Exercise Solutions Available
Step-by-step answers for all textbook questions in this chapter
What is Food and Why Do We Need It?
Food provides the energy our bodies need to grow, repair themselves, and do daily work. All living things need food to survive.
Sources of Food
All our food comes from two main sources:
| Source | Examples |
|---|---|
| Plants | Rice, wheat, fruits, vegetables, pulses, sugar, oil |
| Animals | Milk, eggs, meat, fish, honey, cheese |
Food from Plants
Different parts of a plant give us different types of food:
| Part of Plant | Food Examples |
|---|---|
| Root | Carrot, radish, sweet potato, turnip |
| Stem | Potato, sugarcane, ginger, onion |
| Leaf | Spinach, cabbage, coriander, curry leaf |
| Flower | Cauliflower, broccoli, banana flower |
| Fruit | Mango, apple, tomato, banana, orange |
| Seed | Rice, wheat, maize, groundnut, sunflower seeds |
Remember: Tomato, brinjal, and cucumber are fruits in science (they contain seeds), even though we use them as vegetables in cooking.
Food from Animals
Animals provide us with:
- Milk — from cow, buffalo, goat (used to make curd, cheese, butter, ghee)
- Eggs — from hen, duck
- Meat/Fish — from goat, chicken, fish, prawns
- Honey — collected by bees from flowers
Eating Habits of Animals
Animals are classified based on what they eat:
Herbivores
Animals that eat only plants.
Examples: Cow, horse, deer, rabbit, elephant, goat
Carnivores
Animals that eat only other animals.
Examples: Lion, tiger, wolf, eagle, crocodile
Omnivores
Animals that eat both plants and animals.
Examples: Human beings, crow, bear, dog, cockroach
Nectar and Honey
- Bees collect nectar from flowers.
- Nectar is a sweet liquid made by flowers.
- Bees store nectar in their hive and it becomes honey.
- Honey is used as food by humans.
Seeds as Food
- Seeds of many plants are eaten by humans — rice, wheat, maize, mustard, groundnut.
- Seeds contain stored food (starch, protein, fat) for the young plant to grow.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Herbivore | Eats only plants |
| Carnivore | Eats only animals |
| Omnivore | Eats both plants and animals |
| Nectar | Sweet liquid produced by flowers |
| Sprout | Germinated seed (like bean sprouts) |
| Ingredient | One item that is part of a dish |
NCERT Exercise — Important Questions
Q1. Do you find that all living things need the same kind of food? No. Different living things need different kinds of food. Plants make their own food using sunlight. Herbivores eat only plants. Carnivores eat other animals. Omnivores eat both.
Q2. Name five plants and their parts that we eat. 1. Carrot — root 2. Spinach — leaf 3. Cauliflower — flower 4. Mango — fruit 5. Wheat — seed
Exam Tips
- Always give 2–3 examples for each type of animal (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) — examiners look for examples.
- Remember the plant parts table — it is a favourite for 2-mark questions.
- Honey bees → collect nectar → convert to honey (two steps, both words matter).
- Humans are omnivores — a very common 1-mark question.