Characteristics of Living Things Unit: 1

Living Things Are made up of cells Are made up of cells They need to reproduce They need to reproduce They grow & develop They grow & develop They need to obtain and use energy They need to obtain and use energy They respond to the environment around them. They respond to the environment around them.

Cells Cells are the basic unit of life and are only found in living or once living things. Cells are the basic unit of life and are only found in living or once living things. –Multi-cellular: An organism that is made up of multiple cells (100’s, 1000’s, etc) –Unicellular: An organism that is made up of a single cell.

Reproduction Living things can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Living things can reproduce both sexually and asexually. –Sexual reproduction: requires two cells from different organisms of the same type unit in order to reproduce offspring. –Asexually reproduction: A single organism can reproduce without the aid of another.

Growth & Development All organism at one stage or another in their lives are capable of growth (size increase) All organism at one stage or another in their lives are capable of growth (size increase) Most living things go through a cycle of change called development. Most living things go through a cycle of change called development.

Obtain & Use Energy All living things require energy to grow & develop. All living things require energy to grow & develop. All living things get energy from their environment. All living things get energy from their environment. Energy is required to build the substances that make up cells. Energy is required to build the substances that make up cells. –Anabolism: The process of putting together complex substances from simple smaller substances, requires energy. –Catabolism: Digestion process that breaks down complex substance into simple ones, releases energy. –Metabolism: Sum of all chemical reactions in the body, the balance of anabolism & catabolism.

Response to Environment These changes can be rapid, usually changes in behavior or they can be slow, usually changes in metabolism or growth. These changes can be rapid, usually changes in behavior or they can be slow, usually changes in metabolism or growth. –Stimulus: Anything that can cause an organism to react (light, temperature, odor, sound, gravity, heat, pressure). –Irritability: The ability of living things to react to stimuli. –Homeostasis: The ability of an organism to maintain a constant stable condition in their body suitable for life.