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CBSE Class 7 Science — Transportation in Animals and Plants: complete chapter guide

Transportation is a life process that ensures nutrients, oxygen, water, hormones and waste products reach or leave every cell in an organism's body. In CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants, students explore how animals use a circulatory system with a heart, blood and blood vessels to perform this task, while plants rely on two specialised tissues — xylem and phloem — to move water, minerals and food. This chapter builds on earlier lessons about nutrition and respiration, showing how absorbed nutrients and oxygen are distributed. Understanding CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants is essential for Class 8 and beyond, as these concepts recur in higher secondary biology with greater depth.

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Key takeaways

  • ✓CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants carries approximately 6–8 marks in CBSE term exams, with questions ranging from 1-mark definitions to 5-mark diagram-based answers.
  • ✓The human heart is a four-chambered muscular organ that pumps oxygenated blood to the body via arteries and receives deoxygenated blood through veins — a concept tested frequently in CBSE Class 7 board assessments.
  • ✓Xylem tissue transports water and minerals from roots to leaves through a combination of root pressure and transpiration pull, while phloem transports prepared food from leaves to other plant parts.
  • ✓Excretion in humans involves kidneys filtering waste (urea) from blood, forming urine that is stored in the urinary bladder and expelled through the urethra.
  • ✓Diagrams of the human heart, cross-section of xylem and phloem, and the human excretory system are compulsory in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 and must be practised for full marks.
  • ✓Transpiration — loss of water vapour from stomata — creates a suction force that pulls water upward in tall trees, a key mechanism explained in NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 7.
  • ✓Red blood cells contain haemoglobin that binds oxygen, white blood cells fight infections, platelets help clot blood, and plasma is the liquid component — all part of CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants.

Why Transportation is Essential in Living Organisms

Every cell in a multicellular organism needs a constant supply of nutrients and oxygen to produce energy, and must remove carbon dioxide and other wastes to prevent toxicity. In small organisms like Amoeba, substances can diffuse directly across the cell membrane because distances are short. However, in large organisms — humans, elephants, banyan trees — diffusion alone is too slow. CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants introduces the need for dedicated transport systems. Animals have evolved a circulatory system comprising a pumping organ (heart), a transport fluid (blood) and a network of tubes (blood vessels). Plants have evolved vascular tissues: xylem for upward transport of water and minerals, and phloem for downward and upward transport of food. This specialisation allows organisms to grow large and complex while ensuring every cell remains functional.
  • Diffusion is sufficient only when the distance is less than a few millimetres; beyond that, a transport system is essential.
  • In humans, blood travels approximately 19,000 kilometres of vessels daily to reach every tissue.
  • Plants must lift water from roots to leaves that may be tens of metres high — a task impossible without xylem.
  • Transport systems also regulate temperature, distribute hormones, and remove metabolic waste efficiently.

The Human Circulatory System: Structure and Components

The human circulatory system, central to CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants, consists of the heart, blood and blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries). The heart is a fist-sized muscular organ located in the chest cavity, slightly tilted to the left. It has four chambers: two upper atria (singular: atrium) that receive blood, and two lower ventricles that pump blood out. The right side handles deoxygenated blood coming from the body and sends it to the lungs; the left side receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the entire body. Valves between atria and ventricles prevent backflow. The rhythmic contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of heart muscles produce the heartbeat, typically 72 beats per minute in a resting adult. A doctor uses a stethoscope to hear the 'lub-dub' sound caused by valve closure.
  • Right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the vena cava.
  • Right ventricle pumps this blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery.
  • Left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via pulmonary veins.
  • Left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body through the aorta, the largest artery.
  • The septum is a thick muscular wall separating the left and right sides, preventing mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.

Blood: Composition and Functions in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7

Blood is a fluid connective tissue that serves as the transport medium in the circulatory system. It consists of a liquid component called plasma (about 55% of blood volume) and cellular components: red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets. Plasma is a straw-coloured fluid made mostly of water, with dissolved nutrients (glucose, amino acids, fats), hormones, proteins, salts and waste products like urea and carbon dioxide. Red blood cells are disc-shaped cells lacking a nucleus, packed with haemoglobin — a red pigment that binds oxygen in the lungs and releases it in tissues. An adult has roughly 5 litres of blood, and RBCs have a lifespan of about 120 days. White blood cells are larger, fewer in number, and play a key role in immunity by fighting infections. Platelets are tiny cell fragments that help in blood clotting when a vessel is injured, preventing excessive bleeding.

