, and then used later. This
happens naturally in open rural areas. However, in congested metropolitan
cities, we need to create a method to
Continuous
capture the rain water. Roof Top Rain Water
Guttering
Harvesting is one of such methods. Here,
rain water can be collected at the roof tops
(terrace) of houses. Through pipes, this water
Rain water
filter
can be transferred to tanks, pits or small wells.
Rain
Since the water is very likely to get impure, it
water
should be used for household purposes only
storage
after filtration and purification.
tank

Rain water harvesting can supplement the requirement of water in cities and
raise the sub-soil water level. This can help in maintaining, and increasing,
greenery in urban areas.

If rain water is not collected, it flows down to the rivers situated far away
through the drains and is thus, not available for immediate use.

The rain water, that falls on the roads, or concrete

areas, goes into the drains. The rain water, that
falls on the untreated ground, seeps into the
ground, recharging the groundwater. Innovative
water collection methods need to be used in
different areas to collect, and use, rain water.
6

Rain water harvesting

Activity 4
Think of some innovative ways by which use of water and its wastage, can be
minimised at school and at home. Interact with your friends, neighbours and family
members. Make a poster on Harvest Water to Harness Life.

Air

We know that all living organisms need air for their survival. Air is a mixture
of several gases. Oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are the important
gases present in air. Plants and animals use oxygen for respiration. Plants
consume carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and release oxygen back into the
atmosphere.

Besides oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, small amounts of other gases, very
many bacteria and viruses, and dust are also present in air. Clean air is essential
for our health; as it provides the oxygen that is necessary to sustain life.

Light

Natural light is provided to us, by the sun during the day and by the moon during
the night. The moon, as you know, only reflects the suns light. Hence, sun is the
ultimate source of natural light. This natural light is used by the plants to grow,
and to prepare their food. Life on earth is dependent on sunlight. Plants use
sunlight and prepare their own food by photosynthesis.

Light penetrates into the forests as well as into the water bodies. Aquatic plants
use sunlight for photosynthesis, just like the other plants. However, the amount
of light, reaching these plants, decreases with an increase in the depth of water.
That is why very few plants are able to survive in deep waters.

Plants and animals respond to light in

different ways. Have you seen a plant called
Morning Glory (Ipomoea)? Its flowers bloom
out at sunrise (i.e. morning) and close down
after sunset. Similarly, in some plants, the
leaves open during the day and close during
the night.

Morning Glory (Ipomoea)

The sunflower always faces the sun. In the morning, it faces the east; in the
evening it turns towards the west.
7

Animals also show variations in their behaviour with

the amount of light available to them. Most of the
animals are active during the day when there is light.
Some animals, like rats, cockroaches and owls, are
active during night.
Owls are active at night

Temperature

The temperature, at a place, is indicative of the degree of hotness, or coldness, of

that place. It can be measured by a device called the thermometer. The degree
of hotness varies from place to place.

Temperature affects activities of living organisms. It is an important factor that

determines the distribution of plants and animals on earth. Each organism has
its own tolerance range for temperature.

Most plants and animals grow in warm places but

some need a cold climate. Cows can tolerate the hot
weather better than buffaloes. We often see buffaloes
cooling themselves in ponds during summer. This
is because buffaloes are black in colour and do not
have efficient sweat glands. Hence, they feel the heat
more and need to cool themselves by remaining in
water.

Buffaloes cooling themselves in

water

On the other hand, camels can tolerate even the extreme heat of the deserts.
They have no sweat glands. This helps in reducing the loss of water from their
body. They can live without water for many days.

Polar bears and penguins are found only in cold regions; tigers and elephants
are found in warm regions.

Polar Bear

Penguins

Tiger

Cold region animals

Elephant

Warm region animals

 Soil

Soil is another important abiotic factor of our environment. Most of the plants
cannot grow without soil. Soil provides water and minerals to the plants which
are important for their growth. It also provides a home to organisms that live
in soil.

