NCERT Solutions Class 6th Science Chapter – 6 The Living Organisms Characteristics and Habitats Question and Answer

Q. 1. What is a habitat?
Answer – The surroundings where animals live is called their habitat. The organisms depend on their habitat for their food, water, air, shelter and other needs. Habitat means a dwelling place.

Q. 2. How are cactus adapted to survive in a desert?
Answer – Cactus are adapted to survive in a desert as they have
(i) No leaves or spiny leaves to prevent water loss through transpiration.
(ii) Stem is modified in such a way that it performs photosynthesis and conserves water.
(iii) Their roots go very deep into the soil for absorbing water.

Q. 3. Fill up the blanks:
(a) The presence of specific features, which enables 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 habitats.
(e) Changes in our surroundings that make us respond to them are called___________________.
Answer –
(a) Adaptation
(b) Terrestrial
(c) Aquatic
(d) Abiotic
(e) Stimuli

Q. 4. Which of the things in the following list are nonliving? Plough, Mushrooms, Sewing machine, Radio, Boat, Water Hyacinth, Earthworm.
Answer – Plough, Sewing machine, Radio, Boat and water are non-living.

Q. 5. Give an example of a non-living thing, which shows any two characteristics of a living thing.
Answer – An example of a non-living thing is the cloud which shows the following two characteristics of living things –
(i) It grows in size
(ii) It shows movement.

Q. 6. 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.
Answer – Butter, Leather, Wool, Cooking oil, Apple and Rubber are the non-living things that were once part of a living thing.

Q. 7. List the common characteristics of living things.
Answer – Some common characteristics of living things are –

1. Growth
2. Movement
3. Reproduction
4. Respiration
5. Responsiveness
6. Excretion

Q. 8. 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.)
Answer – In grasslands habitats, there are few trees or places for animals to hide. When their enemy attacks they have to run faster so as to reach a safe place. If they fail, they lose their life. So, speed is very important for the survival of grassland animals.