The Living World Full Chapter in 1 Hour | NCERT Biology Line By Line | NEET 2027 Biology | RE - NEET

 

📘 Chapter 1 – The Living World (NCERT Full Notes)

1. Characteristics of Living Organisms

  • Living organisms are unique because they share certain basic features.

(i) Growth

  • Increase in mass and number of individuals.

  • In multicellular organisms: growth is due to cell division.

  • In plants: growth continues throughout life.

  • In animals: growth is only up to a certain age (later, cell division for repair/replacement).

  • Non-living objects also grow by accumulation of material on surface (extrinsic).

  • 👉 Hence, growth cannot be considered a defining property of living organisms. [NEET PYQ]

(ii) Reproduction

  • Producing offspring similar to parents.

  • In multicellular organisms: sexual & asexual reproduction.

  • In unicellular organisms: growth and reproduction are the same (cell division).

  • Exceptions: Mules, sterile worker bees, infertile human couples cannot reproduce but are living.

  • 👉 Thus, reproduction also not a defining property of living organisms. [NEET PYQ]

(iii) Metabolism

  • Sum total of all biochemical reactions in a living organism.

  • Anabolism (synthesis) + Catabolism (breakdown).

  • Occurs only inside living cells.

  • Can be demonstrated outside the body in cell-free systems (e.g., in a lab).

  • 👉 But, no non-living object shows metabolism → hence, metabolism is a defining feature of life. [NEET PYQ]

(iv) Cellular Organization

  • All living organisms are made of cells.

  • Cellular organization is the fundamental property of life.

(v) Consciousness

  • Living organisms sense their surroundings and respond to stimuli.

  • Plants: photoperiodism, phototropism, movement of leaves.

  • Animals: respond to physical, chemical, biological stimuli.

  • Humans: self-consciousness.

  • 👉 Consciousness is the most important defining feature of living beings. [NEET PYQ]

✅ Conclusion:

  • Growth ❌ not defining.

  • Reproduction ❌ not defining.

  • Metabolism, Cellular Organization, and Consciousness = true defining features of life.

2. Diversity of Living World

  • Biodiversity: variety of organisms present on Earth.

  • ~1.7–1.8 million species described so far.

  • Need for classification:

    • Easy study, identification, and relationships.

Systematics

  • Study of diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

  • Term derived from Systema Naturae (book by Carolus Linnaeus).

  • Modern systematics includes taxonomy + phylogeny (evolutionary history). [NEET PYQ]

3. Taxonomic Categories

  • Taxonomy: principles and procedures of classification.

  • Hierarchical categories (from higher to lower):

    1. Kingdom

    2. Phylum (in animals) / Division (in plants)

    3. Class

    4. Order

    5. Family

    6. Genus

    7. Species

  • 👉 Species = basic unit of classification. [NEET PYQ]

Examples:

  • Man (Homo sapiens):

    • Kingdom: Animalia

    • Phylum: Chordata

    • Class: Mammalia

    • Order: Primates

    • Family: Hominidae

    • Genus: Homo

    • Species: sapiens

  • Mango (Mangifera indica):

    • Kingdom: Plantae

    • Division: Angiospermae

    • Class: Dicotyledonae

    • Order: Sapindales

    • Family: Anacardiaceae

    • Genus: Mangifera

    • Species: indica

4. Taxonomical Aids

  • Herbarium

    • Collection of dried, pressed, and preserved plant specimens mounted on sheets.

    • Each sheet has → Scientific name, Family, Local name, Collector’s name, Date, Place. [NEET PYQ]

  • Botanical Gardens

    • Collection of living plants for reference.

    • Plants labeled with scientific names and families.

    • Ex: Indian Botanical Garden (Kolkata), National Botanical Garden (Lucknow).

  • Museums

    • Preserved plant and animal specimens.

    • Animals preserved in jars with preservative solutions.

    • Skeletons of animals.

    • Insects pinned or preserved in insect boxes.

  • Zoological Parks

    • Animals kept in protected, semi-natural habitats.

    • For observation, study, and awareness.

  • Keys

    • Used for identification of organisms.

    • Based on contrasting characters (couplets). [NEET PYQ]

    • Each statement = lead.

  • Flora

    • Book containing account of actual plant species in a region.

  • Manuals

    • Useful for identification of species in a particular area.

  • Monographs

    • Provide information about a single taxon only.

5. Nomenclature

  • Need: local names create confusion → scientific names solve it.

  • Binomial nomenclature given by Carolus Linnaeus. [NEET PYQ]

  • Every organism has two names:

    • Generic name (Genus) → Capitalized.

    • Specific epithet (Species) → Small letters.

  • Rules (ICBN/ICZN):

    • Names Latinized, Italicized (or underlined separately if handwritten).

