CHAPTER 1 – THE NATURE OF LIFE

THE NATURE OF LIFE

MARS VS EARTH (WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?!?)

THE NATURE OF LIFE BIOLOGY – THE STUDY OF LIVING THINGS

THE NATURE OF LIFE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ALIVE?? – THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER/DEFINITION TO THIS QUESTION…SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIGURE OUT IF SOMETHING IS “ALIVE”??

THE NATURE OF LIFE WE DEFINE SOMETHING AS BEING ALIVE (AN ORGANISM) IF IT HAS THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: – LIVING THINGS ARE HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND CONTAIN MANY COMPLEX CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES – LIVING THINGS ARE MADE UP OF ONE OR MORE CELLS – LIVING THINGS USE ENERGY – LIVING THINGS HAVE A DEFINITE FORM AND A LIMITED SIZE – LIVING THINGS HAVE A LIMITED LIFE SPAN – LIVING THINGS GROW – LIVING THINGS RESPOND TO CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT – LIVING THINGS ARE ARE ABLE TO REPRODUCE – GROUPS OF LIVING THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME (EVOLUTION)

THE NATURE OF LIFE SAY HELLO TO THE EBOLA VIRUS… – IS IT ALIVE?? – DOES IT MEET ALL THE CRITERIA MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY??

THE NATURE OF LIFE WE DEFINE SOMETHING AS BEING ALIVE (AN ORGANISM) IF IT HAS THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: – LIVING THINGS ARE HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND CONTAIN MANY COMPLEX CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES - CHECK – LIVING THINGS ARE MADE UP OF ONE OR MORE CELLS - CHECK – LIVING THINGS USE ENERGY - CHECK – LIVING THINGS HAVE A DEFINITE FORM AND A LIMITED SIZE - CHECK – LIVING THINGS HAVE A LIMITED LIFE SPAN - CHECK – LIVING THINGS GROW - CHECK – LIVING THINGS RESPOND TO CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT - CHECK – LIVING THINGS ARE ARE ABLE TO REPRODUCE – FAIL!!

THE NATURE OF LIFE NON-LIVING THINGS MAY EXHIBIT SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS LISTED, BUT UNLESS ALL OF THEM ARE PRESENT…IT IS CONSIDERED A NONLIVING THING

THE NATURE OF LIFE ANOTHER WAY TO DETERMINE IF SOMETHING IS LIVING IS IF IT PERFORMS ALL OF THE… LIFE PROCESSES

THE NATURE OF LIFE LIFE PROCESSES = H.N.T.R.S.G.E.R.M.R. (“HUNTERS GERMER”)

THE NATURE OF LIFE H = HOMEOSTASIS N = NUTRITION T = TRANSPORT R = RESPIRATION S = SYNTHESIS G = GROWTH E = EXCRETION R = REGULATION M = METABOLISM R = REPRODUCTION

THE NATURE OF LIFE HOMEOSTASIS – MAINTAINING A STABLE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT – “FEEDBACK” MECHANISMS

THE NATURE OF LIFE NUTRITION – TAKING MATERIALS FROM THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND TURNING THEM INTO FORMS YOU CAN USE – AUTOTROPHIC VS. HETEROTROPHIC – INGESTION VS. DIGESTION VS. EGESTION

THE NATURE OF LIFE TRANSPORT – THE PROCESS BY WHICH SUBSTANCES ENTER AND LEAVE CELLS AND BECOME DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE CELLS – *CIRCULATORY SYSTEM* SPECIALIZED SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR TRANSPORT

THE NATURE OF LIFE RESPIRATION – BREATHING VS. CELLULAR RESPIRATION – AEROBIC VS. ANAEROBIC

THE NATURE OF LIFE SYNTHESIS – COMBINING SIMPLE SUBSTANCES TO FORM LARGER, MORE COMPLEX SUBSTANCES

THE NATURE OF LIFE GROWTH – PROCESS BY WHICH ORGANISMS INCREASE IN SIZE (EITHER # OF CELLS, OR SIZE OF CELL)

THE NATURE OF LIFE EXCRETION – THE REMOVAL OF METABOLIC WASTES

THE NATURE OF LIFE REGULATION – ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT HELP AN ORGANISM MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS – A.K.A “RESPONSE”

THE NATURE OF LIFE METABOLISM – ALL THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS (RxNS) THAT OCCUR IN THE BODY

THE NATURE OF LIFE REPRODUCTION – THE PROCESS BY WHICH LIVING THINGS PRODUCE NEW ORGANISMS OF THEIR OWN KIND – ASEXUAL VS. SEXUAL – *ONLY PROCESS THAT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR INDIVIDUAL*

THE NATURE OF LIFE ALWAYS REMEMBER… H.N.T.R.S.G.E.R.M.R

THE NATURE OF LIFE NEXT TIME… WE TALK ABOUT WHY I, AND YOU, LOVE SCIENCE LEARN TO THINK, AND ACT, LIKE A SCIENTIST