NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics provide clear and easy-to-understand answers to help students learn about the basic features of living organisms.
This chapter explains key concepts such as growth, movement, breathing, reproduction, and response to the environment. These solutions cover all in-text activities and end-of-chapter questions, encouraging observation and scientific thinking.
With the help of real-life examples and simple explanations, students can understand how to differentiate between living and non-living things and recognize the unique traits of various animals and plants. These solutions are perfect for quick revision and strengthening the foundation of science learning in Class 6.
Chapter 10 of the Class 6 Science Curiosity textbook is titled "Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics." The chapter helps students understand the basic traits that define living organisms and how these traits differ from non-living things.
The exercise section at the end of the chapter is designed to reinforce students’ understanding of the concepts discussed. It contains a variety of questions and activities, including:
What You Will Learn Through the Exercises:
Check below for complete and accurate solutions to all the questions from Chapter 10. These answers are created to help you revise quickly and prepare confidently for your class tests and school exams.
All textbook questions, activities, and in-text exercises are solved in a simple, student-friendly manner to build a clear understanding of how to identify living things and explore their key characteristics such as movement, growth, respiration, reproduction, and response to stimuli.
Activity 10.1: Let us record We are surrounded by numerous things. Just look around in your classroom and you may find many examples—the pencil that you are holding, the book that you are reading or the pigeon near the window. List them in Table 10.1 and identify each of them as living or non-living on the basis of your understanding in column II. Write a reason for grouping them as living or non living in column III.
Answer:
Table 10.1 – Living and Non-living Things
(I) Name |
(II) My Guess (Living / Non-living) |
(III) Reason / Remarks |
(IV) Correct Answer |
(V) Reason for the Correct Answer |
Pencil |
Non-living |
It does not grow, eat, or move on its own |
Non-living |
Does not show any life processes like growth, respiration, or movement |
Book |
Non-living |
It cannot move or breathe |
Non-living |
Made by humans, no life activities |
Pigeon |
Living |
It moves, breathes, and eats |
Living |
Shows all signs of life: movement, respiration, growth, reproduction |
Car |
Non-living |
It moves but only with fuel and driver |
Non-living |
Does not breathe, grow, or reproduce; needs external force to move |
Plant |
Living |
It grows and needs water and sunlight |
Living |
Plants grow, make food, respond to sunlight (life processes) |
Fish (Any other) |
Living |
It swims and breathes |
Living |
Needs food, oxygen, and shows movement and growth |
Activity 10.2: Let us experiment
Take four identical pots filled with garden soil. Sow four bean seeds in each pot. Now, keep these pots in the following conditions for 15 days. Pot A: Do not water the soil. Place this pot in direct sunlight.
Pot B: Add excess water to the soil such that water is always present above the soil. Keep adding water on a regular basis if water reduces. Place this pot in direct sunlight. Pot C: Keep the soil in this pot slightly moist by adding a moderate amount of water on a regular basis. Place this pot in a dark location.
Pot D: Maintain the soil in this pot slightly moist by adding a moderate amount of water on a regular basis. Place this pot in direct sunlight. Indicate the availability of air, sunlight and water for the seeds in each of these cases in Table 10.2. When a seed turns into a sprout, it is said to have germinated. Predict whether the seeds in each pot will germinate. Record your predictions for each pot kept under different conditions in Table 10.2
Answer:
Table 10.2 – Seed Germination Experiment with Bean Seeds
Pot with bean seeds |
Availability of |
Seed Germination |
Possible Reason for the Observation |
Air |
Sunlight |
Water |
|
A: In direct sunlight and without water |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
B: In direct sunlight and excess water |
No (soil too soggy) |
Yes |
Yes |
C: In complete dark and moist soil |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
D: In direct sunlight and moist soil |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
.Conclusion:
Seeds need air, water, and sunlight to germinate and grow properly
Without water (Pot A), seeds dry out and don’t sprout.
With excess water (Pot B), air cannot reach the roots.
Without sunlight (Pot C), seeds sprout but become weak.
