HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8
National Curriculum English Version
Chapter 1 Classification of Animal Kingdom
Knowledge based questions and
Comprehensive questions:
01. What is Classification?
Answer: Classification is the systematic
arrangement of animals into different groups on the
basis of their characteristics.
02. What is Taxonomy?
Answer: Taxonomy is the branch of biology in
which the system of classification of organisms is
discussed in detail.
03. Who is called the Father of Taxonomy?
Answer: Carolus Linnaeous is called the father of
taxonomy.
04. What is Binomial Name or Scientific Name?
Answer: Scientific name is the name of an
organism that is recognized by the international
consortium of biologists.
05. Mention three characteristics of Scientific
Name.
Answer: Three important characteristics of
Scientific Name are:
a) There is only one recognized scientific name for
each species of organism.
b) A Scientific name must be in Latin or Latinized
language.
c) It should consist two parts - one part belongs to
its Genus name and another part belongs to its
Species name.
06. What is Species?
Answer: Species is the fundamental and lowest
rank of classification.
07. What is the scientific name of human?
Answer: The scientific name of human is Homo
sapiens.
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08. What do you mean by vertebrate and
invertebrate animals?
Answer: Animals that neither possess nor develop a
vertebral column are called Invertebrates. On the
other hand, animals having vertebral column are
called Vertebrates.
09. What are the nine phyla of the kingdom
Animalia?
Answer: The nine phyla of the kingdom Animalia
are: Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda,
Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata
and Chordata.
A mnemonic to remember the sequence of these
phyla is: PCP, Noodles And Milk Are Excellent
Choices.
10. What are Sponges?
Answer: Animals of the kingdom Porifera are
called Sponges. They are the simplest among the
multicellular animals.
11. What do you mean by Embryonic layer/Germ
layer?
Answer: Cellular layers of embryo are known as the
Embryonic layer or the Germ Layer.
12. What is Coelenteron?
Answer: The gastrovascular system of Cnidarians is
known as the Coelenteron.
13. What is Cnidoblast?
Answer: Cnidoblasts are the stinging cells produced
in the body of Cnidarians.
14. What is Coelom?
Answer: Coelom is the main body cavity in most
animals. It is located between the digestive tract
and the body wall.
PAGE 2 HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8

15. What is Nephridia? 19. What is Larva?

Answer: Nephridia are tube like organs that
performs excretion in Annelids, Molluscs and
Arthropods.
16. What is Haemocoel?
Answer: Haemocoel is the main body cavity of the
members of the phylum Arthropoda. This cavity is
filled with blood and acts as a part of circulatory
system.
17. What are chordates?
Answer: Chordates are a group of animals which
possess notocord at some or all stages of their life
cycle.
18. Why is frog called Amphibian?
Answer: Frog stays under water during the
beginning stage of its life and stays in land in their
adulthood. That is why frog is called amphibian.
Answer: Larva is the young immature stage found
in many animals just after hatching from the
fertilized egg. Larva differs appreciably from the
adult in structure. For example, tadpole is the larval
stage of frog.
20. What is Placoid, Cycloid and Ganoid?
Answer: The term Placoid refers to the tiny tough
scales found in the skin of sharks and rays. They
are actually modified teeth covered with hard
enamel. The term Cycloid refers to smooth and
rounded scales of fishes. The term Ganoid refers to
ridged and rhomboidal scales of fishes.
21. What is Taxa?
Answer: Taxa is the codified units or ranks used in
taxonomy.
22. What do you mean by ICZN?
Answer: ICZN is the acronym for International
Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

23. Mention the features of the nine phyla of kingdom Animalia.

Answer: The features of the nine phyla of kingdom Animalia are mentioned below:

Porifera Cnidaria Platyhelminthes

1. Simplest multicellular animal 1. Body consists of two 1. Body consists of three

having one embryonic layer. embryonic layers. embryonic layers.

2. No compact tissue, organ or 2. Contains a type of body cavity 2. Body structure flat, body
system is present. known as Coelenteron. covered with cuticle, external
suckers are present.

3. Body wall contains numerous 3. A special type of stinging cells 3. Flame cells act as the excretory
pores. Through these pores food called Cnidoblasts, helps in organ.
and oxygen enter into the body. locomotion, defense and capture
of prey.

