Question

Define nutrition. Explain the process of nutrition in amoeba.

Answer 1

Nutrition is a process by which a living organism takes in food and utilises it to derive energy. The organism requires energy for its growth and overall development.
Nutrition in amoeba also follows the steps listed:

1. Ingestion: The amoeba engulfs food particles using its pseudopodia. It forms a food vacuole around the food particle.
2. Digestion: The food is then digested within the food vacuole by digestive enzymes. The digestion occurs within the cell and is known as intracellular digestion.
3. Absorption: The digested food spreads out throughout the amoeba from the food vacuole by the process of diffusion.
4. Assimilation: The absorbed food is then used to provide energy for life processes.
5. Egestion: When a large amount of undigested food material is left in the amoeba, the cell wall ruptures and the waste material is thrown out of its body.