Q.(a)
🔒You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Part (a)Concept understanding — Parturition Hormonal Control
Let’s begin with something you already know. When a baby is ready to be born, the mother’s body doesn’t just “decide” one day — it follows a precise, hormone-driven sequence. Think of it like a carefully timed relay race: one hormone passes the baton to the next, and each step triggers the next until labour begins.
The everyday intuition
Imagine you are waiting for a train. The station master doesn’t just blow the whistle randomly. First, the train arrives at the platform, then the guard checks the signal, then the whistle blows, and only then does the train move. Parturition — the process of giving birth — works the same way. The baby’s body sends the first signal, the mother’s body receives it, and a chain of hormonal commands follows. No signal, no movement.
What parturition means
Parturition is the medical term for childbirth — the expulsion of the fully developed baby from the mother’s uterus. In NCERT Class 12 Biology (Chapter: Human Reproduction), it is described as the process that begins with the onset of labour and ends with the delivery of the baby and the placenta.
The key point: parturition is not a sudden event. It is the climax of a hormonal cascade that starts weeks earlier.
The hormonal relay: step by step
The entire process is controlled by a feedback loop between the baby’s brain, the mother’s hypothalamus, and her uterus. Here is the sequence as NCERT presents it:
-
The baby’s brain starts it. As the foetus grows, its hypothalamus matures and releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). This hormone travels to the foetal pituitary gland.
-
Foetal pituitary secretes ACTH. ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) stimulates the foetal adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
-
Cortisol from the foetus acts on the placenta. The placenta, which connects mother and baby, responds by producing oestrogen in increasing amounts. At the same time, progesterone levels fall.
The shift from high progesterone to high oestrogen is the critical switch. Progesterone keeps the uterus relaxed (quiet). Oestrogen makes the uterine muscle sensitive to contraction signals. Without this shift, labour cannot begin.
-
Oestrogen stimulates the uterus to produce oxytocin receptors. The mother’s posterior pituitary gland also releases oxytocin — the hormone that causes strong, rhythmic contractions of the uterine muscles.
-
Oxytocin creates a positive feedback loop. Each contraction pushes the baby’s head against the cervix. This stretching of the cervix sends nerve signals back to the mother’s brain, which releases more oxytocin. More oxytocin → stronger contractions → more stretching → even more oxytocin. This cycle continues until the baby is delivered.
Why this matters
- It explains why labour cannot be induced artificially without medical intervention — the baby’s own hormones must first signal readiness.
- It also explains why stress or illness in the mother can delay labour: if the foetal cortisol signal is weak, the oestrogen shift may not happen on time.
- In some cases, doctors use synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) to start or strengthen labour — this mimics the natural hormone.
A quick summary of the key hormones
| Hormone | Source | Role in parturition |
|---|---|---|
| CRH | Foetal hypothalamus | Starts the cascade |
| ACTH | Foetal pituitary | Stimulates foetal adrenal glands |
Part (b)Concept understanding — Health Effects
Health Effects — A First Look
Think about the last time you drank water from a roadside stall during summer. Your mind probably weighed two things: the immediate thirst, and the vague worry about whether the water was clean. That worry — that something in the environment might harm your body — is exactly what "health effects" means.
In simple terms, health effects are the changes — good or bad — that happen to your body and mind when you are exposed to something in your surroundings. That "something" could be polluted air, contaminated food, loud noise, stress at work, or even a new medicine. The key idea is that your environment and your health are not separate; they are constantly interacting.
The precise meaning
The NCERT textbook (Class 12, Business Studies, Chapter 12 — Consumer Protection) introduces health effects in the context of consumer awareness. When you buy a product or use a service, you have a right to know whether it will harm you. Health effects, therefore, refer to the physical or mental consequences that arise from using a product, consuming a food item, or living in a particular environment.
These effects can be:
- Immediate — like a headache from a chemical smell, or food poisoning from stale food.
- Long-term — like lung disease from years of breathing polluted air, or hearing loss from constant loud music.
