Plant and Animal Tissues – Long Answer Questions
Medium Level (Application & Explanation)
Q1. Explain how structural differences between plant and animal tissues help them perform their functions.
Answer:
- Plant tissues have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose. This gives strong support and protection.
- Many plant cells have chloroplasts. They help in photosynthesis and make food.
- Animal tissues do not have a cell wall. They have a flexible cell membrane.
- This flexibility allows more movement and shape change.
- Some animal cells have centrioles. They help in cell division.
- These differences match their roles. Plants stay fixed and make food. Animals move and respond quickly.
Q2. Describe the differences between meristematic and permanent tissues in plants with examples.
Answer:
- Meristematic tissue has actively dividing cells. They are small and compact.
- They are found at root tips, shoot tips, and in lateral meristems.
- They help in growth in length and thickness.
- Permanent tissue is specialized and mostly non-dividing.
- Examples are parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma.
- Parenchyma helps in storage and sometimes photosynthesis. Collenchyma gives flexible support. Sclerenchyma gives hard strength.
Q3. Explain the four main types of animal tissues with their basic functions.
Answer:
- Epithelial tissue covers and lines surfaces. It offers protection and secretion.
- Connective tissue joins, supports, and binds parts. It includes bone, blood, and cartilage.
- Muscle tissue helps in movement. It includes skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles.
- Nervous tissue carries nerve impulses. It helps in control and coordination.
- Together, they act like a team to keep the body working.
- Each has a specific role for survival and health.
Q4. Compare plant transport tissues with animal connective tissues used for transport and support.
Answer:
- Plants use xylem and phloem as transport tissues.
- Xylem carries water and minerals from roots to leaves.
- Phloem carries food made during photosynthesis to all parts.
- Animals use connective tissue like blood for transport.
- Blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and wastes through the body.
- Other connective tissues like bone and cartilage give support and protection, like xylem and fibers give support in plants.
Q5. How is growth different in plants and animals? Explain with reasons.
Answer:
- Plant growth occurs throughout life.
- This is due to meristematic tissues that keep dividing.
- Plants grow in length and thickness using these meristems.
- Animal growth is mostly limited to early life.
- Later, most tissues are fully differentiated and divide less.
- So, plants keep growing, while animals grow to a size and then mainly maintain tissues.
High Complexity (Analysis & Scenario-Based)
Q6. A gardener prunes a rose plant and it becomes bushier. Analyze how plant tissues help this happen. Compare with cutting animal tissues.
Answer:
- Pruning removes the tip with apical meristem.
- Side meristems become active and new branches grow.
- Meristematic tissue keeps dividing, so plants can regenerate parts.
- This makes the plant bushier and healthier if done well.
- In animals, most tissues are permanent and have limited regeneration.
- Cutting animal tissue heals, but it does not usually form new organs or limbs.
Q7. A child scrapes a knee while playing. Explain which animal tissues act to heal and protect the area.
Answer:
- Epithelial tissue first protects the surface and reduces germs entry.
- A blood clot forms from connective tissue (blood) to stop bleeding.
- White blood cells fight infection in the area.
- New epithelial cells grow to cover the wound.
- Connective tissue helps with repair and scar formation.
- This shows limited regeneration in animals, mainly to heal, not to regrow new parts.
Q8. A cactus lives in a hot desert with very little water. Explain how its plant tissues help it survive.
Answer:
- Parenchyma in stems can store water like a tank.
- Green tissues with chloroplasts do photosynthesis in stems.
- The outer layer acts like a shield to reduce water loss.
- The plant is rigid due to cell walls, so it stands strong in heat.
- Vascular tissues move limited water carefully through xylem.
- This specialization helps the cactus save water and still make food.
Q9. A coastal plant faces strong winds daily. Compare the plant tissues that help it stay upright with the animal tissues that help a person carry a heavy bag.
Answer:
- In plants, collenchyma gives flexible support to bend without breaking.
- Sclerenchyma gives hard strength to resist force.
- The cell wall adds extra rigidity to all plant tissues.
- In animals, connective tissue like bone supports the body while carrying weight.
- Cartilage cushions joints and reduces friction.
- Muscle tissue works with bones to lift and hold the bag.
Q10. A leaf is kept in shade for many days and turns pale. Analyze which tissues are affected and how this changes food transport in the plant.
Answer:
- Green tissues with chloroplasts do photosynthesis.
- In shade, fewer chloroplasts work well, so food making drops.
- The leaf looks pale because less chlorophyll is active.
- With less food made, phloem carries less sugar to other parts.
- The plant may slow growth due to low energy.
- Animals cannot make food this way. Their muscles need energy from diet, and blood (connective tissue) carries it.
Q11. A twig snaps but grows new shoots later. Explain this regeneration. Contrast with a stubbed human toe that heals but does not regrow.
Answer:
- Plants have meristematic tissues that keep dividing.
- New buds can form near the cut and make shoots.
- Permanent tissues then develop from these dividing cells.
- This is strong regeneration seen in many plants.
- In humans, tissues like epithelial and some connective tissues heal the wound.
- But most parts do not regrow fully. Regeneration is limited in animals.
Q12. A teacher asks: “Why do plants manage with fewer tissue types for movement, while animals have muscles?” Analyze using structure and function.
Answer:
- Plants have cell walls that keep them rigid and upright without moving.
- They use growth and turgor changes, not fast movement.
- Meristematic tissue lets them change shape slowly over time.
- Animals need to move to find food and escape harm.
- So they have muscle tissue for quick and strong movement.
- Their flexible membranes support fast responses with nervous tissue control.