Characteristics of Living Things

Levels of Organization: CELLS → TISSUE → ORGAN → ORGAN SYSTEM → ORGANISM

Living things are made of cells Cell…collection of matter enclosed by a membrane barrier. Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular.

Costa’s Level 1 - List the levels of organization. Level 2 –What would be the benefit of sexual reproduction? What would be a detriment? Level 3 –Hypothesize the possible result if an organism had cellular break down at the tissue level.

Living things are able to reproduce, grow & develop Asexual… requires only one parent and does not require exchange of DNA Sexual… requires two parents to result in new offspring

Growth = Cell reproduction… produces new cells (increases in number) making the organism larger. Development = Cell differentiation… cells change shape & structure to become different and serve different functions (physical change). Stages of Life - Beginning, growth, maturity, decline, death Living things are able to reproduce, grow & develop

Living things contain a universal genetic code DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)… is the code for making of proteins used for structure and function. DNA determines the inherited traits of every organism.

Living things Obtain & use materials & energy Metabolism…the sum of all chemical reactions that either build up or break down materials, while using and supplying energy for the organism.

Living things Respond to their environment Stimulus cause responses in living things Stimulus → Response

Living things Maintain a stable internal environment Homeostasis… the process by which organisms keep balanced, fairly constant internal environments to survive

Living things Change over time Evolution… process by which modern organisms descended from ancient organisms over millions of years. Individual organisms do NOT evolve

Characteristics of Living Things 1.Made of at least one cell 2.Reproduce, grow and develop 3.Universal genetic code (DNA) 4.Obtain and use materials and energy (metabolism) 5.Respond to the environment 6.Maintain stable internal environment (homeostasis) 7.Change over time (evolve)

What do ALL organisms need to survive? Habitat Space Food Water Warmth Elimination of waste