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Chapter

Nutrition in Animals

You Will Learn

• Modes of nutrition in animals • Steps in animal nutrition
• Nutrition in Amoeba • Nutrition in Humans • Human digestive system
• Ingestion of food • Digestion of food • Absorption of digested food
• Assimilation or the fate of absorbed nutrients • Egestion of undigested food
• Digestion of food in ruminants

NTURY S
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• Critical Thinking • Creativity

KIL
21st

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• Communication • Understanding
• Collaboration • Art-integrated Learning

Gear Up Critical Thinking 21st

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Look at the picture of this animal.

1. What is it eating?
2. Which type of animal will you classify it?

MODES OF NUTRITION IN ANIMALS

Animals cannot prepare their own food. They depend on food prepared by plants.
Hence, they are heterotrophs and they show heterotrophic mode of nutrition. They
obtain their food from green plants or animals that feed on plants. Based on the eating
habits, heterotrophs are classified into the following types:
▶▶ Herbivores or Herbivorous animals: They feed only on plants or plant parts. Cow,
buffalo, goat, deer, rabbit, horse, elephant, etc., are examples of herbivorous animals.
▶▶ Carnivores or Carnivorous animals: They feed on the flesh of other animals. Lion,
tiger, leopard, panther, etc., are examples of carnivorous animals.
▶▶ Omnivores or Omnivorous
animals: They feed on both
plants and animals. Crow,
pig, man, cockroach, etc.,
are examples of omnivorous
Herbivores Carnivore Omnivore
animals.

Activity 1 S E L Self-Awareness
Understanding 21st

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Categorise the following animals into their respective groups:
Panda, cheetah, deer, giraffe, rabbit, crow, sparrow, elephant, cow, owl, human beings, cat, dog,
buffalo and squirrel
Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores

The mode of nutrition in herbivorous, carnivorous NEW WORD

and omnivorous animals is called holozoic nutrition.
Holozoic nutrition: Taking food
However, some animals are parasites, saprophagous or by engulfing
scavengers.
▶▶ Parasitic animals obtain food and shelter from the host. They may be endoparasites
or ectoparasites.
OO Endoparasites live inside the host body and derive nutrients from the host’s body

fluid, blood or tissue. For example, malarial parasites live in RBCs, flatworms and
roundworms reside in liver or intestine.
OO Ectoparasites such as ticks, mites, body louse and bedbugs cling to the body surface

of their hosts and suck their blood.

▶▶ Saprophagous animals feed on dead and decaying matter of animals and plants in
the soil. Earthworms are saprophagous animals.
▶▶ Scavengers feed on the body of dead animals. Vulture, hyena, jackal, etc., are scavengers.
Steps in Animal Nutrition
Animals take solid food. The nutrients in the food are in the form of complex organic
compounds. They are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. These can be used only when
broken down into simple soluble molecules. These simple soluble molecules are absorbed
by the intestinal wall of digestive system and are distributed to the body cells. The
undigested waste material is expelled out of the body.

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Therefore, the process of animal nutrition involves ingestion, digestion, absorption,
assimilation and egestion.
▶▶ Ingestion: It is the process of taking food from outside into the body. Different
animals use different methods for ingestion of food.
▶▶ Digestion: It is the process of breaking down food into simple soluble molecules
by the action of digestive enzymes. Digestion involves both physical and chemical
actions.
▶▶ Physical action involves:
OO Chewing in the mouth breaks down the solid food into smaller pieces.

OO Churning in the stomach makes a fine paste of the food and mixes it with gastric

juices.
OO Chemical action involves breakdown of:

OO Carbohydrates into simple sugars (glucose)

OO Fats into fatty acids and glycerol

OO Proteins into amino acids

▶▶ Absorption: It is the process by which simple and soluble molecules (nutrients)

of digested food are absorbed through the intestinal wall and transported to
bloodstream.
▶▶ Assimilation: It is the process of utilisation of absorbed nutrients by the body cells
for energy and synthesis of new substances.
▶▶ Egestion: It is the process of getting rid of undigested solid part of the food. It is
also called defecation.