4. Example: Spongilla, Scypha 4. Example: Hydra, Obellia, 4. Example: Liver fluke, Tape
etc. Jellyfish etc. worm etc.

Nematoda
1. Body is tubular.
2. Digestive system is complete.
3. Generally unisexual.
4. Exmple: Round worm, Filaria
worm etc..
Arthropoda
1. Segmented body, joint
appendages.
2. A pair of compound eyes and
antenna.
3. Body covered with chitinous
exoskeleton.
4. Example: Butterfly, cockroach
etc.
HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8 PAGE 3
Annelida Mollusca
1. Body is tubular and segmented. 1. Soft body is covered with hard
shell.
2. Each segment contains setae for 2. Muscular foot is used for
locomotion (exception - leeches). locomotion.
3. Nephridia are present as 3. Respiration takes place by lungs
excretory organ. or gills.
4. Example: Earthworm, Leech 4. Example: Snail, Oyster etc.
etc.
Echinodermata Chordata
1. Body is pentaradially 1. Notocord is present at some or
symmetrical. all stages in the life cycle.
2. Dermal skin (exoskeleton) 2. Pharyngeal pouches (Gill slits)
contains spine. are present at some or all stages in
the life cycle.
3. Circulation by water vascular 3. Dorsal tubular nerve cord is
system. Locomotion by tube feet. present.
4. Example: Starfish, sea 4. Example: Carp fish, toad,
cucumber etc. human etc.
PAGE 4 HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8

24. Mention the features of Urochordata, Cephalochordata and Vertebrata.

Answer: The features of these three sub-phylums are mentioned below:

Urochordata Cephalochordata Vertebrata

1. Notocord, gill slits and nerve 1. Notocord and nerve cord is 1. Notocord is present during
chord are present only the early distributed along the entire length of embryonic stages and replaced
stages in their life cycle. body. by vertebral column in adults.

1. All are marine. 2. Body is semi-transparent, narrow 2. Frontal part of the nerve cord
and fish like. forms brain and rear part forms
brainstem.

3. Body contains two apertures. 3. Chordate characteristics persist

throughout their life.

4. Example: Ascidia, Salpa etc. 4. Example: Branchiostoma 4. Example: Carp fish, toad,
(Amphioxus). human etc.

25. Mention the features of the classes Cyclostomata, Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes.
Answer: The features of these three classes are mentioned below:
Cyclostomata Chondricthyes Osteichthyes

1. True jaws are paired 1. True jaws and paired 1. Most of them are fresh water
appendages are absent. appendages are present. fishes.

2. Respiration by gills. 2. No operculum but 5-7 pairs of 2. Four pairs of gills. Gills are
gills are present. covered by operculum.

3. Body is slender and eel-like.
4. Example: Petromyzon.
3. Body has cartilaginous
skeleton, heterocercal tail and the
skin bears Placoid scales.
4. Example: Shark, Hammer fish
etc.
3. Body has bony skeleton,
homocercal tail and the skin bears
Cycloid, Ctenoid or Ganoid
scales.
4. Example: Hilsa fish, Sea horse.
 HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8 PAGE 5

26. Mention the features of the classes Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia.
Answer: The features of these four classes are mentioned below:

Amphibia Reptilia Aves Mammalia

1. Skin is thin, soft, moist 1. Skin is dry and with 1. Warm blooded 1. Warm blooded animal.
with glands and without scales. animal. Body is covered Body is covered with hair.
scales. with feather. Teeth are heterodont.

1. Lay eggs in water, 2. Law eggs on land, no 2. Two wings, two legs 2. Four chambered heart
tadpole larval stage larval stage in their life and one beak are and double circulatory
observed in life cycle. cycle. present. system are present.

3. Cold blooded animals. 3. Move by crawling, 3. Air sacs are present 3. Viviparous - Give birth to
paired limbs with five with lungs. child (with few exceptions).
toes.

