Characteristics of Life

What characteristics do all living things have in common? Is it alive? What characteristics do all living things have in common?

What Do Living Things Have in Common? Made of cells

Made of Cells All living things contain one or more cells with genetic material (DNA) Cells are organized into structures that carry out certain functions Cell -> Tissue -> Organ -> Organ System -> Organism

What Do Living Things Have in Common? Made of cells Require Energy

Require Energy Living things must get energy to live Autotrophs-make their own energy (like plants) Heterotrophs-eat other organisms to get energy

What Do Living Things Have in Common? Reproduce What Do Living Things Have in Common? Made of cells Require Energy

Reproduce Living things must make more living things for their species to survive and their genetic material to be passed on to the next generation.

What Do Living Things Have in Common? Reproduce Grow What Do Living Things Have in Common? Made of cells Require Energy Develop

Growth and Development Growth-increase in the amount of living material and the formation of new structures Development-all the changes that take place during the life of an organism

What Do Living Things Have in Common? Reproduce Grow Adapt and Evolve What Do Living Things Have in Common? Made of cells Require Energy Develop

Adapt and Evolve Adaptation-an inherited structure, behavior, or internal process that allows an organism to respond to their environment and live to reproduce Evolution-gradual changes in a species through adaptations over time

The Characteristics of Life Things must have ALL of the following to be considered alive: Made of Cells Require Energy Reproduce Growth and Development Adapt and Evolve