Chapter -7
Reaching the Age of Adolescence
Definitions-:
1. ADAM’S APPLE -: Adam's apple is the bump or
protrusion on the front of many people's throats. It's the
cartilage that covers the front of your larynx (voice box)
2. ADOLESCENCE -: Adolescence is the period of transition
between childhood and adulthood, when a person
experiences rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial
growth.
3. ADRENALIN -: Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a
hormone that helps the body prepare for dangerous,
stressful, or exciting situations
4. BALANCED DIET -: Diet consisting of a variety of different
types of food and providing adequate amounts of
the nutrients necessary for good health.
5. ENDOCRINE GLANDS -: Endocrine glands are organs that
produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream,
where they travel to other parts of the body.
6. ESTROGEN -: Estrogen is a sex hormone that regulates the
female reproductive system and secondary sex
characteristics. It also affects other parts of the body,
including the urinary tract, heart, bones, breasts, skin,
hair, and brain.
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7. HORMONES -: hormones are chemicals that coordinate
different functions in your body by carrying messages
through your blood to your organs, skin, muscles and
other tissues.
8. INSULIN-: Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood
sugar levels by moving glucose into cells where it can be
used for energy.
9. LARYNX -: larynx, also known as the voice box, is a tube-
shaped organ in the neck that is responsible for producing
sound.
10. PITUITARY GLAND-: The pituitary gland is a small, pea-
sized gland located at the base of the brain that produces
hormones that control many vital functions in the body.
11. PUBERTY-: The onset of changes that lead to sexual
maturity is called puberty. Puberty is the time when
adolescent boys and girls reach sexual maturity and
become capable of reproducing.
12. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-: Reproductive health is a state
of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in all
matters related to the reproductive system.
13. SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERS-: Secondary sexual
characteristics are physical traits that develop during
puberty and distinguish between males and females. They
are not directly involved in reproduction. For example
growth of Facial hair, Adam's apple, Breasts, wider hips,
pubic hair etc.
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14. SEX CHROMOSOMES-: Sex chromosomes are
chromosomes that determine the genetic sex of an
individual. In humans, the sex chromosomes are the 23rd
pair of chromosomes and are called X and Y. Females have
two X chromosomes (XX), while males have one X and one
Y (XY).
15. TARGET SITE -: A target site is the specific part of the
body where hormones released into the bloodstream by
endocrine glands reach.
16. TESTOSTERONE-: Testosterone is a hormone that plays
a key role in sexual development and the maintenance of
male sex characteristics.
17. THYROXINE-: Thyroxine is a hormone that is produced
by the thyroid gland and is responsible for regulating
metabolism and other bodily functions.
18. VOICE BOX-:Voice box , also known as the larynx is a
tube-shaped organ in the neck that is responsible for
producing sound.
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Answer the following---:
1. What is the term used for chemical secretions of endocrine glands
responsible for changes taking place in the body?
Ans- Hormones is the term used for chemical secretions of
endocrine glands responsible for changes taking place in the
body.
2. Define adolescence.
Ans- Adolescence: The period of life, when the body undergoes
changes, leading to reproductive maturity is called adolescence.
3. What is menstruation? Explain
Ans- When egg produced by ovary does not get fertilized, it along with
the thickened lining of the uterus and blood vessels get flown off out of
the body every month as bleeding in women. This is called
menstruation.
4. List changes in the body that take place at puberty.
Ans- Changes taking place in the body during puberty are as follows:
1. There is increase in height as well as mass in both boys and girls.
2. In boys, shoulders are broadened, chest is widened.
3. Voice becomes hoarse in boys.
4. In girls, the region below waist becomes wider.
5. Body hair appears in areas such as underarms, face, hands, and legs.
6. Boys and girls may go through acne problems.
7. Testis grows and starts producing sperms in males, whereas in females, the
ovary enlarges and starts producing matured eggs.
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8. Mensuration starts during the onset of puberty in girls.
5. Prepare a Table having two columns depicting names of endocrine glands
and hormones secreted by them.
Ans-
Endocrine Organs Hormones Secreted
(i) Thyroid (i) Thyroxine
(ii) Pancreas (ii) Insulin
(iii) Adrenal glands (iii) Adrenalin
(iv) Pituitary gland (iv) Growth hormones
(v) Testes (v) Testosterone
(vi) Ovaries (vi) Estrogen
6. What are sex hormones? Why are they named so? State their function.
Ans- Sex hormones are the hormones secreted by testes (testosterone) and
ovaries (estrogen). They are called sex hormones because it distinguishes
different sex, i.e., a boy is distinguished from a girl due to these hormones.
Their function is to develop the secondary sexual characters in boys and
girls.
7. Choose the correct option.
(a) Adolescents should be careful about what they eat, because
(i) proper diet develops their brains
(ii) proper diet is needed for the rapid growth taking place in their body.
(iii) adolescents feel hungry all the time.
(iv) taste buds are well developed in teenagers.
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Ans- (ii) proper diet is needed for the rapid growth taking place in their body.
(b) Reproductive age in women starts when their
(i) menstruation starts.
(ii) breasts start developing.
(iii) body weight increases.
(iv) height increases.
Ans- (i) menstruation starts.
(c) The right meal for adolescents consists of
(i) chips, noodles, coke.
(ii) (ii) chapati, dal, vegetables.
(iii) (iii) rice, noodles and burger.
(iv) (iv) vegetable cutlets, chips and lemon drink.
Ans- (ii) chapati, dal, vegetables.
8. Write notes on—
(a) Adam’s apple.
Ans. Adam’s apple: At puberty boys develop large voice box or
larynx. This box in boys is seen as a protruding part of the throat
called Adam’s apple.
(b) Secondary sexual characters.
Secondary sexual characters: The physical features which help to
distinguish the male from the female are called secondary sexual
characters.
The secondary sexual characteristics in humans are given below:
In males:
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(i) Growth of public hair, beard and moustaches, hair on chest and under the
arms.
(ii) Deepening of voice
In females:
(i) Enlargement of breasts and hips.
(ii) Appearance of pubic hair, hair under the arms.
(c)Sex determination in the unborn baby
Ans- (c) The sex of the unborn baby is determined by the sex
chromosome of the father. An unfertilized egg(feamale) always has X
chromosome. If a sperm(male) contributes X chromosome then the baby
will be a female and if the sperm contributes Y chromosome, the baby will
be a male. So it is the father, who is responsible for the sex of the unborn
baby, because sperm contains both Y chromosome and X chromosome .
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