1. Characteristics of Life

2. Characteristics of Life
Cellular Organization
Responsiveness
Reproduction
Metabolism
Heredity (and Evolve!)
Homeostasis
Growth and Development
An object must possess ALL of the characteristics of life (not just some) to be considered LIVING!
Yesterday you should have observed and discussed characteristics of your earthworms and gummy worms. Some of these characteristics include…

3. Earth Worm vs Gummy Worm
Made of cells?
Reproduce?
Metabolize?
Homeostasis?
Heredity (pass on traits)?
Respond to stimulus?
Grows and Develops?

4. Made of Cells (cells are basic components of Living things)
All organisms are made of one (unicellular) or more cells (multicellular)
Cells are the basic units of structure and function of all living things.
Cells are the smallest structural unit of living organisms, capable of maintaining life and reproducing
As you can see cells are divided into several compartments. These compartments are called organelles. Each with a characteristic structure, biochemical composition, and function

5. Displays Organization (Arranged in an orderly way)
The levels of organization in biological systems begins with
atoms and molecules
and increases in
complexity.
Each structure in the
organism has a specific
function

6. Displays Organization (Arranged in an orderly way)
Atoms
Molecules
Organelles
Cells
Tissues
Organs
System
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
At which level does life begin?

7. Responds to stimuli (reactions to internal and external stimuli)
All living organisms respond to stimuli from their environment.
Organisms detect changes
in their internal and external environment and
react to the changes.

8. Reproduces (producing offspring)
All living organisms must have the ability to reproduce to ensure the survival of the species (not the individual).

9. Requires Energy (Metabolism) (all the chemical processes using energy)
Living organisms require and utilize energy to do work.
Living things get their energy from food. Autotrophs make their own food using the sun’s energy.
Heterotrophs get their food from eating other organisms
the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments.

10. Inherit adaptations evolved over time (Heredity) (passing of traits to offspring)
Living organisms inherit traits from the parent organism that help the species survive
The passing of traits to offspring (from its parent or ancestors). This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause a species to evolve.

11. Maintains Homeostasis (keeping internal conditions constant in a changing environment)
Homeo = same
Stasis = standing
All living things maintain a state of internal balance
the body's ability to regulate physiologically its inner environment to ensure its stability in response to fluctuations in the outside environment and the weather
Temperature
pH level
O2/CO2 content
Glucose level
Electrolyte level
Like a thermostat in your house!

12. Grows and Develops (increase in mass and changing abilities)
All living organisms go through increases in body size by increasing the number of cells or size of each individual cell.
Development is the process of natural changes that take place during the life cycle of an organism.

13. Are viruses Living ? What are the red objects? Are they living?
What are the blue objects? Are they living?