The Living World chapter allows students to understand the basics of life. Living organisms are present in a wide variety on Earth, and this chapter explains how this vast variety of living organisms is grouped into different categories. It also introduces important biological terms like taxonomy, classification, and nomenclature. NCERT Solutions are prepared by subject experts in easy and clear language that helps students understand every concept easily and effectively. These solutions also include real-life examples to make the tough topics easier to understand, along with well-labeled diagrams.
The NCERT Solutions for Class 11 help students to understand important concepts easily and use them in practical situations. With the help of organised content and well-detailed answers, students can improve their knowledge and problem-solving skills and perform better in school exams as well as in competitive exams. By using the NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology, students can build a strong foundation in Biology as they strictly follow the CBSE syllabus, which serves as a valuable resource for revision during exam preparation.
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Students can download the PDF for this chapter from here:
The detailed solutions for each question of this chapter are given below:
Q1. Why are living organisms classified?
Answer:
Living organisms are classified for the following reasons:
There are numerous different species of living beings on our planet. It is hard to study each one separately. Scientists unite similar species to make it more convenient to research them. Studying one group, we learn about the properties of all the species in the group.
Classification also helps us in learning how various species relate to one another in terms of evolution.
Q2. Why are the classification systems changing every now and then?
Answer:
Earth is inhabited by numerous plants, animals, and microorganisms. The total number of species is not known yet. A lot of species have already been discovered and classified by scientists, but there are many more still to be discovered. When a new species is found, the system of classification is revised to accommodate it. That is why classification continues to change with time.
Q3. What different criteria would you choose to classify people that you meet often?
Answer:
The people that we often meet can be classified on the basis of their sex or gender, the age group in which they fall, profession, education, hobbies, etc.
Q4. What do we learn from the identification of individuals and populations?
Answer:
The identification of individuals helps us to know how they differ from or are similar to others within the same population. It also helps establish relationships between individuals from various populations. Researching populations enables us to know about their characteristics and how they compare to other populations. This process also helps in classifying organisms properly and knowing their evolutionary relationships.
Q5. Given below is the scientific name of Mango. Identify the correctly written name.
Answer:
The correct scientific name of mango is Mangifera indica. As per the binomial system of nomenclature, the first name in a scientific name is the genus name while the second name is specific. The scientific name is always written in italics. The first letter of the genus name is written in capitals while that of the specific name is written in small letters.
Answer:
Taxon refers to a particular level of hierarchy in the classification of living beings. Examples of taxa at different hierarchical levels are species, genus, order, family, phylum and kingdom.
Q7. Can you identify the correct sequence of taxonomical categories:
(A) Species → Order → Phylum → Kingdom
(B) Genus → Species → Order → Kingdom
(C) Species → Genus → Order → Phylum
Answer:
The correct sequence of taxonomic categories from lowest to highest is species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom. Thus, A and C represent the correct sequence of taxonomic categories with some categories missing in between, while B is incorrect as the genus is given before species.
Answer:
The word "species" is explained as:
For plants and animals at the higher levels, the first definition is the most precise since they reproduce sexually. For bacteria, the second and third definitions hold since bacteria are asexually reproduced and categorised according to genetic and structural similarities.
Q9. Define and understand the following terms:
(i) Phylum
Answer:
Phylum - A phylum is a large group of animals. which is formed of one or more classes. The term phylum is replaced by division in the case of plants. For example, the phylum chordate of animals contains mammals, aves, reptiles, amphibians, etc.
(ii) Class
Answer:
Class - It is a taxonomic group higher than order and lower than phylum. A class is made of one or more related orders. For example, the class dicotyledoneae of flowering plants contains all dicots, which are grouped into several orders, like Rosales, Polemoniales, etc.
Q9. Define and understand the following terms:
(iii) Family
Answer:
Family refers to that taxonomic category which contains one or more related genera. For example, the family Solanaceae contains a number of genera like Solanum, Withania, Datura etc. All genera of a family are related through some common features or correlated characters.
Q9. Define and understand the following terms:
(iv) Order
Answer:
Order is the taxonomic category higher than family and lower than class. An order consists of one or more groups of families which share certain common characteristics. For example, the families Felidae and Canidae are included in the same order of carnivores.
Q9. Define and understand the following terms:
(v) Genus
Answer:
Genus - A genus is a group of related species which resemble one another in certain correlated characteristics. All species of the genus are presumed to have evolved from a common ancestor. Lion, Tiger, and Leopard are closely related species and placed in the same genus, Panther.
Q10. How is a key helpful in the identification and classification of an organism?