Check Point 1 Understanding 21st

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Fill in the blanks.

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1. Heterotrophs are classified based on their habits.
2. is an example of saprophagous animals.
3. animals obtain food and shelter from host.
4. The process of taking in food is called .
5. The process of utilisation of absorbed nutrients is called .

NUTRITION IN AMOEBA
Amoeba is a tiny single-celled organism. It has no mouth or anus. The food is taken
in at any point on the body. Amoeba is an omnivorous animal. It feeds on aquatic
microscopic organisms.

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Ingestion: On coming in contact with the food,
Amoeba pushes finger-like pseudopodia (false foot) NEW WORDS
around the food and engulfs it. The food gets trapped Pseudopodia (sing. Pseudopodium):
Finger-like projections from the body
in a food vacuole within the body.
(false feet)
Digestion: The food is digested inside the food Diffuse: To spread in all directions
vacuole. The digestive enzymes are secreted into the
food vacuole from the surrounding cytoplasm.
Absorption: The digested food diffuses into the surrounding cytoplasm, and is used for
energy, growth and repair.
Egestion: The undigested food is expelled out of the body at any point because Amoeba
has no anus.
Pseudopodia Food being digested Digested food being
Food particle ingesting food inside food vacuole absorbed by protoplasm

Nucleus   
Cytoplasm Food particle
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Fig. 2.1 Steps involved in the nutrition in Amoeba: (a), (b)–Ingestion; (c)–Digestion; (d)–Absorption

NUTRITION IN HUMANS
Below is given brief description of nutrition in humans.
Human Digestive System
Mouth
Human beings are omnivores. We eat different
Tongue
parts of the plants like root, shoot, fruits and Oesophagus
seeds. We also have animal products like eggs,
meat and milk. Diaphragm

The food, we eat, is broken down into simple

molecules by the digestive system. It comprises Liver
the following two groups of organs: Stomach
Gall bladder
▶▶ A long, coiled food tube which is open at both (Stores bile) Bile Duct
Activity
ends. It is called4alimentary canal. It begins Pancreas
with mouth and ends with anus. It is divided
Large Intestine
into the following compartments: Small
� mouth � oesophagus or foodpipe Caecum Intestine
� stomach � small intestine Vermiform Rectum
Appendix Anus
� large intestine � rectum  � anus
Fig. 2.2 Human digestive system

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▶▶ The digestive glands make and store the
digestive juices or enzymes that help in
digestion. These glands are liver, pancreas
and salivary glands.
Incisors
INGESTION OF FOOD Premolars
Canine
Upper
Food is taken into the alimentary canal through jaw
mouth. We put food morsels into mouth with our Molars
hands. We chew it with the teeth present on jaws,
taste it with tongue and moisten it with saliva.
Teeth
There are 32 teeth in our mouth. These are of four
different types:
▶▶ Incisors are front NEW WORD
Lower
teeth used for biting Dentition: Arrangement, type jaw
the food. They have and number of teeth in an
Fig. 2.3 Dentition in man (adult)
animal
cutting margins.
▶▶ Canines are used for tearing the food.
They are pointed. Knowledge Desk
▶▶ Premolars and molars are used for In human beings, teeth appear in two sets. Milk
teeth, grow from the age of 6 months, are replaced
grinding and chewing the food. They by permanent teeth between 6 to 8 years of age.
have broad and flat grinding surface.
Let us perform an activity to observe and count the number of teeth.