Interaction in the Environment

Plants and animals are interdependent in their food relationships. There are
animals that feed on plants. Many of such animals are eaten by other animals
which, in turn, are eaten by some other animals. There is thus, a food chain in
nature. For example
grass
(producer)

deer

lion

(primary consumer)

(secondary consumer)

It is an example of a terrestrial food chain. When such a chain exists between aquatic
plants and animals, it makes up an aquatic food chain.

Activity 5
For each of the three cases (a), (b) and (c), use the words, given in the box, to make
a food chain. Also identify the nature (terrestrial/aquatic) of each of these three
food chains.
(a)
owl | grass | grasshopper | rat | snake

This is a/an __________ food chain. (terrestrial/aquatic)

(b)
dolphin | snail | tuna | plankton

This is a/an __________ food chain. (terrestrial/aquatic)

9

(c)
shark | fish | seal | algae

This is a/an __________ food chain. (terrestrial/aquatic)

The Mineral Cycle

There is a relationship between the biotic and abiotic components of our

environment. The abiotic substances supply nutrients to the producers. The
producers prepare food for the consumers. Both producers and consumers,
after their death, are broken down into simpler substances by decomposers.
The nutrients return to soil, air and water. These nutrients are again used by
the producers. The whole cycle is thus, repeated continuously. This cycling of
materials, through biotic and abiotic components, is called the mineral cycle.

Dead plants and

animals
Animal
Droppings
Decomposers
(microbes)

Animals
(consumers)
Green Plants
(producers)

Minerals

Soil
Inter-relationships among different components of the environment

10

During the process of respiration, both plants and animals take in Oxygen from
the atmosphere and give out Carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Carbon
dioxide also gets added to the atmosphere when burning of wood, coal and
petrol takes place. This increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The plants use up carbon dioxide and give out oxygen during the process of
photosynthesis. Thus, a balance is maintained, between the amount of oxygen
and carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide

Respiration

Burning
or
Combustion

Photosynthesis

Oxygen
Nature tries to maintain a balance between Oxygen and Carbon dioxide

We thus, realise that in our environment, its living and non-living components keep
on interacting with one another. This makes our environment a dynamic system.

Keywords
biodegradable

substances that can be broken down into simpler substances by

mirco-organisms.

consumers

animals that do not make their own food and are dependent on
producers.

decomposers

organisms which derive their food from dead and decaying

plants and animals.

food chain

a series of organisms, inter-related sequencely, via their food.

One organism gets eaten by another which, in turn, gets eaten
by yet another and, so on.

micro-organism

living organisms too small to be seen by the human eye, by

itself.

non-biodegradable

substances that cannot be broken down into simpler

substances by micro-organisms.
11

omnivores

animals that feed on both producers as well as consumers.

producers

the organisms (plants) which make their own food.

rain water
harvesting

collection and storage of rain water for reuse.

scavenger

a bird, or animal, that feeds on dead animals.

vermicomposting

process of composting with the help of various suitable worms,

like the redworms and other earthworms.

You Must Know

1.

Environment consists of biotic (living) components and abiotic (non-living)

components.

2.

Producers, or Autotrophs, prepare their own food; Consumers, or Heterotrophs,

depend directly, or indirectly, upon them.

3.

Primary consumers, or Herbivores, feed only on plants.

4.

Secondary consumers, or Carnivores, feed on other animals.

5.

Animals, which feed on both producers as well as consumers, are called Omnivores.

6.

Decomposers break down dead and decaying plants and animals into minerals;
these go into the soil and are used again by plants. This process is called recycling
of minerals.

7.

Biodegradable materials can be decomposed by micro-organisms.

8.

Non-biodegradable materials cannot be decomposed by micro-organisms.

9.

Vermicomposting is the process of preparing compost from kitchen garbage using

redworms and other various worms.