    • Genus: first letter capital.

    • Species: first letter small.

  • Examples:

    • Homo sapiens

    • Mangifera indica





📝 NEET Mega Question Bank – Chapter 1 (The Living World)


A. Characteristics of Living

  1. Which of the following is NOT a defining property of living organisms?
     A) Growth B) Metabolism C) Cellular organization D) Consciousness

  2. Reproduction cannot be considered as a defining property of living organisms because:
     A) All living reproduce B) Some living organisms do not reproduce
     C) It is present in plants only D) It is present in animals only

  3. In unicellular organisms, reproduction is synonymous with:
     A) Growth B) Metabolism C) Consciousness D) Cellular organization

  4. Mule is considered a living organism because it:
     A) Reproduces B) Shows metabolism and consciousness
     C) Shows growth externally D) Is a hybrid

  5. Metabolism is a defining property of living because:
     A) It occurs only in animals
     B) It occurs in both living and non-living
     C) It occurs inside cells of living organisms
     D) It can be demonstrated outside the body only

  6. Which property is unique to living organisms?
     A) Crystallization B) Consciousness C) Movement D) Growth

  7. Plants respond to light by:
     A) Phototropism B) Photoperiodism C) Both A and B D) None

  8. Which of the following shows self-consciousness?
     A) Plants B) Animals C) Humans D) All

  9. Which property makes humans the most evolved organisms?
     A) Reproduction B) Self-consciousness C) Growth D) Cellular structure

  10. Which is NOT an attribute of living beings?
     A) Growth B) Response to stimuli C) Crystallization D) Metabolism

B. Diversity of Living World

  1. The total number of described species on Earth is about:
     A) 0.5 million B) 1.7 million C) 10 million D) 3.2 million

  2. The term “Systematics” was introduced by:
     A) Aristotle B) Linnaeus C) Darwin D) Whittaker

  3. The book Systema Naturae was written by:
     A) Darwin B) Lamarck C) Linnaeus D) Aristotle

  4. Systematics in modern sense includes:
     A) Identification and nomenclature only
     B) Taxonomy and phylogeny
     C) Ecology and evolution
     D) Morphology and anatomy

  5. Which of the following is NOT included in systematics?
     A) Classification B) Evolutionary history C) Identification D) Photosynthesis

C. Taxonomic Categories

  1. The basic unit of classification is:
     A) Family B) Genus C) Species D) Order

  2. Arrange taxonomic hierarchy in correct sequence:
     A) Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species
     B) Kingdom → Class → Phylum → Family → Order → Species → Genus
     C) Species → Genus → Family → Class → Order → Phylum → Kingdom
     D) Species → Family → Genus → Class → Kingdom → Order → Phylum

  3. In Mangifera indica, the term “Mangifera” represents:
     A) Family B) Genus C) Order D) Species

  4. In Homo sapiens, “sapiens” refers to:
     A) Genus B) Species epithet C) Family D) Class

  5. Which category includes closely related genera?
     A) Family B) Class C) Order D) Phylum

  6. Closely related families are placed in:
     A) Order B) Class C) Genus D) Kingdom

  7. Humans belong to order:
     A) Hominidae B) Primate C) Mammalia D) Homo

  8. Correct hierarchy for humans is:
     A) Animalia → Chordata → Mammalia → Primates → Hominidae → Homo → sapiens
     B) Animalia → Chordata → Aves → Primates → Hominidae → Homo → sapiens
     C) Animalia → Arthropoda → Mammalia → Rodentia → Homo → sapiens
     D) Animalia → Chordata → Mammalia → Carnivora → Homo → sapiens

  9. Which is the correct sequence for Mango?
     A) Plantae → Angiospermae → Dicotyledonae → Sapindales → Anacardiaceae → Mangifera → indica
     B) Plantae → Gymnospermae → Monocotyledonae → Sapindales → Mangifera → indica
     C) Plantae → Angiospermae → Monocotyledonae → Rosales → Anacardiaceae → Mangifera → indica
     D) Plantae → Bryophyta → Sapindales → Mangifera → indica

  10. Which of the following taxonomic categories is the most specific?
     A) Order B) Genus C) Species D) Family

D. Taxonomical Aids

  1. Storehouse of dried plant specimens is:
     A) Herbarium B) Museum C) Botanical garden D) Key

  2. In a herbarium sheet, which info is NOT given?
     A) Collector’s name B) Local name C) Family D) Date and place

  3. Zoological parks are places where:
     A) Animals are kept in natural habitat conditions
     B) Specimens are preserved in jars
     C) Plant diversity is maintained
     D) Dead animals are displayed

  4. Museums are used for:
     A) Preserving live plants
     B) Preserving live animals
     C) Preserving dead specimens
     D) Both A and B

