Tissues – Very Short Answer Type Questions
Class 9 • Biology
Chapter 6: Tissues — 50 Very Short Answer Questions (NCERT-aligned)
Instructions: The following 50 very short answer type questions cover key points from Chapter 6 (Tissues). Each answer is brief and NCERT-focused — perfect for quick revision and last-minute preparation.
Meristematic Tissue
1. What is meristematic tissue?
Tissue with actively dividing cells responsible for plant growth.
2. Where are apical meristems located?
At tips of roots and shoots.
3. Name one function of lateral meristem (cambium).
Increases thickness (secondary growth) of stems and roots.
4. Give one characteristic of meristematic cells.
Small, thin cell walls and dense cytoplasm with prominent nucleus.
5. What is intercalary meristem?
Meristem at internodes or base of leaves, common in grasses, enabling elongation.
Simple Permanent Tissues
6. What is parenchyma?
A simple permanent tissue with thin-walled living cells for storage and photosynthesis.
7. Where is chlorenchyma found?
In green parts of plants (leaf mesophyll) — parenchyma containing chloroplasts.
8. State one function of parenchyma.
Storage of food, water, and metabolic products.
9. What is collenchyma?
Living tissue with unevenly thickened cell walls providing flexible support to young stems and leaves.
10. Name a location where collenchyma is found.
Under the epidermis of stems and petioles (e.g., celery stalks).
11. What are sclerenchyma cells?
Cells with thick, lignified walls, usually dead at maturity, providing rigid support.
12. Give two forms of sclerenchyma.
Fibres (long) and sclereids (short, varied shapes).
Complex Permanent Tissues
13. What is xylem?
A complex tissue that conducts water and minerals from roots to shoots.
14. Name two conducting elements of xylem.
Tracheids and vessels.
15. Are xylem vessels living or dead at maturity?
They are dead and hollow at maturity.
16. What is phloem?
Complex tissue that transports organic solutes (food) throughout the plant.
17. Name two components of phloem.
Sieve tube elements and companion cells.
18. How is phloem transport different from xylem?
Phloem transport is bidirectional (source to sink) while xylem is mostly upward (root to shoot).
19. What is the function of xylem fibres?
Provide mechanical support to the plant.
20. Define sieve plate.
Perforated end walls in sieve tube elements allowing flow of phloem sap between cells.
Animal Tissues — Epithelial
21. What is epithelial tissue?
Tissue forming continuous sheets covering body surfaces and lining cavities and ducts.
22. Give one feature of epithelial cells.
Tightly packed with minimal intercellular space and resting on a basement membrane.
23. Where is simple squamous epithelium found?
Air sacs (alveoli) of lungs and lining of blood vessels.
24. What is the main function of stratified squamous epithelium?
Protection against abrasion (e.g., skin epidermis).
25. What specialisation helps absorptive epithelium increase surface area?
Microvilli on the apical surface of cells.
Animal Tissues — Connective
26. What is connective tissue?
Tissue that supports, binds and protects organs, with abundant extracellular matrix.
27. Give an example of a fluid connective tissue.
Blood.
28. What is adipose tissue specialised for?
Storing fat for energy, insulation and cushioning.
29. Which connective tissue forms tendons and ligaments?
Fibrous (dense) connective tissue rich in collagen fibres.
30. Name a function of cartilage.
Provides flexible support (e.g., ear, nose) and reduces friction at joints.
Animal Tissues — Muscular
31. What is the primary function of muscular tissue?
To produce movement by contraction.
32. Give one characteristic of skeletal muscle.
Striated and voluntary; multinucleated fibres.
33. Where is cardiac muscle found?
In the heart wall.
34. Is smooth muscle voluntary or involuntary?
Involuntary.
35. What special junction helps cardiac muscle contract as a unit?
Intercalated discs.
Animal Tissues — Nervous
36. Name the functional cell of nervous tissue.
Neuron.
37. What are dendrites?
Branched extensions of a neuron that receive signals.
38. What is the role of the axon?
Transmits nerve impulses away from the cell body.
39. Name a supporting cell in nervous tissue.
Neuroglia (glial cells).
40. What is a synapse?
The junction where one neuron communicates with another cell (neuron/muscle) via neurotransmitters.
Practical & Comparison
41. How can you distinguish xylem from phloem in a slide?
Xylem vessels appear as thick-walled hollow tubes; phloem has sieve tubes with companion cells and thinner walls.
42. What stain is commonly used to see cell structures in plant tissues?
Safranin and Fast Green (or iodine for starch in cells); methylene blue for animal cells.
43. Give one difference between parenchyma and sclerenchyma.
Parenchyma cells are living with thin walls; sclerenchyma cells are usually dead with thick lignified walls.
44. Why are companion cells important for sieve tube elements?
Companion cells provide metabolic support and help maintain sieve tube function.
45. Which tissue helps in rapid conduction of impulses: nervous or muscular?
Nervous tissue (neurons) facilitates rapid conduction of impulses.
Quick Definitions & Recall
46. Define 'tissue' in one line.
A group of similar cells performing a common function.
47. What is the main role of epidermal tissue in plants?
Protection and prevention of water loss; may have stomata for gas exchange.
48. Name two components of blood.
Red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs); plasma is the fluid matrix.
49. What type of muscle works without conscious control?
Involuntary muscles (cardiac and smooth muscles).
50. State one exam tip for the 'Tissues' chapter.
Memorise one-line definitions and practice labelled diagrams (xylem/phloem, epithelial types, neuron).
All questions follow the NCERT Class 9 Biology — Chapter 6: Tissues. Use these very short Q&A for quick revision and last-minute preparation for CBSE exams.