Tissues in Action — Class 9 Science NCERT Solutions (Free)
Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 9 Science chapter "Tissues in Action" — 8 important questions with detailed answers for CBSE board exam preparation.
TL;DR: Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 9 Science chapter "Tissues in Action" — 8 important questions with detailed answers for CBSE board exam pr…
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Science — Tissues in Action. Step-by-step answers to all 8 textbook questions from this chapter, written for CBSE board preparation and free to use.
Tissues in Action — All 8 Questions Solved
Q1. What is a tissue?
A tissue is a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function. It is the next level of organization above cells and is made of many cells with the same origin and function.
Q2. Name the four types of animal tissues.
1. Epithelial tissue - covers body surfaces and lines organs
2. Connective tissue - supports and binds other tissues
3. Muscular tissue - enables movement
4. Nervous tissue - transmits electrical signals for sensation and control
Q3. What are the two main types of plant tissues?
1. Meristematic tissue - contains actively dividing cells for growth at root and shoot tips
2. Permanent tissue - differentiated cells that have stopped dividing, providing structure and function
Q4. Classify permanent plant tissues and name one example of each.
Permanent tissues are classified as:
1. Simple tissues - parenchyma (storage), collenchyma (support), sclerenchyma (protection)
2. Complex tissues - xylem (water transport), phloem (nutrient transport)
Q5. What is the function of epithelial tissue?
Epithelial tissue covers the outer surface of the body and lines internal organs and body cavities. It provides protection, allows absorption and secretion, and acts as a barrier against harmful substances and pathogens.
Q6. What is the difference between xylem and phloem?
Xylem transports water and minerals from roots upward; phloem transports prepared food (sugars) from leaves to other parts.
Xylem has dead cells when mature; phloem has living cells.
Xylem is unidirectional; phloem is bidirectional.
Q7. What is connective tissue and give examples.
Connective tissue binds, supports, and protects other tissues and organs.
Examples: bone (rigid support), cartilage (flexible support), blood (transport), adipose (fat storage), fibrous tissue (tendons, ligaments).
Q8. Describe the characteristics of muscular tissue.
Muscular tissue is composed of elongated cells called muscle fibers containing protein filaments (actin and myosin). These enable contraction and movement. Types: skeletal (voluntary), smooth (involuntary), cardiac (heart).
Tissues in Action — Practice MCQs with Answers
Attempt these 20 multiple-choice questions after working through the solutions above. Each carries the correct option and the reasoning behind it, so a wrong answer tells you which idea to revisit.
MCQ 1. Which plant tissue is responsible for increasing the length of the stem and root?
- A. Lateral meristem
- B. Apical meristem
- C. Intercalary meristem
- D. Parenchyma
Answer: B. Apical meristem — Apical meristem is located at the growing tips of stems and roots and is responsible for their primary growth, which includes an increase in length.
MCQ 2. Which of the following animal tissues is responsible for connecting two bones at a joint?
- A. Tendon
- B. Ligament
- C. Cartilage
- D. Areolar tissue
Answer: B. Ligament — Ligaments are strong, elastic connective tissues that connect bones to other bones, providing stability to joints.
MCQ 3. The tissue that makes up the inner lining of the mouth and the lining of blood vessels is an example of which type of animal tissue?
- A. Cuboidal epithelium
- B. Squamous epithelium
- C. Columnar epithelium
- D. Glandular epithelium
Answer: B. Squamous epithelium — Simple squamous epithelium consists of extremely thin, flat cells forming a delicate, lining layer, found in areas like the inner lining of the mouth and blood vessels.
MCQ 4. Which plant tissue provides flexibility to plant parts like leaf stalks without breaking them?
- A. Sclerenchyma
- B. Parenchyma
- C. Collenchyma
- D. Xylem
Answer: C. Collenchyma — Collenchyma tissue provides mechanical support and flexibility to plant parts, allowing them to bend without breaking. Its cells have irregularly thickened corners.
MCQ 5. Which component of phloem tissue is primarily responsible for the transport of food material?
- A. Phloem parenchyma
- B. Phloem fibres
- C. Companion cells
- D. Sieve tubes
Answer: D. Sieve tubes — Sieve tubes are the main conducting elements of phloem, responsible for transporting sugars (food) from the leaves to other parts of the plant.
MCQ 6. Cardiac muscles are involuntary and exhibit striations. Where are they primarily found in the human body?
- A. Lining of the stomach
- B. Walls of blood vessels
- C. Walls of the heart
- D. Muscles of the limbs
Answer: C. Walls of the heart — Cardiac muscle tissue is a specialized type of involuntary, striated muscle found only in the walls of the heart, responsible for pumping blood.
MCQ 7. Which of the following is NOT a component of xylem tissue?
- A. Tracheids
- B. Vessels
- C. Sieve tubes
- D. Xylem parenchyma
Answer: C. Sieve tubes — Sieve tubes are components of phloem tissue, responsible for food transport. Tracheids, vessels, and xylem parenchyma are all parts of xylem, which transports water and minerals.
