Secondary Sexual Characters
At puberty, breasts begin to develop in girls and boys begin to grow facial hair, that is, moustaches and beard. Boys also develop hair on their chests. In both, boys and girls, hair grows under the arms and in the region above the thighs or the pubic region. As these features help to distinguish the male from the female they are called secondary sexual characters. The changes which occur in adolescence are controlled by hormones.
NCERT Notes Science for Class 8 Chapter – 7: Reaching The Age of Adolescence
NCERT Notes for Class 8 Science Chapter – 7: Reaching The Age of Adolescence: Growing up is a natural process. Growth begins from the day one is born. But upon crossing the age of 10 or 11, there is a sudden spurt in growth which becomes noticeable. The changes taking place in the body are part of growing up. They indicate that the individual is no longer a child but is on the way to becoming an adult. The period of life, when the body undergoes changes, leading to reproductive maturity, is called Adolescence.
NCERT Notes on Reaching The Age of Adolescence of Class 8 Science Chapter – 7: Adolescence begins around the age of 11 and lasts up to 18 or 19 years of age. Since this period covers the ‘teens’- 13 to 18 or 19 years of age, adolescents are also called ‘teenagers’. In girls, adolescence may begin a year or two earlier than in boys. Also, the period of adolescence varies from person to person. The human body undergoes several changes during adolescence. These changes mark the onset of Puberty. Puberty ends when an adolescent reaches reproductive maturity.