NUTRITION

CONTENTS
 Nutrition  Heterotrophic Nutrition :

 Type of Nutrition
 It is a mode of nutrition in which the organisms
obtain readymade organic food from outside
 Autotrophic Nutrition
sources. The organisms that depend upon outside
 Heterotrophic Nutrition sources for obtaining organic nutritens are called

 Digestive system of Human heterotrophs. Heterotrophic nutrition is of three

types - saprophytic, parasitic and holozoic.
 Alimentary canal

1. Saprophytic or Saprotrophic Nutrition :

The process of intaking the food & utilization of It is a mode of heterotrophic nutrition in which food
food is called nutrition. is obtained from organic remains like dead
organisms, excreta, fallen leaves, broken twigs, food
 Nutrient :
articles, etc. Organisms performing saprophytic
 The different component of food that have distinct
nutrition are called saprophytes.
functions like providing energy, materials for
body building, maintenance & regulation of 2. Parasitic Nutrition :

metabolism are called nutrient.  It is a mode of hetrotrophic nutrition in which a

For example - Proteins, Minerals, Vitamin, living organisms flourishes by obtaining food from
Carbohydrates, fats. another living organism. The lving organisms
which obtains food and shelter from another
organism is called parasite. The organism which
provides food and shelter to a parasite is known as
 Autotrophic Nutrition :
host. An external plant parasite is Cuscuta
 It is a mode of nutrition in which organisms are able (Amarbel). It is a non-green plant that sends
to build up their own organic food from inorganic haustroria or sucking roots into host plant for
raw materials with the help of energy. The organism obtaining food and water.
performing autotrophic nturtion are called
autotrophs. (Gk. autos-self, trophe-nourishment). 3. Holozoic Nutrition :
e.g., Ferrobacillus (iron bacterium).
 It is a mode of heterotrophic nutrition which
involves intake of solid pieces of food. Since solid
food is taken in, holozoic nutrition is also called
ingestive nutrition. The food may consist of
another animal, plant or its parts. Depending upon
the source of food, holozoic organisms are of
three types – Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores.

 Herbivores :
 (L.herba-plant, vorare-to eat). They are holozoic
organisms which feed on plants or plant parts, e.g.,
Cow, Buffalo, Deer, Goat, Rabbit, Grasshopper,
Elephant, Squirrel, Hippopotamus.

 Carnivores :
 They are animals which feed on other animals.
Carnivores are also called predators they hunt, kill
and feed on their preys, e.g. Lion, Tiger, Leopard,
Snake, Hawk.

 Omnivores :
 (L.omnis-all, vorare-to eat). They are holozoic
organisms which feed on both plant and animal
materials, e.g. Cockroach, Ant, Pig, Crow, Rat,
Bear, Dog, Humans.

 Nutrition in Amoeba :
 Protozoan protests carry out holozoic nutrition
through intracellular digestion.
(i) Ingestion :
Some protests can ingest food particle from any
point on the surface (e.g., Amoeba) while others
 As soon as Amoeba comes in contact with a food
have fixed points for the same (e.g.,
particle or prey, it throws pseudopodia all around
Paramoecium). Protozoans like Amoeba capture
the same. The tips of encircling pseudopodia fuse
food with the help of temporary finger-like and the prey comes to lie in a vesicle or
processes called pseudopodia. Protozoans like phagosome. This method of intake of food is
(Paramoecium have small hair-like processes called circumvallation. Amoeba can also ingest
called cilia.) Beating of cilia creates current in food by other methods like import, circumfluence
water that pushes food particle through cytostome and invagination.
or cell mouth. The process of ingestion of solid
food particle by a cell or unicellular organism is
called phagocytosis. Digestive system is a group of organs & associated
digestive glands that take part in ingestion,
digestive absorption of food & egestion of
 undigestible matter. Digestive organs from a  Pharynx :
continuous canal called alimentary canal.  It is short conical region that lies after the mouth
cavity.

 Oesophagous :
Alimentary Canal in man is 9 metres long &  It is a long narrow muscular tube which leads to
consists of the following part the stomach. No digestive gland are present.
 Mouth :  Stomach :
 Transverse slit like aperture.  It lies below the diaphragm on the left side of
abdominal cavity is J-shaped.

 Small Intestine :
 It is convoluted tube and differentiated into 3
regions, viz. Duodenum which is the first part of
small intestine & is curved C-shaped; Jejunum,
comparatively longer & more coiled and Ileum,
which is the last part of small intestine whose
inner surface is folded to form villi, which
absorbs the products of digestion.

