Complete Solutions and Summary of Health: The Ultimate Treasure – Class 8, Science, Chapter 3 – Summary, Questions, Answers, Extra Questions

Detailed summary and explanation of Chapter 3 ‘Health: The Ultimate Treasure’ with all question answers, extra questions, and solutions from Class 8, Science (Curiosity).

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Health: The Ultimate Treasure - Complete Study Guide

Chapter Overview

11.4% India's Population Diabetic

28.6% Indians Obese

100M+ People with Diabetes in India

50% Infection Reduction by Handwashing

What You'll Learn

Definition of Health

Understanding health as physical, mental, and social well-being beyond absence of disease.

Staying Healthy

Habits for maintaining health through diet, exercise, hygiene, and environment.

Diseases and Causes

Types of diseases: communicable and non-communicable, their causes and spread.

Prevention and Control

Immunity, vaccines, antibiotics, and strategies to prevent diseases.

Historical Context

This chapter explores health in India, highlighting issues like diabetes (11.4% population affected) and obesity (28.6%). It draws from ancient Ayurveda for balance and modern science, including discoveries like penicillin and vaccines by Edward Jenner. Key figures like Dr. Kamal Ranadive and Dr. Maharaj Kishan Bhan are featured for their contributions to cancer research and rotavirus vaccine.

Key Highlights

Health is a state of complete well-being (WHO). Communicable diseases spread via air, water, food, vectors; non-communicable from lifestyle. Prevention through hygiene, vaccines, balanced diet. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern.

Comprehensive Chapter Summary

1. Introduction to Health

The chapter begins with bulletin board clippings on health issues like diabetes, obesity, air pollution, and screen time effects. It poses probe and ponder questions on body responses to infections, disease shifts, climate change impacts, emotional effects, and unequal disease burdens.

2. Health: More Than Not Falling Sick

WHO Definition

Health is complete physical, mental, social well-being, not just absence of disease. A healthy person performs efficiently and adjusts socially.

Activity 3.1

Story of a lonely student affected by excessive screen time; counseling and reduced screen time improved health.

Ayurveda Heritage

Balance of body, mind, surroundings via dinacharya, ritucharya, fresh food, exercise, yoga, meditation.

3. Staying Healthy

Healthy Habits

Activity 3.2: List good habits (hygiene, balanced diet, exercise) and bad ones (excess screen time, junk food, late sleep).

Lifestyle Tips

Eat balanced diet, stay active, limit screens, get sleep, practice yoga, avoid harmful substances.

Environment

Activity 3.3: Compare clean vs polluted playgrounds; clean air/water via AQI reduces health risks.

4. Recognizing Unwellness

Symptoms vs Signs

Symptoms: Felt (pain, tiredness); Signs: Measured (fever, rash).

5. Diseases: Causes and Types

Communicable

Caused by pathogens (bacteria, viruses, etc.); spread via air, water, food, vectors. Examples: Cold, typhoid, malaria.

Non-Communicable

Lifestyle/diet linked: Diabetes, cancer, asthma; deficiency like scurvy; chronic (>3 months).

6. Prevention and Control

Immunity and Vaccines

Immune system fights diseases; vaccines provide acquired immunity. Jenner’s smallpox vaccine; India’s variolation.

Treatment

Antibiotics for bacteria; resistance from overuse. Traditional systems like Ayurveda for well-being.

Odisha Campaign

Activity 3.6: Sanitation reduced diarrhoea; community initiatives impact health.

7. Scientists and Innovations

Dr. Ranadive on cancer; Dr. Bhan on rotavirus vaccine; Penicillin by Fleming; antibiotic resistance infographics.

Questions and Answers from Chapter

Short Questions

Q1. How does your body respond to an infection such as common cold?

Answer: The body shows symptoms like nasal congestion, sore throat, fever, cough.

Q2. We rarely see cases of smallpox or polio these days, but diseases like diabetes and heart problems are more common. Why?

Answer: Due to vaccinations for smallpox/polio; lifestyle changes cause more NCDs.

Q3. Could climate change lead to new types of diseases?

