Getting to Know Plants – Class 6 Science Notes & Questions Answers (NCERT)
Overview: This combined page brings you easy, exam-ready Notes and a complete set of Questions & Answers for the NCERT Class 6 Science chapter “Getting to Know Plants.” It covers plant habits (herbs, shrubs, trees), creepers and climbers, parts of a plant (root, stem, leaf, flower), types of venation, kinds of roots (taproot and fibrous), functions of leaves (including photosynthesis and transpiration), and the essential floral parts (sepals, petals, stamens, pistil). Use the buttons above to jump straight to the section you want.
📒 Notes – Getting to Know Plants (Class 6 Science)
1) Plant Habits: Herbs, Shrubs, Trees
- Herbs: Small, green, tender stems; short life spans; usually a few centimeters to a meter tall (e.g., mint, wheat, rice). Easy to bend because stems are soft.
- Shrubs: Medium-sized, woody plants with many branches arising near the base; harder stems than herbs (e.g., hibiscus, rose, cotton).
- Trees: Tall, sturdy, woody plants with a single main trunk and branches high above the ground (e.g., neem, mango, banyan). Long-lived and strong.
2) Creepers & Climbers
- Creepers: Very weak stems, spread along the ground (e.g., pumpkin, watermelon). Fruits can be large and heavy.
- Climbers: Weak stems that climb with support using tendrils or twining stems (e.g., pea, money plant, grapevine).
3) Root System: Taproot vs. Fibrous
The root system anchors the plant and absorbs water and minerals. There are two main types:
- Taproot: One main thick root grows downward (primary root) with smaller lateral branches (secondary roots). Common in dicots (e.g., mustard, gram, neem). Taproots often support deep water absorption and sometimes store food (e.g., carrot, radish).
- Fibrous Root: A cluster of similarly sized thin roots emerging from the base of the stem; no single main root. Common in monocots (e.g., wheat, rice, onion). Good at holding soil and preventing erosion.
4) Stem: Conduction, Support, and Transport
The stem supports leaves, flowers, and fruits; it conducts water and minerals from roots to leaves and transports prepared food from leaves to other parts. You can observe conduction by placing a freshly cut white flower in colored water—after some time petals show streaks of color due to water movement through conducting tissues.
- Nodes & Internodes: Leaves and branches arise at nodes; the distance between two nodes is an internode.
- Modifications (simple view): Some stems store food (potato is a stem tuber), some stems are underground (ginger is a rhizome), and some develop thorns (bougainvillea stem has thorns).
5) Leaf: Parts, Venation, Functions
- Parts: Petiole (leaf stalk), lamina or blade (flat part), midrib (main line in the center), and veins (network of lines).
- Venation: Reticulate (net-like pattern, common in dicots like peepal, hibiscus) and parallel (veins run parallel, common in monocots like grasses, banana).
- Leaf Functions: Leaves prepare food by photosynthesis (using chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight). Leaves also help in transpiration—loss of water as water vapor through tiny pores called stomata. Transpiration keeps leaves cool and helps pull water upward.
6) Flower: Sepals, Petals, Stamen, Pistil
- Sepals (Calyx): Usually green; protect the bud.
- Petals (Corolla): Often colorful; attract insects.
- Stamen: Male part—anther (produces pollen) on a filament.
- Pistil/Carpel: Female part—stigma (sticky), style, and ovary (contains ovules). After fertilization, ovary may become fruit; ovules become seeds.
7) Simple Plant Classification Snapshot
- By habit: herb, shrub, tree, creeper, climber.
- By root: taproot vs. fibrous.
- By leaf venation: reticulate vs. parallel.
- By flower parts: sepals, petals, stamen, pistil.
🧩 Questions & Answers – Getting to Know Plants
A) Multiple Choice Questions (7)
1) In which type of root system is there one main root with smaller side branches?
A) Fibrous root B) Taproot C) Adventitious root D) Aerial root
Answer: B) Taproot. Explanation: Taproot has a primary root with lateral branches (e.g., mustard).
2) Which leaf venation is common in grasses?
A) Reticulate B) Circular C) Parallel D) Zig-zag
Answer: C) Parallel. Explanation: Monocots like grasses show parallel venation.
3) The male reproductive part of a flower is called:
A) Sepal B) Petal C) Stamen D) Pistil
Answer: C) Stamen. Explanation: Stamen = anther + filament.
4) A plant with a soft green stem is most likely a:
A) Tree B) Shrub C) Herb D) Climber
Answer: C) Herb. Explanation: Herbs have tender stems and short height.
5) The process by which leaves lose water vapor is called:
A) Respiration B) Transpiration C) Germination D) Translocation
Answer: B) Transpiration. Explanation: Water escapes through stomata.
6) In a typical flower, the ovules are present in the:
A) Anther B) Stigma C) Ovary D) Filament
Answer: C) Ovary. Explanation: Ovary houses ovules; becomes fruit after fertilization.