10. The sequence, of one organism eating the other, and then getting eaten by
another, and so on, makes up a food chain.
11. T he cycling of materials, through biotic and abiotic components, is called the
mineral cycle.
12. T he balance, of carbon dioxide and oxygen, in the atmosphere, is maintained
through the processes of respiration, burning and photosynthesis.
12

Something To Know
A. Fill in the blanks.
as it cannot be broken down into simpler substances

1. Plastic is
in nature.

and use

2. We must say No to

or

bloom with sunrise and close

3. The flowers of the

after sunset.
4.
5.

and

are among the animals found only in cold regions.

and
processes help in balancing of carbon
dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere.

B. Write True or False for the following statements.

1. Herbivores can prepare their own food.
2. Fungi and bacteria are organisms that can be easily seen by

the human eye, by itself.
3. The sunflower faces the east in the morning.
4. Camels do not have sweat glands.
5. Soil is an important biotic component of our environment.

C. Tick (3) the correct option.

1. Biotic environment includes

only the producers and the consumers

only the consumers and decomposers

only the decomposers and the producers

producers, consumers as well as decomposers

2. The group of organisms, which use light for making food, are called

autotrophs

heterotrophs

decomposers

scavengers
13

3. Decomposers include

bacteria only

fungi only

bacteria as well as fungi

only the scavengers

4. Which of the following is not biodegradable?

vegetables

fruits

earthworm

aluminium foil

5. Vermicomposting is done by

fungus

bacteria

worms

aquatic animals

6. An animal, that is not affected much by the heat of the desert, is the

rat

camel

cow

lion

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. Why should we segregate different types of wastes?
2. Write the meaning of the term vermicomposting.
3. Which component of air gets used-up during the process of photosynthesis?
4. Suggest any five activities that can help to save the environment.
5. How does nature maintain a balance, between the amounts of oxygen and
carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere?

E. Answer the following questions.

1. Distinguish between

(a) autotrophs and heterotrophs

(b) decomposers and scavengers

2. State the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials.

Give one example of each.
14

3. How does decomposition of dead animals turn out to be useful?

4. Why is Rain water harvesting a ray of hope for overcoming the present scarcity
of water in cities?
5. Why do buffaloes cool themselves in water during summer?
6. Draw a diagram that shows the relationship between the biotic and the abiotic
components of the environment.

Value Based Question

Shuchis mother did not approve of her idea of taking help from their neighbours
for making models for her school exhibition. She told her that she should do her
work herself with confidence and honesty. She then helped and guided Shuchi to
design very useful, interesting and attractive items from old newspapers. Shuchis
models were very much appreciated as they were in tune with the concepts of reuse
and recycle.
1. State the values conveyed by Shuchis mother.
2. Give one example of recycling of a material.
3. Have a group discussion with your friends in which each one suggests one or more
ideas, in tune with the idea of recycling or reuse.

Something To Do
1. Imagine a scenario

The government is planning to ban the use of plastic bags. For a debate over the
same, a committee was formed. A meeting of the committee is being called. The
members of the committee are:

A government representative

A head of shopkeepers association

A plastic bag manufacturer

A cloth bag manufacturer

An environmentalist

Prepare, and present, a skit projecting the likely views of the members who
attended the meeting.
15

2.

The waste segregation methods, adopted by two neighbours, Ramesh and Suresh,
are shown here in the form of the pie charts. Study the pie charts carefully and
answer the questions that follow.

Waste disposed off by Ramesh

3.

Waste disposed off by Suresh

1.

Name the two items of waste, disposed off by Ramesh, that needs to be separated
from one another.

2.

Identify the biodegradable materials disposed off by Suresh.

3.

Of the two, who, according to you, is more eco-friendly and why?

Solve the following crossword puzzle with the help of given clues.
g

Clues
Across

f
a

a. Do not make their own food.

b. Non-living components.

c. Meat eaters.

i
j
c
h

d. Vulture is a _________.
e. Compost prepared by worms.
Down

f. Plant eaters.
g. Morning glory.
h. A desert animal.
i. Decomposable material.
j. Helps in recycling of
minerals.