Activity 2 S E L Self-Awareness
Creativity 21st

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Aim: To observe and count the number of teeth
Materials Required: A mirror
Procedure: Wash your hands and stand in front of a mirror. Open your mouth and count the teeth
in upper and lower jaws. Try to identify different types of teeth as shown in Fig. 2.3. Record your
observations. Do your observations tally with the table as given below.
Number of teeth in Total number
Type of teeth of teeth Function
Upper jaw Lower jaw
Incisors 4 4 8 Cutting and biting of food
Canines 2 2 4 Tearing of food
Premolars 4 4 8
Chewing and grinding of food
Molars 4 4 8
Total number of teeth 28

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Structure of a tooth: A tooth has Surface of tooth
two main parts, i.e., roots and crown. Enamel
Crown
Each tooth is fixed into sockets in the Dentine
jawbone by its long roots. The centre Gum
of each tooth has a pulp of blood and Pulp
nerves. The pulp is surrounded by a Root Jawbone
layer of dentine. The top of dentine is
Root canal
covered by a tough shield of enamel. Blood vessels
It forms the white shiny part of the and nerves
tooth called crown. It is set in fleshy Fig. 2.4 Parts of a tooth
ridge on the jawbone, called the gums.

Tooth decay and oral hygiene

Decay of Decay reaching up Decay reaching up to

to
enamel to dentine pulp cavity

Tooth decay Abscess

Care of teeth or oral hygiene

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Table 2.1 shows the differences between milk teeth and permanent teeth.
Table 2.1 Differences between milk teeth and permanent teeth
Milk teeth Permanent teeth
1. They grow from the age of 6 months. 1. They start to appear between 6 to 8 years of age.
2. They are 20 in number. 2. They are 32 in number.
3. They do not have molar teeth. 3. They have 6 molars in each jaw.
4. They fall off and are replaced by permanent 4. Once fall off, they cannot be replaced.
set of teeth.

Tongue
A fleshy muscular tongue is attached to the floor of
mouth. Tongue has taste buds which identify sweet, salt,
bitter and sour tastes. Bitter

Functions of Tongue
Sour Sour
▶▶ The tongue tastes the food.
▶▶ It mixes saliva with the food during chewing. Salt Salt
▶▶ It pushes the food towards the teeth for chewing. Sweet
▶▶ Tongue helps in swallowing the food. Fig. 2.5 Location of different taste
▶▶ It helps in speaking. buds on tongue

Check Point 2 Understanding 21st

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Fill in the blanks.

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1. The teeth, which are in front and used for biting, are .
2. Tongue identifies tastes with the help of .
3. The teeth are replaced by set of teeth.
4. is the hardest substance in our body.

DIGESTION OF FOOD
Digestion of Food in Mouth
Digestion of food starts in the mouth. In mouth, the Mouth
food is chewed and masticated by teeth into a fine
paste.
Tongue
▶▶ Three pairs of salivary glands release saliva in the
Salivary
mouth. Saliva is a viscous, transparent liquid which glands
contains mainly water, salts and mucin. Saliva
moistens the food and makes the chewed food Fig. 2.6 Salivary glands in mouth

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 slippery. This helps in swallowing the food easily. Saliva contains an enzyme called
salivary amylase. It digests starch into maltose.

NEW WORD
Knowledge Desk
The moment we take first bite of food, the enzyme in saliva begins Mucin: A substance which makes
to break carbohydrates and prepares the food for digestion. mucus in solution.

Let us perform an activity to show that salivary amylase in saliva breaks down starch
into sugar.

Activity 3 S E L Self-Management
Creativity 21st

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Aim: To show that saliva breaks down starch into sugar
Materials Required: Two test tubes, a marker pen, boiled rice,
water, a teaspoon and iodine solution
Procedure: Take two test tubes. With a marker pen, mark them as Starch
A and B. Put one teaspoonful of boiled rice in test tube A. Chew +
one teaspoonful of boiled rice for 2 minutes and put it into test Starch saliva
+
tube B. Add about 3 mL of water and 3 drops of iodine solution to iodine A B
+
each test tube. iodine

Observation: The iodine becomes blue-black in test tube A but remains unchanged in test tube B.
Explanation: Test tube A contains starch and starch makes iodine blue-black. In test tube B, starch of
rice is broken down into sugars (maltose) by saliva. Due to the absence of starch, the iodine solution
in test tube B remains unchanged.