Only in Pot D, where all three are available, germination happens successfully.
Activity 10.3: Let us design Take some bean or gram seeds and allow them to germinate on a moist cloth or a moist tissue paper. Let them germinate until each of them develop into a seedling having a small root and a small shoot. Now, take three glass beakers or tumblers, and label them as A, B and C.
Pour water into all the three beakers to ensure that the seedling in each beaker remains above the water level.
In each case, let the bottom of the blotting paper get completely wet by soaking in the water. In this way, the seedling will get the moisture from the wet blotting paper.
Place beaker A and beaker B in sunlight as shown in Fig. 10.2a and Fig. 10.2b.
Position beaker C as shown in Fig. 10.2c. Place a cardboard box in such a way that the seedling gets light from one direction only through a small circular hole.
Fill Table 10.3 with your predictions and observations.
Answer:
Table 10.3 – Growth of Shoots and Roots in Different Light Conditions
Beakers |
Direction of Sunlight |
Direction of Plant |
Direction of Growth (Prediction) |
Direction of Growth (Observation) |
Shoot |
Root |
|||
A |
All directions |
Upright |
Upwards |
Downwards |
B |
All directions |
Inverted (upside-down) |
Upwards |
Downwards |
C |
From one direction only (side) |
Upright |
Bends toward light |
Downwards |
Explanation:
Beaker A: The plant gets sunlight from all directions and is upright. Shoots grow upward towards sunlight, and roots grow downward due to gravity (normal growth)
Beaker B: The plant is placed upside-down, but it still receives sunlight from all directions. The shoot bends upward and the root bends downward (showing phototropism and geotropism).
Beaker C: The plant gets sunlight from only one direction. The shoot bends towards the direction of the light (phototropism), and the root grows downward (geotropism).
Conclusion:
Shoots show positive phototropism (grow toward light).
Roots show positive geotropism (grow toward gravity).
Even when placed upside down or in side-light, the plant parts reorient themselves correctly.
Question 1.How would you now categorise a seed, as living or non-living? (Page 191)
Answer: Living.
Question 2.How can the life cycle of a mosquito be disrupted? (Page 197)
Answer: The life cycle of a mosquito includes four main stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Larvicides are chemicals or biological agents specifically used to kill the larvae of mosquitoes before they grow into adult mosquitoes.
These substances are applied to standing water, where mosquitoes lay eggs. By killing the larvae in water, larvicides stop them from maturing into adults, thus breaking the mosquito life cycle and reducing their population.
Larvicides come in different forms like:
Liquids (sprayed over water),
Tablets or granules (dropped into water),
Briquettes (slowly release larvicide over time).
This method is widely used in public health programs to control diseases spread by mosquitoes, such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya.
Let Us Enhance Our Learning (Page 203–204)
Question 1.List the similarities and differences in life cycles of plants and animals.
Answer:
Similarities:
– Start with birth/germination
– Grow through stages
– Reproduce
– End in death
Differences:
Life Cycle of Plants |
Life Cycle of Animals |
Begins with seed germination |
Begins with birth |
Includes flowering and seed-making |
Includes growth to adulthood |
Seeds form new plants |
No seed formation in reproduction |
Question 2.The table given below shows some data. Study the data and try to find out examples appropriate for the conditions given in the second and third columns. If you think that an example for any of the conditions given below is not possible, explain why.
Answer:
S. No. |
Does it grow? |
Does it respire? |
Example |
Remarks |
1. |
No |
No |
Rock |
Non-living object; shows neither growth nor respiration. |
2. |
No |
Yes |
This condition is not possible |
Respiration is a sign of life; if something respires, it must grow at some stage. |
3. |
Yes |
No |
This condition is not possible |
Growth requires energy, which comes from respiration; hence not possible. |
4. |
Yes |
Yes |
Human, plant, animal |
Living things; they both grow and respire. |
Question 3.You have learnt that different conditions are required for seed germination. How can we use this knowledge for proper storage of grains and pulses?
Answer: To prevent germination and spoilage, grains and pulses should be stored:
In dry conditions (to avoid moisture which triggers germination).
