NCERT Book Class 8 Science Chapter 7 Reaching the Age of Adolescence

REACHING THE AGE OF ADOLESCENCE

I
n the previous chapter, you have no longer a child but are on the way to
learnt how animals reproduce. It is becoming an adult.
only after ‘growing up’ to a certain
age that human beings and many other
animals can reproduce. Why can I wonder how long this
humans reproduce only after a certain period marked by changes
age? in the body will last!
In this chapter, you will learn about
changes that take place in the human
body after which a person becomes
capable of reproduction. It is a strange period of life
In Chapter 6, you have learnt about when you are neither a child nor
human reproductive organs. Here, we an adult. I wonder whether this
shall discuss the role that hormones play period between childhood and
in bringing about changes that make a adulthood had a special name!
child grow into an adult.
Growing up is a natural process. The
7.1 Adolescence and Puberty period of life, when the body undergoes
changes, leading to reproductive
Boojho was celebrating his 12th
maturity, is called adolescence.
birthday. After his friends left, Boojho
Adolescence begins around the age of
and Paheli began chatting with their
11 and lasts upto 18 or 19 years of age.
parents. Paheli studies in an all-girls
Since this period covers the ‘teens’ (13
school. She started laughing. She
to 18 or 19 years of age), adolescents
remarked that many of Boojho’s school are also called ‘teenagers’. In girls,
friends, whom she met after a year, had adolescence may begin a year or two
suddenly shot up in height. Some of earlier than in boys. Also, the period of
them were looking very funny with a adolescence varies from person to person.
hairy line above their lips. Her mother The human body undergoes several
explained that the boys had grown up. changes during adolescence. These
Growth begins from the day one is changes mark the onset of puberty. The
born. But upon crossing the age of 10 most important change which marks
or 11, there is a sudden spurt in growth puberty is that boys and girls become
which becomes noticeable. The changes capable of reproduction. Puberty ends
taking place in the body are part of when an adolescent reaches reproductive
growing up. They indicate that you are maturity.