- Direct — like a burn from a faulty appliance.
- Indirect — like stress and anxiety caused by unsafe living conditions.
Health effects are not just about illness. They also include positive effects — for example, the health benefit of drinking clean water or using a well-designed ergonomic chair. The term is neutral; it simply describes the outcome of an exposure.
Why it matters for a commerce/humanities student
You might think health effects belong only in biology or medicine. But in commerce and humanities, they are central to consumer protection, business ethics, and public policy.
Consider a company that sells packaged food. If the food contains a harmful preservative, the health effect on consumers could be serious — and the company faces legal action, loss of reputation, and financial penalties. That is why the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, gives you the right to safety — meaning products must not cause harm under normal use.
Similarly, in economics, health effects are part of externalities. A factory that pollutes a river creates a negative health effect for people downstream — but the factory does not pay for that harm. Understanding health effects helps you see why governments regulate industries and why consumers need protection.
A few key points to remember
- Health effects can be physical (like a rash, cough, or injury) or mental (like anxiety, depression, or stress).
- They can arise from products (food, medicines, electronics), services (healthcare, transport), or environmental factors (air, water, noise). …
Part (a)
(i) The milk of the first few days is essential because it is rich in antibodies, especially IgA, which provide the newborn with passive immunity, protecting it against infections while its own immune system is still immature. …
Part (a): The first milk, colostrum, is rich in IgA antibodies that give the newborn passive immunity.
Part (b): The exaggerated immune response to weak airborne antigens is allergy, mediated by IgE antibodies, with mast cells releasing histamine and serotonin.
Part (a)
- Why the initial milk is essential The milk produced during the first few days after childbirth is a thick, yellowish fluid rich in antibodies, particularly Immunoglobulin A (IgA). A newborn's own immune system is immature, so these maternal antibodies coat the infant's gut and provide passive immunity, protecting it from infections during this vulnerable period.
- Term for this milk …
Showing the 12 most recent of 22 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2026Set ap-2026-05-19-FN1 markMCQQ.Assertion (A): Cocaine causes euphoria in man. Reason (R): It is involved in the transport of dopamine. (A) Both (A) and (R) are true. (R) is correct explanation for (A) (B) Both (A) and (R) are true. (R) is not correct explanation for (A) (C) (A) is true. But (R) is false (D) (A) is false. But (R) is true
›Reveal solutionSolution
Cocaine, extracted from the coca plant, blocks normal dopamine transport/reuptake at synapses, so dopamine lingers and keeps stimulating its receptors — this prolonged dopaminergic signalling is what produces the euphoric effect.
Concept and Intuition
Cocaine is a stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca). At the synapse, it interferes with the transporter proteins responsible for clearing the neurotransmitter dopamine out of the synaptic cleft after signalling. With dopamine reuptake blocked, dopamine accumulates and keeps activating its post-synaptic receptors far longer than normal, producing the drug's characteristic intense feeling of euphoria and reward.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Assertion: cocaine causes euphoria in humans — well-established pharmacological fact. True. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set ap-2026-05-19-FN1 markMCQQ.Pick up the pollutant that cause head ache and blurred vision at lower concentration and at higher concentration, death may result. (A) Sulphur dioxide (B) Carbon dioxide (C) Carbon monoxide (D) Nitrogen oxide
›Reveal solutionSolution
Carbon monoxide poisoning progressively causes headache and blurred vision (mild hypoxia) at lower concentrations and death (severe hypoxia) at higher concentrations, because CO outcompetes oxygen for haemoglobin binding.