7) Which pair is correctly matched?
A) Creeper – climbs a wall using tendrils
B) Climber – spreads on ground with heavy fruits
C) Shrub – many branches from base, woody
D) Herb – tall single trunk and hard stem
Answer: C) Shrub. Explanation: Creepers spread on ground; climbers need support; herbs are small and tender.
B) Very Short Answer Questions (7)
1) Define herb.
Ans: A small plant with a soft, green, tender stem.
2) Name the two main types of leaf venation.
Ans: Reticulate and parallel.
3) Which part of a flower produces pollen?
Ans: Anther of the stamen.
4) What is the function of the petiole?
Ans: It attaches the leaf to the stem.
5) Name the female reproductive part of a flower.
Ans: Pistil/Carpel.
6) What are stomata?
Ans: Tiny pores on leaves that help in gaseous exchange and transpiration.
7) Give one example of a climber.
Ans: Pea / Money plant / Grape vine.
C) Short Answer Questions (7)
1) Differentiate between creepers and climbers.
Ans: Creepers have weak stems and spread along the ground (e.g., pumpkin). Climbers also have weak stems but climb with support using tendrils or twining (e.g., pea, money plant).
2) State two functions of the stem.
Ans: (i) Supports leaves, flowers, and fruits; (ii) Conducts water and minerals from roots to leaves and transports food from leaves to other parts.
3) What is venation? Name its types with examples.
Ans: Venation is the arrangement of veins in a leaf. Reticulate (net-like) e.g., hibiscus; Parallel (side-by-side) e.g., grasses.
4) Write two differences between taproot and fibrous root.
Ans: Taproot has one main root with lateral branches; fibrous root has many roots of similar size. Taproot common in dicots (mustard); fibrous in monocots (wheat).
5) Mention two roles of leaves in plants.
Ans: Leaves perform photosynthesis to make food and help in transpiration to maintain water movement and cooling.
6) What happens to ovary and ovules after fertilization?
Ans: The ovary develops into a fruit, and ovules become seeds.
7) How does the sepal help a flower?
Ans: Sepals protect the flower bud before it opens and sometimes support the petals when in bloom.
D) Long Answer Questions (7)
1) Explain the structure of a typical leaf and its functions.
Ans: A typical leaf has a petiole that fixes it to the stem and a flat lamina or blade for capturing sunlight. The midrib runs through the center with branching veins. This network supports the leaf and distributes water and minerals. The leaf contains chlorophyll, enabling photosynthesis—plants prepare food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to form glucose and oxygen. Tiny pores called stomata regulate gas exchange and transpiration (loss of water vapor), which also helps pull water upward through the plant and cools the leaf.
2) Describe herbs, shrubs, and trees with examples and features.
Ans: Herbs are short plants with soft, green stems (e.g., coriander, mint); they complete life cycles quickly. Shrubs are medium-sized, woody plants with several branches near the base (e.g., rose, hibiscus); their stems are harder than herbs. Trees are tall, long-lived, woody plants with a single trunk and branches high above (e.g., mango, banyan). These categories help us understand plant strength, lifespan, and growth pattern.
3) Compare taproot and fibrous root systems and mention where each is useful.
Ans: A taproot system has one main root that grows deep with lateral branches; it anchors plants strongly and can reach deeper water (useful in dry conditions). Many storage roots (carrot, radish) are modified taproots. A fibrous system has numerous thin roots spreading near the surface; it helps prevent soil erosion and rapidly absorbs surface water—common in cereals like wheat and rice. Thus, taproots favor depth and anchorage; fibrous roots favor spread and soil binding.
4) What are the parts of a flower? Explain the role of each part briefly.
Ans: A flower typically has sepals (protect the bud), petals (often colorful, attract pollinators), stamens (male parts with anther producing pollen, held by a filament), and the pistil or carpel (female part—stigma receives pollen, style connects stigma to ovary that contains ovules). After pollination and fertilization, the ovary becomes fruit, and ovules develop into seeds, enabling reproduction.
5) How can we show that stems conduct water? Describe a simple activity.
Ans: Take a white flower or a celery/soft stem. Place it in colored water (add edible color). After a few hours, colored streaks appear in petals or the stem, proving that water travels upward through conducting tissues in the stem. This demonstrates the transport function of stems from roots to leaves and flowers.
6) Explain transpiration and its importance for plants.
Ans: Transpiration is the process of water loss as vapor through stomata mainly on leaf surfaces. It is important because: (i) it creates a pull that helps draw water and minerals from roots to leaves; (ii) it cools the plant on hot days; and (iii) it maintains the flow of water necessary for photosynthesis and mineral distribution. A simple proof is the plastic-bag experiment—droplets appear due to water vapor released by leaves.
7) A gardener wants to group plants quickly. Suggest a simple scheme using chapter ideas.
Ans: First, check the habit
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