Arteries, Veins and Capillaries: Blood Vessels in Detail

Blood vessels are the tubes through which blood flows. Arteries carry blood away from the heart. They have thick, elastic walls to withstand high pressure generated by ventricular contractions. The largest artery is the aorta. Arteries branch into smaller arterioles and finally into capillaries — microscopic vessels with walls just one cell thick. Capillaries form networks in tissues where exchange of oxygen, nutrients, carbon dioxide and wastes occurs between blood and cells. After passing through capillaries, blood enters venules, which merge into veins. Veins carry blood back to the heart and have thinner walls than arteries because pressure is lower. Veins contain valves that prevent backflow of blood, especially in limbs where blood must move against gravity. The pulmonary artery is unique — it carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs, while pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood back to the heart.
  • Arteries: thick walls, high pressure, carry oxygenated blood (except pulmonary artery), no valves needed.
  • Veins: thinner walls, low pressure, carry deoxygenated blood (except pulmonary veins), have valves to prevent backflow.
  • Capillaries: one-cell-thick walls, site of exchange of gases and nutrients, connect arteries to veins.
  • Pulse felt at the wrist or neck is the pressure wave from heart contractions travelling through arteries.

Understanding the Heartbeat and Pulse Rate

A heartbeat is one complete cycle of contraction and relaxation of the heart chambers. During systole, ventricles contract and push blood into arteries. During diastole, chambers relax and fill with blood from atria or veins. This cycle repeats about 72 times per minute in a healthy resting adult, though it varies with age, activity and fitness. Children and students preparing CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants should know that heart rate increases during exercise because muscles need more oxygen. The pulse is the rhythmic expansion and contraction of an artery caused by the surge of blood from the heart. You can feel your pulse by pressing gently on the radial artery at the wrist or the carotid artery in the neck. Counting the pulse for one minute gives the heart rate. A stethoscope amplifies the sound of heart valves closing, heard as 'lub' (closure of atrioventricular valves) and 'dub' (closure of semilunar valves).

Excretion in Humans: Role of Kidneys and Urinary System

Excretion is the biological process of removing metabolic wastes from the body. In humans, the primary excretory organs are the kidneys — two bean-shaped organs located in the abdomen on either side of the spine. Each kidney contains about one million nephrons, the functional units that filter blood. Blood enters the kidney through the renal artery. In nephrons, waste products like urea (formed from the breakdown of proteins), excess salts and water are filtered out to form urine. The cleaned blood leaves via the renal vein. Urine passes from each kidney through a tube called the ureter into the urinary bladder, a muscular sac that stores urine temporarily. When the bladder is full, urine is expelled through the urethra. CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants emphasises that excretion is crucial; if wastes accumulate, they can poison the body.
  • Kidneys filter approximately 180 litres of blood daily but produce only about 1.5 litres of urine, reabsorbing most water and useful substances.
  • Urea is the main nitrogenous waste in human urine, produced in the liver from ammonia (toxic).
  • The urinary bladder can hold around 400–600 mL of urine before signalling the need to urinate.
  • Sweating through skin and exhalation of carbon dioxide by lungs are additional excretory processes.

Transport of Water and Minerals in Plants: Role of Xylem

Plants absorb water and minerals from the soil through root hairs — tiny extensions of root epidermal cells that increase surface area. This water must reach leaves, sometimes over 100 metres high in tall trees, to participate in photosynthesis and keep cells turgid. Xylem is the vascular tissue responsible for this upward transport. Xylem consists of long, hollow, tube-like dead cells with lignified walls. Water and dissolved minerals move upward through xylem via two mechanisms: root pressure and transpiration pull. Root pressure is generated when roots actively pump minerals into xylem, causing water to follow by osmosis, pushing the column upward. However, root pressure alone is insufficient for tall plants. Transpiration — the loss of water vapour from stomata (tiny pores) on leaf surfaces — creates a suction force called transpiration pull that draws water up through xylem like a straw. This is the dominant mechanism in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants.

Transpiration: The Engine of Water Transport in Plants

Transpiration is the evaporation of water from the aerial parts of plants, mainly through stomata on leaves. Stomata are small openings surrounded by guard cells that regulate their opening and closing. During the day, stomata open to allow carbon dioxide entry for photosynthesis, but water vapour also escapes. This loss of water creates a negative pressure (suction) at the top of the xylem column. Because water molecules are cohesive (stick to each other via hydrogen bonds) and adhesive (stick to xylem walls), the entire water column is pulled upward from roots to leaves. This transpiration pull can lift water to great heights in tall trees without any energy expenditure by the plant beyond opening stomata. CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants explains that while transpiration enables transport, excessive loss can wilt the plant, so stomata close during hot midday or at night to conserve water.
  • About 95% of water absorbed by roots is lost through transpiration; only 5% is used in photosynthesis and other processes.
  • Transpiration also cools the plant, much like sweating cools humans.
  • Guard cells swell when they absorb water, opening the stomata; they shrink when water is scarce, closing stomata.
  • Desert plants have fewer stomata or sunken stomata to reduce transpiration and conserve water.