Concept and Intuition
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless pollutant produced by incomplete combustion (vehicle exhaust, etc.). It binds to haemoglobin with a much higher affinity than oxygen, forming carboxyhaemoglobin and effectively blocking oxygen transport to tissues. At lower ambient concentrations/exposures, this produces symptoms of mild-to-moderate hypoxia such as headache, dizziness, and blurred vision; at higher concentrations, severe hypoxia can cause unconsciousness and death. This differentiates it from SO2 and NOx (which are more classically respiratory irritants) and CO2 (an asphyxiant mainly at very high concentrations by displacing oxygen, without the haemoglobin-binding mechanism).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Identify the pollutant described by "headache and blurred vision at low concentration, death at high concentration": this is the classic clinical picture of carbon monoxide poisoning. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set ap-2026-05-20-FN1 markMCQQ.Diacetylmorphine is also called (A) Crack (B) Smack (C) Amphetamine (D) Barbiturate
›Reveal solutionSolution
Diacetylmorphine is the pharmacological name for heroin, commonly known on the street as "smack."
Concept and Intuition
Drug/alcohol abuse topics in biology often test recognition of a chemical name alongside its common street name. Heroin is chemically diacetylmorphine (an acetylated derivative of morphine, itself extracted from the opium poppy), and its slang name is "smack."
Step-by-Step Solution
- Recognise "diacetylmorphine" as the diacetyl ester of morphine — this compound is heroin.
- Match heroin to its common street name among the options: "smack" is the standard street term for heroin. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set ap-2025-05-19-AN1 markMCQQ.Match the following List-I - List-II A) Morphine I) Cardio vascular system B) Cannabinoids II) Tranquilizers C) Cocaine III) Sleeping pills D) Benzodiazepines IV) Pain killer V) Dopamine (A) A-IV, B-I, C-V, D-II (B) A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV (C) A-IV, B-III, C-V, D-II (D) A-II, B-V, C-I, D-IV
›Reveal solutionSolution
Matching commonly abused drugs to their primary physiological/pharmacological effect: Morphine–pain killer, Cannabinoids–cardiovascular system, Cocaine–dopamine, Benzodiazepines–tranquilizers.
Concept and Intuition
Different drugs of abuse act through different receptor systems: opioids like morphine bind opioid receptors in the CNS and gut, giving strong analgesia (pain relief); cannabinoids bind cannabinoid receptors in the brain and also affect the cardiovascular system; cocaine blocks the dopamine transporter at the nucleus accumbens, causing a flood of dopamine signalling (euphoria); and benzodiazepines are depressant drugs used clinically as tranquilizers/anti-anxiety agents.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Morphine → powerful analgesic → pain killer (IV).
- Cannabinoids → besides CNS receptors, they affect the cardiovascular system (I).
- Cocaine → blocks the dopamine transporter, interfering with dopamine (V) signalling. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set ap-2025-05-19-AN1 markMCQQ.Excessive consumption of this drug causes hallucinations. (A) Cocaine (B) Morphine (C) Heroin (D) Charas
›Reveal solutionSolution
Excessive cocaine use is specifically associated with hallucinations because it massively disrupts dopaminergic signalling in the brain. Answer: (A) Cocaine.
Concept and Intuition
Drugs of abuse act on different neurotransmitter systems and therefore cause different characteristic effects:
- Cocaine blocks the dopamine transporter, causing dopamine to accumulate at synapses — producing intense euphoria/stimulation, and at excessive doses, hallucinations and paranoia.
- Morphine and heroin are opioids that bind opioid receptors, mainly causing analgesia, sedation and euphoria (CNS depression), not hallucinations as their hallmark.
- Charas is a cannabinoid (from Cannabis) that mainly affects the cardiovascular system and produces relaxation/euphoria.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Identify the pharmacological class of each option: cocaine = stimulant; morphine/heroin = opioids; charas = cannabinoid.
- Recall the signature toxic effect of each class as given in the standard biology curriculum: cocaine's excessive use is explicitly linked with hallucinations (sensory distortion) due to dopamine system overload. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set ap-2025-05-20-FN1 markMCQQ.Match the following Substances - Functions A) Barbiturates - I. Cause sleeplessness B) Amphetamines - II. Cardio vascular system C) Benzodiazepines - III. Sedatives D) Cannabinoids - IV. Tranquilizers
- V. Cause sterelity (A) A-III, B-IV, C-V, D-II (B) A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II (C) A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV (D) A-V, B-II, C-III, D-IV
›Reveal solutionSolution
Barbiturates (sedatives), amphetamines (cause sleeplessness/stimulate CNS), benzodiazepines (tranquilizers), and cannabinoids (affect the cardiovascular system) match to III, I, IV, II respectively.
