Characteristics of Living Things Life Science Biology.

Characteristics of Living Characteristics of Living ThingsThings

Life Science BiologyLife Science Biology

When you see the symbol, write downWhen you see the symbol, write down

the definition from the slide.the definition from the slide.

ObjectivesObjectives

Be able to determine whether something is a Be able to determine whether something is a living thing or a non-living thing.living thing or a non-living thing.

Learn and understand the 6 main Learn and understand the 6 main characteristics of living things.characteristics of living things.

Organism-a living thing; anything Organism-a living thing; anything that can carry out life processes that can carry out life processes independently. They can be independently. They can be unicellular (one cell) or unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (many cells).multicellular (many cells).

Some cells have organelles and Some cells have organelles and some do not.some do not.

First Characteristic of Living ThingsFirst Characteristic of Living Things

The first characteristic of living things is that The first characteristic of living things is that they are all composed of cells. they are all composed of cells.

Cells are the itsy bitsy puzzle pieces that make Cells are the itsy bitsy puzzle pieces that make up all living things.up all living things.

Second Characteristic of Living Second Characteristic of Living ThingsThings

The second characteristic of living things is The second characteristic of living things is that they have DNA. that they have DNA.

When organisms reproduce they pass copies of When organisms reproduce they pass copies of their DNA to their offspring. their DNA to their offspring.

Third Characteristic of Living Third Characteristic of Living ThingsThings

The third characteristic of living things is all The third characteristic of living things is all living things use energy.living things use energy.

Animals and humans eat food to obtain their energy.

Plants however use the sunlight to obtain their energy.

EnergyEnergy

All organisms use energy to All organisms use energy to undergo life processes. Energy undergo life processes. Energy cannot be reused or recycled. In cannot be reused or recycled. In nature, materials needed by all nature, materials needed by all organisms in an ecosystem are organisms in an ecosystem are reused or recycled. reused or recycled.

Nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and Nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and other nutrients move through other nutrients move through ecosystems in a predictable pattern ecosystems in a predictable pattern or cycle. These nutrient cycles in or cycle. These nutrient cycles in nature are called biochemical nature are called biochemical cycles.cycles.

Inorganic compoundsInorganic compounds

Water, carbon dioxide, ammonia and oxyen Water, carbon dioxide, ammonia and oxyen are the basic inorganic chemicals of life. Th are the basic inorganic chemicals of life. Th formulas for each are;formulas for each are;

Water- H2OWater- H2O Carbon-CO2Carbon-CO2 Ammonia-NH3 Ammonia-NH3 Oxygen- O2Oxygen- O2

Organic compoundsOrganic compounds

The organic compounds of life include;The organic compounds of life include; carbohydratescarbohydrates LipidsLipids ProteinsProteins nucleotidesnucleotides

They are called organic because all contain the They are called organic because all contain the compound element Carbon.compound element Carbon.

CarbohydratesCarbohydrates

Any of a group of organic Any of a group of organic compounds that includes compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums and serves as a and gums and serves as a major energy source in the major energy source in the diet of animals.diet of animals.

LipidsLipids

Any of a group of organic Any of a group of organic compounds, including the compounds, including the fats, oils, waxes, sterols, fats, oils, waxes, sterols, and triglycerides, that are and triglycerides, that are insoluble in waterinsoluble in water

ProteinsProteins

made up of amino acids. made up of amino acids. Proteins are basic components Proteins are basic components of all living cells and are of all living cells and are therefore among the principal therefore among the principal substances that make up the substances that make up the body.body.

Nucleotides Nucleotides

Any of various compounds Any of various compounds consisting of a nucleoside consisting of a nucleoside combined with a phosphate combined with a phosphate group and forming the basic group and forming the basic constituent of DNA and RNAconstituent of DNA and RNA

Oxygen cycle-the process by Oxygen cycle-the process by which oxygen released into the which oxygen released into the atmosphere by photosynthetic atmosphere by photosynthetic organisms is taken up by aerobic organisms is taken up by aerobic organisms while the carbon organisms while the carbon dioxide released as a by-product of dioxide released as a by-product of respiration is taken up for respiration is taken up for photosynthesis.photosynthesis.

Carbon cycle- The Carbon cycle- The continuous process by continuous process by which carbon is exchanged which carbon is exchanged between organisms and the between organisms and the environment. environment.

