chromosomes are distributed equally to each cell. Thus the four daughter cells have just half the number of chromosomes of the gamete mother cell. These are haploid (containing only one set of chromosome). Thus this division is also called reduction division. You will learn more about this in further classes.
What differences do you find in mitosis and meiosis? Write in a tabular form?
What would happen if the gamets do not have half the chromosome number as to their parental cell?
How would it affect the progeny formed by sexual reproduction?
Reproductive health
Why did the government of India fixed the legal marriage age of boys (21 years) and girls (18 years)?
Do you feel that it is a social responsibility to control birth after having one or two children?
What do you understand by the term 'Healthy Society'?
Will you encourage child marriage? Why? As we have seen, the process of sexual maturation is gradual, and takes place while general body growth is still going on. Therefore, some degree of sexual maturation does not necessarily mean that the body or the mind is ready for sexual acts. Further, it is not fit for having and bringing up children. How do we decide if the body or the mind is ready for this major responsibility? All of us are under many different kinds of pressures about these issues. There can be pressure from our friends for participating in many activities, whether we really want or not. There can be pressure from families to get married and start having children. There can be pressure from government and voluntary organisations to avoid having children. In these situations, making right choices is important.
In the lesson 8th class "why do we fall ill", we learnt that the diseases can be transmitted from person to person in a variety of ways. Since the sexual act is a very intimate connection of bodies, it is not surprising that many diseases can be sexually transmitted. These include bacterial infections such as Gonorrhoea and syphilis, and viral infections such as AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).
What is the virus which causes AIDS? These diseases spread by unsafe sexual contacts, using infected devices, infected blood transfusion, from an infected mother to child