Concept and Intuition
This tests knowledge of the pharmacological class/effect of commonly abused/therapeutic drug categories covered in the "Human Health and Disease" chapter on drug/alcohol abuse:
- Barbiturates: depress the CNS, used clinically as sedatives/hypnotics.
- Amphetamines: CNS stimulants; increase alertness, suppress appetite and sleep — causing sleeplessness/insomnia with excess/abuse.
- Benzodiazepines: anti-anxiety agents, often called minor tranquilizers.
- Cannabinoids (from Cannabis sativa — marijuana, hashish): affect the cardiovascular system among other systemic effects.
Step-by-Step Solution
- A) Barbiturates → III (Sedatives): barbiturates are textbook sedative-hypnotic drugs.
- B) Amphetamines → I (Cause sleeplessness): being stimulants, they interfere with normal sleep, causing sleeplessness/insomnia.
- C) Benzodiazepines → IV (Tranquilizers): they are the classic minor tranquilizer/anti-anxiety drug class. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set ap-2024-05-16-FN1 markMCQQ.In these days, some sports people misuse these drugs (A) Opioids (B) Cannabinoids (C) Coca alkaloids (D) Smack
›Reveal solutionSolution
Among opioids, cannabinoids, coca alkaloids and smack, cannabinoids are the class specifically flagged in the standard biology syllabus as being misused by sports persons.
Concept and Intuition
Different classes of abused drugs interact with different receptor systems: opioids act on opioid receptors (pain relief/sedation), cannabinoids act on cannabinoid receptors mainly in the brain and also affect the cardiovascular system, and cocaine (a coca alkaloid) is a CNS stimulant that blocks dopamine reuptake. The syllabus text singles out cannabinoids as a drug class abused by sports persons.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Opioids (morphine, heroin/smack) are primarily misused for their sedative/analgesic, euphoria-inducing effect, not specifically flagged for sports misuse in the syllabus.
- Cannabinoids are explicitly called out in the standard textbook discussion as being misused by sports persons. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set ap-2024-05-17-AN1 markMCQQ.Assertion (A): Heroin is the most potent and highly addictive drug. Reason (R): Heroin is obtained by acetylation of morphine (A) A and R are true, R is correct explanation to A (B) Both A and R are true, R is not correct explanation to A (C) A is true but R is false (D) Both A and R are false
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both statements about heroin are independently true, but the chemical fact (acetylation of morphine) is a manufacturing detail, not a direct explanation of heroin's extreme potency and addictiveness.
Concept and Intuition
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from morphine through a specific chemical modification (acetylation). While this chemical origin is a true and important fact, the Assertion's claim about potency/addictiveness is a separate pharmacological/clinical observation that requires its own justification (e.g., differences in how the drug is absorbed and acts on the brain), not simply the fact of its chemical derivation.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Assess A: heroin is widely recognised as one of the most potent and highly addictive drugs of abuse — true.
- Assess R: heroin (diacetylmorphine) is indeed obtained by acetylating morphine at two hydroxyl groups — true, this is standard pharmacological/chemical knowledge. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set ap-2024-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.It interferes with the transport of the neurotransmitter, dopamine. (A) Morphine (B) Heroin (C) Hashish (D) Cocaine
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests knowledge of drug mechanisms from the NCERT "drug abuse" section: cocaine specifically blocks dopamine transport/reuptake at the synapse.
Concept and Intuition
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure. Normally, after release into the synapse, dopamine is cleared by a reuptake transporter back into the presynaptic neuron, ending the signal. Cocaine binds to and blocks this dopamine transporter, so dopamine keeps accumulating in the synaptic cleft and continues stimulating postsynaptic receptors — producing the characteristic "high," euphoria, and increased energy associated with cocaine use.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Recall each drug's primary mechanism: Morphine and Heroin → agonists at opioid receptors (mimic endogenous endorphins), producing analgesia/depressant effects.