Nitrogen cycle-the circulation Nitrogen cycle-the circulation of nitrogen; nitrates from the of nitrogen; nitrates from the soil are absorbed by plants soil are absorbed by plants which are eaten by animals which are eaten by animals that die and decay returning that die and decay returning the nitrogen back to the soilthe nitrogen back to the soil   

Fourth Characteristic of Living Fourth Characteristic of Living ThingsThings

The fourth characteristic of living things The fourth characteristic of living things is homeostasis.is homeostasis.

This is maintaining the inside of their This is maintaining the inside of their bodies.bodies.

Eating the right foods and staying clean Eating the right foods and staying clean are parts of this maintaining process.are parts of this maintaining process.

Regulation of an organism’s internal surroundings (environment) involves sensing the internal and external environment and changing physiological activities to keep condition within the range required to survive.

Let’s discuss the things that can Let’s discuss the things that can effect the way we respond to effect the way we respond to our environment.our environment.

EnvironmentEnvironment

the air, water, minerals, the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other organisms, and all other external factors surrounding external factors surrounding and affecting a given and affecting a given organism at any time.organism at any time.

HomeostasisHomeostasis

Homeostasis - the body’s Homeostasis - the body’s ability to maintain a ability to maintain a relatively constantrelatively constant internal internal environment despite changes environment despite changes in the external environment.in the external environment.

Feedback mechanismsFeedback mechanisms

Homeostasis maintained through either:Homeostasis maintained through either: Negative feedback mechanismsNegative feedback mechanisms

opposes response to stimulusopposes response to stimulus Positive feedback mechanismsPositive feedback mechanisms

enhances response to stimulusenhances response to stimulus

StimulusStimulus

Stimulus- something Stimulus- something that causes a that causes a reaction in a living reaction in a living thing thing

ResponseResponse

A reaction, as that of A reaction, as that of an organism or any of an organism or any of its parts, to a specific its parts, to a specific stimulusstimulus

PlantsPlants

Animals and plants respond Animals and plants respond in different ways. Let’s in different ways. Let’s look at the way plants look at the way plants respond to their respond to their environment.environment.

A plant’s responses to A plant’s responses to gravity, moisture, and light gravity, moisture, and light are called tropisms. Tropisms are called tropisms. Tropisms can be either negative or can be either negative or positive. Let’s look each one.positive. Let’s look each one.

Negative tropismNegative tropism

Negative tropism- Moving Negative tropism- Moving or turning away from a or turning away from a stimulus, such as lightstimulus, such as light

Positive tropismPositive tropism

Positive tropismPositive tropism is is when there is movement when there is movement toward the source of toward the source of stimulation.stimulation.

Fifth Characteristic of Living ThingsFifth Characteristic of Living Things

The fifth characteristic of living The fifth characteristic of living things is that all living things things is that all living things grow and develop. Cell growth grow and develop. Cell growth can include size of cell or number can include size of cell or number of cells.of cells.

Development Development refers to the series refers to the series of changes that of changes that produces a more produces a more complex complex organism. organism.

Growth is an Growth is an increase in size.increase in size.

Sixth Characteristic of Living Sixth Characteristic of Living ThingsThings

The sixth characteristic of living things is The sixth characteristic of living things is reproduction. All living things need to reproduction. All living things need to reproduce to survive.reproduce to survive.

Reproduction is sexual and/or Reproduction is sexual and/or asexual.asexual.

Sexual reproduction-reproduction in Sexual reproduction-reproduction in which the sex cells from two parents which the sex cells from two parents unite, producing offspring that share unite, producing offspring that share traits from both parents.traits from both parents.

Asexual reproduction-reproduction that Asexual reproduction-reproduction that does not involving the union of sex cells does not involving the union of sex cells and in which on parent produces and in which on parent produces offspring identical to itself.offspring identical to itself.

Living or Non-living and Why?Living or Non-living and Why?

Living Living

Living

Non-Living

Non-Living Non-Living

Six Characteristics of Living ThingsSix Characteristics of Living Things

1.1. CellsCells

2.2. Have DNAHave DNA

3.3. Uses energyUses energy

4.4. Homeostasis/responds Homeostasis/responds to environmentto environment

5.5. Growth and Growth and DevelopmentDevelopment

6.6. ReproductionReproduction