NCERT Book Class 7 Science (Curiosity) Chapter 6 Adolescence: A Stage of Growth and Change

Adolescence:
6 A Stage of Growth
and Change
The journey of a plant generally begins with the germination of a
seed. With proper nourishment, the seed becomes a sapling and
matures into a young plant. This journey is marked by some specific
changes. Some of the visible changes are an increase in its height, the
appearance of more leaves, and the development of flowers, fruits,
and new seeds. From these seeds, new plants emerge.
It is quite unlikely that a seedling will develop the capabilities
to produce its own seeds immediately after germination. It needs
to grow and reach maturity to become capable of producing
seeds. Similarly, animals also need to grow and reach maturity
before they can reproduce. Some animals lay eggs that hatch
into young ones, while others, like humans, directly give birth to
young ones. In both cases, the young ones gradually grow in size
and develop over time.