- Hashish (a cannabinoid) → acts on cannabinoid receptors in the brain, affecting mood/cardiovascular system. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set ap-2024-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.Match the following
Drug Effect A Morphine I Depressant and slowdown body functions B Heroin II Produces a sense of euphoria and increased energy C Cannabinoids III Sedative and pain killer D Cocaine IV Effects on cardiovascular system (A) A – II, B – I, C – IV, D – III (B) A – III, B – I, C – IV, D – II (C) A – III, B – IV, C – I, D – II (D) A – II, B – IV, C – III, D – I ›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a direct recall match of drug names to their physiological effects, as given in the NCERT drug-abuse account.
Concept and Intuition
Each commonly abused drug produces a distinct hallmark physiological effect, which is how these questions are typically tested:
- Morphine — used medicinally as a sedative and pain-killer.
- Heroin — a depressant that slows down body function (breathing, heart rate).
- Cannabinoids (e.g. marijuana, hashish, charas) — affect the cardiovascular system of the body.
- Cocaine — interferes with dopamine transport, producing euphoria and a burst of increased energy.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Morphine → sedative/pain killer → matches III.
- Heroin → depressant, slows body functions → matches I.
- Cannabinoids → cardiovascular effects → matches IV.
- Cocaine → euphoria and increased energy → matches II.
- Combined mapping: A–III, B–I, C–IV, D–II, which is option (B). …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set ap-2024-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.Assertion (A): Neurohypophysis of the pituitary gland releases a hormone, which is helpful for child birth Reason (R): Neurohypophysis releases relaxin, which contracts the uterine muscles during child birth (A) A and R are true. R is correct explanation for A (B) A and R are true. But R is not correct explanation for A (C) A is true. But R is false (D) A is false. But R is true
›Reveal solutionSolution
The assertion (neurohypophysis aids childbirth) is true because it releases oxytocin, but the reason is false because it wrongly names relaxin (a different hormone from a different gland) as the contracting agent.
Concept and Intuition
The neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary) stores and releases two hormones synthesized in the hypothalamus: oxytocin and vasopressin (ADH). Oxytocin is crucial during childbirth: it stimulates strong, coordinated contractions of the uterine smooth muscle (myometrium) during labour (parturition), and later stimulates milk ejection during lactation. Relaxin, in contrast, is a completely different hormone secreted by the corpus luteum of the ovary and by the placenta; its role is to relax (soften) the pelvic ligaments and dilate/soften the cervix in preparation for delivery — the opposite functional role (relaxation, not contraction) and from a different source gland.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Evaluate Assertion: Does the neurohypophysis release a hormone helpful for childbirth? Yes — oxytocin. True.
- Evaluate Reason: Does the neurohypophysis release relaxin, which contracts uterine muscles? No — relaxin is from the corpus luteum/placenta, and its function is to relax (not contract) tissues. False. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set ap-2023-05-22-FN1 markMCQQ.Identify the correct option Statement – I : Excessive dosage of cocaine causes hallucinations Statement – II: Intake of cocaine does not cause euphoria (A) Statement I is correct and II is wrong. (B) Statement I is wrong and II is correct. (C) Statements I and II are wrong. (D) Statements I and II are correct.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Cocaine causes strong euphoria (contradicting Statement II) and, at excessive doses, can cause hallucinations (supporting Statement I).
Concept and Intuition
Cocaine is a CNS stimulant that blocks the dopamine transporter, causing dopamine to accumulate in synapses and producing an intense sense of euphoria and increased alertness — this euphoric effect is precisely why cocaine is highly addictive. At high/excessive doses, its stimulant action can overshoot into toxic effects including agitation, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Evaluate Statement I: excessive cocaine causing hallucinations — consistent with known cocaine toxicity/overdose effects. TRUE. …
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.