16

C h a pt e r

Food

We know that all living organisms need

food to grow and survive. Food provides
the energy, needed by living beings, to
do work. It also protects us from different
diseases and keeps us fit and healthy.
Food is the main source that sustains, and
nourishes, life.
Green plants make their own food by the
process of photosynthesis. Animals and
human beings are dependent on plants for
their food.

Sources of Food
All living organisms get their food from plants, animals or their products.
17

Activity 1

apple

eggs

spices

pulses

honey

vegetables

yogurt

icecream

wheat and rice

milk

cheese

nuts

We get the food items, shown above, from different shops or stores. Let us think:
Where do they come from?, before arriving at the shops. Their origin may be either
from plants or from animals.
Try to sort out the above listed food items into two groups Food from Plants and
Food from Animals. Record your conclusions in a tabular form.
Food from Plants

Food from Animals

Try adding two more examples, of each of these two types of foods, on your own.
18

 Food from Plants

Plants make their own food by utilising the energy of the sun. Food is prepared
by the leaves of the green plants. It is then stored in different parts of the plants.
Human beings, and some animals, eat these plants in one form or the other.
Cereal grains, like wheat, rice, maize, millets (jowar and bajra) are important
sources of energy; they constitute the major component of our food. Pulses,
like green gram (moong), gram (channa), black gram (urad), kidney beans (rajma),
split red gram (arhar), red lentil (masoor) and soyabean (bhatma), are some of
the important sources of proteins in our diet.

Fruits, like mango, apple, banana, orange, watermelon and melon, are good
sources of nutrients.

Green leafy vegetables, like spinach, mustard, fenugreek, and many other
vegetables, like reddish, lady finger, turnip, carrot, brinjal and potato, are all
obtained from plants.

We use oils, like mustard oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil and
coconut oil, to cook our food. These oils are obtained from plants and are the
sources of fats.

Spices, like cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi), black pepper (kali mirch), cardamom
(elaichi), chilli (mirch), carom seeds (ajwain) and clove (laung), give flavours to
our food and make it tasty.

Food from Animals

Animals are also an important source of our food. We get the following food
items from animals.

Milk

Milk is considered a complete food. Milk-giving animals are called milch

animals. Cows and buffaloes are the two main milch animals. Goats and
camels also give us milk.

Eggs

Hens, ducks and fowls lay eggs. These birds are known as poultry birds. Their
eggs are a rich source of proteins and vitamins and are eaten by many of us.

Meat

Fish, goat, sheep, pig and chicken are important sources of meat. Prawns,
crabs and shrimps constitute the sea food. All these are good sources of
proteins.
19

Have you ever noticed honeybees hovering over the flowers? They collect nectar
from the flowers. They make a beehive in which they live and store the nectar,
collected from flowers, as honey. We use honey in our food and in several medicines.

Food and Its Components

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, Vitamins and Minerals are the important components
of food. They are called nutrients.
Roughage (dietary fibres) and water are also important components of our food.
Different food items are classified into the following categories on the basis of the
nutrients present in them and their functions in our life.
1. Energy giving foods Carbohydrates and Fats
2. Body building foods Proteins
3. Protective foods Vitamins and Minerals
Let us discuss the various nutrients in detail now.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen and

oxygen. In our food, these are present in the form
of sugar and starch. Carbohydrates, in our diet, are
a source of energy. Fruits, like mango, banana, litchi,
melon, etc., are rich in sugar. Cereals, like wheat, rice
and maize, are rich sources of starch. Some vegetables,
like potato, and sweet potato, also contain starch.

Sources of Carbohydrates

Test for Sugar

Materials Required: Benedicts solution, test tube, dropper, test tube holder, gas burner
or spirit lamp.
Procedure: Take the given food sample. Add a few drops of Benedicts solution. Carefully
heat the test tube. Notice the colour change, if any. If sugar is present, it will turn orange.

