chapter 1: characteristics and classification of living organisms Flashcards
(30 cards)
what does the acronym mrs gren stand for?
movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, nutrition
define movement in the context of living organisms.
an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place
what is respiration?
the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism
what does sensitivity refer to in living organisms?
the ability to detect and respond to changes in the internal or external environment
what is growth?
a permanent increase in size and dry mass
what is reproduction?
process which produces offspring genetically identical or different from the parent organism
define excretion.
the removal of the waste products of metabolism and substances in excess of requirements
what does nutrition involve?
the taking in of materials for energy, growth, and development
what is the sequence of classification?
kingdom → phylum → classes → orders → families → genus → species
what is a species?
a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
what is the binomial nomenclature?
an internationally agreed system of naming species comprised of two parts: genus and species
how is the binomial name formatted?
genus capitalized, species not capitalized, typed in italics or underlined
what does classification help show about organisms?
the evolutionary relationships between them
what do dichotomous keys use to classify organisms?
visible features
what is the defining characteristic of animals?
multicellular ingestive heterotrophs
what are the three main groups of plants?
ferns, flowering plants, and gymnosperms (not directly mentioned but implied)
what is the defining characteristic of fungi?
heterotrophic and saprotrophic organisms with cell walls not made of cellulose
what are prokaryotes?
single-celled organisms with no true nucleus and mitochondria
what are the two main types of vertebrates?
vertebrates (have a backbone) and invertebrates (do not have a backbone)
list the five types of vertebrates.
- mammals
- reptiles
- fish
- amphibians
- birds
what are the key features of mammals?
- fur or hair on skin
- external ears (pinna)
- internal fertilisation
- mammary glands
- give birth to live young
what distinguishes reptiles from other vertebrates?
thick, dry, scaly skin and usually four legs
what is a key feature of amphibians?
smooth, moist skin and can live on land and water
what defines birds?
feathers on the body, constant internal body temperature, and hard eggs
