(a) Define Puberty. List any two changes seen in boys at the time of puberty.
(b) Why are testes in human males located outside the abdominal cavity in scrotum ?
(c) List any three techniques of contraception used by humans. Which one of these is not meant for males ?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:45 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(a) Puberty is the period during adolescence when the reproductive tissues begin to mature and the body shows sexual maturation. It marks the transition from childhood to sexual maturity.
Two changes in boys at puberty:
- Thick hair growth on the face; voice begins to crack.
- The penis occasionally becomes erect; new hair appears in armpits and genital area.
(b) The testes are located outside the abdominal cavity in the scrotum because sperm formation requires a lower temperature than the normal body temperature. The scrotum provides this cooler environment necessary for spermatogenesis.
(c) Three techniques of contraception:
- Mechanical barrier – condom (male) or vaginal covering (female)
- Oral contraceptive pills – change hormonal balance to prevent egg release
- Copper-T / loop – placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy
Oral contraceptive pills are not meant for males; they are taken by females.
Source: Chapter 7 – Reproduction in Human Beings, Sections 7.3.3(a) and 7.3.3(d)
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Explanation
- (a) Puberty definition must mention "adolescence" and "sexual maturation/reproductive tissue maturation." Pick two distinct changes specific to boys (not common ones like underarm hair).
- (b) The one-line reason — lower temperature than body temperature — is the exact textbook phrasing; examiners expect it verbatim.
- (c) Name three methods from different categories. The question specifically asks which is not for males — oral pills (hormonal pills) are the safest answer here, as condoms and vasectomy are male methods; copper-T and pills are female. Avoid naming vasectomy/tubectomy as one of the three unless you also answer the sub-part correctly.