Answer: Yes, by altering vector habitats and spreading diseases.

Q4. How do emotions like stress or worry affect us and make us sick?

Answer: They weaken immunity and cause headaches, sleep issues.

Q5. Why do some groups of people get affected more than others during disease outbreaks?

Answer: Due to environment, nutrition, immunity differences.

Q6. What was the cause of the boy’s health problems?

Answer: Loneliness and excessive screen time.

Q7. List some good habits that your parents, teachers, or elders often encourage you to follow.

Answer: Hygiene, balanced diet, exercise, meditation.

Q8. Which playground would you like to play in, and why?

Answer: Clean one, as it's hygienic and safe.

Q9. Group the diseases shown in the images as communicable or non-communicable.

Answer: Communicable: Cold/flu, typhoid, chickenpox; Non: Diabetes, asthma.

Q10. From the options given below, identify the non-communicable diseases.

Answer: Asthma and diabetes.

Q11. In which three months were the dengue cases highest?

Answer: July, August, September.

Q12. In which month(s) were the cases lowest?

Answer: January.

Q13. What natural or environmental factors during the peak months might contribute to the increase in dengue cases?

Answer: Monsoon rains creating mosquito breeding sites.

Q14. It is recommended that we should not take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold, a cough, or flu. Can you provide the possible reason for this recommendation?

Answer: Antibiotics don't work on viruses.

Q15. Which disease(s) among the following may spread if drinking water gets contaminated by the excreta from an infected person?

Answer: Hepatitis A, cholera, poliomyelitis.

Medium Questions

Q1. There is a flu outbreak in your school. Several classmates are absent, while some are still coming to school coughing and sneezing. (i) What immediate actions should the school take to prevent further spread?

Answer: Isolate sick students, enforce mask-wearing, promote handwashing, sanitize surfaces. (3 marks)

Q2. There is a flu outbreak in your school. Several classmates are absent, while some are still coming to school coughing and sneezing. (ii) If your classmate, who shares the bench with you, starts showing symptoms of the flu, how can you respond in a considerate way without being rude or hurtful?

Answer: Politely suggest they go home, offer mask, maintain distance kindly. (3 marks)

Q3. There is a flu outbreak in your school. Several classmates are absent, while some are still coming to school coughing and sneezing. (iii) How can you protect yourself and others from getting infected in this situation?

Answer: Wear mask, wash hands, avoid touching face, get vaccinated if available. (3 marks)

Q4. Your family is planning to travel to another city where malaria is prevalent. (i) What precautions should you take before, during, and after the trip?

Answer: Use repellents, nets; take antimalarials; avoid mosquito areas. (3 marks)

Q5. Your family is planning to travel to another city where malaria is prevalent. (ii) How can you explain the importance of mosquito nets or repellents to your sibling?

Answer: They prevent bites from malaria-carrying mosquitoes, keeping us safe. (3 marks)

Q6. Your family is planning to travel to another city where malaria is prevalent. (iii) What could happen if travellers ignore health advisories in such areas?

Answer: Risk of infection, fever, chills; potential spread to others. (3 marks)

Q7. Your uncle has started smoking just to fit in with his friends, even though it is well known that smoking can seriously harm health and even cause death. (i) What would you say to him to make him stop, without being rude?

Answer: Express concern for health, suggest alternatives like exercise. (3 marks)

Q8. Your uncle has started smoking just to fit in with his friends, even though it is well known that smoking can seriously harm health and even cause death. (ii) What would you do if your friend offers you a cigarette at a party?

Answer: Politely refuse, explain health risks. (3 marks)

Q9. Your uncle has started smoking just to fit in with his friends, even though it is well known that smoking can seriously harm health and even cause death. (iii) How can schools help prevent students from indulging in such harmful habits?

Answer: Awareness campaigns, counseling, promote healthy activities. (3 marks)

Q10. Saniya claims to her friend Vinita that “Antibiotics can cure any infection, so we don’t need to worry about diseases.” What question(s) can Vinita ask her to help Saniya understand that her statement is incorrect?

