Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics – Case-based Questions with Answers
Class 6
Science
Chapter 10
Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics — 20 Case-Based Questions
CBSE Board Examinations
Read each short case, answer in 3–5 sentences, and mention the life process or classification used.
How to use these cases
- Write the method or life process first (e.g., "Response to stimulus: phototropism"), then explain briefly with the example from the case.
- Answers should connect observation → life process → short explanation.
- These cases train reasoning and application skills suitable for school tests and CBSE-style questions.
Case-Based Questions
1Wilting Houseplant
Case: A potted plant in the classroom droops and its leaves curl during a hot sunny day.
Q: Identify the life processes involved and explain what the plant is doing.
A: Processes: Respiration, Transpiration and Response to stimulus. The plant loses water by transpiration faster under heat; wilting reduces leaf area exposed to sunlight, conserving water. Stomata may close to reduce water loss, and slower photosynthesis/respiration balance helps the plant survive until water is available.
2Seed Germination
Case: Students place soaked seeds on moist cotton; after a few days small roots and shoots appear.
Q: Which life processes are shown and why are they essential?
A: Processes: Growth and Nutrition. The seed uses stored food to grow roots and shoots; water activates enzymes for metabolism. Germination demonstrates irreversible growth and mobilisation of nutrients required for seedling development.
3Ants Moving Food
Case: Ants carry tiny food pieces back to their nest in a line.
Q: Explain which characteristics of living organisms are illustrated by this behaviour.
A: Characteristics: Nutrition, Movement and Sensitivity. Ants search for food (nutrition), move purposefully (locomotion) and communicate/respond to pheromones (sensitivity) to organise foraging and transport.
4Leaves Turning Toward Light
Case: A row of plants bends their stems and leaves toward a nearby window.
Q: Name the process and explain the adaptive advantage.
A: Process: Phototropism (movement of parts). Bending toward light increases light capture for photosynthesis, improving food production and growth—an adaptive response that enhances survival in shaded environments.
5Rapid Leaf Folding
Case: When a child lightly touches the leaves of Mimosa pudica in the school garden, the leaves fold inward quickly.
Q: Which life process does this show and why might the plant do this?
A: Process: Sensitivity and Response. Folding may protect leaves from herbivores or reduce water loss temporarily. It illustrates how plants can respond rapidly to touch as a defence mechanism.
6Bird Feeding Chicks
Case: Parent birds bring insects to feed their chicks in the nest.
Q: Which processes are involved? Explain importance.
A: Processes: Nutrition, Reproduction and Care. Adults obtain food (nutrition) and feed offspring, a reproductive behaviour ensuring chick survival. Parental care increases offspring growth and survival rates.
7Frog Near Pond
Case: A frog is observed sitting near the pond, waiting to catch insects at dusk.
Q: Discuss characteristics shown and how they help survival.
A: Characteristics: Movement, Sensitivity and Nutrition. Frogs hunt using vision and movements timed at dusk (sensitivity to light levels), enabling efficient capture of prey for nutrition. Behaviour reflects adaptation to environment for feeding and energy acquisition.
8Worms in Soil
Case: After rain, many earthworms are seen on the soil surface.
Q: Explain why worms come out and which processes are involved.
A: Processes: Movement and Respiration. Wet conditions allow easier movement and oxygen diffusion; worms may come out to avoid waterlogged burrows with low oxygen. This behaviour shows response to environmental change to maintain respiration.
9Fallen Fruit Attracting Animals
Case: Ripe mangoes fall and attract fruit-eating animals to the tree area.
Q: How does this interaction aid plant reproduction?
A: Interaction: Seed dispersal via animals (biotic dispersal). Animals eat fruit and disperse seeds through droppings away from parent plant, reducing competition and aiding colonisation of new areas — a reproductive advantage.
10Students Observing Yeast
Case: In a lab, students add sugar to yeast and notice bubbles forming.
Q: Identify the process and explain what the bubbles indicate.
A: Process: Respiration (fermentation). Yeast breaks down sugar anaerobically producing carbon dioxide (bubbles) and energy; bubbling indicates gas production during fermentation — a form of respiration in microorganisms.
11Dog Panting
Case: A dog pants heavily after running in the playground.
Q: Explain the biological reason for panting and which life process it supports.
A: Process: Respiration and Excretion (heat). Panting increases evaporation from the respiratory tract to cool the body and supports gas exchange to meet increased oxygen demand during exercise — aiding respiration and temperature regulation.
12Leaves with Starch Test
Case: A leaf from a plant kept in sunlight turns blue-black with iodine, while a shaded leaf does not.
Q: What does this show about plant life processes?
A: Process: Photosynthesis (Nutrition). Sun-exposed leaf produces starch via photosynthesis; shaded leaf lacks sufficient light and shows less starch. The iodine test demonstrates sunlight’s role in food production in plants.
13Young Sapling Being Eaten
Case: Rabbits nibble young saplings in a school garden, slowing their growth.
Q: Which life processes are affected and how would you protect plants?
A: Affected processes: Nutrition and Growth. Loss of leaves reduces photosynthesis and energy for growth. Protection: use fences, tree guards or repellents to prevent herbivory and allow saplings to grow and reproduce later.
14Frog Metamorphosis
Case: Tadpoles in a pond gradually develop legs and lungs and become frogs.
Q: Explain the life process shown and its significance.
A: Process: Growth and Development (Reproduction lifecycle). Metamorphosis transforms aquatic larvae into terrestrial adults, involving anatomical and physiological changes to exploit different habitats and resources — a strategy to reduce competition between life stages.
15Bird Migration
Case: Some birds leave the region every winter and return in spring.
Q: What characteristic explains this behaviour and why is it advantageous?
A: Characteristic: Response to environmental cues and movement. Migration is seasonal movement to exploit favourable climates and food sources, enhancing survival and reproductive success by avoiding harsh conditions.
16Insect Life Cycle
Case: A butterfly egg hatches, becomes a caterpillar, pupates and emerges as a butterfly.
Q: Name the processes and explain the advantage of having different life stages.
A: Processes: Reproduction, Growth and Development (metamorphosis). Different stages use different resources and habitats (e.g., caterpillars eat leaves; adults may feed on nectar), reducing intraspecific competition and improving survival and dispersal.
17Milk Spoiling
Case: Milk left at room temperature sours after some hours.
Q: Explain the biological cause and which life process microorganisms use.
A: Cause: growth of bacteria and fungi that metabolise milk sugars producing acid. Process: Nutrition and Respiration (microbial). Microbes feed on milk (nutrition) and respire/ferment, producing by-products that sour the milk.
18Tree Shedding Leaves
Case: Deciduous trees lose leaves in autumn before winter.
Q: Why do trees shed leaves and which life processes are involved?
A: Reason: to reduce water loss and metabolic demand in cold/dry season. Processes: Growth regulation and Excretion (shedding). Shedding conserves resources and protects trees from damage during unfavourable conditions.
19Feeding Habits of a Carnivore
Case: A tiger hunts and eats deer in the forest.
Q: Which life processes are highlighted and how do carnivores fit into the food chain?
A: Processes: Nutrition and Movement. Carnivores obtain energy by eating other animals and occupy higher trophic levels, controlling prey populations and transferring energy through the food chain.
20Urban Pigeon Nesting
Case: Pigeons build nests on building ledges and raise chicks in cities.
Q: Discuss which characteristics enable pigeons to thrive in urban areas.
A: Characteristics: Adaptability, Reproduction and Nutrition. Pigeons exploit urban food sources, nest in varied structures, breed multiple times a year and show behavioural flexibility—traits that support survival in human-altered environments.