Characteristics of Living Things

What is Biology?What is Biology?

1. The study of living things (organisms)

2. The study of interactions of living things

3. -life -study ofologybio

Intro to the Characteristics of LifeIntro to the Characteristics of Life

8 Characteristics of Life8 Characteristics of Life

Living Things are:

1. Made up of Cells

a) _______: Collection of living material enclosed within a barrier

b) Cells are basic unit of life

_______________: made up of one cell

_________________: made up of many cells

Unicellular

MulticellularCell

Unicellular

Multicellular

Muscle cell Smooth muscle tissue Stomach Digestive system

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c) Levels of organization

Cells have an ________________________

Ex: cells make up tissues, tissues make up organs, and organs make up systems

orderly structure

2. Reproduce:

a) produce offspring which resemble parents

______________ Reproduction: has only one parent, same

DNA

_____________ Reproduction: requires two parents

Asexual

Sexual

Asexual

Sexual

3. Grow and Develop

a) __________________: increase in size and shape

b) __________________________: mature over time

c) living things have a lifespan

Growth

Development

Growth

Growth

Development

4. Livings things are based on a universal genetic code

a) _____________- DeoxyriboNucleic Acid

b) _____________- RiboNucleic Acid

c) determines inherited traits from parents

DNA

RNA

5. Use/Need Energy

a) Energy comes from food, used to maintain body

___________________: produce their own food

___________________: must consume food

__________________: break down dead material for food

b) Chemical reactions of life are called

________________

Autotroph

Heterotroph

Decomposer

metabolism

6. Respond to their surroundings

a.) they react to a ______________________

(a signal)

b.) an action causes a

__________________; which is

called a ___________________

stimulus

reaction

response

7. Maintain a stable internal environment

a) _______________________- process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment

EX: sweating, panting, shivering, etc.

Homeostasis

8. Adapt & Evolve

a) Any structure, behavior, or internal process that helps an organism survive (usually from previous generations) is called an _______________________________

b) _____________________: Accumulation of adaptations (change) in a population over time; these changes take place over a long period of time involving the entire species

adaptation

Evolution

Characteristic Examples

Living things are made up of units called cells.

Living things reproduce.

Living things are based on a universal genetic code.

Living things grow and develop.

Living things obtain and use materials and energy.

Living things respond to their environment.

Living things maintain a stable internal environment.

Taken as a group, living things change over time.

Many microorganisms consist of only a single cell. Animals and trees are multicellular.

Maple trees reproduce sexually. A hydra can reproduce asexually by budding.

Flies produce flies. Dogs produce dogs. Seeds from maple trees produce maple trees.

Flies begin life as eggs, then become maggots, and then become adult flies.

Plants obtain their energy from sunlight. Animals obtain their energy from the food they eat.

Leaves and stems of plants grow toward light.

Despite changes in the temperature of the environment, a robin maintains a constant body temperature.

Plants that live in the desert survive because they have become adapted to the conditions of the desert.

Characteristics of Living Things

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So, let’s see what we’ve learned so far…

The following are all examples of the characteristics of life. Identify each one.

A. Adapt D. genetic code G. Respond to stimulus

B. Made of cells E. Grow and develop H. Homeostasis

C. Reproduce F. Use/need energy

1. You eat a hamburger for lunch.

2. A baby gains 3 pounds in one week and begins to recognize voices.

3. A polar bear has white fur to blend in with the snow.

4. Your start to cry whenever you get a shot at the doctor’s office.

5. You begin to shiver because it is cold outside.

E, F

E, G

A

G

H,G