Transport of Food in Plants: Role of Phloem

Leaves are the food factories of plants, producing glucose during photosynthesis. This glucose is converted into sucrose (a soluble sugar) and must be transported to roots, stems, flowers, fruits and growing regions where it is needed for energy or stored as starch. Phloem is the vascular tissue responsible for this transport. Unlike xylem, phloem consists of living cells — sieve tubes and companion cells. Sieve tubes are elongated cells with perforated end walls (sieve plates) that allow sap to flow. Companion cells assist sieve tubes metabolically. The movement of food in phloem is called translocation and occurs in both upward and downward directions, depending on where food is needed. Translocation requires energy (ATP) and occurs by a mechanism involving active loading of sugars into phloem at the source (leaves), creating osmotic pressure that pushes sap toward sink regions (roots, fruits) where sugars are unloaded and used or stored.

Comparing Circulatory Systems Across Animals

Not all animals have the same type of circulatory system. CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants focuses on humans, but it is helpful to understand variation. Insects like grasshoppers have an open circulatory system where blood (called haemolymph) is not confined to vessels; it bathes organs directly in body cavities. Fish have a two-chambered heart (one atrium, one ventricle) and single circulation — blood passes through the heart once per complete circuit. Amphibians and most reptiles have a three-chambered heart (two atria, one ventricle) with partial mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. Birds and mammals, including humans, have a four-chambered heart with complete separation, ensuring efficient oxygen delivery. This evolutionary progression reflects increasing metabolic demands. Students often see questions in CBSE exams comparing these systems, testing understanding of why a four-chambered heart is advantageous.
  • Open circulatory system: found in insects and molluscs; lower blood pressure, slower distribution.
  • Closed circulatory system: found in vertebrates; blood remains in vessels, higher pressure, faster transport.
  • Double circulation in humans: blood passes through the heart twice per complete circuit — once for lung oxygenation, once for body circulation.
  • Single circulation in fish: blood goes heart → gills → body → heart in one loop.

Diagram Practice: Drawing the Human Heart and Vascular Tissues

Diagrams are integral to CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants and often carry 3–5 marks. The human heart diagram must show all four chambers (label right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle), major vessels (aorta, vena cava, pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins), valves, and septum. Arrows indicating blood flow direction earn additional marks. For plant transport, a cross-section of a stem showing xylem (toward the centre) and phloem (toward the outside) in vascular bundles is commonly asked. Label xylem vessels, sieve tubes, cambium and epidermis clearly. A neat, labelled diagram of the human excretory system showing kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra is also frequently tested. Practice drawing these diagrams with a pencil, using a ruler for labels, and cross-checking with NCERT figures. Schools and CBSE examiners deduct marks for missing labels or incorrect proportions.
  • Always use a sharp pencil and draw diagrams in the centre of the answer sheet.
  • Label lines must be straight, drawn with a ruler, and should not cross each other.
  • Write labels in capital letters or neat lowercase; spelling mistakes in scientific terms (e.g. 'venticle' instead of 'ventricle') lose marks.
  • Colour coding (e.g. red for oxygenated blood, blue for deoxygenated) helps clarity but is not mandatory.

Common Misconceptions in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants

Students often confuse arteries and veins by associating arteries with oxygenated blood and veins with deoxygenated blood. While this is true for most vessels, the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs, and pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood back to the heart. Remember: arteries carry blood away from the heart; veins carry blood toward the heart. Another misconception is that xylem transports food. Xylem transports only water and minerals; phloem transports food. Some students think the heart is on the left side of the chest — it is actually in the centre, tilted slightly left. Transpiration is often confused with respiration; transpiration is loss of water vapour, while respiration is release of energy from glucose. Clearing these doubts is crucial for scoring well in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants.
  • Arteries are defined by direction (away from heart), not oxygen content.
  • Xylem = water and minerals upward; Phloem = food in all directions.
  • The heart has four chambers, not two; each side (left and right) has one atrium and one ventricle.
  • Excretion removes wastes formed inside the body (urea, CO₂); egestion removes undigested food (faeces) — these are not the same process.

