Variety in Living Organisms Flashcards
(21 cards)
What are the seven processes that only living organisms can carry out?
Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Nutrition, Excretion, Reproduction, Growth
The first letter of each process is provided for memory aid.
What are the main characteristics of prokaryotes?
Do not have a nucleus, single chromosome in cytoplasm, microscopic, smaller than eukaryotes, include bacteria
Prokaryotes are a category of organisms distinct from eukaryotes.
What are the main characteristics of eukaryotes?
Have a nucleus in every cell, multi-cellular or unicellular, include animals, plants, fungi, and protoctists
Eukaryotes are more complex than prokaryotes.
How do plants feed?
Photosynthesis
Plants convert light energy into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
In what form do plants store carbohydrates?
As starch
Starch is a polysaccharide that serves as a carbohydrate reserve.
What are plant cell walls made of?
Cellulose
Cellulose provides structural support to plant cells.
How do animals feed?
Eat ready-made food
Animals are heterotrophic, relying on other organisms for sustenance.
Why do animals move?
To find food, breed, escape danger
Movement is crucial for survival in animals.
In what form do animals store carbohydrates?
As glycogen
Glycogen is a polysaccharide used for energy storage in animals.
What is the definition of fungi?
Thread-like structures making up fungi are called hyphae
Hyphae form the mycelium of the fungus.
What are saprophytes?
Fungi which feed on dead organic material
They play an essential role in decomposition.
What are parasites?
Fungi which feed on other living organisms
Parasites often harm their hosts.
What are fungal cell walls made of?
Chitin
Chitin is a strong polysaccharide that provides structural integrity.
What distinguishes protoctists?
Organisms that don’t fit into other groups, can only be seen with a microscope, often aquatic
Protoctists include a diverse range of microscopic organisms.
What defines viruses?
Have a protein coat around DNA or RNA, can only exist inside living cells, pathogenic
Viruses are not classified as living organisms.
What is unusual about viruses?
They cannot be classified as living organisms
This is due to their inability to carry out life processes independently.
What type of organism is bacteria?
Prokaryotes
Bacteria are single-celled organisms without a nucleus.
Fill in the blank: Fungi which feed on dead organic material are called _______.
Saprophytes
Fill in the blank: Fungal cell walls are made of _______.
Chitin
Fill in the blank: Organisms that can only be seen with a microscope are _______.
Microscopic
Fill in the blank: Organisms that only live in water are called _______.
Aquatic