Answer: Do antibiotics work on viruses? What about resistance? (3 marks)

Q11. Suggest a few preventive steps that the community or government can take before the peak season to reduce the spread of dengue.

Answer: Eliminate breeding sites, fogging, awareness campaigns. (3 marks)

Q12. Imagine you are in charge of a school health campaign. What key messages would you use to reduce communicable and non-communicable diseases?

Answer: Hygiene, balanced diet, exercise, vaccination. (3 marks)

Q13. When our body encounters a pathogen for the first time, the immune response is generally low but on exposure to the same pathogen again, the immune response by the body is much more compared to the first exposure. Why is it so?

Answer: Memory cells provide faster response on re-exposure. (3 marks)

Q14. Find out the three most common lifestyle-related diseases in your neighbourhood.

Answer: Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure. (3 marks)

Q15. What do you infer from this case study? [Odisha sanitation]

Answer: Good sanitation reduces communicable diseases like diarrhoea. (3 marks)

Long Questions

Q1. How does your body respond to an infection such as common cold? We rarely see cases of smallpox or polio these days, but diseases like diabetes and heart problems are more common. Why? Could climate change lead to new types of diseases?

Answer: The body responds to common cold with symptoms like nasal congestion, sore throat, fever, cough, body ache as the immune system fights the virus. Smallpox and polio are rare due to successful vaccination programs eradicating or controlling them, while diabetes and heart diseases are more common because of modern lifestyle changes like processed foods, less exercise, and longer lifespans leading to non-communicable diseases. Climate change can lead to new diseases by altering environments, allowing vectors like mosquitoes to spread to new areas, increasing risks of diseases like malaria or dengue in previously unaffected regions.

Q2. How do emotions like stress or worry affect us and make us sick? Why do some groups of people get affected more than others during disease outbreaks?

Answer: Emotions like stress or worry weaken the immune system, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches, weight loss, insomnia, and increased susceptibility to illnesses. They disrupt hormonal balance and can exacerbate conditions like anxiety or depression. Some groups are more affected during outbreaks due to factors like poor nutrition, overcrowded living, limited access to healthcare, lower immunity from pre-existing conditions, or environmental exposures, making them more vulnerable to pathogens.

Q3. There is a flu outbreak in your school. Several classmates are absent, while some are still coming to school coughing and sneezing. What immediate actions should the school take to prevent further spread? If your classmate, who shares the bench with you, starts showing symptoms of the flu, how can you respond in a considerate way without being rude or hurtful? How can you protect yourself and others from getting infected in this situation?

Answer: The school should isolate symptomatic students, enforce mask-wearing and handwashing, sanitize surfaces, promote vaccination, and possibly shift to online classes temporarily. For the classmate, kindly suggest they see the nurse or go home to rest, offer a mask if available, and express concern for their well-being. To protect yourself and others, wear a mask, wash hands frequently, avoid close contact, cover coughs/sneezes, and stay home if unwell.

Q4. Your family is planning to travel to another city where malaria is prevalent. What precautions should you take before, during, and after the trip? How can you explain the importance of mosquito nets or repellents to your sibling? What could happen if travellers ignore health advisories in such areas?

Answer: Before: Consult doctor for antimalarials, get vaccinations if needed, pack repellents/nets. During: Use repellents, wear long sleeves, avoid dusk/dawn outdoors. After: Monitor for symptoms like fever, seek medical help if needed. Explain to sibling that nets/repellents block mosquito bites carrying malaria parasites, preventing serious illness. Ignoring advisories can lead to infection, high fever, chills, organ damage, or death, and spread to others.

Q5. Your uncle has started smoking just to fit in with his friends, even though it is well known that smoking can seriously harm health and even cause death. What would you say to him to make him stop, without being rude? What would you do if your friend offers you a cigarette at a party? How can schools help prevent students from indulging in such harmful habits?

Answer: To uncle: Express care, share facts on lung cancer/heart disease risks, suggest quitting support like apps or groups. If friend offers cigarette: Politely decline, say you're focused on health, change subject. Schools can help via awareness programs on tobacco harms, counseling sessions, promote sports/extracurriculars, enforce no-smoking policies, and involve parents.