4. Example: Frog, 4. Example: Wall lizard, 4. Example: Crow, 4. Example:Camel, human

Salamander etc. Crocodile, snake etc. duck, Magpie etc. etc.
PAGE 6 HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8
National Curriculum English Version
Chapter 2 Growth and Heredity of Living Organisms
Knowledge based questions and
Comprehensive questions:
01. What is cell division?
Answer: The process of multiplication of cells of
living organisms is called cell division,
02. What are the three types of cell division?
Answer: The three types of cell division are
Amitosis, Mitosis and Meiosis.
03. What do you mean by amitosis?
Answer: Amitosis is the process of cell division of
Prokaryotes where the nucleus directly divides into
two parts.
04. What is Prokaryotic cell?
Answer: A Prokaryotic cell is such type of cell that
has neither a nucleus nor special organelles.
05. What are daughter cells and mother cell?
Answer: The new cells produced after the process
of cell division are called the daughter cells. On the
other hand, the previous cell which was divided
during cell division is called the mother cell.
06. What is Mitosis?
Answer: Mitosis is a process of cell division in
Eukaryotes where the nucleus and chromosomes
are divided only once to produce two similar
daughter cells.
07. What is Meiosis?
Answer: Meiosis is a process of cell division in
Eukaryotes where the nucleus is divided twice and
the chromosome is divided once to produce four
haploid gamete cells.
08. Mention three features of Mitosis.
Answer: Three major features of Mitosis are:
1. This division takes place in somatic cells.
2. In the mother cell, the nucleus and the
chromosomes divide once.
3. The two daughter cells contain equal number of
chromosomes of the mother cell.
09. Why Mitosis is called Equational cell division?
Answer: In Mitosis, the number of chromosomes of
the daughter cells remains same as the number of
chromosomes of the mother cell. That is why
Mitosis is known as the Equational division.
10. Where Mitosis takes place?
Answer: Mitosis takes place in the meristematic
tissues of the plant and the somatic cells of the
animal body. It also takes place in the developing
embryos and during asexual reproduction in lower
animals and plants.
11. In which cells Mitosis does not occur?
Answer: Mitosis doesn't take place in the nerve
cells and matured red blood corpuscles (RBC) of
animals, platelets of mammals and the cells of
permanent tissues of plants.
12. What are Karyokinesis and Cytokinesis?
Answer: Karyokinesis is the process of division of
nucleus and Cytokinesis is the process of division
of Cytoplasm.
13. What is Interphase?
Answer: The intermediary stage between the two
consecutive cell divisions is known as the
Interphase or Resting phase.
14. What are the five stages of Karyokinesis?
Answer: The five stages of Karyokinesis are -
Prophase, Pro-metaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase
and Telophase.
15. What is nuclear chromatin?
Answer: The diffused threads present inside a
resting nucleus is called the nuclear chromatin or
nuclear reticulum or nuclear fiber.
16. What is Chromosome?
Answer: Chromosomes are the rod shaped
structures which are made up of DNA and visible in
a dividing nucleus.
 HANDNOTE - SCIENCE - CLASS 8 PAGE 7

17. What is Centromere? 27. Why is Mendel known as the Father of

Answer: Centromere is the part of a chromosome Genetics?
that links its sister chromatids, Answer: Mendel conducted valuable experiments
about how the traits of the parents are transmitted to
18. What is Spindle Apparatus? the offspring. He also postulated two fundamental
Answer: Spindle Apparatus is a cytoskeletal laws of Genetics. That is why Mendel is known as
structure that forms during cell division to separate
the father of Genetics.
sister chromatids between daughter cells.
28. What is Chromatid?
19. What is Aster Fiber? Answer: A chromatid is each of the two thread like
Answer: Aster Fiber is a star shaped cluster of strands, when a chromosome divides longitudinally
microtubules seen during mitosis of an animal cell. during cell division.
20. What is Plasmalemma? 29. What is the full form of DNA and RNA?
Answer: Plasmalemma is another name for the Answer: The full form of DNA and RNA are
plasma membrane. It is a protective covering that Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Ribonucleic Acid
surrounds the cellular contents. respectively.
21. What is Cleavage furrow? 30. Write down three differences between DNA
Answer: Cleavage furrow is the groove produced and RNA.
from the plasma membrane in the dividing cell. Answer: Three differences between DNA and RNA
22. What is Gamete? are given below:
Answer: Gamete is either a male or female germ
cell, which is haploid and capable to take part in DNA RNA
sexual reproduction. 1. DNA is double 1. RNA is single
23. What do you mean by haploid and diploid? stranded. stranded.
Answer: Haploid cells are cells containing one 2. It contains 2. It contains Ribose
complete set of chromosomes. In contrast, diploid
cells are cells that contain double sets of Deoxyribose sugar. sugar.
chromosomes. 3. DNA is only of one 3. RNA is mainly of five
24. Mention three features of Meiosis? type according to its types according to its
Answer: Three major features of Meiosis are: function. function.
1. Meiosis takes place in the reproductive mother 31. What is gene?
cells of diploid organisms and in the zygote of Answer: Small parts of DNA which are located in
haploid organisms (lower plants). the chromosomes to control the characteristics of
organisms are known as gene.
2. In the mother cell, the nucleus divides twice and
the chromosomes divide once. 32. Why the Chromosome is known as the physical
basis of heredity?
3. The four daughter cells contain half the number Answer: Chromosomes are the physical organelles
of chromosomes of the mother cell. that carry the genes to transfer the hereditary traits,
from the parents to the offspring. For this reason,
25. Where Meiosis takes place?
Chromosome is known as the physical basis of
Answer: Meiosis takes place in the reproductive
heredity.
mother cells of plants and animals. Meiosis occurs
inside the stamen and carpel of plants and inside the 33. Why DNA is known as the chemical basis of
testes and ovary of higher animals. heredity?
Answer: DNA is the biochemical molecule that
26. What is heredity?
determines the hereditary characteristics. It is found
Answer: The process to inherit the characteristics
inside the chromosomes. That is why the DNA is
from the parents to the offspring is called heredity.
known as the chemical basis of heredity.