CLASS 9 BIO PRACTICALS

EXPERIMENT 1

AIM. To prepare a stained temporary mount of onion peel.

Materials Required

Onion, slides, coverslips, watch glass, petridish, forceps, needles, dropper, glycerine,
blotting paper, blade/knife, safranin solution and a microscope.

Procedure

1. Take a medium sized onion, cut its outer surface with a knife.
2. Use forceps to remove the peel of onion.
3. With the help of needle separate the small portion of epidermis (peel)
4. Keep dilute safranin solution in a watch glass.
5. Put this small peel in this watch glass with a brush and allow it to stain for
3-5 minutes.
6. Transfer the stained peel to another watch glass that contains distilled
water in it, to remove extra stain.
7. Take a clean dry slide and place two drops of water/glycerine on the centre
of the slide.
8. Transfer the stained peel with a needle and brush on the middle of the slide,
if the peel curls straighten it and flatten it with brush and needle, do this
gently.
9. With the help of a blade cut the peel into a square shape.
10. Take a dry and clean coverslip and gently place it on the slide with the help
of a needle such that no air bubbles enter in it.
11. Gently press the coverslip with a needle for even spreading of glycerine.
12. Remove the extra stain and water with the help of blotting paper.

13. Clean the sides of the coverslip with dry blotting paper and place it under
the lens of the microscope and record your observations.
Observations

The cells under observation are the plant cells. It consists of a cell wall and large
vacuoles. The nucleus is very prominent and is clearly visible.

INFERENCE

Plant cell shows the following:

 1. It consists of a cell wall.
2. The nucleus is prominent and present at the periphery of cytoplasm.
3. Large vacuoles are seen at the centre of the cell.
4. A lightly stained cytoplasm is present in the cell.

Precautions

1. Use dilute stain for staining.

2. Avoid the formation of air-bubbles while placing the coverslip on the slide.
3. Take a very thin peel of onion to get a single layer of cells, no overlapping of
cells should be seen.
4. Use a dry and clean slide, wipe out extra stain or water present on the sides
of the slide.

EXPERIMENT 2

AIM: To prepare stained, temporary mount of human cheek cells.

Materials Required

Slide, coverslip, watch glass, methylene blue stain, blotting paper, toothpick, needle,
dropper, brush, microscope and glycerine.

Procedure

1. Make a dilute methylene blue solution in a watch glass.

2. Keep a clean slide with a drop of distilled water at the middle of the slide.
3. Take a clean/unused toothpick and scrap the inner wall of your
mouth/cheek gently to obtain the epithelial animal tissue, (use the blunt
side of toothpick)
4. Transfer the scrap on the middle of the glass slide and put a drop of
methylene blue solution on it, to stain the cells.
5. After 2-3 minutes place the coverslip gently on the cheek cell with the help
of a needle and avoid the air bubble. (A drop of glycerine can be spread on
the cheek cells, it is optional)
6. With the help of blotting paper remove the extra stain/water present on the
slide.
7. Place the slide under a microscope and observe it.
Observations

1. Cells with irregular shapes are seen.

2. A prominent nucleus is seen in the middle of the cell.
3. A thin membrane called plasma-membrane is visible at the boundary of
each cell.
4. The cells do not show any intercellular space.
5. No big vacuoles and cell wall is seen.

Inference

The cells observed under the microscope do not have cell walls and big vacuoles, these
are the cells of animals.

Precautions

1. Use unused/new toothpicks for scraping of cheek cells.

2. Placing of coverslip should be done carefully to avoid air bubbles.
3. Avoid overstaining.
4. Use a clean/dry mounted slide while placing it under the lens of the
microscope.
5. Avoid overlapping of the cells.
EXPERIMENT 3

Aim

To study the characteristics of Spirogyra/Agaricus, Moss/Fern, Pinus (either male or

female cone) and an Angiospermic plant.

Theory

1. Classification: The organisms are classified/grouped based on the

similarities (grouped together) and dissimilarities (grouped separately).
2. Whittaker classification: It has five kingdoms and these groups are formed
on the basis of their cell structure, mode and source of nutrition and body
organisation.

