NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Part 2
Categories: NCERT Solutions Science Intermediate class
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Part 2
Molecular Basis of Inheritance
Q1: What are the various public health measures, which you would suggest as a safeguard against infectious diseases?
Answer: Public health measures are preventive measures that are taken to check the spread of various infectious diseases.
These measures should be taken to reduce contact with infectious agents. Some of these methods are:
- Maintenance of personal and public hygiene: It is one of the most important methods of preventing infectious diseases. This measure includes maintaining a clean body, consumption of healthy and nutritious food, drinking clean water, etc. Public hygienic includes proper disposal of waste material, and excreta, periodic cleaning, and disinfection of water reservoirs.
- Isolation: To prevent the spread of air-borne diseases such as pneumonia, chicken pox, tuberculosis, etc., it is essential to keep the infected person in isolation to reduce the chances of spreading these diseases.
- Vaccination: Vaccination is the protection of the body from communicable diseases by administering some agent that mimics the microbe inside the body. It helps in providing passive immunizationto the body. Several vaccines are available against many diseases such as tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, etc.
- Vector Eradication: Various diseases such as malaria, filariasis, dengue, and chikungunya spread through vectors. Thus, these diseases can be prevented by providing a clean environment and by preventing the breeding of mosquitoes. This can be achieved by not allowing water to stagnate around residential areas. Also, measures like regular cleaning of coolers, use of mosquito nets and insecticides such as malathion in drains, ponds, etc. can be undertaken to ensure a healthy environment. Introducing fish such as Gambusia in ponds also controls the breeding of mosquito larvae in stagnant water.
Q2: In which way has the study of biology helped us to control infectious diseases?
Answer: Various advancements that have occurred in the field of biology have helped us gain a better understanding to fight against various infectious diseases. Biology has helped us study the life cycle of various parasites, pathogens, and vectors along with the modes of transmission of various diseases and the measures for controlling them. Vaccination programmes against several infectious diseases such as small pox, chicken pox, tuberculosis, etc. have helped eradicate these diseases. Biotechnology has helped in the preparation of newer and safer drugs and vaccines. Antibiotics have also played an important role in treating infectious diseases.
Q3: What measure would you take to prevent water-borne diseases?
Answer: Water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis B, etc. spread by drinking contaminated water. These water-borne diseases can be prevented by ensuring proper disposal of sewage, excreta, periodic cleaning. Also, measures such as disinfecting community water reservoirs, boiling drinking water, etc. should be observed.
Q4: Discuss with your teacher what does 'a suitable gene' means, in the context of DNA vaccines.
Answer: A 'suitable gene' refers to a specific DNA segment which can be injected into the cells of the host body to produce specific proteins. This protein kills the specific disease-causing organism in the host body and provides immunity.
Q5: Name the primary and secondary lymphoid organs.
Answer: (a) Primary lymphoid organs include the bone marrow and the thymus. (b) Secondary lymphoid organs are the spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils, Peyer's patches of small intestine, and appendix.
Q6: The following are some well-known abbreviations, which have been used in this chapter. Expand each one to its full form:
(a) MALT
(b) CMI
(c) AIDS
(d) NACO
(e) HIV
Answer:
(a) MALT- Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue
(b) CMI- Cell-Mediated Immunity
(c) AIDS- Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome
(d) NACO- National AIDS Control Organization
(e) HIV- Human Immuno Deficiency virus
Q7: What are the various routes by which transmission of human immunodeficiency virus takes place?
Answer: AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) is caused by the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It has the following modes of transmission:
(a) Unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
(b) Transfusion of blood from a healthy to an infected person.
(c) Sharing infected needles and syringes.
(d) From an infected mother to a child through the placenta.
Q8: What is the mechanism by which the AIDS virus causes deficiency of immune system of the infected person?
Answer: AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) is caused by the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) via sexual or blood-blood contact. After entering the human body, the HIV virus attacks and enters the macrophages. Inside the macrophages, the RNA of the virus replicates with the help of enzyme reverse transcriptase and gives rise to viral DNA. Then, this viral DNA incorporates into the host DNA and directs the synthesis of virus particles. At the same time, HIV enters helper T- lymphocytes. It replicates and produces viral progeny there. These newly formed progeny viruses get released into the blood, attacking other healthy helper T-lymphocytes in the body. As a result, the number of T-lymphocytes in the body of an infected person decreases progressively, thereby decreasing the immunity of a person.
Q9: Explain what is meant by metastasis.
Answer: The property of metastasis is exhibited by malignant tumors. It is the pathological process of spreading cancerous cells to the different parts of the body. These cells divide uncontrollably, forming a mass of cells called tumor. From the tumor, some cells get sloughed off and enter into the blood stream. From the blood stream, these cells reach distant parts of the body and therefore, initiate the formation of new tumors by dividing actively.
Q10: Why is that once a person starts taking alcohol or drugs, it is difficult to get rid of this habit? Discuss it with your teacher.
Answer: Drug and alcohol consumption has an inherent addictive nature associated with euphoria and a temporary feeling of well-being. Repeated intake of drugs increases the tolerance level of the body's receptors, leading to more consumption of drugs.