Q6. Saniya claims to her friend Vinita that “Antibiotics can cure any infection, so we don’t need to worry about diseases.” What question(s) can Vinita ask her to help Saniya understand that her statement is incorrect? It is recommended that we should not take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold, a cough, or flu. Can you provide the possible reason for this recommendation?

Answer: Vinita can ask: Do antibiotics work on viruses like cold/flu? What about antibiotic resistance from overuse? The reason is antibiotics target bacteria, not viruses; using them for viruses promotes resistance, making bacterial infections harder to treat, leading to prolonged illness or complications.

Q7. The following table contains information about the number of dengue cases reported in a hospital over a period of one year: Make a bar graph... In which three months were the dengue cases highest? In which month(s) were the cases lowest? What natural or environmental factors during the peak months might contribute to the increase in dengue cases?

Answer: Highest: July, August, September (65 cases each). Lowest: January (10 cases). Factors: Monsoon rains create stagnant water for mosquito breeding, higher humidity aids vector survival, leading to more bites and transmission.

Q8. Suggest a few preventive steps that the community or government can take before the peak season to reduce the spread of dengue. Imagine you are in charge of a school health campaign. What key messages would you use to reduce communicable and non-communicable diseases?

Answer: Steps: Drain stagnant water, insecticide spraying, public awareness on repellents/nets. Campaign messages: Wash hands to prevent spread, eat balanced diet/exercise for NCDs, vaccinate, avoid junk food/smoking, maintain hygiene/environment cleanliness.

Q9. When our body encounters a pathogen for the first time, the immune response is generally low but on exposure to the same pathogen again, the immune response by the body is much more compared to the first exposure. Why is it so? Group the diseases shown in the images as communicable or non-communicable.

Answer: Due to memory cells formed after first exposure, enabling faster/stronger response on re-exposure. Communicable: Cold/flu, typhoid, chickenpox; Non-communicable: Diabetes, asthma.

Q10. From the options given below, identify the non-communicable diseases. Which disease(s) among the following may spread if drinking water gets contaminated by the excreta from an infected person?

Answer: Asthma, diabetes. Spread: Hepatitis A, cholera, poliomyelitis.

Q11. What was the cause of the boy’s health problems? How did his habits and surroundings affect his well-being?

Answer: Loneliness from new school, busy parents led to excessive screen time, worsening isolation, causing headaches, weight loss, insomnia. Habits (screen overuse) and surroundings (no friends) impacted mental/physical health; counseling and social integration improved it.

Q12. List some good habits that your parents, teachers, or elders often encourage you to follow. How many of these are already a part of your daily routine? Which ones would you like to start following?

Answer: Good habits: Hygiene, balanced diet, exercise, meditation, limited screens. Many like hygiene/exercise are routine; start meditation/relaxation if not. They promote overall well-being by supporting body/mind health.

Q13. Look at Fig. 3.3a and Fig. 3.3b. Which playground would you like to play in, and why? In addition to inculcating good habits and adopting a healthy lifestyle, we must keep ourselves and our surroundings clean.

Answer: Fig. 3.3a (clean), as it's hygienic, beautiful, reduces sickness risk from pollution/flies. Clean surroundings prevent diseases, improve air quality, support mental health through better environments.

Q14. Find out the three most common lifestyle-related diseases in your neighbourhood. Talk to a doctor, nurse, health worker or even a family member who knows about health and what kind of lifestyle changes can help prevent or manage these diseases.

Answer: Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure. Changes: Balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, avoid junk food/smoking. These reduce risks by maintaining weight, blood sugar, pressure levels.

Q15. What do you infer from this case study? [Odisha sanitation] Find about such community campaigns held in your location. Share in your class and discuss with your peers about the impact of such initiatives.

Answer: Sanitation reduces open defecation, lowers diarrhoea/infections, improves child health. Local campaigns like Swachh Bharat promote hygiene, reduce diseases, enhance community well-being through better facilities and awareness.

This article has been published in CBSE Class 8 Annual Assessment. Explore everything related to it here.

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