Further classification is done by naming the sub-groups at various levels as shown

below:
 Kingdom

Materials Required

A slide of Spirogyra, specimen of Agaricus, Fern, Moss, Finns (male and female cone),
Pea plant/any flowering plant, compound microscope.

Procedure

Observe the given specimen carefully. Draw a diagram of each specimen, label it and
write 2-4 identifying features of the groups they belong to.

I. Spirogyra
 1. Kingdom —> Plant
2. Division —> Thallophyta
3. Class —> Chlorophyta.

Characteristics

1. It is a single cell thick, cylindrical filament, slimy to touch green coloured

algae.
2. It grows very fast in water.
3. The filament has cells joined end to end.
4. It has a spiral shaped ribbon like chloroplast hence it is named Spirogyra.
Each cell is rectangular with a nucleus in the centre.
5. Cell wall is clearly seen.
6. Chlorophyll is present in chloroplast and helps in photosynthesis.

Identifying features:
 1. Plant body is thallus like, not differentiated into roots, stems and leaves.
2. It has green coloured spiral shaped ribbon like chloroplast.
3. It has a large central vacuole.

II. Agaricus

1. Kingdom—> Plantae
2. Division —> Thallophyta
3. Class —> Basidiomycetes.

Characteristics

1. Agaricus is commonly called mushroom, it is non-green.

2. It has a stalk and cap like structure with spores in it.
3. The spores germinate to form mycelium.
4. The cap on its lower sides has gills which bear spores.
Identifying Features

1. The body is thallus like, not divided into root, stem and leaves.
2. No chlorophyll present, nutrition is saprophytic.

III. Fern (Dryopteris)

1. Kingdom —> Plantae

2. Sub-kingdom —> Cryptogamae
3. Division —> Pteridophyta.

Characteristics

1. These are commonly called wooden ferns, have 250 species of Dryopteris
and around 12,000 species of ferns.
2. It is found in water as well as land.
3. Some species are found in humid places and few in. dry places.
4. It consists of a horizontal root growing in soil called a rhizome and leaves
are called fronds projecting upwards. The leaves are compound.
5. On the underside of leaves (frond) are tiny, dark spots called sori that
contain spores.
6. The spores fertilize to give a sporophyte.
 7. The leaves are coiled when young and uncoil when they grow.

Identifying Features

1. It has a vascular tissue i.e. xylem and phloem for conduction of water and
materials.
2. The sporophyte has a well differentiated body with roots, stems and leaves.
The leaves contain sori.
3. The roots are adventitious.

IV. Moss (Funaria)

1. Kingdom —> Plantae

2. Division —> Bryophyta
 3. Class —> Bryopsida.

Characteristics

1. Moss plants grow in dense patches in moist shady and cool places during
the rainy season. It has a height of 3-5 cm, shows radial symmetry.
2. Plant body is differentiated into leafy shoots and rhizoids.
3. These are multicellular, amphibious plants. Reproduce by spore formation.
4. They do not have a vascular system.
5. They show alternation of generation i.e. the gametophyte stage alternates
with the sporophyte stage.
Identifying Features

1. Plant body has radial symmetry and rhizoids (root like structures).
2. No vascular tissues present.
3. They need water for fertilization.

V. Pinus

1. Kingdom—> Plantae
2. Division —> Pteropsida
3. Class —> Gymnospermae.

Characteristics

1. Pine trees are common in the Himalayas, they are tall, conical, evergreen.
2. Vascular system is well developed.
3. Trees are large 30-50 m, trunk diameter up to 2 m. The leaves are needle-
like.
4. Cones are green when young and become brown when 24 months old.
Cones open on heat and release seeds.
 5. It is used for timber, resin.

Identifying Features

1. Vascular system present.

 2. Seeds are naked

VI. Angiosperm

1. [Plant: Any flowering Plant e.g. – Pea, Mustard]

2. Division: Tracheophyta
3. Class: Angiospermae.

Characteristics
 1. The flowering plants are called angiosperms. Flower is the reproductive
organ.
2. The plant body is well differentiated into roots, shoots, leaves, flowers and
fruits.
3. The seeds are enclosed in fruits.
4. The root system may be tap root or adventitious.
5. Reproduction takes place in flowers.

