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1 Study of copyright cmassengale Edited by pdunning EHS Characteristics of Life
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2 What is Biology? Biology is the study of all living things Living things are called organisms Living things are called organisms Organisms include bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, & animals
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3 All Living Things Share Common Characteristics 1. Basic Unit is the Cell 2. They Reproduce 3. All Based On Universal Genetic Code (DNA) 4. Grow & Develop
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4 Common Characteristics 5. Obtain & Use Materials & Energy 6. Respond To Their Environment 7. Maintain A Stable Internal Environment 8. AS A GROUP, Living Things Evolve, That Is They Change Over Time
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5 Characteristics of Organisms
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6 All Organisms are made of Cells
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Cell Structure and Function Cell basic unit of life All organisms are made of and develop from cells Some composed of only a single cell (unicellular) which is usually identical to parent
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8 Facts About Cells Cells are the smallest living unit of an organism All cells contain cytoplasm All cells are surrounded by a cell membrane that controls what enters & leaves the cell
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9 More Cell Facts Cells are complex & highly organized Cells have parts called organelles that do different jobs e.g. Chloroplasts in plants make sugars e.g. Chloroplasts in plants make sugars
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10 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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11 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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12 Organisms are Grouped by their Number of Cells Unicellular Organisms Unicellular Organisms –Living Organism Made Up Of One Cell Multicellular Organisms Multicellular Organisms –Living Organism Made Up Of Many, Specialized Cells
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13 Cells All living things are composed of cells In multicellular organisms, many are specialized to perform specific functions Cells are always very small The size of multi-celled organisms depends on the number of cells NOT their size Copyright Cmassengale
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Living things reproduce Copyright Cmassengale 14
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15 Organisms Reproduce to Pass on their Genetic Traits
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16 Reproduction All species have the ability to reproduce All species have the ability to reproduce Not essential to survival of individual but is essential for continuation of a species Not essential to survival of individual but is essential for continuation of a species Copyright Cmassengale
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17 Two Types of Reproduction Sexual Reproduction Involves 2 parents Egg fertilized by sperm to make a ZYGOTE Offspring DIFFERENT from parents
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18 Two Types of Reproduction Asexual Reproduction Involves a single organism or cell Cell divides Offspring IDENTICAL to parent
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19 Cells Have a Genetic Code copyright cmassengale
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20 Genetic Code DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) carries the genetic code for all organisms All organisms contain DNA DNA codes for the proteins that make up cells & do all the work necessary for life
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21 Organisms Grow & Develop
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22 Growth & Development Organisms grow by producing MORE CELLS & by cell ENLARGEMENT Organisms develop as they mature into an adult organism
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23 Growth Grow occurs as the result of cell division and cell enlargement Cell division is the formation of two cells from a preexisting cell New cells enlarge as they mature When a cell grows to a size where its surface area isn’t big enough for its volume, the cell divides Copyright Cmassengale
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24 Cells Require Food & Energy
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25 Food Requirements Autotrophs can make their own food Photoautotrophs use sunlight to make food (photosynthesis) Chemoautotrophs use chemicals such as iron & sulfur as their energy
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26 Food Requirements Heterotrophs can NOT make their own food They must consume other organisms Herbivores eat plants Carnivores eat meat Omnivores eat plants & animals
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27 All organisms need substances such as nutrients, water, and gases from the environment All organisms need substances such as nutrients, water, and gases from the environment The stability of the environment depends on the healthy functioning of organisms in that environment
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28 Metabolism Sum of all the chemical reactions in an organism All require energy Sunlight is the ultimate energy for life on Earth
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29 Metabolism Cellular Respiration –Cells releasing the chemical energy stored in foods 6O 2 + C 6 H 12 O 6 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O
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30 Organisms Respond to Stimuli Organisms Respond to stimuli (Temperature, Water, Food Supplies, etc.) In Order To Survive & Reproduce
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31 Homeostasis Keeping The Internal Environment (Homeostasis) Of The Cell or Organism Within The Ranges Required For Life Stable internal conditions of pH, temperature, water balance, etc.
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32 Living Things Evolve Groups Of Organisms (Not Individuals) Change Over Time In Order To Survive Within Changing Environments. Fossil records show changes in groups of organisms
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33 Explains why organisms look and behave the way they do Provides a basis for exploring the relationships among different groups of organisms
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34 Natural Selection Natural selection is the driving force in evolution Organisms that have certain favorable traits are better able to successfully reproduce than organisms that lack these traits
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35 Natural Selection Survival of organisms with favorable traits cause a gradual change in populations over many generations Copyright Cmassengale
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36 Life is Organized on Several Levels
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37 Levels AtomsMoleculesOrganelles Cells – life starts here TissuesOrgansSystemOrganism
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38 Levels PopulationCommunityEcosystemBiosphere
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Quiz Next Time! 40
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