Oesophagus or Foodpipe
From the mouth, the food slides down into the oesophagus Contracted
muscle
or foodpipe. It is about 25 cm long tube. The food slides
Direction of food
down the oesophagus in a wave-like motion caused movement
due to contraction and
relaxation of muscles, called NEW WORD
peristaltic movement. No Peristalsis: Repeated Food bolus
digestion occurs in the contraction and expansion of
oesophagus. the wall of the oesophagus

Reflux Relaxed
muscle

Fig. 2.7 Peristaltic movements in the

oesophagus

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Digestion in Stomach Fundus
Oesophagus
From oesophagus, the food reaches the stomach and
Pylorus
passes to the small intestine. Stomach is a J-shaped
thick-walled muscular bag, located below the
diaphragm. The lining of stomach has digestive
Duodenum
glands, which secrete digestive juices. The digestive
juices include hydrochloric acid, mucus and Rugus
digestive enzymes. Food stays in stomach for 2
Fig. 2.8 Stomach
to 4 hours and is half digested like a thin paste,
called chyme. The food in the stomach is churned and
NEW WORD
acted upon by its digestive juices.
Diaphragm: Muscular partition
Functions of Stomach between thoracic and abdominal
▶▶ Highly muscular wall of stomach shows rhythmic cavities
contraction. This churns food into
fine paste and mixes the digestive
juice with it. Knowledge Desk
▶▶ Mucus protects the lining of stomach Story of stomach with a hole
from the action of enzymes and acids. The functioning of stomach was discovered accidentally
by an American army doctor, William Beaumont. In 1822,
▶▶ Hydrochloric acid kills bacteria that a man named Alexis St. Martin got a bullet wound in his
enter stomach along with food. It stomach. The doctor saved the patient but could not close
makes food acidic for the action of the hole in the stomach properly.
The doctor studied digestion of food in the stomach by
enzymes. collecting food samples from it from time-to-time. Dr
▶▶ The enzymes begin the chemical Beaumont found that the stomach churns food. Its wall
digestion of proteins of the food. secretes digestive juice to digest the food.

Digestion in Small Intestine

Small intestine is a coiled structure, approximately 6 m
in length, and the longest part of the alimentary canal. NEW WORD
The digestion of food is completed in the small intestine. Bile: Secretion produced by liver
It receives bile juice from liver and pancreatic juice
from pancreas. It also secretes several digestive juices
of intestinal glands, which help to digest the semi-digested food (chyme) completely.
Functions of Small Intestine
▶▶ Proteins are broken down to amino acids.
▶▶ Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars such as glucose and fructose.
▶▶ Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.
▶▶ Intestinal wall absorbs digested food.

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Liver Caecum and Vermiform
Liver is the largest gland in the body. It is reddish-brown Appendix
(chocolate) in colour and lies just below Liver
the diaphragm on the right side. Liver
is about 2 kilograms in weight. Its cells
make bile juice which is stored in gall
Pancreas
bladder.
When food from stomach enters small
intestine, bile is released in it which aids
in the digestion of fat. Fig. 2.9 Location of
liver and pancreas
Pancreas
Pancreas is a pink-coloured leaf-like gland. It makes about 2 litres pancreatic juice
each day. Its enzymes complete the digestion of all the three components of food, i.e.,
carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
ABSORPTION OF DIGESTED FOOD
After complete digestion, the nutrients of food are changed into simple forms and are
absorbed by intestinal walls.
Absorption of Food in Small Intestine
Blood Capillaries
The digested food is absorbed mainly in small intestine.
For efficient absorption of nutrients, the intestine has the
Lacteal
following features: Venule
▶▶ Intestine is very long. Arteriole
▶▶ The lining of intestine is thin to allow rapid entry of
substances.
▶▶ The inner wall of intestine contains numerous finger-like
projections called villi (Sing. villus).
▶▶ The villi increase the surface area of intestine to about five
times for the absorption of digested food. Fig. 2.10 Intestinal villi
▶▶ Each villus is supplied with an arteriole, a venule and blood capillaries, a lymph vessel
or lacteal and lymph capillaries.
Absorption in Large Intestine
Large intestine is about 1.5 metres long. It absorbs water and some salts from undigested
food.
ASSIMILATION OR THE FATE OF ABSORBED NUTRIENTS
The absorbed nutrients are passed into the blood vessels and transported to different
parts of the body.

