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Define Life Create a list of characteristics associated with life--what tells you that something is alive?

What is biology? The study of living things All living things share certain characteristics

Characteristics of Living Things

1.Contain Carbon Remember Organic compounds

2. Composed of 1 or more cells Unicellular (one cell) - ex. Bacteria Multicellular (many cells) - ex. Animals, plants

3. Require energy to survive Autotrophs - get energy from sun Heterotrophs - get energy by consuming nutrients from their environment

4. All living things reproduce Sexual - two sex cells required (sperm and egg) Asexual - only one parent cell is needed

5. Grow and develop Each cell divides to make new cells (cell division) – results in growth Some cells become specialized and perform different jobs than others (differentiation)

6. Respond to stimuli in their environment Stimuli - factors in the environment that living things react to (ex. Light, temperature, sound, etc.)

7. Adapt to their environment and evolve over time Evolution - gradual change in a population of organisms over time Individuals DO NOT evolve

8. Maintain homeostasis Homeostasis – a relatively stable internal environment (within a certain range) - (ex. Human body temperature (approximately 98.6 degrees F))

9. Have a universal genetic code All living things have DNA DNA passes on genetic information from one generation to the next

Do you think there is life elsewhere in the universe? Take a couple minutes to think about what you think and explain WHY you think that. Click me

ASTROBIOLOGY *study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe Studying ways to look for life on other planets or moons. dia_id=

WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR LIFE?

1. Temperature Range Must be between -15 o C to 115 o C (5 o F-239 o F) Allows us to maintain average body temp (98.6 o F/37 o C) and keeps water in a liquid state

2. Liquid Water Water transports & delivers dissolved chemicals as well as being a chemical reactant itself. Cells are mostly water

3. Atmosphere Atmospheres protect planets from UV rays and smaller meteorite impacts. Provides some biochemicals/ gases (ex. carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, etc)

4. Energy All life needs a source of energy Sun – light energy -> plants ->animals Chemical energy – from volcanoes, lightning, organic compounds, etc.

5. Nutrients Nutrients are the raw materials organisms need to construct and maintain their bodies

Extra: Magnetic Field/Magnetosphere Earth’s magnetic field protects us from ions & solar wind that would kill all living things

Temperature range – (about -15 o C to 115 o C/ 5 o F- 239 o F) Allows us to maintain average body temp. (98.6 o F/ 37 o C) and keeps water in a relatively liquid state Liquid water – (1) allows nutrients to circulate through the body (2) regulate body temp. (3) cells are mostly water *It transports and delivers dissolved chemicals Atmosphere – insulates and protects from u.v. radiation/sunlight and smaller meteorite impacts also provides some biochemicals/ gases (C, O, N, etc.) Energy – light or chemical energy to run life processes Nutrients – raw materials organisms need to construct and maintain their bodies Magnetic field/magnetosphere – protects us from ions and solar winds (cosmic rays) that can cause cancer and/or death.

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Link to Video: Can We Make It To Mars? *Click the picture or the link below to view