Identifying Feature

1. These are vascular plants.

2. Stems bears distinct nodes and internodes

EXPERIMENT 4
Aim

To observe and draw the given specimens—earthworm, cockroach, bony fish and bird.
For each specimen record

1. One specific feature of its phylum

2. One adaptive feature with reference to its habitat.

Theory

1. Animal Kingdom: These are the organisms which are eukaryotic,

multicellular and heterotrophic.
The cells do not have cell walls and most of them are mobile.
2. Classification of animals: It is based on the type of the body design and its
differentiation.
3. Adaptations: Animals for their survival bring changes in the body
design/structure, these changes are called adaptations.
4. Habitat: The place, climatic conditions which can provide food, shelter
suited for its survival.
Animal Kingdom is classified into non-chordata and chordata.

1.

Materials Required

Preserved specimen of earthworm, cockroach, bony fish and bird.

Procedure

1. Observe the given specimens carefully.

2. Record the characteristics.
3. Draw a neat labelled diagram.
4. Note one adaptive feature and one specific feature of each animal and
write its phylum.
1. Earthworm

It is a worm with segments all over its body hence Phylum: Annelida

Features of Phylum (Specific):

1. Body is segmented, segments are called metameres.

2. Skin is moist.
3. Chitinous setae, bristles, body wall muscles help in locomotion.
4. After the 13th segment clitellum seen in earthworm (14-16 segment).

Adaptive Features

1. Earthworms live in soil by making burrows in it. The cylindrical body helps
in pushing the body into the soil.
2. It feeds on soil, the anterior end has prostomium which senses the soil and
helps it to eat the soil and convert it into fertile soil hence called farmer’s
friend.
3. Skin is always kept moist with the help of mucus glands, so soil does not
stick to the body and helps the worm to breathe through the skin.
4. During the rainy season the worms come out as burrows are filled with
water. This is the mating time of worms.
5. It is hermaphrodite, both male and female genital pores are seen.
6. The segments on the body are called setae.
 7. The brown colour helps it to camouflage with soil and protect it from
enemies.

2. Cockroach

It has jointed appendages, (legs) hence the phylum it belongs to is Arthropoda. The
phylum with the largest group of animals.

Features of Phylum (Specific):

1. It possesses jointed legs.

2. The exoskeleton is made up of chitin.
3. They have compound eyes with mosaic vision.
4. The body is bilaterally symmetrical.
5. It is divided into three parts; head, thorax and abdomen.

Adaptive Features
 1. The body is covered with thick cuticles and gives protection against
enemies.
2. For locomotion, each body segment bears a pair of jointed appendages
(legs).
3. The holes (spiracles) present on the ventral side of thorax and abdomen
helps in respiration.
4. It has movable antennae for sensing odour.
5. The head has compound eyes for vision.

Male cockroach differs from female cockroach

3. Bony Fish
 1. It possesses a vertebral column and belongs to
2. Phylum: Chordata
3. Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata
4. Class: Osteichthyes – bony fish, body is spindle shape, covered with scales
and respiration by gills.

Features of Phylum

1. Mouth is terminal, the body is spindle shaped, and has a strong vertebral
column.
2. It has a bony endoskeleton.
3. Gills covered by an operculum for respiration.
4. Air-bladder present which helps in giving buoyancy and float/swim in water.
5. Dorsal and pelvic fins help in balancing and movement in water and change
directions.

Adaptive Features

1. The body is streamlined which helps in swimming.

2. Fins are present (dorsal, pelvic, pectoral, and tail fins) for locomotion,
balancing, and changing directions.
3. Body is covered with scales to protect against water decay.
4. Gills covered by operculum for respiration.
4. Bird

1. It has a vertebral column and has aerial habitat.

2. Phylum: Chordata
3. Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata
4. Class: Aves

Features of Phylum and Class Aves

1. Birds have vertebral columns.

2. Air cavities present in bones to make them light and give buoyancy
3. Body is streamlined, provides minimum resistance to air and helps in flying.
4. Fore-limbs modified into wings and mouth into beak.
5. The body is covered with feathers, provides insulation and keeps the body
warm.
6. Breathing through nostrils.

Adaptive Features

1. Streamline body helps in flying.

2. Long and hollow bones provide buoyancy.
3. Feathers provide insulation, maintain body temperature for warm-blooded
birds.
4. Wings help in flying.