NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 9 The Living Organisms Characteristics And Habitats

Q1 ) what is habitat?

Answer :

(1) The word 'habitat' means the living place of an organism.

(2) In other words, we can say that the surrounding where plants and animals live, survive, and reproduce is called their habitat.

(3) The habitat provides an organism with food, shelter, and climate conditions best suited it to survive, breed, and flourish.

(4) For example, the habitat of a frog is freshwater, while the habitat of a camel is a desert.

Q2 ) How are cactus adapted to survive in a desert?

Answer :

Adaptation of cactus in desert are as follows :


(i) It has roots long that penetrate deep inside the soil in search water.

(ii) It has fleshy stems to store water the stem is also covered with the thick waxy layer that helps to retain water.

(iii) They lose their leaves due to the high temperature their leaves.

(iv) Leaf is replaced by spine to reduce transpiration.

(v) Photosynthesis is carried out by the stems.

Q3 ) Fill in the blanks:
(a) The presence of specific features, which enable a plant or an animal to live in a particular habitat, is called _______.
(b) The habitats of the plants and animals that live on land are called _________ habitat.
(c) The habitats of plants and animals that live in water are called ________ habitat.
(d) Soil, water and air are the _______ factors of a habitat.
(e) Changes in our surroundings that make us respond to them, are called _______ .

Answer :

(a) The presence of specific features, which enable a plant or an animal to live in a particular habitat, is called $adaptation$.

(b) The habitats of the plants and animals that live on land are called $terrestrial$ habitat.

(c) The habitats of plants and animals that live in water are called $aquatic$ habitat.

(d) Soil, water and air are the $abiotic$ factors of a habitat.

(e) Changes in our surroundings that make us respond to them, are called $stimuli$.

Q4 ) Which of the things in the following list are nonliving?

Plough, Mushroom, Sewing machine, Radio, Boat, Water hyacinth, Earthworm

Answer :

Plough, Sewing machine, Radio and boat are nonliving things

Q5 ) Give an example of a non-living thing, which shows any two characteristics of living things.

Answer :

Example : Train

Features :

(1) It needs fuel like food.

(2) It can move like living beings

Q6 ) Which of the non-living things listed below, were once part of a living thing?

Butter, Leather, Soil, Wool, Electric bulb, Cooking oil, Salt, Apple, Rubber

Answer :

(1) Butter : Butter is non-living, but it is made by milk and the cow gives milk and the cow is living the organism.

(2) Leather : Leather is non-living but it is obtained from the skin of animals and animals are living organisms.

(3) Wool : Wool is obtained from the sheep and sheep is a living organism.

(4) Cocking oil : Cooking oil is obtained from plants.

(5) Apple : Apple is obtained from tree.

(6) Rubber : Rubber is obtained from plants.

So required answer is Butter, Leather, Wool, Cocking oil, Apple, Rubber.

Q7 ) List the common characteristics of the living things.

Answer :

The Common characteristic of living things are given below :

(i) Growth

(ii) Need food

(iii) Respiration

(iv) Response to stimuli

(v) Excretion

(vi) Reproduction

(vii) Movement

Q8 ) Explain, why speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals that live there. (Hint: There are few trees or places for animals to hide in grasslands habitats.)

Answer :

(1) In grasslands, there are very few trees to hide for animals from predators like lions and tigers.

(2) In small grasses, predators can easily locate their prey. So, these animals have to run fast to reach a safe place and escape from their predators.

(3) Thus, speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals that live there.