1.1 Flashcards
Characteristics of living organisms (19 cards)
What are the 7 characteristics of living organisms?
Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity (Response to stimuli)
Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition
What does “Movement” mean in the context of living organisms?
Movement refers to the ability of an organism or parts of an organism to change position or move. This includes actions like walking, swimming, or even the movement of internal structures (e.g., blood flow in humans).
Define “Respiration” in living organisms
Respiration is the process of releasing energy from food (usually glucose) through chemical reactions. It occurs in all living organisms and is essential for their survival.
What does “Sensitivity” (or Irritability) refer to in living organisms?
Sensitivity refers to the ability of an organism to detect and respond to changes in its environment (stimuli), such as light, temperature, or pressure.
What does “Growth” mean for living organisms?
Growth refers to the process by which organisms increase in size or number of cells. It typically involves cell division and differentiation
Explain “Reproduction” in living organisms.
Reproduction is the process by which living organisms produce offspring to ensure the continuation of their species. It can be asexual (e.g., binary fission in bacteria) or sexual (involving male and female gametes).
What is meant by “Excretion” in living organisms?
Excretion is the process by which organisms remove waste products from their bodies, such as carbon dioxide, urea, and excess salts. This is essential to maintain homeostasis.
What is “Nutrition” in living organisms?
Nutrition refers to the process by which organisms obtain and use food for energy, growth, and maintenance. It can involve the consumption of plants, animals, or photosynthesis in plants.
Why is “Respiration” different from “Breathing”?
Respiration is a chemical process that occurs within cells to release energy from food, while breathing is the physical process of taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide, which supports respiration.
Can viruses be classified as living organisms? Why or why not?
Viruses are not considered living organisms because they do not carry out all 7 characteristics of life. They cannot reproduce on their own and require a host cell to replicate.
Define “metabolism.”
Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions that occur within an organism to maintain life. This includes breaking down food to release energy (catabolism) and building up molecules for growth and repair (anabolism).
What is meant by “stimuli” in the context of living organisms?
Stimuli are changes in the environment (either internal or external) that living organisms can detect and respond to. Examples include changes in light, temperature, or the presence of food.
how does “growth” differ from “development”?
Growth refers to an increase in size or number of cells.
Development refers to the process of cells differentiating into specialized types and the organism becoming more complex in structure and function over time.
What are the essential components that all cells need to carry out life processes?
All cells contain essential structures such as:
Cell membrane (controls entry/exit of materials)
Cytoplasm (site of chemical reactions)
Nucleus (contains genetic material)
Mitochondria (energy production through respiration)
Ribosomes (protein synthesis).
Why is “excretion” important for living organisms?
Excretion is necessary to remove toxic waste products produced by metabolic processes, helping to maintain a stable internal environment (homeostasis). Without excretion, waste buildup could harm the organism.
What are the main differences between plant and animal cells
Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts for photosynthesis, and a large central vacuole.
Animal cells do not have a cell wall, chloroplasts, or large vacuole but have more flexible shapes.
What is “homeostasis” in living organisms?
Homeostasis is the process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment, despite changes in the external environment (e.g., regulating body temperature, pH, and glucose levels).
What is the term used to describe organisms that make their own food?
Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food, typically through photosynthesis (e.g., plants).
Heterotrophs rely on consuming other organisms for food (e.g., animals).