MCQ 8. The outermost protective layer of cells in a plant stem, which often secretes a waxy substance, is called the:
- A. Cortex
- B. Epidermis
- C. Endodermis
- D. Pith
Answer: B. Epidermis — The epidermis is the outermost layer of cells that covers the entire plant body, providing protection against water loss, mechanical injury, and pathogen invasion. It often secretes a waxy cuticle.
MCQ 9. What is the primary function of adipose tissue in animals?
- A. Movement of body parts
- B. Communication and coordination
- C. Storage of fat and insulation
- D. Support and framework
Answer: C. Storage of fat and insulation — Adipose tissue is a type of connective tissue that primarily stores fat, acting as an energy reserve, and provides insulation and cushioning for organs.
MCQ 10. Which plant tissue is composed of dead cells with heavily lignified cell walls, providing mechanical strength and rigidity?
- A. Parenchyma
- B. Collenchyma
- C. Sclerenchyma
- D. Phloem
Answer: C. Sclerenchyma — Sclerenchyma is a permanent plant tissue consisting of dead cells with thick, lignified walls, which provide structural support and rigidity to the plant.
MCQ 11. Which of the following statements about nervous tissue is correct?
- A. It primarily supports and binds other tissues.
- B. It forms the outer protective covering of the body.
- C. It is specialized for transmitting messages quickly.
- D. It stores fat and provides insulation.
Answer: C. It is specialized for transmitting messages quickly. — Nervous tissue is composed of neurons specialized to receive stimuli and transmit electrical impulses rapidly from one part of the body to another.
MCQ 12. In which type of plant tissue would you find air cavities, enabling buoyancy in aquatic plants?
- A. Chlorenchyma
- B. Aerenchyma
- C. Sclerenchyma
- D. Collenchyma
Answer: B. Aerenchyma — Aerenchyma is a specialized type of parenchyma tissue found in aquatic plants that contains large air cavities, providing buoyancy and facilitating gas exchange.
MCQ 13. Which type of muscle tissue is involuntary and lacks striations?
- A. Skeletal muscle
- B. Cardiac muscle
- C. Smooth muscle
- D. Voluntary muscle
Answer: C. Smooth muscle — Smooth muscle (or unstriated muscle) is involuntary and does not show striations. It is found in the walls of internal organs like the stomach and intestines.
MCQ 14. What is the function of companion cells in phloem?
- A. Water transport
- B. Mechanical support
- C. Controlling the activity of sieve tube elements
- D. Storage of food
Answer: C. Controlling the activity of sieve tube elements — Companion cells are closely associated with sieve tube elements and help maintain pressure gradient and control their metabolic activities, as sieve tubes lack a nucleus.
MCQ 15. Blood is considered a type of connective tissue due to its:
- A. Solid matrix
- B. Cells embedded in an intercellular matrix
- C. Striated appearance
- D. Ability to contract
Answer: B. Cells embedded in an intercellular matrix — Blood is a fluid connective tissue because it has an extracellular matrix (plasma) in which various cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets) are suspended.
MCQ 16. The growth in the girth (width) of the stem and root in dicot plants is due to the activity of which meristematic tissue?
- A. Apical meristem
- B. Intercalary meristem
- C. Lateral meristem
- D. Parenchyma
Answer: C. Lateral meristem — Lateral meristems, such as vascular cambium and cork cambium, are responsible for increasing the diameter or girth of the stem and root, known as secondary growth.
MCQ 17. Which animal tissue is characterized by widely scattered cells in an extensive extracellular matrix?
- A. Epithelial tissue
- B. Muscular tissue
- C. Nervous tissue
- D. Connective tissue
Answer: D. Connective tissue — Connective tissues are characterized by cells that are sparsely distributed within a large amount of intercellular matrix, which can be jelly-like, fluid, dense, or rigid.
MCQ 18. Where would you most likely find cuboidal epithelium in the human body?
- A. Lining of the esophagus
- B. Lining of kidney tubules and glandular ducts
- C. Alveoli of the lungs
- D. Outer layer of the skin
Answer: B. Lining of kidney tubules and glandular ducts — Cuboidal epithelium, with its cube-shaped cells, is commonly found in the lining of kidney tubules and ducts of salivary glands, where it functions in secretion and absorption.
MCQ 19. Which of the following is a primary function of parenchyma tissue in plants?
- A. Mechanical support only
- B. Water and mineral transport
- C. Photosynthesis, storage, and secretion
- D. Transport of food materials
Answer: C. Photosynthesis, storage, and secretion — Parenchyma is a versatile simple permanent tissue primarily involved in photosynthesis (chlorenchyma), storage of food and water, and secretion.
MCQ 20. What are the structural and functional units of nervous tissue?
- A. Neurons
- B. Myofibrils
- C. Osteocytes
- D. Chondrocytes
Answer: A. Neurons — Neurons (nerve cells) are the fundamental structural and functional units of the nervous system, responsible for transmitting nerve impulses.
How to Use These Solutions
Attempt each question yourself first and only then compare with the worked answer. Marks in the CBSE board exam are awarded for the METHOD as much as the final result, so reproduce the steps rather than memorising the last line. Where a solution states a law, a formula or a definition, learn that wording — examiners look for it.
Related practice for this chapter: chapter MCQs, previous-year questions, revision notes and sample papers.