The food available to animals varies depending on where they live. In habitats where food is limited, animals with features or adaptations that allow them to access food more easily are likely to survive more successfully than those without the advantage. Animals with adaptations that allow them to live longer are more likely to produce…
Transpiration is the loss of water from a plant. Transpiration mainly occurs from the leaves. Water vapour diffuses out of the stomata ( tiny pores mostly found on leaves ). Loss of water from the leaves creates a pull on the water in the xylem cells, drawing water up the plant. This movement of water…
Are viruses alive is a tricky question that has caused a some debate over the years. The general view is that viruses are not alive. They don’t respire, convert nutrients into energy or excrete waste products like organisms we class as being alive do. Viruses can’t even reproduce without taking over another living cell. Once…
Generally the bigger an organism is the smaller its surface area compared to its volume. Surface area to volume ratio is a really important factor in how well an organism can exchange substances with its environment. A large mammal like a human could never absorb enough oxygen to survive through its skin which is why…
The human body is pretty amazing! We have skin to help protect us from pathogens and pollutants, a skeleton to allow us to move and protect vital organs and a digestive system that can break down food, keeping the good bits and expelling the waste! These fun human body facts are a great starting point…
Pathogens are organisms that cause disease. Viruses, bacteria, protists and fungi are all pathogens. Pathogens cause communicable diseases. Diseases can be communicable or non-communicable. What is a communicable disease? Communicable diseases spread between people. Non-communicable diseases cannot be spread between people. An example of a non-communicable disease is heart disease. Examples of viral diseases Ebola…
We’ve heard a lot about viruses recently, but how do they work? Viruses cannot live for long without a host. Viruses consist of either a DNA or RNA genome ( genetic code ) and a protein coat, some also have an extra fatty envelope to protect their genetic material. They cannot reproduce without being inside…
Is taste linked to smell? Have you ever wondered why food doesn’t taste as good when you have a cold and blocked nose? When you eat, smell chemicals from the food travel up your nose, where they are detected by tiny nerve endings at the back of the nose. These nerves send a message to…
Mitosis is the stage of the cell cycle where the cell divides. Mitosis is used by multicellular organisms to grow or replace damaged cells. This paper plate mitosis activity uses pipe cleaners to show the stages of mitosis. The key thing to remember about mitosis is that it produces two new daughter cells from one…
Once a plant has made seeds ( remember pollination and fertilisation? ) they need to be dispersed. Seed dispersal is the scattering of seeds. If seeds just dropped next to the parent plant, they would be competing for nutrients and light, so it’s better if seeds are spread out, allowing them to grow with less…
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