 Large Intestine :
 It is much shorter & wider than small intestine &
is differentiated into three regions viz;
 Caecum which is small rounded blind sac from
 Oral Cavity : which vermiform appendix arises;
 It is bounded by lips & has cheeks, gums, teeth &  Colon is the inverted U-shaped tube
tongue.  The rectum opens to exterior through anus.
 The food taken inside oral cavity is masticated i.e.
 No digestion takes place in large intestine, only
mechanically broken into smaller particles before
absorption of water takes place.
being swallowed.
 In herbivores like horse, rabbit digestion of
 The floor of the buccal cavity has a tongue
cellulose takes place in caecum.
bearing taste buds.
 Man possesses teeth on both the jaws, there are 32  Absorption :
teeth of four different types, namely incisors,  In the small intestine (ileum) absorption of all
canines, premolars & molars. digested materials takes place.

 Dental Formula :  Assimilation :

×2=x  It is the process of utilisation of absorbed food for
various body functions. The absorbed nutrients
are utilised to resynthesise complex molecules
like carbohydrates, protein & fats inside the cells.
×2=x  Man cannot digest cellulose.
 In Man I ,C , Pm , M = x2  Egestion :
 It is the process of elimination of undigested
= Total 32 teeths
food formed in the cells, or in the lumen of
 large intestine (colon & rectum) through the  Voluntary cotraction of abdominal muscles
anus. help in egestion of faeces.

TABLE : SUMMARY OF DIGESTION ENZYMES OF VARIOUS GLANDS WITH THEIR SECRETIONS

AND END PRODUCTS OF DIGESTION IN MAN

 Mechanism of Photosynthesis :
 Photosynthesis is divided in 2 main steps
(A) light reaction (B) dark reaction
 Photosynthesis :
 Photosynthesis is the primary mode of food
 Light reaction :
production in green plant. '' The process by which
green plants synthesize food from simple
 It is also called Hill Reaction.
substances carbon dioxide and water in the  It occurs in grana of thylakoids.
presence of sunlight is called Photosynthesis''  It is named as light reaction as it occurs only
 The process of photosynthesis can be represented in presence of light.
in the form of chemical reaction, as given below :
6CO2 + 12H2O – C6H12O6 + 6H2O + 6O2  Major Step :
Carbon Water Glucose Water Oxygen  Absorption of light by chlorophyll.
dioxide
 Photolysis of water.
 Photosynthetic Pigment :  Reduction of CO2 to Carbohydrates.
 The light energy must be absorbed by a suitable
 In this process ADP changes to ATP &
pigment i.e. chlorophyll (green pigment).
inorganic phosphate.
 Release of oxygen into atmosphere.
 Chlorophyll is green colour pigment.
 Opening and Closing Stomata :  C4 Cycle or Hatch & Slakcycle :
 The opening and closing of stomata depend  4-C compound i.e. oxaloacetic acid (OAA).
upon the turgid or flaccid state of the guard
 This cycle is found in many other tropical &
subtropical monocots eg : Maize, Sorghum ,
 Wheat, Oat, Pearl, millet etc.
 In dicots also many such plants are known eg :
Amaranthus, Chenopodium, Atriplex, Euphorbia
etc. In some families of dicots Compositae,
Portulaceae, Nyctaginaceae.
 Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) :
 Certain plants, especially succulents which
grow under extremely xeric (dry) condition,
fix atmospheric CO2 in dark.
 Since the process was first observed in the
cells. When guard cells are in turgid state the
plants belonging to family crassulaceae (eg.
stomatal aperture opens and when guard cells
Bryophyllum, kalanchoe etc.) It was termed
are in flaccid state the stomatal aperture
crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM).
closes. The inner wall of guard cells (towards
pore) is thick and outer wall (towards other  The most characteristic feature of these plants
epidermal cells) is thin. When the turgor is that their stomata remain open at night (in
pressure of the guard cells is increased the dark) but closed during the day (in light).
outer thinner wall of the guard cell is pushed  Thus, CAM is a kind of adaptation in succulents
out (towards the periphery) due to which a to carry out photosynthesis without much loss
tension is created on the inner thicker wall of water.
thus pulling the inner thicker wall towards the
periphery thus leading to the opening of
stomatal aperture. On the contrary when the
guard cells are in a flaccid state the outer
thinner wall of guard cells returns to original
position (moves towards pore) due to which
tension on the inner wall is released which
also returns to its original position and
stomatal aperture gets closed again.

 Dark Reaction :
 This reaction is not dependent on light. It is
also known as calvin – Benson Cycle or C3
cycle as first stable product is phosphogliceric
acid (PGA) a 3 carbon compound.

