Greetings to all, today we are going to upload the Reaching The Age of Adolescence Class 8 PDF to assist you all. Adolescence is the period of growth in life, when the body experiences certain changes, leading to reproductive adulthood. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as a period between the ages of eleven and eighteen or nineteen years of age. Therefore adolescence happens between childhood and adulthood. The human body experiences several transformations during adolescence. These evolutions mark the onset of puberty.
Puberty is the phase wherein the reproductive organs of a human body become functionally active. Puberty ends when an adolescent reaches reproductive adulthood.
Reaching The Age of Adolescence Class 8 PDF- Notes
Adolescence
The period of life when the body undergoes changes leading to reproductive maturity is called adolescence. It begins around the age of 11 and lasts up to 18 or 19 years of age. Since this period covers the teens (13 to 19 years of age) adolescents are also called teenagers. In girls, adolescence may begin a year or two earlier than boys but the period of adolescence varies from person to person.
Puberty
These changes in the human body during adolescence mark the onset of puberty. The most important change which marks puberty is that boys and girls become capable of reproduction and it ends when an adolescent reaches reproductive maturity.
Changes at Puberty
Increase in Height
The sudden increase in height is one of the most noticeable changes during puberty. At this time the long bones of the arms and the legs elongate and make a person tall. Initially girls grow faster than boys but by about 18 years of age both reach their maximum height. The rate of growth in height varies in different individuals. Height depends on the genes inherited from parents. Having a well-balanced diet helps the bones, muscles and other parts of the body get adequate nourishment for growth.
Change in Body Shape
In boys, the shoulders generally broaden as a result of growth whereas in girls the region below the waist becomes wider. In boys, the muscles of the body grow more prominently than in girls.
Voice Change
At puberty, the voice box or the larynx begins to grow and because the boys develop larger voice boxes it can be seen as a protruding part of the throat called Adam’s apple. In girls, the larynx is hardly visible from the outside because of its small size. Girls generally have a high pitched voice whereas boys develop a deep voice.
Increased Activity of Sweat and Sebaceous Glands
During puberty, the secretion of sweat glands and sebaceous glands (oil glands) increases due to which many young people get acne and pimples on the face.
Development of Sex Organs
At puberty, male sex organs like the testes and penis develop completely. In girls, the ovaries enlarge, eggs begin to mature and the ovaries start releasing mature eggs.
Reaching Mental, Intellectual, and Emotional Maturity
Adolescents become more independent than before and are also self-conscious. Intellectual development takes place and they tend to spend considerable time thinking and dreaming. It is the time in one’s life when the brain has the greatest capacity for learning. Sometimes an adolescent may feel insecure while trying to adjust to the changes in the body and mind. But these changes are a natural part of growing up.
Secondary Sexual Characters
In girls, breasts begin to develop at puberty and boys grow facial hair and hair on the chest. As these features help distinguish the male from a female they are called secondary sexual characters. In both boys and girls, hair grows under the arms and in the pubic region.
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