NCERT Solutions and Expected Questions from Chapter 7

CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants typically features 10–12 in-text and end-of-chapter questions in the NCERT textbook. Common question types include: 'What is the function of the heart?', 'Describe the flow of blood through the heart', 'Why is transport necessary in plants?', 'What are stomata and how do they regulate transpiration?', 'Differentiate between xylem and phloem', and 'Draw and label the human excretory system'. Short-answer questions (2–3 marks) test definitions and functions; long-answer questions (5 marks) demand explanations with diagrams. Past CBSE papers show that diagrams of the heart and vascular tissues appear almost every year. NCERT exemplar questions include 'Why do veins have valves but arteries do not?' and 'Explain how water reaches the top of a tall tree'. Practising these questions and comparing answers with NCERT solutions builds confidence and ensures conceptual clarity for term exams.

How CBSETUTOR.ai Helps Master Transportation in Animals and Plants

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  • Upload a photo of any CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 question; get instant, curriculum-aligned solutions.
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Frequently asked questions

How many marks does CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants carry in term exams?+
CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants typically carries 6–8 marks in term exams. Questions include 1-mark MCQs, 2-mark short answers, 3-mark definitions with examples, and 5-mark long answers often requiring a labelled diagram of the heart or excretory system.
What is the difference between xylem and phloem in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7?+
Xylem transports water and minerals upward from roots to leaves and consists of dead cells. Phloem transports prepared food (sugars) from leaves to all parts of the plant in both directions and consists of living sieve tube cells. Xylem uses transpiration pull; phloem uses osmotic pressure and requires energy.
Why is the human heart called a double pump in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants?+
The human heart is called a double pump because it has two separate circuits: the right side pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs (pulmonary circulation), and the left side pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body (systemic circulation). Blood passes through the heart twice in one complete circuit.
How do I draw the diagram of the human heart for full marks in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7?+
Draw a symmetrical outline with four chambers. Label: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle, aorta, vena cava, pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, septum, and valves. Use arrows to show blood flow: deoxygenated blood enters right atrium, exits right ventricle to lungs; oxygenated blood enters left atrium, exits left ventricle to body. Use a pencil and ruler for neat labels.
What is transpiration and why is it important in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants?+
Transpiration is the loss of water vapour from plant leaves through stomata. It creates a suction force (transpiration pull) that draws water upward through xylem from roots to leaves, enabling transport of water and minerals. It also cools the plant and maintains turgidity. About 95% of absorbed water is lost via transpiration.
Which organs are involved in excretion in humans according to CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7?+
The primary excretory organs are the kidneys, which filter blood to remove urea and excess water, forming urine. Ureters carry urine to the urinary bladder for storage, and the urethra expels it. Lungs excrete carbon dioxide, skin excretes salts and water via sweat, and the liver converts ammonia to urea.
Why do veins have valves but arteries do not in the circulatory system?+
Veins carry blood back to the heart under low pressure, especially from limbs where blood must move against gravity. Valves prevent backflow and ensure blood moves in one direction toward the heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart under high pressure generated by ventricular contractions, so backflow is not an issue and valves are unnecessary.
Can my child use online resources to supplement NCERT for CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants?+
Yes, online resources and AI tutors like CBSETUTOR.ai are excellent supplements. However, the NCERT textbook remains the foundation — CBSE question papers draw terminology and diagrams directly from NCERT. Use online tools to clarify doubts, practise diagrams and solve additional questions, but always cross-check against NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 7 content.
What is the normal heart rate for a Class 7 student, and how is it measured?+
A normal resting heart rate for a Class 7 student (age 12–13) ranges from 70 to 100 beats per minute, though athletic children may have lower rates. Measure pulse by placing two fingers gently on the radial artery at the wrist or carotid artery on the neck, counting beats for 15 seconds, then multiplying by 4.
How does water reach the top of a 30-metre tall tree in CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7?+
Water reaches tall heights primarily through transpiration pull. As water evaporates from leaf stomata, a suction force is created. Due to cohesion (water molecules stick together) and adhesion (water sticks to xylem walls), the entire water column is pulled upward from roots. Root pressure provides an additional push but is minor compared to transpiration pull.
Will questions on transportation in plants and animals come separately in CBSE Class 7 exams?+
Yes, CBSE exams often include separate questions on animal and plant transport. For example, one 5-mark question may ask you to describe the human circulatory system with a diagram, and another may ask you to explain water transport in plants with a labelled diagram of xylem and phloem. Prepare both topics thoroughly.
How should my child revise CBSE Class 7 Science Chapter 7 Transportation in Animals and Plants one week before exams?+
Revise NCERT text section-wise, focusing on bold terms and definitions. Practise all diagrams (heart, excretory system, xylem-phloem cross-section) at least five times. Solve NCERT end-of-chapter questions and previous years' question papers. Make flashcards for functions of blood components, differences between arteries and veins, and xylem vs phloem. Use CBSETUTOR.ai to clarify last-minute doubts instantly without waiting for a tutor.

Related resources

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