Test for Starch

Materials Required: Iodine solution, test tube, dropper.
Procedure: Take the material which is to be tested. Add iodine solution with the help
of a dropper. If it turns blue-black, it indicates the presence of starch.
20

 Proteins

Proteins are made up of carbon, hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen; and a small quantity of
both sulphur and phosphorous. Proteins
help in building up the developing tissues
of a growing child. They also take care of the
wear and tear of the body tissues at all ages.
Sources of Proteins

One of the richest sources of protein is soyabean. It contains twice

as much proteins as meat and four times as much as eggs.

Test for Protein

Materials Required: Mortar and pestle, test tube, dropper, concentrated nitric acid.
Procedure: Crush some bean seeds in a mortar and pestle. Make a suspension using
water. Take a little of this suspension in a test tube. Very carefully, add a few drops
of concentrated nitric acid to it. If the colour of this suspension changes to yellow, it
indicates the presence of proteins.

Fats

Fats are also made up of carbon, hydrogen and

oxygen. However, they contain much less oxygen
in comparison to the carbohydrates. They provide
more than double the amount of energy provided
by the same weight of carbohydrates. Vitamins A
and D are soluble in fats. Hence, fats are essential
for their absorption in our body.

Fats can be obtained from plant as well as animal

sources. Vegetable oils, like mustard oil, coconut
oil and groundnut oil, are obtained from plants.
Dry fruits and nuts are also rich sources of fat. Milk
and milk products, such as butter, ghee, along with
meat, fish and eggs, are sources of fats that are
obtained from animals.
21

Sources of Fats

Test for Fat

Material Required: Paper.
Take the given food item and rub it on a dry paper. If fat is present in it, it will leave a
translucent mark on the paper.

Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for maintaining good health and proper growth of the
body. They are needed in small quantities only. They do not provide energy.
However, they play an important part in most of the biochemical changes
within our body.

Sources of Vitamins

Plants are the main source of vitamins. They are found in all fresh foods. However,
some vitamins get destroyed by cooking. Vitamins help us to keep our eyes,
bones, teeth and gums healthy. If our diet lacks vitamins, many biochemical
reactions, in our body, will not take place and we may suffer from deficiency
diseases.

Different vitamins have been named as Vitamin A, Vitamin B-complex,

Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Vitamin B-complex is actually a group
of vitamins. These vitamins are of two kinds: water-soluble vitamins and fatsoluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E and K are soluble in fat, whereas, Vitamin B
and C are water-soluble.

Indian gooseberry (amla) is the richest source of Vitamin C.

22

Let us now learn about the different vitamins, their sources and the role they play
in our body functions.
Vitamins, their Sources, Functions and Deficiency Diseases
Deficiency Disease
and its Symptoms

Vitamin

Sources

Functions

Vitamin A

Cod liver oil, shark

liver oil, milk,
butter, ghee, yellow
vegetables, fruits.

Needed for healthy

eyes, skin and
tissues.

Night blindness
and dryness of skin.

Vitamin B

Wheat, rice, yeast,

liver, milk and
yoghurt, green
leafy vegetables,
fermented food and
sprouted pulses.

Needed for making

muscles strong,
getting energy to
do work.

Beri-Beri, weak
muscles and
weakness.

Vitamin C

Citrus fruits like

orange, lemon,
and guava, green
chillies and Indian
gooseberry.

Needed for healthy

gums and teeth,
bones and bone
joints.

Scurvy, spongy and

bleeding gums.

Vitamin D

Milk and its products,

cod-liver oil, sharkliver oil and eggs.
Some Vitamin D is
made by the skin in
sunlight.

Needed for healthy

bones and teeth.

Rickets, curved and

deformed bones,
bow legs.

Vitamin E

Vegetable oils, liver,

green vegetables and
tomato.

Smooth functioning
of reproductive
system.

Sterlity.

Vitamin K

Green leafy
vegetables.

Helps in blood
clotting.

Prolonged and
profuse bleeding
due to delayed
clotting of
blood.