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Inside the body cells, these nutrients are utilised for different activities. This is called
assimilation. The future of absorbed nutrients is as follows:
▶▶ Glucose is used as a source of energy by the body. It is burned (oxidised) to release
energy inside the cells.
▶▶ Excess of glucose is stored in muscles and in the cells of liver as glycogen.
▶▶ The amino acids are used to build new living material of the cells.
▶▶ Fats are stored in the fatty tissues in various parts of the body.

EGESTION OF UNDIGESTED FOOD

The semisolid undigested food is pushed out of the anus. This is called egestion or
defecation.
The undigested food residue that enters the rectum from large intestine is called the faeces.

DIGESTION OF FOOD IN RUMINANTS NEW WORDS

Grass-eating animals like cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, Ruminants: Grass-eating mammals
deer, etc., are called ruminants because a part of their Rumen: A part of the stomach of
stomach, rumen, is specialised to store half-chewed food. the cattle

The stomach of ruminants has four chambers, i.e., Caecum Omasum

rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. Rumen is
the largest chamber for storage of food.
Ruminants quickly swallow partially or half-chewed food Reticulum
Abomasum
(grass). The saliva mixed half-chewed food is stored in
the rumen. Here, food is partially digested by the action Rumen
of saliva. Some bacteria help in the digestion of cellulose.
Fig. 2.11 Alimentary canal of a cow
This partially digested food is called cud. (a ruminant)
When ruminants sit and relax, the Oesophagus Intestine
cud from reticulum comes back into
the mouth cavity in small lumps and is Reticulum
Rumen
chewed again. This is called chewing the Omasum
(a)
cud or rumination. Abomasum
Oesophagus
Completely chewed food directly reaches Omasum Abomasum
to omasum where water from the food is
absorbed. The food is then pushed into
abomasum which is the true stomach.
Rumen (b)
Digestion of Cellulose Reticulum
Plant food is rich in cellulose. In Fig. 2.12 Stomach of a ruminant: (a)–Stomach showing four
chambers; (b)–Passage of food through four chambers of
ruminants, cellulose is digested in stomach

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a special sac present at the junction of small and large intestines. It is called caecum.
It harbours cellulose-digesting bacteria.
NEW WORD
v
Cellulose: A complex carbohydrate
occurring in the form of fibres in
v
the plant cell wall

Check Point 3 Critical Thinking 21st

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Answer in one word.

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1. This is digested in the mouth
2. This increases the surface area of intestine for absorption
3. The digestive juice secreted by liver cells
4. The acid secreted in the stomach
5. The grass-eating animals

Wrap up now
1. Animals are heterotrophs and have holozoic nutrition. Holozoic nutrition involves ingestion,
digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion.
2. Ingestion is the process of taking food from outside into the body.
3. In Amoeba, food is ingested with the help of false feet or pseudopodia.
4. Digestion is the breakdown of complex nutrients into their simpler forms.
5. Absorption is the process by which simple molecules of digested food enter the blood.
6. Assimilation is the utilisation of food nutrients by the body cells.
7. Egestion is the process of expelling undigested food.
8. Grass-eating animals like cows and buffaloes are called ruminants. Their stomach has a specialised
chamber called rumen which stores partially chewed food.

