Question

The purpose of locomotion is to search for
A. Food
B. Shelter
C. Mate
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Locomotion is the movement of organisms from one place to another. Locomotion takes place with the help of locomotory organs. It can occur in land, air and water. Locomotion typically takes place in animals. Animals are known to move from one place to another for many reasons.

Complete answer:
Locomotion is defined as the movement of animals from one place to another. It is different from movement. In order to locomote, animals must move from one place to another. Movement, on the other hand, is when living organisms move a part of their body without changing its place. Plants show movement, but animals locomote.

Locomotion takes place for many reasons, some of which is described below:
> To find food: Food is the key to survival for animals. Food substances are ingested by animals, absorbed and assimilated by the organs of the digestive system. The assimilation of the nutrients present in food provide the organisms with energy to sustain life, grow and carry out the basic life processes. Animals locomotive find food. Plants make their own food by the process of photosynthesis.
> To find a potential mate: Living organisms need to reproduce in order to prevent the extinction of their families. Reproduction can be sexual or asexual. Animals that reproduce sexually need to find a mate. It is always not possible to find a potential mate in the area in which the animal is staying. Therefore, in order to find potential mates, animals need to move from one place to another.
> To find shelter: Shelter is known as habitat in ecology. It is a place where an animal can stay or makes its home. Habitat provides an animal with food, mates for reproduction and protection from its predators. The soil, temperature, moisture and light are the physical factors that affect the habitat of an animal. Habitat requirements of each animal differ with changing physical factors. Therefore, an animal locomotes in search of a suitable habitat.
Therefore, we can conclude that locomotion in animals takes place to find a suitable mate, shelter and to find food.

Hence, option (D) is correct.

Note: Locomotion is the movement of animals from one place to another. Locomotion takes place in animals only. However, certain animals like Sponges do not locomote. They spend their lives attached to a substratum and are known as sessile animals. Plants show movement of their body parts like, stems and roots, but they do not locomote. Animals locomote to find shelter, food and potential mates.