23

We will now discuss in detail the diseases caused due to deficiency of Vitamin C
and Vitamin D.
(a) Vitamin C: It is a water-soluble vitamin. Deficiency,
in intake of Vitamin C, affects bones, joints, teeth and
gums and leads to a deficiency disease called Scurvy.
A person, with scurvy, tends to become weak and
anaemic and develops spongy and bleeding gums.
(b) Vitamin D: It is a fat-soluble vitamin. It can be
synthesised by our skin in the presence of sunlight.
Its inadequate intake may affect the bones of our
body leading to a disease known as Rickets. Rickets
develops mainly among young children, though its
effects, may persist throughout life. It is most common
among children of six months of age. Vitamin D
stimulates the absorption of minerals like calcium
and phosphorus in our body. Hence, a deficiency of
Vitamin D, can also cause calcium and phosphorus
deficiency in the body. Vitamin D deficiency is more
common among economically poor sections of the
society. Bones become weak to such an extent that
the ability of the child to sit, crawl and walk gets
delayed. Leg bones get bent. The deficiency causes
deformation, such as bow-legs and knock-knees. The
chest is deformed, due to weakening of ribs, and
protrudes out as in a pigeon. This deformation is,
therefore, often called pigeon-chest.

Pregnant, and lactating, mothers are advised to take

rich sources of Vitamin D for proper growth of the
bones of their children.

Scurvy

Child suffering from Rickets

Pigeon-chest

Minerals

The important minerals, needed by our body, are sodium, potassium, magnesium,
calcium, iron, manganese, copper, chloride, iodine, phosphorous and sulphur.
They are needed in very small quantities for proper growth and maintenance of
the body.

Let us now learn about sources and functions of some of these minerals.
24

Sources and Functions of Some Minerals Needed by Our Body

Mineral

Sources

Functions

Calcium

Milk and its products, green

leafy vegetables.

To build healthy bones and

teeth.

Phosphorus

Milk, cereals, pulses, fish and

meat.

Growth of bones and teeth.

Iron

Green leafy vegetables and

other green vegetables, nuts
and jaggery.

Formation of haemoglobin in
the blood. Its deficiency causes
anaemia.

Fruits and vegetables, sea food,

iodised salt.

Proper functioning of thyroid

gland. Its deficiency causes
goitre.

Iodine

Water

Water is essential for all vital processes of the body. It forms 70 per cent of our
body weight. Some of the important functions of water are:
l

It is essential for all reactions taking place in the cells of our body.

It helps in the removal of waste products, in the form or urine, from our body.

Blood contains a large amount of water. Because of this, blood is able

to circulate in arteries and veins and transport oxygen, carbon dioxide,
nutrients, hormones and minerals to all parts of the body.

Water helps in maintaining a uniform body temperature by distributing heat.

In summer, our body produces sweat which, on evaporation from the skin,
helps to keep the body cool.

Roughage

Green vegetables, fruits and whole grains contain a large amount of cellulose,
that cannot be digested by our body. Cellulosic dietary fibres constitute the
roughage. Roughage helps in bowel movement and prevents constipation.
25

 Mineral Deficiencies

Let us now learn about the deficiency diseases caused by the lack of some of
the minerals.

(a) Calcium Deficiency: The requirement of calcium is much more in growing

children and in pregnant, and lactating, mothers. It is important for bone and
teeth formation. Due to its deficiency, bones become weak and fragile. A large
amount, about 94 per cent, of calcium is used for the development of bones and
teeth in our body. Blood, muscles and nerves also use it in small quantities. Due
to its deficiency in the diet, contraction of heart becomes faulty and crampy pain
may be felt in various parts of the body, particularly, in the large muscles of the
legs. Tooth decay, and general irritability, are other symptoms of its deficiency.
(b) Phosphorus Deficiency: Phosphorus, along with calcium, is needed for proper
development of nerve cells, bones and teeth. It is also essential for the digestion
of carbohydrates and fats. Loss of weight, retarded growth and general weakness
occur due to iron and phosphorus deficiency.
(c) Iron Deficiency: Iron is an essential element for the formation of haemoglobin
of red blood cells, which plays an important role in the transport of oxygen. An
inadequate intake of iron leads to a condition known as Anaemia.

