CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS (Organisms)

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Are made up of cells Unicellular – organisms that are made of only one cell Multicellular – organisms that are made of more than one cell Colonial – unicellular organisms that live in a group

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Basic chemical ingredients Nucleic acids - DNA

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Reproduce to produce new organisms Sexual reproduction – two cells from different individuals combine to form the first cells of a new organism Asexual reproduction – all or part of the organism is used to make a new organism

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Growth, Development and Aging Growth – some cells get larger and other new cells are added Development – cells and body parts become specialized for certain jobs Aging – cells and body parts become damaged and cannot be repaired

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Obtain and Use Energy from Environment Anabolism – process of making complex substances from simpler substances Catabolism – breaking down complex substances into simpler substances Metabolism – sum of all of the anabolism and catabolism of an organism

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Obtain and Use Energy from Environment Autotroph – organism that can make its own food from it’s environment Heterotroph – organism that has to obtain its energy from another organism

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CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Respond to the Environment Stimulus – anything in the environment that causes a reaction from an organism Reflex – automatic response to a stimulus Behavior – learned or inherited response to a stimulus

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Respond to the Environment (continued) Homeostasis – an organism’s response to the environment that keep conditions suitable for life

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS Produces Waste