Characteristics and classification of living organisms

Question 1

Nutrition

Answer 1

The taking in of materials for energy, growth and development.
Plant require light, CO2, H2O and ions. Animals need organic compounds and ions and H2O.

Question 2

Excretion

Answer 2

The removal from organisms of the waste products of metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration),toxic materials and substances that are in excess of requirements

Question 3

Respiration

Answer 3

The chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism

Question 4

Sensitivity

Answer 4

The ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment and make appropriate responses.

Question 5

Reproduction

Answer 5

The processes that make more of the same kind of organism

Question 6

Growth

Answer 6

A permanent increase in size and dry mass by an icrease in cell number or cell size or both

Question 7

Movement

Answer 7

An action by an organism causing a change of position and place

Question 8

Species

Answer 8

A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offfspring

Question 9

Binomial system

Answer 9

An internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the genus and the species

Question 10

Morphology

Answer 10

The study of the form, or outward appearance, of organisms.

Question 11

Anatomy

Answer 11

The study of their internal structure, as revealed by dissection.

Question 12

Cladistics

Answer 12

the process of biological classification.

Question 13

DNA in classification (6)

Answer 13

The use of DNA has revolutionised the process of classification.

Eukaryotic organisms contain chromosomes made up of strings of genes.

DNA is made up of a sequence of bases, coding for amino acids and proteins.

Each species has a distinct number of chromosomes and a unique sequence of bases in it DNA, making it identifiable and distinguishable from other species.

This helps when different species are very similar morphologically and anatomically.

Organisms which share a more recent ancestor (more closely related) have DNA base sequences that are more similar than those that share only a distant ancestor.

Question 14

All living organisms have certain features in common (3)

Answer 14

Cytoplasm, cell membranes, DNA as genetic material.

Also contain ribosomes (in the cytoplasm), floating freely or attached to membranes called rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis and enzymes involved in respiration

Question 15

Plant Kingdom 4

Answer 15

Multicellular

Cell wall made up of cellulose

Contains chloroplasts with photosynthetic pigments

Make their own food by photosynthesis

Question 16

Animal Kingdom 3

Answer 16

Multi cellular

No cell wall or chloroplasts

Ingest solid food and digest it internally

Question 17

5 kingdoms

Answer 17

Animal, plant, fungi, protoctista, prokaryotes (bacteria)

Question 18

Ferns

Answer 18

Produces gametes but not seeds

Reproduce through spores

Question 19

Monocotyledon

Answer 19

Leaf long and narrow
Leaf veins parallel
One cotyledon
Grouping of flower parts in threes

Question 20

Dicotyledon

Answer 20

Leaf shape broad
Leaf veins branching
2 cotyledons
Grouping of flower parts in fives

Question 21

vertebrates (5) and invertebrates (7)

Answer 21

Coelenterates, 
Flatworms, 
Nematode worms,
Annelids, 
Arthropods, 
Molluscs, 
Echinoderms, 

Fish,
Ambphibians, 
Reptiles, 
Birds, 
Mammals

Question 22

4 arthropod groups

Answer 22

Insects
Arachnids
Crustacesa
Myriapods

Question 23

Insects (5)

Answer 23

3 pairs of legs

Body divided into head, thorax and abdomen

1 pair of antennae

1 pair of compund eyes

Usually 2 pairs of wings
Ex: Dragonfly or wasps

Question 24

Arachnids (4)

Answer 24

Eg spider, tick

4 pair of legs

Body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen

Several pairs of simple eyes

Chelicerae for biting and poisoning prey

Question 25

Crustacea (5)

Answer 25

Eg: crab, woodlouse 5 or more pair of legs Body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen 2 pairs of antennae 1 pair of compund eyes Exoskeleton often calcified to form a carapace (hard)

Question 26

Myriapods (4)

Answer 26

Eg centipede, milipede 10 or more pair of legs Body not obvioulsly divided into thorax and abdomen Simple eyes 1 pair of antennae