An anaemic person appears pale and weak. The body shows fatigue, loss of
appetite, whitening of nails and swelling of hands and feet.

(d) Iodine Deficiency: Goitre is an iodine deficiency disease which is widespread

in many parts of our country. Iodine is needed for the synthesis of a hormone,
called thyroxin, which is produced by the
thyroid glands. A person, with goitre, shows
swelling in the neck region. Iodine deficiency,
during foetal stage, may lead to mental
retardation and retardation of growth in later
life. It is not prevalent among the people of
coastal areas, as they get iodine from the sea
food they eat. Deficiency of iodine is common
in mountainous regions where the soil and
water are poor in iodine. One of the welltested approach, to control iodine deficiency
diseases, is the use of iodised salt by the
affected population.
Iodine deficiency causes goitre
26

What Should We Eat?

The term diet refers to the food eaten by human beings. A balanced diet consists
of all the nutrients which are important for the proper growth and development of
the body.
Food is required to provide energy for doing work and for providing nutrients,
essential for growth, for repair of tissues and for reproduction. Food also protects
our body against infections. Energy, obtained from food, is also needed for all the
metabolic activities of the body like respiration, circulation and digestion.
A balanced diet can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian. A balanced simple meal is
more nourishing than an imbalanced, greasy or junk food. Deep fried foods loose
their nutritive value. Oily and spicy foods may have a good taste but they may
not be quite nutritive. Stale and rotten food can be harmful to health. Eating lots
of fried items, like samosas, kachories, or bread pakoras, may not provide you the
essential nutrients.

Factors Responsible for Poor Health

Malnutrition

Among the poor families, children eat a large amount of starchy food without
adequate amount of proteins in their diet. Sometimes they cannot even get
one square meal a day. This can result in starvation, i.e. deficiency of proteins,
carbohydrates and fats. These conditions are termed as Protein-EnergyMalnutrition (PEM), also called PCM (Protein-Calorie-Malnutrition).

Such conditions can result in two problems

in children, namely Kwashiorkor and
Marasmus.

Kwashiorkor is seen in infants, up to three

years of age, when their diet does not
contain enough milk. As a result, there
is a deficiency of proteins. The growth of
the child gets retarted and the face, feet
and abdominal region get swollen due to
water retention. Discolouration of hair and
diarrhoea are also common in such children.
27

Child suffering from

Kwashiorkor

Marasmus

A child suffers from Marasmus when she/he is starving, i.e. not getting enough
food. As a result, there is a deficiency of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. These
deficiencies cause a wasting of muscles and the child becomes very thin. This
results in general weakness and retarded growth.

Obesity

The weight of an individual must be in

proportion to her or his height. Some
individuals have a tendency to eat more
than what is needed by their body. As a
result, the body gets extra calories. These
extra calories get stored below the skin.
The person becomes obese. Improper food
habits, like eating fried food (high energy
and high fat food) is one major reason for
obesity. Eating throughout the day, and
lack of exercise, are two other important
reasons for obesity. Obesity leads to many
health problems.

An obese child

Keywords
balanced diet

a diet that contains all the nutrients in right proportion.

beri-beri

a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin B.

carbohydrate

component of food that provides energy to the body.

fats

major source of energy in the diet.

goitre

an iodine deficiency disease.

minerals

nutrients needed in small amount for growth and maintenance of

the body.

nutrients

components in food that we need to grow and survive.

proteins

nutrients needed for growth and repair of damaged tissues.

28

PCM

Protein-Calorie-Malnutrition.

PEM

Protein-Energy-Malnutrition.

ricket

a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin D.

roughage

fibrous matter in food which does not get digested.

scurvy

a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C.

vitamins

vital nutrients required in limited amounts.

You Must Know

1.

Living organisms need food to grow and survive.

2.

The sources of our food are plants and animals.

3.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, water and roughage are the
important components of our food.

4.

Carbohydrates and fats mainly provide energy to our body.

5.

Proteins and minerals are needed for the growth and maintenance of our body.

6.