EXERCISE # 1
 Q.8 Phloem always flows from a
(A) Solar source to sugar sink
Q.1 CO2 and O2 balance in atmosphere is due to (B) Sugar sink to sugar source
(A) Photorespiration (B) Photosynthesis (C) Leaf to the xylem to the phloem
(C) Respiration (D) Leaf anatomy (D) Leaf to a root

Q.2 During photosynthesis the oxygen in glucose Q.9 With regards to natural eating habits, a human
comes from is
(A) Water (A) An herbivore (B) A carnivore
(B) Carbon dioxide (C) An omnivore (D) A Granivore
(C) Both from water and carbon dioxide
Q.10 Muscular contractions of alimentary canal are
(D) Oxygen in air
(A) Circulation (B) Deglutition
(C) Peristalsis (D) Churning
Q.3 First stable compound in C3 cycle is
(A) Phosphoglyceraldehyde Q.11 Which of the following regions of the
(B) Phosphoglyceric acid alimentary canal of man does not secrete a
(C) Fructose-1-6 diphosphate digestive enzyme ?
(D) Glucose-6-phosphate (A) Oesophagus (B) Stomach
Q.4 Dark reaction of photosynthesis occurs in the (C) Duodenum (D) Mouth
(A) Stroma of the chloroplast outside the
Q.12 A digestive enzyme, salivary amylase, in the
lamellae
saliva begin digestion of
(B) Space between the two membranes of the
(A) Protein (B) Nucleic acids
chloroplast
(C) Fats (D) Carbohydrates
(C) Membranes of the stroma lamellae
(D) Thylakoid membrane of the grana Q.13 If you chew on a piece of bread long enough,
it will begin to taste sweet because
Q.5 A specific function of light energy in the (A) Maltase is breaking down maltose
process of photosynthesis is to
(A) Activate chlorophyll (B) Lipases are forming fatty acids
(B) Split water (C) Amylase is breaking down starches to
(C) Synthesis of glucose disaccharides
(D) Reduce CO2 (D) Disaccharides are forming glucose
Q.6 Digestion within a digestive tract is
(A) Incomplete Q.14 In the presence of lactase, lactose breaks
(B) Extracellular down into molecules of
(C) The same as absorption (A) Glucose and galactose
(D) An irreversible process (B) Glucose and fructose
(C) Galactose only
Q.7 Dark reaction in photosynthesis is called so
because (D) Glucose only
(A) It does not require light energy
(B) Cannot occur during daytime Q.15 Saliva has the enzyme
(C) Occurs more rapidly at night (A) Pepsin (B) Ptyalin
(D) It can also occur in darkness (C) Trypsin (D) Rennin

Q.16 Pepsin digests

 (A) Proteins in stomach Q.21 Where is bile produced ?
(B) Carbohydrates in duodenum (A) In gall bladder
(C) Proteins in duodenum (B) In blood
(D) Fats in ileum (C) In liver
(D) In spleen
Q.17 Curding of milk in the stomach is due to the
action of Q.22 Ileum is
(A) Pepsin (B) Renin (A) First part of the small intestine
(C) HCl (D) Tenin (B) Middle part of the small intestine
(C) Last part of the small intestine
Q.18 Chief function of HCl is
(D) Not a part of the small intestine
(A) To maintain a low pH to prevent growth
of micro-organisms Q.23 Largest gland in human body is
(B) To facilitate absorption (A) Liver (B) Pancreas
(C) To maintain low pH to activate pepsinogen (C) Pituitary (D) Thyroid
to form pepsin
Q.24 The specific function of liver is
(D) To dissolve enzyme secreted in stomach
(A) Excretion
Q.19 If the stomach did not produce any hydrochloric (B) Digestion
acid, which enzyme will not function ? (C) Histolysis
(A) Ptyalin (B) Trypsin (D) Glycogenesis and glycogenolysis
(C) Pepsin (D) Collagenase
Q.25 The original function of the vertebrate
Q.20 Chief function of bile is stomach was
(A) To digest fat by enzymatic action (A) Storage
(B) To emulsify fat for digestion (B) Digestion
(C) To eliminate waste product (C) Enzyme secretion
(D) To regulate process of digestion (D) Absorption

EXERCISE # 2
 Q.21 Name the various parts of large intestine.
Q.1 Define heterotrophic nutrition.
What is the role of large intestine ?
Q.2 What are heterotrophs ?

Q.3 Which types of organisms are called consumers ?

Q.22 Explain the mechanism of nutrition of
Q.4 What is saprophytic nutrition ? Amoeba with the help of suitable diagram.

Q.5 Define saprophyte. Q.23 Describe the various types of heterotrophic

nutrition.
Q.6 Define a hervivore.
Q.24 Briefly describe the digestive system of
Q.7 What is carnivore ? humans.

Q.8 Which type of animal is called omnivore ? Q.25 What happens to food in the small intestine ?

Q.9 Define digestion. Q.26 Why chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis.

Q.10 What is ingestion ?

Q.11 Define egestion.

Q.12 What is the mode of nutrition in Amoeba ?

Q.13 What type of digestion occurs in Paramoecium ?

Q.14 Differentiate between autotrophic and

heterotrohic nutrition.

Q.15 Distinguish saprophytes from parasites.

Q.16 Differentiate between photosynthetic and

holozoic nutrition.

Q.17 How do saprophytic organisms obtain their

nourishment ?

Q.18 What is the importance of saprophytes ?

Q.19 What is the action of hydrochloric acid of

gastric juice ?

Q.20 Name a digestive juice that has no enzymes.

What is the role of this juice ?