Introduction - Concepts

Introduction

Have you noticed the following processes around you?

• Seed germinating
• Animals hunting down their prey in the jungle
• Children growing taller with age
• Buffaloes chewing the cud
• Moving our hand as soon as we touch a hot surface

Now, if we observe these movements, some result in growth while some do not. Let us classify these movements based on if they result in growth or not.

Are these movements caused by growth or not?

• Seed pushes the soil to germinate into a sapling; this is growth.
• Animals hunt their prey for nourishment; this is not a movement for direct growth . But the food indirectly helps in growth.
• Children growing taller is movement due to growth.
• Buffaloes chew the cud by cutting through it and breaking it down to help with digestion. This is not growth but indirectly aids growth.
• We withdraw our hand as soon as we touch a hot surface ; this is not growth.