CLASS 6: CH – 8: BODY MOVEMENTS

Q. How are we able to bend or rotate our body?

ANSWER – We are able to bend or rotate our body in places where two parts of our body seem to be joined
together – like elbow, shoulder or neck with the help of joints. The place where two or more bones join is
called a joint. There are many bones present in each part of the body. The bones cannot be bent so we can
bend or move our body only at those points where bones meet.

Q. What are the different types of joints present in our body?

ANSWER –

1. BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS – In this joint, the ball- shaped end of one bone fits into the hollow cup-
shaped socket (cavity) of the other bone. This joint allows maximum movement in all directions.
The joint of shoulder and hip is ball and socket joint.
2. PIVOTAL JOINT – The joint where our neck joins the head is a pivotal joint. It allows us to bend our
head forward and backward and turn the head to our right or left. In a pivotal joint a cylindrical bone
rotates in a ring.
3. HINGE JOINTS – Hinge joints allow movement of the bones in one direction, that is, up and down or
back and forth movement.
It is present in elbows, fingers, knees and toes.
4. FIXED JOINTS – Fixed joint do not allow any movement between the bones.
Some bones in our head are joined together or fixed, hence they cannot move. The joint between the
upper jaw and the rest of the head is a fixed joint.

 SKELETON – All the bones in our body form a framework to give a shape to our body. This framework is
called skeleton.

Q. How do we know the shapes of the different bones in our body?

ANSWER – We get the idea about the shape and number of bones in some parts of the body by feeling them.
But a better way is to look at the X- ray images of the human body. The X-rays show the shapes of the bones in
our bodies.

Q. What is rib cage and why is it important?

ANSWER – Few bones (ribs) in our chest are bent which joins the chest bone and backbone together to form a
box called rib cage. It is important as few internal parts like heart and lungs lie protected inside this cage.

Q. If your backbone were made up of only one long bone will you be able to bend easily?

ANSWER – The backbone forms the main axis of the skeleton. It is made of many small bones. The joints,
where the small bones meet allow movement like bending or twisting our back. Therefore, if our backbone
were made of only one long bone then bending would not have been possible.

Q. What is cartilage and where is it found in our body?

ANSWER – The additional part of our skeleton which is not as hard as our bones and which can be bent is
called cartilage. It is found in the upper parts of the ear and the joints of the body.
Q. Explain the contraction of muscles?

ANSWER – The muscle bulge due to contraction (it becomes smaller in length). When contracted, the muscle
becomes shorter, stiffer and thicker. It pulls the bone.

Q. How do muscles work to move bones?

ANSWER – Pg. no. 72 – Muscles work in pairs. When one of them contracts, the bone is pulled in that
direction. The other muscle of the pair relaxes. To move the bone in the opposite direction, the relaxed muscle
contracts to pull the bone towards its original position, while the first relaxes. A muscle can only pull. It cannot
push. Thus, two muscles have to work together to move a bone.

Q. Plants do not move from one place to another but do they show any other kind of movement?

ANSWER – Plants do not move from one place to another but they do show movements in their leaves,
flowers etc, for example response to external stimuli like movement of sunflower towards the sun, movement
of roots towards water, wrinkling of leaves of touch-me-not plant etc.

Q. How does earthworm fix parts of its body to the ground?

ANSWER – Pg. No. 73 Under its body, earthworm has a large number of tiny bristles (hair like structures)
projecting out. The bristles are connected with muscles. The bristles help to get a good grip on the ground.

Q. How does earthworm makes the soil more useful for plants?

ANSWER – The earthworm eats its way through the soil. Its body then throws away the undigested part of the
material that it eats making soil more useful for plants. This is the reason they are also called farmer’s friends.

Q. Compare the body features and movement of earthworm and snail.

ANSWER –

EARTHWORM SNAIL
1. It doesn’t have bones or skeleton in its body. 1. It has an outer skeleton called shell.
2. The body of an earthworm is made up of many 2. A thick structure and the head of the snail come
rings joined end to end. out of an opening in the shell. The thick structure is its
foot is made of strong muscles.
3. Repeated muscle expansions and contractions help 3. The snail makes movement by making the wavy
earthworm to move through soil. motion of the foot.
Shell does not help in movement.
4. Its body secretes a slimy substance to help the 4. Its body secretes a slimy substance to help the
movement. movement.
4. moves faster 4. moves slower

Q. Explain how the bones of the bird are modified to help them in flying?

ANSWER – Pg. No. 74 – The birds can fly because their bodies are well suited for flying. Their bones are hollow
and light. The bones of the hind limbs are typical for walking and perching. The bony parts of the forelimbs are
modified as wings. The shoulder bones are strong. The breastbones are modified to hold muscles of flight
which are used to move the wings up and down.
Q. Explain how movement takes place in the following animals.

1. Cockroaches – Cockroaches can walk, climb and fly. They have three pairs of legs which help in walking.
Their body is covered with a hard outer skeleton which is made of number of plates joined together that
permits movement. There are two pairs of wings attached to the body behind head. The cockroaches have
distinct muscles — those near the legs help in walking. The body muscles move the wings when the
cockroach flies.
2. Fish – Fish have streamlined body shape which allows water to flow around it easily and fish to move in
water. The skeleton of the fish is covered with strong muscles. During swimming, muscles make the front
part of the body curve to one side and the tail part swings towards the opposite side forming a curve then
the body and tail curve to the other side quickly. This makes a jerk and pushes the body forward. A series
of such jerks make the fish swim ahead. This is helped by the fins of the tail. Fins also help in maintaining
balance and give direction.
3. Snakes – Snakes have a long backbone with many thin muscles connected to each other being far from
one another. Muscles also interconnect the backbone, ribs and skin. The snake’s body curves into many
loops. Each loop of the snake gives it a forward push by pressing against the ground. Since its long body
makes many loops and each loop gives it this push, the snake moves forward very fast and not in a straight
line.

Q. What is a streamlined body shape?

ANSWER – The body shape in which the ends are smaller than the middle portion of the body – the body
tapers at both ends, is called streamlined body shape.

Q. Fill in the blanks –

1. The back of our palm is made up of several small bones called carples.
2. Pelvic bones enclose the portion of the body below the stomach where we sit on.
3. Skull is made up of many bones joined together which enclose and protect the brain.
4. Two prominent bones on the back of the shoulders are called shoulder bones.
5. The human skeleton is composed of around 305 bones at birth which changes into 206 bones by
adulthood after some bones have fused together.
6. Wearing flippers help divers to keep direction and balance of the body, while swimming.