Vitamins help in protecting our body against diseases.

7.

Deficiency of vitamins and minerals, in our diet, may result in deficiency diseases.

8.

A diet which contains all the essential components of food, in right proportions,
is called a balanced diet.

9.

The lack of some of the essential nutrients in the diet is known as malnutrition.

10. Eating, more than the requirement of ones body, can make the person obese.

29

Something To Know
A. Fill in the blanks.
and

1. Living organisms need food to

2. Vitamins A, D, E and K are soluble in
soluble.
and C are
3. The deficiency of

.
, whereas Vitamin B

, in the diet, causes a disease called Beri-Beri.

4. Vitamin K helps in

of blood.

5. The dietary fibres constitute

B. Write True or False for the following statements.

1. Vitamins and minerals are body building foods.
2. Our skin makes Vitamin E in the presence of sunlight.
3. Deficiency of phosphorous can lead to anaemia.
4. We should eat food that has all its essential components

in the right proportions.

5. Kwashiorkor occurs due to the deficiency of fat in the diet.

C. Tick (3) the correct option.

1. When a drop of iodine solution was put on the cut surface of a potato, it
turned blue-black in colour. This indicates the presence of

vitamin

fat

protein

starch

2. The deficiency of Vitamin A, in the diet, causes a disease known as

scurvy

rickets

nightblindness

beri-beri
30

3. Iron is essential for

growth of teeth and bones

formation of haemoglobin

functioning of the thyroid gland

making muscles strong

4. A child, who has bow legs, is suffering from a deficiency disease, known as

scurvy

rickets

goitre

anaemia

5. The deficiency of proteins, in the diet of children, can cause a disease known
as

marasmus

rickets

kwashiorkor

anaemia

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. Name the important sources of our food.
2. State the importance of carbohydrates in our diet.
3. Name the vitamin whose deficiency causes the disease of

(a) nightblindness

(b) beri-beri

(c) scurvy

(d) rickets

4. Name any three of the minerals needed by our body.

5. State the role of calcium in our body.
6. Write the full forms of the terms PEM and PCM.
31

E. Answer the following questions.

1. Name two sources of each of the following:

(a) Carbohydrates

(b) Proteins

(c) Fats

(d) Roughage

(e) Vitamin A

(f) Vitamin C

2. Describe one test each for detecting the presence of the following in food:

(a) proteins

(b) starch

(c) fats

3. Why do we need proteins and how do they affect our health?

4. A mineral X is essential for the formation of a component Y, in the blood of
a person. The function, of component Y, is to transport oxygen in the body.

The deficiency of mineral X, in the diet of a person, causes a disease Z. Identify

X, Y and Z. Also mention the symptoms of disease Z.

5. Deficiency of iodine is more common in mountainous regions. Why?

6. What is a balanced diet? Why should we take a balanced diet?

Value Based Question

Rohini had to go to a remote village for one of her photographic assignments. She
observed that a large number of the villagers there had swelling in their neck regions.
She advised the villagers to use iodised salt and to include fruits and vegetables in their
diet, whenever possible. On her way back, she contacted the relevant authorities and
ensured that the villagers get a regular supply of iodised salt.
1. State the values displayed by Rohini.
2. Iodine is needed for the synthesis of a harmone. Name this harmone and the gland
that produces it.
3. Ask the elders in the family, or the seniors in the school/locality, of any incident in
which a person has helped a large number of people in solving, or minimising, a
general problem. Share your findings with your classmates.
32

Something To Do
1. List examples of food items, belonging to the different food groups, listed in the
following table.
Carbohydrate
Rich Food
Items

Protein Rich
Food Items

Food Items
Rich in Fats

Dairy
Products

Food Items
that provide
Minerals and
Vitamins

2. Prepare your own meal plan, by choosing the food items from the above table, so
that they form a balanced diet for you.
Breakfast Meal

Lunch Meal

Dinner Meal

3. Perform a test to find out if there is any starch in the sweets prepared from
milk/milk products like curd, etc.

33