NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science - The Living Organisms - Characteristics and Habitats

Q1. What is a habitat?
Ans: Habitat means a place to live (a home). The surroundings where organisms live is called a habitat. The organisms depend for their food, water, air, shelter and other needs on their habitat. Several kinds of plants and animals may share the same habitat.

Different Habitats

Q2. How are cactus adapted to survive in a desert?
Ans: 

• Cactus lose very little water through transpiration. The leaves in cactus plants are present in the shape of spines. This helps in reducing the loss of water from the leaves through transpiration. 
• Its stem is converted into a leaf-like structure. Photosynthesis in these plants is usually carried out by the stems. 
• The stem is also covered with a thick waxy layer, which helps to retain water. Cactus plants have roots that go very deep into the soil for absorbing water. 

Cactus Plant
Q3. Fill up 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__________.
Ans:
(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 habitats.
(c) The habitats of plants and animals that live in water are called aquatic habitats.
(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
Ans: 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.
Ans: Bus and Machine.
Characteristics

• It can move like living beings
• It needs the energy to do work

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 
Ans: Butter, Leather, wool, cooking oil, apple and rubber were once part of a living thing.

Q7. List the common characteristics of the living things. 
Ans: Living things have certain common characteristics — 

• They need food.
• They respire and excrete.
• Respond to their environment.
• Reproduce
• Grow and show 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.)
Ans: In the grasslands, there are less number of trees and places to hide. The animals are vulnerable to predators (e.g., lions, tigers, wolves, etc.). They can only survive and escape if they can run faster. Therefore, speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals (e.g., deer) that live there.