PRACTICE TIME
A. Tick (3) the correct answer.
1. The largest gland in the human body is
(a) Adrenal gland (b) Pituitary gland
(c) Pancreas (d) Liver
2. Breakdown of complex insoluble organic compounds into simple soluble molecules is
(a) Digestion (b) Absorption (c) Assimilation (d) Egestion
3. This organ in humans begins with mouth and ends with anus
(a) Stomach (b) Alimentary canal
(c) Foodpipe (d) Oesophagus

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 4. Pseudopodia help in the ingestion of food in
(a) Amoeba (b) Earthworm (c) Paramecium (d) Snake
5. Digestion of food inside the food vacuole occurs in
(a) Hydra (b) Cockroach (c) Amoeba (d) Birds
6. In humans, the teeth used for tearing are
(a) Molars (b) Premolars (c) Incisors (d) Canines
B. Match the Columns.
Column A Column B
1. Proteins (a) Food vacuole
2. Starch (b) Hydrochloric acid
3. Gall bladder (c) Amino acids
4. Amoeba (d) Ruminant
5. Cow (e) Mouth
6. Stomach (f) Bile juice
C. Very Short Answer Type Questions
1. Which digestive enzyme is present in saliva? What is its role?
2. Which teeth have broad and flat surface? What is their function?
3. Name the digestive juice secreted by the pancreas.
4. Name the two organs where absorption of digested food takes place.
5. Which part of stomach in ruminants temporarily stores partially chewed food?
6. What is cud?
7. Why is cellulose not digested in man?
D. Short Answer Type Questions
1. How does Amoeba capture food?
2. What is the role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach?
3. (a) Which movements are produced in the wall of alimentary canal?
(b) How are they produced?
(c) What is their role in digestion?
4. How does bile juice help in digestion of food?
5. (a) Why are cows and buffaloes called ruminants?
(b) Where does digestion of cellulose take place?
6. Name the parts of ruminant stomach. Which of these represents the true stomach?
7. What are saprophagous animals? Give their examples.
8. What is meant by assimilation? How are different nutrients assimilated?
9. How is cellulose digested in ruminants?
E. Long Answer Type Questions
1. List the steps involved in the process of nutrition. Explain them with reference to Amoeba.
2. Define digestion. Describe role of saliva, bile juice and pancreatic juice in digestion.
3. (a) What happens to the following during digestion:
(i) Starch  (ii) Protein  (iii) Fat
(b) What is the fate of these nutrients after digestion?

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 4. Give functions of stomach.
5. How is small intestine best adapted for absorption of digested food?
6. How many types of teeth are found in man? What are their functions? How would you take care of
your teeth?
F. HOTS Questions Critical Thinking 21st

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1. The caecum is well-developed in herbivores but not
in man. Why?
2. Why does a piece of chapati taste sweeter after it is chewed for some time? 2 1

Passage/Case-based Questions
Study the diagram given alongside and answer the questions that follow: 3 4
1. Label the parts 1–10 of human digestive system shown in the diagram. 5
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2. Write the functions of parts labelled 2, 4, 5 and 8. 6 8
10 9
Creative Corner

G. Complete the following table with correct words. Understanding 21st

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Part of Digestive gland Secretion or Nutrient digested Function
alimentary canal digestive juice
Mouth 1 Saliva 2 3
Oesophagus 4 5 6 Passage for food
7 8 9 Protein 10
11 12 Bile Juice 13 Digestion and
14 15 16 absorption of
17 intestinal juice 18 digested food
Large intestine No 19 No 20

H. Group Activity/Project Collaboration 21st

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Work in groups and collect information from your friends, neighbours

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or cousins to know more about milk teeth. Collect information and fill S E L Relationship Skills
in the following table.
Name Age at which the Age at which the Number of teeth Number of
first tooth fell last tooth fell teeth replaced

I. Group Discussion
Communication 21st
Have a group discussion on ‘Dehydration, its causes and remedy’.
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J. Model Making
Art-integrated Learning 21st
Make a model of digestive system of man making cut-outs of different
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organs and pasting them on thermocol board. S E L Self-Management

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