Question

List four important changes during adolescence.

Answer 1

Adolescence:

1. It is a period of increased physical growth and a number of physical, hormonal, behavioral, and psychological changes.
2. It is also a period of intellectual development and emotional changes due to the increased production of hormones.
3. During the adolescence period, some physical changes are observed such as an increase in height, change in voice, change in body shape, development of sex organs, etc.

Four important changes during adolescence are:

Increase in height:

1. There is a sudden increase in height as the bones of arms and legs elongate.
2. Initially, the girls grow faster than the boys but by the age of 18, both boys and girls reach their maximum height.

Change in voice:

1. There is a change in the voice of the boys due to the enlargement of the voice box (also called the larynx).
2. The voice box becomes visible outside the throat region as a small protuberance called Adam's apple.
3. Due to this boys generally develop a deep voice. There is no such change in the girls and they normally have a high-pitched voice.

Changes in body shape:

1. Distinct changes occur in the body shape of boys and girls.
2. In boys, the body becomes muscular, the chest becomes wider and the shoulders become broader. In girls, the hips become larger, the waist becomes narrower and breasts start developing.

Development of sex organs:

1. In boys, the testes mature and start producing sperms.
2. In girls, ovaries mature and start producing ova or eggs. Only one ovum matures in a month and the menstrual cycle begins.