  5. Keys are used for:
     A) Preservation B) Identification C) Display D) Breeding

  6. Manuals are useful for:
     A) Naming organisms B) Identification of species in a region
     C) Preserving specimens D) Fossil study

  7. A book containing actual account of plants in a region is called:
     A) Flora B) Monograph C) Manual D) Herbarium

  8. Monograph contains information about:
     A) One genus only B) One species only
     C) One family only D) Any one taxon

  9. Botanical gardens maintain:
     A) Live collections of plants B) Only dried specimens
     C) Only fossils D) Only seeds

  10. Example of a famous botanical garden in India is:
     A) Lucknow B) Ooty C) Kolkata D) Delhi

E. Nomenclature

  1. Scientific names are given in:
     A) English B) Latin C) Hindi D) Greek

  2. Binomial nomenclature was given by:
     A) Aristotle B) Darwin C) Linnaeus D) Haeckel

  3. The first word in binomial nomenclature represents:
     A) Species B) Genus C) Family D) Order

  4. The second word in a scientific name represents:
     A) Species epithet B) Genus C) Family D) Order

  5. Correctly written scientific name is:
     A) Homo sapiens B) homo sapiens C) Homo Sapiens D) Homo sapiens (underline)

  6. According to ICBN rules, names are:
     A) Italicized B) Underlined if handwritten C) Latinized D) All of these

  7. In Mangifera indica, “indica” refers to:
     A) Genus B) Family C) Species epithet D) Class

  8. In binomial nomenclature, generic name starts with:
     A) Capital letter B) Small letter C) Greek letter D) Any letter

  9. Scientific names should be:
     A) Same worldwide B) Different locally
     C) Written in vernacular language D) Optional

  10. The system of providing two names is called:
     A) Monomial B) Binomial C) Trinomial D) Quadrinomial

F. Miscellaneous / High Probability Qs

  1. Consciousness is absent in:
     A) Plants B) Animals C) Humans D) None

  2. Which of the following is a true statement?
     A) Growth is defining feature
     B) Reproduction is defining feature
     C) Metabolism is defining feature
     D) All are defining features

  3. Sterile worker bees are considered living because:
     A) They reproduce B) They metabolize
     C) They grow externally D) They cannot survive

  4. Evolutionary history of a species is called:
     A) Phylogeny B) Ontogeny C) Taxonomy D) Morphology

  5. Which of the following is NOT a taxonomical aid?
     A) Herbarium B) Flora C) Microscope D) Monograph

  6. Skeletons of animals are displayed in:
     A) Zoological parks B) Museums C) Botanical gardens D) Herbarium

  7. Insects preserved in insect boxes are kept in:
     A) Zoological parks B) Museums C) Herbarium D) Gardens

  8. Study of diversity of organisms and evolutionary relationships is called:
     A) Taxonomy B) Systematics C) Nomenclature D) Classification

  9. Which statement is correct for binomial nomenclature?
     A) First word is genus, second is species
     B) First word is species, second is genus
     C) Both words are capitalized
     D) Both words are written in local language

  10. Which is the correct scientific name of man?
     A) Homo Sapiens B) Homo sapiens C) homo sapiens D) Homo sapien

  11. Which one of the following shows metabolism?
     A) A living cell B) Virus outside host
     C) A crystal D) Non-living

  12. Who is regarded as the Father of Taxonomy?
     A) Darwin B) Linnaeus C) Lamarck D) Aristotle

  13. Identification of organisms is possible using:
     A) Key B) Flora C) Manuals D) All of these

  14. Binomial nomenclature system was first published in:
     A) Systema Naturae B) Origin of Species
     C) Genera Plantarum D) Species Plantarum

  15. Which of the following is the correct sequence?
     A) Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom
     B) Kingdom → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species → Phylum
     C) Kingdom → Phylum → Family → Order → Class → Genus → Species
     D) Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom → Species

✅ Answer Key (1–60)

1–A, 2–B, 3–A, 4–B, 5–C, 6–B, 7–C, 8–C, 9–B, 10–C,
 11–B, 12–B, 13–C, 14–B, 15–D, 16–C, 17–A, 18–B, 19–B, 20–A,
 21–A, 22–B, 23–A, 24–A, 25–C, 26–A, 27–B, 28–A, 29–C, 30–B,
 31–B, 32–A, 33–D, 34–A, 35–C, 36–B, 37–C, 38–B, 39–A, 40–A,
 41–D, 42–C, 43–A, 44–A, 45–B, 46–D, 47–C, 48–B, 49–A, 50–C,
 51–B, 52–B, 53–B, 54–A, 55–B, 56–A, 57–B, 58–D, 59–D, 60–A.
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