In cool places (to slow biological activity).
In airtight containers (to reduce exposure to oxygen and pests).
Question 4. You have learnt that a tail is present in a tadpole but it disappears as it grows into a frog. What is the advantage of having a tail in the tadpole stage?
Answer: Swimming: Helps tadpoles move quickly through water.
Balance and stability: Maintains direction and posture while swimming.
Survival: Aids in escaping predators and finding food.
Question 5.Charan says that a wooden log is non-living as it cannot move. Charu counters it by saying that it is living because it is made of wood obtained from trees. Give your arguments in favour or against the two statements given by Charan and Cham.
Answer:
Charan is correct:
A wooden log is non-living because it does not grow, reproduce, breathe, or respond to stimuli.
Charu is partially correct:
Though it comes from a living tree, the log itself is dead and no longer shows life processes.
Conclusion: A wooden log is non-living, even if it comes from a once-living organism.
Question 6.What are the similarities and distinguishing features in the life cycles of a mosquito and a frog?
Similarities:
Transformation
Egg
Differences:
Mosquito: Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult
Frog: Egg → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult
Mosquito habitat: Terrestrial (adult)
Frog habitat: Amphibious
Question 7.A plant is provided with all the conditions suitable for its growth. Draw what you expect to see in the shoot and the root of the plant after one week. Write down the reasons.
Answer: Expected Observation:
Root: Grows downward (towards gravity/water)
Shoot: Grows upward (towards sunlight)
Reason:
Roots grow downwards due to gravity (geotropism) and to absorb water.
Shoots grow upwards towards light (phototropism) to help leaves perform photosynthesis.
Question 8.Tara and Vijay set up the experiment shown in the picture (Fig. 10.). What do you think they want to find out? How will they know if they are correct?
Answer:
They want to find out:
How the cactus plant is adapted to survive in desert conditions.
How will they know if they are correct:
They will observe the following:
Long roots spreading wide to absorb water from a large area.
Leaves modified into spines to reduce water loss through transpiration.
Thick stem for water storage.
These features confirm how cactus survives with very little water.
Question 9.Design an experiment to check if temperature has an effect on seed germination
Answer: Experiment: To Check if Temperature Affects Seed Germination
Aim: To study the effect of temperature on the germination of seeds.
Materials Required:
3 identical pots
Same type of soil and seeds
Equal amounts of water
3 locations with different temperatures (e.g., refrigerator, room, sunny spot
Thermometer (optional for accuracy)
Notebook for recording
Procedure:
Fill each pot with the same type and amount of soil.
Sow equal number of seeds in each pot.
Place:
One pot in a sunny spot (warm temperature).
One in a room (moderate temperature).
One in a cool, shaded area or refrigerator (low temperature).
Give equal water to all pots daily.
Observe and record the number of seeds that germinate each day for 2 weeks.
Observation:
Count the number of seeds that sprout in each pot.
Note how fast and how many seeds germinate.
Conclusion: Seed germination occurs fastest at the most suitable temperature.
Too cold or too hot conditions may slow down or stop germination.
Students can download the NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics in PDF format from the link provided below.
These solutions are prepared to simplify the chapter, help in regular study, and support last-minute exam revision. All textbook questions, including activities and exercises, are answered clearly and step-by-step.
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Here are some key benefits of using these Chapter 10 solutions:
Easy-to-understand language: All answers are written in a clear, simple style to help students grasp concepts like growth, reproduction, life cycles, and response to stimuli.
Aligned with latest syllabus: Solutions are based on the updated NCERT syllabus and textbook structure, making them useful for class assignments and school tests.
Complete coverage: Includes solutions to all in-text activities, real-life observations, and end-of-chapter questions such as life cycle comparisons and characteristics of living things.
Practical learning: Helps students relate scientific concepts to everyday life by exploring examples like mosquito and frog life cycles, seed germination, and plant behavior.
Foundation for future learning: Builds conceptual clarity and observational skills, preparing learners for higher-level science topics with confidence.