1. What Does it Mean to Be Alive?
What Are The Characteristics of Life?

2. Is Fire Alive?

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What is Biology?
Biology is the study of all living things
Living things are called organisms
Organisms include bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, & animals
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4. Characteristics of Life!
All living things share some basic properties  Eight Characteristics of Life
M  Metabolism
R  Respond to Stimuli
G  Growth & Development
R  Reproduction
U  Universal Genetic Code
C  Composed of cells (+1)
H  Homeostasis
E  Evolve & Adapt

5. METABOLISM:
All living organisms obtain & use energy to grow, develop, repair damage, and reproduce

6. Living organisms and energy…
1. PRODUCERS:
- Plants and other photosynthetic organisms
- Produce their own food (from CO2, H2O, & the sun)
upon which the entire ecosystem depends
2. CONSUMERS:
- Animals:
Obtain nutrients and energy from consuming the food made by producers

7. Anabolism Requires Energy
Process of building up complex substances from simpler substances
Building up cells and cellular components
Photosynthesis
Requires Energy

8. Catabolism ReleasesEnergy
Process of breaking down complex substances into simpler substances to release energy
Digestion
Cellular Respiration
ReleasesEnergy

9. Metabolism All chemical reactions occurring within an organism
Anabolism + Catabolism = Metabolism

10. All Living Things R e s p o n d to Their Environment
Example: A plant’s leaves and stems grow toward light
Organisms react to stimuli:
Light
Temperature
Odor
Sound
Gravity
Heat
Water
Pressure

11. ALL ORGANISMS GROW & DEVELOP
Growth & Development
ALL ORGANISMS GROW & DEVELOP
What’s the difference?

12. All Living Things Grow
Growth means to get bigger in size

13. All Living Things Develop
Development involves a change in the physical form or physiological make-up of an organism

14. All Living Things Reproduce
Reproduction is the process of producing new organisms of the same type
Asexual Reproduction
A single parent organism reproducing by itself

15. Sexual Reproduction
Two different parent organisms contribute genetic information
Involves the combination of male and female sex cells

16. Universal Genetic Code
Genes carry hereditary information
Genes are composed of DNA
Heredity is the reason children resemble their parents
Mutations change the DNA code and can be passed from generation to generation

17. Cellular Organization
Living organisms
Consist of organic molecules  organized to form cells
Cells = Life’s basic units of structure and function
Are composed of one or more cells

18. All Living Things are Made Up of Cells
Smallest unit capable of all life functions
Unicellular Organisms
Entire organism is made up of one single cell
Bacteria and protists

19. Multicellular Organisms
The organism is made up of many cells
Cells have specialized functions within the organism

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Facts About Cells
Cells are the smallest living unit of an organism
All cells contain living material called cytoplasm
All cells are surrounded by a cell membrane that controls what enters & leaves the cell
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More Cell Facts
Cells are complex & highly organized
Cells have parts called organelles that do different jobs
e.g. Chloroplasts in plants make sugars
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More Cell Facts
The simplest cells are called Prokaryotes
These cells DO NOT have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
Bacteria are examples
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More Cell Facts
More complex cells are called Eukaryotes
These cells DO have a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles
Plants, animals, protists, & fungi are examples
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24. all organisms maintain Homeostasis
A stable state of conditions in the body that are necessary for life
Body temperature
Blood volume
pH balance
Water balance

25. Living Organisms are Homeostatic
Homeostasis:
Ability of an organism to maintain relatively constant internal conditions
* Example: Temperature regulation in the human body
All organ systems contribute to homeostasis

26. All living things adapt to their environment through evolution
…and Adaptation
All living things adapt to their environment through evolution

27. All Living Things Adapt to Their
Environment Through Evolution
Adaptation
A process that enables organisms to become better suited to their environment
Species obtain adaptations through evolution, which occurs over great periods of time

28. An Example of Adaptation
Desert plants have succulent waxy leaves and stems to store water and reduce water loss

29. Characteristics of Life!
All living things share some basic properties  Eight Characteristics of Life
M  Metabolism
R  Respond to Stimuli
G  Growth & Development
R  Reproduction
U  Universal Genetic Code
C  Composed of cells (+1)
H  Homeostasis
E  Evolve & Adapt

30. Life is Organized on Several Levels
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Levels
Atoms
Molecules
Organelles
Cells – life starts here
Tissues
Organs
Organ Systems
Organism
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Levels
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
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