Question 27

Arthropods features (4)

Answer 27

Invertebrates Waterproof exoskeleton (canexist in very dry places and are not confined to water or moist places like most invertebrates) Segmented body Jointed limbs (exoskeleton would prevent movement)

Question 28

Annelids

Answer 28

Segemented worms with soft bodies | Eg: earthworms

Question 29

Nematodes

Answer 29

Tiny thin worms without segments Some are parasites that cause disease Eg: hookworms

Question 30

Molluscs

Answer 30

Usually have broad muscular foot and may also have a shell Eg: snails, slugs, squids, and octopuses

Question 31

Fish (6)

Answer 31

Eg: Herring, perch, sharks Scales Fins Produce jelly-covered eggs in water Eyes, no ears, lateral line along body for detection vibrations in water Cold blooded, gills for breathing

Question 32

Amphibia (6)

Answer 32

Eg: frog, toad, newt Moist skin 4 limbs, back feet (for swimming) Produce jelly-covered eggs in water Eyes, ears Cold blooded, lungs and skin for breathing

Question 33

Reptiles (6)

Answer 33

Eg: lizard, snake Dry skin with scales 4 legs (apart from snakes) Produce eggs with a rubbery, waterproof shell; laid on land Eys ears Cold blooded, lungs for breathing

Question 34

Birds (6)

Answer 34

Eg: Robin, pigeon, flamingo Feathers, scales on legs Wings, 2 legs Eggs with hard shells Eyes and ears Warm blooded, lungs for breathing, beak

Question 35

Mammals

Answer 35

Eg: mouse, humans elephant Fur 4 limbs Produce live young Eyes, ears with a pinna (external flap) Warm blooded Lungs for breathing Demales have mammary glands to produce milk to feed young, 4 types of teeth

Question 36

Vertebrate defintion

Answer 36

Vertebrates are animals which have a vertebral column called the spinal column or just the spine and consists of a chain of cylindrical bones joined end to end.

Question 37

Cold and warm blooded

Answer 37

Poikilothermic (variable temperature) cold blooded. Homoiothermic (constant temperature) warm blooded.

Question 38

Fungi Kingdom (5)

Answer 38

Made up of thread-like hyphae, rather than cells. Many nuclei distributed throughout the cytoplasm in their hyphae. Mushrooms, toadstools, puffballs, bracket fungi that grow on tree trunks. Mould fungi which grow on stale bread, cheese, fruit or other food. The yeasts are single-celled fungi.

Question 39

The prokaryote kingdom (10)

Answer 39

Bacteria and blue-green algae. Consist of single cells. Different to other single-cell organisms because their chromosomes are not organised into a nucleus. Bacteria are very small organisms. Cell walls are made, of cellulose, but of a complex mixture of proteins, sugars and lipids. Some bacteria have a slime capsule outside their cell wall. Cytoplasm may contain granules of glycogen, lipid and other food reserves . Each bacterial cell contains a single chromosome, consisting of a circular strand of DNA. The chromosome is not enclosed in a nuclear membrane but is coiled up to occupy part of the cell. Flagella can flick and move the cell about.

Question 40

The protoctist kingdom (4)

Answer 40

Single-celled (unicellular) organisms Their chromosomes enclosed in a nuclear membrane to form a nucleus. Euglena, possess chloroplasts and make their food by photosynthesis. Often referred to as unicellular ‘plants’ or Amoeba and Paramecium, take in and digest solid food. May be called unicellular ‘animals’ or

Question 41

Viruses (8)

Answer 41

Have a central core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. No nucleus, cytoplasm, cell organelles or cell membrane. Virus particles therefore are not cells. Do not feed, respire, excrete or grow. Do reproduce, but only inside the cells of living organisms, using materials provided by the host cell. The nucleic acid core is a coiled single strand of RNA. The coat is made up of regularly packed protein units called capsomeres each containing many protein molecules. The protein coat is called a capsid.

Question 42

Taxonomic rank

Answer 42

``` Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species ```