What is Life?

Identifying Life Scientists look for common traits (specific feature of something) to identify something as a living organism. An organism is a living thing that has all of the traits of life.

1) Organisms Respond to their Environment The Five Traits of Life 1) Organisms Respond to their Environment

The Five Traits of Life 2) Organisms Move

The Five Traits of Life Living Things Show Organization (cell: smallest unit of life in a living thing) Blood cell

The Five Traits of Life 4) Organisms Reproduce

5) Organisms Grow and Develop The Five Traits of Life 5) Organisms Grow and Develop

Basic Needs of Living Things 1) Living things need energy.

Basic Needs of Living Things 2) Living things need water.

Basic Needs of Living Things 3) Living things need oxygen.

Basic Needs of Living Things 4) Living things need minerals.

Members of the genus Felis Classifying Life Classification is the grouping of objects or information based on common traits. Members of the genus Felis

The Six Kingdoms All organisms on Earth have been separated into six large groups called kingdoms. Archaebacteria Eubacteria Protists Fungi Plant Animal

Eubacteria “true bacteria” Single celled Some make their own food, some take in food Some cause disease, some are helpful

Archaebacteria Bacteria that live in extreme environments (hot springs, salty lakes, extreme cold/heat…) Get energy by taking in chemicals from their surroundings Hot spring (yellow patches are mats of microbial growth) Rabbit Creek, Yellowstone National Park

(ex.- diatoms, euglena, amoeba, paramecium, seaweed…) Protists (ex.- diatoms, euglena, amoeba, paramecium, seaweed…) Classified based on their cell structure Some single celled, some many celled Some move Some obtain energy from eating food; some make their own food “Plantlike” protists Plantlike (green, brown, red algae) Use sun’s energy to make food “Animal like” protists Single celled Move/take in food like animals Some cause disease (like malaria)

(ex.- mushrooms, truffles, morels, bread mold, …) Fungi (ex.- mushrooms, truffles, morels, bread mold, …) Single-celled and many celled Do not move around Obtain energy by feeding on decaying tissue Used in making some medicines (like penicillin) Some cause animal diseases (ringworm, athlete’s foot…)

(Ex.- trees, grass, bushes, ferns…) Plants (Ex.- trees, grass, bushes, ferns…) Many celled Do not move around Make their own food (contain chlorophyll)

(ex.- monkey, bird, human, sponge, jellyfish…) Animals (ex.- monkey, bird, human, sponge, jellyfish…) Many celled Most move around Get energy by eating food

Viruses (Cause flu, cancers, colds, cold sores, chicken pox, Hepatitis B, AIDS, …) Virus: particle that has things in common with both living and nonliving things Able to reproduce only inside living cell Infect bacteria, plants, and animals

Viruses & Vaccines Most can’t be treated Most can be prevented with vaccines (made from dead or weak viruses- given by mouth or by injection) Many states require vaccines for polio, measles, and mumps