Answer:
A taxonomic key refers to an artificial analytical device used for identifying organisms. Usually, in a key, two contrasting characters are used. The one present in the organism is chosen while the other is rejected. Each statement of a key is called a lead. Separate taxonomic keys are used for each taxonomic category like species, genus, family, etc. Keys are generally analytical in nature.
Q11. Illustrate the taxonomical hierarchy with suitable examples of a plant and an animal.
Answer:
Taxonomical hierarchy refers to the classification of organisms into a definite sequence of taxonomic categories starting from the kingdom and going up to species. An illustration of the taxonomic hierarchy is given below.
| Taxonomic categories | Animals - human | Plant - rose |
| Kingdom | Animalia | Plantae |
| Phylum/Division | Chordata | Angiospermae |
| Class | Mammalia | Dicotyledonae |
| Order | Primata | Rosales |
| Family | Hominidae | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Homo | Rosa |
| Species | sapiens | indica |
NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Subject-wise
To solve the textbook questions effectively, one needs to understand the concepts clearly first. The chapter has certain key terms, such as binomial nomenclature and taxonomic categories. Making notes of the chapter is really important, highlighting all the important points and terms. The Living World NCERT Solutions have all the solved exercise questions, with to-the-point answers and necessary information. Finally, one should practice these solutions to have an overall idea of the chapter and build confidence before the exams.
Also check the NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus here :
The Living World introduces students to the basic concepts of life, including what makes an organism living and how scientists classify and name the vast variety of life forms found on Earth.
Question: Which of the following is not a reason for the non-usage of vernacular names in nomenclature?
Options :
These names generally have incorrect meanings
A single name may be in use for two or more species.
These names have no significance
Vernacular names are difficult to pronounce
Answer: The correct answer is Option (4) Vernacular names are difficult to pronounce.
Explanation: Anemophily, or wind pollination, is the major mode of pollination in both Cycas and Pinus. Cycas rely on wind to disperse its three-celled microspores, which are blown away from the microsporangia to reach the ovules, facilitated by pollination drops that help capture the pollen grains.
Similarly, Pinus also uses wind for pollination. The pollen grains are carried through the air to fertilise ovules.
While anemophily is prevalent, some species of Cycas are reported to be using insect pollination, especially under particular conditions.
Here is a table for all the important topics from the chapter:
Below mentioned are the Chapterwise solutions:
Chapter 1 introduces students to important biological concepts that include biodiversity, classification, taxonomy, and nomenclature. The chapter sets the stage for the knowledge of the immense variety of living organisms and their scientific classification.
A taxonomic key refers to an artificial analytical device used for identifying organisms. Usually, in a key, two contrasting characters are used. The one present in the organism is chosen while other is rejected. Each statement of a key is called a lead. Separate taxonomic keys are used for each taxonomic category like species, genus, family.
The important topics of biology class 11 chapter 1 are:
Botanical Gardens conserve living plant species for research and education.
Herbaria maintain pressed and dried plant specimens for facilitating the identification and classification of species.
"Diversity in the Living World" is the extensive diversity of life forms on Earth. It includes various species of plants, animals, microorganisms, and their specialized adaptations to varied environments.
Biodiversity refers to the diversity of life forms within a specific area, such as various species, ecosystems, and genetic differences. For instance, the Amazon rainforest has diverse species such as jaguars, toucans, and numerous plant species, which makes it among the most biodiverse locations on the planet.
Biologists group organisms according to similarities and differences in their attributes. The classification is hierarchical, consisting of Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
The three domains of life are:
Bacteria – Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms (e.g., Escherichia coli).
Archaea – Prokaryotic but different from bacteria, commonly in extreme conditions.
Eukarya – Comprises all eukaryotic organisms like plants, animals, fungi, and protists
Taxonomy helps in identifying, naming, and classifying organisms in a systematic way. It facilitates understanding among species, conserving biodiversity, and maintaining proper communication among scientists globally.
Genus: group of related species (for example, lions, tigers, leopards in the group Panthera).
Species: the most detailed division, the organism able to reproduce with one another and with viable offspring (example: lions Panthera leo).
A block of mass 0.50 kg is moving with a speed of 2.00 ms-1 on a smooth surface. It strikes another mass of 1.00 kg and then they move together as a single body. The energy loss during the collision is
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An athlete in the olympic games covers a distance of 100 m in 10 s. His kinetic energy can be estimated to be in the range
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A particle is projected at 600 to the horizontal with a kinetic energy . The kinetic energy at the highest point
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In the reaction,
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How many moles of magnesium phosphate, will contain 0.25 mole of oxygen atoms?
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0.02 |
Option 2)
3.125 × 10-2 |
| Option 3)
1.25 × 10-2 |
Option 4)
2.5 × 10-2 |
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