Science (086) — CBSE Class 10 board question

(a) Fertilisation is the fusion of the male germ-cell (from pollen grain) with the female germ-cell (egg cell) present in the ovule, resulting in the formation of a zygote.

(b) After fertilisation:

• Zygote → divides repeatedly to form an embryo inside the ovule.
• Ovule → develops a tough coat and becomes a seed.
• Ovary → grows rapidly and ripens to form a fruit.
• Stamens (along with petals, sepals, style, and stigma) → shrivel and fall off.

Source: Chapter 7, Section 7.3.2 – Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

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• (a) is 1 mark — one clear sentence defining fertilisation as fusion of germ-cells to form a zygote is sufficient.
• (b) is 2 marks — examiners expect all four structures listed. Present them as bullet points for clarity; this avoids missing any. Use the exact textbook terms: embryo, seed, fruit, fall off.
• A common mistake is writing only zygote → embryo and ignoring ovule → seed or ovary → fruit. All four changes must be stated to score full marks.